BY RICK JACKSON
Hugo is a movie lover's dream. Directed by Martin Scorsese whose own love for the cinema has been evident in his movies for years and it comes full circle with this children's story filled with not just the magic and wonder of the title character and his imagination, but a world that encapsulates the history of cinema from its earliest beginnings.
You will be amazed at the sheer strength of the simple plot threads as they weave a compelling story of such magnitude you will want to see it again. Hugo Cabret is an orphan boy who lives in the walls of a Paris train station in the early 1930s. Watch how the director shows Hugo as he watches the action from his secret hiding place. He is the central character on which everything revolves and, boy, does it ever work thanks to Scorsese's innate ability to know where to put his camera to convey the simple life of Paris long ago. The entire atmosphere is child-like as if you are like Hugo as he experiences what truly is an escape from reality for him and us, for you are eager to know all about him. You are right up there joining him in an adventure that takes him to an old man who runs a toy shop and without knowing it exposes his secret that the entire world will soon know, not just Hugo.
In John Logan's screenplay, based on the best selling book, The Invention of Hugo by Brian Selznick, the characters can almost be described as if they were in another equally imaginative world like Alice Through The Looking Glass for Scorsese allows you to see Hugo's story told as if you were watching from nearby. Asa Butterfield perfectly captures all the ambition and excitement of the average boy who loves to go on an adventure. His gentle smile and innocent look are imperative to understand this is a story about him and your patience is rewarded with an extraordinary tale.
Along the way you meet Isabelle, Hugo's friend and together the two portray childhood pals just like you did at their age. Chloe Grace Moretz injects the story with a more childlike experience as the two of them react to situations that are as real as the imaginary world created here.
Ben Kingsley gives an Oscar worthy performance as the old proprietor of the shop who catches Hugo stealing. He gives him a familiar sense of Dickensian grace and stature and, in the process, you are equally compelled to keep watching him because he brings an added wealth of screen presence in the way he portrays the old man. You are just as surprised as the boy when you find out his name is Georges Melies, a magician who, as you will soon learn, owned and operated his own theatre. The real Melies ran the Theatre Robert -Houdin in Paris. As you see Kingsley visit the Lumiere Brothers, he is fascinated by what he sees and, as film history has shown, he designed his own camera and became the first public independent producer/director. How this all comes together gives an added dimension to the simple story of an orphan boy and I won't spoil it for you because it is all done so well under Scorsese's capable hands. How he weaves history and fiction together is something utterly fantastic. Imagine seeing how Melies created his film, The Trip To The Moon in 1902.
You later get to see the director use Hugo in a recreation of one of Harold Lloyd's "comedy of thrills" from the silent classic, Safety Last (1923) where he hung from the face of a large clock.
The use of the train is symbolic of Buster Keaton's The General(1927) when Scorsese lets the train at the station crash. To say more would ruin the fun of this moment, especially if you are a cinephile.
I couldn't help be reminded of the power of silent film and the awe it held for moviegoers long before the coming of sound, and Scorsese doesn't disappoint when he conveys this reality. He is also saying how today's movies lack the essence of storytelling and originality of the silent era when moving pictures were new and there was excitement on movie screens every week. You don't get that now and it is his hope by bringing depth to his first 3D film, Hollywood might take another look at this old gimmick and make it more exciting for moviegoers instead of giving them headaches.
The supporting cast in Hugo features Sacha Baron Cohen as the station inspector, Christopher Lee as Monsieur Labisse, the bookshop owner, Ray Winstone as Uncle Claude, Hugo's deceased uncle, Richard Griffiths as Monsieur Frick, the newspaper seller, and Frances de la Tour as Madame Emile, the owner of the cafe.
Cinematographer Robert Richardson brings the entire period to life and it helps you get in the mood to enjoy everything there is to offer.
Complemented by Canadian composer Howard Shore's effective use of music to celebrate the era is also a bonus, and I found myself thoroughly engaged by the entire film and impressed enough to make it, in my opinion, the best film of the year.
It is rated PG, with the warning: some scary scenes.
November 24, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
BREAKING DAWN PART ONE (E-ONE, 2011)***
BY RICK JACKSON
The latest in the Twilight Saga continues the consistency in plot development that has captured readers of Stephanie Meyer's books and the films that have brought back moviegoers time after time. As the first part of Twilight Saga:Breaking Dawn Part 1 opens, you are immediately absorbed in the the three main characters: Bella (Kristen Stewart), Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner).
Picking up where Eclipse left off, you are immediately waiting for the big day when Bella and Edward will get married. It is one of several sequences which are guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Having not read the books, the films in the series have a built-in interest thanks to the screenwriters who have made them come to life. Like the Harry Potter series which just ended, Part Two of the finale will obviously have moviegoers patiently waiting when it opens.
Stewart imbues Bella with a vulnerability that cries out for your empathy and as you have watched her grow up on the big screen, she has retained her girlish looks and maintained her credibility as an actress unafraid to take the challenge of living up to Bella as a human involved with both a vampire and a werewolf. The magic of her moments with Edward and Jacob celebrates good songwriting and acting for they are compelling in their portrayals thanks to Meyer's incredible imagination to create a modern day world with the kind of people only a creative mind could come up with and remain consistent, especially in the scenes where Bella must decide between Edward and Jacob. In Breaking Dawn Part 1 you are not almost convinced of her decision to marry to Edward and it is room for doubt that leaves open the dramatic possibilities courtesy of screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg. When Bella gets pregnant there is yet another round of questions as to how it will all turn out.
The visual effects along with Carter Burwell's music score underscore the delicate nature of the miracle of childbirth in human terms and you are not disappointed by the dichotomy of anticipation and the birth itself as you wonder if Rosenberg will change the outcome or stick to Meyer's book. It all leaves the innocent moviegoer with a chance to get to know Bella with an even deeper attitude and appreciation for she dutifully carries the main plot threads to a new high. You are on your seat as you wait to see if her birth will happen without incident or not.
