Moonrise Kingdom Review

 

Confused looking adults looking for their kids is Moonrise Kingdom

Moonrise Kingdom

 A+ 

 A Review by Frederick Cholowski

Every year there is at least one film that comes out in June or early July that reinvigorates my spirit for the rest of the year to come. In 2009 it was Michal Mann’s underrated Public Enemies, in 2010 it was the animated dynamite Toy Story 3, in 2011 it was Terrence Malick’s masterpiece the Tree of Life, and this year it’s the small and whimsical Wes Anderson gem Moonrise Kingdom. Moonrise Kingdom is a magical, emotional, often time’s funny, and always an absolute blast to watch. 

Moonrise Kingdom follows two outcast kids, an orphan scout Sam (newcomer Jared Gilman), and a violent and depressed girl who lives with a large family Suzy (newcomer Kara Hayward) who, after being pen pals for about a year, run away to an island together. Hot on their tales is a dysfunctional search team. The featured searchers are scout master Ward (Edward Norton), the head of the town’s police force Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis), Suzy’s lawyer parents Walt and Laura (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), and a orphanage worker named Social Services (Tilda Swinton). Together they attempt to track down the couple as while as dealing with problems of their own.

The magic of a Wes Anderson film is that the characters seem to be the only ones in the film’s fantastical little world. Sure we are to believe that the film is set in a town in New England in the 1960’s but the town always has a superficial feeling too it. This never detracts from the emotional connection to the characters though as Anderson always finds the time to add substance to even the most offbeat moments; especially with the relationship between the two main characters. If I had one problem with the film is that at times it’s a little self indulgent and some of the shots are a little too painstakingly thought out for their own good. These problems, despite being present, never manage to take away from the sheer entertainment and emotional connection that Anderson achieves throughout the film. 

Most of this is to the credit of the amazing cast. Apparently (according to the very limited release) people don’t care about Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Francis McDormand, Edward Norton, and Tilda Swinton anymore. All of the supporting players are fantastic and keep this film together. Murray and McDormand work beautify as the unhappy laid back lawyer parents, Willis manages a fine performance as the dull, sad sack police man, Tilda Swinton is mean and nasty, and Edward Norton is amazingly deadpan throughout the whole movie. Much of the fun is through how straight the actors play each role. These are not actors acting like they’re in a comedy and it makes some of the more outrageous moments even funnier.

Of course the meat and potatoes of this film are the performances by the two leads; newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. Both performances are immaculate as you can feel how emotionally broken each one is from the first moments they’re on screen. Their relationship is fantastic and turns what could have been some weird and awkward scenes into scenes that carry true emotional power and weight.

This is a Wes Anderson so the visual style must be unique. In this case it’s the color; there is never a grey moment here with bright colors (especially greens and yellows) in almost every shot. Also the score is fantastic and mixes in old and odd songs with great original pieces that help set the tone and atmosphere. It all clicks too and it gives the film the tone of an adult fairy tale. Heck there’s even a narrator (Bob Balaban who has some of the funnier moments in the film).

Moonrise Kingdom is an amazing film that that delivers on both style and substance. It delivers a unique visual style along with a heartfelt tale of two young lovers trying to escape the real world. It also manages to be smart, funny, emotional, and a big breath of fresh air to the so far fairly stale opening half of 2012.

The Avengers Review

Iron Man and Captain America team up in The Avengers

 The Avengers

A+  

 A Review by Frederick Cholowski   

  

After prequel after prequel after prequel the long awaited Avengers movie has finally arrived. Expectations are super high for this massive mash up of Marvel superheroes. Fortunately, for the most part the Avengers is a fantastic film that delivers on being a big bombastic action film that is a blast to watch. 

