Grade Scale
- A+: Never say never
- A: A masterpiece
- A-: A near-masterpiece
- B+: Very good movie
- B: Good movie but some minor flaws
- B-: Pretty good but some flaws
- C+: Slightly above average
- C: Average
- C-: Mediocre
- D: Bad movie!!!
- F: Atrocious, avoid at all cost!
|
|  By Castor | 
Gifted with a charming smile and good looks, George Clooney has always been a very charismatic movie star. He probably will never be known to have great depth or range but over the years, he has turned into a fairly solid actor who plays a certain persona (himself?) extremely well. Here, in Up the Air, you will see nothing new from him but he infuses his character with so much persona that his performance looks effortless and completely genuine. Ryan Bingham (Clooney) makes a living doing a peculiar job. He travels all over the country to fire other companies’ people. Firing an employee can be a messy process, hence some companies outsource the entire process and Bingham’s company is a direct beneficiary of the current economic environment.
Bingham has been extremely busy, spending over 320 days of the year on the road, in hotels, airports and unfamiliar places all over the country. However, from the first instant of the film, you know that Bingham loves it. He revels in the anonymity of being a perpetual traveler, not having to deal with significant relationships and other anchors that keep most people’s lives stagnant. One of his personal dream is to close in on 10 million frequent flyer-miles just for the sake of being the seventh person ever to join that club. One day, he even gets to meet Alex (Vera Farmiga), a female version of himself and the two begin a “casual” relationship. For these reasons, he feels threatened, when one day, a young co-worker named Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) pushes a new plan to cut cost that will revolutionize the business and ground Bingham for good. Instead of having to travel all over the country, people like him will just fire people over the internet. Keener and Bingham end up going on the next assignment together so she gets to see the human connection behind the process.
Nominated for six Academy Awards, Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air is a tale that resonates close to home for the many people who have experienced the loss of a job in the current economic turmoil. Unfortunately, much like Bingham’s shallow persona, Up in the Air is a superficial movie that pretends to deal with a current issue but ends up giving it the phony “everything is fine” Hollywood message instead. It would have been much more interesting to see Reitman digging deeper into the dark undercurrent of the issues at hand. Go ask the millions of people who lost their job whether they are enjoying their “new beginning” or their chance to “build a new empire”. By far, the most touching moments were the montage of real people who lost their jobs but those are used sparingly here and there. In short, it just doesn’t feel genuine.
In terms of film-making however, Reitman’s movie effortlessly mixes some humor, satire, poignancy and relevancy. It gives a nice feel of the ins-and-out of corporate life and travel. Although it never really feels like a drama or a comedy, the film moves at a nice pace and remains mostly witty and entertaining throughout thanks to three good central performances. The characters are developed just enough to drive the plot and it is a credit to George Clooney’s appeal that this movie was such a critical and box office success. Some actors radiate charisma and Clooney is one of them. He is supported by two wonderful supporting performances: Anna Kendrick gives a solid performance as the ambitious Natalie. I’m not sure if it was quite Academy Award worthy as it seem a tad forced at times especially when she had to act emotional but overall, she was believable as an idealistic young woman who gets a wake-up call to the real world. Vera Farmiga was absolutely outstanding. Few actresses would not be overwhelmed when matched with Clooney’s on-screen charisma but she more than held her own. She completely deserved her Oscar nomination. The three banter away and it’s often a pleasure to listen to their (adult) conversations in an age when we are often bombarded with inarticulate childish mumbling.
Elevated by the star power of the ever so charismatic George Clooney, Up in the Air is a very entertaining, well-crafted but ultimately superficial movie that pretends to be more than it really is.
B+
Notes: Rated R for language and some sexual content. 108 minutes.
VN:F [1.8.5_1061] Rating: 8.0/10 (2 votes cast)
| By Castor |
Directed by David Gordon Green, All the Real Girls is a slice of life romantic drama with a noble goal in mind: Portraying a more realistic, cliche-free and unglamorous love story. Set in a small North Carolina mill town, the film depicts the highs and lows of a relationship between Paul (Paul Schneider) and Noel (Zooey Deschanel). Paul is a womanizing young man with a reputation for having sex with 26 different girls in town. His best friend Tip (Shea Wigham) is none too happy when he learns that Paul and his younger sister Noel have started dating. To Paul though, Noel is unlike any girl he has been with before and he may have just fallen in love for the first time in his life.
