Melancholia Review

Melancholia Review

2011, 130 minutes

Rated R for some graphic nudity, sexual content, and language

Melancholia is Danish provocateur Lars von Trier's (Antichrist, Breaking the Waves, Dancer in the Dark) new film starring Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Kiefer Sutherland.  After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, the quality of the film was overshadowed by its some comments that director von Trier made at a press conference (look that up on YouTube) which is really too bad because this film is stunning.  Melancholia follows a depressed bride's (Dunst) wedding and her family dysfunction.  It also follows a planet that is looming eerily close to crashing into the earth.  Dunst, in a career-restarting performance, won this year's Best Actress Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.  After her wooden work in the Spider-Man films, she has redeemed herself here.  As Justine, the bride, she says very little.  But, looking at her, I was able to understand her emotions.  In the opening shot of the film, she stares directly into the camera with a pained look in her face as birds fall from the sky as the world ends.  Through that one shot in super slow-motion, the sadness is evident as well as I could see that she had resigned herself to her fate (this becomes more evident in the second half of the film).  Through scenes such as this and many others, I became more and more aware of Justine's feelings and felt a connection to her.  Watching her in pain pained me.  

Charlotte Gainsbourg, Cannes Best Actress winner for von Trier's previous film Antichrist (do not see this excellent film if you cannot handle its subject matter), gives yet another amazing performance as Claire, Justine's sister, who is happily married with a husband (Sutherland) and son.  A shown in the opening sequence, she has a very different outlook on the looming apocalypse.  She wants to try to escape her fate and will not accept it.  Gainsbourg shows this not as much through her face, but more through her words.  Her nervous and pained speaking manner demonstrate her underlying nervousness about the apocalypse.  Bottom line, she is marvelous.

Aside from the acting, the story of depression is very realistic and is broken up into two parts: one part following Justine, the other, Claire.  Both stories intertwine and connect and are both fascinating as each character is well-developed and interesting.  Von Trier writes for women like no one else.  The Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar [Volver, Talk to Her, The Skin I Live In (to be reviewed next week)] is the only other to match him.  Also, the subplot about the planet, Melancholia, about to crash into the earth is a metaphor for depression, adding depth to an already dense film.
The visuals in the film are the year's best, hands down.  Every special effect looks real and the images von Trier creates are gorgeous.  One could put a frame around them and hang them.  The opening selection of slow-motion images is the best part of any film I've seen all year.  From Dunst flowing down a stream of deep greens and blues to an animated painting burning up, these images each have symbolic meaning and are the highlight of the film.  I will not say anymore about the opening so as not to ruin the surprise.  Von Trier's camerawork and visuals are also very impressive in the dramatic scenes as many are done in his signature hand-held Dogme 95 style which adds to the gritty realism of the film.
Another side comment about von Trier's genius is that unlike other apocalypse films á la 2012, he never goes into how the rest of the world reacts.  By doing this, he would have lost some narrative focus and character development/focus.  His characters are in their own world, it seems, and by not showing the rest of the world, he focuses in on his characters more.  A brilliant choice.
Overall, as one of my friends put it, this is the most humane depiction of the apocalypse that has ever been made.  Never feeling too long, rushed, or false, Melancholia is a truly original vision from one of the world's greatest directors.  From the opening, all the way to the close, he keeps the viewer with Justine and Claire.  A quick warning, though.  If you are expecting the disaster film of the year or cannot sit through a conversation-fueled drama, do not see this film.  If you enjoy art house filmmaking, this is truly it at its finest.  Melancholia is a modern masterpiece.

4/4
-Joshua Handler


View with Antichrist and Dogville.