For the most part all you need to know about the Avengers is that Thor’s grumpy, adopted, evil little brother Loki (Tom Hiddleson) is going to try and rule the world (I mean because what else is he going to try and do right) by opening a portal through a cube that is an infinite source of energy and raining an army of wired alien creatures to destroy Manhattan. Sound familiar? It’s up to good old Sam Jackson, I mean Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson who finally gets to appear in more than two scenes) to assemble a team of uncooperative super heroes that includes Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo replacing Edward Norton), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and the often forgotten about Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) to save the world. That’s pretty much all you need to know.

While the Avengers boasts a simple plot the amazing thing is that director Joss Whedon dose is manage to intertwine 6-7 separate storylines and motivations into a single simple two and a half hour film that allows all the characters to fill each of their respective roles. In other words he does what the X men films have failed to do for year. Whedon succeeds by not trying to give equal screen time to all the characters. The most interesting characters are given the most screen time and for the most part carry the movie (for example Robert Downey JR’s brilliant Iron Man eats up a ton of screen time while Black Widow plays around in the background). The Avengers also surprisingly manages to hit a number of interesting character moments that really help flesh out the superheroes and their individual intentions. The one problem I have with the film is that the some of the relationships feel out of place (while the Hawkeye and Black Widow thing gives Jeremy Renner something to do it’s really rushed, same with the whole Thor and Loki dysfunctional brotherly relationship) and that some things aren’t really explained properly and rushed over (nuclear energy weapons and Hulk can suddenly control himself say hi). Overall, these things can be forgiven due to the fantastic pace and character control that is kept up throughout the film.

Robert Downey Jr. rules this film, period. He is the actor who gets the most screen time by far and it’s definitely for a good reason, he absolutely is dazzling in every scene he is in. It’s also great to see Sam Jackson being awesome (complete with eye patch and handgun) in a role that manages to be more than an extended cameo. Here Nick Fury is the glue that binds the dysfunctional characters together and who believes in them all. The surprise of the film is Mark Ruffalo who is the best Hulk yet (even over the always great Edward Norton). Ruffalo manages to bring a human nature to Banner that has never been achieved in past Hulk outings. The rest of the cast all works with no one feeling lost or out of place which is a true achievement in this kind of film that could easily be an acting disaster.

When all is said and done the meat and potatoes of this film is the action, and man does it ever deliver. The best part of the film is that it ramps it up to 11 and never let’s go. Action scenes have a great pulse to them and are constantly fun and energetic. The great thing about each scene is that they are multi layered enough to hold interest but clear enough to follow everything that is going on throughout the scenes. The cinematography is big and wide open, always focusing at multiple things at a time. It really gives a sense of scale in the bigger fight scenes and gives a certain feel to the character moments that feel important and tense. The score is nothing special, but neither does it get in the way as it provides big noises when big noises are needed.

The Avengers Rocks, Period. While it’s not The Dark Knight, it’s certainly is a game changer for big comic bookie superhero films of the future. The expectation is now go big or go home while still keeping a solid character basis. The Avengers is big, bombastic and really, really fun as well as being a great start to the summer blockbuster season.

Catching up on DVD: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Review

Rooney Mara being Quizzical in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

A+

A Review by Frederick Cholowski

 

Only a year after Niels Arden Oplev’s Swedish adaptation of the popular murder mystery novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (aka the best film of 2010) hit American theaters, David Fincher’s English adaptation hit screens. The latest adaptation features an all star English cast along with one of the best working directors and one of the best working writers today. The result is a moody, atmospheric adaptation that is every bit as good if not better than its Swedish predecessor.

For those not familiar with the story by now, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo follows the stories of down and out journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) and of the weird and tortured punk researcher Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara). Blomkvist’s career has just been shattered after he was set up with fake evidence involving a scandal regarding a high up business man. During Christmas celebrations he is hired by Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plumber) to investigate the apparent murder of his most loved niece Harriet in exchange for a large sum of cash and information that could help him dig Blomkvist out of the hole he is in. The twist on the murder is that it happened 40 plus years ago and no trace has ever been found. Meanwhile Lisbeth is going through tough times with her new sexually abusive guardian Niels Bjurman (Yorick van Wageningen). Soon the two paths cross and each attempt to solve the age old mystery.

