My “Best of Film” 2013 Edition: “12 Years A Slave”

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this movie. My concern was that it would try to emulate the emotional impact of “The Color Purple” or “Roots” or any number of slavery-related films. Thankfully, what this film offers is unique unto itself.

“12 Years A Slave,” based on the autobiography of Solomon Northup, tells a tale full of heavy despair and loss of spirit and dignity. The real hook through all of this, though, is that Northup never gives up entirely, although he succombs to despair and suffers betrayals and setbacks. Northup was born free in New York State, and was an upstanding man in the community, known for playing the violin very well. Solomon is offered a paid gig playing violin while his wife and children are out of town. He accepts, but is drugged and sold into slavery. In the course of the next several years, he endures a few owners, ranging from very kind to insane megalomaniac. All the while, Solomon tries to find a way to be reunited with his family.

The success of this movie relies heavily upon Chiwetel Ejiofor, who never overplays. He is sincere and genuine as Northup, always keeping that ember of hope burning in his eyes. The supporting cast is an embarasment of riches. Benedict Cumberbatch is great in his brief scene as Northup’s kindest owner. Paul Giamatti does his menacing creep bit as the trader who initially sells Solomon. Most notable, though, Michael Fassbaender as the tyrant Edwin Epps made my skin crawl, and Lupita Nyong’o truly broke my heart as Patsey, a slave who is determined to escape the life she despises. Thewse fine performances are all brought together by Steve McQueen’s careful direction. McQueen never allows the moments to get bigger than they should, and so the film maintains an emotional level that feels true, and at the same time it feels like a piece of history. I was deeply moved by this film, but I did not feel manipulated into obligatory tears (a la recent Spielberg). This one is a MUST.

“12 Years A Slave” is currently in a handful of theaters across the country, but will likely see a re-release when the awards buzz revs up in January and February.

My “Best of Film” 2013 Edition: “Gravity”

Like many kids of my generation, I have been fascinated with space exploration my whole life. From seeing real shuttle launches on TV to growing up on Star Wars, Star Trek, Flash Gordon, and so many other sci-fi stories, I have always dreamed of what it might be like to actually venture beyond our atmosphere. I had never fully thought about how dreadfully nightmarish it could be to attempt to exist out there.

Director Alfonso Cuaron takes us into that nightmare with “Gravity.” Here we have Sandra Bullock in a mostly 1-person film about the struggle to get home. Really, though, the struggle is not succumbing to her own despair.

“Gravity” is a hard movie to discuss. The less you know, the more you will love it. The short version is this: a veteran astronaut (George Clooney) accompanies a medical engineer (Stone) to the space station to conduct some research. Word comes in that a debris cluster is heading toward the station, causing sever damage to the station and to their return craft. The two are separated, and the rest of the story plays itself out with a level of mounting tension that would make Hitchcock jealous.

The fear, paranoia, and terror that follow are very palpable. Bullock gives the performance of her life here. She runs the gamut of emotions, all the while keeping us engaged in her struggles. This movie feels a bit like a panic attack, but it is well worth it, if nothing else, for the gorgeous cinematography in outer space (even if it was pure simulation).

“Gravity” is playing in limited theaters. Check your local listings.

My “Best of Film” 2013 Edition: “We’re The Millers”

I know that it isn’t a very common thing for “critics” to put crass comedies on their best-of lists. For me, though, when I see a movie that fulfills its purpose (in this case, eliciting consistent laughter throughout), then it deserves consideration. I’m not saying that it deserves an Oscar, but if every movie was Oscar bait, why would the award season matter?

David Clark (Jason Sudeikis) is a drug dealer living in Denver, flying under the radar. All is well until his neighbor, a nerdy teen named Kenny (Will Poulter), gets himself into a confrontation with a street gang, forcing David to step in and try to help him. The gang ends up with all of David’s drugs, as well as his money. David’s supplier, Brad Gurdlinger (Ed Helms), offers David a deal: go get a shipment of drugs from Mexico and bring them back to Denver, and all will be forgiven. (Brad even throws in a decent payday.) The problem is this: how will David cross the border without arousing suspicion? David has a ture moment of epiphany: he needs a family to use as a cover. He recruits Kenny as his son, the homless girl they tried to save from the gang (Emma Roberts) as his daughter, and his stripper neighbor, Rose (Jennifer Aniston), becomes the family matriarch.

“We’re The Millers” also benefits from the presence of Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn as an overbearing couple who seem to follow the “Millers” on their journey back. The cast really play off of each other’s strengths very well. Most of the jokes hit, and they hit well. I saw this on my Birthday with a big chunk of my family, and we were all in tears from laughter at various points. I firmly believe that comedy depends heavily on the script, as well as the chemistry and interplay of the actors. This ensemble never overplays what they have been given.

