Before Sunrise (1995) - 9 stars out of 10

Before Sunrise (1995) - 9 stars out of 10

“Before Sunrise” is completely unconventional.  And it’s awesome.  This is the only movie series that allows you to watch a love story develop progressively through time.  Granted, there was no indication that two more films would follow when this one first appeared in 1995, but the end result is an opportunity to watch two characters fall in love and grow old together over the course of 18 years in real time.  Outside of the time-lapse development of the story throughout the series, this film successfully stands alone as an unexpected love story.  The plot is minimalist, comprised completely of candid conversations between these two young characters.  The conversations feel improvisatory and take place through long tracking shots, often several minutes long without interruption.  I think that it would have to be categorized as a “stream of consciousness” film, as the ideas just flow from the minds of the characters.  This style works perfectly in the context of this story and I can think of no other film to compare to this one.  The screenplay, written in a mere 11 days, geniusly brings these characters to life through simple conversation.  The film was inspired by the real-life experience of director Richard Linklater, who met a woman in a toy shop and then spent the day getting to know each other through their conversations as they wandered around Philadelphia.  I think that is what makes the film feel so genuine.  We have all known a Jesse or a Céline in our lives and this story gives us hope that, someday, our chance meeting could turn into true love.  Beyond the script and concept, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are what make this film real.  Their acting is has so much finesse that it transcends “acting” and must be called “living a role.”  Both are attractive enough to believe their initial interest but not so attractive that they fall outside of the realm of “normal people.”  This film starts with an awkward conversation, progresses as these characters help each other to discover who they are, grows intense as important secrets are revealed, and ends with one of the most heart-wrenching goodbyes of any film.  This is a bucket list movie for any person who has ever fallen in love… or needs to be given hope that they will one day.

The Grandmaster (2013) - 6 stars out of 10

The Grandmaster (2013) - 6 stars out of 10

This film puts the “art” back in “martial arts.”  Director Wong Kar-wai brings a dance-like interpretation of kung fu to the screen, often utilizing slow motion and a heavily romanticized musical score.  It is a spectacle to say the least.  I didn’t care much for the story but this film has plenty of eye candy.  The Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography is easy to see as the film unfolds.  As the film opens with slow-motion kung fu in the rain, I couldn’t help but feel that it was truly one of the most impressive things that I have ever seen.  I also adored the sequence when Gong Er is practicing kung fu with such sensitivity that it nearly transforms into ballet.  Unfortunately, the story is confusing as it jumps throughout time, never actually settling into a time that is the present.  This made it difficult to figure out when the film actually ended, particularly because I was getting excited for an epic battle but then the credits started to roll.  This film isn’t going to rock your world (notice that it didn’t even make the short list for Best Foreign Film), but the cinematography is awesome and it has some of the most artistic kung fu in any movie that you’ll see.

her - 8 stars out of 10

her - 8 stars out of 10

“her” is a one-of-a-kind film.  The concept of friendships and relationships with artificial intelligences is strange and yet, it seems to be an inevitable part of our future.  While the film takes place in 2025, the setting is so similar to the present that it feels like this new operating system could already be out there.  The title itself speaks volumes about the film.  The trailers portray a love story between a man and his computer, but this story actually focuses on “her,” an artificial personality whose mind is able to grow and develop like a human.  Samantha’s story redefines our concept of “personality” as it blurs the line between humanity and technology.  We develop empathy for Samantha as if she is a person and this film chronicles her struggle to make sense of her identity as she deals with the restrictions of a normal human life.  The acting is very good, especially when you consider that most of Joaquin Phoenix ‘s interactions took place with a phone whose voice was probably not added until post-production.  Meanwhile, Scarlett Johansson’s voice acting puts so much life into her character that it is hard to remember that her character is not alive.  And that is why the film is so successful!  It manages to give humanity to this computer and make “her” a lot more desirable than many of the humans in the film.  There are a few awkward sexual moments, but they are necessary to the story.  Thankfully, it consumed a lot less of the film than I anticipated.  The story is a lot more than cybersex as it challenges the physical requirements for companionship.  Although I preferred the realism created by the scripts of “Dallas Buyers Club” and “Nebraska,” I can understand why this clever script won the Oscar.  Its creative look at our social future paints a picture of artificial intelligence finding its place in the human world and its ability to operate beyond the restrictions of a traditional relationship.  I believe that we will look back at this concept in 10 years and be surprised with the accuracy of this prediction.  While the majority of the film is depressing, carefully timed comedy (like the dead kitten beside the bed) and sentimental conversations prevent us from hating the story.  The ending is far beyond anything that I anticipated.  When it was billed as a “Spike Jonze Love Story,” it left me unprepared for the dark conclusion that looms over the end of the film.  I mean, I definitely agree with the ending, but I can’t imagine anybody being happy with this inevitability.  “her” is one of those movies that reaches a small percentage of audiences but leaves a large impression.  Just be ready to have your perceptions of relationships and humanity when you sit down with this one.

Mulan II - 2 stars out of 10

Mulan II - 2 stars out of 10

Let’s just pretend that this one never happened.  “Mulan II” takes an epic Disney story and tells the boring, unnecessary second chapter (as most Disney direct-to-video sequels do).  Someday, Disney will learn to just leave a great story alone instead of ruining it.  References to jokes from the first film and reprises of the original songs are not enough to create a successful film, and when you have a story as amazing as “Mulan,” no sequel will live up to it.  The end of the first film is slightly ambiguous, leaving us to imagine what the future holds for Mulan and Li Shang.  Most importantly, it downplays their love story in order to emphasize the film’s more important themes: honor and self-identity.  This sequel is the antithesis of those themes, putting them aside so that it can focus on a high school drama-filled love story and a cartoon dragon’s ability to get in the way of true love.  The songs are SO CHEESY as Mulan’s uplifting girl-power is transformed into eight-year-old-girls-should-strive-to-be-a-warrior propaganda.  I’m surprised they didn’t have sing-a-long lyrics with a bouncing ball.  I suppose that Mulan does end up doing the honorable thing in the end, but her journey to do so seems overdramatic and childish.  I hate seeing such a powerful character as Li Shang portrayed as weak, clumsy, and goofy.  “Mulan II” will ruin these characters and their future; therefore, I am going to pretend that the true future of Mulan and Li Shang lies in the ambiguous ending of the first film and that this sequel is merely a nightmare in the mind of Mushu and that he will wake up to find that his voice sounds like Eddie Murphy once again.