The story is nothing new but the way it is this story has been presented feels fresh and new. First off Lisbeth has always been a fantastic character and arguably one of the best female characters ever written. Atmosphere has always been a key factor to these films as well and in this film the atmosphere is creepier and chillier than the Swedish offering. The fantastic cinematography and editing soar in this film taking center stage in developing the always cold winter of Hempstead Sweden.

Another thing with the Girl with The Dragon Tattoo is that it is all about the characters and their stories rather than the mystery itself. In this aspect director David Fincher and screenwriter Steve Zillian do a superior job to the Swedish version. The supporting characters feel way more fleshed out in this version than in Oplev’s version. For example the relationship between Blomkvist and his long time editor of the magazine (as well as sex partner) Erika Beger (Robin Wright) is way more complicated and developed than in the Swedish film adding a new layer of complexity to Blomkvist as a character.

Acting wise Rooney Mara steals the show and never gives it up. There seems to be something about the character of Lisbeth Salander that creates stars. It happened with Noomi Repace and it happens again here, despite them being radically different portrayals. The LIsbeth in this film is more vulnerable and human than the Lisbeth portrayed in the Swedish version. Both performances are fantastic but due to some writing decisions I find Rooney’s Lisbeth more compelling. Craig shows some range as Mikael and he never becomes bond or action star 101. Instead he is calm and level headed and he also feels vulnerable and shattered. The supporting cast is wonderful too with the always amazing Christopher Plumber leading the way as the old slightly unstable Henrik Vanger.

Another shout out has to go to the editing and the cinematography as they are both fantastic. Each set up a mood that is uncompromisingly dark and chilly. The fantastic score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross adds to the atmosphere as well. Also the film is even more edgy and violent than the Swedish version with beginning with the “James Bond intro from hell” all the way to the stunningly violent climax. It’s hard to believe that Fincher got an R rating with some of the scenes in this film.

Overall Fincher’s adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a fantastic film and one of the best of 2011. My mind will rage on about witch film is better the Swedish or the American but overall it can be said that together the two films can easily surpass the material it is based upon.

The Hunger Games Review

Katniss is walked to her potential doom in The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

B+

A Review by Frederick Cholowski

Following the lead of Harry Potter and Twilight the latest teen book sensation, The Hunger Games, is hitting the big screen. The film helmed by acclaimed director Gary Ross (Seabiscut, Pleasantville) has massive expectations to live up to, with legions of fangirls and fanboys hotly anticipating the adaption. Fortunately the Hunger Games manages to pass the level of most teen book adaptation providing a film that has appeal for both adults and teenagers alike.

The Hunger Games is set in a post apocalyptic world in which North America is divided into 12 districts each with their own specific purpose. Each year each district has to give up 2 children ages 12-18 (one male one female) to fight to death in a broadcast battle called the Hunger Games. The lone survivor gets eternal riches and brings pride to their district. Cue Catniss Everdeen (Jenifer Lawrence), a young woman of the extremely poor district 12 who is forced to volunteer after her younger sister Prim (Willow Shields) was chosen. Her and the male tribute Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) are whisked away with their drunken mentor Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) to face the press and then soon enough the games themselves.

The main flaw of the narrative is that it feels rushed up until the actual fighting begins. Despite the film being long (144 minutes) it never gives itself enough time to develop the world or some of the characters. As a result the first hour or so just feels like the filmmakers trying to move forward to all the bullet points of the first two thirds of the book. It’s not bad filmmaking by any stretch of the imagination it just feels a little bit incomplete. The other thing is that most of the tributes just feel like redcoats that are just there to be killed. Katniss never has to make any strong moral choices on whether to kill them she just kind of kills them. Most of them just feel like they have no payoff and are just ghost characters.

