Typical 'Town' Heist

'The Town'

Review: 3/5

Ben Affleck is making a name for himself as a burgeoning director. His films, emotional crime dramas set in Boston, seem to exude a genuine empathy for the city's lower class inhabitants - most often rendered as tormented, drug and alcohol addled bystanders content with maintaining the status quo. 'The Town' is no different, pitting a team of bank robbers against not only a trigger-happy FBI, but societal restraints, seemingly dictating that the crew live in the wake of their sins until the next 'job' presents itself. It's an aimless lifestyle, imposing upon these outlaws a lack of permissible ambition.

Taking place in a decaying Charlestown, Massachusetts, Affleck, along with writers Peter Craig and Aaron Stockard (and adapted from Chuck Hogan's novel 'Prince of Thieves') construct a grim story centered on Affleck's Douglas MacRay, and his yearning desire to escape the archetypal gangster 'life' and carry on a steady relationship. This is no easy task, of course, considering this protagonist's loyalty to his delinquent buddies (including the manic James Coughlin, played in an Oscar-worthy turn by Jeremy Renner), an imprisoned father, and a menacing florist enigmatically played by Pete Postlethwaite with a thick Irish accent and a lingering sneer - not to mention a newfound love interest who is, ironically, a local Charlestown bank manager whose relative 'goodness' is measured by the extent to which she cares for her garden.

Without debating the disparity between cliches and archetypes, it's fair to say that this story has been told in various fashion for some time now. It's nothing new or revolutionary. It's a simple narrative, simply told. In this case, that's all the material requires.

Ready, Set, SALT!

'Salt'

Review: 2/5

Director Phillip Noyce has a slew of reputable action-thrillers to his name; foremost among those being the Jack Ryan films, 'Patriot Games,' and 'Clear and Present Danger.' Unfortunately, his venture into the world of 21st century pyrotechnics is alarmingly static, suggesting that his retro 90s-inspired directorial sensibilities have been rendered archaic. The camera-direction is shy and often unmotivated, the aesthetic is overtly bland, expositional dialogue reigns paramount over visual storytelling, and gifted actors Liev Schreiber and Chiwetel Ejiofor are reduced to one-dimensional CIA caricatures. The queen of the show, of course, is Angelina Jolie, whose enigmatic character alters frantically between heightened panic and brooding allure - it's a conflicting duality.

The story is centered on Jolie's character, Evelyn Salt (Why such an odd last name? No explanation in the film. It must have sounded pretty cool on paper). She's, supposedly, a member of the CIA. Or is she? When an ominous Russian spy, who's apparently psychic, tells her that she's going to kill the US President (yet another histrionic character given ludicrous dialogue), she flees and the chase ensues. Granted a few of the stunts are exciting, we don't know enough about Salt's character to truly care for her. The premise is an obvious excuse for gratuitous action, which could have possibly been the film's redeeming attribute (come on, it's summer), but the inept script demands a serious devotion to political realism, contradicting the silly warfare that ultimately ensues.

All this being said, it's only fair to commend Noyce for his willingness to redefine his spy-thriller roots. Look at the man's credits: he's clearly talented (his 2006 thriller 'Catch a Fire' was arguably one of the best of the year). Regrettably, this suspense-caper is highly forgettable, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the director's next undertaking.

Dream Big: 'Inception' Does

'Inception'

Review: 5/5

"You're waiting for a train..." the existentially tormented idea-extractor Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is told in a dream by his late wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard, who will be nominated for an Oscar for this iconic role). But is it really a dream? Or is it reality? Is Mal actually dead? Is Cobb? What's the significance of the train? These are all questions viewers will likely be asking themselves when Christopher Nolan's highly intricate, riddle-wrapped within a puzzle-labyrinthian 'Inception' cuts to black. It's a cerebral visual achievement at the highest level - a film that defines a genre all its own, with deftly positioned pawns that manifest in the form of elegantly clad dream-inhabitants, all functioning under the strict command of Cobb; a self-proclaimed idea-thief of the highest order.

When corporate-magnate Saito (Ken Watanabe) recruits Cobb to perform the near impossible task of inception (planting an idea in someone's mind instead of stealing one), Cobb reluctantly accepts, pending an all-too-appealing promise made to him by Saito himself. Cobb will need the most efficient team, of course, and in a kind of avant-garde re-imagining of the heist genre, a frenzied Cobb quickly assembles the most capable group of idea thieves - the most interesting of which may be Ariadne (research the significance of the name prior to seeing the film), a college student studying architecture. The others include Yusef (a chemist), Eames (a forger) and Arthur, Cobb's right hand man. Together the group travels through various levels of dream territory, always attempting to avoid the presence of the seemingly evil Mal.

