Tonight I saw Nebraska, starring Bruce Dern and Will Forte.
It will be the topic of Cinebanter #128, so please tune in a few weeks from now for our review.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Today I saw The Hunger Games: Catching Fire starring Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson.
The film begins where the book also started, as Katniss (Lawrence) and Peeta (Hutcherson) are gearing up for their victory tour of the districts, as the winners of the most recent Hunger Games.
Spying on the wildly popular couple, the president (Donald Sutherland) calls their bluff and fears their love story act will not sustain, so therefore Katniss must be eliminated. His new gamemaker, Plutarch Heavensbee (a perfectly cast Philip Seymour Hoffman) soon constructs a plot to bring the victors back into the games and seal her fate.
Though all of the excitement and horrors of the games is well executed, it's the performance that Lawrence gives that truly makes the film worth seeing. Every note of emotion is pitch perfect; every complexity captured in her eyes.
I also confess to eating up the love triangle between her, Peeta and Gale (Liam Hemsworth). As with any well done triangle, I change my mind every few minutes about who I want for Katniss. My brain says Peeta will do everything in his power to make her happy from now to eternity; my heart sees the way she looks at Gale.
Only one more year until the first installment of Mockingjay hits theaters, right?
~~~
The film begins where the book also started, as Katniss (Lawrence) and Peeta (Hutcherson) are gearing up for their victory tour of the districts, as the winners of the most recent Hunger Games.
Spying on the wildly popular couple, the president (Donald Sutherland) calls their bluff and fears their love story act will not sustain, so therefore Katniss must be eliminated. His new gamemaker, Plutarch Heavensbee (a perfectly cast Philip Seymour Hoffman) soon constructs a plot to bring the victors back into the games and seal her fate.
Though all of the excitement and horrors of the games is well executed, it's the performance that Lawrence gives that truly makes the film worth seeing. Every note of emotion is pitch perfect; every complexity captured in her eyes.
I also confess to eating up the love triangle between her, Peeta and Gale (Liam Hemsworth). As with any well done triangle, I change my mind every few minutes about who I want for Katniss. My brain says Peeta will do everything in his power to make her happy from now to eternity; my heart sees the way she looks at Gale.
Only one more year until the first installment of Mockingjay hits theaters, right?
~~~
Friday, November 22, 2013
Delivery Man
Today I saw Delivery Man, starring Vince Vaughn and Chris Pratt.
David (Vaughn) is an unreliable "meat chauffeur" for the family business. He's in love with Emma (Cobie Smulders), who is carrying his child, but unsure of whether or not she wants him to be a part of said child's life.
He wants to do better—he really does—and gets the chance to prove it when his world is unexpectedly turned upside down. It seems that as a sperm donor years ago, he fathered 533 children, over a hundred of which have filed a lawsuit to try to learn his identity.
His lawyer/BFF (Pratt) works tirelessly to preserve his anonymity, but David's impulsive actions don't help. He begins reading through profiles of his children (all of whom magically live in the vicinity) and finds them, following them throughout their daily lives.
Vaughn is fantastic as someone in awe of what the creation of a child truly means (there are some tear-inducing, tender scenes with one of the children, which I won't spoil) and at the same time frustratingly irresponsible.
Aside from that, and the side-story of the lawyer's four kids driving him nuts, this is a very slow-paced, often sad-in-tone film.
I really wanted to like it more than I did, and I wanted to laugh as much as the trailer implied I would. But I didn't.
~~~
David (Vaughn) is an unreliable "meat chauffeur" for the family business. He's in love with Emma (Cobie Smulders), who is carrying his child, but unsure of whether or not she wants him to be a part of said child's life.
He wants to do better—he really does—and gets the chance to prove it when his world is unexpectedly turned upside down. It seems that as a sperm donor years ago, he fathered 533 children, over a hundred of which have filed a lawsuit to try to learn his identity.
His lawyer/BFF (Pratt) works tirelessly to preserve his anonymity, but David's impulsive actions don't help. He begins reading through profiles of his children (all of whom magically live in the vicinity) and finds them, following them throughout their daily lives.
Vaughn is fantastic as someone in awe of what the creation of a child truly means (there are some tear-inducing, tender scenes with one of the children, which I won't spoil) and at the same time frustratingly irresponsible.
Aside from that, and the side-story of the lawyer's four kids driving him nuts, this is a very slow-paced, often sad-in-tone film.
I really wanted to like it more than I did, and I wanted to laugh as much as the trailer implied I would. But I didn't.
~~~
Saturday, November 09, 2013
Lee Daniels' The Butler
This morning I saw Lee Daniels' The Butler, starring Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey.
Cecil Gains (Whitaker) was a real-life man named Eugene Allen, who was employed by The White House from the Truman administration all the way up through the Reagan administration. He began as a pantry worker and was soon promoted to butler, utilizing the skills he'd learned working in exclusive places around Virginia and Washington, D.C. And, he was black.
The film shows how he was trained as a child as a "house negro" to serve and dazzle the higher class, and takes great pride in doing good work for his superiors.
His wife Gloria (Winfrey)—who was named Helene in actuality—has a drinking problem and turns to another man for intimacy as her husband works long hours. Winfrey gives an Oscar-worthy performance as a woman who clearly adores her husband, but has so much brimming just beneath her emotional surface, she has to find other ways to cope.
