well, if you ask me ... » Reviews

May The Odds Ever Be In Your Favor

bsoist — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 08:24:00 +0000

Minutes after finishing the book, I saw the Hunger Games last week.

The movie was not as good as the book. Of course, right? The movie never is.

I enjoyed it. Going into the movie I had read a little about the cast and was looking forward to seeing which actors played which characters. I knew Jennifer Lawrence was Katniss, and I’d seen on IMDB that Elizabeth Banks was Effie, and I had guessed (and my daughter confirmed) that Lenny Kravitz was playing Cinna. Just as we were seated to see the film, it occurred to me that Harrelson would probably portray Haymitch. I like the casting choices, but noone turned in a briliant performance if you ask me – not even Lawrence, who I think is or will be a real movie star.

The movie was shot too “tightly” for my tastes. Combine that with the fast camera moves and our ” close to the front ” possition in the theater and I was a littls sick from all the action and motion.

Otherwise, it was good. I’m not sure why they added the riot in district 11, or why they changed the details of the mocking jay pin, but I can live with both, I guess.

The bigget plus of the movie, if you ask me, is that it really drives home how much the culture of the games resembles our culture of fast food and reality TV. The point is not completely lost in the book, but seeing the games on the big screen moderated by a flamboyant, purple-haried Stanley Tucci made it all seem so real – yet it made the gamesmaker part of it less believable.

I read a review of the movie by Roger Ebert and he mentioned that his conservative friends interpret the wealth vs. poverty in the film differnetly than he does. They see the capital as the elitists and the “good guys” of the districts as the tea party people. I don’t see it that way at all and one scene added in the movie (fairly, I think) reinforces my interpretation.

President Snow (Donald Sutherland) is meeting in a garden with Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley) and he explains that the games have a victor because it gives the people hope. The parallel to the Republican rhetoric is astounding to me. If we can convince poor destitute peole that they have the opportunity to one day make it or become a sucess or have a lot of money, than we have them convinced our agenda is a good one. It’s a sinister thing and I wish it would stop.

Sure, America is, and has always been, the land of opportunity. That’s great. But let’s face it – we don’t all have the same opportunity. Perhaps theoreticaly we do – but not in practice , not in the real world. In the real world, some people have more opportunity than others. Some are born rich, or good looking, or white. Some are born with no talent, or possibiltiy for rising above their circumstances. To ignore this reality is unfair – to everyone.

I cannot pretend to understand how to deal with this reality – but I know one way not to deal with it. We can’t ignore it. We can’t pretend something else is the case. We can’t simply convince those who have no chance, that they do have a chance – just because we want them to support us.

It all reminds me of multi level marketing. Convince enough people that they can make it so they prop up a system that relies on them “at the bottom” so those “at the top” succeed – and continue to succeed. It’s a terrible system. It’s unfair and it preys on the week. I used to hear an Amway speaker who said “we need poor people” (to clean toilets and such) and I’ve hear my share of Christans remind me that even Jesus said “the poor will always be with you.” If you ask me, these are just excuses to turn a blind eye to injustice.

Anyway, it wasn’t a great movie but it got me on a rant here, didn’t it?

*The movie was approved by the author of the book and I’ve been told that this scene is in harmony with the events of the subsequent books

Thou Shalt Not …

bsoist — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:57:08 +0000

Billy came to visit for Easter weekend, he stopped by the library to pick up something interested for us to watch. He decided on The Decalogue, a series of ten one-hour films written for Polish television in 1989. Each film represents one of the ten commandments.

We did not get a chance to see all of them, but I enjoyed the ones I watched very much. Very good filmmaking.

We also watched a great film again (the second time for all of us, third time for Billy) – The Muppets is a great film.

I also watched Star Trek (2009) again when Becky and Terri were away. Didn’t really like it as much the second time.

A Few Not-So-Good Films

bsoist — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 21:55:23 +0000

I’m not quite sure how this happened, but I’ve seen quite a few bad or mediocre movies recently. Here is a rundown of two decent movies and three terrible ones.

The Lincoln Lawyer

You’re nobody ’till somebody shoots you.

Exactly the kind of movie I get in the mood for sometimes. A solid cast, a predictable, but not too predictable story, a very fallible good guy, and Marisa Tomei.

Hanna

I just missed your heart.

This was a quirky thriller about a young girl who was trained as an assassin.

Little Fockers

I’m watching you.

I’m a big fan of Stiller, Wilson, and DeNiro, but it is time to put this franchise to bed.

A Simple Wish

They plugged that loophole up years ago.

We watched this as a surprise for my wife who is a big fan of Martin Short. It was not his best work.

Sucker Punch

I’m gonna escape from here.

I heard from a few people that this movie was better than they expected. They must not have expected much. This movie was a bizarre festival of nonsense.