This dream-voyage necessitates astounding visual architecture. Stanley Kubrick, M.C. Escher, and Salvador Dali might be cited as influences for such an aesthetic feat. That these images only exist as service to the story, and are not arbitrarily included as mere 'eye candy,' is a credit to a highly detailed script (supposedly it took Nolan ten years to put the finishing touches on the multifaceted dream-inspired narrative), as well as exceptional execution by cinematographer Wally Pfister, and production designer Guy Dyas; you've never seen anything quite like it.

A Cold, Bleak 'Winter'

'Winter's Bone'

Review: 4.5/5

There's beauty in simplicity. Sounds cliche', I know, but Debra Granik's infinitely tense meditation on blood-ties set against the stinging, bitter Ozark Mountains affirms this archetypal proverb with a crushing disquiet that resonates, throbbing and lingering in the psyche long after the credits roll. It's a testament to purely visual filmmaking - a narrative that progresses with startling discovery and observation, holding the spectator in a taut unease. And it never once lets up.

Ree Dolly (in an Oscar-worthy performance by Jennifer Lawrence), an impoverished, 17-year-old sister to two younger siblings, and daughter to an emotionally flatlined mother, maintains an unwavering doggedness after her drug-dealing father disappears, leaving her to care for her siblings with no financial support. Solving the problem seems simple for Ree: locate her father. Her family, all glaring and unusually suspicious, appears to have valuable information. Extracting that information is another story. Why is everyone so resistant to interrogation? Why is Ree's mother psychologically devastated? How come the county's police sheriff is more interested in preserving his reputation rather than helping to locate Ree's father?

The film, shot by Michael McDonough with a frozen, blue aesthetic that emphasizes the grim, desolate terrain, unfolds visually. Each image evokes an escalating sense of dread, conveying an isolated, claustrophobic realm wherein all hope has been forfeited: with the exception of the virtuous 'Ree.' Any other family would have been proud.

The Bad Guy You Love to...Love?

'Despicable Me'

Review: 3/5

For the most part, not enough credit is given to animated films that exist outside the parameters of the 'Pixar' realm. Fortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case with Universal's 'Despicable Me,' which has opened to critical praise and triumphant weekend box-office numbers - and with good reason. Coated with glossy highlights and soaked in a vibrant 'rainbow' aesthetic, the world inhabited by two dueling arch-nemeses comes across as a playfully irreverent province: a welcomed stage for screwball antics and overly-ambitious absurdity.

Front and center is the world's second-best super villain, 'Gru:' a lovable, middle-aged oaf whose retro villainy is undermined by a much younger, technically savvy 'Vector' (their rivalry always escalating in a very PG-rated manner). How does Gru plan to finally upstage the ADHD 'Vector?' Suffice it to say, if Gru's plan is executed properly, the world would turn into a dark, dark place (literally). Let's hope that, somehow, Mr. Gru learns to renounce his evil ways.

In the meantime, watch how the misunderstood protagonist struts and scowls simultaneously, embracing his sugar-coated wrongdoing - he thoroughly loves his profession, narcissism intact and emphasized by original music from hip-hop producer/rapper/singer Pharrell Williams, whose cool, jazz-influenced hip-hop compositions add a sense of debonair silkiness to Gru's distinctive journey.

Third Time's Charming

'Toy Story 3'

Review: 3.5/5

'Toy Story 3' has a simple premise, a formulaic structure, and a sincere generosity and respect for the spectator. In this third outing directed by Lee Unkrich, Disney and Pixar clearly attempt to push and even redefine the tonal bounds of animated filmmaking, hinging the film's plot on a premise outlined in the macabre. It's an unusual and often times pleasantly unnerving atmosphere, but it too often cowers to the sugar-coated Disney paradigm, ultimately resulting in an overly melodramatic stagnation.