The film has fairly been compared to Forrest Gump for its predictable trip down memory lane, but just as I didn't mind it in Forrest Gump, I didn't mind it here either. Though the big-name stars (Robin Williams, John Cusack, etc.) who play the various presidents are distracting, the overall message is clear: it really hasn't been that long since America was a terribly unbalanced country, devoid of human rights for all. In fact, it reminds us that though things are better, we still have a long way to go.
For all its unfaithfulness to the true story, it was still an engaging, well-paced movie that made me wish I was more like its main character: content in hard work, patient in times of injustice and lacking in envy of the riches that surround him.
~~~
Cecil Gains (Whitaker) was a real-life man named Eugene Allen, who was employed by The White House from the Truman administration all the way up through the Reagan administration. He began as a pantry worker and was soon promoted to butler, utilizing the skills he'd learned working in exclusive places around Virginia and Washington, D.C. And, he was black.
The film shows how he was trained as a child as a "house negro" to serve and dazzle the higher class, and takes great pride in doing good work for his superiors.
His wife Gloria (Winfrey)—who was named Helene in actuality—has a drinking problem and turns to another man for intimacy as her husband works long hours. Winfrey gives an Oscar-worthy performance as a woman who clearly adores her husband, but has so much brimming just beneath her emotional surface, she has to find other ways to cope.
The film has fairly been compared to Forrest Gump for its predictable trip down memory lane, but just as I didn't mind it in Forrest Gump, I didn't mind it here either. Though the big-name stars (Robin Williams, John Cusack, etc.) who play the various presidents are distracting, the overall message is clear: it really hasn't been that long since America was a terribly unbalanced country, devoid of human rights for all. In fact, it reminds us that though things are better, we still have a long way to go.
For all its unfaithfulness to the true story, it was still an engaging, well-paced movie that made me wish I was more like its main character: content in hard work, patient in times of injustice and lacking in envy of the riches that surround him.
~~~
Saturday, November 02, 2013
12 Years a Slave
Today I saw 12 Years a Slave, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender.
It will be the topic of our November Cinebanter episode, so tune in later this month for our review.
It will be the topic of our November Cinebanter episode, so tune in later this month for our review.
Friday, November 01, 2013
Captain Philips
Tonight I saw Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi.
Captain Rich Phillips (Hanks) is an east coast merchant marine leading a new crew through the dangerous waters of Africa to deliver cargo. Muse (Abdi) is a Somali pirate that leads a handful of fellow pirates to take over the Captain's ship. Despite the elaborate security measures, Muse succeeds.
After a nerve-wracking chain of events (all happening while the U.S. Navy Seals are getting their ducks in a row to initiate a rescue), the pirates leave the ship and escape on one of its lifeboats with Captain Phillips as their hostage.
What happened over the course of five days in real life is chronicled in just over two hours here, but it's no less harrowing. The Captain talks to them, negotiates the extension of his life and feels compassion for the youngest pirate, who is just a kid. Tempers flare, weapons are drawn and physical fights are commonplace.
What makes Paul Greengrass such a phenomenal director is how real it all feels, though it's not something everyday people will ever truly know. His gift for capturing the sound of desperate breaths, the temperature in a space and the discombobulation of chaos is unique.
All of the performances in this film are first-rate; most notably those of the pirates who weren't even actors before they took on these roles.
I can't imagine this won't get a ripple of well-deserved Oscar nominations.
~~~
Captain Rich Phillips (Hanks) is an east coast merchant marine leading a new crew through the dangerous waters of Africa to deliver cargo. Muse (Abdi) is a Somali pirate that leads a handful of fellow pirates to take over the Captain's ship. Despite the elaborate security measures, Muse succeeds.
After a nerve-wracking chain of events (all happening while the U.S. Navy Seals are getting their ducks in a row to initiate a rescue), the pirates leave the ship and escape on one of its lifeboats with Captain Phillips as their hostage.
What happened over the course of five days in real life is chronicled in just over two hours here, but it's no less harrowing. The Captain talks to them, negotiates the extension of his life and feels compassion for the youngest pirate, who is just a kid. Tempers flare, weapons are drawn and physical fights are commonplace.
What makes Paul Greengrass such a phenomenal director is how real it all feels, though it's not something everyday people will ever truly know. His gift for capturing the sound of desperate breaths, the temperature in a space and the discombobulation of chaos is unique.
All of the performances in this film are first-rate; most notably those of the pirates who weren't even actors before they took on these roles.
I can't imagine this won't get a ripple of well-deserved Oscar nominations.
~~~
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Prisoners
Today I saw Prisoners, starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Keller (Jackman) and Grace (Maria Bello), have a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with their neighbors Franklin (Terrence Howard) and Nancy (Viola Davis).
Each couple has a young daughter and the girls leave together after the meal to go play. The adults don't realize they are missing until much later. They report a suspected abduction and soon are on the trail of the owner of an RV who was parked on their street.
Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) has solved every case to which he's been assigned, so the families are grateful when he takes on the challenge of finding their girls.
That same night he apprehends the RV owner, a mentally slow man named Alex (Paul Dano) who doesn't have any trace of the girls on his belongings. They hold him for 48 hours and release him to his aunt's custody.
Because Keller is convinced that Alex is guilty, he kidnaps him at gunpoint and takes him as a prisoner at an empty property he owns. He begins torturing him to get information from him, but gets no results.
Soon, he involves Franklin and Nancy, who don't feel right about what he's doing, but also choose not to stop him.
Meanwhile, at a candlelight vigil for the girls, a man's odd behavior catches the eye of Detective Loki and he gives chase. This is where, of course, the plot thickens.