Unlike most Hollywood romance, this movie is character driven. Almost no external events are dropped out of nowhere to further the (nearly nonexistent) plot. The movie also doesn’t cater to the “normal” expectations audiences may have for an American romance. The slightly out-of-shape Paul Schneider is probably one of the least likely romantic lead in years and it doesn’t get any less glamorous than a dormant tiny mill town in the middle of the Appalachians. I liked that the movie explored the fact that normal people aren’t always those highly articulate creatures who can formulate their thoughts clearly and on the drop of a hat. Paul and Noel try to slowly further their fragile relationship without rocking the boat but they have difficulty communicating with each other. Noel is a virgin and sexually curious while Paul doesn’t want to rush it and have sex with her because she is not the same to him as the 26 others he shagged previously. Toward the end, Noel says that “no one said we had to be perfect” and it rings true to life. At the beginning of a relationship, especially first love, it’s easy to start idealizing the other person and this only makes it more difficult for him/her to fulfill those expectations. Green went for a more truthful denouement, pointing to the fact that two people although obviously very much in love with each other still may not end up together.
Unfortunately, there is several significant flaws that prevent this movie from truly sweeping the viewer off his feet. The characters are uninteresting and unremarkable. Trying to create real and honest characters doesn’t mean they have to be bland and boring. Their dialogue is uneven, at times touching and most of the time, meaningless mumbling that doesn’t add anything to our understanding. The actors fail to convey any type of background about their character without the information actually having to be dropped on the viewer’s lap. This is a major issue in a slower paced movie where not much is happening on screen. The entire plotline about Tip’s disapproval of Paul dating his sister suddenly disappeared all of a sudden without any warning which is a bit hard to believe in such a tiny town. Finally, the twist toward the ending feels too convenient and came out of nowhere. Overall, this movie strives for authenticity but merely achieves honesty.
Paul Schneider is miscast and gives an uneven and dull performance. I can now sort of see why he hasn’t had his “own” movie since. He is quite unconvincing as the town’s Casanova who has slept and then playfully dumped dozens of girls. Zooey Deschanel fares better and gives one of these performance that we now know she can do so well: the charming, free-spirited, and slightly awkward girlfriend role she has played countless times ever since. Some of their improvisations (it must have been right?) are really bland, awkward, and banal conversation that don’t further the movie in any way. The two have no apparent chemistry to speak off. In all, the two main characters are completely unremarkable and it feels at times like you are eavesdropping on the meaningless mumblings of the most boring couple in town.
The supporting cast is fairly solid and is mainly highlighted by the consistently excellent Patricia Clarkson who plays Paul’s mother. Shea Wingham, Danny McBride, and Maurice Compte play Paul’s group of friend but aren’t given much of anything to do except sound like three semi-mentally challenged hillbillies. Talk about stereotypes of the South!
The musical soundtrack by Michael Linnen complements the action on screen well while the photography by Tim Orr takes advantages of the stunning landscape to immerse the viewer in this small North Carolina town. I’ve read a few people comparing David Gordon Green to Terrence Malick because of the slow pacing and contemplative nature of this movie. Nothing against Green but this is like comparing some Billy Joe who plays an occasional pickup game at the local YMCA with Michael Jordan. Anyone can pickup a camera and take a few contemplative shots of a sunset or a tree and insert them into their movie. That doesn’t make that person Terrence Malick.
Given my recent rant on the state of romantic movies, I really wanted to love this movie but I kept waiting for something to click. Instead I ended up merely liking it…
An uneven but honest-looking love story with a noble goal in mind. Unfortunately, Green fails to garner enough dramatic interest to make this a truly powerful and authentic movie.
B-
Notes: Rated R for language and some sexuality. 108 minutes.
VN:F [1.8.5_1061] Rating: 7.3/10 (3 votes cast)
| By Castor |
Every now and then, you come across a movie that turns out to be a gem and it feels so good to be able to enjoy such a movie among the overwhelming numbers of mediocre to average movies that are forgotten as soon as they are over. Lars and The Real Girl, directed by Craig Gillespie, is one of those movies that you expect very little off and end up being blown away.