50/50 Review

50/50 Review

2011, 99 minutes

Rated R for language throughout, sexual content, and some drug use

50/50, plain and simple, is a miracle.  This is a film about a man (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who finds out he has cancer and his friend (Seth Rogan) and him try to get him through it.  Coming into the film, I was expecting a nice and heartwarming film that was worth the time, but nothing special.  Wow was I wrong about that.  What I got was the best film of the year so far.  Yes, I have said that multiple times, but that shows the high caliber of the fall 2011 film selection.  Drive and Tabloid had that distinction two weeks ago, but hey, a better film came along.  No, 50/50 does not have the excellent and inventive score and cinematography that Drive had, nor does it have the incredibly unusual true story that Tabloid did, but it does have more humor, realism, and most importantly heart than Drive ever had, and that is why the film won me over.  From the opening scenes where I was introduced to Levitt's mild-mannered character, Adam, and his foul-mouthed, pot-smoking, womanizing friend, Kyle, I immediately felt a connection with them and liked them.  Their normality is their charm and appeal.  This and the film's honesty are most likely due to the fact that the screenwriter, Will Reiser, based this film off of his own experiences.
Reiser's screenplay never overplays the emotions that follow cancer and it never cracks the wrong/inappropriate joke at the wrong time.  Yes, the film is raunchy, but it is raunchy in moderation, in contrast to this summer's absolutely awful Horrible Bosses. Reiser also does a great job developing all of the main characters fully, but that is not all.  He goes farther by developing the character of Adam's mom (a fascinating and heartbreaking subplot in the film), girlfriend, and therapist.  These rich and flawed characters add to the film's quirkiness and believability.  Also, Reiser's daringness to go into some deeply emotional scenes (some of the audience members at my showing were audibly crying, and I will admit I was getting teary also) adds that extra level to the story.  I hope this screenplay scores an Oscar nomination because most other films dealing with this subject and taking a comedic approach would not have been able to balance comedy and drama this masterfully.
Along with the excellent screenplay comes some wonderful performances especially from the versatile Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, (500) Days of Summer).  He plays Adam with such skill that I forgot that I was watching an actor.  He moves effortlessly from some awkward male-bonding scenes to serious emotional scenes.  I don't think this will score him an Oscar nomination, but he sure deserves to be considered.  Rogan and Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air) are the film's two main co-stars who do a great job, but neither role seems like a stretch for either one of them.  Bryce Dallas Howard and Anjelica Huston also turn in some memorable performances.
Overall, 50/50 is a must-see film.  Though heart-wrenching, the wonderful sense of humor (I laughed aloud many times, a rare occurrence) and characters make this one worthwhile.  Do not let the difficult theme of cancer stop you from seeing this.  This film is a small gem that demonstrates with a little money, a great script, and some talented actors, you can make a masterpiece.

4/4
-Joshua Handler

Reviews Coming Soon

50/50
Melancholia
The Ides of March

Moneyball Review

Moneyball Review

2011, 133 minutes

Rated PG-13 for some strong language

Moneyball is the first film in six years from director Bennett Miller (Oscar-nominated director of the outstanding 2005 film, Capote), and it is one hell of a return.  This film stars Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill as two men who revolutionize baseball and save a failing team by breaking the two down into a mathematical equation and the success they achieve from it.  Moneyball works for so many reasons, first and foremost being Brad Pitt in one of the best performances of his career.  Pitt, an actor who has played many various and assorted characters ranging from a mental hospital patient to a spy married to another spy to Jesse James.  In every role he plays, he brings a certain charm and energy into the role which makes him extremely likable.  His charismatic air and ease in role always makes me curious as to how he will pull off his next role.  Of the actors in Hollywood that flood the tabloids, Pitt is the best.  And Moneyball is no exception to his fascinating career.   Working from an excellent script from Oscar-winners Steven Zallian (Schindler's List) and Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network), Pitt delivers the rapid-fire banter effortlessly.  As Billy Beane, the Oakland A's general manager, Pitt fleshes him out to make him a real person.  In one scene you see him trading players breathlessly over the phone, and in another, you see him listening to his daughter play music for him with a loving and caring look in his eyes.  In short, there are few male lead performances this year that can match Pitt's.  The only one that was more impressive was Dominic Cooper's in The Devil's Double.  

Great as Pitt was, Jonah Hill holds his own quite well playing Beane's assistant who creates the formulas that Beane uses to pick players most likely to succeed on his team.  The best moments in the film occur when he is conversing with Pitt, with the two throwing witticisms back and forth.  Hill, like Pitt, has a natural ease in this film and is an absolute pleasure to watch.  