“We’re The Millers” is now available on Blu-Ray and DVD.

My “Best of Film” 2013 Edition: “The Spectactular Now”

I guess I must finally be maturing mentally. At the end of summer, on my birthday, to be more to the point, I was getting a bit tired of big summer movies. I love to see a movie or two close to my birthday, as I have always loved going to the movies. This year, I chose two very non-summer types. The first one was a hard find, but well worth it.

“The Spectacular Now” is very much a coming-of-age story, but not like you might expect. The teens are well-written, and the performances are straightforward and genuine.

Sutter Keely, our main protagonist, thinks he has everything figured out. He’s about to graduate, his girlfriend and his friends are his life, and he feels that his future is bright, as well as predictable. Sutter works in a local men’s clothing store, and he has developed a substantial alcohol problem. He opts to ignore this, as well as other red flags in his life, until girlfriend Cassidy breaks up with him. He goes on a bender and wakes up in Aimee Finnecky’s yard with Aimee hovering over him. The two make a connection, and things blossom for them. At first, things go beautifully for them. As time goes on, though, realistic issues begin to get in their way, and things eventually come to a head. All the while, Sutter is obsessed with living and reliving the perfect moments. He finds that he has to face issues of resentment with his mom, as well as learn the truth about his estranged dad.

This movie works so well that I can’t find much fault in it. The performances by Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley are both sincere, and at different times, heartbreaking. The writing is very direct and real. Scott Neustader and Michael H. Weber offer the most believable teen dialogue since Hughes’ heyday. Teller and Woodley help it along by never allowing for a false delivery. On the whole, I identified somewhat with Sutter, although I was not a drinker in high school. His fears of moving forward are universal, and his reactions to things are natural. The movie leaves on the right note for me, although fans of the book have expressed their disapproval. It’s obvious that director James Ponsolt took great care in getting this one right.

“The Spectacular Now” released on iTunes today and will be released on BluRay and DVD on 1/14/2014.

My “Best of Film” 2013 edition: “Pacific Rim”

Kids of my generation will likely remember “Voltron,” “Robotech,” “Tranzor-Z,” and other cartoons that involved battle robots piloted by humans. I always dreamed of piloting a Voltron lion or a Macross fighter. The generation right behind me had something similar in live-action in the form of “Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.” There is something appealing about being able to command a gigantic avatar that can potentially destroy all of your problems, or so it would seem.

I wasn’t ready for how much I would love “Pacific Rim.” I never thought that a movie could capture that excitement I knew as a kid and build upon it. Wouldn’t ya know it? That’s exactly what I experienced.

In 2013, gigantic creatures called Kaiju begin rising from the ocean to attack coastal cities all over the world. After seeing how difficult these creatures are to subdue and kill, the governments of the world unite and begin pooling their resources to begin the Jaeger program. Jaegers are robots that are several stories tall, and they require 2 pilots due to the extreme mental load required to use them properly. Each pilot represents a hemisphere of the “brain.” The two pilots must be able to bond, or “drift,” well together when they are mentally connected to their Jaeger.

The first battle we witness in great detail involves the Becket brothers, and their Jaeger, the Gipsy Danger. part of the fun here is that these guys are not far removed from Top Gun pilots, complete with logo bomber jackets. The Jaegers even sport nose art similar to an old fighter plane.

Impulsive younger brother Raleigh is itching to see action, while older brother Yancy is a bit more weary of the danger ahead. They face off against the largest Kaiju to date, and in the course of battle, Yancy is nripped out of Gipsy Danger and killed by the Kaiju.

We then see that, years later, the world governments have voted to discontinue the Jaeger program, much to the dismay of the program head, Stacker Pentecost (GREAT NAME!). Raleigh is working on building one of several coastal walls being constructed to keep the Kaiju out. Pentecost has a hail Mary-type plan, and he seeks out Raleigh to bring him back into the fold.

I won’t spoil anymore here for those who want to seek this movie out. Just know that this is pure fun, well-paced action from visionary director Guillermo del Toro. He uses a lighter touch here, but there is still a definite emotional connection to the main characters. I enjoy that he builds a whole world within a reasonably-lengthed movie. The effects are absolutely fantastic. The Kaiju seem appropriately threatening, while the Jaegers are exciting to watch, Each one bears a unique design, reflecting both its home nation and the personalities of its pilots. Idris Elba is always great to watch, and his authoritative turn as Pentecost is a lot of fun to behold. He delivers one of the great cheese lines ever, and it almost made me cheer out loud on my first viewing. Charlie Hunnam as Raleigh carries the leading man role very well. He doesn’t overdo anything, and it works. Rinko Kikuchi is beautiful, and she gives the story a bit more emotional depth.

