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'The Green Hornet' (PG-13) (1 star)
Writers: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Director: Michel Gondry
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Christoph Waltz, Cameron Diaz, Tom Wilkinson,
David Harbour, Edward James Olmos
I don't know if I would consider the new "Green Hornet" movie to be a true superhero movie. I don't think it really cares who the Green Hornet is and doesn't bother to give us a story that makes sense. I regard the Green Hornet as a poor man's Batman so I don't know why I was expecting anything good. "The Green Hornet" isn't even mediocre, this is one of the most obnoxious and incoherent movies I have seen. Congratulations to everyone involved here, you just set the bar extremely low already for 2011. I like Seth Rogen a lot but after "Knocked Up" he is pushing the movie goer's patience pretty fast. I think it might be a good ideal to make that "Knocked Up" sequel that is being talked about. Seth Rogen plays Britt Reid who becomes the Green Hornet. He is the rich son of a newspaper magnate played by Tom Wilkinson. Wilkinson yells in a few scenes and then he winds up dead and Britt has to take over the newspaper. He finds out that his cappuccino tastes terrible now and that is because his father's butler Kato has quit. Britt gets Kato back, finds his dad's gadget car and decides to fight crime. There is no good buildup to Britt becoming a crime fighter and he is annoying and a really big jerk. There is no character development and Britt and Kato become really boring very fast. They are battling a bad guy named Chudnovsky played by Christolph Waltz who tries but his bad guy is weak and poorly written.
The Green Hornet character is really dull and blandly conceived to begin with so the coolness of the character comes really from the car. Kato is also cooler but that is when he is played by Bruce Lee. Jay Chou can barely speak English and his acting is rough, he can kick ass pretty well though. The only interesting character is this car that has gun turrets on the hood and some neat gadgets that can rip through metal and tires. Not even Cameron Diaz, here playing a newspaper reporter, makes any impression. This is one of the most thankless roles I have seen an actress take on and all she does is scream and yell. That is all anyone does in this movie so that you have obnoxious people yelling and then some really messy and terribly directed action scenes. They involve fights that look like they were choreographed by Stevie Wonder and oh there are a plethora of explosions. It is not only that Seth Rogen is miscast but he is very unlikable here and when you can't cheer for the hero then you have nothing. There is also a fight between Britt and Kato that is needlessly overdone and mean spirited. I hated the Britt Reid/Hornet character and found the bad guy not even worth hissing at.
Seth Rogen has co written this movie and he should get all the blame. This becomes a super hero character that doesn't even rank up with that "Super friends" Indian guy or "The Green Arrow". The director Michel Gondry is a great talent who directed the wonderful "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" but he is the wrong choice for an action movie because his direction here is sloppy. He is also a very eccentric artist but sometimes eccentric artists can be pretentious bores and he can't direct action. This is also a PG-13 movie that is so close to (R) rated that I am surprised that it didn't get slapped with an (R) rating. There are impalings, stabbings and usually I am not bothered by this but when a movie is this terrible I notice that the violence is nasty and over the top. This movie is not fun, not entertaining and terribly acted or should I say shouted. Cameron Diaz is given the worst role of her career and Rogen to me embarrasses himself here. The car gets 1 star and everything else gets a big fat zero.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
'Another Year'
'Another Year' (PG-13) (3 1/2 stars)
Written and Directed by Mike Leigh
Starring: Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville, Ruth Sheen, Peter Wight, Oliver Maltman,
David Bradley, Imelda Staunton, Karina Fernandez
I love Mike Leigh films for they are about real people, are honest and he takes his time letting the characters grow on us. He always rehearses with his actors ahead of time and encourages improvisation. That is why his movies are so effective because the characters all come together and respond to each other so fluidly. He is like England's answer to Woody Allen but to me in the last two decades he does a better job at what Woody used to do. I love Allen's British thrillers and dramas lately but the relationship drama now belongs to Leigh. "Another Year" is another Leigh drama that at first seems normal and gives us a story of every day people living life. Then at the end we are blind sided by how deep and powerful the movie has become. The character development and acting is outstanding at first and that makes what comes at the end so hard hitting.
"Another Year" starts with a middle age couple starting their senior years. They are Tom and Geri and they are extremely well played by Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen. They have a son that visits them and we see them tending to their garden. They seem comfortable together and are still in love. They have a friend who visits for dinner from time to time and her name is Mary. Mary is played by Lesley Manville and Manville here is brilliant. Mary likes to drink a lot of wine and we can see she is somewhat of an alcoholic. Tom and Geri show concern but Mary is a good friend and they don't come down on her for her drinking. I identified with Mary a lot and she is one of those people who are energetic and happy one moment and then become depressed in an instant. She is single and she desperately wants to find someone to love and she even pins false hope on a flirtation with Tom and Geri's son Joe. There is also Tom's best friend Ken who comes over for dinner when Mary is there. He is a heavy drinker, smoker, overweight slob but maybe he can pair up with Mary but she doesn't know what she wants and pushes him away. As Leigh introduces his characters I was enthralled by the acting and how real this every day story unfolded. Leigh has this magic touch where you know not much is happening but in the end you have experienced something so touching and powerful.