The classical music strains define those moments that are normal to symbolize Bella's humanity and to maintain the integrity of the mysterious and foreboding atmosphere of the previous films while not forgetting the visual concept in keeping with the supernatural elements that have made the series unique.
Director Bill Condon orchestrates everything with a masterful touch and you leave the theatre with more anticipation for the finale.
Guillermo Navarro's splendid cinematography distinguishes reality from fantasy by using bright colours for the dream sequences. They come across so real your eyes are glued to the screen so as not to ruin the effect of discerning what is really happening.
You can thank editor Virginia Katz for attaching an uncommon sense of storytelling driven by the emotions of characters who are there for one purpose and this is to give you your money's worth.
You might want to check out the two disc DVD sets of the entire series to remind you just how clever Meyer has created a saga that first caught moviegoers by surprise in 2008 with Twilight, which impressed me because it was something not just new but extraordinary for a horror film. Admittedly, I had no idea New Moon and Eclipse would be enormous hits and after seeing them I can attest to their story value as something more adult in nature compared to Harry Potter. Both series captured my imagination and whatever Twilight fans call themselves, the saga is definitely worth your attention even if you have skipped the films for whatever reason.
Breaking Dawn Part One ends on an appropriate note and it is all equally suspenseful while your own imagination hopes the conclusion will be worth the wait. It is an eye-opener for sure, and I can't wait to see how Part II will resolve the loose ends of the series, including the fates of the main characters.
It is rated PG, with the warnings: mature theme and sexual content.
November 20, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
The latest in the Twilight Saga continues the consistency in plot development that has captured readers of Stephanie Meyer's books and the films that have brought back moviegoers time after time. As the first part of Twilight Saga:Breaking Dawn Part 1 opens, you are immediately absorbed in the the three main characters: Bella (Kristen Stewart), Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner).
Picking up where Eclipse left off, you are immediately waiting for the big day when Bella and Edward will get married. It is one of several sequences which are guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Having not read the books, the films in the series have a built-in interest thanks to the screenwriters who have made them come to life. Like the Harry Potter series which just ended, Part Two of the finale will obviously have moviegoers patiently waiting when it opens.
Stewart imbues Bella with a vulnerability that cries out for your empathy and as you have watched her grow up on the big screen, she has retained her girlish looks and maintained her credibility as an actress unafraid to take the challenge of living up to Bella as a human involved with both a vampire and a werewolf. The magic of her moments with Edward and Jacob celebrates good songwriting and acting for they are compelling in their portrayals thanks to Meyer's incredible imagination to create a modern day world with the kind of people only a creative mind could come up with and remain consistent, especially in the scenes where Bella must decide between Edward and Jacob. In Breaking Dawn Part 1 you are not almost convinced of her decision to marry to Edward and it is room for doubt that leaves open the dramatic possibilities courtesy of screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg. When Bella gets pregnant there is yet another round of questions as to how it will all turn out.
The visual effects along with Carter Burwell's music score underscore the delicate nature of the miracle of childbirth in human terms and you are not disappointed by the dichotomy of anticipation and the birth itself as you wonder if Rosenberg will change the outcome or stick to Meyer's book. It all leaves the innocent moviegoer with a chance to get to know Bella with an even deeper attitude and appreciation for she dutifully carries the main plot threads to a new high. You are on your seat as you wait to see if her birth will happen without incident or not.
The classical music strains define those moments that are normal to symbolize Bella's humanity and to maintain the integrity of the mysterious and foreboding atmosphere of the previous films while not forgetting the visual concept in keeping with the supernatural elements that have made the series unique.
Director Bill Condon orchestrates everything with a masterful touch and you leave the theatre with more anticipation for the finale.
Guillermo Navarro's splendid cinematography distinguishes reality from fantasy by using bright colours for the dream sequences. They come across so real your eyes are glued to the screen so as not to ruin the effect of discerning what is really happening.
You can thank editor Virginia Katz for attaching an uncommon sense of storytelling driven by the emotions of characters who are there for one purpose and this is to give you your money's worth.
You might want to check out the two disc DVD sets of the entire series to remind you just how clever Meyer has created a saga that first caught moviegoers by surprise in 2008 with Twilight, which impressed me because it was something not just new but extraordinary for a horror film. Admittedly, I had no idea New Moon and Eclipse would be enormous hits and after seeing them I can attest to their story value as something more adult in nature compared to Harry Potter. Both series captured my imagination and whatever Twilight fans call themselves, the saga is definitely worth your attention even if you have skipped the films for whatever reason.
Breaking Dawn Part One ends on an appropriate note and it is all equally suspenseful while your own imagination hopes the conclusion will be worth the wait. It is an eye-opener for sure, and I can't wait to see how Part II will resolve the loose ends of the series, including the fates of the main characters.
It is rated PG, with the warnings: mature theme and sexual content.
November 20, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
THE GUARD (ALLIANCE, 2011)***
BY RICK JACKSON
Written and directed by John Michael McDonagh, The Guard is an Irish black comedy that pokes fun at the American crime movie and the buddy film, in particular). Although I did not find as funny as some of the other moviegoers who are lining up to see it, there is a curious mix of humour, satire and entertainment. With so few really good comedies being made lately, it is refreshing to sit back and not take life so seriously by just laughing at situations that are intentionally funny.
After introducing Sgt. Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) and his unorthodox manner toward police work, you are treated toward a series of episodes that look familiar but are symbolic of how McDonagh sees as the essential framework for cops to work and, since this is a comedy, he pairs Gleeson with an American black from the FBI(Don Cheadle) and together their individual methods and attitudes strike a funny chord underneath the seriousness and simplicity of stopping an international drug smuggling operation. While the dialogue is often sharp and witty, it borders on the offensive and with the use of four letter words it may also be offensive to some for it detracts from the film's overall entertainment value.
In exposing the drug ring, Gleeson's unexpurgated dialogue includes racial slurs against the blacks and comments about the Irish against the English.
I was reminded of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon films as I watched The Guard zip along with its brand of humour. Sometimes the accent or Irish colloquialisms may be difficult to understand, but it's the cast who convey the thoughts and ideas in the screenplay and make them work so you can laugh.
