2017 Movie Challenge Entry 1: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

I had a High School friend who offered a challenge to his Facebook friends (I am privileged to be one of them) to watch 30 movies that fit into the categories he outlined here.

I'm going to try and not double up categories (i.e. one film that qualifies for multiple items on the list), but we will see what the year holds.

This movie qualifies for category #23: A favorite of a filmmaker you like. Apparently the critics at the Toronto International Film Festival saw La La Land for the first time (one of my favorite films of the year) remarked that the film is remarkably similar to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Before they could ask director Damian Chuzelle any questions about it, he said that Cherbourg is his favorite film of all time. As a result of his admission, I have had a burning desire to see it.  So I logged onto the public library and reserved it.

I'm really glad I watched it, especially before a second viewing of La La Land.  Cherbourg is a musical with no dancing. And when I say musical, I mean there's absolutely no non-sung dialogue in the whole movie.  This doesn't detract, however it was surprising; I didn't expect it to be that kind of musical.  Also there's no dancing.

The film is so beautifully shot. My wife and I were taken aback at how amazing some of the cinematography was. Here is a showcase of the shots that impressed me the most:

 

Probably the most striking thing about it (and the most insightful when watching La La Land a second time) was its use of color. All the primary colors represented different people and different situations. You will have to watch it to get what I mean, but if you do I really recommend paying close attention to the colors that the characters are wearing and what colors are in the background. The choices are very deliberate. 

Mr. Holmes and the Consolation of Fiction

Warning: This is a film analysis of the movie Mr. Holmes and will contain complete spoilers. 

Mr. Holmes is a film about an aging Sherlock in self-exile.  His age has brought on a senility that has caused him to forget so many of his cases, and the most important of all, the case that brought on his retirement.  Through a gradual series of revelations we learn that his dedication to deduction, fact, and his own brilliance led to the allowing of a woman to commit suicide.  The 'game,' as he commonly referred to it, was up, for a person's life hung in the balance.

The theme of the film is what Carter Burwell titled the last track of the soundtrack that he composed for the film: the 'Consolation of Fiction.'  Mr. Holmes learns that his facts can and have hurt people, and thereby chooses fiction to console an individual at the end.  However, the theme is explored in other, less direct ways.

From very early on in the film, the audience learns that all of the stories written by Dr. Watson, Sherlock's partner in deduction, were embellished.  How embellished were they?  That question is ever present in audience's mind, for we never really see any bit of brilliance from Sherlock himself until the climax.  Whenever Mr. Holmes does a bit of deduction, there's always an alternative explanation as to how he was able to come to that conclusion.  These explanations could lead the audience to think that maybe the whole Sherlock facade is an embellishment. For example, when the housekeeper's son asks how he knew it was the wife; was it because of a series of small details that he saw?  No.  When a husband came with a case, it always had to do with the wife.  

What if Sherlock Holmes was nothing more than a charlatan?  The smirk he wears in the flashbacks might suggest that. And this deception is almost solidified when he attempts to read the palm of the woman central to the retirement inducing case.  After the ridiculous palm reading she confronts him, letting Sherlock know that she knows who he is and has been leading him on only to confront him.  Could it be that him being exposed as a con man is why he went into retirement?  Yet this ends up as another bluff by the filmmakers.  An attempt to cause confusion as to what is fact or fiction.

Only at the climax do we glimpse that Sherlock Holmes is indeed the master logician that we know from the stories.  He knows exactly what the woman has been up to and that it was all a show for him.  However, as it turns out, she performed her dupe because she knew that the only person in the world who could understand her was the brilliant Mr. Holmes.  And his exposition into her condition and his inability to see the truly dire nature of the situation caused, or at least failed to prevent, her subsequent suicide.

So, Mr. Holmes now hates himself and has chosen self seclusion for the sole purpose of not hurting anyone else.  He saw that he had abused his talents in making his work a game.  At that point he concludes that while fact and truth had once been his greatest allies, they are now his greatest enemies.

Of course this journey that we make with Mr. Holmes is so much more compelling because we are making the discovery with him.  In his old age he has lost this particular life changing memory and spends the better part of the film trying to remember it. 

Thoughts on Robert Zemeckis' THE WALK

Today I saw The Walk, a biographical/narrative film about the fellow that tight-walked between the Twin Towers back in the 70's when they were being built.  It was directed by a master of technical direction, Bob Zemeckis (Back to the Future Trilogy, Forrest Gump, Polar Express, Beowulf, Cast Away, etc.).

It was a little odd to see Joseph Gordon Leavitt do a French accent.  But it only bothered me for like 5 minutes.  He actually does it quite well and you could tell he loved the part.  If the film wasn't so borderline cheesy, I would say that he could be a possible nominee for a Best Actor Oscar.

It was wonderfully directed, ESPECIALLY the last half hour.  The last half hour is the best filmmaking done this whole year, IMO.  It's really odd, because this film absolutely bombed at the box office, which has never really happened to Bob Z.  Outside of Spielberg and James Cameron, he's the most consistent moneymaker in Hollywood, until now.