This movie reminded me of another movie about growing old and that is the 1981 Alan Alda movie "The Four Seasons". Like that 80's classic "Another Year" splits into four seasons and each season is like a chapter in this story. There is a powerful Winter segment that ends the movie as all characters come together because of the funeral of Tom's sister-in-law. We meet Tom's brother and his black sheep son and before we know it one of these new characters will make a huge impact on this story. The end of this movie is devastating and Manville's performance comes to a powerful climax and should get her an Oscar nomination. This movie has a lot of humor and charm but it also can be bleak and somber and that is why I loved it. If the movie just continued on it's leisurely beginning I would have grown tired of it. It would not have had that effect of being like real life. This movie has so many layers and emotions and I grew to love all the characters. Not only is Manville great but all the acting is superb from Ruth Sheen, the always great Jim Broadbent to smaller roles played by all other cast members. This is a movie that sneaks up on you and I think Leigh fans will like this more than his last movie "Happy-Go Lucky" because I think this is one of his best movies. It really got to me emotionally and I loved every minute of one of the best movies of 2010.
Written and Directed by Mike Leigh
Starring: Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville, Ruth Sheen, Peter Wight, Oliver Maltman,
David Bradley, Imelda Staunton, Karina Fernandez
I love Mike Leigh films for they are about real people, are honest and he takes his time letting the characters grow on us. He always rehearses with his actors ahead of time and encourages improvisation. That is why his movies are so effective because the characters all come together and respond to each other so fluidly. He is like England's answer to Woody Allen but to me in the last two decades he does a better job at what Woody used to do. I love Allen's British thrillers and dramas lately but the relationship drama now belongs to Leigh. "Another Year" is another Leigh drama that at first seems normal and gives us a story of every day people living life. Then at the end we are blind sided by how deep and powerful the movie has become. The character development and acting is outstanding at first and that makes what comes at the end so hard hitting.
"Another Year" starts with a middle age couple starting their senior years. They are Tom and Geri and they are extremely well played by Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen. They have a son that visits them and we see them tending to their garden. They seem comfortable together and are still in love. They have a friend who visits for dinner from time to time and her name is Mary. Mary is played by Lesley Manville and Manville here is brilliant. Mary likes to drink a lot of wine and we can see she is somewhat of an alcoholic. Tom and Geri show concern but Mary is a good friend and they don't come down on her for her drinking. I identified with Mary a lot and she is one of those people who are energetic and happy one moment and then become depressed in an instant. She is single and she desperately wants to find someone to love and she even pins false hope on a flirtation with Tom and Geri's son Joe. There is also Tom's best friend Ken who comes over for dinner when Mary is there. He is a heavy drinker, smoker, overweight slob but maybe he can pair up with Mary but she doesn't know what she wants and pushes him away. As Leigh introduces his characters I was enthralled by the acting and how real this every day story unfolded. Leigh has this magic touch where you know not much is happening but in the end you have experienced something so touching and powerful.
This movie reminded me of another movie about growing old and that is the 1981 Alan Alda movie "The Four Seasons". Like that 80's classic "Another Year" splits into four seasons and each season is like a chapter in this story. There is a powerful Winter segment that ends the movie as all characters come together because of the funeral of Tom's sister-in-law. We meet Tom's brother and his black sheep son and before we know it one of these new characters will make a huge impact on this story. The end of this movie is devastating and Manville's performance comes to a powerful climax and should get her an Oscar nomination. This movie has a lot of humor and charm but it also can be bleak and somber and that is why I loved it. If the movie just continued on it's leisurely beginning I would have grown tired of it. It would not have had that effect of being like real life. This movie has so many layers and emotions and I grew to love all the characters. Not only is Manville great but all the acting is superb from Ruth Sheen, the always great Jim Broadbent to smaller roles played by all other cast members. This is a movie that sneaks up on you and I think Leigh fans will like this more than his last movie "Happy-Go Lucky" because I think this is one of his best movies. It really got to me emotionally and I loved every minute of one of the best movies of 2010.
'Casino Jack'
'Casino Jack' (R) (3 stars)
Writer: Norman Snider
Director: George Hickenlooper
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Barry Pepper, Kelly Preston, Jon Lovitz, Graham Greene,
Eric Schweig, Rachelle Lefevre, Maury Chaykin
I used to find politics boring but lately I have realized that politics is like a great, dramatic movie full of back stabbing and melodrama. Television shows like "Bill Maher" and movies like "All the President's Men" make me appreciate the inherent evil that is behind most political maneuvers and politicians. I didn't realize until I heard about Jack Abramoff and saw the movie "Casino Jack" how slimy lobbyists could be. Kevin Spacey is the perfect choice to play Abramoff and I can't see anyone else in the role. Spacey is the best at playing smarmy, wise cracking men full of anger. Jack Abramoff was a D.C. lobbyist who bilked a lot of money from Native Americans and other interest groups. Jack and his partner Michael Scanlon exploited Native Americans and skimmed money off the top of deals he made with them. This is the classic tale of the crooked politician getting away with corruption and then crashing hard when he is caught. I have seen this before but it is told so well by writer Norman Snider and director George Hickenlooper that I admired it and found it interesting.