While both cops try to understand each other, you are literally caught unaware by their sense of humour that pervades throughout the film. The murder they try to solve at the beginning is believed to be the work of a serial killer and it all comes to a bloody climax with assistance from the IRA. The last scene when Cheadle is talking to Michael Og Lane, the young boy who is smarter than any of the cops, is meant to make you laugh even harder at the sheer stupidity they have when it comes to connecting the dots to come up with a killer. The boy also lets you know in case you are lost or confused by the goings-on.
Larry Smith's cinematography lets you see picturesque Ireland as if the lustre has been worn off to symbolize how crime has corrupted the simple, clean life of today. O'Donagh is pointing out how close the country has become like the United States which explains why Cheadle's character fiits in so well because he is experienced in handling criminal matters. His expertise is given short shrift but it does help the plot by adding more credibility and importance.
The supporting cast features individuals who are caricatures of the real thing and this contributes to the offbeat coloured landscape because it is not as clear cut as previous English crime films of the 1980s which were more violent, such as The Long Good Friday, The Krays and Mona Lisa.
What makes The Guard work is the chemistry between Gleeson and Cheadle for they play off each other as if they have known each other for a long time. Both actors are consistent in their individual portrayals as you watch them interact in some dangerous situations.
Chris Gill's sharp editing maintains an even pace from beginning to end with the two main stars given an equal chance to shine. The pervasive atmosphere is filled with the requisite blackmail, robbery and killings, while the humour keeps the comic edge present so as not to be a complete turn off.
The Guard has become one of the most successful independent Irish films ever released.
It is rated 14A, with the warnings: sexual content, coarse language, and violence.
November 19, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
Written and directed by John Michael McDonagh, The Guard is an Irish black comedy that pokes fun at the American crime movie and the buddy film, in particular). Although I did not find as funny as some of the other moviegoers who are lining up to see it, there is a curious mix of humour, satire and entertainment. With so few really good comedies being made lately, it is refreshing to sit back and not take life so seriously by just laughing at situations that are intentionally funny.
After introducing Sgt. Gerry Boyle (Brendan Gleeson) and his unorthodox manner toward police work, you are treated toward a series of episodes that look familiar but are symbolic of how McDonagh sees as the essential framework for cops to work and, since this is a comedy, he pairs Gleeson with an American black from the FBI(Don Cheadle) and together their individual methods and attitudes strike a funny chord underneath the seriousness and simplicity of stopping an international drug smuggling operation. While the dialogue is often sharp and witty, it borders on the offensive and with the use of four letter words it may also be offensive to some for it detracts from the film's overall entertainment value.
In exposing the drug ring, Gleeson's unexpurgated dialogue includes racial slurs against the blacks and comments about the Irish against the English.
I was reminded of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the Lethal Weapon films as I watched The Guard zip along with its brand of humour. Sometimes the accent or Irish colloquialisms may be difficult to understand, but it's the cast who convey the thoughts and ideas in the screenplay and make them work so you can laugh.
While both cops try to understand each other, you are literally caught unaware by their sense of humour that pervades throughout the film. The murder they try to solve at the beginning is believed to be the work of a serial killer and it all comes to a bloody climax with assistance from the IRA. The last scene when Cheadle is talking to Michael Og Lane, the young boy who is smarter than any of the cops, is meant to make you laugh even harder at the sheer stupidity they have when it comes to connecting the dots to come up with a killer. The boy also lets you know in case you are lost or confused by the goings-on.
Larry Smith's cinematography lets you see picturesque Ireland as if the lustre has been worn off to symbolize how crime has corrupted the simple, clean life of today. O'Donagh is pointing out how close the country has become like the United States which explains why Cheadle's character fiits in so well because he is experienced in handling criminal matters. His expertise is given short shrift but it does help the plot by adding more credibility and importance.
The supporting cast features individuals who are caricatures of the real thing and this contributes to the offbeat coloured landscape because it is not as clear cut as previous English crime films of the 1980s which were more violent, such as The Long Good Friday, The Krays and Mona Lisa.
What makes The Guard work is the chemistry between Gleeson and Cheadle for they play off each other as if they have known each other for a long time. Both actors are consistent in their individual portrayals as you watch them interact in some dangerous situations.
Chris Gill's sharp editing maintains an even pace from beginning to end with the two main stars given an equal chance to shine. The pervasive atmosphere is filled with the requisite blackmail, robbery and killings, while the humour keeps the comic edge present so as not to be a complete turn off.
The Guard has become one of the most successful independent Irish films ever released.
It is rated 14A, with the warnings: sexual content, coarse language, and violence.
November 19, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
IMMORTALS (ALLIANCE, 2011)*
BY RICK JACKSON
Loosely based on the Greek myths of Theseus and the Minotaur and the Titanomachy, Immortals is a complete waste of time. Like 300 (2007) it depends entirely on violence and little plot. With John Hurt as the narrator and the Old Man, his presence intermittently helps move the action along so you can follow what's going on. What happens when he is off screen is a maddeningly and deepening exercise in total boredom for the characters look as if they are waiting on cue to act and when they do the result is one bloody mess literally, which I said in my review of 300 on March 24, 2007.
In their screenplay, Charley and Vlas Parlapanides focus on the Epirus Bow because it's owner will possess worldly power which includes, sadly, the destruction of mankind. Well, this isn't science fiction but an epic making disaster where the gods are told (and we too) that it is forbidden for them to interfere with man. This, of course, is ignored and they go ahead and do it anyway. It seems the plot is given short shrift and the ensuing episodes of blood and guts ruin any chance for the film to redeem itself.
Mickey Rourke is having good time playing the King Hyperion and, although he is built for the part, there is not a lot of originality in his scheme to rule the world. His determination to get the famous bow is predictable at the best and worst of times and the battles are second rate when you think of better scenes in Troy and The Mummy movies. You only get what director Tarsem Singh wants to give you and he comes up short on entertainment and long on violence reminiscent of Excalibur (1981). The same director did The Cell (2000) which I put in my ten best list.
