'Looper' Review

This is one of those movies that sells itself; Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, time travel. Sold. With great movies like Brick and Brothers Bloom under his belt, director Rian Johnson delivers an exciting action thriller with Looper.

The movie starts with JGL narrating a captivating introduction (I sneezed and realized I was sitting in a movie theater) to the gritty and realistic, dystopian future where firearms are carried freely and Paul Dano rides a crappy rocket bike.

Now, I'll be the first to tell you that we NEED movies like Back to the Future and Bill and Ted, but Looper is exactly the way time travel movies should be done. It uses it as a way to tell a unique and compelling narrative, making it a refreshingly original story.

Men in Black 3 tackled time-traveling earlier this year and it's surprisingly pretty solid; a linear story that doesn't change, even with the interference of characters from the future. Looper is also linear, and it's a mess. Since we don't have Doc Brown screaming at us about disrupting the space-time continuum, we get to see an interaction of a past and future self. One line of dialogue justifies the paradox and introduces us to some interesting story-telling elements. Regardless of the myriads of questions this plagues, we put them aside for the sake of enjoying the movie, understanding that it's all a means to tell a story.
 
The fact that we believe Gordon-Levitt and Willis to be the same person... is impressive. At the same time, though, the characters they play are very different people. Pulling that off is a juggling act that takes some writing balls and acting balls. Gordon-Levitt put a lot of effort in creating a younger version of the Bruce Willis we know and it pays off tremendously. We never doubt that they're the same guy, it never takes you out of the movie and allows you to keep focus on the story.

Rather than centering on the relationship between the main character Joe's past and future self, the film carries much larger themes and surprises you with a vivid conclusion with meaning and morals. The heartfelt ending and credit song make the movie feel satisfyingly more indie than Hollywood.

Jeff Daniels is great as the mob boss "... Go to China. I'm from the future. I know these things."
Emily Blunt is very convincing as a southern girl. I would have never guessed she was born and raised in England.
And Looper uses Mr. Willis very, very well. There's nothing quite like seeing him in his element, firing two P90's from the hip.

The Bottom Line:

The Kid, Twelve Monkeys, and now Looper, we need a movie called Crisis of Multiple Bruce Willis' to make sense of it all. Looper uses time travel, not as a gimmick, but as a tool to tell an interesting, character driven story. It's instantly one of the best time travels movies and it's by far one of the most exhilarating movies of the year.

'Raiders of the Lost Ark' Review

Recently released on Blu-Ray, I wanted to write about one of my favorite movies of all time - Raiders of the Lost Ark.

I remember watching Raiders on VHS when I was 6 years old. And back then, movies were neat... because movies were real. When the Nazis opened the ark, I absolutely made sure to keep my eyes closed, saving myself from a face melting. And a movie that was as real and magical to me as a kid is one that's just as magical to me today. After watching it for the first time, I was enamored—just as any young boy would be—I wanted to be an adventurer and crack whips with a cool hat. I remember reading a Young Indiana Jones choose-your-own-adventure book at least 4 times through, reading through every possible scenario. And today, I have a huge respect for the filmmakers. Steven Spielberg took big chances taking on this film and it's B-movie concept, and created a remarkable piece of cinema that has had no equal to this day.

The opening scene establishes character and sets the tone perfectly. We get a great reveal of our hero Indiana Jones as he unarms a man with the crack of his whip, at which point, the expression on our faces matches that of Alfred Molina's character. Indy makes his way through a booby trapped temple with ease, grabs a golden idol, and barely escapes getting pancaked by a giant boulder. 

The great thing about Indiana Jones is that he's not the typical cliché action-hero; he doesn't work for a secret agency, he doesn't have super powers from some radioactive goo... he's a professor - an archeologist... in essence, a regular guy - a nerd. A nerd that can thrown down in fisticuffs - with punches that pack a sonic "POW!" thanks to Sound Designer Ben Burt. And to go even further, he's afraid of snakes. I can't imagine anyone else but Harrison Ford in this role. Ford blends this odd mixture of characteristics into a believable guy with likable, smarmy coolness. If Tom Selleck (Magnum, P.I.) took the part, this would be a very different movie (and not just because there would be more chest hair).