Sorkin and Zallian's script is flat-out electrifying.  They do not focus on the game of baseball as much as the behind-the-scenes work which is a breath of fresh air considering that every other sports film focuses on the "inspirational true story" that has everyone on their feet clapping by the end.  As mentioned before, the dialogue that these two brilliant writers give their actors is ingenious and keeps the laughs coming.  They do not overplay the situations, giving the film a low-key feel.  The back-and-forth exchanges between Pitt and Hill are similar to the one between Jesse Eisenberg and Rooney Mara at the beginning of The Social Network.  With words thrown back and forth like tennis volleys, the viewer is on the edge of their seat every step of the way trying to keep up with the pace.  In one word, brilliant.

Though the acting and script were phenomenal, I did have one slight problem: the pacing.  Though the final forty minutes were some of the best that I've seen this entire year, there is a chunk in the first part that moves a little too slowly.  However, do not let me discourage you from seeing the movie with that criticism.  If you do not see it because of reading that, you are making a grave mistake.

In total, Moneyball is one of the year's best films so far.  If you go see the film for nothing but Pitt, that will be enough.  He's that good.  If you see this film, you will be delighted to find a witty, fun, and enlightening film to take your teens/sports fans to that will have you talking long after the credits roll.

3.5/4

-Joshua Handler

Drive Review

Drive Review

2011, 100 minutes

Rated R for strong brutal bloody violence, language, and some nudity

Starring Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan, Drive is, simply put, a work of cinematic art.  It is also the best picture of the year so far along with Tabloid.  What do these two films have in common?  They are both indie films.  And Drive shows what a great director and cast can do with the action genre indie-style.  Everything from the lighting, music (from Cliff Martinez, a name to look out for as he also did Contagion's music which was very different and original), and the camerawork is near perfect.  Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn (Cannes Best Director Winner) does a great job finding the right approach with the material.  He goes for a minimalistic style, which fits the material and Gosling's performance like a glove. 

Ryan Gosling, in another fantastic performance, plays The Driver to minimal and maximum effect.  He says (and everyone else for that matter) very few words, but the viewer knows what is going on inside him due to his facial expressions.  When conversing with Irene (Mulligan), a woman with whom he has fallen in love with, he does not say much, but we can see the love and happiness (two emotions rarely shown by The Driver in this film) flowing through him as a little smile appears on his face. 

Gosling, an actor who has shown his range of talent in films such as Lars and the Real Girl, Half Nelson, Crazy, Stupid, Love, and Blue Valentine (my #2 favorite film of 2010), demonstrates that he can still do more than already shown with The Driver.  I’m quite glad to see that he is catching on with audiences as he has had at least three film releases this year (Crazy, Stupid, Love, The Ides of March, and Drive).

Refn, a director known for his violent arthouse films, Valhalla Rising and Bronson proves that he is a director to watch out for.  In this film, he goes for lighting that evokes the softness of classic Hollywood noir and the colors of modern-day L.A.  He films everything with grace.  The action scenes, many of which are in slow motion, are extraordinarily shot and have enormous tension built up before exploding. 

Cliff Martinez’s score has a very electric feel to it along with a string of ‘80s europop songs.  These songs give the film a very European feel which suits the sleekness of the film wonderfully.  His original compositions are very simple, but convey the mood and rising tension of each scene.  They are electric and alive and greatly add to the film as a whole.

Drive’s action scenes, though few, are insanely intense due to the fact that they are very naturalistic (no blasting music, gunshots, or explosions).  One never knows when someone will be killed or seriously maimed.  Something could happen out of nowhere.  These scenes (as mentioned before) are mostly in slow motion, an effect that if overused (as in Watchmen) can become melodramatic, but if used right, as in this film can add to the overall effect.  One gets to savor the action and gets to really feel and see the savagery and violence being shown.  Though brutal, Drive’s violence feels natural as it just happens as a part of the story and no big deal is made.  The slow motion adds to the naturalistic effect as you see everything unfold as in a ballet.  One gunshot here, another there gracefully and slowly hitting the target, and then it is over.  Michael Bay needs to take a hint from Refn.