The movie also is a success mostly because of the acting by Kevin Spacey. I love watching Spacey act and he holds your attention always with ease. His scenes were he is charming, then a dick and also when he has his outbursts of anger are all handled so well in equal measure. There is also a very funny performance by Jon Lovitz as a crooked businessman Abramoff gets involved with. I love the scenes between him and Spacey, they are very funny and entertaining. Also very good is Barry Pepper as Scanlon and with this and "True Grit" he shows how versatile and compelling he is as an actor. I was not that interested in the Mob dealings Abramoff handles because the political back stabbing is more evil and more delicious. It is true that without Spacey I might have been bored but the material is too juicy not to get involved with. I like what the movie was telling, at least for me, that Abramoff hadn't done anything more evil than that of what most politicians do every day. I think Abramoff just surrounded himself with some dumb losers that helped bring him down.
Writer: Norman Snider
Director: George Hickenlooper
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Barry Pepper, Kelly Preston, Jon Lovitz, Graham Greene,
Eric Schweig, Rachelle Lefevre, Maury Chaykin
I used to find politics boring but lately I have realized that politics is like a great, dramatic movie full of back stabbing and melodrama. Television shows like "Bill Maher" and movies like "All the President's Men" make me appreciate the inherent evil that is behind most political maneuvers and politicians. I didn't realize until I heard about Jack Abramoff and saw the movie "Casino Jack" how slimy lobbyists could be. Kevin Spacey is the perfect choice to play Abramoff and I can't see anyone else in the role. Spacey is the best at playing smarmy, wise cracking men full of anger. Jack Abramoff was a D.C. lobbyist who bilked a lot of money from Native Americans and other interest groups. Jack and his partner Michael Scanlon exploited Native Americans and skimmed money off the top of deals he made with them. This is the classic tale of the crooked politician getting away with corruption and then crashing hard when he is caught. I have seen this before but it is told so well by writer Norman Snider and director George Hickenlooper that I admired it and found it interesting.
The movie also is a success mostly because of the acting by Kevin Spacey. I love watching Spacey act and he holds your attention always with ease. His scenes were he is charming, then a dick and also when he has his outbursts of anger are all handled so well in equal measure. There is also a very funny performance by Jon Lovitz as a crooked businessman Abramoff gets involved with. I love the scenes between him and Spacey, they are very funny and entertaining. Also very good is Barry Pepper as Scanlon and with this and "True Grit" he shows how versatile and compelling he is as an actor. I was not that interested in the Mob dealings Abramoff handles because the political back stabbing is more evil and more delicious. It is true that without Spacey I might have been bored but the material is too juicy not to get involved with. I like what the movie was telling, at least for me, that Abramoff hadn't done anything more evil than that of what most politicians do every day. I think Abramoff just surrounded himself with some dumb losers that helped bring him down.
Friday, January 7, 2011
'Blue Valentine'
'Blue Valentine' (R) (4 stars) (Highest Rating)
Writers: Derek Cianfrance, Joey Curtis and Cami Delavigne
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Starring: Michelle Williams, Ryan Gosling, John Doman, Mike Vogel, Ben Shenkman, Faith Wladyka
Once in a while there comes a small, independent movie that is so real, raw and sobering that it takes my breath away. "Blue Valentine" is a simple movie that tells the story about a couple from their growing love, evolution and then destruction of their marriage. You will never find two more powerful and effective performances in your life then that of Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling. I was into this movie every step of the way and it doesn't have any flaws. Williams and Gosling play Cindy and Dean who meet under strange circumstances. She is dating someone but she is drawn to Dean who feels he has experienced love at first sight. The movie is presented out of sequence as we experience their break up and then flashback to how they met. These are blue collar type people with Cindy going to school to be a nurse and Dean who has dropped out of high school and has a job as a mover. We first see Derek and Cindy with a young daughter and we see a marriage that has grown a few years and we can tell it is not looking good. We flashback to a happier time as Dean and Cindy court each other, become close and have a child followed by marriage. I was hesitant to the movie being told out of order but halfway into the movie I found this to make the movie even more effective and powerful.
The movie brings up a lot of questions about marriage and relationships. Does marriage change our personalities and the way we feel about our significant others over time, corrupt our love towards them. Dean and Cindy start their relationship on a tender and touching note as Dean plays his ukulele and sings a song as Cindy tap dances as they stop in front of a store front window. The scene sounds like it would come off as corny and awkward but it is one of the most beautiful scenes I have seen in a movie. The movie can be very tough, sad and dark as Dean starts to grow older and lose his hair and it seems the love and tenderness from that start has turned into bitterness. Life has not worked out for the two according to their goals but did their life plans really have a chance? Dean seems like he is angry in the later stage of his life and he looks hopeless. The little girl he has seems to be the only light in his life. In a revealing scene we flashback to Dean meeting Cindy's parents and Dean tells Cindy's father about his father leaving him when he was young. Is this why Dean is angry and is he headed towards that type of behavior? I compare that great scene with later scenes as we see Dean and Cindy take a vacation to try to rekindle their love and passion. The movie has so many individual scenes that seem lived in and real. The sex scenes are raw and the emotional torment is palpable. I haven't seen a marriage depicted this honestly and in such a raw way ever in my movie going life. There are no phony plot developments, no sugar coating or movie moments. You feel like you are watching a documentary on this couple because Derek Cianfrance's direction is focused. The hand held photography and real location work help a lot also.