From Hugh Jackman's desperation to the numbness of Maria Bello, each actor lives their role with frightful realism. The pain of the families is tangible, as is the frustration of the detective who is unable to decode the puzzle that may lead them all to the girls.
I was on the edge of my seat for the duration of this lengthy film, and with every twist and turn I held my breath, hoping for resolution.
Aside from a few key gruesome scenes, I never looked away.
I'm glad I didn't—a solid thriller is always a great way to get the adrenaline going.
~~~
Keller (Jackman) and Grace (Maria Bello), have a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with their neighbors Franklin (Terrence Howard) and Nancy (Viola Davis).
Each couple has a young daughter and the girls leave together after the meal to go play. The adults don't realize they are missing until much later. They report a suspected abduction and soon are on the trail of the owner of an RV who was parked on their street.
Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) has solved every case to which he's been assigned, so the families are grateful when he takes on the challenge of finding their girls.
That same night he apprehends the RV owner, a mentally slow man named Alex (Paul Dano) who doesn't have any trace of the girls on his belongings. They hold him for 48 hours and release him to his aunt's custody.
Because Keller is convinced that Alex is guilty, he kidnaps him at gunpoint and takes him as a prisoner at an empty property he owns. He begins torturing him to get information from him, but gets no results.
Soon, he involves Franklin and Nancy, who don't feel right about what he's doing, but also choose not to stop him.
Meanwhile, at a candlelight vigil for the girls, a man's odd behavior catches the eye of Detective Loki and he gives chase. This is where, of course, the plot thickens.
From Hugh Jackman's desperation to the numbness of Maria Bello, each actor lives their role with frightful realism. The pain of the families is tangible, as is the frustration of the detective who is unable to decode the puzzle that may lead them all to the girls.
I was on the edge of my seat for the duration of this lengthy film, and with every twist and turn I held my breath, hoping for resolution.
Aside from a few key gruesome scenes, I never looked away.
I'm glad I didn't—a solid thriller is always a great way to get the adrenaline going.
~~~
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Enough Said
Tonight I saw Enough Said, starring James Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Eva (Louis-Dreyfus) is a divorced masseuse ready to send her daughter Ellen (Tracey Fairaway) off to college. She accompanies her best friends—a married couple—to a party and meets two people.
The first, Marianne (Catherine Keener), is a poet with a shoulder that is in desperate need of massage therapy; the second, Albert (Gandolfini) is Marianne's ex-husband.
When Eva meets them, she has no idea they were once married to each other. She begins dating Albert and immediately feels a chemistry with him. Alternately, Marianne becomes her client and they develop a genuine friendship.
It's only when Eva sees their daughter Tessa (Eve Hewson) at Marianne's house that she makes the connection.
Unfortunately, instead of coming clean then and there, she keeps her knowledge of their past a secret and mines Marianne for information about Albert. Because Marianne is so bitter toward her ex, the the things she describes that once bothered her begin to bother Eva.
This scenario is refreshing because it could (and probably does) happen in real life. Furthermore, both leads are so endearing, it's hard not to root for them to end up together, even with Albert's sloppy faults and Eva's bad judgment.
It's a relief to see Louis-Dreyfus not playing a silly or snarky woman and borderline heartbreaking to watch Gandolfini at his most gentle, the way most who knew him personally describe his real-life personality.
The supporting cast is fantastic too—Toni Colette effortlessly plays Eva's flawed best friend, who just happens to be a shrink, and Eve Hewson nails the self-absorbed teenage daughter part.
I've always been a fan of writer/director Nicole Holofcener's gift for painting such real characters and this movie may be her best of all.
Go see it as soon as possible. And then go see it again.
~~~
Eva (Louis-Dreyfus) is a divorced masseuse ready to send her daughter Ellen (Tracey Fairaway) off to college. She accompanies her best friends—a married couple—to a party and meets two people.
The first, Marianne (Catherine Keener), is a poet with a shoulder that is in desperate need of massage therapy; the second, Albert (Gandolfini) is Marianne's ex-husband.
When Eva meets them, she has no idea they were once married to each other. She begins dating Albert and immediately feels a chemistry with him. Alternately, Marianne becomes her client and they develop a genuine friendship.
It's only when Eva sees their daughter Tessa (Eve Hewson) at Marianne's house that she makes the connection.
Unfortunately, instead of coming clean then and there, she keeps her knowledge of their past a secret and mines Marianne for information about Albert. Because Marianne is so bitter toward her ex, the the things she describes that once bothered her begin to bother Eva.
This scenario is refreshing because it could (and probably does) happen in real life. Furthermore, both leads are so endearing, it's hard not to root for them to end up together, even with Albert's sloppy faults and Eva's bad judgment.
It's a relief to see Louis-Dreyfus not playing a silly or snarky woman and borderline heartbreaking to watch Gandolfini at his most gentle, the way most who knew him personally describe his real-life personality.
The supporting cast is fantastic too—Toni Colette effortlessly plays Eva's flawed best friend, who just happens to be a shrink, and Eve Hewson nails the self-absorbed teenage daughter part.
I've always been a fan of writer/director Nicole Holofcener's gift for painting such real characters and this movie may be her best of all.
Go see it as soon as possible. And then go see it again.
~~~
Sunday, October 06, 2013
The Wizard of Oz - 3D
Today I saw The Wizard of Oz in 3D, starring Judy Garland and Margaret Hamilton.
It always feels odd reviewing a classic, especially one of this magnitude, because everyone already knows the story and has made their mind up about its merit.