Overall, Drive is a masterpiece of modern cinema, but be warned, this film is not going to be for everyone as it essentially an arthouse film and does not have a lot of action or dialogue (as mentioned before).  It is also the most violent film (aside from The Devil's Double) that I have seen that has come out in 2011.  If you are up for a film such as this, by all means, go see it!

4/4
-Joshua Handler

Point Blank Review

Point Blank Review

2011, 84 minutes

Rated R for strong violence and language

Point Blank is a French action-thriller directed by Fred Cavayé and is 84 minutes of pure action.  Now, many films go wrong by making the film all about the action and not about the characters, but this lean, mean film is stronger and better than just about every action movie that has come out in past few months because it balances the story, characters, and action.  Point Blank is about an innocent man who goes on a hunt for his wife's kidnappers and uncovers secrets and conspiracies.  The premise for the film is pretty generic, but everything else completely makes up for it; the strongest of these being the fantastic acting by Gilles Lellouche, Elana Anaya, and Roschdy Zem.  

These three actors do a phenomenal job at making their characters come alive and not leaving them to be generic, one-dimensional characters.  They fill their roles with emotion.  Lellouche and Anaya play a couple in the film and have completely believable chemistry.  They look like ordinary people and look like friendly, normal, relatable people that you would find on the street.  In the film when they are in peril, we root for them every step of the way.  Towards the end of the film, there is an especially tense scene in which I was on the edge of my seat gripping the armrest in the theater.  This scene involved one of the main characters and seeing them in peril made me uncomfortable because I liked them so much.
The action in this film was nothing to laugh off either as it was well-filmed and appropriate as in it happened at the right time.  Action is a hard thing to film nowadays as movies keep becoming more and more generic as they try to be more and more elaborate.  In this film, the action filming is nothing special, but that is why it works.  The director didn't try too hard.  He doesn't go for the Michael Bay-all-out-action style, he uses no "shaky camera" style, and he keeps the camera in a place where the audience can discern what is going on.  This simplicity made the action thrilling.
Overall, Point Blank is one hell of an action movie that kept me interested and entertained.  Go see this if you can find it at one of your local theaters.  You won't be disappointed.

3.5/4
-Joshua Handler

Top 5 Films of the Summer-Joshua Handler

5. X-Men: First Class- What could have been yet another superhero reboot/origins story turned out to be a well-made, acted, and written production that is the best superhero film since The Dark Knight.  Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake, Kick-Ass) directed this film which could be a reason why it succeeded.  His films are always original with a twisted sense of humor.  His originality shows here as he creates a very original and entertaining origins story out of a half-dead franchise that wasn't great to start out with.  He creates a retro feel that really suits the film well.  The real standout of this film is Michael Fassbender as Magneto.  He puts emotion into Magneto making you feel for him and he creates a three-dimensional character.  You really feel for him.  Overall, see this film.  It is funny, action-packed, and truly delightful.

4. Rise of the Planet of the Apes- Like X-Men: First Class, ROTPOTA is another excellent reboot/origins story.  The most fascinating part about it is that it has very little action and a lot of story which is something many films nowadays lack.  Andy Serkis gives an amazing performance as Caesar, the lead ape.  This film was extremely entertaining and has some great action paired with a good story.

3. The Devil's Double- Many people probably have not heard of or seen The Devil's Double, but it is one of the most fascinating (although not completely true to history) films of the summer.  It tells the story of Latif Yahia, a man forced to be the bodyguard of Sadaam Hussein's sadistic eldest son, Uday.  The movie has a fairly conventional narrative and a few missteps towards the end, but that is completely made up for by lead actor Dominic Cooper who gives an astonishing double performance as both Latif and Uday.  Cooper, best known for his roles in Mamma Mia! and the stage production of The History Boys shows that he has the talent to be a leading man and star.  He plays Latif, a mild-mannered man next to Uday, a vile murdering rapist and for a while in the film I forgot that I was watching one actor, not two.  Overall, see this film because of Cooper and for the fact that it is quite entertaining.  But, be warned, it is one of the most sadistic and graphically violent films I've seen in theaters in quite some time.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2- What can I say?  This film is truly marvelous.  From the excellent cast who really show their acting chops to the production design, this film is a hands-down winner.  I won't say much more, so just see it if you haven't.  It is masterful.

