Post by Hook on Feb 9, 2009 21:41:08 GMT -8
Valkyrie
Go to hell, Tom Cruise haters, this is a great filmgoing experience. For one, not being a history buff and not being German, which means not having to explain to everyone I meet that I was not personally responsible for WWII, I had no idea about Hitler's "Operation Valkyrie" plan. I was a little hesitant to see this film because of the trailers and some of the bad rep, but specially the "We have to show the world we were not all like him" dialogue. Who the hell talks like that in real life? Am I going to learn a lesson in this movie? I don't like movies that teach you stuff because most of the time they don't. Like that DiCaprio documentary on Global Warming. "Carbon emissions are bad, mmm-kay?". No shit, so is watching your film. Anyway, I learned a lot watching Valkyrie and was surprised to see that plenty of it is heart-wrenchingly true (the movie neatly excludes "background" and high command's operations in favor of getting straight into the action). It is first and foremost a thriller and you can tell this has Bryan Singer all over it (not the Superman Singer, but the good Keyser Soze Singer) and there's a brilliant transition from gramophone to "Holy crap, I have an idea to kill Hitler!". Well, it's along those lines, but I loved this film, partly because of Singer's ability in synthesizing the language of movies, and partly because it accomplishes the seemingly impossible: it keeps you in the edge of your seat, even though you already know what's going to happen (duh), by revealing the suspense through the characters' decisions, actions, and emotions. Also, Ottman is responsible for a lot of the heavy duty suspense with his Munich-like beat (which in turn is somewhat inspired by Ottman's own Usual Suspects score) and, quite interestingly, techniques used by Kamen for the first X-Men film (the bad guys' theme comes to mind, in that film), not to mention the beautiful, gorgeous theme song in the end credits. Definitely a must for you kids with your iTunes and your apples, and your iAlmostKilledHitlerAndHeresAnOdeForMe thingamajigs.
Funny, also, that Tom Cruise does kinda look like Stauffenberg. Look, that's him on the far left. Whoa.
Seven Pounds
Will Smith's performance in this film is absolutely amazing and I was deeply, deeply moved by the movie. Sure, personal reasons abound for why I felt so connected to this film, but it stayed with me and that matters, dammit. The ending bores me to tears, though. "You're a stranger to me and I'm a stranger to you, and a stranger gave us organs and body tissue. Wasn't he something? Aww, let's hug." Blegh. How uninspiring. After such an emotional roller coaster, thanks to the Fresh Prince (man, I really like that guy), this is such a blah moment I almost felt cheated. Anyway, thanks, Will. You don't know how much I needed to see this one.
Frost/Nixon
I've come to despise people who discredit Ron Howard's talent on the basis that they're full of crap and need some inner cleaning to do from time to time. Well, here's your Ron Howard film that is unlike any other Ron Howard film. This one's not a hopeful journey where obstacles are tackled and all ends well, and we're promised happy days (oh, pun me in the face if I ever do that agai... whoops! hohohgod please kill me now); no, it's a fast-paced look at two competing careers, an examination into what this interview means to both men, to journalism, and to the public. It reveals aspects of the inner-workings of, not only politics and mass media (in this case, television), but also those of Nixon and his associates, as well as Frost's associates (though not a lot about Frost the man). Did I mention how fast-paced this film is? You're bombarded with information and, just like that, movie's over. It's complete, I don't want to leave the impression that it's not, but it's also subtle, quick, and brilliantly performed. The style reminds me somewhat of the "From the Earth to the Moon" HBO miniseries. Dunno.