But I'll give it a go anyhow.
Dorothy Gale (Garland) has dog, Toto, that can't seem to stay out of trouble. He's bitten Miss Gulch (Hamilton), eats hot dogs in mid-barbecue (before being asked) and jumps out of any basket he's confined to; really, he's a pain in the ass.
When Miss Gulch attempts to confiscate little Toto, he escapes back to his owner and fearing the authorities will return for him, Dorothy runs away from home.
While she's out the storm picks up and a twister forms near the small Kansas farm where she lives.
Not making it to the storm cellar in time, Dorothy runs into the house for cover and is soon transported to a magical place where she's greeted by a good witch and about a hundred little people.
Soon, she embarks on a journey to find her way home, following the path of a trusted yellow brick road, meeting friends along the way, all the while dodging the Wicked Witch of the West (Hamilton) who seeks revenge for the death of her sister, which she believes Dorothy caused.
The flying monkeys that help the witch never bothered me as a child, and they still don't now, but the dark forest is unsettling as are the voices and hairdos of the Munchkins.
The songs are fantastic (especially Garland's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," which makes her sound years older than she was at the time) and the colors pop (even more so in glorious 3D), and Hamilton sets the bar unimaginably high for any woman who dares to be a witch thereafter.
When I was a child, watching this film was an annual event. It would come on the television on some random Friday night and we would put sleeping bags on the floor and eat popcorn out of a huge bowl. I don't remember ever paying attention to the beginning before the tornado hits or noticing that the Cowardly Lion had a Jersey accent.
It's still magic though, 75 years on.
~~~
It always feels odd reviewing a classic, especially one of this magnitude, because everyone already knows the story and has made their mind up about its merit.
But I'll give it a go anyhow.
Dorothy Gale (Garland) has dog, Toto, that can't seem to stay out of trouble. He's bitten Miss Gulch (Hamilton), eats hot dogs in mid-barbecue (before being asked) and jumps out of any basket he's confined to; really, he's a pain in the ass.
When Miss Gulch attempts to confiscate little Toto, he escapes back to his owner and fearing the authorities will return for him, Dorothy runs away from home.
While she's out the storm picks up and a twister forms near the small Kansas farm where she lives.
Not making it to the storm cellar in time, Dorothy runs into the house for cover and is soon transported to a magical place where she's greeted by a good witch and about a hundred little people.
Soon, she embarks on a journey to find her way home, following the path of a trusted yellow brick road, meeting friends along the way, all the while dodging the Wicked Witch of the West (Hamilton) who seeks revenge for the death of her sister, which she believes Dorothy caused.
The flying monkeys that help the witch never bothered me as a child, and they still don't now, but the dark forest is unsettling as are the voices and hairdos of the Munchkins.
The songs are fantastic (especially Garland's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," which makes her sound years older than she was at the time) and the colors pop (even more so in glorious 3D), and Hamilton sets the bar unimaginably high for any woman who dares to be a witch thereafter.
When I was a child, watching this film was an annual event. It would come on the television on some random Friday night and we would put sleeping bags on the floor and eat popcorn out of a huge bowl. I don't remember ever paying attention to the beginning before the tornado hits or noticing that the Cowardly Lion had a Jersey accent.
It's still magic though, 75 years on.
~~~
Saturday, October 05, 2013
Don Jon
Today I saw Don Jon, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Scarlett Johansson.
Jon (Gordon-Levitt) is an east-coast bartender who likes his family, his church, his ladies and his porn. Barbara (Johansson) is a sexy girl who knows exactly what she wants in a man. When the two meet, sparks fly and Jon respects her in a way he doesn't respect other women.
They wait over a month to sleep together—a true testament to how much Jon likes Barbara—and he promises to quit watching porn at her request.
By all accounts, she makes him a better man: she has him enroll in night school to hopefully advance his career, she teaches him the virtue of patience, he remains faithful to her.
However, his porn addiction doesn't go away; he merely hides it.
The desire to watch porn consumes him so much that he watches on his cell phone as he's driving, attending class, etc. and absolves himself of the guilt by admitting his problem each week during confession.
It's not until a classmate, Esther (Julianne Moore), befriends him that he realizes his addiction to porn stems from his inability to truly connect to his partner. And there are reasons that come clear as to why that connection isn't happening.
In the midst of a lot (and I do mean a lot) of boobs and thrusts, this film reveals a sweet, honest message about a character who's slimy enough to be annoying, but decent enough to be endearing.
All of the actors are first-rate and cast to perfection. An absolute pleasure to watch.
If the topic of sex doesn't offend you, you'll enjoy spending 90 minutes in this true-to-life world.
~~~
Jon (Gordon-Levitt) is an east-coast bartender who likes his family, his church, his ladies and his porn. Barbara (Johansson) is a sexy girl who knows exactly what she wants in a man. When the two meet, sparks fly and Jon respects her in a way he doesn't respect other women.
They wait over a month to sleep together—a true testament to how much Jon likes Barbara—and he promises to quit watching porn at her request.
By all accounts, she makes him a better man: she has him enroll in night school to hopefully advance his career, she teaches him the virtue of patience, he remains faithful to her.
However, his porn addiction doesn't go away; he merely hides it.
The desire to watch porn consumes him so much that he watches on his cell phone as he's driving, attending class, etc. and absolves himself of the guilt by admitting his problem each week during confession.