1. Tabloid- Errol Morris' (The Fog of War, The Thin Blue Line) new documentary about Joyce McKinney and her scandal in the 1970's is truly astonishing.  It be the least well-known film on this list, but it is certainly the best.  It is told entirely through interviews which may sound boring, but isn't.  Not seeing much but faces makes your imagination work which makes the story even more outrageous than it already is.  I don't want to tell you too much so as not to give it away, but I can tell you that my mouth was on the floor by the time the 85-ish minutes were up.  I had to reattach my jaw after the lights went up.  I couldn't believe what I had just heard/seen.  This film does not have anything deep to say like many documentaries do, but it doesn't need to.  This film shows that documentaries don't have to have a message or be boring.  It shows that you can have fun while watching them.  SEE THIS FILM!!!  It is my current favorite of 2011.

Top 5 Summer Movies of 2011

                       By Max Sandler

                       5. Horrible Bosses

                         

                          By far the biggest surprise of the summer, Horrible Bosses was everything a comedy should be: funny, well written, and thoughtfully casted. The movie surrounds three friends who each work for the most obnoxious and antagonistic people you will ever meet (Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston, and Colin Farrell). When their bosses begin to significantly ruin their lives, they decide to work together to kill them. The movie is such a riot because it makes sure that the characters themselves are just as funny and memorable as the plot. Each boss is obnoxious in their own special way. When I laughed at these characters, I laughed at each one for a different reason. I haven’t seen a comedy with this many funny, memorable characters since “Billy Madison”. Spacy, Aniston, and Farrell steal the show due to their ability to portray characters with very distinctive personalities.

                         

                          4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

                         

                          The film itself is the best of the Potter movies. The plot is simplified: Harry must kill Voldemort before Voldemort kills him. It’s a straight forward “good verses evil” story, and the film is better off because of it. Also, some of the characters, particularly Voldemort, are more three dimensional in the new installment. In the third act, Voldemort starts to act insane when he realizes that Harry might defeat him. Therefore he’s not as confident as he was in the previous films. Yet this makes him more unpredictable and scarier. Overall, it was a great way to end a great series, even if the last scene was ridiculous (the adults look like teenagers dressing up as adults; believe me, it’s silly).

                          When the credits began to roll for Harry Potter, I realized that the cast of the film series has been beyond dedicated to the franchise for over a decade. With the exception of Dumbledore, the entire main cast has stayed the same for every film. Our generation has grown up with these characters. This is a cinematic achievement that will hopefully be recognized in the years to come.

                         

                          3. Captain America: The First Avenger

                         

                          This movie is great because it’s campy. It’s campy because the script feels like it was taken straight out of a comic book: the antagonist is the epitome of evil and the protagonist is the epitome of good; the main character falls in love; it’s beyond patriotic; and it’s a basic “good verses evil” story (no more and no less). The film is as cliché as it gets, and that’s the way a comic book movie should be. While I like movies like the Dark Knight for creating their own vision of a superhero, I love movies that are faithful to the feel of the original superhero while adapting them to modern film. Although Captain America has lines like, “I don’t like bullies”, the action scenes are the quality you would expect from a 2011 summer blockbuster. Even if you’re not a comic-book movie fan, check this one out.

                         

                         

                         

                          2. The Help

                         

                          The Help is an extremely moving story about a young Caucasian girl (Emma Stone) who interviews African-American housekeepers about their experiences working in white family homes in the 1960’s. The performances are what will make this movie memorable. Octavia Spencer blew me away with her outstanding performance in her portrayal of a strong and determined person. She should be nominated for an academy award. Bryce Dallas Howard also does a great job playing the meanest housewife you’ll ever meet. All of the characters are so engaging, this is sure to be one of those movies you wish would never end.

