Big week for releases...I have four to note!!!!
STRONGER
Directed David Gordon Green
Screenplay by John Pollono
Based on the book by Jeff Bauman and Bret Witter
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal; Tatiana Maslany; and Miranda Richardson
Gyllenhal plays Baumann, a reluctant hero in Boston after the Boston Marathon bombing.
We follow his recovery as he learns to deal with his loss of legs and his mental struggles.
Stronger does a lot of things right:
The Story:
It is an interesting story from many angles.
Bauman...who is held up as a hero. He has no interest in it. It kind of confuses him. Still he is a hero, with many faults. He is unreliable, before and after the bombing, in his relationship with his girlfriend Erin Hurley. He also has a bit of a drinking problem which is exasperated by his family.
Bauman's family..... led by Patty his mother. They relish in his fame, and like to party too much.
Erin Hurley.....Bauman's on and off again girlfriend. She has a lot of guilt, because she is the reason he is at the marathon. Hurley becomes the voice of common sense between Bauman's family and Bauman.
As you can tell this film is not about the bombing and capture of the cowards who did this awful act of violence. It follows Baumann and the aftermath. Bauman struggles with the hero tag, as much as he struggles with the loss of his legs. It takes him awhile to understand he is a symbol of hope. Lives were lost. People needed a person to be them...to represent.
Casting:
If Gyllenhaal does not get an Oscar nod here something is very wrong!! His mannerisms are so on point. There is a moment when he falls right on to his face. Everyone in the theatre went "OOOF". They felt it. He had us! That is the sign of a good performance.
Maslany also should get a nod for best supporting actress as Hurley. I love that she is just an ordinary woman. Stuck in a no win situation.
Richardson as Patty. She may be the front runner for best supporting actress with this performance. She becomes Boston with the accent, the pushiness, and sadly... throw in too much liquid refreshments.
Negatives? Yes...small negatives.
-The family is a lot to watch. I mean so abrasive ...you want them to go away. It is tough...I think they get highlighted too much while the rehab and relationship between Hurley and Baumann gets overrun by that abrasiveness. I wish they would have pulled back on the family. I think whenever Gyllenhaal and Maslany are not on the screen together the film loses some heart.
In fact I felt the film was rushed at the end. I wanted to see how they repaired things...how they get from point A to B.
Still do not let that push you away from this true story of a reluctant hero, with perfect performances.. 4 out of 5 stars for Stronger.
MOTHER!
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Screenplay by Darren Aronofsky
Starring Jennifer Lawrence; Javier Bardem; Ed Harris; and Michelle Pfeiffer
What did I know before entering the theater to see this:
-That the Cinema Score, which is a letter score given by patrons of the theatre when they leave, is a big old F!!!!!!
-That this is one of these movies that critics criticize the public, pretty much pointing fingers at the movie going public saying, without saying, that we are not smart enough to understand the complexities of the film. UGH!! AHHH NOOO!! We pay for the movie ...we pay to be entertained or maybe learn something. We don't pay to go WTH!!!
-Darren Aronofsky. I am not a fan. Black swan. Requiem for A Dream. The Fountain. To me they all seem like movies he did not know how to end. Also....he always seems like he makes it up as he goes on...and then critics go HE IS BRILLIANT! No. He throws crap at the wall and see if it sticks. Spielberg is brilliant and he has clear stories and has a beginning...middle...and end.
So...Mother!...I have no idea what I watched. There are no spoilers here because...I just do not know. Here is my guess: I think Bardem is the devil...needs a muse to write his thoughts/poetry....he needs followers which excites him. Once he is successful...then he moves on to another muse. That is what I think happened here. Now I hear it may have been Martians. Or just a dream. I am sticking with my theory lol.
Now here is the strange thing I want you to know. It was not as awful as what people say. Why?
