The Film Junkie

In fact, all the scenes with Heigl and James Marsden, as her love interest, are fun, but whenever the film switches to the bland engagement of her sister (yawn-worthy Malin Akerman) and her boss (Ed Burns, sleeping through the film) the film loses its stride.  Luckily the always great Judy Greer shows up as Heigl’s best buddy and gives us some comic heft (much as she did in ‘13 Going on 30′…and ‘The Wedding Planner’…will someone give her a starring role already?).

The movie isn’t terribly memorable, although the idea is interesting and somewhat creative, but it is a big of fun and cheer to get us through these cold months.

Day-Lewis gives a remarkably intense performance as the smooth-talking control freak Plainview.  He brings a charge to the screen that does not allow the audience to look away for a moment.  He is in almost every scene and owns the movie with his charisma and madness.  Yet it is the moments when he tangles with a local preacher, Eli (Paul Dano), when we truly begin to understand him.  Perhaps it is because I am an atheist, but I began to relate to Plainview when he reacted to the bizarre actions of this man obsessed with Christianity.  These two men are equally taken in by their obsessions and we see in the final scene of the movie just how far each of them will go and how much they will sacrifice for their own needs.

Dano proves himself to be an actor of great substance.  After playing the mesmerizing silent brother in ‘Little Miss Sunshine’, I expected him to fall upon the wayside, much like Wes Bentley in the aftermath of ‘American Beauty’; however Dano has propelled himself to the stature of character actor with this portrayal.  He is so impressive that in one particular baptism scene, he manages to outshine Day-Lewis.  The tense chemistry between these two actors represents the tug’o'war that continues to play itself out in American society: capitalism vs. religion.  Money Vs. God.  Yet it also allows us to question which gives birth to which, and whether one can survive without the other.  Indeed who is the father and who is the son?

Anderson has given us a movie to spark a national dialogue and one can only hope that its message is not lost as the world screams for answers.

Here Diablo Cody has done the opposite.  She has given us the highly intelligent Juno (Ellen Page), but she has also allowed for Juno to have a limited scope, allows her to be taught and be constantly learning.  We see that the walls she has built up around her come from her own lack of self-understanding.

The story follows Juno as she discovers she is pregnant by way of her best friend (the incomparable Michael Cera, once again bringing awkwardness to a new peak).  Juno decides to sell her spawn to a wealthy upper middle class couple played by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner.  They seem to be the picture of perfection, but trembling underneath is the reality that there are at different stages of life.  Bateman is intense and sarcastic but also incredibly caged.  He has rarely been so reserved and quiet, here the smart aleck is replaced somewhat by a yearning for one’s youth.  Garner has never been so good.  The Queen of Hollywood archetype she has been perfecting is replaced by a raw and lonely woman searching for a child to give her life meaning and constantly afraid her dreams are going to be crushed.

But onto Page, after all this movie is all about her.  She showed tremendous promise in the amazing ‘Hard Candy’, but here she has solidified herself as the face of new Hollywood.  She is witty, hard and sarcastic while also letting Juno be a real girl.  She is a rare breed of young female star and one can only hope that town doesn’t swallow her up.

A brilliantly written, acted and directed film about what people really need, whether they know it or not.

Oh, and it has one hell of a soundtrack.

First off the story. It starts out fairly strong as we follow this man who has adapted to the desolation of a world ravaged by disease. We begin to understand him bit by bit until we can somewhat understand his pain. However as the story develops and we meet the zombie-like creatures that are surrounding him, it begins to fall apart and the end of the movie feels incredibly rushed and anti-climactic.

Secondly, the special effects are a mess. The zombies look like cheap video game knock offs; they are horribly constructed and just look cheap. Francis Lawrence should have watched ‘The Descent’, now there are some creepy monsters. Sometimes computer animation doesn’t pay off.

All in all, it seemed like a cool idea but in the end they just couldn’t pull off anything better than a lame-FX ridden sloppy faux epic.

Many have tried and failed to adapt this classic Sondheim murder musical to the big screen.  Over the years projects have been rumoured and fallen through the cracks, but there was clearly a reason why this film could not be made until now.  Tim Burton was made to direct this twisted tale of revenge and bloodlust set to music and Johnny Depp needed to be the right age to be convincing as the titular maniac.