In this 'Story' toy-owner 'Andy' is seventeen and moving off to college. His mother tells him to get rid of his toys, much to the dismay of 'Woody' and 'Buzz Lightyear.' Their plan? Well, the attic can't be so bad, can it? All signs of basic story principles remain at the behest of the Disney regime, with product placement as a platform for narrative acceleration (a brief sequence involving Barbie, Ken, and his decadent closet is just distasteful and borderline perverted), and a long-standing pun involving an overly histrionic 'Buzz' and a stereotyped Spanish caricature is unashamedly demented. These few moments, coupled with a sinister overtone never quite manifest into something bold or revolutionary. It's as if Spike Jonze directed a Nicholas Sparks adaptation. It's uneven.

The film's denouement is characteristically Disney, and that's not to assert it's unearned. In fact, for anyone with an ounce of humanity, it's difficult not to absorb the emotional fragility that's at stake in the final scenes, particularly the final shot which is, to say the least, iconic. Yet, as well-deserved and pleasant as it is, the film initially paved a trail cloaked in an ominous despair, and the results are all too polite.

Competing Sociopathic Worlds: Pretentiousness Intact

'Cyrus'

Review: 3/5

Don't be mislead by the headline. The Duplass brothers' raw, though ultimately genuine, study of the darker and more unassuming upper middle-class 'City of Angels' is delicately charmed, with an abnormal touch of gloom. It's peculiar trio of paranoid, anxiety-ridden Los Angelenos oscillate consistently between gentle confidence and humor-inducing self-deprecation. Each primary player has their own emotional baggage; from Cyrus' (Jonah Hill) borderline oedipal complex to John's (John C. Reilly) alarming emotive boldness, they each share a bizarre sense of realism shadowed by an all encompassing insecurity that fuels the film's most humorous moments, as well as the brutally honest departures into humanity.

Structured and shot adhering to the new 'mumblecore' vogue, the Duplass brothers are evidently trying to table their reliance on flat, faux-eccentric dialogue that serves no distinct purpose other than to add a sense of artificial authenticity to the 'mumblecore' avant-garde. In 'Cyrus,' it's clear that the directors have acknowledged their past flaws (if one can refer to them as such), and have centered their attention on a very simple story about a man vying to escape his loneliness. Many spectators can relate, I presume.

The film, with its overwhelmingly indie predisposition doesn't offer much in terms of aesthetic flavor; it's a bland palate of stale blues, greens, and greys. That's not to say the visual style doesn't work completely. Aside from the annoyingly self-reflexive camerawork (at times it seems cinematographer Jas Shelton is attempting to mimic the 'Bourne' aesthetic with unmotivated pop-zooms and deliberately unfocused establishing shots). Nonetheless the film aspires to be open and heartfelt, and, for the most part, it is.

Grade 'A' Summer Action

'The A-Team'

Review: 4/5

Director Joe Carnahan isn't one for idiosyncratic, quiet moments of human drama. He doesn't purport to study or understand the psychology of a team of wrongly accused war veterans, but instead prefers to focus on their unusual, often times flippant camaraderie, generated out of a devotion to fanatic, impractical military undertakings. That these tasks are highly implausible in reality is of unjust critique. Take note of Captain Hannibal's advice: "Sometimes overkill is underrated." - Carnahan's 'A-Team' adheres to a frenzied, mad-dash day-to-day, and he's fully aware, pushing the 'ridiculous' factor to a frenetic maximum.

The players in this gleefully unhinged, sky-high pageant of merry destruction give the film a stable foundation for the plot's dismissive flaws. Bradley Cooper as the charismatic 'Face' brings charm and humor to each absurd situation the team finds themselves in, and Sharlto Copley (the manic 'Wikus' from Neill Blomkamp's 'District 9') as the literally insane, helicopter flying 'Murdock' are the film's standouts; though Liam Neeson's 'Hannibal' does share a striking demeanor with his own 'Bryan Mills' character from the adrenaline-fueled 'Taken.'

All together, between Neeson's firm and calculating nature, Copley's hyper-inane antics, and Carnahan's assured direction, 'The A-Team' is definitely grade-A.

SNL + Lonely Island = One Demented 'MacGruber'

'MacGruber'

Review: 3.5/5

Who knew MacGruber was so wildly unpredictable? His idealistically humane methods during combat, while conceptually praiseworthy, never seem to manifest in a diplomatic manner. Instead, enemy-goons are shot, run-over, and de-throated. In the meantime, Grubes expresses his passion for male genitalia, has nauseating interactions with make-believe ghosts, and displays a disturbingly odd obsession with road rage. Each of these traits subvert his supposed humanity, most times in amusingly bizarre and off-putting ways (you'll never look at a celery stick the same way again).

