I Am Legend Review

Something like eighty percent of all movies these days are adaptations of books, or remakes of older films. (Granted I just made that number up, but it sounds about right). And there are even some films, like last month's I Am Legend, that are some sort of bastard child of adaptations and remakes- they're caught in a middle ground of rehashing the source, and rehashing changes to that source made so many times that the respect for the original story is lost.

Francis Lawrence, late of the decent but horribly disrespectful to its source material Constantine (and Britney Spears' "I'm A Slave 4 U" video!), helms this film, which owes its premise and title to a revered Richard Matheson novel, but everything else to countless other adaptations of that novel, most notably the Charlton Heston vehicle The Omega Man.

The idea is that a cure for cancer, synthesized from the mumps virus, goes horribly awry and has left most of humanity dead, and the rest of them vampiric zombie-ish monsters- except for curiously immune Robert Neville (Will Smith), the only survivor in New York.

The first hour plus of the film is actually hauntingly austere, as Smith hunts food among the barren New York cityscape, and has a few misadventures in dark corners along with his trusty dog, Samantha (some dog). The friendship between man and animal recalls one of the most touching passages from Matheson's book, though it is a much more extended relationship here.

And while I was perfectly prepared for the film to be drastically different than the book, and I'm well aware that films taken loosely from the premise of a novel can even be pretty awesome (like last year's Children of Men, or pretty much anything Hitchcock ever did), there's a particular darkness and melancholy that a vampire story needs, which Matheson ultimately revels in, and the film sharply diverts from in a hasty, fairy-tale like conclusion.

It's disappointing, really, because Smith does too well in the film's first half to have the ending be such a cop-out. And the most odd part is that the title, which this film version became the first to retain, "I Am Legend," is based on a very specific, grim revelation near the end of the book, and since I Am Legend has no such ending, it's pretty much just clunkily applied in voice-over to Will Smith being the legendary type, as he usually is in adventure movies.

So if I hadn't read the novel? It's still an okay film, a very entertaining, ultimately very Will Smith film, but it's hard to see it as anything more than a missed chance for a winner.

When to See It: On DVD

Leftover thoughts:

• My girlfriends biggest pet peeve: the "vampires" were really just mediocre CGI monsters that hardly looked real, with none of the menace of your traditional vampiria (you know, ones that look like real people, which requires no CGI at all).
• The best addition of the filmmakers to the story was Smith setting up mannequins to talk to around the city, in an obviously flailing attempt to keep himself sane.
• Can't Will Smith play something other than a generic good guy, for once? Does he not remember making Six Degrees of Seperation (where he plays a con artist)? Come on. Also, can he and his people stop taking classic works of last century's science fiction and draining them of any moral ambiguity and depth?
• The German Shepherd was a fun sidekick for the last man on earth, but I'll always have a special place in my heart for Wilson the volleyball from Castaway.
  

Charlie Wilson's War Review

Recent Mike Nichols films have a feel to them that scream, “I AM AN AWARDS CONTENDER! NOTICE ME!”

While this was a hindrance for Closer, it's an advantage – for the most part - in Charlie Wilson’s War. The movie rests on the pedigree of the actors, the screenwriter, and the
director. This foundation almost works, but the movie fails to maintain its energetic start, and the ending collapses, unable to shoulder the weight it was so desperate to carry.

The movie stars Tom Hanks in the titular role as an alcoholic, womanizing Congressman from the state of Texas. When approached by one of his contributors (Julia Roberts) – and occasionally mistresses – Hanks’ character begins to examine how to supply the Afghani rebels with munitions to fight the invading Soviet Union Army.

Hanks’ performance is believable and quite good as he steps outside of his normal everyday man routine. Similar to other actors playing against type, Hanks achieves new success in attempting this role. Assuredly, Hanks will secure another Oscar nomination for his already impressive resume.

