Podcast: Cinematrimony – War Horse
by Matt Scalici on Feb.07, 2012, under Reviews & Podcasts
Matt and Francesca Scalici return with another episode of Cinematrimony. At last, Matt & Francesca take on Stephen Spielberg’s Best Picture-nominated War Horse and Francesca reveals whether her two least favorite things, war and horses, were able to come together and make a great movie. Does this highly-touted award-contender live up to the hype?
DOWNLOAD: Cinematrimony – War Horse
Five Wacky Alternate Endings for THE GREY
by Ben Stark on Feb.06, 2012, under Speculatin' a Hypothesis
Lamenting the departure of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy from area theaters last week, my friend and I took a consolation prize: the surprisingly well-regarded fifth feature film from director Joe Carnahan, The Grey.
I should say that if you haven’t seen The Grey, you should definitely see it before you read any further. Below are heavy spoilers for the film. Your question might be, “Should I see The Grey at all?” I think you probably should. It’s rare that a genre film of this type takes this kind of care with its emotional and thematic subtexts. All in all, I’m not much of a film critic, so I’ll let an actual one – new Filmspotting co-host Josh Larsen – state what I think is true:
Again, though- The film is viscerally oppressive and legitimately gripping, kind of like Final Destination with wolves. It’s not the ballsy action film its trailers are selling, and there is no more obvious proof of that fact than the film’s ending.
I’ll give a brief rundown of what happens, in case you forgot or you just hate movies and are reading this without having seen the film. At the end of the story, all of Ottway’s (Neeson) fellow plane crash survivors have been somehow killed by nature, most of them by hungry wolves. After having a sort of breakdown, Ottway discovers himself in the wolves’ den, surrounded by the angry animals. While reciting a poem handed to him by his father, Ottway binds a knife and liquor bottles to his hands, ready to die a most glorious and wolf-hating death. As we grit our teeth and prepare to enter the fray, as it were, Carnahan cuts to black, and ends the film on a somewhat ambiguous note.
This move has been considered both ridiculous and brilliant by audiences, and I personally think it’s a fine ending. The film gives us plenty of clues as to the inevitable outcome of the story, and it ends on the emotionally important moment. Clearly, Ottway is going to die fighting, as his situation is just insurmountable. Now, there is a post-credits coda that shows a dying wolf and no sign of Ottway, but I read that as an allowance that Ottway did a bit of damage before traipsing into the woods to bleed to death. The coda makes the film’s ending no less ambiguous than if it didn’t exist.
So, with all the ambiguity, I can’t help but have some fun wondering “What happens next?”
1.) Ottway’s Wife To The Rescue
Just as the alpha wolf crouches to attack Ottway, we hear a rumbling. Both Ottway and the wolves look to the treetops. A helicopter roars into view. A rope ladder tumbles from the side of the chopper, as Ottway’s presumed-dead wife pops her head out. She shouts, “You left the hospital too early! I got better!”, before giving him a thumbs up. Ottway grabs the rope ladder, winks at the wolves as he ascends, and mirrors his wife’s gesture by giving a thumbs-up to camera. We freeze on that image as credits roll.
2.) Everyone Was Just In Wolf Suits
Just as the alpha wolf crouches to attack Ottway, it stops, rears back on his hind legs, and stands. It reaches below its neck, and pulls down a zipper, revealing its wolf facade to be a costume. Out of the costume steps Ottway’s presumed-dead wife. The surrounding wolves follow (wolf) suit, unzipping to reveal themselves as Ottway’s presumed-dead roughneck friends (as well as his presumed-dead Irish father). Everyone cries and hugs, as we learn that the entire film was an elaborate hoax to convince Ottway of the importance and preciousness of life.
3.) Dubstep-Laden Fight Scene In Which Liam Neeson Destroys All Wolves
Just as the alpha wolf crouches to attack Ottway, we cut to a full, side two-shot. Ottway jumps up, then freezes in time as Skrillex hits the soundtrack. What follows is a Zack Snyder-styled action scene set to crunchy industrial techno, in which Ottway uses high-flying kung fu on all the wolves, complete with a bullet-time back flip.
4.) Explicit 20-Minute Long Take Of Wolves Slowly Eating Liam Neeson
Just as the alpha wolf crouches to attack Ottway, he follows through and attacks Ottway. Our hero doesn’t get in a single strike, but is systematically and slowly eaten by the wolves, akin to raw footage from a National Geographic video.
5.) Ottwolf
Just as the alpha wolf crouches to attack Ottay, our hero HOWLS. He stops, looks down at himself. The wolves are as shocked as Ottway. They look at each other, troubled. Cut back to Ottway grasping at the wolf bite he received earlier in the film. He’s shocked to discover his hands are transforming into paws. His mouth shoots out and grows into a muzzle. He screams as his clothes rip off and he becomes Ottwolf, new alpha male and leader of the werewolf collective. (This actually makes perfect sense, as he was the only character to have actually lived through a wolf bite.) The wolves all bow before him as he stands and howls, as the camera cranes up and out into the treetops.
I’m going to go on a limb and say that these alternate endings are so feasible that Joe Carnahan might actually have them in the can already. Be sure to watch out for the blu ray release of The Grey.
-
In other news, Wonder Mill Films’ newest feature film The Nocturnal Third will soon be available to stream for free online for a very limited time. Be sure to keep an eye out on our official site. Also, Cinematrimony and Aspect Radio have combined their powers to create a new movie podcast for Al.com. Check it out here!
Oscar Snubs 2011: How did 50/50 fall off the radar?
by Ben Flanagan on Jan.27, 2012, under Other Features
The night before the announcement of the 2011 Oscar nominations, I said I’d all but give up on the already pointless ceremony if the Academy failed to surprise at all.
Fortunately, they’ll have my blind fandom around for at least one more year. Gary Oldman’s first nomination, MARGIN CALL for best original screenplay, THE TREE OF LIFE in the mix and the photo-finish inclusion of WAR HORSE for best picture, among others? Not bad…
Unfortunately, their surprises came at the expense of some far more deserving films, performances and technical achievements, namely the following.
