3/4 – Page 25 – Let's Talk About Movies

Nebraska [2013] ★★★

February 16, 2014

Alexander Payne’s “Nebraska” is basically an old fashioned road movie with terrific acting, beautiful cinematography and a delightful soundtrack. Watching a film as mature, moving and thoughtful as this one renews my faith in American movies and reaffirms Payne’s status as one of the most unique storytellers of his generation. He has also bestowed the gift of an exceptional role on Bruce Dern, 77, who gives the best performance of his career. He plays Woody, a stubborn old man who is convinced that he’s won a million dollars and insists on traveling to Lincoln, Nebraska to claim his prize. Instead of stopping him, his son (Will Forte) decides to play along. This is the part where you ask: is this a comedy or a drama? And yet if you’ve seen most of Payne’s films (“About Schmidt”, “Sideways”, “The Descendants”), then you probably know that the answer is both. This is what Payne does best. He walks the high wire between humor and heartbreak with exceptional skill. Just when you think you have him figured, you haven’t. Woody and his son travel a bumpy road, and the film hits a few plot holes. But for the most parts, the movie’s a gem. Payne’s low-key approach only deepens the film’s intimate power. And Bruce Dern’s acting sets a new gold standard, making “Nebraska” a movie you won’t soon forget.

Rating: 3/4

Philomena [2013] ★★★

February 6, 2014

Judi Dench has emerged as one of the finest actresses alive, in films like “Shakespeare in Love”, “Iris” and “”Notes on a Scandal”. With her performance in “Philomena”, she reaches a new plateau, playing a real-life Irish woman named Philomena Lee, who had sex fifty years ago, gave birth to a child at a local convent, and watched the nuns give her son away. Now, years later, she wants to find out what happened to her son. In doing so, she hires a journalist named Martin (a delightful Steve Coogan) who sees her story as an opportunity to revive his career. Dench, in her Oscar nominated performance, is a marvel. It’s a joy and a privilege to watch her inhabit the character of Philomena. If you’ve never read anything about this woman’s story, the film will have plenty of surprises for you. Some actors seem to be courting award attention when they play a real life character, and many have been rewarded for their efforts. I get the impression that Dench is simply a dedicated actress whose only goal is to make us believe she is the character she’s impersonating. It’s safe to say that she succeeds with flying colors here. I’d watch “Philomena” again just to savor her delightful performance.

Rating: 3/4

RoboCop [2014] ★★★

February 5, 2014

Good news, RoboCop fans. Jose Padilha’s remake adheres to the character’s roots and in a way, proves superior to the 1987 version starring Peter Weller. I admit: I had low expectations at first. As it turns out, the film was way better than I expected, and I mean way way better. The 1987 movie was pure entertainment, but it wasn’t a masterpiece and left a lot to be desired. The new version, directed by Padilha and written by Joshua Zetumer introduces some new concepts and characters while essentially following the original screenplay. One of the film’s chief virtues is Samuel L. Jackson, who has real screen presence here and who basically steals every scene he appears in, playing Pat Novak, the host of a TV show called “The Novak Element”. He’s a big reason this version succeeds as well as it does. Michael Keaton plays the CEO of OmniCorp, who’s about to put a man inside a machine and give the people “a figure they can rally behind”. His lab rat? Badly injured Detroit cop Alex Murphy (a solid Joel Kinnaman), who wakes up 3 months later only to find that what remains of his body is now inside a metal suit. If you’ve seen the original film, you probably know what happens next. Naturally, the meat of the picture lies in its action scenes and special effects, and these are first rate, for the most part. Other key roles are filled by a good cast, including the great Gary Oldman as RoboCop’s “inventor”, Jackie Earle Haley and Abbie Cornish as Murphy’s wife.

“RoboCop” has a vigorous and interesting story to tell. The film has its cheesy moments, but overall it’s highly entertaining. It may be brutal and too violent at times (especially for kids), but eventually it’s the human element that matters most, and the filmmakers never lose sight of that. This is a rare example of a remake that actually works.

