Don't worry, I'm hitting the RedBox kiosk pretty hard this week. So while I'm not going to post anything right now, rest assured that I'll be back with a vengeance next week.
Lawless, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Dredd, The Hunger Games, and many more...
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Thursday, January 24, 2013
2012 Catch Up (Les Misérables / Zero Dark Thirty)
Les Misérables (2012)
A very poor adaptation of some very strong source material. Obviously, the story and characters are great but the direction, casting and lazy adaptation completely let it down. When I say "lazy adaptation," I primarily mean choosing to keep the sung dialogue which doesn't translate well to film and totally ignoring the possibilities that a film gives over a stage production (using background images, flashbacks, etc to enhance the narrative in the songs). Jackman and Crowe are obviously in way over their heads when it comes to actually pulling off the singing required and aren't aided at all by the choice to record live on set and in extreme close-up for 90% of the film. It is the most lazily directed film I've seen in a while - I was glad when the non-solo songs came around because it actually forced Hooper to move the camera a bit. Most of the supporting cast is good (particularly Hathaway and Barks), which saves this from being a total disaster. Still a major disappointment.
Score: 3 / 10
Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Writer: Mark Boal (screenplay)
Stars: Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton and Chris Pratt
I'd have to say that this is probably the best adaptation of this material that I could have really hoped for. A decade-long manhunt is documentary fodder, not material upon which to base a traditional Hollywood drama. The story is laid out well, the acting is solid and the direction and pacing are very good. The only place where this movie really falls short for me is in the script, which is fine from a plotting perspective, but weak in the characterization and dialogue departments. Most people just feel as though they are there to fulfill their purpose in the story and don't exist outside of the frame of the shot. A little more depth would have been nice and would have allowed for further investment in Maya's personal struggle, rather than just the overarching goal. The final raid is pretty damn tense and I did appreciate the apolitical stance taken, as the filmmakers avoid both propaganda-style flag waving and any sort of direct condemnation. It's very much a "here it is, think of it what you will." I liked that.
Score: 7 / 10
Director: Tom Hooper
Writers: Claude-Michel Schönberg (book), Alain Boublil (book), Victor Hugo (novel), Herbert Kretzmer (lyrics), Jean-Marc Natel (original: French text), James Fenton (additional text), and William Nicholson (screenplay)
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway
A very poor adaptation of some very strong source material. Obviously, the story and characters are great but the direction, casting and lazy adaptation completely let it down. When I say "lazy adaptation," I primarily mean choosing to keep the sung dialogue which doesn't translate well to film and totally ignoring the possibilities that a film gives over a stage production (using background images, flashbacks, etc to enhance the narrative in the songs). Jackman and Crowe are obviously in way over their heads when it comes to actually pulling off the singing required and aren't aided at all by the choice to record live on set and in extreme close-up for 90% of the film. It is the most lazily directed film I've seen in a while - I was glad when the non-solo songs came around because it actually forced Hooper to move the camera a bit. Most of the supporting cast is good (particularly Hathaway and Barks), which saves this from being a total disaster. Still a major disappointment.
Score: 3 / 10
Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Writer: Mark Boal (screenplay)
Stars: Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton and Chris Pratt
I'd have to say that this is probably the best adaptation of this material that I could have really hoped for. A decade-long manhunt is documentary fodder, not material upon which to base a traditional Hollywood drama. The story is laid out well, the acting is solid and the direction and pacing are very good. The only place where this movie really falls short for me is in the script, which is fine from a plotting perspective, but weak in the characterization and dialogue departments. Most people just feel as though they are there to fulfill their purpose in the story and don't exist outside of the frame of the shot. A little more depth would have been nice and would have allowed for further investment in Maya's personal struggle, rather than just the overarching goal. The final raid is pretty damn tense and I did appreciate the apolitical stance taken, as the filmmakers avoid both propaganda-style flag waving and any sort of direct condemnation. It's very much a "here it is, think of it what you will." I liked that.
Score: 7 / 10
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
2012 Catch-Up (Lincoln / Silver Linings Playbook)
Lincoln (2012)
The opening and closing chapters of this film are almost as bad as I feared they could be, with Spielberg in full "cheese" mode to bookend what is otherwise a very good film. For the most part, the script and direction are solid aside from the aforementioned weak aspects. However, the main draw is the amazing cast assembled to bring this story to the screen. Unsurprisingly, Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones are brilliant as Abe Lincoln and Tad Stevens, standing out even amidst a cast as good as the one gathered here. I was a bit underwhelmed by Williams' score and could have done with less family drama, but those are really minor nitpicks compared to the great acting here. Fix the sappy script stumbles and we'd be edging toward true greatness.
Score: 7 / 10
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Why do such great performances and such a promising premise have to be wasted on such a cliche story? What starts off as a promising darker take on the traditional romantic comedy ends as a traditional romantic comedy.
"It's about two people who have been mentally shaken by personal trauma who come together and help each other rebuild their lives."
"You got me so far."
"The leads will be Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence and they'll both be amazing."
"Sounds awesome."
"DeNiro turns in his best performance in years as he plays an OCD gambler, filled with regret over his failings as a father."
"Wow, totally sold!"
"Spoiler alert, to top it all off: the finale features a dance contest to cover dad's bet."
"Ugh..."
Good, but could be so much better if it had gone down the road less traveled. I still really enjoyed it though.
Score: 6 / 10
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Tony Kushner (screenplay), Doris Kearns Goodwin (book)
Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn
Score: 7 / 10
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Director: David O. Russell
Writers: David O. Russell (screenplay), Matthew Quick (novel)
Stars: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro
"It's about two people who have been mentally shaken by personal trauma who come together and help each other rebuild their lives."
"You got me so far."
"The leads will be Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence and they'll both be amazing."
"Sounds awesome."
"DeNiro turns in his best performance in years as he plays an OCD gambler, filled with regret over his failings as a father."
"Wow, totally sold!"
"Spoiler alert, to top it all off: the finale features a dance contest to cover dad's bet."
"Ugh..."
Good, but could be so much better if it had gone down the road less traveled. I still really enjoyed it though.
Score: 6 / 10
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