50/50 couldn’t beat the odds.
Release dates don’t seem to matter as much these days, at least for certain films in the season. Take MIDNIGHT IN PARIS and TREE OF LIFE, for instance, two movies released last summer that managed to maintain momentum and scrape their way into the best picture conversation. A film with some big stars that scored a 48 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes is up for the top prize, which has nine contenders. Why not just make it 10? I realize BRIDESMAIDS, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO or even DRIVE might have filled that final slot, but why not 50/50? Did its September release and so-so box office do it in? I don’t buy the argument that people don’t want to laugh at cancer. The film is an engaging dramedy with enough stars to raise Academy members’ eyebrows, yet the only thing it might have mustered was maybe a consolation screenplay nod. After another watch, it deserved recognition for picture, screenplay, actor (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), supporting actress (Anjelica Huston) and, yes, supporting actor (Seth Rogen). Despite its 93 percent rating on RT, maybe its $35 million domestic gross was the nagging injury that kept it off the playing field. Regardless, no film in 2011 was more emotional and honest with itself by asking difficult questions about life while maintaining its sense of humor, something you rarely see in film.
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross deserved to defend their title
Last year’s best original score winners for David Fincher’s THE SOCIAL NETWORK equaled and might have topped that effort with their hauntingly moody work on THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. Along with Cliff Martinez’s CONTAGION score (also deserving, but without a realistic shot), Reznor and Ross’ score was easily the most unique music you probably heard in films last year, and it’s simply a wonder it missed the cut. While I definitely dug John Williams’ light and fancy free cues in Steven Spielberg’s THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, the legend got a second and much more deserved nomination within the category for WAR HORSE and simply didn’t need another. Make room for a score that actually deserved it. Fishy snub here.
What, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN’s mo-cap not animated enough?
Some way, somehow, Steven Spielberg was getting an Oscar this year, whether it was for his sprawling and sentimental WW1 epic WAR HORSE or a nice honorable mention trophy for his venture into motion capture animation TINTIN. Before the announcement, the consensus was that the category would come down to it and Gore Verbinski’s deserving RANGO, and that’s fine. MONSTER HOUSE remains the only mo-cap movie to score a nomination, and it lost out to HAPPY FEET. Mo-cap films are eligible for the category, so the only conclusion you can really draw is that Academy voters just don’t dig the format. Either way, TINTIN was deserving, and it’s a shame it wasn’t invited.
Jeremy Irvine, the emotional core of the highly emotional WAR HORSE
Folks criticize Spielberg’s drama for its sentimentality and forced emotional moments. Say what you want about the rest of the film, but newcomer Irvine doesn’t force a single beat in a performance that serves as the glue of the film, even more so than the horse every character encounters. In several gut-wrenching scenes, Irvine’s humble Albert takes the often-unlucky hands he’s dealt throughout and earns his good fortune. Even when he accepts, time after time, that he’ll lose what he loves most, the young Albert takes it like a man, and Irvine’s earnest portrayal earns acting MVP honors among a talented ensemble his first time out of the gate.
DRIVE’s cinematography, at least
Some felt Albert Brooks missing the supporting actor cut was the most egregious snub at all, but I didn’t find myself all that bothered by it, especially after the comedian’s veiled hissyfit he threw on Twitter. Other than Nicolas Winding Refn’s deft direction, the main attraction here might be Newton Thomas Sigel’s gorgeous sun-baked compositions that capture a Los Angeles I’ve never seen on film. Be it a driving sequence or one of those helicopter night shots of the city, Sigel’s camera is always up to something pretty extraordinary.
Ben Kingsley the year’s best-kept acting secret?
Few want to spoil the magic found down the stretch in Martin Scorsese’s wonderful HUGO, much of it having to do with Kingsley’s mysterious train station shop owner. Good on folks for keep the secrets of such a rich and rewarding story, but I hope it wasn’t too tightly concealed so that Kingsley’s performance was ignored as a result. Who will win the supporting actor category has become a foregone conclusion (congratulations, Christopher Plummer), but I find the race easily the most boring of the year. I thought HUGO’s momentum, which garnered a 2011-high 11 nominations, would earn just one more for the reliable Kingsley.
Andy Serkis needs a Special Achievement Oscar like now
They give them out every so often, usually for visual effects, so Serkis’ motion capture performance should be no exception to that tradition. His work in the LORD OF THE RINGS films, KING KONG and TINTIN certainly display the magic this man is capable of creating, but his mo-cap masterpiece might be his work as Caesar in RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. I’m sure had most people walked into that movie without the knowledge that Caesar wasn’t played by Serkis, they might have guessed it was an enhanced real chimp or a complete CG creation. Serkis immerses himself into the movement of these creatures with impossible ease, but the strengths of Caesar are in his facial ticks and contemplative behaviors as he learns his place in a human-dominated world. Serkis is a movie marvel. When someone or something comes along in the medium that cannot be equaled or properly rewarded with a “regular” Oscar, it’s only right to recognize them with a Special Achievement Academy Award. Consider this a missed opportunity.
Elizabeth Olsen is a teacher and a leader
The best actress category was stacked, sure, but few performances were talked about more than Olsen’s in Sean Durkin’s eerie and powerful debut MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE. Fighting an uphill battle off-screen with the stigma of being one of those Olsen sisters, this young actress showed the film world she’s here and means all kinds of business. One of the quieter, more unpredictable performances of the year, battling with 2010 nominee John Hawkes (who might have deserved another nod), Olsen’s captivating work was sadly overlooked.
When the Academy nominates a performance of true greatness it will feel immortal.
