Before and After - 7 stars out of 10
Meryl Streep is stunning in this character-driven piece about a family who is ripped apart (and pulled together) when their son is accused of murder. The story was excellent with a script that demanded excellent actors for these emotional roles... and they were cast perfectly. Neeson delivers a good performance as he strikes the balance between anger and compassion, but is overshadowed by Streep who is in her element with this dramatic role (though one could argue that she is in her element with a comedic role, or any other role for that matter). If I was on the Academy, I would've nominated Streep for an Oscar. Then again, I'd nominate her for her performance in just about any movie. The other standout performance comes from Molina as the lawyer who may not have a heart but knows how to win a case. This may be his finest role. I think that the children could have been cast better, but it's worth watching for the main three adult actors. Though the ending isn't entirely satisfying, it's definitely the right ending. This film is very underrated and I'd recommend it to any fan of Streep or Molina.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Johnny Dangerously - 2 stars out of 10
Johnny Dangerously - 2 stars out of 10
This movie was so dumb. In order to pull off stupid humor well, you need solid acting (Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore, Mike Myers in Austin Powers, Will Ferrell in Anchorman) or else the entire thing just seems painfully stupid. The weak acting (especially Michael Keaton) made this film more annoying than humorous. Although the delivery of the dialogue wasn't very good, I didn't care much for the dialogue in the first place. From the very start, I was thinking "How can you go wrong when Weird Al writes the music for your opening credits?" Oh wait... This film tried to be a cross between Monty Python and the Marx Brothers but the final result is 90 minutes of eyerolling and an unsatisfied disposition.
This movie was so dumb. In order to pull off stupid humor well, you need solid acting (Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore, Mike Myers in Austin Powers, Will Ferrell in Anchorman) or else the entire thing just seems painfully stupid. The weak acting (especially Michael Keaton) made this film more annoying than humorous. Although the delivery of the dialogue wasn't very good, I didn't care much for the dialogue in the first place. From the very start, I was thinking "How can you go wrong when Weird Al writes the music for your opening credits?" Oh wait... This film tried to be a cross between Monty Python and the Marx Brothers but the final result is 90 minutes of eyerolling and an unsatisfied disposition.
Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) - 10 stars out of 10
Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) - 10 stars out of 10
This is one of the most incredible foreign films that I have ever viewed. The story, set in the German Democratic Republic in the 1980's, explores the complex difference in perspective between what is right and what is wrong. Ulrich Mühe portrays emotion with very little dialogue, relying on his eyebrows to express his thoughts as he monitors the apartment below. The script is very well written and each actor creates an emotional layer that becomes overwhelming when the film reaches its climax. Although there is not much action, the intensity of the actors drives the film and 2+ hours pass by very quickly. The question of "what is wrong," a tragic misunderstanding, and the willing sacrifice of personal happiness will leave your jaw hanging as the film comes to its conclusion.
This is one of the most incredible foreign films that I have ever viewed. The story, set in the German Democratic Republic in the 1980's, explores the complex difference in perspective between what is right and what is wrong. Ulrich Mühe portrays emotion with very little dialogue, relying on his eyebrows to express his thoughts as he monitors the apartment below. The script is very well written and each actor creates an emotional layer that becomes overwhelming when the film reaches its climax. Although there is not much action, the intensity of the actors drives the film and 2+ hours pass by very quickly. The question of "what is wrong," a tragic misunderstanding, and the willing sacrifice of personal happiness will leave your jaw hanging as the film comes to its conclusion.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Jackie Browne - 5 stars out of 10
Jackie Browne - 5 stars out of 10
"Jackie Brown" is a slow-paced, character driven heist film that spends too much time developing its characters. I'm all about character development, but the heist would have been much more effective with less focus on the characters (maybe making this film 2 hours instead of 2 and a half). Pam Grier, in the title role, is so cool th...at she could freeze the sun. Samuel L. Jackson typically radiates cool but the character of Jackie Brown makes him look tame. There are strong performances all around, including Keaton as a clueless cop and DeNiro with his subtle madness throughout the film. I love the heist sequence, showing each character's perspective of the crime. It wants to be Pulp Fiction so badly... but there is only one Pulp Fiction. Jackie Brown is worth watching for its great acting and great characters - just consider fast forwarding large chunks of the first half of the film to get to the good stuff.