                         

                          1. Fright Night

                         

            Although I’m not a fan of horror movie remakes, I have to make an exception with Fright Night. Based off the 1985 original, Fright Night breathes new air into the classic. The film is based around a teen that lives in the suburbs of Las Vegas. One by one, his childhood friends begin to go missing. He eventually discovers that his next-door neighbor Jerry (Colin Farrell) is a vampire and that he is responsible for all of the missing people in the town. The rest of the movie is a battle to stay alive and to kill the vampire. What makes this stand out from other vampire movies is that all of the traditional vampire “rules” apply in Fright Night. Jerry can’t come into a house unless he’s invited, and holy water and sunlight can potentially kill him. The movie also succeeds to make fun of Twilight, which was pretty funny. But the best part about Fright Night was Colin Farrell’s performance. I never imagined him playing a vampire; yet he fit the part perfectly. He was confident and did an amazing job of making sure no one discovered he was a vampire. But he also acted very hungry. I know it sounds weird, but he looked at other people as if their blood were equivalent to a slice of pizza; and that’s how a vampire should act.

The Guard Review

The Guard Review

96 minutes, 2011

Rated R for pervasive language, some violence, drug material, and sexual content

The Guard is a film starring Brenden Gleason and Don Cheadle that was directed by John Michael McDonagh.  It is about a corrupt Irish policeman (Gleason) who teams up with an FBI agent (Cheadle) to solve a murder.  I really do not have a lot to say about this film because there isn't a lot to discuss.  The film suffers from a lack of a build-up to the climax, boring spots, and a serious lack of originality.  However, it does benefit from fantastic performances, good attention to detail, and some great jokes.

First off, the highlight of this film is watching Gleason and Cheadle at work.  These two actors who are completely different work marvelously together and have great chemistry.  Each one of them brings their own unique set of skills to the table, Gleason's charm and knack for comedy and Cheadle's likablity and noble presence.  Gleason, however, is best actor in this film as he is as foul-mouthed as he is strangely likable.  He delivers the jokes with perfect timing and is always up to something bad such as taking acid from a murder victim on the job.  This is where McDonagh's clever details kick in.  In the scene where Gleason takes acid, a little smiley face flashes across the screen as it starts to kick in.  Certain details like that and witty comments are what the film coasts upon and are what make it enjoyable.

However much wit and charm The Guard has, it still lacks originality.  This film is very similar to every other fish-out-of-water or buddy cop movie that has ever been made.  Yes, some have made great original additions to each of these genres, The Guard fails to do so.  Also, the film has some moments where nothing happens.  I do realize that McDonagh was aiming for a low-key, dryly funny film, but it sometimes tries too hard for that and that ends up bogging it down.  Finally, due to the lack of interest in some parts, the main story gets lost in the mix.  This doesn't help especially when the climax comes out of left field.  Due to the lost and slowly-moving story, the climax doesn't come after a build-up which makes the pacing uneven.

Overall, The Guard is a perfectly entertaining film that is nice to see if you want a laugh on a Saturday afternoon.  While I would not highly recommend it to everyone (for the reasons mentioned above, and also the dark sense of humor could be off-putting), it is still a nice way to pass time and watch two amazing actors work off of each other.  If you want a better film with the same sense of humor, watch In Bruges which was directed by John Michael McDonagh's brother, Martin and also stars Brenden Gleason.

3/4

-Joshua Handler

Underrated/Forgotten Films of the Week

Underrated/Forgotten Films of the Week

Shadow of the Vampire- This film details the making of the classic vampire film Nosferatu and the battle fought between its star and director.  This film definitely takes liberties with the facts (you'll see what I mean) and John Malkovich's acting is not great, but that is more than made up for by the creepy atmosphere and Willem Dafoe's Oscar-nominated performance as the Nosferatu star, Max Shrek, the ultimate method actor.  His performance is one of the greatest in cinema history.

Reversal of Fortune- This 1990 film details the real story of Claus von Bulow, a man who was charged with the attempted murder of his wife, and how he uses a lawyer to try to reverse his fortune/sentence.  The film stars Jeremy Irons in a delightfully creepy, Oscar-winning turn as von Bulow, and Glenn Close as his wife.  Reversal of Fortune was nominated for two more Oscars: Best Director (Barbet Schroeder) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Nicholas Kazan).  It is incredibly entertaining and has very wide appeal.