Corey Stoll gave a good performance because it was an honest performance, and it deserves attention. And there is nothing fine and noble about this snub unless he was snubbed gracefully. And then it’s not only a noble snub but brave. Actually, it was more ludicrous and forgetful. Relative unknown Stoll, ahem, stole Allen’s movie from every other star in the cast with quiet and commanding lines that worked their way into hilariously thoughtful monologues inspired by Hemingway’s sincere and simple prose. If anyone gets Hemingway, it’s certainly Allen, but Stoll proved he was more than just an impersonator. This man was Hemingway, and if there’s ever a biopic, we’ll settle for nothing less. All cowardice comes from not nominating and not loving well, which is the same thing. And anyone who disagrees has never made love to a truly great woman. Who wants to fight?! And for good measure, let’s throw Adrien Brody’s brilliant three-minute turn as Salvador Dali, maybe his best work since THE PIANIST and easily one of the film’s best scenes.
Charlize Theron actually a monster in the underrated YOUNG ADULT.
The Oscar-winner and two-time nominee gave arguably her best performance (since CELEBRITY maybe?) in Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody’s frightening and funny depiction of a sociopath working as an unstoppable force in her quest to destroy the lives of others in her small Minnesota hometown. Mavis Gary is one of 2011′s richest, most complex and fully realized characters, and Theron is delightfully despicable. Although the best actress race is jam-packed this year, nothing suggests Theron doesn’t belong in the mix. It’s a rare talent when actors, thanks also to direction and dialogue, can make an audience just cringe, and she brings it in that regard on several occasions, namely when she meets her ex-boyfriend and his wife in their home prior to a dinner and reminisces over wearing his old T-shirts and boxers. The film and the character, no matter how hilarious they are at times, are ultimately disturbing, especially when the audience has the revelation that nothing was learned.
IDES OF MARCH may have disappointed, but Philip Seymour Hoffman did not
Prestige projects carry the burden of expectation and rarely deliver everything they could, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing to savor each go-around. In George Clooney’s regrettably ordinary political melodrama THE IDES OF MARCH, Hoffman lent the film a particular gravitas it seemingly lacked everywhere else. Not to say the other actors (namely Paul Giamatti) didn’t do their best with Clooney and co-writer Grant Heslov’s slight script, he simply rose above them all with some much-needed honesty. And while most of the dialogue and plot felt heavy-handed and cliched, credit the writers for giving Hoffman some dank fat to chew on, especially when he lays in to Ryan Gosling’s conniving political prodigy in a hotel room. Felt like Hoffman got lost in the fold when this came out and the critics singled out other performances for whatever reason. I guess guys like him suffer when we expect it from them. That damn burden of expectation.
Podcast: Cinematrimony – The Artist
by Matt Scalici on Jan.27, 2012, under Reviews & Podcasts
Matt and Francesca are back again with another episode of Cinematrimony. This time they take a look at the silent, black and white film that has taken Hollywood by storm, The Artist. Matt and Francesca discuss whether this film is more than just a gimmick and what the film’s success says about today’s audiences and critics.
DOWNLOAD: Cinematrimony – The Artist
Podcast: Cinematrimony – The Descendants
by Matt Scalici on Jan.25, 2012, under Reviews & Podcasts
Matt and Francesca Scalici return with another new episode of Cinematrimony. In this episode, our dueling wedded critics take a look at Alexander Payne’s latest effort, the George Clooney-starring, Hawaiian-set drama The Descendants. Matt and Francesca discuss the film’s performances and consider whether this movie changes Francesca’s mind about how much she hates Alexander Payne.
DOWNLOAD: Cinematrimony – The Descendants
The Best Movie Music of 2011: CONTAGION, DRAGON TATTOO shine in a stellar year
by Ben Flanagan on Jan.24, 2012, under Other Features
The notion that any great movie music should be audibly invisible is ridiculous. The 2011 movie year is full of rich original film scores and song choices that are so readily apparent during sequences, you hear all of it and think those scenes could not work without a single note.
Along with Hans Zimmer (INCEPTION), Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (THE SOCIAL NETWORK) were whom I considered 2011′s movie music MVPs. This year, they nearly went back-to-back.
While Reznor and Ross certainly did not disappoint with their brilliantly moody GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO score (once again collaborating with David Fincher), it was Cliff Martinez who pried the championship belt from their fingers with his work on DRIVE (celebrated by many for having the best soundtrack of the year), but most notably on Steven Soderbergh’s epidemic thriller CONTAGION.
So before I go into any detail on Martinez and the rest of the elite maestros responsible for some of my favorite movie music in recent memory, let’s at least acknowledge how wonderful this year actually was in this department. Not only did so many films deliver, these composers were more than just cogs in the machines. Eliminate them, and you might eliminate any effect the films might have had. Some films work without music, sure, and you never want to drown yourself in sap or manipulation. But in some cases, manipulative musical masochism was the only answer, and without sacrificing the narrative or overall design of the film.
I’m including original scores, songs used in the films and even music cleverly used in some trailers. So here’s my favorite movie music from 2011:
CONTAGION
Cliff Martinez “Bat & Pig”
We’ll return to Martinez shortly, but the way the man bookends Soderbergh’s film is rather breathless and slightly eerie. In one of the just plan coolest sequences of 2011, Soderbergh closes his film suggesting the genesis of the MEV-1 virus. The track is bare-bones simple, a redundant non-progression of the same sound beating over and over as the sequence travels seamlessly from A to Z. And then in a flash, Soderbergh cuts to black as a red font appears. The imagery is frightening enough, especially when all it could take is some bad pork. But Martinez delivers the blow with a calculated, deadly serious clip that would breathe life into one of the best modern thrillers in years.
WAR HORSE
John Williams “Reunion”
To put it simply, John Williams is a beast, as impressive as Joey in Spielberg’s film in his finest moments. After decades of phenomenal output, including the medium’s most indelible themes, you’d think that gift might escape him at some point. As soon as I heard the “War Horse” theme in the first trailer, it was all over. I was hooked at least on Williams’ contribution. But each time it rears its head in the film, it works, provoking an immediate emotional response as was intended. Naysayers insist Williams often lays it on a little thick along with Spielberg here, but it just doesn’t bother me a single bit. Used well throughout but best in a pivotal scene towards the end that I will not ruin. Spielberg could have played it impossibly hokey, but he, Williams, cinematographer Janusz Kaminsky and everyone else go for the jugular and land a direct hit.