Set in a small Minnesota town, this is the story of Lars (Ryan Gosling), a socially inept but likable young man who chose to live in the barely furnished garage behind the house he and his brother Gus (Paul Schneider) inherited after their father’s death. Having suffered a terribly lonely childhood, Lars keeps to himself as much as he can and has extreme difficulties interacting with people. One day, he announces to Gus and his wife (Emily Mortimer) that he has a girlfriend named Bianca. To their utter shock, they soon realize that Bianca is a life-sized doll Lars bought off the internet. Unsure of what to do, they manage to take Lars and Bianca to the family doctor (Patricia Clarkson) who convinces them to treat Bianca as a real person to help with Lars’ therapy. Hilarity ensues…
Who would have thought a story about a delusional man in love with a plastic doll would be so affecting? Don’t let the strange synopsis or off-beat trailer put you off this movie, this is an outrageously hilarious and flawlessly executed flick with a big focus on kindness, acceptance and compassion. There is a lot of potential for cheap laughs and perverted gags and thankfully, the screenplay never ever ventures into these territories. Sure, it may not be credible that an entire small town would agree to treat Bianca as if she was real but it made for a really touching and funny story with a hopeful twist. Using a doll as a replacement for a real relationship may not be as absurd as one may believe. Think about it, in a relationship we are all projecting internal expectations and hopes onto the other person much like Lars is doing with the doll. Ultimately, this is a study of the impact of kindness, how and why we love, the line between healthy and unhealthy fantasy and what it means to be grown-up.
Canadian actor Ryan Gosling has been scarily impressive on the indie scene with an outstanding Oscar-nominated performance in 2006 Half-Nelson and he has proven to be one of the most talented and low key actors in the industry. Here, he is mesmerizing as the socially awkward Lars and he captures both the darkly funny aspect of his character and the poignant and sad background of Lars. Gosling is truly genuine, believing that Bianca is real and there isn’t a single moment where we question that fact. The supporting cast is equally impressive with terrific performances from Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider and the consistently excellent Patricia Clarkson. It cannot be emphasized enough that the superb cast really kept the film grounded and pitch-perfect.
Elevated by an incredible performance from Ryan Gosling, Lars and The Real Girl is an hilarious and poignant off-beat comedy and one of those little gems that one is so glad to uncover every now and then.
A-
Notes: Rated PG-13 for some sex-related content. 106 minutes
VN:F [1.8.5_1061] Rating: 8.6/10 (7 votes cast)
| By Castor |
 Directed by Nick Cassavetes and adapted from the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook is a romantic drama that came out of nowhere to become one of the most beloved romantic tearjerker of all-time. (IMDb : 8.0/10). In all truthfulness, this is the only movie to this day that has left me bawling like a freaking pussy a little teary eyed the first time I saw it.
Synopsis (some spoilers): Duke (James Garner) is an elderly man who spends all of his time reading a love story from his notebook to an elderly woman (Genna Rowlands) with an advanced form of Alzheimer’s disease. The story is set in 1940’s North Carolina and is about the tribulations of a young couple. Penniless country-boy Noah (Ryan Gosling) meets Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams), the spoiled daughter of a rich family in vacation in his town, and after some early reticence from her, the two spend an idyllic summer together. Unfortunately, Allie’s parents, more specifically her mother (Joan Allen), are none too keen to have their young daughter mingle with a local blue-collar everyman. The night before Allie leaves, she playfully makes Noah promise to renovate an old crumbling mansion to her liking. The two reluctantly separate and Noah starts writing letters to her every day for a year. The only problem is that she never writes back to him. Heartbroken, Noah enlist in the Army to fight in World War II and seven years go by before he sees her again. Allie has moved on but he hasn’t and he decides to put his mind into rebuilding that old plantation mansion, somehow thinking that if he ever restores it, she will come back to him.
The Notebook is a shamelessly corny and predictable tearjerker that extols the virtue of true love with no regards for what the cynics among us may think or not. This is the kind of old-fashioned movie that doesn’t really get made all too often anymore and it’s a tribute to Nick Cassavetes uncompromising direction that this movie somehow hits the right notes despite taking on all the cliches of its formulaic genre. From the first instant, the movie wants you to surrender to its romantic premises. Reinforced by Aaron Zigman’s excellent musical score, the strikingly lush cinematography by Robert Fraisse has an atmospheric feeling to it that evokes romantic nostalgia. Shots of serene lakes, multicolored sunsets or flying sea birds give an unhurried feel to the film. The movie is carefully paced, clocking in at 123 minutes which feels just about right.