Ultimately I had a hard time relating to this character.  My conservative nature doesn't let me sympathize with a man who spends years of his life attempting a feat like that.

The narrative structure of this movie really grated on me.  The way the story is told is by JGL's character telling his story while standing on the Statue of Liberty's flame. Yes, you read that right.  The bizarre backdrop makes the film feel cheesy.  The only part the location of the narration actually works is at the end, which I won't spoil.

CONCLUSION
This was an overall great film.  It was gutsy and fun. Highly recommended.

No, I don't think The Force Awakens will beat Jurrassic World on opening weekend

I have been called blasphemous and have been accused of smoking crack because of my prediction that Star Wars won't break the opening weekend record.  Here are a few of my reasons for thinking this.  I am among the biggest Star Wars fans I know, so I hope I'm wrong.

• Although the original trilogy did quite well and A New Hope and Return of the Jedi broke the opening weekend records, a Star Wars film hasn't done that since.  
• The Phantom Menace DID NOT break the opening weekend record (neither did Attack of the Clones or Revenge of the Sith) despite the sheer amount of people buying tickets early and standing in line. It didn't take the crown away from the then current record holder...wait for it....Jurassic Park: The Lost World. If someone had said that Phantom Menace wouldn't take the box office away from The Lost World, they would have been called blasphemous as well. 
• We also have to understand that A New Hope broke records because it had almost no competition in the 'blockbuster' category. It was the 2nd blockbuster EVER, so while it was a great achievement, it should not be considered as precedent in this matter.  
• Generally, millennials don't care about Star Wars.  There are some exceptions, but as Chris Pratt (star of Jurassic World and Guardians of the Galaxy) once said, Jurassic Park was the Star Wars of his (the millennial) generation.  
• I would never have thought that Jurassic World would even come close to beating out The Avengers or even The Dark Knight, but it did.  I highly doubt that Star Wars has more box office potential than Tony Stark and his friends among the crucial demographic of millennials.
•  The film opens in December.  The reason this is important is because films that open in the Holiday season almost NEVER do as well as it would have in the summer.  The classic anecdote to show this is when Pixar renegotiated its deal with Disney: it demanded that its films be released in the summer instead of Thanksgiving so it could get better box office performance.  And their demands paid off, literally. 
• Look at the list below.  You'll see two Star Wars movies, but none in the last 30 years.  
• Star Wars fans are among the most passionate in the world.  However, there is very little evidence that they are more plentiful than Jurassic Park, Avengers, or Batman fans. 

Review Round-up: Summer 2015 Edition

I apologize that I haven't found time to review all the films I've seen over the summer.  Life is crazy with 3 small children and therefore have very little time to myself. 

I will do a short blurb on all the films I haven't touched on yet that were released during the summer.

JURASSIC WORLD
I saw this film twice: once when I was ill and once in IMAX 3D.  The film is a true blockbuster, but never rose to the level that I wanted it to.  Everyone gives great performances, but the script felt a bit dumbed down.  However, it was very suspenseful in a Spielberg-type of way.  And I can't fault the director: it was only his second film, and it's pretty great for an Indy director's second film.  3.5/5

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD
This is the breakout film of the summer.  It's the best directed of the year so far and probably the best action film since The Dark Knight.  I can't recommend it to everyone, but I've seen it 3 times and every time is a bit of a rush.  It's pure action storytelling.  4.5/5

FURIOUS 7
My brother-in-law and I have a long standing tradition where we attend the latest Fast & Furious film on its opening weekend.  I differ from my critical colleagues in that I find these movies to be entertaining only in that they should be mocked.  They are absurd and I can't help but laugh out loud at their absurdness.  And this film gets even more absurd than the previous ones.  1/5

INSIDE OUT
This is my favorite film of the summer.  I won't say it's better than Wreck-it Ralph or Toy Story 3, but it's such an amazingly complex little film.  I had tears in my eyes more than once.  It is a masterpiece.  5/5

ANT-MAN
Oddly enough, my initial viewing of this was more enjoyable than Avengers: Age of Ultron.  Where Ultron felt bloated, Ant-Man had time to breathe.  It's not a perfect film by any stretch.  But it was very enjoyable.  4/5

PIXELS
Pixels is the worst film I've seen in a very long time.  I wanted to like it so much, and I even laughed at a few parts.  But, overall I was dumber for having watched it.  If Michelle Monaghan hadn't been in it, I probably would have walked out and requested a refund.  0/5

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION
I had a great time at the theater when I saw Rogue Nation.  It was funny and the action was pretty spectacular.  However, I will say that it felt way more like an American James Bond film than a Mission Impossible one.  Also, it's not as well directed as its predecessor.  3.5/5

FANTASTIC FOUR
I didn't despise this movie like many others did.  I could definnitely see the studio's fingerprints all over it.  Also, the first half of the movie felt like a pretty decent scifi flick, whereas the second half felt like a forced superhero film.  There are ridiculous plot holes.  2.5/5

THE MAN FROM UNCLE
A very polished and un-Guy-Ritchie film.  Superbly acted and well shot.  Not only is it a period 60's spy thriller, it also feels like it was shot IN the 60's. Very recommended.  4.5/5

Review of "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl"

Every year there seems to be at least one 'coming-of-age' film to come out of the Sundance Film Festival. I usually look forward to them, because they tend to be right in my wheelhouse. The Way Way Back, which was released two years ago at Sundance, is among my favorite films of recent memory; I can watch it over and over again and cry every time. This year's big 'coming-of-age' flick to come out of Sundance was Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Both of my best critic friends loved this movie, with one saying that it was easily a frontrunner for Best Picture at the Oscars. While I don't share his sentiment, I did really like it.