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Sidney Bechet “Si tu vois ma mère”
If Woody Allen is good for nothing else, it’s showcasing the finest jazz we might have never heard otherwise. Setting the perfect magical tone for his wistful tale about the treacherous nature of nostalgia, Woody goes with the namesake of one of his kids, Sidney Bechet, making for what I consider one of the director’s finest selections in his career in one of his better films in recent memory. Woody takes several minutes to introduce his audience to Paris, highlighting its most famous landmarks and landscapes along with a few less familiar. Letting Bechet’s swooning horns do all the talking the film’s opening moments need, Woody takes us to that place where we need to be for the next 100 minutes or however long we wish to escape. Used nicely to close the film, too.
HANNA
Chemical Brothers “The Devil is in The Details”
Joe Wright has established himself as a musical filmmaker, even if he doesn’t exactly make musicals. The man knows what sounds should accompany his films, so why not tap The Chemical Brothers for his fairytale about a teenage female assassin on the run from predators? Their score does wonders throughout, but I was never captivated than when Cate Blanchett first visits Tom Hollander’s appropriately creepy hitman in a nightclub of sorts where it looks like he’s overseeing some strange Asian play or musical. Its devilish theme, whistled and hummed by Hollander for the rest of the film, gets an uncomfortable introduction here, played as if a wolf in sheep’s clothing is attempting to lure children to an ice cream truck where they will inevitably disappear. Like I said, creepy.
GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross “Hidden in the Snow”
With “An Itch,” my favorite track on Reznor and Ross’ score, this track most reminded me of their work on THE SOCIAL NETWORK. Not to say it sounds like it wound up on the cutting room floor of that film and wandered its way into this one, it just evoked similar tones and feelings from it, especially when Sean Parker calls Mark Zuckerberg from jail late in the film. Here, it’s used during one of DRAGON TATTOO’s best sequences, when Henrik first recalls Harriet’s disappearance, flashing back to a silent account of the 1960s dinner party and subsequent events. It’s one of those tracks you could leave on for hours and forget you did, in a good way, I assure you.
CONTAGION
Cliff Martinez “They’re Calling My Flight”
While we’re returning to some films, why not highlight Martinez’s opening track right after Gwenyth Paltrow ends her phone call with perhaps her doomed lover (voiced by director Steven Soderbergh!). This sets up an adrenaline-fueled montage depicting how viruses travel, in this case a frighteningly fatal one. Immediately Soderbergh has you second-guessing how often you touch your face or where your hand is in relation to your theater armrest. You might even forgo holding hands with your significant other while watching things. And guiding the entire thing is this pulsating electronic track, pleasantly reminiscent of the stuff we heard from Reznor and Ross this and last year.
THE MUPPETS
Jason Segel & Bret McKenzie “Muppet or a Man”
Easily the funniest song in this delightful return to these beloved characters, Jason Segel hams it up his best when he and brother (and new Muppet) Walter come to a crossroads in the narrative and must pick a side. Written by Bret McKenzie, this and several of the other songs are glorified “Flight of the Conchords” tracks, but I had the most fun here with what I genuinely consider to be a great song lyrically and melodically. Chances are this one gets snubbed at the Oscars in favor of “Life’s a Happy Song” and “Pictures in My Head,” but how awesome it surely would be if McKenzie took the Kodak Theatre by storm with a live performance of this one. Either way, the man better walk away with an Oscar.
TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY (trailer)
Danny Elfman “Wolf Suite Pt. 1″ (from “The Wolfman”)
The Alberto Iglesias original score is perfectly suitable for Tomas Alfredson’s weaving of British spies and paranoia, but no trailer brought it quite like TINKER TAILOR’s did, using a track from Danny Elfman’s underrated WOLFMAN score from a few years ago. At least we can gain something positive from that wreck. While trailers ought not reveal much in the way of their narratives, especially ones as twisty and turny as this one, they should suggest the overall tone of a film and completely sell you on it. Such is the case with any TINKER TAILOR trailer, but this music is now part of a film’s identity, even if it doesn’t actually appear in the film. Whenever I want to look over my shoulder, I’ll put this track on.
DRIVE
Chromatics “Tick of the Clock”
Director Nicolas Winding-Refn likely wins the prize for song selection, blending synth-driven pop tracks seamlessly with Cliff Martinez’s near-invisible score. It’s hard to choose a favorite of the bunch — College/Electronic Youth’s “A Real Hero,” Kavinsky’s “Nightcall,” Desire’s “Under Your Spell,” etc. — but this repetitive Chromatics track (like “Bat & Pig”) drew me in during the films opening heist sequence. The beat clips along like your pulse while Ryan Gosling’s Driver maneuvers his way through the Los Angeles streets, away from the police.
SUPER 8
Michael Giacchino “Letting Go”
J.J. Abrams’ coming-of-age alien adventure isn’t perfect, but so much of it is, especially the sense time and place he and his crew establish from the get-go. I didn’t feel like the film’s most emotional moments were totally earned, but newcomer Joel Courtney does his damnedest to sell you on them. I will say Courtney’s earnest portrayal of a child who misses his late mother works, making for a teary finale propelled by Abrams’ MVP composer Michael Giacchino, for my money, the best working composer we have and the next John Williams if there ever was one. If ever a composer could fake emotional resonance for a story that lacks it, Giacchino has that power, as I’m sure you’ve seen on the show “Lost.” Even if SUPER 8 fell short in some places, the climax, thanks to Giacchino, gets it right.
GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Trent Reznor & Karen O “Immigrant Song”
Can’t go on without mentioning Reznor and Yeah Yeah Yeah’s singer Karen O’s pumping take on Led Zeppelin’s classic track, used during the unusual opening credits sequence in Fincher’s film. Again, music effectively establishes a tone for a film, in this case a quite dark tone. Fincher broke into the business directing music videos for major pop artists, and you’ve got to think he reached back into that bag of tricks for this one. I must note how well this song was used in the film’s teaser trailer. I was initially skeptical, having already seen the Swedish version of this story, but the quick-cutting preview topped off by Reznor and O’s collaboration did me in.