Freida Pinto adds a touch of welcome sanity with her role as Phaedra and Henry Cavill plays Theseus with enough credibility to make the story work on the simplistic level.
What does serve everything better is the 3D cinematography for it adds to the use of colour for the period by contributing the 3D effect without having to wear the glasses. Everything is glaring and clear to the naked eye and you can appreciate more the uncharted waters of war the story is trying to maintain a certain consistency of thought so as not to throw off your patience and give you a monstrous headache, which it may do anyway.
The slashing sequences feature beheadings and other bloody examples of the era depicted here and it all boils down to much ado about nothing over a weapon that never convinces you of its power. It isn't anything like the sword in Excalibur either.
Many of the supporting cast come and go and you aren't sure if they died or not. The unusual extravagant temper of the director's own ideas to make a film like this are ruined by an overactive imagination with little thought to make it believable. Even the sets look phony, the music score fails to generate enough interest to hold your attention, and the makeup ghastly.
Suffice to say, Immortals is not worth recommending at all.
It is rated 18A, with the warnings: brutal violence and sexual content.
November 13, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
Loosely based on the Greek myths of Theseus and the Minotaur and the Titanomachy, Immortals is a complete waste of time. Like 300 (2007) it depends entirely on violence and little plot. With John Hurt as the narrator and the Old Man, his presence intermittently helps move the action along so you can follow what's going on. What happens when he is off screen is a maddeningly and deepening exercise in total boredom for the characters look as if they are waiting on cue to act and when they do the result is one bloody mess literally, which I said in my review of 300 on March 24, 2007.
In their screenplay, Charley and Vlas Parlapanides focus on the Epirus Bow because it's owner will possess worldly power which includes, sadly, the destruction of mankind. Well, this isn't science fiction but an epic making disaster where the gods are told (and we too) that it is forbidden for them to interfere with man. This, of course, is ignored and they go ahead and do it anyway. It seems the plot is given short shrift and the ensuing episodes of blood and guts ruin any chance for the film to redeem itself.
Mickey Rourke is having good time playing the King Hyperion and, although he is built for the part, there is not a lot of originality in his scheme to rule the world. His determination to get the famous bow is predictable at the best and worst of times and the battles are second rate when you think of better scenes in Troy and The Mummy movies. You only get what director Tarsem Singh wants to give you and he comes up short on entertainment and long on violence reminiscent of Excalibur (1981). The same director did The Cell (2000) which I put in my ten best list.
Freida Pinto adds a touch of welcome sanity with her role as Phaedra and Henry Cavill plays Theseus with enough credibility to make the story work on the simplistic level.
What does serve everything better is the 3D cinematography for it adds to the use of colour for the period by contributing the 3D effect without having to wear the glasses. Everything is glaring and clear to the naked eye and you can appreciate more the uncharted waters of war the story is trying to maintain a certain consistency of thought so as not to throw off your patience and give you a monstrous headache, which it may do anyway.
The slashing sequences feature beheadings and other bloody examples of the era depicted here and it all boils down to much ado about nothing over a weapon that never convinces you of its power. It isn't anything like the sword in Excalibur either.
Many of the supporting cast come and go and you aren't sure if they died or not. The unusual extravagant temper of the director's own ideas to make a film like this are ruined by an overactive imagination with little thought to make it believable. Even the sets look phony, the music score fails to generate enough interest to hold your attention, and the makeup ghastly.
Suffice to say, Immortals is not worth recommending at all.
It is rated 18A, with the warnings: brutal violence and sexual content.
November 13, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
J. EDGAR (WARNER BROTHERS, 2011)****
BY RICK JACKSON
Leonardo DiCaprio gives an outstanding performance as J. Edgar Hoover in director Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar, a mesmerizing film biopic about one of the most feared men in U.S. history and how he influenced more than one generation with his personal ferocity and conviction about what he wanted expressly for him because his agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was his kingdom. He ran it with an iron hand. As you watch DiCaprio pay particular attention to the way he injects enough authority to instil fear in everyone right up to the presidency. The intrinsic authority and strong will he gves him is notoceable in his vocal delivery where he makes him appear so real beyond a snapshot captured in an old newsreel.Eastwood has succeeded in making a film that, at the heart of it, is a revolving door of history and reality coinciding and colliding together as if it were still happening now. This sense of dramatic urgency has marked the director's last few films to the point where he has become popular and regarded as one of the few film directors who are unafraid to tackle difficult subjects without fear of controversy. In this case, it is Hoover's homosexuality hinted at an old biography by Anthony Summers and the director's own instinct to present Hoover as the man he was in terms of how close he actually was in his personal opinion and the man perceived on other levels that were either clouded or not substantiated until now.
In his screenplay, Dustin Lance Black is equally bold to inject the story with a realistic edge so as not to bore you with unnecessary detail and, therefore, conveying J. Edgar as the real man history still has trouble coming to terms.
By including clips of James Cagney in The Public Enemy (1931) and G Men (1935) the continuity bridged between fiction and reality adds a dramatic edge as entertainment and for a minute you almost forget this is not a documentary but a feature film. Like Cagney who critic Dwight Macdonald described as "a human wolf with the heartlessness and grace and innocence of an animal, as incapable of hypocrisy as of feeling," DiCaprio essays a different side of his acting ability by allowing us to see him stretch as an actor to where we will ultimately heap praise for this time on screen he is in his element in playing a part that comes easily to him after being the late Howard Hughes in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004).
You can tell right from the first frame and the use of chromatic colors to remove the brightness of the film's subject, you know J. Edgar is going to be a cathartic experience for the moviegoer. A surprising cast of supporting characters fills out the life of Hoover as if it were a microcosm of undeniable influence exercised by a single individual honoured along the same lines as the more fictional and powerful Charles Foster Kane played by Orson Welles in Citizen Kane(1941). Except, in Eastwood's film, the subject is not gloriously praised but given the regular treatment as if this was a living tribute to a man of such influence from DiCaprio's point of view as an actor which is equally shared with Eastwood's as a dark figure in U.S. history. At various points in the film, you are impressed by the actor's electrifying presence as much as you are with his on screen persona.