"Blue Valentine" is full of power, tenderness, bitterness and emotional pain but the movie would not have worked if the performances weren't so powerful. Ryan Gosling has proven in my mind to be one of our finest actors if not the best of his generation. Gosling has to find a balance between the charming, in love and younger Dean character and the older, bitter and angrier Dean. Gosling is amazing at portraying these two versions of Dean and he nails every emotion flawlessly. Michelle Williams has become to me one of the most powerful surprises I have ever encountered with an actress. I can't believe this is the same actress that was in the fluff television soap opera "Dawson's Creek"! Michelle has been amazing from playing a wife in "Brokeback Mountain" to a homeless woman in "Wendy and Lucy" with the same grace and intensity. This is a very smart actress that studies her craft and is natural in every performance, more than any actress of her generation. She is the best and most ideal actress to play Cindy because she is a brave actress who feels real in every role she plays. I know I have praised a lot of actresses before but Michelle Williams has captured my attention and heart. I have never been this fascinated by an actress since I have been by actresses like Audrey Hepburn or a Meryl Streep. To me though Williams is in a class all by herself and this is the best performance by an actress in 2010. I am fascinated by her beauty, braveness, rawness, grace and her acting choices in all her roles. I love what Michelle has done with this role, always seeming real and tender and never forcing anything. Gosling and Williams have created something special here and in 50 years Williams will be looked at as an actress as legendary and great as Streep, Hepburn (Audrey and Katherine) and Jodie Foster. Michelle Williams should be studied by every young actress who wants to become as real and as powerful.
I don't know if "Blue Valentine" is a joyful movie going experience. This is not a date movie, it is not a feel good crowd pleaser and it is tough to watch. It is so powerful because it forces you to examine real life and the real emotions a marriage can bring. I will say there are also scenes full of humor and there is also some great joy and tender, beautiful scenes like when Dean sings to Cindy. For a person who loves and studies movies I found this to be one of the most rewarding movie experiences of my life. I am having a hard time telling others that they will love this movie. I do know it will get to you and cause great discussion. Do movies like this give you just a one sided, pessimistic view of marriage or is it good to see a depiction like this? Dean and Cindy show great love for each other at times and other times they are cruel to each other. That is what real marriages and relationships are like and that is why this movie is real and so great. I still think this is a must see movie and the performances by Gosling and Williams must be seen for their greatness. There has not been a movie quite like this in some time, the flawless examination of a real marriage and real life. I have not been able to shake this movie from my memory since I saw it a day ago. This is the best portrait of a marriage and a break up since "Shoot the Moon" in 1982 which is the best movie ever about it's subject matter. "Blue Valentine" is the only other movie that is it's equal, I can't wait to watch both again. This is easily one of the best movies of 2010 and if if you like powerful experiences when watching a movie I urge you to go see this.
Writers: Derek Cianfrance, Joey Curtis and Cami Delavigne
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Starring: Michelle Williams, Ryan Gosling, John Doman, Mike Vogel, Ben Shenkman, Faith Wladyka
Once in a while there comes a small, independent movie that is so real, raw and sobering that it takes my breath away. "Blue Valentine" is a simple movie that tells the story about a couple from their growing love, evolution and then destruction of their marriage. You will never find two more powerful and effective performances in your life then that of Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling. I was into this movie every step of the way and it doesn't have any flaws. Williams and Gosling play Cindy and Dean who meet under strange circumstances. She is dating someone but she is drawn to Dean who feels he has experienced love at first sight. The movie is presented out of sequence as we experience their break up and then flashback to how they met. These are blue collar type people with Cindy going to school to be a nurse and Dean who has dropped out of high school and has a job as a mover. We first see Derek and Cindy with a young daughter and we see a marriage that has grown a few years and we can tell it is not looking good. We flashback to a happier time as Dean and Cindy court each other, become close and have a child followed by marriage. I was hesitant to the movie being told out of order but halfway into the movie I found this to make the movie even more effective and powerful.
The movie brings up a lot of questions about marriage and relationships. Does marriage change our personalities and the way we feel about our significant others over time, corrupt our love towards them. Dean and Cindy start their relationship on a tender and touching note as Dean plays his ukulele and sings a song as Cindy tap dances as they stop in front of a store front window. The scene sounds like it would come off as corny and awkward but it is one of the most beautiful scenes I have seen in a movie. The movie can be very tough, sad and dark as Dean starts to grow older and lose his hair and it seems the love and tenderness from that start has turned into bitterness. Life has not worked out for the two according to their goals but did their life plans really have a chance? Dean seems like he is angry in the later stage of his life and he looks hopeless. The little girl he has seems to be the only light in his life. In a revealing scene we flashback to Dean meeting Cindy's parents and Dean tells Cindy's father about his father leaving him when he was young. Is this why Dean is angry and is he headed towards that type of behavior? I compare that great scene with later scenes as we see Dean and Cindy take a vacation to try to rekindle their love and passion. The movie has so many individual scenes that seem lived in and real. The sex scenes are raw and the emotional torment is palpable. I haven't seen a marriage depicted this honestly and in such a raw way ever in my movie going life. There are no phony plot developments, no sugar coating or movie moments. You feel like you are watching a documentary on this couple because Derek Cianfrance's direction is focused. The hand held photography and real location work help a lot also.