Marion Ravenwood, not your typical damsel in distress. We're introduced to her as she's taking shots with a jolly Nepalese fellow and literally drinks him under the table. She can hold her own and knows her way around a 12-inch skillet, but she's just vulnerable enough to need a heroic rescue.

"Truck? What truck?" The chase scene is one of the most exciting action sequences ever put on film. The framing, pacing, and editing are magnificently orchestrated. I don't have to explain to you how awesome the scene is. It's no question why Michael Kahn has been the editor on so many Spielberg movies.

John Williams has composed some of the most memorable scores in movie history. Along with Star Wars, Superman, and Jaws, the Indiana Jones theme is instantly recognizable. And when the exuberant theme plays as Indy swims onto the German U-boat, we can't help but cheer along with Mr. Katanga and his crew.

And the movie doesn't end in this climactic fight scene where Indy beats Belloq with a punch to the solar plexus, it ends with Indy being smart enough to know what to do when the Ark is opened, and the bad guys end up killing themselves. Their faces melt and their bodies explode with eye-popping special effects - it's a wonder this movie didn't propel the PG-13 rating rather than it's sequel. It's a completely unconventional ending for a movie of its kind, but somehow...  it works... and it works perfectly.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is a testament to the fact that movie-making is truly a collaborative effort, and where every effort came together to make an outstanding piece of cinema gold.

The Bottom Line:

(Never trust little Aladdin vest wearing monkeys). It's a great example of why George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg dominated Hollywood in the 80's. A thrilling adventure with all the ingredients of a great movie: a charismatic protagonist, evil nazis, and face melting. It's the reason I love movies.

'Lawless' Review

John Hillcoat's previous directing duties include: The Proposition, which - from what I remember - was a really good movie. And: The Road, a depressing and unimpressive film of a great and unadaptable Cormac McCarthy novel. His latest movie, Lawless (not a Lucy Lawless biopic), shows a little more spirit than his previous work, but lacks the sparkle of a great film.

Lawless takes place in the most ridiculous time in American history - Prohibition.  The one thing the prohibition era gave us were great gangster/outlaw characters like Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly. Lawless is about the moonshine bootlegging brothers of Franklin County, Virginia - the Bondurant brothers (no, they don't drive a '69 Charger).

There are excellent performances out of absolutely everyone in the cast, but, unfortunately, the characters don't really go anywhere. Jack Bondurant (Shia LaBeouf) is the focus of the film, and the other characters - more importantly their relationship with Jack - go underdeveloped.

Guy Pierce makes a horrifying antagonist as the special deputy from Chicago looking to lay down the law. He looks ridiculous with shaved eyebrows, a wide parting of his hair, and funky sideburns. He's maniacal - which is great - though at times it's too comical and over-the-top.
Gary Oldman plays gangster Floyd Banner and is awesome for the few minutes you see him; he's so great, in fact, that you wish the whole movie was just about him.
Tom Hardy seems a little lost in this movie with his awkward mumbles and groans. You expect more from his performance due to his current resume, but a lot of the blame is surely due to the lack of definition in his character; there definitely could have a been more fleshing-out of his relationship with younger brother Jack, a key part of the film.

Hillcoat's great at setting a somber tone, then surprising you with action and violence - a signature he uses tactfully in Lawless. The characters are established well, there's lots of great drama built - in turn building momentum - but ultimately culminates with no payoff. The final act of the movie has a lot of build-up but leaves you without closure. 

A story is only as good as it's ending, and Lawless has one of the most hilariously dumb endings, ever. It not only leaves you without satisfaction, but is utterly laughable (the moral: don't succumb to the urge of dancing).

