Fences is a little movie about really solid character study and deeply rooted acting but it had little else to offer me. Denzel Washington and Viola Davis are really great in their roles. They both had moments where they really broke through and got to me, talking about how life gets away rom you, how your obligations bury you if you aren't careful and how easy it is to mow your own needs and desires under the burden of day to day living. Those powerful monologues really stood out and captivated.
On the whole though, the film was fairly repetitive and lacked visual interest. I have seen Fences as a play and I think it succeeds better with the live element working for it.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Silence
I admit that I felt wary of watching Silence, a Scorcese epic piece about Christianity. This journey did not sound at all appealing to me. But from the first frame he had my attention. A spooky, smoky foreign world of conflict and brutality unfolded right before me, with beauty and dread in equal measure. After watching Fences directed by Denzel Washington and Mel Gibson's current effort, Martin Scorcese reminded me what real film making looks like. Or used to, anyway.
I had a little trouble accepting Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield as Portuguese Jesuit priests. They just read as slightly douchey millennials for the first 30 minutes or so. But that's ok. I had nearly three hours to adjust to them and did finally accept them.
The film deals with how Japan's rulers set about to ruthlessly eradicate Christianity from their country. They hunted and tortured Christians, yes. But in this story a great deal of time and resources were spent on psychologically breaking the priests and forcing them to apostatize, or publicly renounce their faith.
Faith is such a loaded subject. It's hard to imagine a story about religion not tilting into propaganda for some sort of conservative or liberal agenda. Silence asked a lot of tough questions without leading you toward any predetermined answers, which I appreciated. Can you have an inner faith without an outer expression of it? Do any two people experience their beliefs in the same way? Is there only one interpretation of Christ-like behavior? Who gets to decide? Are the rules of a doctrine more important than the people who subscribe to it?
I appreciated the absolute mastery of skill. Beautiful imagery throughout; beauty in service of story is so magical! Editor Thelma Schoonmaker sets a patient, prayerful pace that somehow doesn't drag and kill your desire to keep following along. Gods, I love her!
I was thoroughly surprised by my own enjoyment of this film. I'm disappointed Silence didn't attract a little more Oscar love.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
This sums up 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi better than any thing I could write: For Your Consideration.
Did you watch that? Please watch that.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is nominated for Sound Mixing. I have rarely heard such amazingly exaggerated and over-done sound! Every bullet fired has about 20 different sound components to it. This must have been a lot of work for the Sound Mixers!
I'm glad these Sound Mixers are getting recognition. I once worked on a mix stage the week after a Michael Bay mix had wrapped. The mixers practically had PTSD because they had to sit with him for so long. Apparently, they were instructed to never look him in the eye. If that's true, what a jack ass!
Did you watch that? Please watch that.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is nominated for Sound Mixing. I have rarely heard such amazingly exaggerated and over-done sound! Every bullet fired has about 20 different sound components to it. This must have been a lot of work for the Sound Mixers!
I'm glad these Sound Mixers are getting recognition. I once worked on a mix stage the week after a Michael Bay mix had wrapped. The mixers practically had PTSD because they had to sit with him for so long. Apparently, they were instructed to never look him in the eye. If that's true, what a jack ass!
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Hell or High Water
Trigger Warning: Political Content
Hell or High Water is about some bank robbers in modern day Texas and the Jeff Bridges' character who tries to stop them. In fact, Jeff Bridges is nominated. I guess that makes sense? All the acting is solid in this film, but I'm not sure he was an obvious stand out.
Someone told me in advance that this film is about the misunderstood Trump voters. These are the rural Americans who are desperate and suffer in poverty and who live with no hope at all. The film opens on a bit of graffiti that states there have been no bailouts for veterans. In fact, throughout we are treated to billboards, signs and advertisements that offer quick cash loans, debt relief and financial assistance. It is woven into their scenery, a part of the landscape. These are the Americans who see nothing positive about the future, but long for a past to which they cannot return. Not a single character big or small in the movie appears to have any satisfaction about their life whatsoever, with the possible exception of Jeff Bridge's, who may enjoy his job and is not looking forward to retirement.
I was fascinated by the tone of this movie. It is, in fact, a Robin Hood story. However, it is not glorified or celebrated, just reported. The bank robbers are clearly making bad choices throughout and while you might understand their plight, I felt no pull toward cheering them on. I imagine the consensus might be different at a screening in rural Texas?