Julia Roberts, sporting a blonde hairdo and southern drawl, makes an appearance as Wilson’s concerned constituent and mistress. Her performance as this hard driven, well-to-do woman comes across as forced at points, but works for the most part.

However, the movie’s best performance is reserved for Philip Seymour Hoffman. Hoffman, as Wilson’s top Central Intelligence Advisor on Afghanistan, is witty, energetic, and sports the best facial hair of the fall movie season. In a year of so many outstanding supporting male roles, Hoffman is one of the year’s best.

Aaron Sorkin creates two-thirds of an excellent script. The script has a strong, energetic quality to it, but that energy becomes heavy handed and evaporates by the end of the movie. Filled with numerous one-liners, the script does manage to create and maintain the charm of the three principal characters.

Mike Nichols just seems to let his actors flow together, as Hanks and Hoffman make a formidable teaming and the remainder of the characters are allowed to hop along for the ride.

A technically sound film, where the script and actors are the star allow for a fun movie, that deters away from its source material he end. Part of the reason that this deviation occurs is because Aaron Sorkin can not seem to ignore the fact that 9/11 has yet to occur.

While the book has a subtly approach to presenting the fact that this supplying of munitions lead to the eventual uprising of the Taliban, Sorkin plays it up in the script as Hoffman’s character routinely admonishes people for not having a structured plan in place one the Soviets have been chased away. This is one of the reasons that the film unwinds at the end. Hanks fun loving Congressman, with a great mission on his mind, is sidetracked by Hoffman’s admonishments. These admonishments alter the character’s identity, which make Wilson appear to be malleable as his identity was changed in the earlier portion of the film.

Though a decent film, the trust showcase here are the actors and the first two-thirds of Sorkin’s script.

When to See It: Rent It from Blockbuster (It's not good enough to see in theatres, but it is not bad enough to wait for it to appear on TNT after Shawshank Redemption and Sorkin’s superiorly constructed A Few Good Men)

Juno Review

For me personally, the back story to Juno is just as compelling as the film itself: Diablo Cody went from blogger to author to screenwriter all because the right person read her work on the internet. Granted, I'm not a former stripper from Minneapolis, but it's inspiring all the same.

And it does deepen one's respect for such an Horatio-Alger like story that her screenwriting debut is nothing if not hilarious. For anyone not prone to the mass marketing campaign, Ellen Page stars as a high schooler who's unhappily pregnant by her best friend Michael Cera. They both play to their best here, although Cera spends most of his time in the fringes despite being relatively important to the film's ending...

(A quick sidenote: where the hell was Michael Cera when I was in high school? People actually find shy, high-voiced awkwardness charming now? Dammit! When I went to high school (from 1998-2002 if you were wondering), I had no idea what was cool but it wasn't nervously looking from side to side and stammering every time you spoke to a girl. Oh well.)

Anyway, Page does a great job herself as a slacker-cynic, who hides even the slightest hint of insecurity with pop culture references and wisecracks. But the strength of Juno is in the ensemble: J. K. Simmons and C. J. Craig (er, Alison Janney) are much more than just stock parents, and Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner even worm their way out of pretty standard roles the yuppie couple seeking to adopt the baby.

And Olivia Thirby plays off Page's steady misanthropy as her best friend (strange but true- the success of Juno has greenlit a movie called Jack and Diane into production, in which Page and Thirby play teenagers who experience a lesbian awakening and fall in love. But Page is leaving the country soon, and their love is threatened. Also she occasionally turns into a werewolf. This is absolutely for real.

I'm sorry, but while we're here I absolutely have to include this excerpt from the director's official website:

When I wrote my first narrative feature, Salt, I wanted to incorporate folklore into the story by adapting an Icelandic legend about a girl who turns into a seal. As I began writing Jack and Diane, I felt a similar instinct to re-visit this theme. Making an American story, it seemed natural to investigate the idea that Diane would turn into a werewolf. What separates the film from the contemporary werewolf genre is that Diane’s werewolf manifestation represents her repressed inability to orgasm. It is an unconscious connection to her sexuality and a part of her love that has never been realized.