It's not until a classmate, Esther (Julianne Moore), befriends him that he realizes his addiction to porn stems from his inability to truly connect to his partner. And there are reasons that come clear as to why that connection isn't happening.
In the midst of a lot (and I do mean a lot) of boobs and thrusts, this film reveals a sweet, honest message about a character who's slimy enough to be annoying, but decent enough to be endearing.
All of the actors are first-rate and cast to perfection. An absolute pleasure to watch.
If the topic of sex doesn't offend you, you'll enjoy spending 90 minutes in this true-to-life world.
~~~
Thursday, October 03, 2013
Gravity
Tonight I saw Gravity, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.
It will be the topic of our October Cinebanter episode, so tune in a few weeks from now for our review.
It will be the topic of our October Cinebanter episode, so tune in a few weeks from now for our review.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Airplane!
Tonight I saw Airplane! starring Robert Hays and Julie Hagerty.
Ted (Hays) is heartbroken because Elaine (Hagerty) is leaving him. She's a stewardess (that's what they called flight attendants in 1980) and he's a former soldier turned cab driver. Distraught at the thought of losing her, he spontaneously purchases a ticket on one of her flights and soon exhausts his fellow passengers retelling their love story.
Meanwhile, everyone on board (including the captain and co-pilot) who had fish for dinner is getting violently ill, and they need medical attention, fast. In a matter of minutes, when the crew passes out, they also need someone to land the plane. Ted is the only one on board qualified to do it.
If you've never seen this 80s classic, you may think all of the above sounds like an intense thriller, but really it's one of the most ridiculously wonderful, hilariously quotable films in existence.
Growing up watching this, I understood about 1/3 of the jokes; as an adult I realized how filthy it really is and that makes it 75 times more genius.
I can't begin to imagine how difficult it must have been to write this screenplay, but my hat is off to the clever trio who did.
33 years later the jokes are still funny, the characters still fresh and the ending still satisfying.
I'm so glad I finally got to experience it in the theater.
Ted (Hays) is heartbroken because Elaine (Hagerty) is leaving him. She's a stewardess (that's what they called flight attendants in 1980) and he's a former soldier turned cab driver. Distraught at the thought of losing her, he spontaneously purchases a ticket on one of her flights and soon exhausts his fellow passengers retelling their love story.
Meanwhile, everyone on board (including the captain and co-pilot) who had fish for dinner is getting violently ill, and they need medical attention, fast. In a matter of minutes, when the crew passes out, they also need someone to land the plane. Ted is the only one on board qualified to do it.
If you've never seen this 80s classic, you may think all of the above sounds like an intense thriller, but really it's one of the most ridiculously wonderful, hilariously quotable films in existence.
Growing up watching this, I understood about 1/3 of the jokes; as an adult I realized how filthy it really is and that makes it 75 times more genius.
I can't begin to imagine how difficult it must have been to write this screenplay, but my hat is off to the clever trio who did.
33 years later the jokes are still funny, the characters still fresh and the ending still satisfying.
I'm so glad I finally got to experience it in the theater.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Out of the Clear Blue Sky
Tonight I saw the 9/11 documentary, Out of the Clear Blue Sky.
In the twelve years since the tragic terrorist attacks there have been countless news magazines, documentaries and even a few feature films about that horrific day. And just when you think there couldn't possibly be a new story to tell about it, one emerges. That was the case with this film.
There were over 900 Canton Fitzgerald employees who reported to work at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001; 658 didn't survive.
But CEO Howard Lutnick did, and after a tearful interview with Connie Chung, became a sympathetic figurehead in the midst of the chaos.
But so quickly they turn.
Because most of their departments were completely wiped out that day (except for I.T.; they were on a fishing trip), Canton Fitzgerald couldn't turn out the amount of work needed to pay the salaries of the missing. Lutnick pledged to donate 25% of the company profits to the victims' families, as well as 10 years of covered healthcare instead. But that message—which was considerably generous considering what the company was facing—got lost in the shuffle and Lutnick (who lost his own brother in the tragedy) was vilified, soon getting death threats.
This film chronicles the rise and fall (and rise again) of Lutnick's image in the years up to now through survivor interviews, commentary from victims' families and news footage.
It's understood that he had a ruthless reputation on Wall Street before the terrorist attack and one wonders if some just held a grudge after the fact, as if it were some sort of karmic payback. In another sense, his raw grief in the weeks and months following the attacks seemed painfully real. And how can you be angry with someone who has to save an international company while mourning two thirds of his employees and his own sibling?
Though those wounds will never heal, the film does imply that a sense of community has emerged in the Canton Fitzgerald family as a result of Lutnick's efforts to help victims' families, and maybe, just maybe, the ordeal made him a better man.
~~~
In the twelve years since the tragic terrorist attacks there have been countless news magazines, documentaries and even a few feature films about that horrific day. And just when you think there couldn't possibly be a new story to tell about it, one emerges. That was the case with this film.
There were over 900 Canton Fitzgerald employees who reported to work at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001; 658 didn't survive.
But CEO Howard Lutnick did, and after a tearful interview with Connie Chung, became a sympathetic figurehead in the midst of the chaos.
But so quickly they turn.
Because most of their departments were completely wiped out that day (except for I.T.; they were on a fishing trip), Canton Fitzgerald couldn't turn out the amount of work needed to pay the salaries of the missing. Lutnick pledged to donate 25% of the company profits to the victims' families, as well as 10 years of covered healthcare instead. But that message—which was considerably generous considering what the company was facing—got lost in the shuffle and Lutnick (who lost his own brother in the tragedy) was vilified, soon getting death threats.