2012 Oscar Nominated Shorts

bsoist — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:56:30 +0000

I didn’t see the documentaries this year, but I did get a chance to see the others

Animated

I didn’t think these were that great this year so I’m not going to comment on them individually. Most were silent too, so no quotes.

My Pick:The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Live Action

My Pick:Tuba Atlantic

Pentecost

Go out there and have the best mass of your lives.

Loads of fun – the audience erupted in applause when it ended.

Raju

And what will you tell them?

A film that takes itself too seriously. My least favorite by a long shot.

The Shore

They’ve brought in a horse?

A wonderfully quirky story about love and family. Great stuff – and very funny.

Time Freak

Don’t you dare!

As much as I love time travel and the premise of this film, it fell short in my opinion.

Tuba Atlantic

That was very precise.

Very interesting characters in a strange story. The best of the films in my opinion.

2012 Best Picture Nominees

bsoist — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:40:07 +0000

My Pick:The Artist

The Artist

With pleasure.

Certainly one of my favorite movies of the year. A delightful story, likable characters, and an adorable dog. I love black & white photography, and I was excited to see how a modern silent film would work. It was fantastic.

The Descendants

you give your children enough money to do something but not enough to do nothing.

An excellent film about a man in the midst of becoming a widower and single father to children he doesn’t really know, forced to handle the immense pressure of an impending business decision that will affect his extended family and have consequences on the land and culture he loves. George Clooney was fantastic and a brilliant choice for this role. One scene has Clooney running down the street to a friend’s home in flip-flops – the scene has no critical impact on the film, but I got such a big kick out of it, I couldn’t resist mentioning it.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

It’s never gonna make sense because it doesn’t!

A great story about a boy and his family getting to know one another. I enjoyed the film and I thought the performances were fantastic. I can’t decide, however, how I feel about 9/11 being the backdrop for the story. If this boy had lost his father to some other tragedy, the story would have worked, but we might not have cared as much, which makes it feel like a cheap trick. On the other hand, being set in New York, with 9/11 as the foundation, give all the participants in the story (there are many) something they share very deeply. I was worried about the film because 9/11 was such a personal tragedy, but I enjoyed it. I’m a sucker for any story about father and son.

The Help

Put that in the book.

An excellent film, some fantastic performances, and a few great stories, but the outcome of the film doesn’t address the bigger issues at hand. It told the story it intended to tell, and did so well, but there is a bigger story that seems to have been ignored.

Hugo

If you lose your purpose, it’s like you’re broken.

A fantastic film by one of the best filmmakers of all time. Roger Ebert has this to say …

“Hugo” is unlike any other film Martin Scorsese has ever made, and yet possibly the closest to his heart: a big-budget, family epic in 3-D, and in some ways, a mirror of his own life. We feel a great artist has been given command of the tools and resources he needs to make a movie about — movies. That he also makes it a fable that will be fascinating for (some, not all) children is a measure of what feeling went into it.

I certainly cannot add to that. As always, Ebert’s review has spoilers. If you haven’t seen this film, you should.

Midnight in Paris

I’m having an insight now. It’s a minor one …

This was my kind of film. A ridiculous fantasy about an aspiring writer, extreme characterizations, and Woody Allen’s comedy. In any other year, this might be my pick for best picture. I don’t think it will win against this years competition. (spoiler? I especially loved the way Hemingway was portrayed – exactly as I would have imagined him.)

Moneyball

How can you not be romantic about baseball?

I wrote briefly about this film just after I watched it. A great film featuring three fantastic actors about the greatest game in the world. The film is full of great quotes too. Best picture? Probably not, but absolutely my favorite film of the year.

The Tree of Life

Tell us a story from before we can remember.

I saw this quite a while ago at a press screening and wrote about it some time after that. The film touches on serious issues for any father and I found myself especially moved having seen it with my son. I’ve since seen it again. It didn’t clear up any of my questions, but I still think it was a fantastic film.

War Horse

Wherever you are, I will find you and I will bring you home.

The only best picture nominee I haven’t seen.

January – Movie Month

bsoist — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:17:35 +0000

While Billy was home for Christmas break we watched a lot of movies. We watched a few I had already seen (over here), but we also saw quite a few that I had not seen yet. As always, I’ve listed them pretty much in the order I enjoyed them.

The Best

Moneyball

I pay you to get on first, not get thrown out at second.

Jonah Hill has been great in every role I’ve seen him play. If you’ve read my other movie posts, you probably know that I also think Brad Pitt is fantastic. You may have also gathered that I’m a huge fan of baseball.

For me, another quote from the movie sums it all up – How can you not get romantic about baseball?

13 Assassins

Soon, this quiet town will become a bloodbath.

Billy and I enjoy Samurai movies. This one was fantastic. We also enjoy just as much how much difficulty we have keeping up with the characters, and how much effort we put into doing a better job keeping up. We also enjoy discussing how silly the hair is and how similar all these movies are.