Rather than try to make J.Edgar a lenghty epic, Eastwood has chosen to deal with Hoover's strong relationship with his mother and the Bureau's swift action in capturing such criminals as John Dillinger. As the story switches back from past to present within the sound of Hoover's voice while he is being interviewed, you are almost reminded of the interviewer in Citizen Kane who is trying to find more about Kane when he was alive. Like the latter, you are generously given a close-up look at Hoover as he explains himself during some of America's most turbulent times.
Naomi Watts plays Helen Gandy, Hoover's private secretary, with such conviction that she,too, becomes part of the story after his death. Her scenes, especially at the beginning and end, translate how his behaviour among his staff symbolized the power he wielded inside his office.
Armie Hammer is also well cast as Clyde Tolson, Hoover's assistant. It only gives you further evidence of his influence but you see a side of the FBI director that portrays him as the real man he was sometimes perceived to be and it does so discreetly. In so doing, it brings across J.Edgar as the complex individual he was in real life without condemning him for it
One can't forget to mention Judi Dench as Edgar's mother. The chemistry between her and DiCaprio adds an essential part to your understanding of J.Edgar who was afraid of making important decisions without consulting her. There is one scene where she tells him to be strong. Watch DiCaprio's facial expressions for they show him as a boy who refused to grow up. His scenes with Hammer show a more emotional side interrupted by the unstabling influence of the political climate of the times.
What is even more interesting are the scenes with Nixon and they, too, give you an idea of who he was like as well as Hoover's. They were two strong political allies in public but it was altogether different when they were both alone because Nixon, in particular, hated Hoover over his famous secret files which Gandy kept secret even from her boss through their strong and mutual understanding for each other's importance.
Under Eastwood's direction, J. Edgar is a powerful testament to one man's influence when certain men like him fixated on their image as public figures who enjoyed the control they wielded on behalf of the government.
It is rated PG, with the warnings: mature theme and language may offend.
November 11, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
Leonardo DiCaprio gives an outstanding performance as J. Edgar Hoover in director Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar, a mesmerizing film biopic about one of the most feared men in U.S. history and how he influenced more than one generation with his personal ferocity and conviction about what he wanted expressly for him because his agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, was his kingdom. He ran it with an iron hand. As you watch DiCaprio pay particular attention to the way he injects enough authority to instil fear in everyone right up to the presidency. The intrinsic authority and strong will he gves him is notoceable in his vocal delivery where he makes him appear so real beyond a snapshot captured in an old newsreel.Eastwood has succeeded in making a film that, at the heart of it, is a revolving door of history and reality coinciding and colliding together as if it were still happening now. This sense of dramatic urgency has marked the director's last few films to the point where he has become popular and regarded as one of the few film directors who are unafraid to tackle difficult subjects without fear of controversy. In this case, it is Hoover's homosexuality hinted at an old biography by Anthony Summers and the director's own instinct to present Hoover as the man he was in terms of how close he actually was in his personal opinion and the man perceived on other levels that were either clouded or not substantiated until now.
In his screenplay, Dustin Lance Black is equally bold to inject the story with a realistic edge so as not to bore you with unnecessary detail and, therefore, conveying J. Edgar as the real man history still has trouble coming to terms.
By including clips of James Cagney in The Public Enemy (1931) and G Men (1935) the continuity bridged between fiction and reality adds a dramatic edge as entertainment and for a minute you almost forget this is not a documentary but a feature film. Like Cagney who critic Dwight Macdonald described as "a human wolf with the heartlessness and grace and innocence of an animal, as incapable of hypocrisy as of feeling," DiCaprio essays a different side of his acting ability by allowing us to see him stretch as an actor to where we will ultimately heap praise for this time on screen he is in his element in playing a part that comes easily to him after being the late Howard Hughes in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004).
You can tell right from the first frame and the use of chromatic colors to remove the brightness of the film's subject, you know J. Edgar is going to be a cathartic experience for the moviegoer. A surprising cast of supporting characters fills out the life of Hoover as if it were a microcosm of undeniable influence exercised by a single individual honoured along the same lines as the more fictional and powerful Charles Foster Kane played by Orson Welles in Citizen Kane(1941). Except, in Eastwood's film, the subject is not gloriously praised but given the regular treatment as if this was a living tribute to a man of such influence from DiCaprio's point of view as an actor which is equally shared with Eastwood's as a dark figure in U.S. history. At various points in the film, you are impressed by the actor's electrifying presence as much as you are with his on screen persona.
Rather than try to make J.Edgar a lenghty epic, Eastwood has chosen to deal with Hoover's strong relationship with his mother and the Bureau's swift action in capturing such criminals as John Dillinger. As the story switches back from past to present within the sound of Hoover's voice while he is being interviewed, you are almost reminded of the interviewer in Citizen Kane who is trying to find more about Kane when he was alive. Like the latter, you are generously given a close-up look at Hoover as he explains himself during some of America's most turbulent times.
Naomi Watts plays Helen Gandy, Hoover's private secretary, with such conviction that she,too, becomes part of the story after his death. Her scenes, especially at the beginning and end, translate how his behaviour among his staff symbolized the power he wielded inside his office.
Armie Hammer is also well cast as Clyde Tolson, Hoover's assistant. It only gives you further evidence of his influence but you see a side of the FBI director that portrays him as the real man he was sometimes perceived to be and it does so discreetly. In so doing, it brings across J.Edgar as the complex individual he was in real life without condemning him for it
One can't forget to mention Judi Dench as Edgar's mother. The chemistry between her and DiCaprio adds an essential part to your understanding of J.Edgar who was afraid of making important decisions without consulting her. There is one scene where she tells him to be strong. Watch DiCaprio's facial expressions for they show him as a boy who refused to grow up. His scenes with Hammer show a more emotional side interrupted by the unstabling influence of the political climate of the times.