As I watched, the documentary I Am Not Your Negro was brought to mind. In that doc James Baldwin talks about watching American westerns at the cinema as a child. He speaks of John Wayne and explains that even as a child it was clear to him that only white men were entitled to revenge. No people of color in the movies were ever urged on toward revenge, but it appeared to be the celebrated birthright of white men. That sort of blew my mind.
So here is a modern day movie that does present sympathetic characters on their white man's quest. I'm happy to see that today, though some may still hold to the quest, it is not so easily exalted.
The film is also lovely. The washed out color palette of the movie is consistent and pleasing and a reminder that everything is this world is fading and past its prime. I tend to not favor westerns, but I found Hell or High Water thought provoking and enjoyable!
Hell or High Water is about some bank robbers in modern day Texas and the Jeff Bridges' character who tries to stop them. In fact, Jeff Bridges is nominated. I guess that makes sense? All the acting is solid in this film, but I'm not sure he was an obvious stand out.
Someone told me in advance that this film is about the misunderstood Trump voters. These are the rural Americans who are desperate and suffer in poverty and who live with no hope at all. The film opens on a bit of graffiti that states there have been no bailouts for veterans. In fact, throughout we are treated to billboards, signs and advertisements that offer quick cash loans, debt relief and financial assistance. It is woven into their scenery, a part of the landscape. These are the Americans who see nothing positive about the future, but long for a past to which they cannot return. Not a single character big or small in the movie appears to have any satisfaction about their life whatsoever, with the possible exception of Jeff Bridge's, who may enjoy his job and is not looking forward to retirement.
I was fascinated by the tone of this movie. It is, in fact, a Robin Hood story. However, it is not glorified or celebrated, just reported. The bank robbers are clearly making bad choices throughout and while you might understand their plight, I felt no pull toward cheering them on. I imagine the consensus might be different at a screening in rural Texas?
As I watched, the documentary I Am Not Your Negro was brought to mind. In that doc James Baldwin talks about watching American westerns at the cinema as a child. He speaks of John Wayne and explains that even as a child it was clear to him that only white men were entitled to revenge. No people of color in the movies were ever urged on toward revenge, but it appeared to be the celebrated birthright of white men. That sort of blew my mind.
So here is a modern day movie that does present sympathetic characters on their white man's quest. I'm happy to see that today, though some may still hold to the quest, it is not so easily exalted.
The film is also lovely. The washed out color palette of the movie is consistent and pleasing and a reminder that everything is this world is fading and past its prime. I tend to not favor westerns, but I found Hell or High Water thought provoking and enjoyable!
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Sully
Breaking News: Sully is a film about Aaron Eckhart's fake mustache. And frankly, I need to know more. Did the mustache help land the plane? Has the mustache been properly vetted by the TSA? Does this mustache have an agent, or what???
The Good News: Sully starts right off with the airplane already disabled and the pilot, Chesley Sullenberger already making critical assessments. I'm so grateful we didn't begin with some "normal morning" scenario trying to build false suspense to a plane crash (er, uh...forced landing) that we all already know about.
The Good News: Sully starts right off with the airplane already disabled and the pilot, Chesley Sullenberger already making critical assessments. I'm so grateful we didn't begin with some "normal morning" scenario trying to build false suspense to a plane crash (er, uh...forced landing) that we all already know about.
Tom Hanks is an excellent actor, obviously.
It is somewhat interesting that Sully was worried about his job and reputation in the week that followed his landing on the Hudson, while all of us at home already considered him a hero. That held my attention for about five to ten minutes.
The Bad news: This movie was pretty boring. It takes place entirely in crappy hotel rooms, crappy hotel meeting rooms and on long phone calls between Sully and his wife where they talk about the finances. I wish I was making this up!
The color palette of the whole thing looked like slightly graying cottage cheese or old faded mustard stains. Not appealing to the eyes at all! You had endless swatches to choose from, Clint Eastwood, and these are the ones you picked? I'm confident that your choice was deliberate, it just wasn't effective or pleasing.
This was nominated for sound editing. I apologize to the sound editors, I couldn't really focus on their work, which may have been quite good? I can't really think of much sound other than plane engines, so, yeah, I don't know.
This was nominated for sound editing. I apologize to the sound editors, I couldn't really focus on their work, which may have been quite good? I can't really think of much sound other than plane engines, so, yeah, I don't know.