We have all seen the characters of The Notebook somewhere before. They are nothing new but each actor was able to give their respective characters a fresh twist that made them more colorful and memorable. Although all the characters initially appear fairly stereotypical, they eventually become fully fleshed out. Even Allie’s mother, played by the always reliable Joan Allen, eventually gets a chance to add another dimension to her initially witch-like character. It’s also refreshing to see that Allie’s fiance, played by the underrated James Marsden, is depicted as a really likable good guy. Not only does it add a little suspense as to who she is going to pick, but the viewer doesn’t have to wonder why she is engaged to him in the first place.
Numerous well-known actresses auditioned for the part of Allie but it was the then-little-known Rachel McAdams who got her first leading part. Cassavetes said he was extremely demanding of her because he knew the movie would not work if the main female protagonist wasn’t top notch. McAdams simply delivers, lighting up the screen and showing terrific range and depth of emotions. Not only does she achieve striking chemistry with Ryan Gosling but she also does with James Marsden. Her multifaceted character evolves between being a giggly free-spirited city girl, a bratty and spoiled child, a giddy little dynamite stick on springs, and a feisty yet peachy lady of high society. All of this while going through the entire range of human emotions and keeping this girl-next-door femininity that befits her character so perfectly. Allie is just plain utterly delightful and there is no questioning why Noah becomes smitten with her (who wouldn’t?) or why old Duke is still so persistent about reading to her right by her side after all of these years.
Ryan Gosling was offered the job from the onset as he was Cassavetes’ first and only choice for the role of Noah. Gosling has made a living of playing dark, tormented characters and he is extremely adept at underplaying his characters with a naturalistic and genuine touch. The movie was shot backward so Gosling could lose 25 lbs over a few weeks break to play the younger Noah, and you have to admire his dedication which is apparent in his physical transformation. I initially thought he was a little too mellow especially when contrasted to McAdams’ high energy passion but upon reflection, he held his own and that was the way to go. Having him match her energy would have made everything unauthentic. It’s easy to feel sympathy for his character as he is yearning for his beloved one to come back to him. The two share that one thing that is so rare on screen: excellent chemistry which is all the more remarkable given the fact that, at times, they reportedly could not bear the sight of each other on set.
As charming as the two young leads are, it is the legendary James Garner and Genna Rowlands who deliver the final emotional blows. Genna Rowlands, Cassavetes’ mother, nails the blank and confused face of a woman stricken by dementia. She gives just enough hints of hopes to James Garner who is pitch-perfect as her devoted husband who can’t bear to be away from his beloved wife and has to deal with an irreparable loss. Their final scenes together is probably where even the most stone-hearted souls lose it. Freaking old people, I swear.
The movie is far from perfection — the first 10 minutes could easily have been disposed of — but it goes to show you that competent direction and great acting can go a long way to infuse life into some lifeless material. The film is everything that a pure old-fashioned romance movie should be and it feels complete: young budding love, mature love, the perfect guy, a girl to die for, emotional highs and lows, sweet nothings, even a monologue in the rain. The Notebook is just a movie that you should “allow” to get to you with minimal resistance. I bet most people who did not like the movie were not able to get past this initial cynicism that one might have against sappy and melodramatic movies. Whether you believe true love that last a lifetime really exist or not is beside the point. The film is only a great remainder that there is a reason why every single human being on Earth wants to love and be loved.
Featuring exceptional performances from the cast and unapologetic but restrained direction from Nick Cassavetes, The Notebook somehow manages to raise above its overly sappy and trite premises to become a lovely old-fashioned celebration of true love. Maybe it’s too sentimental, manipulative and mushy for some, but isn’t it supposed to be?
B+
Notes: Rated PG-13 for some sexuality. 123 minutes. Quotes and extra material from DVD’s director’s commentary.