What is even more interesting are the scenes with Nixon and they, too, give you an idea of who he was like as well as Hoover's. They were two strong political allies in public but it was altogether different when they were both alone because Nixon, in particular, hated Hoover over his famous secret files which Gandy kept secret even from her boss through their strong and mutual understanding for each other's importance.
Under Eastwood's direction, J. Edgar is a powerful testament to one man's influence when certain men like him fixated on their image as public figures who enjoyed the control they wielded on behalf of the government.
It is rated PG, with the warnings: mature theme and language may offend.
November 11, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
Saturday, November 5, 2011
RESTLESS (MONGREL, 2011)***
BY RICK JACKSON
From director Gus Van Sant comes a powerful and touching love story between a ytoung man and a young girl and how their paths accidentally cross until fate ultimately decides both their futures.
Henry Hopper, son of the late Dennis Hopper, plays Enoch, who likes to go funerals and pretends he is dead while lying on the ground with a chalk impression around him like the coroner does on TV shows like CSI. One day he meets Annabel (Mia Wasikowska) who shares his interest in requiems but for an entirely different reason. She has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. They both play out their fantasies and grow closer as their romance blossoms so as not to dwell on subject of death to the point it becomes depressing.
Written by Jason Lew from an unidentified source, Restless defines the director's best films by focusing on characters who are more concerned about dying and death with the possible exception this time around that there is a slender thread of hope on the faces of the main characters as they deal with their emotions in their final days or what you believe may be the end coming soon.
Australian actress Wasikowsla looks all grown up compared to her last film in the title role of Jane Eyre earlier this year. She has the ability to portray hurt with utter simplicity and her mannerisms effectively portray a normal person who you don't know right away is suffering from a terminal illness.
One is also impressed by Hopper's portrayal of a man possessed by Hiroshi Takahashi, a ghost from World War II (Ryo Kase) and this may cause confusion for it is not explained right away. There is the possibility he may be going madness which may explain why he likes to attend funerals but he doesn't look like he is disturbed and this makes you reconsider just where he is coming from. Whether he is really an imaginary friend crosses your mind when he appears without notice as if he just might have an alterior motive.
Lending excellent support is Schuyler Fisk as Annabel's sister Elizabeth who, at first, isn't too sure about Enoch.
Van Sant's characters are always teetering on the brink between life and death and despite the lack of explanations here and there it is not hard to follow their progress as you become absorbed gently into their fantasy world that is interrupted by reality at any given moment.
You soon realize from both Enoch and Annabel's points of view there is an undercurrent of sanity to keep the story's levels of persuasion and understanding in check, and this helps keep things from getting too complicated or confusing.
You seem them both enjoy life for it is still as wonderful as Frank Capra believed it to be and there is no reason to dispute this slice of modernity under the guise of a different plot to come to the same conclusion.
In its own way, Restless symbolizes what Gus Van Sant may believe where today's generation is heading and it leaves you with some food for thought for the highly educated who lived in suburbia which he has explored in such films as Good Will Hunting (1997), Elephant (2003), and in the much earlier Drugstore Cowboy(1989).
Danny Elfman's music score is kept nicely in the background and this contributes to the effectiveness of the acting and the story's strengths.
It is rated PG, with the warning: mature theme.
November 5, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
From director Gus Van Sant comes a powerful and touching love story between a ytoung man and a young girl and how their paths accidentally cross until fate ultimately decides both their futures.
Henry Hopper, son of the late Dennis Hopper, plays Enoch, who likes to go funerals and pretends he is dead while lying on the ground with a chalk impression around him like the coroner does on TV shows like CSI. One day he meets Annabel (Mia Wasikowska) who shares his interest in requiems but for an entirely different reason. She has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. They both play out their fantasies and grow closer as their romance blossoms so as not to dwell on subject of death to the point it becomes depressing.
Written by Jason Lew from an unidentified source, Restless defines the director's best films by focusing on characters who are more concerned about dying and death with the possible exception this time around that there is a slender thread of hope on the faces of the main characters as they deal with their emotions in their final days or what you believe may be the end coming soon.
Australian actress Wasikowsla looks all grown up compared to her last film in the title role of Jane Eyre earlier this year. She has the ability to portray hurt with utter simplicity and her mannerisms effectively portray a normal person who you don't know right away is suffering from a terminal illness.
One is also impressed by Hopper's portrayal of a man possessed by Hiroshi Takahashi, a ghost from World War II (Ryo Kase) and this may cause confusion for it is not explained right away. There is the possibility he may be going madness which may explain why he likes to attend funerals but he doesn't look like he is disturbed and this makes you reconsider just where he is coming from. Whether he is really an imaginary friend crosses your mind when he appears without notice as if he just might have an alterior motive.
Lending excellent support is Schuyler Fisk as Annabel's sister Elizabeth who, at first, isn't too sure about Enoch.
Van Sant's characters are always teetering on the brink between life and death and despite the lack of explanations here and there it is not hard to follow their progress as you become absorbed gently into their fantasy world that is interrupted by reality at any given moment.
You soon realize from both Enoch and Annabel's points of view there is an undercurrent of sanity to keep the story's levels of persuasion and understanding in check, and this helps keep things from getting too complicated or confusing.
You seem them both enjoy life for it is still as wonderful as Frank Capra believed it to be and there is no reason to dispute this slice of modernity under the guise of a different plot to come to the same conclusion.
In its own way, Restless symbolizes what Gus Van Sant may believe where today's generation is heading and it leaves you with some food for thought for the highly educated who lived in suburbia which he has explored in such films as Good Will Hunting (1997), Elephant (2003), and in the much earlier Drugstore Cowboy(1989).
Danny Elfman's music score is kept nicely in the background and this contributes to the effectiveness of the acting and the story's strengths.
It is rated PG, with the warning: mature theme.
November 5, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
ANONYMOUS (COLUMBIA, 2011)***
BY RICK JACKSON
One of the more interesting aspects of Anonymous is the historical context which compels you to remain diligent of who William Shakespeare was and his impact as a literary figure. Whether or not he actually wrote his work has been the subject of much study for such a long time, it is to producer/director Roland Emmerich's credit that he had the courage to make a movie that will be looked at carefully by historians of the period and of Shakespeare in particular.