Rating: 3/4

Lone Survivor [2013] ★★★

February 2, 2014

“Lone Survivor”, about a Navy Seal team who went behind enemy lines to kill a Taliban leader in Afghanistan in 2005 opened in limited release in December (the official wide opening date was January 10th) to qualify for year-end awards. The fact that the movie collected two Oscar nominations should suggest how good it is. Director Peter Berg (“Friday Night Lights”, “The Kingdom”) takes a powerful approach to the factual material in NAVY SEAL Marcus Luttrell’s book of the same name. The mission was supposed to go smoothly. But it doesn’t take long before the SEALS are ambushed by Taliban forces. Then what? They find themselves in the middle of a deadly battle, vastly outnumbered. Playing real life heroes, the actors —from Mark Wahlberg and Emile Hirsch to Ben Foster and Taylor Kitsch— acquit themselves admirably. This $40 million crowd pleaser is a personal best from director Peter Berg, who stages every ambush and gun battle as if his life depends on it. Forget the few cornball speeches, “Lone Survivor” ignores politics to throw audiences into the pitiless heat of battle. You will be shaken.

Rating: 3/4

Enough Said [2013] ★★★

January 17, 2014

I’ve enjoyed most of Nicole Holofcener’s movies (“Please Give”, “Friends with Money”) but she has outdone herself with “Enough Said”. Her characters are real, richly drawn and utterly believable. With a light of comic touch, and without a whiff of pretension, she manages to explore some of the craziness of adult relationships, creating superior entertainment. Her leading lady, Julia-Louis Dreyfus is a socially awkward single mom. One night she meets a reserved man with a unique sense of humor (the late James Gandolfini in a one of a kind performance). How this relationship develops is the heart of “Enough Said”, a delightful romantic comedy with a serious undertone. Both characters are so well written, and so perfectly played, that we find ourselves rooting for them from the word go. The same can be said for Toni Colette, Catherine Keener, Ben Falcone and the other actors who make every moment of their brief screen time count. A clever screenplay and a talented director help a lot, but everyone involved in this movie seems to be having a great time. “Enough Said” is the work of a writer-director who earns the highest praise I can give. Do not miss this movie.

Rating: 3/4

Saving Mr. Banks [2013] ★★★

January 9, 2014

If you love movies, “Saving Mr. Banks” is hard to resist. It paints an evocative picture of Hollywood and the methodology of filmmaking, circa 1961, while offering juicy roles to Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks, two of the finest actors of their generation. It has a different flavor from most movies I’ve seen in 2013, and it’s delightful, at least for any diehard movie buff. Just imagine stepping into a time machine, traveling back to 1961 and getting to eavesdrop on Pamela Travers and Walt Disney during the production of “Mary Poppins”. That’s exactly what we do here and I couldn’t have asked for a better result. Director Lee Hancock uses flashbacks to tell the story of Traver’s childhood in Australia. We learn more about her relationship with her loving but irresponsible father (Colin Farrell, surprisingly good) that shaped her personality and inspired her to create her Mary Poppins character. The physical recreation of the period, especially as it relates to moviemaking at Walt Disney studios, is impeccable.In addition, the supporting cast is exceptionally fine and includes Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford and Paul Giamatti.But what matters the most is that “Saving Mr. Banks” manages to pay tribute to a classic movie, a great writer and a man who had faith in his own idea even when things didn’t look so well. Those qualities are rooted in truth and give the movie its irresistible charm. Walt Disney himself would have been proud.