"Blue Valentine" is full of power, tenderness, bitterness and emotional pain but the movie would not have worked if the performances weren't so powerful. Ryan Gosling has proven in my mind to be one of our finest actors if not the best of his generation. Gosling has to find a balance between the charming, in love and younger Dean character and the older, bitter and angrier Dean. Gosling is amazing at portraying these two versions of Dean and he nails every emotion flawlessly. Michelle Williams has become to me one of the most powerful surprises I have ever encountered with an actress. I can't believe this is the same actress that was in the fluff television soap opera "Dawson's Creek"! Michelle has been amazing from playing a wife in "Brokeback Mountain" to a homeless woman in "Wendy and Lucy" with the same grace and intensity. This is a very smart actress that studies her craft and is natural in every performance, more than any actress of her generation. She is the best and most ideal actress to play Cindy because she is a brave actress who feels real in every role she plays. I know I have praised a lot of actresses before but Michelle Williams has captured my attention and heart. I have never been this fascinated by an actress since I have been by actresses like Audrey Hepburn or a Meryl Streep. To me though Williams is in a class all by herself and this is the best performance by an actress in 2010. I am fascinated by her beauty, braveness, rawness, grace and her acting choices in all her roles. I love what Michelle has done with this role, always seeming real and tender and never forcing anything. Gosling and Williams have created something special here and in 50 years Williams will be looked at as an actress as legendary and great as Streep, Hepburn (Audrey and Katherine) and Jodie Foster. Michelle Williams should be studied by every young actress who wants to become as real and as powerful.
I don't know if "Blue Valentine" is a joyful movie going experience. This is not a date movie, it is not a feel good crowd pleaser and it is tough to watch. It is so powerful because it forces you to examine real life and the real emotions a marriage can bring. I will say there are also scenes full of humor and there is also some great joy and tender, beautiful scenes like when Dean sings to Cindy. For a person who loves and studies movies I found this to be one of the most rewarding movie experiences of my life. I am having a hard time telling others that they will love this movie. I do know it will get to you and cause great discussion. Do movies like this give you just a one sided, pessimistic view of marriage or is it good to see a depiction like this? Dean and Cindy show great love for each other at times and other times they are cruel to each other. That is what real marriages and relationships are like and that is why this movie is real and so great. I still think this is a must see movie and the performances by Gosling and Williams must be seen for their greatness. There has not been a movie quite like this in some time, the flawless examination of a real marriage and real life. I have not been able to shake this movie from my memory since I saw it a day ago. This is the best portrait of a marriage and a break up since "Shoot the Moon" in 1982 which is the best movie ever about it's subject matter. "Blue Valentine" is the only other movie that is it's equal, I can't wait to watch both again. This is easily one of the best movies of 2010 and if if you like powerful experiences when watching a movie I urge you to go see this.
'Country Strong'
'Country Strong' (PG-13) (2 stars)
Writer and Director: Shana Feste
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Garrett Hedlund, Tim McGraw, Leighton Meester
Movies like "Country Strong" were loved back in the 20's and 30's before cliches were a bad name. This kind of soapy melodrama might have scored with audiences back then. Actually audiences would have not cared much for this back then because it would be pretty weak in any era. Despite some good performances and a great one by Gwyneth Paltrow this is one of the worst movies of the year. I was bored, rolled my eyes a lot and got somewhat frustrated when Paltrow wasn't on screen which surprisingly is more than I expected. This movie was done ten times better with "Coal Miner's Daughter" and about 100 other stories about country stars, rock stars, you name it. Gwyneth plays Kelly Canter who to me resembles a Carrie Underwood type singer but the story was probably influenced by Faith Hill. Kelly has a drinking problem and her rehab story reminded me of Lindsay Lohan. Tim McGraw plays her manager/husband and he takes her out of rehab too soon so he can get her back to her fans. Having McGraw play the husband is what reminded me of Faith Hill and strangely I kept thinking maybe he had some input on the story, you never know. Kelly goes back on tour with a friend played by Garrett Hedlund and also on tour is a new upstart country singer, played by Leighton Meester (TV's Gossip Girl), who was a beauty queen and is wholesome but irritating.