The driving focus of the entire film is the Oxfordian theory that denied Shakespeare authorship and the works of the Bard were written by an Elizabethan aristocrat, Edward deVere, the 17th Earl of Oxford.
In John Orloff's literate screenplay you are invited to witness the unfolding historical evidence as if it all were a play in itself being presented in a special viewfinder courtesy of motion pictures and like an old Shakespearean play at the old Globe Theatre you are introduced to Derek Jacobi whose distinguished demeanor gives the film a credibility for its own sake by allowing you to be entertained by actors playing the important roles of a lifetime.
As the play within the play turns back the hands of time you are enveloped in a rich mystery tempered by the thoughts of a time which were believed to be the prevailing winds when Shakespeare was not the genius of literary repute but a murderous and illiterate simpleton.
Although Orloff doesn't waste time in presenting and weighing the evidence it sometimes becomes confusing at first, but this is all part of the narrative that eventually reveals itself as a compelling piece of history bolstered by the flourishes of the Elizabethan age where theTudors and the Cecils were fighting over the succession to Queen Elizabeth I. De Vere is a genius at a young age and in the mid-16th century you see him basking in the success of A Midsummer Night's Dream with DeVere playing the role of Puck to the amusement of the young Queen Elizabeth.
Fans of Shakespeare will be in heir glory as they watch play after play being presented in quick succession as if it were really happening and, together with the political climate and personalities of the characters, Anonymous ascends to a higher level of storytelling at the same time you are absorbed in the entire compelling nature of it all.
What is different from other films like Shakespeare In Love (1998) is the preponderance of what you already know from studying Shakespeare and this is how spectators were swayed by certain stories and DeVere is shown to understand the underlying power of the stage by its sheer dramatic force in the presentation of a theme relevant to an audience.
I only wished there was mention of his genius for understanding human nature and it is barely inferred by Rhys Ifans in his portrayal of the Earl of Oxford.
By the way, William Shakespeare is played by Rafe Spall in a part that is almost unnoticeable.
There are some liberties taken with Shakespeare's life and the most glaring is him writing and starring in A Midsummer Night's Dream when he was only nine years old. Wikipedia has listed many historical inaccuracies in Anonymous but they do not ruin the film's enjoyment. It is not any different from other recent films which have been appreciated more by moviegoer such as The King's Speech.
Still, it is the distinguished cast that makes Anonymous one of the fall's more interesting movies to see on the big screen: Vanessa Redgrave plays Queen Elizabeth I with such conviction you are undeniably impressed with a reminder of the title role she had in Mary Queen of Scots in 1971.
Cast as the young Elizabeth I is Jolely Richardson whose performance is almost superior to Redgrave's but it is a small point to argue over for both actresses contribute to the historical period.
In some scenes with the Queen I was reminded of the conversations in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) between Bette Davis as Queen Elizabeth and Errol Flynn as Essex. Redgrave doesn't try to copy Davis and by bringing her own interpretation to the role, Redgrave and Richardson add spice to the film.
The handsomely built sets recreate the Elizabethan era with an imposing replica of London's Rose Theatre. Anna Foerster's cinematography gives it all the perfect texture and tinted affect to help contribute to the authenticity of the period.
Editor Peter R. Adam maintains a steady pace by allowing you enough room to experience everything well enough to hold your interest from beginning to end, while the music score composed by Harald Kloser and Thomas Wanker doesn't take away from your enjoyment with a pounding music score but an elegant and toned down score in keeping with the seriousness of the story's historical impact.
To Emmerich's credit, Anonymous does not depend on presenting Shakespeare as a hoax but by intelligently conveying the mystery behind the playwright over the centuries, and it succeeds in making it all a good time for the individual moviegoer.
It is rated PG, with the warnings: sexual content, violence and language may offend.
November 4, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
One of the more interesting aspects of Anonymous is the historical context which compels you to remain diligent of who William Shakespeare was and his impact as a literary figure. Whether or not he actually wrote his work has been the subject of much study for such a long time, it is to producer/director Roland Emmerich's credit that he had the courage to make a movie that will be looked at carefully by historians of the period and of Shakespeare in particular.
The driving focus of the entire film is the Oxfordian theory that denied Shakespeare authorship and the works of the Bard were written by an Elizabethan aristocrat, Edward deVere, the 17th Earl of Oxford.
In John Orloff's literate screenplay you are invited to witness the unfolding historical evidence as if it all were a play in itself being presented in a special viewfinder courtesy of motion pictures and like an old Shakespearean play at the old Globe Theatre you are introduced to Derek Jacobi whose distinguished demeanor gives the film a credibility for its own sake by allowing you to be entertained by actors playing the important roles of a lifetime.
As the play within the play turns back the hands of time you are enveloped in a rich mystery tempered by the thoughts of a time which were believed to be the prevailing winds when Shakespeare was not the genius of literary repute but a murderous and illiterate simpleton.
Although Orloff doesn't waste time in presenting and weighing the evidence it sometimes becomes confusing at first, but this is all part of the narrative that eventually reveals itself as a compelling piece of history bolstered by the flourishes of the Elizabethan age where theTudors and the Cecils were fighting over the succession to Queen Elizabeth I. De Vere is a genius at a young age and in the mid-16th century you see him basking in the success of A Midsummer Night's Dream with DeVere playing the role of Puck to the amusement of the young Queen Elizabeth.
Fans of Shakespeare will be in heir glory as they watch play after play being presented in quick succession as if it were really happening and, together with the political climate and personalities of the characters, Anonymous ascends to a higher level of storytelling at the same time you are absorbed in the entire compelling nature of it all.
What is different from other films like Shakespeare In Love (1998) is the preponderance of what you already know from studying Shakespeare and this is how spectators were swayed by certain stories and DeVere is shown to understand the underlying power of the stage by its sheer dramatic force in the presentation of a theme relevant to an audience.