Revolutionary Road
What a bore. Again, for personal reasons, I knew this movie by heart before getting to see it. Yes, people are hypocrites. Yes, they live the lives they can handle, they're not happy, they have jobs that give them a false sense of security, nobody has the balls to progress and change and lead the life they cherish, they see what they want to see and don't confront the reality of their circumstances and emotions get in the way and limit how they can handle their limitations, marriages are undone by failure to communicate; lying, cheating, deceit; and some people are simply not capable of confronting their own reality, the "illusion", and the fact that they themselves are creating that "illusion" and several other "illusions". All sound familiar to you? Does to me. So, why did I go see it? I received the latest edition of American Cinematographer and saw Roger Deakins in the credits so, of course, I had to see it. It was a lovely exercise of analyzing what I just saw in the theater to what actually happened on set. Some of my guesses were right: the abundance of close-ups and lack of defining, establishing shots of THE 1950s (not to mention, no sepia tone bull crap) means the filmmakers' intentions were to make a film about a marriage and not judge an entire generation or lifestyle, and yes it's a real house, and yes it was a real office, little touches here and there tell you what timeline it's in, but there's no actual focus on it; and I was wrong about others: they shot the driving sequence, after Winslet's character performs on a play, in a closed studio set and not practically (as in, really on the road). But there's no green screen involved, the effects were done practically on-set (dampened window in the car's back to diffuse the lights mounted on a dolly track behind the car DiCaprio is "driving". The thing is seamless. Awesome.
But I have an actual beef with this one. While people debate whether it's a condemnation of marriage, suburban lifestyle, unfulfilled lives, the childish (or lacking in balls) dreams of a young couple, or the '50s, I think I know what the film is about: It's about Thomas Newman's career. Seriously, can't this man write anything else? Watching the film feels almost like a near-death experience filled with Thomas Newman music and it all sounds the fucking same, and you wish you were dead, but you realize you're already halfway there and you beg the light at the end of the tunnel to screw with Einstein's head and get to you a little faster. Sheesh, Newman, redefine yourself. Madonna and Christina Aguilera can, what's your excuse?
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Not much to say about this one other than "It's fascinating". Watching it is a delight. Does it reveal complex realities and challenges faced by the human condition? No, it's a fantasy, nobody ages like that, but there is a message, a message that is ruined, in my opinion by the roll call of some of the cast at the end of the film. That people are special in their time and place, unique in their experiences and can be by the circumstances offered to them not only by when and into what they were born, but also their choices. That their choices are colored by their age and that Benjamin is in a special position to observe this goes without saying. Like I said, fascinating, bittersweet, but a little condescending at the end. Meh.
Go to hell, Tom Cruise haters, this is a great filmgoing experience. For one, not being a history buff and not being German, which means not having to explain to everyone I meet that I was not personally responsible for WWII, I had no idea about Hitler's "Operation Valkyrie" plan. I was a little hesitant to see this film because of the trailers and some of the bad rep, but specially the "We have to show the world we were not all like him" dialogue. Who the hell talks like that in real life? Am I going to learn a lesson in this movie? I don't like movies that teach you stuff because most of the time they don't. Like that DiCaprio documentary on Global Warming. "Carbon emissions are bad, mmm-kay?". No shit, so is watching your film. Anyway, I learned a lot watching Valkyrie and was surprised to see that plenty of it is heart-wrenchingly true (the movie neatly excludes "background" and high command's operations in favor of getting straight into the action). It is first and foremost a thriller and you can tell this has Bryan Singer all over it (not the Superman Singer, but the good Keyser Soze Singer) and there's a brilliant transition from gramophone to "Holy crap, I have an idea to kill Hitler!". Well, it's along those lines, but I loved this film, partly because of Singer's ability in synthesizing the language of movies, and partly because it accomplishes the seemingly impossible: it keeps you in the edge of your seat, even though you already know what's going to happen (duh), by revealing the suspense through the characters' decisions, actions, and emotions. Also, Ottman is responsible for a lot of the heavy duty suspense with his Munich-like beat (which in turn is somewhat inspired by Ottman's own Usual Suspects score) and, quite interestingly, techniques used by Kamen for the first X-Men film (the bad guys' theme comes to mind, in that film), not to mention the beautiful, gorgeous theme song in the end credits. Definitely a must for you kids with your iTunes and your apples, and your iAlmostKilledHitlerAndHeresAnOdeForMe thingamajigs.
Funny, also, that Tom Cruise does kinda look like Stauffenberg. Look, that's him on the far left. Whoa.