MELANCHOLA
Richard Wagner “Tristan und Isolde Prelude”
I find that the less I talk about Lars von Trier’s depression opus, the better off I am (and strangely, the more I like it). But Wagner’s prelude, no matter how many times von Trier plays it, works in this darkly beautiful and operatic tale of an impending apocalypse. The imagery is gorgeous if slightly disturbing, and who better than Wagner to score that combination?
HUGO
Howard Shore “Purpose”
For me, Shore’s score was one of the only things about HUGO that didn’t totally work. Something about the slightly stereotypical accordian-driven “look it’s French!” theme was the only thing that felt dishonest in this otherwise beautiful ode to the medium Scorsese happens to dominate. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad score. It’s pleasant enough, with some truly gorgeous tracks, especially during a key sequence towards the end of the film involving a character we get to know a little bit better. But when young Hugo is explaining his philosophy on where we all fit in the world if it were one big machine to Isabelle, Shore is on point.
Least favorite
The “Inception” horn in what feels like every trailer I see. Included in the following:
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”
“The Avengers”
“Prometheus”
“The Thing”
“The Immortals”
“Snow White & The Huntsman”
“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”
“Thor”
“Red Riding Hood”
“Battle: Los Angeles”
“Tron: Legacy”
“Saw: The Final Chapter”
“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3″
Podcast: Cinematrimony – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
by Matt Scalici on Jan.18, 2012, under Reviews & Podcasts
Cinematrimony is back with another dose of film discussion spiked with wedded bliss. In this episode Matt and Francesca Scalici discuss the period spy thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy featuring an all-star cast including Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy and Colin Firth. Listen as Matt and Francesca discuss the performances, the incredibly detailed atmosphere and whether the story might be too difficult for some audiences to follow.
DOWNLOAD: Cinematrimony – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Podcast: Cinematrimony – Young Adult
by Matt Scalici on Jan.17, 2012, under Reviews & Podcasts
Matt & Francesca Scalici return with another episode of Cinematrimony. This week, they take a look at the latest Diablo Cody-scripted comedy Young Adult starring Charlize Theron. Matt and Francesca discuss Theron’s performance, the darkly comic tone of the film and what it says about the progression of Cody as one of Hollywood’s most talked-about screenwriters.
DOWNLOAD: Cinematrimony – Young Adult
The Great Scenes: “Clark Kent vs Superman” from SUPERMAN III
by Ben Stark on Jan.13, 2012, under The Great Scenes
The Movie: Superman III (1983)
Spoiler Level: High (But it’s Superman III, so who cares?)
The Setup: You have three options here, in regards to what you need to know before watching the scene. You can take my plot summary, which will follow below. You could also watch Superman III. Or, you could go listen to Earwolf’s Superman III episode of “How Did This Get Made“, guest-hosted by Damon Lindelof. I’d highly recommend this podcast, and especially this episode. They sum up the folly of this movie, which was the humorous Richard Lester deconstructionist Superman take-down that nobody on planet Earth was asking for.
Basically, up to this point, the film has been a Richard Pryor comedy vehicle that takes place in Superman’s Metropolis. Being some sort of idiot savant computer genius, Pryor’s Gus is helping a megalomaniac corner the world’s coffee markets, and has discovered a way to keep Superman from meddling. By creating a synthetic black kryptonite and HANDING IT to Superman, they give the Man of Steel a kind of viral schizophrenia, as he begins to exhibit signs of a dark side. Succumbing to his evil side, Superman not only makes inappropriate sexual advances towards Lana Lang, but he successfully beds the villain’s girlfriend and gets hammered in a dingy bar.
In this scene, the evil and unshaven Dark Superman is having mental agitation, and escapes to a solitary junk yard to hash it out with… himself?!?
The Scene: Click Here for Youtube (No Embedding Allowed)
Why It’s Great: Somehow, despite all attempts at letting broad comedy reign supreme in what is ostensibly a children’s film, Richard Lester managed to craft the most weighty, dark, and dramatic fight scene in the entire Superman movie franchise. That’s right, I find this to be a more harrowing and high-stakes fight than the super-brawl at the end of Superman II. First off, the tone here is deadly serious. Dark Superman lands and gives a primal scream that empties the facility. A minimal score follows, never getting in the way of the creepy conflict at the center of the scene: Clark Kent materializes out from Dark Superman, and the fight begins immediately, with Dark Superman scoffing and beating the snot out of Clark. This might be Christopher Reeve’s high point in the series as well, as he gets the chance to play a cocky maniac and a scrappy underdog all in the same scene. Reeve evokes Michael Keaton’s “You wanna get nuts” freak-out from Batman, and his Dark Superman is unrelenting in his cruelty and malice here.
Full disclosure: I have watched Superman III more than any other Superman film. I suspect my dad got a kick out of the Richard Pryor stuff when I was a kid, so this was the Superman movie he rented most often. That, or it must have been super cheap to syndicate and was on television a lot. Regardless, the rest of the movie always confused and disturbed me, especially the aforementioned super-villainess tryst and a later moment in which a woman is violently turned into a cyborg.
This scene, however, was pure Superman goodness. About four minutes in, after using some creative practical effects and stuntwork to convey Clark’s beat-down, Lester brings things to a head as Clark is horribly crushed in a trash compactor. Everything is silent for a moment as the victorious Dark Superman stumbles away in a drunken haze, before the trash compactor BURSTS open as Clark bench presses the damn thing apart. This is only one of two great moments in which Clark bursts out of a trash compactor. Eventually, Clark overpowers Dark Superman and eventually CHOKES HIM TO DEATH WITH HIS BARE HANDS. The scene culminates at seven minutes as Dark Superman disappears and Clark reclaims his true identity: He stands up, the John Williams score begins, and he rips open his shirt, revealing a pristine Superman logo. With the theme soaring, Superman flies off to save the world.
