Energetic adaptation which captures the essence of the Great American Novel, even if not a slavish period piece (in case you were wondering, no, there was no hip hop in the 1920s, but there was Gershwin, and mixing the two is classic Luhrmann). The verbatim passage readings by Tobey Maguire work surprisingly well, and remind us of F Scott Fitzgerald’s literary aplomb. Solid acting from Leonardo di Caprio (Gatsby) and Carey Mulligan (Daisy). Better than expected meditation on societal shallowness, selfishness, idealism, love, loss and the creative process (though I don’t know why it had to be in 3D).
Category Archives: Film Reviews
The Great Gatsby (2013, dir. Baz Luhrmann): energetic adaptation for modern audiences, though why the 3D?
Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013, dir. JJ Abrams): JJ’s ultimately lazy take on 1982’s classic Wrath of Khan
Finally got around to seeing it in IMAX 3D: a quality sci-fi action flick, and better than JJ Abrams’ 2009 reboot. For Trekkies ** spoiler alert ** yes, this is Abrams’ take on Wrath of Khan + copious lens flare + latest gen CGI + lots of action, but minus the Shakespearean/Dickensian references and not as tightly plotted, e.g. the foreshadowing in the film only comes from throwbacks to the 1982 movie, which seems kind of lazy. Though I really don’t get all of Abrams’ secrecy around the villian’s identity prior to the film’s release. Speaking of which, Cumberbatch is characteristically good.
If Abrams repeats this performance with Star Wars 7, it will be a hit, and certainly better than the prequels, but it won’t be a great classic – constant action and lens flare plus a few zippy one-liners does not make up for a lack of soul …
Oblivion (2013, dir. Joseph Kosinski): competent, but diet bland version of more powerful antecedent sci-fi
Competent sci-fi thriller, though plays as a diet bland version of more powerful sci-fi that has gone before, e.g. even Cruise’s prior Minority Report (2002). Like Inception (2010), there’s a twisty action mystery plot, however in Oblivion it is telegraphed a bit too much. Or just like Nolan’s opus, there’s also a potentially philosophical and romantic angle which never quite packs the lyrical or dramatic punch that it could. The graphics are great, especially in IMAX.
Speaking of CGI, this is sadly not the movie of the Elder Scrolls game (though Oblivion or Skyrim could make impressive films, Dovahkiin). And Oblivion’s ending seemed derivative of the controversial climax to the Mass Effect trilogy. Maybe it says something when computer games’ stories can now be more compelling than movies’?
Oscars 2013: a disappointing showering of love for Affleck’s Argo
Of the acting awards I can support all 4 (Jennifer Lawrence for SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, Daniel Day Lewis for LINCOLN, Anne Hathaway for LES MISERABLES and Christoph Waltz for DJANGO UNCHAINED), plus Ang Lee for directing LIFE OF PI – but I was very disappointed with the Academy for showering Ben Affleck with love for ARGO (best picture).
It was a good movie, but simply not as a great as any of the others that were nominated – how about any of those 5 above + ZERO DARK THIRTY, for a start? We’ve seen the Academy dole out gongs ‘retroactively’ for snubs of prior superior work (e.g. Martin Scorcese finally winning for THE DEPARTED), but Ben Affleck’s previous movies don’t qualify there. Or maybe the insular delusion of “Hollywood saves the day” was just too tempting not to vote for (more cynically, maybe they thought that every extra viewer who sees the film because it won, and can be brainwashed as to Hollywood’s social value, is worth compromising the integrity of the award). Either way, badly played Academy voters, badly played.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012, dir. David O. Russell): an exceptionally good rom-com
Contrary to popular opinion, I will willingly watch and enjoy a rom-com if it’s exceptionally good; such a film only comes along once every 2-3 years, and happily this one’s fits the bill 🙂 … A fresh take on the rom-com formula, with sassy Juno or Little Miss Sunshine-like script and dialog, two very appealing leads, and great acting from the whole cast (including Robert De Niro in his best recent role, and Bradley Cooper going from strength to strength), but the standout has to be Jennifer Lawrence’s Oscar-worthy performance. Even included a meta reference to her Hunger Games alter ego via a speech about The Lord of the Flies. Though I have to say we particularly enjoyed Cooper’s diatribe about Ernest Hemingway which invited parallels to the recent disappointments of Julian Fellowes’ Downton Abbey.