I have so many questions about this movie! Is it an elaborate spoof? Why do werewolves "seem natural" to include in an American Story? How on earth does one define the "contemporary werewolf genre"? What is this dude (Bradley Rust Gray) on? Why isn't it titled Teenage Lesbian Werewolf!? Also, will John Cougar Mellencamp sue them for copyright infringement?)

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, Juno. Cody's script is peppered with quips and allusions so thoroughly that it might be disaffecting at first, but eventually you get used to it, much like anytime an American actor puts on a British accent. Reitman lets the story do most of the talking (he seems to be a pretty un-flourishy sort of director, since much of Thank You For Smoking's work is done by voice-over straight from the novel it's based on), and the cast is more than willing to flesh out the lines they're given.

A folksy soundtrack, including multiple pieces by Kimya Dawson of The Moldy Peaches, and one Peaches song woven directly into the story, make it a complete experience, and definitely help eating away at the sheen of clever cynicism until the film is almost tugging at your heartstrings.

When to See It: ASAP

Leftover thoughts:

• It's beyond me why this film is referred to as an "indie" movie in most media outlet-type places. It's playing in nearly 2,000 theaters this weekend! It has three pretty well known stars and Jennifer Garner. It's got banners up everywhere (everywhere) I look online. Just because it's a Fox Searchlight Picture and they screened it at a few festivals it's a quirky, independent feature? Not buying it. You neither, Little Miss Sunshine.
• "You should've gone to China, you know, 'cause I hear they give away babies like free iPods. You know, they pretty much just put them in those t-shirt guns and shoot them out at sporting events."
• Very sad that Rainn Wilson had but a couple of minutes long cameo at the beginning, most of which was shown in the trailer.
• Teenage Lesbian Werewolf!

The Netflix Diaries: Live Free or Die Hard

Since January is pretty much a wasteland in the movie theaters (except for J. J. Abrams' ripoff of The Host), I usually dedicate it to catching up on the things I missed the previous year on DVD, at least while I impatiently wait for There Will Be Blood and Persepolis to come to the midwest.

The first up was Len Wiseman's entry into the storied Die Hard trilogy. It's certainly a slick action film, and much less bogged down by exposition than his Underworld movies (although it's still all silvery-looking for some reason), but it cerainly has little to do with the first three installments in John McClane's life. This time, he has daughter issues instead of wife issues, but Live Free jumps haedlong into bullets and explosions after about five minutes.

The villain this time is Timothy Olyphant's uber-cyber-hacker terrorist, who brings nearly the entire country down by messing with the infrastructure. For some reason, this means he must kill freelance hacker Justin Long, who Willis ends up shepherding around.

Gone is any sort of gritty, human action hero sort of John McClane- instead he's a bald, shiny, indestructible force of nature that bounces between flying cars, semi-rigs, and fighter jets like a human pinball in the biggest Rube Goldberg machine of a film ever. Justin Long is mostly there to incredulously comment on the impossible things that Willis does, from "You just killed a helicopter with a car!" to "Shouldn't you go to a hospital or something?"

One part that annoyed me (beyond the sheer ridiculousness of some action set-pieces) was the Kevin Smith cameo as Justin Long's hacker friend that does other hacker things that aren't really explained. We get it. There is a computer subculture in this country that is extensive, and contains eccentric minds and colorful characters. Can we just tone it down some maybe? (Although at least Long and Smith are semi-nerdy looking white guys, though- Transformers was asking for even more crazy hackerness believability with Rachel Taylor and Anthony Anderson).

In a weird way, this film is sort of a mindless counterpoint to No Country For Old Men- both have aging law enforcement officials that are relics from an older time, doing business with grit and dignity, who are forced to confront an entirely new sort of villainy. But Tommy Lee Jones' Sherrif Bell plaintively despairs at the horrors of the new drug trade in the Coen's masterpiece, while John McClane just head-butts cyber-terror into complicity.

