I’m Catching Up 2015: Mad Max: Fury Road

I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t excited for this movie. I had several friends who raved about it after it opened in May, but I had my sights set on a certain list of “must” movies. I saw the first two when I was a kid, and again later in life. I wasn’t terribly impressed, but they were interesting enough. So Samee and I let this one slip by us.

  
Oops!

This past Sunday, whilst nested into our apartment with food and libations, we decided to roll this one. What we saw, we weren’t prepared for. Yes, it’s post-apocalypse stuff. Yes, it revolves around tricked out cars and trucks. It’s that and more, and it’s SO well-made.
Max is wandering in the desert. When we catch up to him, he’s snacking on a lizard and having PTSD flashbacks of a little girl he couldn’t save. He hops into his car and takes off when he hears a convoy approaching. The chase doesn’t last long, and Max is soon overpowered. He awakes as a prisoner in the Citadel, having been caught by the War Boys. The War Boys are soldiers under Immortan Joe, a vile looking guy whose face is partially obscured by a breathing apparatus, and who seems to have leprosy or some other skin disorder. Max is a universal blood donor, so he finds himself hooked to Nux, a War Boy with an illness in need of some healthy blood. We see that Immortan Joe controls all of the water, and he is tyrannical in his sharing with the common people living in the citadel. He sends one of his trusted, Imperator Furiosa, to gas town to get, well, gas. She has other plans, however, and heads east with 5 of Joe’s favorite wives in tow. Nux is determined to go, so Max quickly becomes a hood ornament on his own car, with Nux at the wheel.

  
I don’t feel I should tell you the rest. A huge part of the fun of this film is allowing yourself to discover the world and the characters. This is a much more human, exciting take on the post-apocalyptic genre. It even improves on the Mel Gibson Mad Max series. Tom Hardy is perfectly cast as Max, and Charlize Theron breathes amazing life into Imperator Furiosa. Between them, they’re worth the price of admission. Nicholas Hoult is surprisingly great as Nux.

  
The use of color here is also amazing. I don’t recall a more vibrant desert landscape outside of Lawrence of Arabia. This is some damn fine cinematography. 

  
The production design just adds to the amazing visual aesthetic. The level of detail in the costuming is remarkable, and the sets, created from scratch, are filled with amazing touches, if you take the time to look.

  
Beyond all of that, though, there’s a powerful story at work here. Themes of redemption and overcoming are prevalent, as well as understanding and tolerance. I could watch this over and over. This is definitely in my top 3 this year. Give it a look.

I’m Catching Up 2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron review (SPOILERS!)

At first glance, I loved Avengers(2012). The climax was ambitious and thrilling. Banner/Hulk was humanized beautifully. The tease at mid credits was very promising!

After a few days, I began to cool off on the movie a bit. After a few months, I began to realize something: all of the hyperbole and general talk surrounding the movie made me realize that I wasn’t as much of a fan of the film as I thought. I still count it among the best comic book and superhero adaptations, but it has its problems. The first two acts drag. Cap is mostly overlooked. Iron Man/Tony is a tad bit too present. I think I avoided the film for a very long time because I was afraid I might like it even less.

It seems that when it comes to Avengers movies, I don’t align with the majority opinions. Age of Ultron met and exceeded nearly every expectation I had, and that’s a tall order. The story opens with guns a’blazin’ – almost literally – and plays out almost like grand opera crammed into under 3 hours. 

  
That cram factor is where I think I diverge from most of the fan population. Comics are generational. I grew up reading comics in an era when The Mighty Marvel was known for jamming characters into every panel. This was never problematic for me; in fact, I loved to see these overly complicated plots play out. I’ve been waiting for a film to feel like a Marvel comic felt to me as a kid, and here it finally is. The payoff of the enormity of the MCU is fully harvested here, and honestly, it made me smile from ear to ear. From Cap and Tony’s rising tensions to the eradication of HYDRA (supposedly) to Thor’s eagerness to recover the Tesseract – there’s a richness here from the intersections of so many characters, each trying to fulfill their glorious purpose.

  
Much has been said about the “I’m a monster” scene. I think that this scene is widely misread. It’s meant to be a reference to the taking away of her innocence at such a tender age. The monster line doesn’t refer to her barren uterus. 

  
In all, this movie feels like a true epic to me. I was thrilled to see Cap stepping up and leading, Banner still questioning his value, and Iron Man questioning his entire mission. Ultron was rather compelling, and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) was brilliantly brought to screen. I prefer the OTHER Quicksilver, but this one was pretty entertaining. Hawkeye receiving serious backstory was a great touch. And of course, I love love LOVE a Hayley Atwell cameo, even if it is just a fantasy sequence. 

  
I would be remiss in not talking about the amazing way that Vision is brought to life (sorta) here. The look is practical makeup and mostly real costume, with Paul Bettany delivering a fascinating character that I want to see again and again.