The film follows Sweeney Todd (Depp) a barber whose wife and child were stolen by a corrupt judge (Alan Rickman) and has returned to London to avenge this act.  Along the way he reunites with a former acquaintance Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) who helps him hatch a plan to satisfy his need to kill and her need for fresh meat for her pie shop. 

Needless to say, this is not your typical musical.  It is not for the faint of heart or stomach as the blood flows like water whenever Todd works his magic.  Depp is not the caliber of singer of other surprising movie star double talents like Hugh Jackman or even Ewan Macgregor, however his sullen rock and roll tonality is a perfect match for the gothic nature of both Burton and the material.  Depp is truly Burton’s muse and they continue to grow as a team.

The most surprising thing about this movie is the amazing work by Bonham Carter.  Mrs. Lovett is not an easy role to sing, but she pulls it off with panache.  She steals every scene she is in and makes the film her own.  She has always been an under-rated talent in the world of Hollywood as she was never as safe or glamorous as the Cate Blanchetts or Nicole Kidmans or as personally conflicted as a Winona Ryder.  She is a different kind of actress in that she is as unpredictable as Depp while also bringing a menacing air to the role.

This is a lovely, goth, horrific and romantic musical about loss and what we can be driven to do under the wrong circumstances.  Sondheim’s music is not like anything you have likely heard in a movie musical before as it does not lull or comfort, but challenges and allows you to question.  The songs are like a ballet of words with Depp and Bonham Carter their prima ballerinas.

Magnificent!

Onto the film itself.  It follows Jenna (Keri Russell), a pie waitress who invents a new pie everyday based on her own experiences.  Each pie represents the emotional turmoil of her life as she copes with an annoying husband (Jeremy Sisto), a cranky customer (Andy Griffith), her friends (Cheryl Hines and Shelly herself) and a new love interest, her OBGYN (Nathan Fillion).  Russell leaves Felicity behind once and for all and prepares to become a movie star in her own right with this star-making turn.  She is delightful to watch and though her accent falters on occasion, we eagerly follow her exploits because she is so likeable.  Russell could be the next big movie star, if those things still exist.

The main fault I have with the film is the soundtrack.  The songs used are fairly generic and predictable and draw away from how special the screenplay is.  Less famous songs should have been used, or no music at all because at times the film seems too much like a montage or music video rather than a cohesive film.

I loved the performances, Shelly is a great comic actress, the writing, loved the way the film ended as it brings out the independent spirit in me.  Though some might see it as an awkward finish, I understand what Shelly is trying to say about the need for female interdependence.

A sweet treat.

The story follows three brothers (Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman) as they embark on a trip through India to ‘find’ themselves and eventually (SPOILER ALERT) their mother (Angelica Huston).  Along the way the brothers don’t so much change as open up.  Their evolution is one of communication and acceptance rather than alteration.

Following his last film ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’ (2004), Anderson seems to be slowing down and allowing his films to breathe more than the chaos of ‘Rushmore’, ’Tenenbaums’ or his first film ‘Bottle Rocket’ (1996).  We still have scenes of exquisitly chosen indie rock to puncuate the drama, but we also have many more scenes of the longing and pontification.  Thus, those people who love ‘Aquatic’ will also love ‘Darjeeling’, but those who long for the days of chaos may be left wanting more.

The performances are expertly Anderson-esque (Brody is a perfect fit for the style), however I longed for some more interesting female characters.  In the short film ‘Hotel Chevalier’ that plays before the feature, Natalie Portman is featured as a kind of piece of art rather than an actual character, and Huston’s character is used to explain the problems of the men around her rather than having her own motivations.

All in all, this is a love letter to brotherhood.  The love between brothers, the longing for lost fathers and sons, and the fear of a future relationship with the next generation of men.  This film speaks to the new kind of man, one who abuses substances without remorse and is incapable of being a typical hero.  I only hope that perhaps Sofia Coppola or a female director of a similar aesthic will be able to do the same for women.

A charming and colorful step forward for Anderson.