Saint Ralph

Like flying to the moon is possible, but it’s never going to happen…

A quirky fun movie with an inspirational story that was, in my opinion, not too hokey.

Bill Cunningham New York

He who seeks beauty will find it.

I thoroughly enjoy documentaries about interesting people obsessed with things for which I have no interest. This was no exception.

Alphaville

I’m fine, thanks. Don’t mention it.

I enjoy science fiction, I enjoy noir, I enjoy secret agents, and I like black and white. So, I enjoyed this film even though I had no idea what was going on.

The Worst

Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

Sorry ain’t going to pay the bills, chico.

I think Philip Seymour Hoffman is brilliant and I absolutely love Marisa Tomei. There performances are the only thing that saved this movie for me. I love this kind of surprising plot, but perhaps I didn’t enjoy this film as much as I should have because it didn’t quite live up to the standard of Fargo.

Never Let Me Go

You have to know who you are, and what you are. It’s the only way to lead decent lives.

The most disappointing film on this list for me. I was really looking forward to it. Mulligan, Knightley, and Garfield were fantastic (as usual), but they didn’t have much to work with.

The Road

If he is not the word of God, then God never spoke.

I’m a big fan of films that explore what happens to us under the worst of circumstances. I was hoping for more from this film when I saw the trailer for the first time, and this would also have been a huge disappointment if I hadn’t already gotten wind of how bad it was. For me, it was better than expected, but it could have been much better.

Bronson

Oh spare me the Oliver Twist routine, Charlie love. You need to build your audience.

Hardy is fantastic, but aside from the time I got to spend with my son (watching and discussing it after) it was a waste of time.

The Peacemaker

Yep, this is my plan.

I think Kidman and Clooney are both fantastic – in other films! Best way to sum this one up is another quote from the film – “Well, this is meaningless.” Exactly!

Sharing a few “classics?” with Billy

bsoist — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:43:16 +0000

While Billy was home for Christmas break, we watched a lot of movies (more here). We got a chance to watch a few I’ve already seen – some were on his list to watch, some were movies I’ve wanted to share with him for a while.

All of them were better than I remember

The Game

Discovering the object of the game *is* the object of the game.

Panic Room

Ever read any Poe?

Robocop

Excuse me, I have to go. Somewhere there is a crime happening.

Everything I Need Is Right Here in Front of Me

bsoist — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:09:35 +0000

The Muppets

No drums! No drums! Jack Black said no drums!

This movie was nothing but a good time. It had all the same goofiness and silly self-awareness of the muppets TV show. I can’t remember the last time I felt so good after a film.

Super 8

Oh, drugs are so bad!

Not a big fan of alien movies, but this was a blast. I’m a film lover myself and I would have been just about the same age as the main characters in the film, so it was a nostalgic ride.

Buck

Rather than helping people with horse problems, I’m helping horses with people problems.

A moving story about how one man turned his own personal tragedy into a passion to help people and horses. A must see documentary for anyone who loves animals or personal stories.

Monsters

You mean, like a doctor?

Much better than I expected. A story about human nature supported by the immanent threat of danger. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Life in a Day

What do you fear?

It simply felt right to watch something put together by people all over the world. Some of the scenery was fantastic, and it was a blast to connect with people at that level. Unfortunately, I didn’t like some of the realism – people on toilets, animals slaughtered, surgeries, etc.

The Recruit

Everything is a test!

I enjoyed watching this, but that’s the only positive thing I can say. Forgettable and predictable.

Favorite Films Seen in 2011

bsoist — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:58:20 +0000

As usual, some of them were not released in 2011. Unfortunately, I suspect I missed many of the best films of 2011 – even more than 2010 – so next year’s list will be whacked again. Links below are to my previous thoughts on the film (however brief they may have been).

My favorite 11 films of 2011 …

Harry Potter

bsoist — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:05:51 +0000

In 1999, at age 32, I decided to read the first Harry Potter book (reviewed in 2009 after our last Potter marathon). I was mesmerized. It had been some time since a book transported me to another place the way this one did. I couldn’t wait to read the others and when the films arrived, I was thrilled.

As a family we watched the first seven films in the series before we went to the theater to see the last. In the four days before the movie release we saw the first six, and we saw number seven right before we went to the theater for number eight.

Here are my thoughts on each one.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

I’m a what?

I’m a little biased on this one. When this movie first hit the theaters I remember asking a friend if he was going to see it. His response – “A movie about a school for witches and wizards? Um, yes!” I was excited too but a little worried. I know how great books are sometimes ruined in the movies. This one was different. While the first part of the story is “fast forwarded” a bit, I found myself very surprised how faithful the film was to the book.