This film chronicles the rise and fall (and rise again) of Lutnick's image in the years up to now through survivor interviews, commentary from victims' families and news footage.
It's understood that he had a ruthless reputation on Wall Street before the terrorist attack and one wonders if some just held a grudge after the fact, as if it were some sort of karmic payback. In another sense, his raw grief in the weeks and months following the attacks seemed painfully real. And how can you be angry with someone who has to save an international company while mourning two thirds of his employees and his own sibling?
Though those wounds will never heal, the film does imply that a sense of community has emerged in the Canton Fitzgerald family as a result of Lutnick's efforts to help victims' families, and maybe, just maybe, the ordeal made him a better man.
~~~
Sunday, September 08, 2013
Drinking Buddies
Today I saw Drinking Buddies, starring Jake Johnson and Olivia Wilde.
Kate (Wilde) works at a brewery with Luke (Johnson). They're both in seemingly long-term relationships with Chris (Ron Livingston) and Jill (Anna Kendrick), respectively.
When a double-date camping trip leaves them wondering if they're with the right partner, Chris and Kate decide to take a break, while Luke and Jill remain together.
As with any mumblecore flick, all of the dialogue feels like improv, and the actors feel like people we know.
Johnson especially, known for his endearing character on New Girl, fits the bill as a brewmaster who lacks ambition. A reference Jill makes to their "marriage" discussion hints at his procrastination to propose; the older, wiser Chris would probably not cause such a delay.
When Jill takes a trip for work, Luke is left behind to help Kate move residences. A "will they or won't they" tension ensues, and the film turns from a lighthearted rom com to a more serious indie drama.
But that's okay, because this group is refreshingly real without being pretentious. Their struggles are familiar and their behaviors are typical, if not ideal.
Each character, though flawed, also has redeeming qualities that cause us to root for them, which makes this a good bunch to watch.
If only mumblecore had sequels.
~~~
Kate (Wilde) works at a brewery with Luke (Johnson). They're both in seemingly long-term relationships with Chris (Ron Livingston) and Jill (Anna Kendrick), respectively.
When a double-date camping trip leaves them wondering if they're with the right partner, Chris and Kate decide to take a break, while Luke and Jill remain together.
As with any mumblecore flick, all of the dialogue feels like improv, and the actors feel like people we know.
Johnson especially, known for his endearing character on New Girl, fits the bill as a brewmaster who lacks ambition. A reference Jill makes to their "marriage" discussion hints at his procrastination to propose; the older, wiser Chris would probably not cause such a delay.
When Jill takes a trip for work, Luke is left behind to help Kate move residences. A "will they or won't they" tension ensues, and the film turns from a lighthearted rom com to a more serious indie drama.
But that's okay, because this group is refreshingly real without being pretentious. Their struggles are familiar and their behaviors are typical, if not ideal.
Each character, though flawed, also has redeeming qualities that cause us to root for them, which makes this a good bunch to watch.
If only mumblecore had sequels.
~~~
Saturday, September 07, 2013
The Spectacular Now
Today I saw The Spectacular Now, starring Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley.
Sutter (Teller) is a popular guy at his high school. He makes everyone laugh, wins over his teachers with charm and has a hot blonde girlfriend named Cassidy (Brie Larson).
He also has a drinking problem.
To every party, in every class, on every car ride, he carries a flask full of whiskey. It's with him at all times like a sad security blanket.
After Cassidy has enough of his nonsense and breaks up with him, he begins hanging out with Aimee (Woodley). She's a classmate he's ignored for years, but she agrees to tutor him since he's struggling through his math course.
They have a genuinely sweet chemistry, and soon develop feelings for one another. At first, it appears that they make each other better, but later in the story we have to wonder if she's too good for him.
As we're watching this all unfold, we do feel like we're falling in love right along with them. Their scenes are tender and realistic; their magnetism completely believable though neither of them is conventionally attractive.
Teller and Woodley do a beautiful job of conveying young love and the ease of trusting the wrong people. Jennifer Jason Leigh's brief scenes as Sutter's mother are also powerful.
Though the story doesn't say much, it speaks volumes about the painful reality of addiction. If you're in the mood for something simple, but smart, with a satisfying ending, you should make a point of getting to this spectacular indie.
~~~
Sutter (Teller) is a popular guy at his high school. He makes everyone laugh, wins over his teachers with charm and has a hot blonde girlfriend named Cassidy (Brie Larson).
He also has a drinking problem.
To every party, in every class, on every car ride, he carries a flask full of whiskey. It's with him at all times like a sad security blanket.
After Cassidy has enough of his nonsense and breaks up with him, he begins hanging out with Aimee (Woodley). She's a classmate he's ignored for years, but she agrees to tutor him since he's struggling through his math course.
They have a genuinely sweet chemistry, and soon develop feelings for one another. At first, it appears that they make each other better, but later in the story we have to wonder if she's too good for him.
As we're watching this all unfold, we do feel like we're falling in love right along with them. Their scenes are tender and realistic; their magnetism completely believable though neither of them is conventionally attractive.
Teller and Woodley do a beautiful job of conveying young love and the ease of trusting the wrong people. Jennifer Jason Leigh's brief scenes as Sutter's mother are also powerful.
Though the story doesn't say much, it speaks volumes about the painful reality of addiction. If you're in the mood for something simple, but smart, with a satisfying ending, you should make a point of getting to this spectacular indie.