Recognizing wholeheartedly that the 'SNL' branded film could be doomed to scathing reviews and poor box-office numbers, director Jorma Taccone wisely chooses to abandon all logic in favor of letting the seemingly manic 'MacGruber' sprint madly from scene-to-scene, spouting off absurd platitudes doused in misplaced adrenaline. Interestingly enough, (and not timely whatsoever) Taccone makes the decision to satirize 80s B-Movie action flicks, utilizing Grubes as the air-headed captain of all things nonsensical.

As an homage to the 'Dumb Bad Guy with a Silly Accent' cliche', Val Kilmer delivers, ponytail and ominous one-liners intact. SNL teammate Kristen Wiig wears a placid look of worry and confusion throughout the 90-minute running time, occasionally pausing to sing (!?), and Ryan Phillipe plays the straight man believably enough, but the stage belongs to Will Forte's 'MacGruber' and his demented machismo.

World Peace Secured? Summer has Arrived.

'Iron Man 2'

Review: 4/5

Although it may appear to be a cheap, candy-coated excuse for ludicrous action sequences (many of them either overly long, or unusually short), director Jon Favreau's 'Iron Man 2' bypasses the narrative purgatory many movie sequels unfortunately find themselves stuck in. Picking up exactly where the original left off, the indelibly narcissistic playboy Tony Stark gloats endlessly (and hilariously) through the film's first act, ranting and defending his newfound legacy as a worldwide savior and sole securer of world peace. The problem? He owns the 'Iron Man' technology, and is unwilling to relinquish it to the hands of the American government (take a few shots of Patron, a sip of champagne, and cue a rich bad guy, a vengeful Russian physicist, Stark's rising blood toxicity, and the cryptic S.H.I.E.L.D. clique, and you've got yourself an exciting, psychologically complex story). Oh, and Samuel L. Jackson wears an eye-patch.

Battling both praise and accusations with vanity and egotism, Robert Downey Jr.'s 'Tony Stark' is, this time, more of an unrelenting nuisance than he was in the original (this is a good thing). Yet this veneer is used not merely for spectators' entertainment, but to mask the hero's emotional and ethical crises, which writer Justin Theroux details with equally distributed doses of compassion and crippling honesty. Stark, who can spout sarcastic one-liners with ease, is far too afraid to confront an ominous childhood and a possible quasi-philanthropic future.

Without giving away the film's major plot developments, suffice it to say newly reinvented actor Mickey Rourke (a Russian physicist and man of few words in this film) won't be leaving the silver screen for a good while. Sam Rockwell is awesome, as, well, Sam Rockwell. Leave the rest to Downey's 'Stark,' and Favreau's favoring story over style.

Despite the film's 'sequel' status, 'Iron Man 2' appears to emphasize all the trappings of a new-age 'hero' saga.

Oscar Picks '09

My picks for the main 5 categories (these are not based on Oscar predictions, but my own general opinion):

Best Picture:

Avatar

Up in the Air

The Messenger

A Single Man

A Serious Man

Invictus

Where the Wild Things Are

The Hurt Locker

An Education

Inglorious Basterds

Best Actor: 

Colin Firth - A Single Man

Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart

Morgan Freeman - Invictus

Ben Foster - The Messenger

George Clooney - Up in the Air

Best Actress:

Emily Blunt - The Young Victoria

Meryl Streep - Julie and Julia

Helen Mirren - The Last Station

Carey Mulligan - An Education

Arta Dobroshi - Lorna's Silence

Best Supporting Actor:

Woody Harrelson - The Messenger

Matt Damon - Invictus

Christoph Waltz - Inglorious Basterds

Alfred Molina - An Education

Brian Geraghty - The Hurt Locker

Best Supporting Actress:

Julianne Moore - A Single Man

Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air

Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air

Zoe Saldana - Avatar

Melanie Laurent - Inglorious Basterds

Luminescent 'Pandora:' A World 14 Years in the Making

'Avatar'

Review: 5/5

Over a decade ago, writer/director/FX mastermind James Cameron proposed a highly ambitious undertaking: a $400 million film about an ex-marine sent to a distant planet to help humans harvest 'Unobtanium,' a lucrative, jagged crystal. Studio execs scoffed, and with good reason: Cameron wanted to shoot the epic narrative in 3D, and with motion capture as opposed to animation. Fourteen years ago, 'Avatar' was an overly audacious visual composition. Today, Cameron's magnum opus stands complete as a monolithic visual achievement in the 21st century, infusing an extraordinary neon radiance into the stagnant collection of stale aestheticism that's been plaguing the film industry for some time. And that's not to say attention to story detail was abandoned. In fact, this high-concept ode to pantheism and environmental panic is founded in the classic 'hero-narrative' structure, pitting crippled ex-marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) against a warmongering human entity - a timely American allegory with virtuoso technical execution. 