Too bad everything after that is baffling. However, for one scene, Superman was at his very best: Fighting not only the injustices of the world around him, but his own demons and identity issues. I’m sure Lester was trying to get at some deeper truth here, but assumedly the script, the intent of the producers, and his own disinterest in the material were working against the film. Let’s hope that some day, we’ll get a cinematic Superman that matches the grit and gravitas that Reeves showed us here.
So It’s Come to This: Ben Stark’s Favorite Movies of 2011
by Ben Stark on Jan.02, 2012, under Speculatin' a Hypothesis
Like any self-respecting Film Nerd, I spend far too much of November and December considering my favorite films from a given year. For 2011, I decided to do things a bit differently. I did not get a chance to watch an awful lot of movies this year, as I spent most of 2011 finishing up The Nocturnal Third. Despite this, I did decide to cut off qualification for my “official” list on December 31st, as this list takes stock of only the films I watched this year.
After experiencing the “other side” of film criticism this year with the release of my first feature film, I more than ever consider myself a filmmaker and film enthusiast rather than a film critic. This allows me to revel in the lack of expectations usually attributed to a serious critical analysis of a film year. I’ve decided to do away with letter grades this time around, as they tend to become more and more arbitrary as I see more and more movies. Another by-product of making my own film is that I’m more in love with movies than ever. When I say “movies”, I mean cinematic stories – best viewed as encapsulated pieces of art in a controlled environment. This does not include serialized television, video games, or transmedia. These things are not bad things. In fact, they are amazing, sometimes cinematic things. But, I’ve resigned myself to leave these out of my area of passion, because they are not cinema. 2011 has taught me a lot about my own perception about movies, my own gravitation towards the craft of directing, my lack of interest in obviously “socially conscious” films, and my formalist leanings. I look forward to a juicier experience as a film fan going forward due to these discoveries.
Wow, can you tell this is going to be a long post? All that said, I’ll probably revise this top ten list around Oscar time, in late February. I will, however, be watching movies less aggressively now that the holidays are over.
There are plenty of good-looking movies from 2011 that I missed, and here are the ones I really wished I could have seen: The Artist, Carnage, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Cold Weather, A Dangerous Method, The Descendants, Detective Dee, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Into the Abyss, A Separation, Shame, The Skin I Live In, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (the biggest shame, as it gets a wider release next weekend), Tyrannosaur, Warrior, and Winnie the Pooh.
So, let’s get started. Here’s a full list of all the 2011 U.S. releases that I did see:
13 Assassins
The Adjustment Bureau
The Adventures of Tintin
Another Earth
Attack the Block
Bridesmaids
Captain America: The First Avenger
Contagion
Drive
Fast Five
Green Lantern
Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Hugo
Horrible Bosses
Limitless
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Meek’s Cutoff
Midnight in Paris
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Moneyball
The Muppets
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Rango
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Super 8
Take Shelter
Thor
Tree of Life
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse
X-Men: First Class
What follows are, as of 01/01/2012, my ten favorite movies of 2011. There is a bit of theme here, and I’ll expound on that on the south end of the list. Enjoy!
10.) Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Part II
Man, this number ten spot was hard to decide on. This pick is somewhat representative of the entire accomplishment that is the Harry Potter franchise, but I don’t want that comment to betray the phenomenal film that this is. A fast-paced, singularly-minded adventure film, Deathly Hallows Part II is a perfect mirror image of its predecessor, which was a slow-burn set-up of a character piece. The conflict between Voldemort and Harry had been extremely well established by the time this film begins, and their eventual clash is the stuff of great, well-earned cinema. Bravo to Steve Kloves, Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Newell, David Yates, JK Rowling, the cast, and – quite possibly, above all – producer David Heyman for shepherding this story in an amazingly conscientious and focused way.
9.) Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Let the record show that in 2011, the year of widely publicized social upheaval, the first movie to comment (perhaps accidentally), was the best Planet of the Apes movie since the Charlton Heston original. Reducing the imaginary tension between man and ape to a simple story of the misperception of “ape rights”, writers Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa hit on a wonderful perspective. Limiting the story to the experience of eventual ape leader Caesar gives this wonderful canvas of socially-conscious science fiction the spark it needs to speak to our time. This is the purpose of science fiction and, by extension, all fiction: To comment, from a safe and speculative distance, on where we are and where we’re going. I shouldn’t leave out the fantastic job that director Rupert Wyatt did in guiding the film through its three forms: a coming-of-age story, a prison movie, and a gripping war film.
8.) Meek’s Cutoff
I think it’s safe to say that, in addition to being in a third Golden Age of Animation, we’re also in a kind of second Golden Age of Revisionist Westerns. Kelly Riechardt continues her impressive run of simultaneously personal, regionally-specific, and thematically loaded feature films. Is this film subtle? Some of the time, yes. I’d say that Michelle Williams gives one of the most understated performances of the year. Can the same be said for Paul Dano’s performance, or the writing of Bruce Greenwood’s Meek character? No, not at all. However, the arch approach that screenwriter Jonathan Raymond and director Reichardt take to tell this story runs parallel to the film’s clear-cut stakes and sparse visual style.
7.) The Adventures of Tintin
Right, so you remember that third Golden Age of Animation I mentioned? I think, at this point, to the chagrin of many detractors, we can add motion-captured CGI features to that growing showcase. With this adaptation of the Herge comic books, Steven Spielberg enters the animation fray, and gives us a case study in the merits of motion capture for fully computer-animated movies. Yes, we lose a level of tactile interaction and tangible texture, but we gain a broader potential for performance and camera movement. Here, with a story that has one foot in comics and one foot in adventure serials, Spielberg stages some of the most amazing action sequences we’ve seen in years, coupled with a pace and overall aesthetic that wouldn’t have been possible in any other medium. “Fun” Spielberg is back at the top of his game, and we can probably attribute a lot of this verve to a measure of competition with one of his screenwriters: quite possibly one of the most dynamic and fun filmmakers working today, Edgar Wright.