VN:F [1.8.5_1061] Rating: 7.5/10 (13 votes cast)
| By Castor |
 Widely seen as one of the great masterpiece of the seventh art, Casablanca is also unanimously hailed as one of the greatest romantic movie of all time (IMDb: 8.8/10 and #13 Top 250). Originally destined to be a propaganda movie for the Allies during World War II, the film was met with relatively solid success at the box office but no one at the time expected it to eventually become synonym with being one of the crowning achievement of American cinema.
World War II has engulfed Europe and is knocking on the gates of the French-Moroccan city of Casablanca. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) is a cynical American loner who has settled in the North African city where he owns an upscale bar after fleeing Paris earlier in the war. He secretly comes into the possession of two extremely valuable letters of transit which allow the bearers to travel freely to Lisbon, Portugal from where one can get to America safely. Soon after, the object of Rick’s bitterness, former lover Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), shows up at his nightclub. She is accompanied by her husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), a fugitive Czech resistance leader who just escaped from a concentration camp. The two urgently need letters of transit so they can escape capture from the German controlled local law enforcement lead by Captain Louis Renault (Claude Rains). Memories of a long lost love flood Rick who had wanted all along to sit on the sidelines of the war and is now confronted with life and deaths decisions.
One of the most striking qualities of Casablanca is how timeless the movie is. Even nearly 70 years later, the film doesn’t feel like it is outdated or lost any of its charm. It is a prime example of everything coming together to achieve a great movie. The direction by Michael Curtiz merits a mention if only for the fact that production was somewhat chaotic and no one had any idea how the movie would end until it came time to shoot the scenes. Surprisingly, the script itself doesn’t look like it was put together day-to-day and the plot unfolds naturally and without any hiccups. The dialogue remains clever and witty to this day and innumerable lines have become part of our everyday lexicon such as “Round up the usual suspects” or “Play it again, Sam” (misquotation by the way). The story itself puts heavy emphasis on the values of honor, courage and sacrifice over personal desires such as love. These were and remain so important at a time of national war mobilization and we have to remember that this was a propaganda movie after all. There is no doubt that Ilsa and Rick still love each other even after all these years but the two know perfectly that the world is at war and needs its heroes such as Victor Laszlo. As Rick said: “The problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world” and the melancholic ending only highlights what has been sorely missing in Hollywood for quite some time.
The character are fully-fleshed out thanks in part to outstanding performance from the ensemble cast as well as the tightly woven script. Humphrey Bogart takes on his first romantic lead role and his instantly recognizable voice lends credence to the cynical nature of his character. However, hiding behind his tough facade is a man of principle, yearning for the long-gone great love of his life. This multifaceted aspect of Rick’s character requires Bogart to use a fairly wide range of emotions which he does convincingly as shown in the flashback to Paris where he is a completely different person from the cynical lone-wolf roaming a nightclub. The luminous Ingrid Bergman gives her most memorable performance of her career. Technically, it’s not a great part but the beautiful Bergman gives the brave Ilsa a steely resolve and vulnerability that is enough for us to be convinced of why Rick would be in love with her. Together, Rick and Ilsa ooze of true romantic tension and desire and there is never any doubt that they are made for each other. Claude Reins is fantastic as Captain Renault and comes close to stealing the scene from Bogie every single time he appears on screen. That’s talent! Finally, Paul Henreid is solid as Laszlo, the third part of our love triangle. He is so heroic and selfless that even Rick himself can’t hide his admiration.
The cinematography is effective albeit unspectacular. Curtiz manages to give the film interior scenes a smoky and convivial atmosphere, while the exterior scenes have a cosmopolitan exoticism that has been copied repeatedly ever since. The soundtrack for the film is excellent and the song “As time goes by” from Herman Hupfeld has become associated with the very fabric of the movie. After all, one of the most romantic scene of the movie is the one where Sam sings the song late at night as Rick is drowning himself in alcohol after seeing Ilsa again.
An accidental masterpiece that has withstood the test of time, Casablanca is a simple but bittersweet love story set in the backdrop of World War II. It has mesmerized viewers for decades and will continue to do so for a long time to come. Bogart, Bergman, a doomed romance, what’s more to ask?
A
Notes: Rated PG for mild violence. 102 minutes.
VN:F [1.8.5_1061] Rating: 9.9/10 (8 votes cast)
| By Castor |
 Amélie (FR: Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amelie Poulain) is a French romantic comedy directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet that has developed a strong following worldwide since its release (#43 on IMDb Top 250).