Understanding many 'blockbuster' filmmakers' propensity for roaring action sequences, it may be a bit of a surprise to some that, while Cameron has infused his melodrama with a thoroughly extensive, action-drenched third act, it's not without motivation. At it's heart, 'Avatar' is an examination of humans' propensity for infinite freedom, inspiring Worthington's 'Sully' to make profound moral modifications. It's a melodramatic opus worthy of each mesmerizing battle, all of which soar with an explosive visual and emotional intensity: it's everything we go to the movies for.

If there is one area that lacks an 'A+' mark, it's the individual performances, which are often times overly histrionic to the point of satire. But this is a minor criticism of a film that will be exalted as a defining cinematic landmark in this generation. It's an incomparable visual odyssey, a humbling, grand-scale work of cinema magic, and is this year's best picture.

'Globes' Honor Vengeful Jews, War Dramas, Technological Breakthroughs, and Jason Reitman

Not much respect is given to the Foreign Press. Somehow by considering musicals and comedies in a separate category altogether, the general value of films released within the year are eclipsed by a horde of what seem to be unnecessary nominations (Nine, Rob Marshall's newest musical is currently being lambasted by critics everywhere and yet is nominated for various awards). So did the Press get it right this year? In my opinion, yes. 

Below is a list of the nominees for this year's Golden Globe Awards:

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

• Avatar
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Precious
• Up in the Air

(films snubbed: The Messenger, A Serious Man, Where the Wild Things Are, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Up, An Education, Star Trek)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

• Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria
• Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
• Helen Mirren, The Last Station
• Carey Mulligan, An Education
• Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

(actresses snubbed: Arta Dobroshi, Melanie Laurent)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

• Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
• George Clooney, Up in the Air
• Colin Firth, A Single Man
• Morgan Freeman, Invictus
• Tobey Maguire, Brothers

(actors snubbed: Ben Foster, Sharlto Copley, Johnny Depp, Jeremy Renner, Nicolas Cage, Max Records)

BEST MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY OR MUSICAL

• (500) Days of Summer
• The Hangover
• It’s Complicated
• Julie & Julia
• Nine

(this is pretty accurate)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY OR MUSICAL

• Sandra Bullock, The Proposal
• Marion Cotillard, Nine
• Julia Roberts, Duplicity
• Meryl Streep, It’s Complicated
• Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

(actresses snubbed: Zooey Deschanel)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY OR MUSICAL

• Matt Damon, The Informant!
• Daniel Day-Lewis, Nine
• Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt, (500) Days of Summer
• Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man

(actors snubbed: Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds, Jesse Eisenberg, Sacha Baron Cohen, Adam Sandler)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

• Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
• Coraline
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• The Princess and the Frog
• Up

(looks good)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

• Baaria (Italy)
• Broken Embraces (Spain)
• The Maid (Chile)
• A Prophet (France)
• The White Ribbon (Germany)

(films snubbed: Lorna's Silence, Let the Right One In, Coco Before Chanel, The Damned United, An Education)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

• Penélope Cruz, Nine
• Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
• Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
• Mo’Nique, Precious
• Julianne Moore, A Single Man

(actresses snubbed: Natalie Portman, Maggie Gyllenhaal)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

• Matt Damon, Invictus
• Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
• Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
• Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
• Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

(actors snubbed: Richard Kind, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina, James Gandolfini, Brad Pitt)

BEST DIRECTOR

• Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
• James Cameron, Avatar
• Clint Eastwood, Invictus
• Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
• Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

(directors snubbed: Spike Jonze, J.J. Abrams, Michael Mann, Marc Webb, Wes Anderson, Robert Zemeckis)

BEST SCREENPLAY

• Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell, District 9
• Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
• Nancy Meyers, It’s Complicated
• Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
• Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

(screenplays snubbed: Lorna's Silence, Invictus, Up, Public Enemies, Funny People)

Suffice it to say, themes of post-war survival, economic stability, underdog glorification, and environmental concern (see: Avatar) are wholly relevant in a year dominated by recession and socio-political commentary. Will the Oscars offer a different outlook? Perhaps, but this year's 'Globe' nominations, I'd say, are an accurate prediction of what's to come in February.