Seven Pounds
Will Smith's performance in this film is absolutely amazing and I was deeply, deeply moved by the movie. Sure, personal reasons abound for why I felt so connected to this film, but it stayed with me and that matters, dammit. The ending bores me to tears, though. "You're a stranger to me and I'm a stranger to you, and a stranger gave us organs and body tissue. Wasn't he something? Aww, let's hug." Blegh. How uninspiring. After such an emotional roller coaster, thanks to the Fresh Prince (man, I really like that guy), this is such a blah moment I almost felt cheated. Anyway, thanks, Will. You don't know how much I needed to see this one.
Frost/Nixon
I've come to despise people who discredit Ron Howard's talent on the basis that they're full of crap and need some inner cleaning to do from time to time. Well, here's your Ron Howard film that is unlike any other Ron Howard film. This one's not a hopeful journey where obstacles are tackled and all ends well, and we're promised happy days (oh, pun me in the face if I ever do that agai... whoops! hohohgod please kill me now); no, it's a fast-paced look at two competing careers, an examination into what this interview means to both men, to journalism, and to the public. It reveals aspects of the inner-workings of, not only politics and mass media (in this case, television), but also those of Nixon and his associates, as well as Frost's associates (though not a lot about Frost the man). Did I mention how fast-paced this film is? You're bombarded with information and, just like that, movie's over. It's complete, I don't want to leave the impression that it's not, but it's also subtle, quick, and brilliantly performed. The style reminds me somewhat of the "From the Earth to the Moon" HBO miniseries. Dunno.
Revolutionary Road
What a bore. Again, for personal reasons, I knew this movie by heart before getting to see it. Yes, people are hypocrites. Yes, they live the lives they can handle, they're not happy, they have jobs that give them a false sense of security, nobody has the balls to progress and change and lead the life they cherish, they see what they want to see and don't confront the reality of their circumstances and emotions get in the way and limit how they can handle their limitations, marriages are undone by failure to communicate; lying, cheating, deceit; and some people are simply not capable of confronting their own reality, the "illusion", and the fact that they themselves are creating that "illusion" and several other "illusions". All sound familiar to you? Does to me. So, why did I go see it? I received the latest edition of American Cinematographer and saw Roger Deakins in the credits so, of course, I had to see it. It was a lovely exercise of analyzing what I just saw in the theater to what actually happened on set. Some of my guesses were right: the abundance of close-ups and lack of defining, establishing shots of THE 1950s (not to mention, no sepia tone bull crap) means the filmmakers' intentions were to make a film about a marriage and not judge an entire generation or lifestyle, and yes it's a real house, and yes it was a real office, little touches here and there tell you what timeline it's in, but there's no actual focus on it; and I was wrong about others: they shot the driving sequence, after Winslet's character performs on a play, in a closed studio set and not practically (as in, really on the road). But there's no green screen involved, the effects were done practically on-set (dampened window in the car's back to diffuse the lights mounted on a dolly track behind the car DiCaprio is "driving". The thing is seamless. Awesome.
But I have an actual beef with this one. While people debate whether it's a condemnation of marriage, suburban lifestyle, unfulfilled lives, the childish (or lacking in balls) dreams of a young couple, or the '50s, I think I know what the film is about: It's about Thomas Newman's career. Seriously, can't this man write anything else? Watching the film feels almost like a near-death experience filled with Thomas Newman music and it all sounds the fucking same, and you wish you were dead, but you realize you're already halfway there and you beg the light at the end of the tunnel to screw with Einstein's head and get to you a little faster. Sheesh, Newman, redefine yourself. Madonna and Christina Aguilera can, what's your excuse?
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Not much to say about this one other than "It's fascinating". Watching it is a delight. Does it reveal complex realities and challenges faced by the human condition? No, it's a fantasy, nobody ages like that, but there is a message, a message that is ruined, in my opinion by the roll call of some of the cast at the end of the film. That people are special in their time and place, unique in their experiences and can be by the circumstances offered to them not only by when and into what they were born, but also their choices. That their choices are colored by their age and that Benjamin is in a special position to observe this goes without saying. Like I said, fascinating, bittersweet, but a little condescending at the end. Meh.