Despite these complaints the narrative here is very solid. There is a good screenplay and solid pacing that move the film forward. The direction is solid too using a lot of shaky cam and up-close shots to get a personal feel. The film is never glossy or superficial; instead the shots are personal and gritty and give off a more believable feel. The soundtrack is ambient for the most part, peaking and falling when needed. Nothing stands out as super amazing, although it is nice that no big pop hits are played until after the credits role.

Lawrence as usual is fantastic; she truly is one of if not the best young actress around. She brings vulnerability and innocence to Katniss and for the most part carries the film. Hutcherson is fine here although his relationship with Catniss is hit and miss throughout. The other standout acting wise is Harrelson who is fantastic as Haymitch. He’s dark character who despite the drinking problem rallies behind the District 12 tributes. He also gives the film a true sobering look at what the games can do to the winners and gives the film some well needed atmosphere.

Despite its flaws the Hunger Games is one of the best teen book to movie adaptations. It’s better than the first Harry Potters and significantly better than Eragon or Twilight. The script and acting are solid and the film doesn’t attempt to be flashy. While it misses the mark of greatness The Hunger Games is a great way of starting out this season of blockbusters.

           

The Revised Top 10 films of 2011

The Top 10 of 2011

  An article by Frederick Cholowski

So it’s list time again, time for some fun. I have started revisiting my lists after Oscar time every year because of the fact that I don’t have a chance to see some of the films I wanted to see before the year is over (not being a paid critic and not having access to press screenings doesn’t help). Despite this I still haven’t had the chance to see two movies that might have maybe made this list, Shame and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (witch when seen will be considered for the 2012 list). So here we go the new, improved (hopefully) best of 2011.

Honorable mentions (films that made the first list but got booted out of the new one): The Adventures of Tintin, Harry Potter 7 part 2, J Edgar, Super 8

10. Midnight in Paris

Woody Allen returns to form with a delightful romp through the wonders of classic Paris. Owen Wilson charms and the city Paris dazzles in this pitch perfect feel good film. Let’s hope this film sparks a streak Allen’s best kind of film, charming feel good comedies with fun inventive scripts.

9. Rango

The only mainstream animated film not offered in 3D also happened to be the best. Surprised? Rango was crazy fun with references of old westerns, fantastic action sequences, and a script that appealed more towards an older crowd. Unique and fun Rango manages to be the best non Pixar animated film that has come around in a long time.

8. Margin Call

One of this year’s little indie films that could Margin Call provided an intense look into a company on the verge of financial collapse. Driven by A list talent (Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons to name a couple) and a tightly woven script Margin Call is an excellent example of what first time directors can achieve.

7. Take Shelter

Yet another example of an indie film that turned out to be fantastic. Fueled by a fantastic performance by Michael Shannon and from master direction from Jeff Nichols give take shelter a frightening intensity. The film is easily one of the most intense thrillers and interesting case studies to come out in 2011.

6. Hugo

Easily the best family film to be released this year, Hugo is a wondrous and charming experience. The look, the feel, and yes the 3D all contributed to a fantastic film headed up by the greatest living director Martin Scorsese; Yes a Martin Scorsese film without killing, the mob or Robert De Niro, and yet it is still fantastic. Times have certainly changed.

5. Martha Marcy May Marlene

Despite having a title that doesn’t quite roll of the tong Martha Marcy May Marlene is a thriller that cannot be forgotten. Elizabeth Olsen gives the best female performance this year and first time, writer, director Sean Durkin delivers a tightly woven script and fantastic direction that make this film so mesmerizing. The intensity of this film is off the charts and it builds to an ending that left me absolutely breathless. Frightening and exciting Martha Marcy May Marlene must not be missed.

4. The Descendants

Alexander Payne delivers yet another slice of Drama-Comedy goodness. The script, the acting, and the beautiful cinematography help flesh out what could have been just another film in Hawaii. Payne never fails on giving us a blend of beautiful drama and black comedy and he hasn’t started with this fantastic piece of film making.