'Fox' is 'Fantastic'

'The Fantastic Mr. Fox'

Review: 5/5

Wes Anderson should have made an animated film years ago. His penchant for carefully drawn, introspective caricatures is all the more fascinating with a camera that self-reflexively dollies left and right, up and down, in a calculated whimsy that is an exquisite fit in the animation realm. The fact that Anderson chose to use an archaic, stop-motion style of animation that seems entirely out of place given Pixar's ridiculous monopoly on all things cartoon, should be a credit to the auteur's innate directorial sensibilities. He's a well-regarded eccentric, and is one of the best working American directors today... oh, and have I mentioned his new 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' is the most exuberant of all his work? 

The plot and essential themes are those that are familiar to Anderson, given his wholehearted embrace of 'outsider' protagonists who often find themselves alienated from respected social cliques. They also maintain an unusual desire to execute grandiose, hair-brained undertakings that always go awry. 'Fox' is no different. Mr. Fox, voiced by George Clooney, finds himself aging faster than he would have liked, and convinces an Opossum friend of his to burglar a few of the nearest entrepreneurs, Boggis, Buntz, and Bean. Of course, things don't go as planned, and hilarity ensues... I don't mean that in a sarcastic way. I'm being completely literal. It's hilarious.

With original music by Alexandre Desplat (a perfect compliment to Anderson's decidedly idiosyncratic world), glowing cinematography by Tristan Oliver, proficient stop-motion animation, and, of course, a perfectly formatted script that caters to all things divinely atypical, and with a fitting sense of unity and togetherness, 'Fox' is one of the best films of the year. Animated or otherwise.

Economic Stability Still 'Up in the Air'

'Up in the Air'

Review: 5/5

In film school we're asked consistently to analyze films not only formally and aesthetically, but as a representation of contemporary ethnology. How is the film a response or reflection of current societal norms? Does that or does that not enhance the credibility and value of the film in question? Jason Reitman's 'Up in the Air' answers these aforementioned questions, specifically mirroring the disposition of a unified nation confronted with domestic catastrophe. With a tragically comic tone, and brought to mortality by Reitman's expert writing and direction, the film renders compassionate performances from everyone involved, from Zach Galifianakis to George Clooney.

In a narrative almost intentionally written for this era in U.S. history, Clooney's Ryan Bingham plays a selfish businessman who prefers stereotyping to racism. He's lovably detestable as the film's performance centerpiece, whose job it is to terminate employees when their own employers cowardly opt out of the sordid situation. Oh, and he has an unusual affinity for airline food and four star hotels; a faux-reclusive whose insecurities are not restricted only to personal relationships. He intentionally isolates himself, as his job requires that he make no real, human connection. That is, until he meets Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga) who describes herself as Bingham with a vagina.

Bingham's life is that of a corporate gypsy, afraid to accept a reality that may sometimes offer emotional anguish, and instead preferring a sterile existence enriched by the all-encompassing, desolate whites, blues, and blacks that are adroitly observed by cinematographer Eric Steelberg. The soundtrack by Rolfe Kent adds a somber sentimentality to Bingham's odyssey, audibly mirroring the film's narrative arc that affectionately studies one man's disconnection from a world seemingly on the verge of collapse.

Inform the NOK, and Do Not Offer Hugs

'The Messenger'

Review: 4.5/5

Who would imagine the job of the U.S. Army casualty notification officer would consist of so many rules and regulations? Don't touch the NOK (next of kin), don't inform anybody else except the NOK, be on duty 24 hours a day, and beware of the beeper; it's the high-pitched ring of grief delivery. Writer and director Oren Moverman understands these statutes having served in the Israeli Army earlier in his life, and wholly details the heart-wrenching duty the film's primary characters face on a daily basis. These characters, played impeccably by Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson in Oscar-worthy performances, are devoted to their job, and often do it well despite their rabid insecurities and overwhelming anxiety (Harrelson's Tony Stone is a recovering alcoholic who rarely sleeps, and Foster's Will Montgomery suffers from an extreme case of PTSD and survivor guilt). 