To sum up, stuff blows up real good, but this movie has more to it than just that. If you give yourself over to it, I’m sure you will be entertained. This is, by far, the most fun movie I’ve seen this year. I would love to see a sequel, but only if it’s at least as good as this one.

“Pacific Rim” is available on Blu-Ray and DVD.

My “Best Of Film” 2013 edition: “Man of Steel”

After a lengthy break, I’m back, looking to discuss all things nerdy. Since I last posted, my Batman blog, “No Hope In Crime Alley,” has gone live. (itsanomen.wordpress.com) I will be using this site to focus on film from now through the award season that will soon begin. I want to use this space to discuss my favorite movies of the last year, not necessarily the award darlings.

Thos of you who know me or are familiar with my work know that my biggest nerd soft spot is for DC Comics Superheroes. I am waiting patiently for DC’s film versions of their heroes to take off like Marvel’s have. The Nolan trilogy is a gem as far as I’m concerned, but Nolan himself has repeatedly stated that his story exists apart from the other DC characters. With Zach Snyder’s “Man of Steel,” we may just have our springboard into a terrific cinematic DC Universe.

Our story begins on Krypton. This is not the austere crystal structure where Marlon Brando condemned Terrence Stamp’s Zod. This is a sort of advanced version of Earth, with science having become incredibly sophisticated, and with its natural resources having been depleted. Jor-El and his wife, Lara, have gone outside of the law and had a baby of natural birth. Krypton has made birth a genetic operation, as they believe it to be more efficient and that it produces a better result. Jor-El is certain that Krypton is a dying planet, and that the end is coming soon. He plans on sending baby Kal-El to a distant world that is flourishing. He knows that the different atmospheric conditions and yellow sun will give baby Kal an advantage over the citizens of Earth. Jor-El is confident that his son will use this advantage to help, not hurt, the human race.

Kal is raised on Earth by the Kents, who are a loving but protective couple. Clark is shown in flashbacks trying to adjust to his powers, which seem to manfest in childhood and grow stronger and stronger as he becomes an adult. His mother, Martha, approaches him with gentle sympathy. His father, Jonathan, fears what will happen when the world finds out, and pushes for Clark to hide and control his abilities, even if it means not doing the things he is capable of. Clark grows into a conflicted young adult. He knows he can save people, but he fears their reaction to his very existence. When he stumbles across an old Kryptonian ship, Clark learns of his great heritage, and that he is the hope for Krypton’s legacy to continue. Clark has already left a trail of mystery behind him, and the trail is picked up by investigative journalist Lois Lane. As Lois comes closer and closer to learning the truth about him, Clark must confront General Zod, an old friend-turned-enemy from Jor-El’s past.

This movie was by no means necessary, but it brings Superman into our modern age quite nicely. Henry Cavill has a classic Superman quality, but he gives us a young Clark who is more unsure than we have ever seen him on screen. He gets a pretty nice arc, and develops into Superman quite organically. Amy Adams brings a bravado to Lois that stands out from portrayals we have previously seen. Michael Shannon is at times  driven, at times maniacal as Zod, giving us a very unusual for for our hero. Diane Lane is simply great in her few scenes, giving Martha the right amount of small-town sweetness and maternal heart. Russell Crowe is surprisingly right for Jor-El, showing him to be a man of science but also a man with a big heart. Kevin Costner was the real revelation to me. He does a take on Jonathan that is similar to the great Glenn Ford, but has a bit more fear for his son than has been previously seen. Jonathan knows that the world will learn about his son one day. He only hopes that Clark will be ready. The scenes with him are truly the emotional core of this movie.

Zach Snyder hits most of the right notes with his visual style and direction. Many fans have complained about the intense destruction in the battle scenes. I was, as a long time fan of the character, never bothered by this, and I was glad to see some serious action, especially after the lackluster “Superman Returns. (2006)” Hans Zimmer provides a score that is not iconic in the John Williams sense, but gives our hero a majesty and intensity that just works.

Since the release of this film, I have heard countless debates comparing it to the original Christopher Reeve/Richard Donner flick. Honestly, there’s no point. For many, the original “Superman (1978)” will never be topped. For a younger generation, that original series is too cheesy. If you know the reason behind my naming of this blog, you know that Christopher Reeve’s portrayal of Clark/Superman is very dear to me. However, the story must be retold. If these heroes are to stay relevant, we have to put them up against modern problems and modern ideals and see where they fit. “Man of Steel” does EXACTLY that, and for me, the two films can coexist in the wider mythos, alongside George Reeves, the Fleischer series, the Timm-verse Superman, and the 1940’s radio show.

This isn’t a perfect Superman movie, but it’s a terrific one for our era. Catch it now on Blu-Ray and DVD.