I was also surprised to hear Hermione’s name pronounced. It was the firs time I’d heard it. I had no idea how to pronounce it when I read the book, but nothing I came up with was even close.

Still my favorite of the series to watch – but that’s my nostalgia kicking in.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Never try to save my life again.

In my opinion, this is one of the weaker films but we do meet a couple of fantastic characters and learn details of the Potter universe that are very important to the final conclusion of the story.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Yeah… him I’ve heard of.

I always thought this was the best of the films but never quite enjoyed it as much as the first. I’ve watched it in marathon context like this twice now and I realize that there are parts that confuse me a little bit. I do like how Harry, Ron, and Hermione have begun to grow up in this one.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I don’t want eternal glory, I just wanna be…

I can barely sit through this one. The tournament is a silly idea and Ron is a whiny during much of the film. The only redeeming quality is that we really meet Voldermort in this one.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I must not tell lies.

I know stories need conflict but this one has too much of the kind of frustrating conflict I hate. The kind of conflict you see a lot in sit-coms – you know, where someone is misunderstood and all that needs to happen is for everyone to see the truth, and it seems so obvious to us how to solve it, but we are not there. Ugh! I hate that.

I did really like the way Dolores Umbridge was portrayed and I very much enjoyed Harry putting her in her place.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

But, I am the chosen one.

Two things are clear in this film. First, Harry and his buddies are in real danger. Second, our heros are starting to deal with puppy love and all of the fun that comes along. The film opens with Harry flirting with a very cute girl and I found myself sorry for him that he never gets to see her again.

I enjoyed this one a whole lot, probably because it features Snape so prominently (Alan Rickman’s brilliant performance of Snape still makes me laugh out loud when I watch the films), but I find myself wondering how much good this installment did for the overall story.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

No one else is going to die. Not for me.

I purposely avoided seeing this until the last film was released because I didn’t really want to watch what both my kids told me was “half a movie.” I saw the last two films on the same day, July 15 (which, btw, is my wedding anniversary) with only about 30 minutes between them. I thought it wasn’t bad as a story all by itself – and this series needed a film where the bad guy seems to have won in the end.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

It seems despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster.

A spectacular conclusion to a wonderful film series. This one started with a very short recap of the film before it but it was still too much. I hated it. Either the two films can stand on their own, or they can’t. I was also not a big fan of the ending. I can see where it provided information we wanted to know about the fate of Hogwarts, but I didn’t like it.

It also leaves the door too wide open for a sequel, if you ask me. That would be a bad idea!

Leftover Movie Reviews

bsoist — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:12:29 +0000

I’ve seen a few movies lately that I may not have time to review but I wanted to share a few thoughts anyway.

The first two probably deserve a full review, perhaps if I have time someday.

Tree of Life

Tell us a story from before we can remember.

This is a brilliant film that tells the story of life from the beginning of time until the very end while exploring the very essence of human existence. The characters take a back seat to the imagery in the film, but the acting is all very solid. Pitt and Penn are both fantastic! Of course, right?

The Company Men

My life ended and nobody noticed.

The film is almost depressingly realistic and timely. If the economy has hit you hard and you need a film to escape from that, be careful choosing this film. The film features three men who at different ages and positions in life must deal with a dose of reality. Affleck, Cooper, and Jones portray these men expertly and the different reactions of the men raises interesting questions about the nature of ambition, self-worth, and passion.

Kung Fu Panda 2

But how can kung fu defeat something that destroys kung fu?

I enjoyed the first one and could make the argument that this one was even better – until the last scene. I don’t want to spoil it but something is added just at the end which appears to be material on which to base a sequel. It may be very popular with mainstream audiences (probably a good movie for an animated film), but I wish they would not have done it.

I Am Number Four

I hope you can throw with your left arm.

The trailer made me want to see it (mysterious women showing up to raise hell, etc.) but I didn’t expect an excellent movie. The real thing turned out to be better than I expected, but not a great film.

The A-Team

I love it when a plan comes together.

Make no mistake. This is a bad movie – just not as bad as I expected.

The Tourist

You’re ravenous.

The plot is ridiculous but the stars look great and the scenery is fantastic.

The film reminded me of the films of the 50s and 60s and I enjoyed that very much. It is not your typical modern thriller with non-stop action but the mystery, romance, and silliness of it all was a lot of fun. It would have been a fabulous movie but for one major flaw – Johnny Depp.

Hereafter

maybe it’s better to hold stuff back

This film absolutely surprised me. I expected nothing but disappointment.

The film deals intelligently with the subject of life after death but it does so while leaving many questions unanswered. Instead of tackling the issues head on or in a way that sensationalizes, Eastwood focuses on how traumatic events affect real people. In my opinion, he does a masterful job.

I was pleasantly surprised at the ending too. Though any serious film buff will see the multiple stories being woven together to reach some serendipitous conclusion, that conclusion didn’t turn out to be exactly what I was expecting – but it was close.