Zero Dark Thirty (2012, dir. Kathryn Bigelow): complex, politically ambiguous, well executed, fictionalized account of the Bin Laden takedown
“We don’t know what we don’t know”
“What the f*ck does that mean?”
(Take that, Mr Rumsfeld)
Gripping yarn of CIA agent ‘Maya’ and her single-minded 12-year quest to hunt down Bin Laden. However, it will likely forfeit Best Picture at the Oscars due to the controversy around its alleged support for torture, e.g. the film doesn’t show all the false leads generated that wasted the CIA’s time. It does provide fascinating insight into how an intelligence officer operates, though on this count the movie has been criticized by CIA agents for over-egging the indiivdual hunches and contributions of ‘Maya’ (and underplaying teamwork and the reams of boring desk analysis).
Django Unchained (2012, dir. Quentin Tarantino): QT’s best since Pulp Fiction
Tarantino’s best film since Pulp Fiction – there’s a remote chance the Academy might throw him a bone on this one since they snubbed him in 1994 in favour of the interminably bad Forrest Gump (anyone remember that one?) However, not impressed that Quentin is copying JJ Abrams – all this lens flare everywhere, offing his cameo character in the same way as Ilana Verdansky (Jacob’s bounty hunter follower on Lost), plus random guys with Australian accents in the 19th century American deep south are the new Star Trek redshirts …
Les Miserables (2012, dir. Tom Hooper): Occupy the Oscars!
“Occupy the Oscars!” Tom Hooper’s movie of the British staging of the French musical of the 1862 Hugo novel is a must-see for anyone who appreciates epic stories, contemporary musicals or well-crafted cinema in general. Warning for those who are not already fans of the musical: some effort is required to enjoy this masterpiece, not unlike the attention needed for a screening of Jackson’s LOTR trilogy, but still much less than a classical opera.
Hooper has chosen a straight up-and-down adaptation, with the only risk he’s taken to have the actors sing “in scene” (not lip-synched). In general this works well, but the trade-off is that the soundtrack will not be a perfect concert-hall recording – though combined with the excellent on-screen acting and cinematography, it’s suitably epic and powerful. Anne Hathaway’s Fantine is deserving of a Best Supporting Actress gong on the strength of her show-stopping solo. Hugh Jackman’s Valjean is a solid contender for Best Actor, and newcomer Eddie Redmayne’s Marius impresses. On the other hand, Russell Crowe’s Javert is merely serviceable. And Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter’s comic Thénardiers were unexpectedly understated.
My only (admittedly minor) quibbles are that Hooper could have taken more creative risks. E.g. musically, Samantha Bark’s Eponine numbers might have gone more jazzy/soul, and the requisite new-song-for-the-film ‘Suddenly’ sounds manufactured for a Best Original Song nod by taking inspiration from past syrupy Disney/Pixar winners. On the staging front, they could have changed up on the repeated close-ups of every soloist’s tonsils (yes we get it, they’re not lip-synching), and the entr’acte CGI tracking shots up into the air and down again.
Life of Pi (2012, dir. Ang Lee): cements Lee as one of the most versatile directors of our generation
Triumphant adaptation of the Man Booker Prize winning novel, Life of Pi works both for kids as a high seas survival adventure (plus Bengal tiger), and for adults, a meditation on the porous boundary between faith and imagination. e.g. Miss 3yo’s verdict: “It was better than Diego!” Certain to attract a host of Oscar noms, including the majors and the technicals (for the 3D effects).
Cements Ang Lee as one of the most versatile directors of our generation, capable of taking on even ‘unfilmable’ challenges, such as the Watchowski’s creditable take on Cloud Atlas earlier this year. I wonder if he’s on the shortlist for SW7-9? 🙂
Lincoln (2012, dir. Steven Spielberg): an historical “West Wing”
An historical “West Wing”. Focuses the action on the political drama around getting the House to pass the Thirteenth Amendment during January 1865, abolishing slavery before the Civil War ended and the moment passed. Brilliant Oscar-worthy performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, and an occasionally sparkling script based on historian Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”
O how the Republican party has fallen! Spielberg showcases its glorious beginnings as the party of Lincoln: socially progressive, concerned with long-run social justice and economic prosperity (some rich people would lose big, and states’ rights would be trodden on, but that was not an issue), open to compromise and willing to put aside ideology to move the ball forward. If the Republicans of today can recapture this spirit and be inclusive of all 100%, they can start winning elections handily and keep Democrats on their toes.
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