Rating: 3/4

American Hustle [2013] ★★★

January 6, 2014

It’s damn hard to dislike any movie directed by David O. Russell (“The Fighter”) and starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner. O. Russell, who did such a fine job with last year’s “Silver Linings Playbook”, follows it up with the highly entertaining “American Hustle”. It has so many good attributes, including superior performances and a tangible sense of time, place, and atmosphere that it’s tempting to overlook its shortcomings. That wouldn’t be entirely honest, but at least I can say that the overall experience was good. From the casting of Christian Bale as a con artist who is recruited by FBI agent Bradley Cooper in order to nab politicians taking bribes to the depiction of the 1970’s era, the movie delivers the goods and then some. The story is perfectly set up and the cast couldn’t be better as each one gets a chance to shine, some more consistently than others. Bale is terrific, adding extra 40 pounds and using a ridiculous comb over to play Irv, the excellent con artist. And Cooper is dynamite as Richie the FBI agent. But it’s Jennifer Lawrence who’s a total blast to watch as Irv’s wife (she may be too young for the role but she kills it). How then to sum up “American Hustle”? I would say that it offers an unusual movie-going experience that will likely please many audiences. I enjoyed it a lot. But on reflection, I think there is less here than meets the eye.

Rating: 3/4

Frozen [2013] ★★★

January 4, 2014

Disney’s take on Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen” is a tuneful, entertaining, great looking animated feature that will capture the hearts of young kids and adult movie buffs alike (that would be me). All the classic Disney ingredients are here: a heroine we can root for, an unlikely hero who has to prove himself, a colorful array of supporting characters, eye popping production design and an unforgettable musical score by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Writer-directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck have managed to strike a balance between traditional and modern storytelling. The story of how two royal sisters were forced to live separate lives after it’s discovered that Elsa, the future queen, has the ability to turn everything she touches into ice couldn’t be more simple. But the way it looks and feels onscreen is what elevates it above Disney’s most recent films. Best of all, it never stops moving which means there’s never a dull moment. The voice work is first-rate, with special kudos to Josh Grad, who adds zest to the role of Olaf the snowman. “Frozen” represents the work of some of the finest character animators alive, along with a team of talented artists. It’s Disney’s best animated feature in years.

Rating: 3/4

The Spectacular Now [2013] ★★★

December 24, 2013

This little gem is one of the nicest surprises of the year. It entertained me and left me with a feeling of satisfaction that’s all too rare these days. Like “The Way Way Back” earlier this year, “The Spectacular Now” is rooted in truth and offers honest observations about relationships, adolescence and independence. Miles Teller plays Sutter Keeley, a high-school senior who doesn’t take anything in his life seriously and who is almost always drinking and partying. Then he meets Aimee Finicky (Shailene Woodley), a shy girl who’s never had a boyfriend. She immediately falls under his spell and the core of the film is the relationship between these two complete opposites. These are characters we find ourselves rooting for and that’s one of the reasons why they lift this film above the norm of coming-of-age stories. In adapting Tim Tharp’s novel, director James Ponsoldt and screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (“500 Days Of Summer”) have made a film that’s so easy to enjoy and admire. Their movie is honest and it takes a piece out of you. I highly recommend it.

Rating: 3/4

The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty [2013] ★★★

December 15, 2013

Don’t expect anything standard from this uniquely funny, unpredictably tender and unapologetically weird movie. Ben Stiller, dropping the usual goofy faces, has never done anything this deeply felt. As a director and star of the show, he has crafted one of the most enjoyable films of the year. Based on James Thurber’s short story, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” tells the story of a timid man (Stiller) who handles the unpleasantness of reality by leading an active fantasy life. That is until the two worlds merge and Walter finds himself in a real life adventure. “Walter Mitty” chases so many ideas that it threatens to spin out of control. But with our multiplexes stuffed with lazy Hollywood formula, it’s a gift to find a ballsy movie that thinks it can do anything, and damn near does. It’s a daring, even experimental film. It shouldn’t work at all, and yet does, splendidly. Stiller handles his character amazingly well. That’s why the movie pulls you in almost instantly. Even the lyrics of David Bowie’s song “Major Tom” take on a poignant resonance as Walter fights to find the courage to lead an adventure as grand as those in his daydreams. Writer Steve Conrad, Stiller and the pitch-perfect actors have crafted an exceptional film that can coax a smile about handling the unpleasantness of real life and then sneak up and quietly break your heart. It’s a keeper.

Rating: 3/4