My friend took issue with the fact that no one ever spoke to Sully without saying his name, sometimes twice! Go ahead, I dare you! If you watch the movie, start counting how often they say his name. You'll be able to think of nothing else.
However, I don't really recommend it.
However, I don't really recommend it.
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
A Man Called Ove
A Man Called Ove is a swedish film about an old curmudgeon who wants to kill himself but can't quite find the time. It is a dark comedy and a feel good piece all rolled into one.
There is a lot of sweetness about the bitter old man in this film. Through flashbacks we learn that he was always a difficult person to connect with, perhaps on the Aspergers scale? Only his wife seemed to give his life purpose or meaningful structure and since he visits her grave daily, we know he is lacking in the means to enjoy the time he has left.
The dark comedy is enjoyable, thrusting Ove into all sorts of unexpected and trying situations, like trying to retrieve a borrowed coin from a children's clown. After setting him up as so unforgiving, the plot strains credulity here. It is hard to imagine him actually accepting strays of the feline and human variety into his home and yet, through peer pressure he somehow does.
You know eventually he will come around to a warmer version of himself and he does on a fairly grand scale. It is predictable but also sweet and enjoyable.
The film is nominated for Make Up and I had to read up to figure out why. Apparently the young and old versions of Ove were played by the same actor! I never would have guessed it when watching the film. Well, played, guys! You get my vote for Make Up for sure!
There is a lot of sweetness about the bitter old man in this film. Through flashbacks we learn that he was always a difficult person to connect with, perhaps on the Aspergers scale? Only his wife seemed to give his life purpose or meaningful structure and since he visits her grave daily, we know he is lacking in the means to enjoy the time he has left.
The dark comedy is enjoyable, thrusting Ove into all sorts of unexpected and trying situations, like trying to retrieve a borrowed coin from a children's clown. After setting him up as so unforgiving, the plot strains credulity here. It is hard to imagine him actually accepting strays of the feline and human variety into his home and yet, through peer pressure he somehow does.
You know eventually he will come around to a warmer version of himself and he does on a fairly grand scale. It is predictable but also sweet and enjoyable.
The film is nominated for Make Up and I had to read up to figure out why. Apparently the young and old versions of Ove were played by the same actor! I never would have guessed it when watching the film. Well, played, guys! You get my vote for Make Up for sure!
Monday, February 13, 2017
Natalie Portman in Jackie
Do you ever watch a movie wrong? Sometimes I think I do. Jackie fell curiously flat for me. There were bright spots and lovely moments but overall I couldn't quite figure out what I was watching. I'm not really sure why and I don't feel confident that this movie was off base in any way. I think I just did it wrong.
First off, I was surprised by the scope of this story. For some reason, I expected this movie to be more about Jackie's life and it had an extremely narrow focus. This film centers around an interview that Jackie gave that covered the events of the assassination, her transition out of The White House and the planning for JFK's funeral.
I just read that this film is an expressionist biopic. I can see that. If I list things I liked from the film it looks like this: Jackie's rapturous face when listening to music, her monotone, matter of fact assessment of her husband's death, her urgent need to begin controlling her husband's legacy, her sassiness to the reporter, her bravery. I don't know how to put these things together into a cohesive experience.
Natalie Portman faced a tough task and handled it beautifully. The music felt like it was too insistent and the directorial choices left me constantly confused. So the film either needed to push the expressionism farther or it needed some opening sequence that set me up for what I was getting into? Or not. I could have just watched it wrong. It happens all the time.
First off, I was surprised by the scope of this story. For some reason, I expected this movie to be more about Jackie's life and it had an extremely narrow focus. This film centers around an interview that Jackie gave that covered the events of the assassination, her transition out of The White House and the planning for JFK's funeral.
I just read that this film is an expressionist biopic. I can see that. If I list things I liked from the film it looks like this: Jackie's rapturous face when listening to music, her monotone, matter of fact assessment of her husband's death, her urgent need to begin controlling her husband's legacy, her sassiness to the reporter, her bravery. I don't know how to put these things together into a cohesive experience.
Natalie Portman faced a tough task and handled it beautifully. The music felt like it was too insistent and the directorial choices left me constantly confused. So the film either needed to push the expressionism farther or it needed some opening sequence that set me up for what I was getting into? Or not. I could have just watched it wrong. It happens all the time.
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