To elaborate, Montgomery is a U.S. Army Staff Sergeant who's just recently returned to the states and is considered by many of his peers to be a 'hero' for his service in Iraq. He's partnered with Tony Stone as a rookie member of the Army's Casualty Notification service. Preferring to woo his former girlfriend (Jena Malone, also great), Montgomery frowns at the idea of "grief counseling" until he finds an unusual connection with Olivia (Samantha Morton), a poor widow with a young son. What unfolds is an abnormally upsetting, quietly humorous portrayal of grown men without any family, who build a kind of understated brotherhood out of diffidence and subdued depression. Don't expect any buddy-film cliches here. This one aims for the jugular.

Shot by Bobby Bukowski with a verite'-like grittiness comparable to a heavily sedated ' Jason Bourne' adventure, the film is rendered with a visual sense of authenticity, reminding the spectator that this job is all too real. Moverman knows this, and shows a genuine empathy for his despondent subjects in one of the year's best films.

Simply Put: Great 'Education'

'An Education'

Review: 4.5/5

'An Education,' based on a memoir by Lynn Barber, may appear to be a simple tale of adolescent egotism and ill-placed complacency. Is it? Yes. But with virtuoso direction courtesy of Lone Scherfig, expert cinematography by John de Borman, and an Oscar worthy performance from Carey Mulligan as the film's naive protagonist, 'Education' becomes a quietly iconic, modestly leveled tour-de-force.   

Taking place in Southwest London in the 60s, the film follows teenage Jenny Miller (Carey Mulligan) as she obediently attends private school, and studies Latin as per her father's incessant demands. Why so diligent? Her family, mainly her father (played in another Oscar-worthy performance by Alfred Molina) wants her to attend Oxford, and doggedly pushes her, sometimes against her will. This is all well and good until David Goldman (Peter Sarsgaard) a charismatic, dapper thirty-something charms the young girl taking her to exclusive night clubs, chic restaurants, and Paris (yes, Paris). 

If the formula sounds a bit routine, then maybe it is. If not for the overall formal and technical execution, it could have very well been a mediocre film at best. Instead, cinematographer de Borman exercises a formal depth and erudition, casting the obscure London town in a dual hybrid of stark pastel exteriors and deep gold and blue interiors, which coalesce to mirror a kind of binary state of mind, riddled with the delightful contradictions that are the bases for teenage angst: it's a winning formula on both scales. As is the nearly flawless direction by Scherfig, who directs with a thorough knowledge of her characters and the monotonous world they inhabit (Goldman's attitude towards redemption is brilliantly conveyed as an inhabitant of such tedium). In fact, the same tedium Jenny is struggling to escape. Not to worry. She'll learn her lesson.

Overly Grim 'Precious:' Underdog Story Borders on Ridiculousness

'Precious: Based on the novel PUSH by Sapphire'

Review: 2.5/5

The opening credit sequence in Lee Daniels' 'Precious' is presented over a black screen, scribbled illiterately in what seems to be orange crayon. This brief, maudlin preface whimpers piteously across the screen, blatantly reflecting Claireece 'Precious' Jones' ignorant, subjective view of a lower-class U.S. society, populated by stereotypical caricatures that parade across the screen, gratuitously pleading for spectators' empathy. I recognize that we're in a time of recession, and underdog narratives should be quite the apt societal appeal, but the unnecessary, borderline obscene histrionics that dominate Precious' world reminds the audience that things sure could be worse. Daniels doesn't once ask the audience to admire Precious' dogged persistence, but instead asserts vehemently that you pity the girl and the ludicrous plausibility of nearly every obstacle she encounters.

Consider an early scene during which Precious' evil mother, played by Mo'Nique, rifles a glass bottle at her daughter in the den of their less-than-modest apartment, and screams cruel platitudes in a rant that is overly scripted and probably more articulate than it should be, given the distinctly bleak world that Daniels wholeheartedly invites the spectator into. This early scene firmly establishes the 'evil mother' caricature who's so relentlessly overbearing that her actions and dialogue become progressively absurd and unmotivated. It's seemingly a one-note performance, and Mo'Nique ups the ante with a complete embrace of all things malicious. Her own spectrum of human emotion remains absent throughout the film (until the film's climax, which itself renders a narcissistic, evil Mo'Nique who finally offers some insight into her evil-doing. And how does she do this? By screaming, ranting, and crying, with the malevolence meter cranked to 11). And all the spectator can do is feel sorry for Precious, as she is the target of her mother's misplaced anger (and let's not forget Precious' dreams, which are visited in a flashback-like aesthetic, and boast aggressively poor construction and execution). 