X-Men: First Class

Don’t touch my hair!

I was looking forward to this one since I like creation stories and prequels most of the time, but this one was disappointing overall. The only redeeming feature is the over-the-top, James Bond type villain played by the always excellent Kevin Bacon. If you like a good villain, this film is worth watching.

Movie Review: Waiting for “Superman”

bsoist — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:33:34 +0000

Waiting for “Superman” is very well done documentary film about a very complex problem which faces our nation and threatens to affect all of us – even those who do not send their own children to public school. There most certainly is something wrong with our system. This film does an excellent job pointing that out but unfortunately it does not present a real solution.

Either the kids are getting stupider every year, or something is wrong in the education system.

The Good

Davis Guggenheim and Participant Media teamed up once again to produce another documentary that, like An Inconvenient Truth before it, told two different stories. I wrote about this on Thursday but the filmmakers did an excellent job of telling both stories in such a way that the viewer is left emotionally connected to a problem that is sometimes ignored because it seems unsolvable.

The film also does an excellent job of defining the problem. The film makes several points, and I agree with all of them.

Bad teachers exist.
Teachers’ unions are part of the problem.
The single most important factor in improving student achievement is great teaching.

The Bad

Unfortunately, the film left me with impressions (which may have been unintentional) that teachers’ unions are the problem and that the only thing necessary to solve this problem is better teaching. In my opinion, that simplifies the problem too much. It’s also too easy. Guggenheim writes in the book that it was not an easy decision to challenge teachers and unions the way he did but I don’t really buy it. Are there bad teachers? Of course. Do the policies of teachers’ unions hurt students? I think so. That, I think, is what makes this “too easy” – we’ve found someone to blame for the problem.

The film also doesn’t really present a solution. The implication is that some schools have figured out the solution and all we need to do is copy that. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. I plan to write more about this in the coming weeks.

I understand the issue is very complex and I understand that a documentary must distill these issues and present us with a story. Waiting for “Superman” does that. I just wish it could have done more, but I think that is too much to ask.

If you care about education, you should see the film AND read the book.

Of Gods and Men

bsoist — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 05:26:18 +0000

A few months ago our son was in Philadelphia with a couple of his buddies and they decided to stop and see Of Gods and Men before returning home. He raved about the movie and insisted we go to see it as a family. It would only be available on Mothers’ Day so we set the idea aside until we made definite plans.

All of us forgot about it until Mother’s Day when Terri brought it up after breakfast. After she convinced us that she really wanted to spend part of “her” day ( actually, she told us this year that we celebrate “Mothers’ Day Weekend” ) in the theater, we went to see it.

Wow! We were glad we saw it!

Of Gods and Men is inspired by The Monks of Tibhirine, a heart-wrenching tale of French monks serving a Muslim community in Algeria ( my review ). The book’s author argues the monks were kidnapped by Islamic terrorists “Not because they were Christians, but because they refused to leave their Muslim friends” and the film conveys this message brilliantly. Each of the monks has his own struggle with the decision to leave or to stay and serve.

The film is a little slow but doesn’t feel tedious. The director could have easily resorted to one or two scenes to portray the monk’s minimalist existence, but that would have felt like sheer boredom to most of us. Instead, we learn by watching the monks do their chores, worship, and fellowship in small bits throughout film.

The cinematography is fantastic throughout and the performances are world class. I’m not a student of French film, but I’ve learned now that this was an “all star” cast for a French film. I am not surprised.

If you have any interest in faith, Christianity, Islam, the specific real-life events depicted in this film, or the meaning of life – you should see this film.

The film raises many questions, both spiritual and political, but doesn’t explore them all. The viewer is left to sort out the answers. The biggest question by far is “did they do the right thing by staying?” Like most people I think, I left the theater supporting their decision to stay. As I thought about the options afterward, I thought things like “Wouldn’t the monks have done more good for more people if they had gone?”

Fortunately, I was able to spot the influence of my Western, hyper-productivity, capitalist upbringing and put on the brakes. Is more always better? Is a long life always better than a short one – no matter the quality? I’d like to write more about these questions next week, but I am interested to hear your thoughts on it now if you care to share.

In his review, Roger Ebert claims the monks’ decision to stay was a result of pride. I couldn’t disagree more. What do you think?

BTW, Terri still says this is the best movie she has ever seen – so I guess it turned out to be a nice Mother’s Day Weekend.

A Few Good Films

bsoist — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:14:45 +0000

Just a few thoughts on each. No time for real reviews. First time viewing for all of these films even though two of them are almost as old as I am.

Dog Day Afternoon

My place is with my girls.

Fantastic film with a brilliant performance by Pacino.

Fair Game

Ask those questions. Demand that truth.