You have seen this story countless times where the singer is an alcoholic and tries to get on the road to sobriety. Hell, it was just recently done in last year's "Crazy Heart". If you haven't seen that movie please stay away from this one and rent the Jeff Bridges classic. This story was also done much better in the 1983 film "Tender Mercies" with Robert Duvall. Now I don't expect "Country Strong" to be in that league but even the horrible turkey "The Jazz Singer" from 1980 had a fresher story. I don't expect greatness but at least I wanted to see some energy and enthusiasm. This movie is dull, slow, full of bad cliches and the story is extremely predictable. Gwyneth Paltrow is very good here but not outstanding because there is only so much you can do with dull material. She doesn't do anything better than other actresses have done with movies like this before. Tim McGraw is also very good and becoming a very decent actor. I also liked the performances by Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester but this plot and the delivery of it is so stale and hokey.
I was very impressed by Paltrow's singing but not surprised, she has sung before in a few movies. The movie lets her down because it is such an ordinary and dull movie with no personality. I laughed a lot during the movie because basically the plot has so many turns that have been done to death before. I don't mind a movie with cliches when it has a voice and energy but this movie just lies there. The best part is the concert scene at the end where Paltrow sings three songs and that was fun. I also couldn't believe that there were periods when Paltrow was off screen to concentrate on the Hedlund and Meester character's love affair. The two actors have no chemistry and the dialogue between them is laughable, fake and cliche. So watch a Faith Hill concert, rent a few movies with the same plot that are much better and wait till Paltrow hopefully sings on the Oscars telecast. Do all these things instead of groaning to death watching "Country Strong". If you like this kind of story and love country music rent the surprisingly strong "Pure Country" with George Strait.
Writer and Director: Shana Feste
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, Garrett Hedlund, Tim McGraw, Leighton Meester
Movies like "Country Strong" were loved back in the 20's and 30's before cliches were a bad name. This kind of soapy melodrama might have scored with audiences back then. Actually audiences would have not cared much for this back then because it would be pretty weak in any era. Despite some good performances and a great one by Gwyneth Paltrow this is one of the worst movies of the year. I was bored, rolled my eyes a lot and got somewhat frustrated when Paltrow wasn't on screen which surprisingly is more than I expected. This movie was done ten times better with "Coal Miner's Daughter" and about 100 other stories about country stars, rock stars, you name it. Gwyneth plays Kelly Canter who to me resembles a Carrie Underwood type singer but the story was probably influenced by Faith Hill. Kelly has a drinking problem and her rehab story reminded me of Lindsay Lohan. Tim McGraw plays her manager/husband and he takes her out of rehab too soon so he can get her back to her fans. Having McGraw play the husband is what reminded me of Faith Hill and strangely I kept thinking maybe he had some input on the story, you never know. Kelly goes back on tour with a friend played by Garrett Hedlund and also on tour is a new upstart country singer, played by Leighton Meester (TV's Gossip Girl), who was a beauty queen and is wholesome but irritating.
You have seen this story countless times where the singer is an alcoholic and tries to get on the road to sobriety. Hell, it was just recently done in last year's "Crazy Heart". If you haven't seen that movie please stay away from this one and rent the Jeff Bridges classic. This story was also done much better in the 1983 film "Tender Mercies" with Robert Duvall. Now I don't expect "Country Strong" to be in that league but even the horrible turkey "The Jazz Singer" from 1980 had a fresher story. I don't expect greatness but at least I wanted to see some energy and enthusiasm. This movie is dull, slow, full of bad cliches and the story is extremely predictable. Gwyneth Paltrow is very good here but not outstanding because there is only so much you can do with dull material. She doesn't do anything better than other actresses have done with movies like this before. Tim McGraw is also very good and becoming a very decent actor. I also liked the performances by Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester but this plot and the delivery of it is so stale and hokey.
I was very impressed by Paltrow's singing but not surprised, she has sung before in a few movies. The movie lets her down because it is such an ordinary and dull movie with no personality. I laughed a lot during the movie because basically the plot has so many turns that have been done to death before. I don't mind a movie with cliches when it has a voice and energy but this movie just lies there. The best part is the concert scene at the end where Paltrow sings three songs and that was fun. I also couldn't believe that there were periods when Paltrow was off screen to concentrate on the Hedlund and Meester character's love affair. The two actors have no chemistry and the dialogue between them is laughable, fake and cliche. So watch a Faith Hill concert, rent a few movies with the same plot that are much better and wait till Paltrow hopefully sings on the Oscars telecast. Do all these things instead of groaning to death watching "Country Strong". If you like this kind of story and love country music rent the surprisingly strong "Pure Country" with George Strait.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
All Good Things'
'All Good Things' (R) (2 stars)
Writers: Marcus Hinchey and Marc Smerling
Director: Andrew Jarecki
Staring: Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Frank Langella, Phillip Baker Hall, Lily Rabe, Nick Offerman, Kristen Wiig
I really like movies about unsolved mysteries based on real events, movies like "Reversal of Fortune". That Barbet Schroeder classic is one of the best movies of that genre. "All Good Things" has an interesting story and a compelling first half but the second half of the movie is a mess. The movie tells the true life story of David and Katie Marks. David has a rich family and his father Sanford Marks is perplexed when David marries Katie. He think she is beneath his family but grows to like her, even more than David after a while. David tries to move Katie to the countryside to run a health food store but money problems bring David back into his father's shady family business. David and Katie grow apart a little and David starts to act weird, maybe because he hates being stuck with his father. Katie then disappears and everyone wonders if Mark killed her. I like the performances by Ryan Gosling as Mark and Kirsten Dunst as Katie, actually this is Dunst's best performance. Ryan Gosling is always amazing, he and Joseph Gordon Levitt are now taking over for Heath Ledger. Gosling is always daring and outstanding and he is very good here but the offbeat nature of the character makes this performance hard to embrace.