-Jennifer Lawrence gives a wonderful, frightening performance. She really does not have many lines and has to act often with the camera tight on her face. I just do not get the hate for her in this film. In fact I think it is one of the best performances by a female lead this year. Maybe what people cant get past is the awful chemistry between Lawrence and Bardem. There is not one moment I believed them as a couple. In fact I found them, kinda gross as a couple, OR MAYBE WE WERE SUPPOSE TO THINK THAT!!! SOOOOO CONFUSED!!!!!
-The return of Michelle Pfeiffer, who is wonderfully dark!! Plus throw in a creepy performance by Ed Harris. Great casting !!
So...what I am saying this is not an F movie. It has wonderful performances...and odd I could not take my eyes off it. I was trying to figure out what was happening and where it was going. I was going to go 3 stars but the baby scene has me dropping it a whole star (I just prepared you for that). 2 out of 5 stars for Mother!.
DUNKIRK
Director Christopher Nolan
Screenplay by Christopher Nolan
Starring Mark Rylance; Tom Hardy; Kenneth Branagh; and a bunch of ...young male actors.
Allied soldiers from Belgium, British and France squads are surrounded by the German army and are in a holding pattern waiting to be evacuated.
I say often that critics are sheep. They want to look smart. So Dunkirk comes out and they fall all over each other. The Best film Of The Year!!! Riveting!!
Well...no. It is not bad, but not great.
Positives:
As with all of Christopher Nolan's films it is just gorgeous to look at. Beautiful. So beautiful you can skip the three pages of dialog (More on the dialog later) and just watch the film and understand the story completely. When the attack planes came flying over I felt like I was on the beach with the young soldiers. The look of this film is perfection.
Negatives:
-Now I will discuss the maybe, three pages of dialog. That is a problem. There is not much being said here. Nolan elected to just put us on the beach, and have us feel it. However because of the lack of dialog there is no character development at all. Plus when there is dialog I had an awful time understanding it, everything was loud or muffled. With no character development I had trouble feeling for the young men. I know that sounds awful but I did not feel vested. I cheered for them to be safe but....I did not know them...or never got a chance to know of them. It is a big problem. When I left my full screening you can see the look on other movie goers faces in the theater, it was like....ooookay..ahhh. I think it was a bad decision. He did let us know a little about a character played wonderfully by Barry Keoghan (George) but he was in the film for maybe 10 minutes.
-Also he had three great actors...maybe some of the best actors of our time in Rylance; Branagh; and Hardy....and he really does not give them much to do or say. They are just there. In fact the wonderful Hardy barely says a word.
I was a bit disappointed in the story but like noted it looks wonderful. Maybe best looking film of the year. 3 1/2 stars out of 5 for Dunkirk. A good looking film. A stunning true story. That just seems cold.
VICTORIA AND ABDUL
Directed by Stephens Frear
Starring Judi Dench and Ali Fazal
Screenplay by Lee Hall
Based on the book by Shrabani Basu
In this true story (Mostly, the script in the film says) about the strange and lovely relationship between Queen Victoria and a humble servant from India Abdul Karim.
Oh boy was I disappointed. The film went in totally the wrong direction. What looks like a wonderful spotlight of two individuals from different backgrounds and different social statuses, ends up spotlighting waaaay too much on the reactions to their friendships. As you are watching the film you really feel it, when the two leads are not together the film crumbles. Which means we have to spotlight the failure of the screenwriter Hall and Director Frear. It is on them.
I am not saying the film is one big failure, there is a lot of good here starting with Oscar worthy performances by Dench and Fazil. Two actors from different cultures and age have just amazing chemistry. We already know how good of an actress Dench is, but Fazil is a find!! Charming and saying so much without saying a word. Sad that the screenwriter did no believe in the strength of the actors.
Now, the story is not a complete bust, there is a fair amount of humor and love mixed in with all the negatives that the director elected to highlight.
2 1/2 stars out of 5 for Victoria And Abdul. A beautiful relationship. It is worth a look when it comes out to home viewing.
From the shadows thanks for your time
No comments:
Post a Comment