I only wished there was mention of his genius for understanding human nature and it is barely inferred by Rhys Ifans in his portrayal of the Earl of Oxford.
By the way, William Shakespeare is played by Rafe Spall in a part that is almost unnoticeable.
There are some liberties taken with Shakespeare's life and the most glaring is him writing and starring in A Midsummer Night's Dream when he was only nine years old. Wikipedia has listed many historical inaccuracies in Anonymous but they do not ruin the film's enjoyment. It is not any different from other recent films which have been appreciated more by moviegoer such as The King's Speech.
Still, it is the distinguished cast that makes Anonymous one of the fall's more interesting movies to see on the big screen: Vanessa Redgrave plays Queen Elizabeth I with such conviction you are undeniably impressed with a reminder of the title role she had in Mary Queen of Scots in 1971.
Cast as the young Elizabeth I is Jolely Richardson whose performance is almost superior to Redgrave's but it is a small point to argue over for both actresses contribute to the historical period.
In some scenes with the Queen I was reminded of the conversations in The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) between Bette Davis as Queen Elizabeth and Errol Flynn as Essex. Redgrave doesn't try to copy Davis and by bringing her own interpretation to the role, Redgrave and Richardson add spice to the film.
The handsomely built sets recreate the Elizabethan era with an imposing replica of London's Rose Theatre. Anna Foerster's cinematography gives it all the perfect texture and tinted affect to help contribute to the authenticity of the period.
Editor Peter R. Adam maintains a steady pace by allowing you enough room to experience everything well enough to hold your interest from beginning to end, while the music score composed by Harald Kloser and Thomas Wanker doesn't take away from your enjoyment with a pounding music score but an elegant and toned down score in keeping with the seriousness of the story's historical impact.
To Emmerich's credit, Anonymous does not depend on presenting Shakespeare as a hoax but by intelligently conveying the mystery behind the playwright over the centuries, and it succeeds in making it all a good time for the individual moviegoer.
It is rated PG, with the warnings: sexual content, violence and language may offend.
November 4, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
PUSS IN BOOTS (3D)(PARAMOUNT, 2011)***
BY RICK JACKSON
Puss In Boots is one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year and to no one's surprise it is a great family flick for anyone who wants to return to his childhood or let a little one share in the experience of an old-fashioned fairy tale where you will be literally swept off your feet and be a kid all over again.
After enjoying Puss In Boots in the Shrek movies, which I always thought was the best part, you are swashbuckled and chuckled at the same time as you enjoy this prequel with a dash of derring do and a cast of familiar characters from two old stories you heard as a kid: Jack And The Beanstalk ad Puss In Boots. Incorporating characters from both, you can actually the sense of humour in Tom Wheeler's screenplay and director Chris Miller maintains a certain consistency of thought so the small set can sit still and let their imagination take over while all Moms and Dads and other adults without children can thrill to a children's film with an enduring tone and enough action to keep you entrenched in your seat. At the show I attended everyone liked what they saw and I almost felt like cheering much of the time because I was having so much fun.
Banderas brings Puss to life as he tells how he became this character. You see him befriend Humpty Dumpty (voice of Zach Galifianakis) and from there the story becomes more and more a tale anyone who likes these characters can't help be thrilled.
I must admit this is much better than the Shrek movies and I hope you are not expecting the same schtick. Puss In Boots succeeds in being original and funny and I can't say enough just how much I liked every minute.
One revelation is Kitty Softpaws and I won't divulge how she is introduced. Salma Hayek instils so much matchless fun, you are waiting to see when she will turn up next.
The overall western feel is different from the far superior Rango earlier this year, but Puss In Boots is worth its weight in the golden moments it creates and in making new memories for younger moviegoers to remember.
Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris add a zestful of energy in their roles as the animated Jack and Jill, while a golden goose substitutes for the ogre at the top of the beanstalk. It is better than the live action Jack and Jill starring Abbott and Costello (1952) which was fun or enjoyable. The animators behind Puss In Boots should be congratulated for re-creating the old and making it new all over again and I can't wait for the second adventure with Puss In Boots.
It is rated G.
October 30, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
Puss In Boots is one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year and to no one's surprise it is a great family flick for anyone who wants to return to his childhood or let a little one share in the experience of an old-fashioned fairy tale where you will be literally swept off your feet and be a kid all over again.
After enjoying Puss In Boots in the Shrek movies, which I always thought was the best part, you are swashbuckled and chuckled at the same time as you enjoy this prequel with a dash of derring do and a cast of familiar characters from two old stories you heard as a kid: Jack And The Beanstalk ad Puss In Boots. Incorporating characters from both, you can actually the sense of humour in Tom Wheeler's screenplay and director Chris Miller maintains a certain consistency of thought so the small set can sit still and let their imagination take over while all Moms and Dads and other adults without children can thrill to a children's film with an enduring tone and enough action to keep you entrenched in your seat. At the show I attended everyone liked what they saw and I almost felt like cheering much of the time because I was having so much fun.
Banderas brings Puss to life as he tells how he became this character. You see him befriend Humpty Dumpty (voice of Zach Galifianakis) and from there the story becomes more and more a tale anyone who likes these characters can't help be thrilled.
I must admit this is much better than the Shrek movies and I hope you are not expecting the same schtick. Puss In Boots succeeds in being original and funny and I can't say enough just how much I liked every minute.
One revelation is Kitty Softpaws and I won't divulge how she is introduced. Salma Hayek instils so much matchless fun, you are waiting to see when she will turn up next.
The overall western feel is different from the far superior Rango earlier this year, but Puss In Boots is worth its weight in the golden moments it creates and in making new memories for younger moviegoers to remember.
Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris add a zestful of energy in their roles as the animated Jack and Jill, while a golden goose substitutes for the ogre at the top of the beanstalk. It is better than the live action Jack and Jill starring Abbott and Costello (1952) which was fun or enjoyable. The animators behind Puss In Boots should be congratulated for re-creating the old and making it new all over again and I can't wait for the second adventure with Puss In Boots.
It is rated G.
October 30, 2011
Copyright Rick Jackson 2011
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