The first half of the movie is very good as it builds up the characters and goes deep in showing family members on both sides. I really loved watching Dunst here, she makes us care for her character and it is a measured, subtle performance. Gosling has the harder part because his character is aloof and self contained. There is great support by Nick Offerman, Kristen Wiig, Lily Rabe and Frank Langella in small roles. The movie takes place between 1971 and 2002 and I like the movie's atmosphere during time changes and the score is great. The movie is interesting but actually when Dunst leaves and Katie disappears the movie crumbles. We see the Mark character live with a much older man and see him dress in drag. I guess dressing like a woman hides him from others and maybe even himself. As the movie gets weirder and darker I lost interest and the movie is then a mixture of bad scenes, unintentionally funny ones and awkward story developments.
The movie is directed by Andrew Jarecki who is a very great choice to direct a movie like this. Jarecki's first film was the powerful documentary "Capturing the Friedman's" which dealt with strange and dark family secrets like this movie does. It is the same kind of subject matter but with a fiction film Jarecki has lost focus. Some documentary film makers strike out with their first fiction films, just look at Michael Moore and his "Canadian Bacon" movie. Maybe Jarecki has a great fiction film in him but this isn't it. I do love what he does with the first half and getting Dunst's best work but the second half is not that solid. There are many things to admire in this movie and be intrigued by but by the end I didn't care about Mark and the movie doesn't make us miss Katie.
Writers: Marcus Hinchey and Marc Smerling
Director: Andrew Jarecki
Staring: Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Frank Langella, Phillip Baker Hall, Lily Rabe, Nick Offerman, Kristen Wiig
I really like movies about unsolved mysteries based on real events, movies like "Reversal of Fortune". That Barbet Schroeder classic is one of the best movies of that genre. "All Good Things" has an interesting story and a compelling first half but the second half of the movie is a mess. The movie tells the true life story of David and Katie Marks. David has a rich family and his father Sanford Marks is perplexed when David marries Katie. He think she is beneath his family but grows to like her, even more than David after a while. David tries to move Katie to the countryside to run a health food store but money problems bring David back into his father's shady family business. David and Katie grow apart a little and David starts to act weird, maybe because he hates being stuck with his father. Katie then disappears and everyone wonders if Mark killed her. I like the performances by Ryan Gosling as Mark and Kirsten Dunst as Katie, actually this is Dunst's best performance. Ryan Gosling is always amazing, he and Joseph Gordon Levitt are now taking over for Heath Ledger. Gosling is always daring and outstanding and he is very good here but the offbeat nature of the character makes this performance hard to embrace.
The first half of the movie is very good as it builds up the characters and goes deep in showing family members on both sides. I really loved watching Dunst here, she makes us care for her character and it is a measured, subtle performance. Gosling has the harder part because his character is aloof and self contained. There is great support by Nick Offerman, Kristen Wiig, Lily Rabe and Frank Langella in small roles. The movie takes place between 1971 and 2002 and I like the movie's atmosphere during time changes and the score is great. The movie is interesting but actually when Dunst leaves and Katie disappears the movie crumbles. We see the Mark character live with a much older man and see him dress in drag. I guess dressing like a woman hides him from others and maybe even himself. As the movie gets weirder and darker I lost interest and the movie is then a mixture of bad scenes, unintentionally funny ones and awkward story developments.
The movie is directed by Andrew Jarecki who is a very great choice to direct a movie like this. Jarecki's first film was the powerful documentary "Capturing the Friedman's" which dealt with strange and dark family secrets like this movie does. It is the same kind of subject matter but with a fiction film Jarecki has lost focus. Some documentary film makers strike out with their first fiction films, just look at Michael Moore and his "Canadian Bacon" movie. Maybe Jarecki has a great fiction film in him but this isn't it. I do love what he does with the first half and getting Dunst's best work but the second half is not that solid. There are many things to admire in this movie and be intrigued by but by the end I didn't care about Mark and the movie doesn't make us miss Katie.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
'Rabbit Hole'
'Rabbit Hole' (PG-13) (3 1/2 stars)
Writer: David Lindsay-Abaire based on his play
Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Miles Teller, Diane Wiest, Tammy Blanchard, Giancarlo Esposito, Sandra Oh, Jon Tenney
I could never imagine what it would feel like to lose a child. After watching the beautiful and poetic "Rabbit Hole" I think I got a better understanding of what it would really feel like. The movie just feels right and the characters are well written. "Rabbit Hole" was based on a play and it is well adapted by the play's author and filmed carefully by John Cameron Mitchell. The movie stars Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as a married couple, Becca and Howie, who have just lost their young son who was run over by a car. The movie deals with their pain, how they deal with family and situations that make them think of their son. They go to a support group but the wife is a little sick of the group members using God as a crutch. The power of this movie lies certainly with the performances. Nicole Kidman turns in some of her best work as the grieving wife. Aaron Eckhart is her equal as the husband and they both handle the quiet scenes and the emotional ones with the same mastery. The movie is also great in it's depiction of grief and how life goes on without a loved one. This movie doesn't try to wring the tears and the emotion out of you. We have all lost a loved one and after that loss life does not just stop. Life just doesn't become hopeless, there is still laughter, love and triumph all around you.