  
Without spoiling much, let me just say that I LOVE the new Avengers lineup as we prepare to roll credits. I can’t wait to see where this team goes. 

If you didn’t catch it in theaters, seek out Avengers: Age of Ultron when it is released for home viewing next month.

I’m Catching Up 2015: KINGSMAN: The Secret Service

Welcome to my series of posts detailing what I have seen, read, and attended in 2015. Now that my C2E2 retrospective is written, I’m going back to discuss movies in their order of release.

  
“KINGSMAN: The Secret Service” is loosely based on a comic book by Mark Millar. The premise is part MI-6, part Matthew Vaughn-style violent fun. The members of Kingsman, a secret secret espionage organization, are given code names that correspond with the Knights of the Round Table. Arthur (Michael Caine) heads up the organization, while Galahad (Colin Firth) is in charge in the field, and Merlin (Mark Strong) oversees training. In a spectacular opening sequence, we see the old Lancelot die as a result of an error that Galahad takes the blame for, and a new Lancelot (Jack Davenport) is chosen. Cut to several years later, when this Lancelot is killed attempting to rescue a kidnap victim. Galahad searches out his family to tell them personally of the death. Galahad bonds with the young son, Eggsy, and gives him a phone number to hold onto.

  
Years later, a teenage Eggsy is arrested, and rather than try to reach out to his now-alcoholic mom and overbearing, unlikable step-dad, Eggsy pulls out the number and calls. He meets with Galahad, who gives him the spiel on Kingsman, an organization that prides itself on manners before violently eliminating dangerous people.
  At this point, the action picks back up in earnest, and the fun really begins. Be warned: this is a tongue-in-cheek story that knows exactly what it is doing. The dialogue is cliched; the action is beautifully over the top, and the visual style lines up with what director is best known for. Samuel L. Jackson as a strange,lispy villain is a bit odd, but that’s my only quibble. There’s not much more to say. This is pure popcorn cinema, even though it had a winter release. For a fun escape, give this film a look.

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.

Oscar 2012: “The Artist”

I honestly don’t know how to begin this review properly. Trying to come up with words to do “The Artist” justice is nigh impossible. You see, there is nearly no dialogue…or sound, really. There IS a score. In fact, the score deserves special mention, but I’ll get to it. Let me just give you a taste.

“The Artist” is the story of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a silent movie idol not too unlike the real-life Douglas Fairbanks with a hint of Errol Flynn. Valentin is loved by many, including himself. That’s not to say that he’s a jerk. He’s not, but he does suffer from being dangerously self-absorbed, and has long been alienated from his unhappy wife (Penelope Ann Miller). At the start of our story, I’m pretty certain that the only thing he loves is his nameless but charismatic dog. We meet George in 1927, at the pinnacle of his popularity. As his latest movie premiere wraps up, George greets his adoring fans, taking a prolonged curtain call which upstages his female co-lead. He acknowledges the dog before he finally allows everyone else a bow. Outside of the theater, George is greeting still more worshippers when young Peppy Miller makes an accidental scene. In the process, the lady ends up being photographed with Valentin; in doing this, she jumpstarts her film career. In that moment, a romantic spark is also apparent.

George soon finds himself at odds with studio head Al Zimmer (John Goodman), who tells him in no uncertain terms that silent films are over, and “talkies” are the future. George rebels, but as this is happening, Peppy’s star continues to rise.

Here’s the really remarkable thing: this story plays out like a silent film, cards and all. I tell you this to a) warn you, and hopefully b) excite you. I say warn because movies that take huge risks in style and tone such as this one does are not par for the course for the casual movie watcher. I say excite you because the result of this approach is a much different emotional reach and tone. The actors don’t ham it up in the manner that silent movie stars once did. Granted, there’s a bit of that, but mostly we get genuine characters and moments. Dujardin has a lot of screen time, and he is most impressive. He goes through an emotional spectrum that encompasses joy, pride, anger, disappointment,Hitchcockian terror, severe depression, embarrassment, hurt, and love. His acting nomination is well earned. Bejo also does well. Her charm really drives her character.

I must discuss the score. As a sometime composer, I always listen critically to film scores. Ludovic Bource has crafted a beautiful, haunting, direct score that is as big as it is brilliant. By big I refer to the amount of time that some sort of score is present. There are a few true silent moments, but they are no more than 10 seconds. Bource pays lovely tribute to the silent movie music genre, while at times borrowing from other composers (Bernard Herrmann was in there at one point). He uses many textures and styles. It never gets dull or upstages the film.

If you can find it, see “The Artist.” If nothing else, see it for its underlying message, which is especially relevant in our time, and which hit home for me: How do you reinvent yourself when your career has stalled or possibly ceased? How do you find the strength to bury your pride? The charm, melodrama, and whimsy of getting to the answer is where the real pleasure of watching this film lies.