The Bottom Line: Great acting, though underdeveloped characters, and rich drama with no resolve. A bold undertaking, and although it comes close, lack of direction prevents Lawless from being a great movie.

Tony Scott (1944-2012)

I am shocked and saddened to hear the news of Tony Scott’s death.

He was a visionary director who had made so many great movies in his amazing career. Top Gun, a dazzling action film with true character. He displayed his talents in orchestrating an Action Comedy in Beverly Hills Cop II, a faithful sequel to a trailblazing classic. True Romance is one of my favorites and I will always cherish it for showing the incredible range of Gary Oldman. And, Man on Fire, a gritty revenge movie with a tragic ending that gives you an emotional tug no matter how tough you think you are.

Tony Scott had such a recognizable, signature style; that vibrant, colorful, sweaty, fast-paced, visceral style that defined the look of the modern blockbuster.

This is not just a loss of what was, but a loss of what was to come. It’s a shame we won’t get to see his future works, but he has certainly given us some great movies to enjoy for years to come.

You will be missed, sir.

'The Dark Knight Rises' Review

Well, I have watched it for a second time after a month since it's release and I feel like I’m warranted a review. (Am I late to the party? Is anyone reading this?).

“Why do we fall? ...” It’s amazing that the theme from the first movie, with no plans for sequels, is a theme that resonates throughout the entire series and the final film. Gotham has become a city with a wide segregation between the rich and the poor. A mercenary leader named Bane plans to fulfill Ra’s al Ghul’s work to “restore balance” in the necessary rise and fall of civilizations established in Batman Begins, and a retired Batman is recalled to life in order to stop him.

Due to the outright immensity of this movie, the script is very economical. The story moves at a break-neck pace, maintains momentum, and you see only what you need to see. You never realize the runtime is almost three hours long.

I was most impressed with the characterization. Everyone has a motive. And you know you have good character development when you maintain the audience’s attention when Batman’s not even in half the movie. John Blake, for example, is an excellent character. He’s a composite of all of the Robins. He’s an orphan, he’s strong willed, a police officer like Dick Grayson, and like Tim Drake he deduced Batman’s identity. He is a well-developed character and has a great story arc within the film. Anne Hathaway was impressive as “the catburglar” and the chemistry she shares with Christian Bale is fantastic, who also (as always) gives a great performance. Tom Hardy. Is. The. Man. And - I’m going to say it - I thought Bane’s voice was perfect. It bears a semblance to the Batman: The Animated Series Bane and it manages to make the character even more menacing (“You think this gives you power over me?”). There seems to be nothing in his way and Hardy plays him with a terrifying confidence. The performance is brilliant and I think Bane will go down as one of the greatest masked villains in cinema (or else he’ll choke you with one hand). This is definitely something the character deserved after the god-awful Batman and Robin mess.

Rises makes small (and large) references to the comics that can be appreciated. Gotham’s East End is modeled right from the panels of Batman:Year One. Batman's line to himself, “So that’s what that feels like…” is a line from Kingdom Come - He also wears on a brace on his knee, a precursor to the exoskeleton he wears in Kingdom Come. And although a lot of the inspiration certainly came from Knightfall, the film’s best use of source material goes to The Dark Knight Returns - where Batman comes out of retirement to stop a gang led by a hulking mutant leader.

Both Christopher and Jonathan Nolan have done a fine job in writing a satisfying conclusion to an excellent trilogy. I can undoubtedly tell you that we won’t see a film of this scale for long, long time. 

And, for anyone who hasn’t seen this movie in IMAX … I’m sorry, but you have missed out. The IMAX scenes in this movie are incredible. The opening scene is astounding. It truly adds to the cinematic experience and I hope this paves the way for more mainstream movies to be shot in the 70mm format.

The Bottom Line: This is a great time at the movies. Christopher Nolan introduced us to a realistic Batman in 2005, gave us a spectacularly massive, bar-raising sequel, and has now javelined that bar into the stratosphere with an epic conclusion to his trilogy. This is the pinnacle of the superhero movie.