This movie knows this and I admire it's humor, there are a lot of funny moments that simply spring from life. Not every scene is dramatic or over bearing, there are some genuinely funny moments and the movie ends on a poetic and hopeful note. My favorite scenes involve Becca trying to reach out to the 17 year old teenager who ran over her son. That boy is named Jason and he is played wonderfully by Miles Teller. Teller holds his own with Kidman and I love his sensitive portrayal, he plays the role like a natural teenager, he makes the character feel real. Those scenes are simple but the most powerful ones in the movie. There is also some amazing work done by Diane Wiest, Sandra Oh and Tammy Blanchard. I liked this movie's quiet, laid back tone instead of having showy, individual scenes of melodrama. The movie feels like real life and it knows life doesn't stop so you can have your moment. You have to move on and find something in your life to make you whole again. The movie also ends on a perfect note and the final scene is poetic, quiet, heartbreaking, real and beautiful just like the whole movie. This reminds me of great movies like "Clean and Sober" (88) that don't insult our intelligence with cliches and easy answers. This is an amazing movie with great performances and a heartbreaking but triumphant story.
P.S. I was also impressed with the directing job by John Cameron Mitchell. Mitchell has directed some outlandish and very daring, good movies like "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and "Shortbus". I didn't know he had it in him to make something this restrained and he does a wonderful job and is a talented director.
I also am very upset that Nicole Kidman has been slammed in the press for her looks lately. Someone had mentioned that it looked like she got work done and her face can't show expression anymore. Isn't it shameful that there is such a focus on a woman's physical appearance and that mean things have to be said. Nicole Kidman is wonderful and gives an outstanding performance in "Rabbit Hole". All I noticed was how great Kidman was in this movie, it is brilliant work.
Writer: David Lindsay-Abaire based on his play
Director: John Cameron Mitchell
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Miles Teller, Diane Wiest, Tammy Blanchard, Giancarlo Esposito, Sandra Oh, Jon Tenney
I could never imagine what it would feel like to lose a child. After watching the beautiful and poetic "Rabbit Hole" I think I got a better understanding of what it would really feel like. The movie just feels right and the characters are well written. "Rabbit Hole" was based on a play and it is well adapted by the play's author and filmed carefully by John Cameron Mitchell. The movie stars Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as a married couple, Becca and Howie, who have just lost their young son who was run over by a car. The movie deals with their pain, how they deal with family and situations that make them think of their son. They go to a support group but the wife is a little sick of the group members using God as a crutch. The power of this movie lies certainly with the performances. Nicole Kidman turns in some of her best work as the grieving wife. Aaron Eckhart is her equal as the husband and they both handle the quiet scenes and the emotional ones with the same mastery. The movie is also great in it's depiction of grief and how life goes on without a loved one. This movie doesn't try to wring the tears and the emotion out of you. We have all lost a loved one and after that loss life does not just stop. Life just doesn't become hopeless, there is still laughter, love and triumph all around you.
This movie knows this and I admire it's humor, there are a lot of funny moments that simply spring from life. Not every scene is dramatic or over bearing, there are some genuinely funny moments and the movie ends on a poetic and hopeful note. My favorite scenes involve Becca trying to reach out to the 17 year old teenager who ran over her son. That boy is named Jason and he is played wonderfully by Miles Teller. Teller holds his own with Kidman and I love his sensitive portrayal, he plays the role like a natural teenager, he makes the character feel real. Those scenes are simple but the most powerful ones in the movie. There is also some amazing work done by Diane Wiest, Sandra Oh and Tammy Blanchard. I liked this movie's quiet, laid back tone instead of having showy, individual scenes of melodrama. The movie feels like real life and it knows life doesn't stop so you can have your moment. You have to move on and find something in your life to make you whole again. The movie also ends on a perfect note and the final scene is poetic, quiet, heartbreaking, real and beautiful just like the whole movie. This reminds me of great movies like "Clean and Sober" (88) that don't insult our intelligence with cliches and easy answers. This is an amazing movie with great performances and a heartbreaking but triumphant story.
P.S. I was also impressed with the directing job by John Cameron Mitchell. Mitchell has directed some outlandish and very daring, good movies like "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and "Shortbus". I didn't know he had it in him to make something this restrained and he does a wonderful job and is a talented director.
I also am very upset that Nicole Kidman has been slammed in the press for her looks lately. Someone had mentioned that it looked like she got work done and her face can't show expression anymore. Isn't it shameful that there is such a focus on a woman's physical appearance and that mean things have to be said. Nicole Kidman is wonderful and gives an outstanding performance in "Rabbit Hole". All I noticed was how great Kidman was in this movie, it is brilliant work.
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