Amélie Poulain’s (Audrey Tautou) childhood was spent isolated from other children and even her parents which lead her to develop an unusually imaginative and acute mind. As a young woman, she is now a golden-hearted Parisian waitress dedicating her life to the simple pleasures of life such as dipping her hands into sacks of grain or daydreaming all day long. Her adventure starts when she learns of Princess Diana’s death in the summer of 1997 which causes her to find an old metal box of childhood memorabilia behind a loose tile. She sets up to find the person to whom it belongs, vowing to herself that if she finds him and makes him happy, she will devote her life to improve lives of people around her. Guess what? She finds him and we have a movie! Using her endless imagination, she devises the most intricate and hilarious stratagems to help people around her without their knowledge.
Among numerous quests, she sets out to arrange romantic matches for her coworkers, brings out videos of the outside world for a sickly man confined to his house, and kidnaps her father’s beloved garden gnome to encourage him to travel around the world. One day, she realizes that she can do the same thing for her own happiness. There is strong elements of fate and inevitability in the movie. The way Amélie’s mother dies (a suicidal woman jump off the roof of a church and lands on her lol) should clue you in right at the beginning but Jeunet also wants the viewer to realize that happiness comes from enjoying all the little things in life that most people consider as inconsequential. Kindness, compassion, imagination, playfulness, things that Amélie embodies from head to toe.
The exquisite Audrey Tautou is essentially on every frame and deservedly so. She infuses her character with an innocence, witty intelligence and mischievous charm that is completely irresistible. Her highly expressive big brown eyes and her delightful smile make Amélie so easy to like (or adore) and Tautou gives the performance of a lifetime. She uses those eyes to look into the camera and give the viewer the feeling of being an accomplice of her misdeeds. The supporting cast is excellent with Rufus the highlight as Amélie’s father. He is stunned to receive picture of his garden gnome traveling around the world (sent by Amélie of course) and sets out to travel in pursuit of the gnome. Mathieu Kassovitz is excellent as Nino, Amélie’s equally quirky love interest who collects discarded photo booth pictures.
Let’s face it, the plot of the movie isn’t anything all that special and could have been part of any run-of-the-mill romantic comedy. The truly unique aspect of this movie is Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s unique vision of a witty and deliriously imaginative film. He stylishly creates a joyous fantasy on every level from the larger-than-life characters to the masterful photography. The relentless opening sequence of the movie is simply pure genius and helps tremendously in immersing the viewer in the fantasy world of the film. The city of Paris, where the movie takes place, has a dreamy touch of fantasy and romanticism giving it a surreal feeling of a romantic Wonderland, full of quirky and colorful characters as well as talking animals. These oddly interesting characters never feel like archetypal caricatures. Clocking in slightly over two hours, the movie could have benefited from losing 15 to 20 minutes of run time as it tends to sag down about two third of the way in but in all, this movie is very hard to resist.
An utterly delicious and playful movie full of joie de vivre and optimism, Amélie is a celebration of life and kindness.
A-
Notes: Rated R for sexual content. 122 minutes. Seen in French, subtitled English.
VN:F [1.8.5_1061] Rating: 8.5/10 (14 votes cast)
| By Castor |
 Directed by Michel Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of my favorite romantic movie of all-time. Starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet as the two main characters, the highly acclaimed script was written by Charlie Kaufman, Gondry and Pierre Bismuth.
The movie has a non-linear plot line which may initially appear as confusing but to summarize it, Joel Barish (Carrey) is emotionally withdrawn and depressed after the failure of a recent relationship with the free-spirited Clementine Kruczynski (Winslet). One day, he visits her at her workplace and is stunned to see that she has no idea who he is. After some investigation, he realize that she underwent a medical procedure to erase all her memories of their painfully failed relationship. Deeply hurt by her action, Joel decides to undergo the same procedure. Most of the film takes place in Joel’s mind as he laying unconscious during the operation. Upon seeing happier memories of the relationship, he remembers why he loved Clementine, he changes his mind and fights to retain at least some of the memories, trying to find places in his memory where he can hide Clementine until the procedure is over.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is one of those movies that has to be experienced rather than explained. Gondry uses some really creative visual devices that are nothing short of brilliant to make us believe we really are in Joel’s mind. You will see the picture and sound quality degrade or be distorted as some of Joel’s memories are erased. You will see object in the background disappear or fade away, faces going blank (literally) etc… That may be cool to look at but it also immerses the viewer into this dream-like atmosphere.