6.) Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
I was not expecting to love this movie. In fact, I was adamantly opposed to enjoying it, feeling that its action-heavy and poppy trailers communicated a betrayal of the Mission: Impossible series’ Cold War roots. I wanted a more cerebral, paranoid spy thriller, not another bad John Woo rip-off. Add to that the fact that the film featured a great director in Brad Bird, seemingly paying the necessary dues to pass into the world of live-action filmmaking. It all felt like a transparent grab at cheap publicity for the series and its star. With all that said, I eat my words. Not only is this a loving ode to the original series, and an apt modern adaptation of the essential idea behind the 1960’s Bruce Geller creation, but Ghost Protocol is also the best pure action movie since Casino Royale, and – gulp – quite possibly even better. Here, Brad Bird takes the Thirty-Nine Steps approach and makes things very simple: “We need to go here, and do this, or else that happens.” Then, he tips over the dominoes and watches everything fall apart while our characters scramble to make things right. This is a movie about embracing and overcoming failure, in a genre and an industry and a culture that loathes the stench of failure. It also positions this series as a worthy American answer to James Bond, with a bright future and unlimited potential for future installments and characters. This movie is also a great encouragement that audiences will still respond to practically-produced big screen extravaganzas; just look at the past few weekends’ box offices grosses to see how people are flocking to see stunts and excitement they just can’t witness anywhere else.
5.) Take Shelter
Here we have one of the best – and most frightening – character studies of the year. In his sophomore effort as writer/director, Shotgun Stories auteur Jeff Nichols tells a gripping and empathetic story about a man in deep psychological turmoil, and the toll it takes on his young family. Michael Shannon appears to be making a career out of this sort of thing, building on his great performances in Revolutionary Road and My Son My Son What Have Ye Done? The difference here is that Shannon’s character is as empathetic as Nichols’ screenplay and camera. This film never beats up on the family at its center, but rather uses perceived insanity as a lens through which it observes a middle American familial unit. Nichols proves his prowess with a superbly strategic approach to shot selection and editing, combined with a focused script that features a gut-punch of an ending.
4.) Attack the Block / Super 8
Man, don’t you hate a cheat? I’ll qualify this ranking by saying that this spot is not reserved for two films, but for one amazing double feature idea; not one 112 minute-long movie tied with an 88 minute-long movie, but one 200 minute-long cinematic look at the alien invasion genre through the eyes of pre-teens. The similarities between the two films are impossible to ignore, and yet they offer two enthusiastically divergent experiences. One is a loving homage to the 1980’s films of Amblin Entertainment, shot in that specific house style. The other is a loving homage to John Carpenter films from the same era, shot in a wholly modern style. It’s the kids of the suburbs and of the city, looking up at the sky and watching intruders pay us back for our own sins. Super 8 falls in line with the predominant preoccupation of many 2011 films, in that it explores the roots of cinema – albeit in a personal sense. Attack the Block is more concerned with the predominant preoccupation of 2011 headlines, tackling the idea of global social responsibility versus regional social responsibility. Both films are touching, responsible, and at times, terrifying… and then, at other times, just kind of badass.
3.) The Tree of Life
There might not have been a more divisive film in 2011 than Terrance Malick’s latest “tone poem”. The Tree of Life is a kind of Malickian demo reel, encompassing many of his favorite themes: those of grace, shared memory and psalmic introspection. It’s impossible for me to approach this movie with any measure of critical objectivity. It speaks to my personal beliefs, and to what I believe is our consistent human struggle. 2011 was a year in which I found it was time for me to let go of screenwriting for a while. I’m in the midst of a kind of spiritual re-awakening that will do nothing but propagandize any fiction I lay my hand to, so I’ve focused in on what has always been my biggest goal and, in my own opinion, my greatest skill: directing. The Tree of Life, in addition to showing off an extremely measured and sage approach to the struggles of faith, played a small part in this personal renewal of mine, and I encourage other Christians to approach it with an open mind. It’s rare that a film strives for any kind of transcendence and actually succeeds. Typically, they tumble and crumble, revealing a series of hollow, murky priorities. In this case, it worked for me. The Tree of Life is not an ultimate thing, it shouldn’t be treated as a hoity toity, untouchable movie unable to be scrutinized – but that doesn’t mean it’s not extremely important and wonderful.
2.) Martha Marcy May Marlene
Speaking of spiritual awakenings… how ‘bout some cults? Sean Durkin’s first feature film is, again, one that I went into with arms crossed. A “Sundance darling” is not something a struggling independent filmmaker is going to go out of his way to praise, but the precision and deftness of Martha Marcy May Marlene pierces any and all jealousy I may have been harboring. This film has affixed itself to my brain, in the way that any great psychological horror film should. Durkin has made a thriller in the vein of Roeg and Polanski, with a minimalist approach that allows tension to grow like a bacteria. The performances, especially the magnificent one by Elizabeth Olson, are as quiet and subtle as the script’s tone. The way Durkin and cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes control their focal planes and camera movement is an encouraging sign of a smart, sharp partnership. This is, in some ways, the smallest movie on this list, but it is also one of the richest and most thematically loaded.
1.) War Horse
Over the past few years, while the rest of Hollywood and the industry media were prattling on about the proliferation of branding, the dangers or merits of 3D, and the anxiety over theatrical exhibition giving way to online streaming, Steven Spielberg was busy keeping his down and making a movie. A real movie. A real, physically tangible, visually poetic, humane, and essentially moving movie. A classical Hollywood production that embraces its roots and its setting. People will rub up against War Horse for its suspiciously earnest tone and full-hearted sentiment, but that friction is a symptom of our culture, rather than a problem with this movie, which earns every moment. I will fully admit that it took me most of the film to get over the fact that we are given little to no reason why the young man at the center of the film loves his horse so much. When the realization hit me that this is not just another time and culture – in which irony and boredom did not exist – but also a type of cinematic fairy tale of the Night of the Hunter or Searchers ilk, I was in for the ride. War Horse is essentially a series of episodic vignettes in which the humanity of various characters is reflected against the helpless experience of a scrappy horse, and yet the movie never loses its pace. Some characters are more involving than others, but the film is structured in a brilliant way. The story brings back earlier thread as soon as its current thread threatens to run thin. Here, Steven Spielberg has crafted a movie that does not take the last two decades or so of cinematic grammar into consideration, and that kind of brazen anachronism is fascinating. I hope these points don’t sound like empty justifications, but if they do, so be it. As Spielberg tossed our generation’s hopeless “quest for cool” to the wayside, I’ll gladly do the same: At this point, I can gladly say that War Horse is a great movie, quite possibly the greatest I’ve seen since something like Children of Men or The Dark Knight or No Country for Old Men. We’ll see if that opinion still stands over time.