~~~
Monday, September 02, 2013
Austenland
Today I saw Austenland, starring Keri Russell and Bret McKenzie.
Jane (Russell) is a single American girl, obsessed with the world of Jane Austen books. She has a cardboard cutout of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy next to her couch, boasts an Austen-themed bedroom and "takes tea" a lot more than normal Americans would.
Her boyfriends scoff at her distraction; her friends just want it to come to an end. She can't get enough of the culture, so she spends her life savings on a trip to Austenland, a theme park dedicated to immersing oneself into the world the author so famously created.
Upon arrival, Jane isn't as dazzled as she thought she'd be—because she only booked the basic experience, she sleeps in the servants quarters and wears gowns that aren't as extravagant as those of higher paying guests.
Becoming claustrophobic to the clutches of the dominant owner of the place, she soon seeks solace in her moments away with Martin (McKenzie), the "hired help" that becomes as enamored with her as she does with him. Or does he?
Because the actors on the land are supposed to offer a romantic experience to each attendee, Jane soon becomes confused about what is real and what isn't. The glamour of behaving like someone in a novel becomes less and less appealing as true feelings fight their way to the surface.
Sure, there are several cheesy moments throughout the film with flamboyant supporting characters and cleavage jokes, but at the end of it all, we're all there to see an Austen-esque ending, and that's exactly what we get.
Russell's charms carry the film without effort and if you're willing to hang on for the whole ride, you'll probably leave smiling.
~~~
Jane (Russell) is a single American girl, obsessed with the world of Jane Austen books. She has a cardboard cutout of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy next to her couch, boasts an Austen-themed bedroom and "takes tea" a lot more than normal Americans would.
Her boyfriends scoff at her distraction; her friends just want it to come to an end. She can't get enough of the culture, so she spends her life savings on a trip to Austenland, a theme park dedicated to immersing oneself into the world the author so famously created.
Upon arrival, Jane isn't as dazzled as she thought she'd be—because she only booked the basic experience, she sleeps in the servants quarters and wears gowns that aren't as extravagant as those of higher paying guests.
Becoming claustrophobic to the clutches of the dominant owner of the place, she soon seeks solace in her moments away with Martin (McKenzie), the "hired help" that becomes as enamored with her as she does with him. Or does he?
Because the actors on the land are supposed to offer a romantic experience to each attendee, Jane soon becomes confused about what is real and what isn't. The glamour of behaving like someone in a novel becomes less and less appealing as true feelings fight their way to the surface.
Sure, there are several cheesy moments throughout the film with flamboyant supporting characters and cleavage jokes, but at the end of it all, we're all there to see an Austen-esque ending, and that's exactly what we get.
Russell's charms carry the film without effort and if you're willing to hang on for the whole ride, you'll probably leave smiling.
~~~
The World's End
Earlier this week I saw The World's End, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
It will be the topic of Cinebanter #125, so tune in later this month for our review.
It will be the topic of Cinebanter #125, so tune in later this month for our review.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Sharknado
On Saturday night, I saw Sharnado, starring Ian Ziering and Cassie Scerbo.
Fin (Ziering) runs a bar on the Santa Monica pier and surfs in his spare time. Nova (Scerbo) serves drinks at his bar and becomes nervous when he heads out to the waves during a horrific storm.
Soon, the storm—California's first hurricane—takes over the whole city and Fin must race to save his family.
His estranged wife April (Tara Reid) resists his help until a shark makes its way into her home (yes, you read that right). Then, it's off to save their son who is across town at flight school. With their high maintenance teenage daughter in tow, as well.
If this sounds absurd, that's because it is. And shamelessly so. In fact, it's so camp-tastic that the crowd we were with in the theater hollered throughout the entire film and it didn't even bother me. In fact, I found that it added to the festive atmosphere.
Of course, the most exciting part of the film comes when the tornadoes form and of course, they form with sharks inside of them. If I wasn't laughing so hard, I may have been slightly scared.
Even more hilarious is the way they combat the tornadoes, but I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't be specific. Just know that I was in hysterics at their scientific solution.
Really folks, it doesn't get any cheesier or any funnier than Sharknado. I can hardly wait for the sequel.
Fin (Ziering) runs a bar on the Santa Monica pier and surfs in his spare time. Nova (Scerbo) serves drinks at his bar and becomes nervous when he heads out to the waves during a horrific storm.
Soon, the storm—California's first hurricane—takes over the whole city and Fin must race to save his family.
His estranged wife April (Tara Reid) resists his help until a shark makes its way into her home (yes, you read that right). Then, it's off to save their son who is across town at flight school. With their high maintenance teenage daughter in tow, as well.
If this sounds absurd, that's because it is. And shamelessly so. In fact, it's so camp-tastic that the crowd we were with in the theater hollered throughout the entire film and it didn't even bother me. In fact, I found that it added to the festive atmosphere.
Of course, the most exciting part of the film comes when the tornadoes form and of course, they form with sharks inside of them. If I wasn't laughing so hard, I may have been slightly scared.
Even more hilarious is the way they combat the tornadoes, but I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't be specific. Just know that I was in hysterics at their scientific solution.
Really folks, it doesn't get any cheesier or any funnier than Sharknado. I can hardly wait for the sequel.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Jobs
Yesterday I saw Jobs, starring Ashton Kutcher and Dermot Mulroney.
Steve Jobs (Kutcher) reigns as the most celebrated innovator in modern technology. As the man behind the Apple computer empire, Jobs wasn't known for being nice, but he was often referred to as a genius.