Jim Carrey gives the most restrained and powerful performance of his lifetime and it is disappointing that he got little respect for it. This is not the gag-happy physical comedy you are used to, this is real dramatic acting. Joel is withdrawn and depressed and the only thing that keeps him hanging on are those memories of this relationship, no matter how painful. Kate Winslet also gives a superb Oscar-nominated performance as the free-spirited and short-tempered Clementine. She doesn’t have an easy role, playing an unhinged character who has to look psychologically troubled, and yet remain desirable for the main character. Winslet succeeds on all counts, infusing Clementine with a chaotic liveliness which is the complete opposite of Carrey’s shell shocked character. Life with her would drive Joel to self-destruction but he simply can’t fathom of life without her. The supporting cast is nothing short of sensational and is highlighted by Tom Wilkinson, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood and Kirsten Dunst. They provide a subplot in reality that I felt was unneeded but it was fairly well accomplished so no harm done.
In all, I absolutely loved this movie. Most romance-type films depict the perfect couple who lives happily thereafter but in real life, just about every relationship has issues that have to be worked around and it’s nice to see a movie about a flawed relationship, about two people who might have loved each other but still may end up going their separate way. The ending is open-ended and it’s up to the viewer to decide what ultimately would have happened.
A twisted, winding and yet extremely well-told film, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an unforgettable movie that is a profound meditation on the meaning and consequences of love.
A
Notes: Rated R for language, some drug and sexual content. 108 minutes.
VN:F [1.8.5_1061] Rating: 9.0/10 (14 votes cast)
| By Castor |
 Directed by James Cameron, Titanic was the highest grossing movie ever until Avatar dethroned it only recently. This is a movie that everyone loves to hate now but I remember back in 1997 when everyone saw it in theater, sometime multiple times, it was a goddamn smashing success. I eventually went to see it weeks after the open (I was not a movie buff back then lol) and as an impressionable kid, I was pretty blown away too.
The movie starts in a modern day setting as researchers are exploring the wreck of the Titanic for long lost treasures. All they find, after discovering a safe, is a hand-drawn picture of a nude woman with a massive diamond necklace around her neck. They are stunned when that same woman, now 101 years old, calls them, wishing to get on board of their ship. The flashback begins as she tells the story of what happened on those fateful days leading up to the tragedy. Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) is a young upper-class woman. Although she and her mother appear wealthy, they are burdened by debt and she is being forced to marry “Cal” Hockey (Billy Zane), the arrogant and controlling son of a steel tycoon, to erase her family’s debt. Depressed and distraught, she attempts to jump off the ship but a young man prevents her from doing so. The man is Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio), a free-spirited artist without a penny. The two soon become friends and then lovers… There you have it, a star-crossed love story that “transcends” social and economic classes and is set within the backdrop of the sinking of the Titanic.
Titanic was at the time the most expensive movie ever made with a budget of $200 million. The best aspect of the movie is all the details that went with recreating the ship and its sinking on screen. From the costumes to the furniture and silverware, Cameron really succeeded in immersing the viewer and making him/her part of the movie. The movie is visually spectacular from beginning to end. The disaster part of the movie is simply fantastic and you really live the tragedy through each of the characters. What would one do in such a large scale catastrophe? Cameron does a great job of keeping most of the focus on the two main characters. We never stop caring for them even in the midst of the disaster.
Unfortunately, this movie was extremely ambitious and not everything worked out as well as others. Structurally, the entire modern day subplot should simply have been edited out, easily saving 30 minutes of screen time. Thinking back, it brought absolutely nothing to the movie and for a movie to be well over 3 hours, every single scene must be in the movie for a really good reason. Additionally, it removed the suspense of knowing whether Rose would survive the disaster.
The script written by Cameron himself, albeit effective, is just overly simplistic, unoriginal and full of cliches. Every characters that comes on screen are stereotypical caricatures. The wealthy are all greedy and haughty, despising the poor and being selfish because of their social status. The poor are all essentially good-natured, noble and compassionate. Basically, everything is black and white with no shades of gray, dumbed down and manipulated so the viewer has absolutely nothing to reflect about.