Much better film than I expected. Penn’s portrayal of Joe Wilson was inspiring.

Rescue Dawn

Empty what is full. Fill what is empty. Scratch what itches.

Classic Herzog – an average man against nature, breathtaking images, and some confusing use of the camera.

The Italian Job (1969)

They say he’s going to do a job in Italy.

Bank robbers, one of the best chase scenes of all time, and a surprise ending. Loved it!

Everything Is Going to Be All Right

bsoist — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 13:31:57 +0000

The other night I was lucky enough to see Source Code and sit in on a short Q&A with the film’s director, Duncan Jones. I enjoyed both very much.

I don’t like to know much about any film before my first viewing so I don’t like to include spoilers in my reviews. It may be especially difficult to say much about this film since part of the fun is putting all the pieces together yourself. There are many links included that you might consider spoilers.

I’m not going to fall into the trap of a lot of reviewers and compare this to Jones’ first film. It is just not fair to do that. Moon was a cerebral, hard sci-fi masterpiece. So, Source Code is not as good. I will say I was pleasantly surprised that this film had similar elements.

The film also felt like a mashup of a favorite film, a favorite video game, a good film, and a film I couldn’t stand. I particularly liked using the technique employed in this great film to tell a hard sci-fi story. I was a little worried at first sign of it, but found myself wishing the film had carried it even further.

First, the bad. The film is far from perfect. The film actually reminded me a bit of the Star Wars films – but the bad parts, not the good. There is a lot of fantasy and exposition. It promises hard science fiction¹ but the rules, while interesting and fun, don’t stand up to scrutiny. The viewer is forced to accept “science” that even the film’s resident mad scientist admits “would take weeks to explain” – and he “explains” it several times.

I was also not a big fan of the ending but my suspicion is that I am in the minority.

In spite of the flaws, I highly recommend the film. Not only is it fun, it has something for everyone – suspense, action, a mad scientist, a handsome protagonist, and an adorable girl to fall in love with – and some of the technical merits are excellent. I loved the camera angles, some of the special effects, and I thought most of the acting was very well done.

In the Q&A after, Jones pointed out the difficulty each character had in filling the roles. Jake Gyllenhaal endures a very wide range of emotions, Michelle Monaghan has a very tight story arc and must repeat a lot of her lines over and over again, and Vera Farmiga, an actress trained to ignore the camera, spends much of the film looking directly into the camera (though I love Farmiga, the choice seemed ironic to me²).

Jones also explained the painstaking process of planning all the camera maps so that we are introduced to the characters at the right point and so shots that should be almost identical turn out that way. I can’t wait to see the movie a second time so I can carefully appreciate this feat.

I’ll probably see the film again and I expect the Blu-ray to be worth a buy

NOTES:

Star Wars never promised us hard science fiction so that’s okay. Apart, of course, from the ridiculous attempt in the new trilogy to explain the force as some by-product of nature (silly).

In my opinion, Vera Farmiga, though an attractive woman from any angle is decidedly more so when she is not looking directly at me. Compare this photo with this one to see if you agree (I attempted to choose the best “head on” shot I could fine to be fair).

Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts 2010

bsoist — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:53:38 +0000

I thought this year’s batch of nominees were all very good.

The Confession

It’s like nothing ever happened.

A chilling film which starts where many short films do but quickly turns on. This film explores the nature of childhood foolishness, faith, friendship, and religion. The young actors were fantastic and the directing and cinematography was excellent.

Wish 143

I smell Jesus.

A light-hearted look at a very real issue which many terminally ill young people must face. A comedy one minute and a drama the next. A surprisingly moving film.

The Crush

I would’ve taken you for lunch.

The lead character is so adorable that you may ignore that he is a very misguided young man. His teacher’s behavior is bizarre and inappropriate too. I enjoyed the film but it was the most flawed of the films, in my opinion.

Na WeWe

It’s complicated, Sir.

A tense, thought provoking look at racism set in the Burundi during the horrible tribal violence that took place there and in Rwanda in the early 1990s. It makes you think carefully about the violence and senselessness, but some may walk away with the impression the violence in Burundi was not as bad as it really was.

God of Love

It was meant to be.

This movie was the only one of the five that was not very dark. A likable, lounge singing, darts master receives an answer to prayer.

The Animated Shorts 2010

bsoist — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 12:40:44 +0000

Every year we go as a family to see the Oscar nominated animated short films. Last Saturday we saw the animated films. I didn’t think this year’s crop was as good as previous years but I enjoyed all of them and thought I’d share a few thoughts.

Day & Night

A fun look at the friendship between nighttime and daytime. I’ve seen it three times and I chuckle every time but it doesn’t do much more for me than that.

The Lost Thing

This is place where things go to be forgotten.
A short film with outstanding art and a powerful message. This was my favorite of the films.

The Gruffalo

…and the nut was good.