In all likelihood this film will be nominated for an abundance of Oscars given its subject matter and the overtly topical goings-on. Is it the best film of the year? In my opinion: absolutely not.

A 'Carol' for Everyone

'A Christmas Carol'

Review: 4/5

Charles Dickens' classic tale is familiar to anyone who's been witness to countless sitcom and filmic adaptations. Themes of greed, generosity, compassion, and humanity permeate the adage rendering it a universal account of man's deepest and most potent tendencies toward materialism and warns of the remorse initiated by such acquisitive inclinations. That a modern, cinematic telling of 'A Christmas Carol' may seem to be a bit of a superficial undertaking could not be more amiss. The world today stands on the brink of chaos triggered precisely by the fondness for monetary gluttony that Dickens' tale distinctly foretells, and director Robert Zemeckis acknowledges this reality with a visually untamed jolt of 3D fascination, executed with a virtuoso knack for such a groundbreaking technology and a kind of innate aptitude for infusing charm and benevolence into the nucleus of his films' sincere spirit. His version of 'A Christmas Carol' is as true to his voice as any film he's directed, and it boasts not only a thrilling ride through a harsh wintry landscape, but an incredible performance from Jim Carrey as the universally detested Ebenezer Scrooge.

Everyone knows the story. A greedy man is haunted by three ghosts, and offered an introspective evaluation of his life's choices. You know how the story turns out. But that's not the point here. This contemporary remake of such an eternal narrative is timely both technologically and culturally. Never has a 3D film been carried out with such arduous devotion to precision. The camera soars eagerly through Scrooge's past, ducking underneath oak trees, and darting toward and through the starry night sky. A brilliant opening sequence has the spectator dodging Christmas reefs and chestnuts on a busy avenue corner only to swing inside Scrooge's office and land gently on a medium shot of the old hag scribbling away on Christmas Eve, and ignoring his nephew's request for him to join his family for Christmas dinner. Another sequence, featured in the film's trailer, has Scrooge gripping tightly to a brown top and flying, literally, in front of full moon. It's an immediately classic scene that will be remembered for years to come.

Culturally, I cannot stress the relevance of this film. It pleas sincerely for humanity while vehemently renouncing greed and maliciousness. In a country inundated by two partisan media outlets, each verbally assaulting one another in the guise of patriotism, there is not a better cinematic reminder that we are, all of us, easily susceptible to one of the greatest sins known to man, and that we can conquer this propensity with personal reflection, and a firm belief in hope.

 

Clooney and 'Goats': The Only Two Worth Watching

'The Men Who Stare at Goats'

Review: 3/5

It's a bit of a disappointment to label 'The Men Who Stare at Goats' a mediocre outing for director Grant Heslov. The trailers looked promising, the story wildly original, the cast impeccable, so what happened? Subjectively, here are a few theories: 1. the voice-over narration robs the film of its absurdity and relies on such a conventional plot device to further the unusually thin narrative, 2. the script could have used a few revisions - 'Goats' plays like a cliffs-notes version of a film that would have benefited from less montage and narration, and more attention to the bizarre central characters, and 3. the film was rushed into production mainly due to its innovative, satirical interpretation of the contemporary Iraq war. All this aside, the film is enjoyable as it stands, and boasts a hilariously compelling performance from George Clooney.

The film documents 'Daily Telegraph' reporter Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) and his search to find a gripping story in Iraq to prove to his ex-wife that he's worth being with. By kismet, he meets Lyn Cassidy (George Clooney) who he persuades into allowing him on a very, very secret mission: to locate psychic-spy founder of the New Earth Army, Bill Django (Jeff Bridges). What is the New Earth Army? What are psychic spies? Cassidy lets Wilton in on this information, and the film plays intermittently by Cassidy's memories, which are narrated by Wilton, and are far, far too short. The comedy never elevates beyond its one-joke premise. Good thing for the filmmakers: that one joke is hilarious (look for a defining scene involving a manipulated Cassidy, and a harmless goat).

Coated in thin yellows, tans, and oranges 'Goats' clearly aims to be lighthearted fare, which, at its core, it's not. This is an unfortunately gentle comedy masquerading as an acerbic social satire - an exceedingly conflicting hybrid that lacks a finite identity. It plays less on the execution of the absurd, and more on the minimal observation of the ridiculous. Comedic timing is replaced with an air of misplaced quandary - jokes fall flat. Good thing Clooney can win a staring contest.