3. Drive

Drive is what happens when an action film actually tries to be unique and, well, good. Cult Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn delivers with a brutal action thriller that also has time for characters and plot. It’s refreshing to see an action film that spends its first 40 minutes making room for the things that matter. That doesn’t detract from the action though as it each sequence is pulse pounding and intense. That mixed with the best score of the year (who knew techno pop would make such a compelling soundtrack) creates the best action movie of the year.

2. The Artist

What is left to say about this film that someone else hasn’t already said? Compelling and unique The Artist takes an Idea that has been dead since the era it is replicating and makes it cool again. It also has the best male performance of the year given by the French comedian Jean Dujardin who looks sounds and feels like a silent movie star. My message is don’t be scared of the silence or the black and white because if you do you are missing out on a magical piece of film making that no one should miss.

1. The Tree of Life

Ambitious, powerful and challenging, there is no other film this year like the Tree of Life. The film is an absolute feast of creativity and style all the while challenging the way stories can be told in mainstream media. Mixed in between is a wonderful coming of age story told through memory like wisps of sight and sound. While there are many wonderful films in 2011 none are as masterful or ambitious as The Tree of Life.

Catching up on DVD: Drive Review

Ryan Gosling is performing maintenance on cars in Drive

Drive

A+

A Review by Frederick Cholowski

Action movies have had an identity crisis over the last decade. The genre has been tarnished by over reliance on special effects and little reliance on characters or a comprehensible plot. Then there is Drive, an action movie from cult Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn that hits all the right notes. It’s fast paced and action pact but at the same time takes its time to do the most important things such as develop characters and set up a plot.

  

 Drive follows the unnamed, silent protagonist simply named Driver (Ryan Gosling) who is a movie stuntman by day and a criminal getaway driver at night. He soon becomes friends with a neighbor Irene and her kid Benicio (Carey Mulligan and Kaden Leos) and continues to work with his right hand man Shannon (Bryan Cranston). During a heist gone wrong Irene’s husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) is shot and Driver has money that belongs to two high class gangsters Bernie and Nino (Albert Brooks and Ron Periman). This starts a cat and mouse like chase between Driver who is trying to keep his new found family and Shannon safe and Bernie and Nino who will stop at nothing to get what they want.

  

 The magic of Drive is that the first forty minutes is devoted to developing the characters. By the time the big events go down the characters are developed enough to the point that we truly like them and hope they come out on top. Another great thing about Drive is its constant levels of suspense that build throughout the film. You never know if Driver is going to live or end up six feet under so the film keeps you on your toes the whole way through.

Once the action starts it is brutal and uncompromising. Refn has a certain edge to the violence that is reminiscent of Tarantino and Rodriguez. The best part is that Refn also leaves a bit up to the imagination making for some truly brutal possibilities.

While Gosling isn’t all that big or muscular he is probably one of the best silent action heroes in many years. He doesn’t say much but his performance is described by his facial expressions and his actions. He doesn’t use a gun but the way he kills is uncompromising and brutal; and being a drama star Gosling is able to give a fine performance when not on the prowl. Mulligan is great and provides an innocence to the role she is given. The rest of the supporting cast works as well with Cranston, Brooks, and Periman all giving solid supporting performances.

Technically Drive looks, sounds and moves fantastically. The opening six minutes of the film (arguably the best part) is a pulse pounding heist scene that involves much planning and precision. The scene uses beautiful establishing shots of LA mixed with close almost claustrophobic shots of Gosling. In all the movie also has a very 1980’s feeling with hot pink titles, stylized action, and one of the best techno pop scores I have ever heard.

All in all Drive is an amazing action movie and one of the best films period to be released in 2011. The mix of pulse pounding action and character development all melds together in one flashy package. Drive is a fantastic film and is one action movie that shouldn’t be ignored.