The love story between Jack and Rose is a merely average romance. The two actors have very good chemistry together and we don’t have to wonder why Rose would fall in love with Jack. However, some of the dialogues they have felt extremely contrived and flat. The two characters simply don’t seem to have much to talk about (a scene about learning to spit???) and all the blame goes directly to Cameron’s lazy writing. It also doesn’t help that Cal, played by Billy Zane is a completely one-dimensional archetype: he is the most arrogant, snobbish and evil fiance on Earth and there is absolutely no redeeming quality about him. Imagine if Cal was actually a decent guy who might have taken Rose for granted but then realizes he is losing her, and corrects himself. As far as romantic tension goes, even though we all know who Rose is ultimately going to choose, it would have made the movie so much more enthralling not being sure what she was going to do. Those are the two main aspects about the romance that hamper the movie most.
But then, why did this movie rack up so much money? Why all the love? Why eleven Academy Awards? Titanic is by no means a bad movie. Despite all its limitations, the movie does everything it needs to do effectively. An unoriginal but solid emotional core, two charismatic leads, universal themes, stunningly beautiful visuals, a great soundtrack, and a massive disaster that has fascinated the world since 1912. Cameron is more a great manipulator than a great director. He understands exactly what the masses want to see in their movies and he simply delivers time and time again. Jack represents the little guy, freedom, passion, purity of spirit and everyone pulls for him to get Rose, who seem to be his perfect match. Cal represents everything that could be wrong with a man. Greedy, morally corrupted, overbearing, jealous, he obviously has no redeeming quality which makes him the clear cut antagonist. Rose chooses freedom over slavery, Jack sacrifices his life so his beloved one lives. The masses yearned for a movie like this and Cameron delivered it.
Production values are all first-rate as you would expect from a big budget movie. The CGI effects are still fairly satisfactory more than a decade after. The photography is grandiose and breathtaking, while the musical score by James Horner is haunting and still one of the most recognizable to this day.
A well-executed melodrama set in the grandiose backdrop of one of the greatest tragedy in history, Titanic is a timeless epic despite a relatively average and unoriginal central romance that feels flat and contrived.
B
Notes: Rated PG-13 for disaster related peril and violence, nudity, sensuality and brief language. 194 minutes
VN:F [1.8.5_1061] Rating: 8.8/10 (11 votes cast)
| By Castor |
 This is the Valentine’s Day Movie Review Marathon!
| By Castor |
 Directed by Richard Curtis, Love Actually is a British romantic comedy that follows the lives of eight different couples during the weeks leading to Christmas in London, England. I’m not going to attempt to give a synopsis but let’s just say the movie is a collection of loosely inter-related vignettes of the eight couples and their respective love story. The movie stars the likes of Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Keira Knightley, and Laura Linney. Yes, just look at the movie poster on the left, so many names they could not all fit on it!
Imagine if you were dropped in a giant tub of corn syrup and then rolled around in a big bowl of powdered sugar, that’s how sugary and syrupy this movie is from the very first instant which begins with no less than a voice over. Unlike some, I am not a cynic and I have nothing against cheesy, corny or sugary but this is OVERKILL. Love Actually makes you believe that everyone has love on their mind 24/7 and although that’s obviously not true, I don’t even fault the movie for this. There is nothing glaringly wrong about this movie, it just goes to reinforce all the stereotypes about romantic comedies: overly sugar-coated and cliched premises and characters, fake and unauthentic dialogue and situations, and shallow completely uni-dimensional characters. Running at 135 minutes, Love Actually would benefit from not having as many characters so we can actually stick with each couple longer, especially given the fact that several of the story lines seem completely extraneous (the two porn actors, the dude who goes to Wisconsin for example). The acting is fairly solid but the actors have little time to establish themselves and their characters are all skin-deep stereotypes. Oh the music, the movie is basically a pop song montage after another, talk about overkill!
A charming but ultimately overly glossy, syrupy and implausible celebration of love. Where are the real movies?
C+
Notes: Rated R for sexuality, nudity and language. 135 minutes
VN:F [1.8.5_1061] Rating: 6.9/10 (7 votes cast)
|
|
Loading ...
Most Popular