"Jackie Brown" is a slow-paced, character driven heist film that spends too much time developing its characters. I'm all about character development, but the heist would have been much more effective with less focus on the characters (maybe making this film 2 hours instead of 2 and a half). Pam Grier, in the title role, is so cool th...at she could freeze the sun. Samuel L. Jackson typically radiates cool but the character of Jackie Brown makes him look tame. There are strong performances all around, including Keaton as a clueless cop and DeNiro with his subtle madness throughout the film. I love the heist sequence, showing each character's perspective of the crime. It wants to be Pulp Fiction so badly... but there is only one Pulp Fiction. Jackie Brown is worth watching for its great acting and great characters - just consider fast forwarding large chunks of the first half of the film to get to the good stuff.
Another Year - 2 stars out of 10
Another Year - 2 stars out of 10
"Another Year" is a grim portrayal of how everybody's life sucks. I know that this was a dramedy, but I didn't quite catch the comic aspect (British humor and all). This film just has an underwhelming sense of monotony, cataloguing the grief and woes of the people surrounding one happy married couple. The dialogue is clever (hence t...he Oscar nomination) but the story is just sort of "eh..." The highlight of the film is Lesley Manville, who develops incredible depth over the course of the four seasons. Her portrayal of a middle-aged, misunderstood, lost soul is really heartwrenching and lonely. Although this character shines, it isn't worth watching this film just for her performance.
"Another Year" is a grim portrayal of how everybody's life sucks. I know that this was a dramedy, but I didn't quite catch the comic aspect (British humor and all). This film just has an underwhelming sense of monotony, cataloguing the grief and woes of the people surrounding one happy married couple. The dialogue is clever (hence t...he Oscar nomination) but the story is just sort of "eh..." The highlight of the film is Lesley Manville, who develops incredible depth over the course of the four seasons. Her portrayal of a middle-aged, misunderstood, lost soul is really heartwrenching and lonely. Although this character shines, it isn't worth watching this film just for her performance.
I Saw the Devil - 4 stars out of 10
I Saw the Devil - 4 stars out of 10
"I Saw the Devil" is the story of a man who repeatedly hunts down and tortures a psychopath after the psychopath killed his fiance. The first 20 minutes of this film were among the most disturbing that I've ever seen. And it just gets worse throughout the course of the film. I lost count of the number of times that I cringed around 15. And then the cab scene? I've never seen anything like that. Ever. And the doctor's office. And the kitchen. And the hallway head-bashing. And the bathroom stall. And the hospital bed. Is there no end to the madness? Apparently not, based on the most twisted ending ever. I have never had a horror film single-handedly make every slasher film that I've ever seen look so tame. This story of vengeance does contain excellent acting but... I can't recommend this film because it is so gory and violent that I wouldn't encourage anybody to fill their minds with that imagery. I looked away several times and I rarely ever feel the need to divert my eyes. Watch at your own risk (and I don't mean that in a challenging way. I mean that in a "Don't say that I didn't warn you" way).
"I Saw the Devil" is the story of a man who repeatedly hunts down and tortures a psychopath after the psychopath killed his fiance. The first 20 minutes of this film were among the most disturbing that I've ever seen. And it just gets worse throughout the course of the film. I lost count of the number of times that I cringed around 15. And then the cab scene? I've never seen anything like that. Ever. And the doctor's office. And the kitchen. And the hallway head-bashing. And the bathroom stall. And the hospital bed. Is there no end to the madness? Apparently not, based on the most twisted ending ever. I have never had a horror film single-handedly make every slasher film that I've ever seen look so tame. This story of vengeance does contain excellent acting but... I can't recommend this film because it is so gory and violent that I wouldn't encourage anybody to fill their minds with that imagery. I looked away several times and I rarely ever feel the need to divert my eyes. Watch at your own risk (and I don't mean that in a challenging way. I mean that in a "Don't say that I didn't warn you" way).
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Unforgettable - 4 stars out of 10
Unforgettable - 4 stars out of 10
Ray Liotta plays a medical examiner who tries to clear his name from the murder his wife in this (ironically) forgettable film. While the concept of memory transfer is pretty cool, the script fails to make it believable and as a result, the plot falls flat. This movie is worth a watch for its decent action scenes and strong acting, but I can think of 300 action films that I would recommend ahead of this one.
Ray Liotta plays a medical examiner who tries to clear his name from the murder his wife in this (ironically) forgettable film. While the concept of memory transfer is pretty cool, the script fails to make it believable and as a result, the plot falls flat. This movie is worth a watch for its decent action scenes and strong acting, but I can think of 300 action films that I would recommend ahead of this one.
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