A fable telling the story of a mouse who outwits three predators while on his quest to find a nut. A little longer than it needed to be, in my opinion.

Madagascar, Carnet de Voyage

An impressionistic travel journal of a tourists adventures in Madagascar and the favorite to win. The use of different types of visuals was brilliant but the lack of story is this film’s real drawback.

Let’s Pollute

Want it, waste it!

A fun educational film spoof promoting the benefits of consumer excess.

This year the theater is showing the animated and live actions on two separate weekends. I’ll post my thoughts on the live actions later – probably Monday.

The Oscars Game 2011

bsoist — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 20:50:51 +0000

Last year I launched a website I thought would be a lot of fun – theoscarsgame.com.

I thought of it just as the Oscars were upon us so it was rather crude but it was fun to play. At least I thought so.

This year, I changed it up a bit. Submit your picks for a chance to win the $100 gift card of your choice – theoscarsgame.com

My Favorite Films of 2010

bsoist — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 18:58:28 +0000

UPDATE: I’ve now seen all ten best picture nominations. Read my thoughts on the other five and don’t forget to predict the Oscar winners for a chance to win a $100 gift card. Make your picks now.

I saw some excellent films in 2010. What follows is a list of my favorites. Before I get to the list I should mention a few other films.

The following films were good but did not live up to my expectations (in no particular order)

Conviction
Kick-Ass
Tron Legacy
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (very flawed film)
The Kids Are All Right

The following films were good but did not make my top ten (in no particular order)

Cyrus
Restrepo
Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (brilliantly funny)
Takers (Christensen was terrible, film much better than expected)
The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)
Exit Through the Gift Shop

The following films were excellent but I did not see them until 2011. Several of them might have made the list. Look for them on my list next year or on my Oscar picks

Client 9: Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer
Inside Job
Flipped (Wow!)
Winter’s Bone (different kind of wow!)
Black Swan (Almost certainly the best picture of 2010!)

10. The Fighter

Taught him everything he knows.

The Fighter is based on the true story of Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), a boxer who grew up in a dysfunctional family in working class Massachusetts. Several reviewers have noted that the film suffers from a weak lead character. I would have to agree. There was nothing wrong with Wahlberg’e performance. It was the character himself that lacked personality and focus. I found myself thinking throughout the film that “the fighter” was actually Micky’s older half-brother Dickie Christian Bale). Unfortunately, movies based on real life have to work within the facts (mostly anyway) and Micky’s story has an ending we could use no matter how matter of fact it may be.

Christian Bale and Melissa Leo turned in Oscar worthy performances and casting Amy Adams turned out to work for me. The second half of the movie only works if we fall for her character and I would have never fallen for that character in real life. Maybe it’s just me.

9. Inception

Come back to reality, Dom.

Inception is a wild ride. I’ve seen it three times and I’m still not sure what really happens. It almost didn’t make the list because of its flaws, but it really was one of the best movies I saw in 2010. I may not know what happened and I may have grown tired (three times) of listening to the characters explain it to me, but I did enjoy fantastic special effects (many without the need for computer generated images) and excellent performances. If you haven’t seen it, see it but don’t expect to understand it.

8. The Ghost Writer

You’re not kittens.

I really didn’t expect to or want to like this movie. I don’t like the actors – adequate at best, laughable at worst. I’m not a fan of most of the work of the director – some of his work is certainly brilliant, but not most in my opinion. And what I knew of the plot sounded predictable and overdone. Billy and I had the opportunity to travel an hour to see a press screening of the film and opted not to because of my hesitation (and some bad weather if I remember correctly).

We eventually saw it and I was impressed. A ghost writer (Ewan McGregor) is called in to finish the memoir of a retired British Prime Minister (Pierce Brosnan). He finds the previous writer’s work boring and decides a major rewrite is in order. He learns quickly that his subject’s life and work has been anything but boring. What the ghost learns may have even put his own life in danger.

7. The Town

I will see you; this side or the other.

The Town is an action packed adventure about a long time thief (Ben Affleck) who tries to balance his interest in one of his victims (Rebecca Hall), his cohorts (including Jeremy Renner), and a vicious enforcer (Pete Postlethwaite) while continuing to engage in his dangerous profession.

Affleck was brilliant as both actor and director. His exploration of the relationships among the bank robbers is very well developed and the film’s ending is particularly satisfying.

6. Shutter Island

You’ll never leave this island.

Shutter Island is the story of Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), a “duly appointed Federal Marshall” and his partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo). Teddy and Chuck are sent to a mysterious island to investigate an escape but Teddy learns that there may be more to this island than meets the eye and that his assignment there may not be a coincidence.

I think DiCaprio is a brilliant actor and this performance, while certainly not his best on record, was no exception. The visuals were spectacular. Martin Scorsese does a masterful job of showing us just how spooky this place and our situation is right from the beginning. In the great tradition of smart horror films, he also keeps us from asking ourselves the simple questions that would make the movie start to unravel.