The film begins in his college years, as he experimented with drugs at a college in Oregon famous for its hippie culture. We see the visionary he became start to blossom at this time.
As he builds Apple with a couple of buddies in his parents' garage, the spark of something "great" is evident.
Investor Mike Markkula (Mulroney) recognizes this spark and foots the bill for getting the company off the ground. Once it's up and running, Jobs begins acting like a tyrant and develops a reputation for driving his teams too hard.
As someone with a background in marketing, I can appreciate Jobs' misunderstood passion and the frustration he must have encountered in people who didn't care about more than getting a paycheck. I found some of the scenes almost physically painful to watch because situations like his play out all the time in our industry.
Anyway, Ashton captures Jobs incredibly well—from the explosive temper to the distinctive walk, he nails him. All of the supporting characters do just fine as well. In fact, I'm not quite sure why so many critics are spewing such hatred for this film. Perhaps a buried resentment for the real guy? Who knows.
The only thing about the movie that truly disappointed me was that with few exceptions, Jobs' family life was totally ignored (including everything regarding his adoption), and we only got as far as him taking back the company.
For a man who gave so much to this world (including the MacBook Pro upon which I am now typing), it seems like his entire life should have been covered.
But maybe that's what the rival Steve Jobs movie will deliver, with Aaron Sorkin's writing to boot.
~~~
Steve Jobs (Kutcher) reigns as the most celebrated innovator in modern technology. As the man behind the Apple computer empire, Jobs wasn't known for being nice, but he was often referred to as a genius.
The film begins in his college years, as he experimented with drugs at a college in Oregon famous for its hippie culture. We see the visionary he became start to blossom at this time.
As he builds Apple with a couple of buddies in his parents' garage, the spark of something "great" is evident.
Investor Mike Markkula (Mulroney) recognizes this spark and foots the bill for getting the company off the ground. Once it's up and running, Jobs begins acting like a tyrant and develops a reputation for driving his teams too hard.
As someone with a background in marketing, I can appreciate Jobs' misunderstood passion and the frustration he must have encountered in people who didn't care about more than getting a paycheck. I found some of the scenes almost physically painful to watch because situations like his play out all the time in our industry.
Anyway, Ashton captures Jobs incredibly well—from the explosive temper to the distinctive walk, he nails him. All of the supporting characters do just fine as well. In fact, I'm not quite sure why so many critics are spewing such hatred for this film. Perhaps a buried resentment for the real guy? Who knows.
The only thing about the movie that truly disappointed me was that with few exceptions, Jobs' family life was totally ignored (including everything regarding his adoption), and we only got as far as him taking back the company.
For a man who gave so much to this world (including the MacBook Pro upon which I am now typing), it seems like his entire life should have been covered.
But maybe that's what the rival Steve Jobs movie will deliver, with Aaron Sorkin's writing to boot.
~~~
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Blue Jasmine
Yesterday I saw Blue Jasmine, starring Cate Blanchett and Sally Hawkins.
Jeanette (Blanchette) changed her name to Jasmine years ago because her given name wasn't elegant enough. It seems everything in her life needs to be coated in luxury for her to feel normal.
She meets Hal (Alec Baldwin), a wealthy businessman, marries him and lives a charmed life in Manhattan until her world falls out from under her when he's arrested for a white collar crime.
Broke and directionless, she attempts to start over in San Francisco where her sister Ginger (Hawkins) lives a much more middle class life.
A black comedy with the darkest of undertones, the absurdity of Jasmine's grief often gets the biggest laughs, as her mourning focuses more on the material things she lost than the husband she loved.
Blanchett gives an Oscar-worthy performance as a woman on the brink of cracking, popping pills and offering a healthy amount of product placement for Stoli vodka. She's both funny and tragic; ridiculous in most scenes, but still genuine enough to garner sympathy from the audience.
The supporting cast is nothing short of brilliant as well—Hawkins is a down-to-earth sister with more patience for her sibling than most would have; Bobby Cannavale and Louis C.K. prove appropriately comical as her suitors. As usual, Baldwin is perfectly cast as the slimy former husband.
Allen is on a roll—Midnight in Paris, To Rome with Love and now this. Satisfying, delightful stories with colorful characters coming to life.
~~~
Jeanette (Blanchette) changed her name to Jasmine years ago because her given name wasn't elegant enough. It seems everything in her life needs to be coated in luxury for her to feel normal.
She meets Hal (Alec Baldwin), a wealthy businessman, marries him and lives a charmed life in Manhattan until her world falls out from under her when he's arrested for a white collar crime.
Broke and directionless, she attempts to start over in San Francisco where her sister Ginger (Hawkins) lives a much more middle class life.
A black comedy with the darkest of undertones, the absurdity of Jasmine's grief often gets the biggest laughs, as her mourning focuses more on the material things she lost than the husband she loved.
Blanchett gives an Oscar-worthy performance as a woman on the brink of cracking, popping pills and offering a healthy amount of product placement for Stoli vodka. She's both funny and tragic; ridiculous in most scenes, but still genuine enough to garner sympathy from the audience.
The supporting cast is nothing short of brilliant as well—Hawkins is a down-to-earth sister with more patience for her sibling than most would have; Bobby Cannavale and Louis C.K. prove appropriately comical as her suitors. As usual, Baldwin is perfectly cast as the slimy former husband.
Allen is on a roll—Midnight in Paris, To Rome with Love and now this. Satisfying, delightful stories with colorful characters coming to life.
~~~
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