-
Honorable Mentions: It pains me to have not included Hugo, Contagion, and Drive on my list, but I think that only goes to show how strong of a year 2011 was.
So, if you haven’t noticed a theme in my list – especially in entries 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8 – I’ll go ahead and blurt it out: Naturalism. What I’m encouraged by in the filmmaking of 2011 releases is not so much naturalism in plot or performance, but a kind of technical naturalism. Even as things become more and more digital, our greater filmmakers seem to be going out of their way to give their movies a tactile, real texture. Whether it be the real wrangling and stunts of Fast Five, War Horse, and Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, or the long takes of Martha Marcy May Marlene and Meek’s Cutoff, or the natural, expressive lighting of Tree of Life and Drive, it really feels like cinema will continue to thrive through sensory experiences that cannot be matched on television or in video games.
I’ll add a re-assertion that the overall thematic through-line of 2011 film overall seems to be “Memory and Nostalgia”, the way 2010 films all seemed to look at “Preferred Realities”. Many films this year dealt with either a blur between dreams, memories, and present realities (Martha Marcy May Marlene, The Adventures of Tintin, Take Shelter), or spent much of their time inside memory, via nostalgia – be it cultural or personal (Midnight in Paris, Hugo, Super 8, Captain America: The First Avenger, War Horse).
Other movies I saw that I would really recommend are, in order of preference, as follows: Captain America: The First Avenger, Midnight in Paris, Bridesmaids, The Muppets, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Fast Five, 13 Assassins, Moneyball, Rango, Thor, and X-Men: First Class.
Alright, now that the fake heady analysis is over with, let’s get to the fun part… POINTLESS RANKING!!! These are, of course, my personal favorites in any given category.
Favorite 10 Movies
Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Part II
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Meek’s Cutoff
The Adventures of Tintin
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Take Shelter
Super 8 / Attack the Block
The Tree of Life
Martha Marcy May Marlene
War Horse
Best Theatrical Experiences
5. Martha Marcy May Marlene – 35mm Arthouse Theater
4. Super 8 – IMAX
3. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – IMAX 3D
2. The Dark Knight Rises Prologue – 70mm IMAX Dome
1. The Adventures of Tintin – IMAX 3D
Special Effects
5. The Tree of Life
4. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
3. Fast Five
2. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
1. Attack the Block
Soundtracks
5. Patrick Doyle, Thor & Rise of the Planet of the Apes
4. Alvin Silvestri, Captain America: The First Avenger
3. Price / Buxton / Ratcliffe, Attack the Block
2. Henry Jackman, X-Men: First Class
1. John Williams, War Horse
Overall Design
5. Meek’s Cutoff
4. Captain America: The First Avenger
3. Rango
2. The Tree of Life
1. War Horse
Cinematography
5. Hugo
4. Martha Marcy May Marlene
3. Drive
2. The Tree of Life
1. War Horse
Supporting Performances
5. Paula Patton, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
4. Corey Stoll, Midnight in Paris
3. Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
2. John Hawkes, Martha Marcy May Marlene
1. Peter Mullan, War Horse
Male Performances
5. Ryan Gosling, Drive
4. Michael Fassbender, X-Men: First Class
3. Chris Evans, Captain America: The First Avenger
2. Andy Serkis, The Adventures of Tintin / Rise of the Planet of the Apes
1. Michael Shannon, Take Shelter
Female Performances
5. Elle Fanning, Super 8
4. Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter
3. Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids
2. Michelle Williams, Meek’s Cutoff
1. Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene
Directing
5. Steven Soderbergh, Contagion
4. Sean Durkin, Martha Marcy May Marlene
3. Brad Bird, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
2. Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter
1. Steven Spielberg, War Horse & The Adventures of Tintin
Favorite Scenes or Sequences
10. Prom – Contagion
9. “I want him to owe me something” – Meek’s Cutoff
8. “No” – Rise of the Planet of the Apes
7. Jack’s early childhood – The Tree of Life
6. Moses versus the monsters, Attack the Block
5. Opening the shelter door – Take Shelter
4. Pursuing the falcon – The Adventures of Tintin
3. From the Burj Khalifa climb to the Dust storm car chase – Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
2. Argentina – X-Men: First Class
1. Reunion – War Horse
-
For posterity, here’s a quick look at my list from last year. And here are my revised top tens for the past two years…
Top 10 of 2009, as of late 2011
1.) A Serious Man
2.) Star Trek
3.) The Fantastic Mr. Fox
4.) Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
5.) Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince
6.) Moon
7.) Up
8.) Inglourious Basterds
9.) Watchmen: Director’s Cut
10.) The Girlfriend Experience
Honorable Mentions: The Informant!, The Hurt Locker
Top 10 of 2010, as of late 2011
1.) Inception
2.) True Grit
3.) The Social Network
4.) How to Train Your Dragon
5.) Mother
6.) Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Part I
7.) Toy Story 3
8.) Scott Pilgrim vs The World
9.) My Son My Son What Have Ye Done?
10.) Shutter Island
Honorable Mention: Black Swan
And, for comparison, a list of my most anticipated movies of 2011, as of late 2010:
10. TIE: Thor / Cold Weather
9. Contagion
8. A Dangerous Method
7. The Adjustment Bureau
6. Super 8
5. Captain America: The First Avenger
4. Cave of Forgotten Dreams
3. TIE: Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn / War Horse
2. Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, Part II
1. Tree of Life
-
That’s it! Why are you still reading?!?!
Oh, to find out about my movies? Check out A Genesis Found and The Nocturnal Third and find us on Facebook and on Twitter, @WonderMillFilms.