I saw this movie twice and the second time only convinced me how wonderful it was. It was fantastic.

5. The Debt

What if we could go back?

The Debt is a suspenseful thriller that tells the story of three young Israeli Mossad agents on a secret mission to capture and kill a notorious Nazi war criminal. This movie sat at number one on my list until I actually started to write this post. I thoroughly enjoyed the film but it has flaws. Most notably the choice to insert thirty years between the two main storylines in the film. The decision makes sense on one level, but it necessitates what I thought was a weaker ending than might have been possible otherwise.

4. Toy Story 3

So long… partner.

Toy Story 3 is the moving conclusion to the Toy Story saga. Andy is growing up and headed to college. The first order of business is to clean up his room. What ensues is fast-paced, funny, and terrifying all at the same time.

My son, who graduates from high school in June, has always been just a little younger than Andy in each of the films. It is this connection, I assume, that makes this last installment so wonderful in my opinion. Certainly not as well crafted a film as the original (few films are in my opinion) but no less powerful for me. I thought it was brilliant.

Did I mention it was terrifying? Everyone I’ve talked to agrees – those toys were in some serious peril more than once.

3. How to Train Your Dragon

That… was for everything else.

How to Train Your Dragon is a heart warming story about a hapless Viking who, despite his very un-viking-like-ness, befriends a dragon, becomes a hero, and gets the girl in the end. A delightful film that everyone should see.

2. The Social Network

You know what’s cooler than a million dollars?

The Social Network is a creation myth detailing the events surrounding the founding of the social network Facebook, the ensuing legal battles, and the flaws of the characters involved.

My first viewing was at a press screening where the security was abnormally tight so they had the lights up on one side of the theater. It made for a washed out look in what is a dark movie visually anyway. I enjoyed it nonetheless and I enjoyed even more the second time.

Jesse Eisenberg turns in an Oscar worthy performance portraying a pretentious and wounded Mark Zuckerberg, Andrew Garfield is outstanding in his role as Eduardo Saverin, and the film is supported by many other excellent performances. Top among the supporting roles were “the Winklevii” who were played brilliantly by two actors and one face. The film’s funniest moments revolve around these two. My favorite line in the film being

I’m six five, two-twenty and there’s two of me!

Another stroke of brilliance was to cast Justin Timberlake as Sean Parker. Using someone like Timberlake made it easy to convey how “cool” Parker was in the eyes of all hackers in those early years.

1. The King’s Speech

Do you know the “f” word?

The King’s Speech is a fantastic film about a man who wanted to be king but didn’t think we was worthy. The film feels a lot like a play on film but it is wonderful to watch. The cinematography is remarkable given the “talking heads” nature of many scenes. The film also showcases fantastic performances by Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, and Geoffrey Rush.

Danny isn’t here, Mrs. Torrance.

bsoist — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:01:42 +0000

Like most of Kubrick’s films, The Shining is a masterpiece. The film is classic Kubrick – wide symetrical shots, vivid colors, contorted faces of our main characters – and I could watch it over and over again.

It is not very true to the original story but it is terrifying nonetheless. It is the story of Jack Torrence, a failed writer who takes a job as the winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel in order to focus on his writing. The book portrays a likable buy who is driven mad by the demons haunt the empty halls at the hotel. The movie, on the other hand, tells a story of a different man. Movie Jack is very unlikable from the beginning and appears to be at least half way to insane from the beginning. Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of this unlikable guy – that’s a stretch, huh? – is brilliant.

Shelley Duvall is wildly believable in her role. She does her best to be a sweet supportive wife to this nutcase though he frequently hurls insults and profanity at her. Meanwhile, their son Danny rides his big wheel around the hotel, chats with his imaginary friend Tony, and sees visions of death and destruction. Now that I think about it, the whole family is nuts before they head off on this “adventure.”

Danny’s big wheel rides provide some of the best shots in the film. Kubrick’s use of sound, parallel lines, and movement in these scenes is stunning. They also are a classic example of a technique he uses all the time – long shots from the character’s point of view. Another classic example of this is the chase scene near the end of the film.

The only shots that rival the riding scenes are those of Danny’s and Jack’s visions (if that is what they are). The two creepy little girls, the room filling with blood, and the ball room scenes are tremendous. And, of course, like every other Kubrick film we have a shot in the bathroom – and this one is about as freaky as they come.

I’m sure you’ve seen it – see it again.

P.S. This last viewing was with my son who had not yet seen it. I did not realize at the time that the HD version had been extended. I wish we’d seen the original first. I didn’t see anything wrong with the new scenes (and I’ve seen them before but didn’t realize the difference in versions until this time) but I’d like Billy to have seen the original first.