THE GOOD

The acting is so spectacular in this movie. Nick Offerman gives probably his most memorable performance outside of playing Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation. Connie Britton (Nashville, Friday Night Lights) gives an almost unrecognizably quirky performance. And the kid that they got to play Earl, RJ Cyler, is just a revelation. I don't know if it was the superb direction or whether Cyler is actually that good, but it's just a spectacular role.

The Storytelling of this movie is pretty remarkable. The gradual reveals and head fakes build a complexity that I didn't think was possible for a movie about a kid's senior year of high school. The main character, Greg, is the most complex and relatable character of the year. I really relate to him, and Thomas Mann's portrayal of him is just so good. I certainly hope he gets nominated for an Oscar, because it's the best performance and characterization since Ralph in Wreck-it Ralph for me, hands down.

Many people are contrasting this film with The Fault In Our Stars, which makes sense: they are both about teenage cancer patients. I didn't care for Stars and its overly emotional plot devices. Earl feels much more real to me, although I never had cancer or knew anyone who did in high school, so perhaps I'm not the best judge.

I also found this movie to be incredibly funny and refreshingly creative in its plot devices.

THE NOT SO GOOD

I didn't find the abstract camera work to be as accessible as it could have been. My critic friends just ate up the cinematography, but I'm just not as good at following artsy subtext as they are (for example, I didn't care for Birdman, whereas they adored it). I'm sure the art direction had meaning, however I just couldn't see it.

CONCLUSION

Me and Earl and the Dying Girl is one of the better movies of the year so far. It's sweetly complex, endearingly quirky, and deeply emotional. I wouldn't recommend it to the average popcorn film-goer, but only to folks who enjoy quirky, Oscar-type films.

4/5 Disco Balls.

PARENTS GUIDE

This movie is a lot dirtier than I expected it to be. Lots of references to girls as 'titties' and way too many masturbation jokes. It also has them accidentally getting high from marijuana cookies.

I raise my glass to James Horner, 1953-2015

Last night I sobbed uncontrollably in mourning for about an hour after hearing the news that James Horner had died. To me, he was the greatest composer of our time. He made the world a better, more beautiful place.

My first introduction into the world of film music was with the movie Braveheart. I was in middle school when I was introduced to it, but that movie moved me so, and it was its music that did it. Horner said that Mel Gibson, the director of Braveheart, gave him free reign without any specific direction. This practice is unheard of, even among frequent collaborators Steven Spielberg and John Williams or Robert Zemeckis and Alan Silvestri. The result of the unbridled collaboration was what I consider to be the greatest film score of all time. I dare you to listen to the End Credits track and not be moved.

Horner and Cameron

Then came freshmen year, 1997. This was a memorable year in cinematic history because it was the release of James Cameron's Titanic, which was unforgettably scored by Horner. This film held the record for biggest box office gross for 12 years, until Cameron's and Horner's next collaboration, Avatar. How much of Titanic's success can be attributed to its score? It's hard to say, but I know that it affected me immensely. I wore out my CD of the soundtrack from listening to it too much and I saw the movie 9 times in the theater.

Like many of his collaborators, Horner got his start working with B movie director, Roger Corman. However, his first big break was with An American Tail, which garnered him his first Oscar nomination. He also scored some other fairly high profile movies of the 80's, such as Krull, Willow, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, The Land Before Time, Cocoon, Aliens, and Field of Dreams.

In the 90's he continued his success with Fievel Goes West, Jumanji, Casper, and many others. In 1995, he garnered critical and Academy fame with Apollo 13 and Braveheart. He didn't win a statue for either (which is one of the greatest blunders in Academy history, IMO), however he did win two Oscars two years later for his work on Titanic.

Ron Howard with Horner

The 2000's saw his remarkably expressive score to Ron Howard's A Beautiful Mind and many others. Most notably, in 2009 he scored Avatar. The two highest grossing films of all time are directed by James Cameron and scored by James Horner. It is very sad to me that he will not be able to score the Avatar sequels.

One gem that I encourage you to listen to that is often overlooked is 2010's The Karate Kid.  The music is deeply moving for me.  

I love music deeply, to the point that I wanted to do it for a living; I even studied music in college for a number of years; and no single person influenced that direction in my life more than James Horner. I 'feel' more because of his work. His music has helped me out of some dark places and helped me feel joy when I thought it wasn't possible. I raise my glass to him. May he rest in peace. I close with a tune from Braveheart that is played during the mourning of William Wallace's father.