In the end, Live Free or Die Hard winds up right where you expect it to, and it's a pleasant enough time waster. But it won't crack my Top 30 films of the year.

Also, there wasn't anything that really had to do with living free, although plenty of people certainly died hard.

Top Ten New Year's Movies

When you go to IMDB.com and search “Christmas” as a keyword for a movie, you get over 1,000 results. However, when you type in New Year’s Eve, you get 164 results. In honor of the holiday that is the second most disrespected holiday in Hollywood (Behind Arbor Day), here are the Top Ten New Year’s Eve Movies and who can enjoy them to celebrate the upcoming year:

Honorable Mention: When Harry Met Sally, Entrapment, and Sleepless in Seattle

10. Assault on Precinct 13 (2005): I know this is a remake of a very good John Carpenter film, but this version is slicker and has a lot better casting. Ethan Hawke plays a precinct sergeant watching the city’s most notorious gangster, Laurence Fishburne. Gabriel Byrne leads a group of corrupt police officers, hell bent on killing Fishburne’s character before he can turn over evidence to implicate Byrne and his men. The action pieces are a visceral experience as it is contained – for the most part – in a police station, before turning to the city streets. The story is set on New Year’s Eve, which sets up your next year with a bang and for those looking for an exciting New Year.

9. The Time Machine (1960): Growing up, this was my favorite movie. It had awesome stop-go animation and it held true to the H.G. Wells story. It starts with a bunch of colleagues gathering at Robert Taylor’s house. The clock strikes twelve and Taylor stumbles in to deliver a story of a fantastic adventure. Before his audience can digest the story, Taylor vanishes again with his machine. The film starts on New Year’s Eve, which gives way to achieving new goals and going to new places for the New Year. Avoid the horrid 2005 remake with Guy Pearce and Jeremy Irons, both of whom are just working for a check on that film.

8. Rosemary’s Baby (1968): Roman Polanski’s 1968, Academy Award winning film is an intense psychological thriller about paranoia, and the realities / supernatural elements that surround it. Mia Farrow and her husband move into the historic Dakota building in New York’s Central Park District. Soon, Farrow falls ill, blaming her illness, nightmares, and paranoia on her pregnancy. However, Farrow soon discovers that her pregnancy may not be normal, nor of this world. Not for the faint of heart, but this is a good New Year’s Eve film for those welcoming additions to their family in the New Year. Trust me, your child and family situation cannot be any worse that Farrow’s.

7. Trading Places (1983): Eddie Murphy, when he was still doing adult fanfare that was funny. Dan Aykroyd, when he was still doing adult fanfare that was funny. Throw in Jamie Lee Curtis, a bear that really loves mankind, and the principal from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – BAM! Comic gold. This 1983 comedy romp features the wealthy Aykroyd losing it all because of a bet between Ralph Bellamy and Dom Ameche. To further humiliate Aykroyd, the bet between Bellamy and Ameche plants a hapless Eddie Murphy in Aykroyd’s position. A stock scheme between Aykroyd and Murphy unfolds as a way to revenge against Bellamy and Ameche’s initial wrong. A great New Year’s film for those looking to gain fortune and prosperity in the coming year.

6. Forrest Gump (1994): Yes, this movie covers roughly forty years of an individual’s history. More over, the few New Year scenes are allocated to Lieutenant Dan being mocked by two prostitutes and Jenny wanting to throw herself off a hotel balcony. However, there are New Year’s Eve moments. This is a good film for those wanting the fantastic in the coming year because if you ever thought the movie was too far-fetched, read the book to be even more stunned.

5. The Poseidon Adventure (1972): This movie won an Academy Award for Best Song in 1972. That same year, Cabaret won eight Oscars, but was not even nominated for Best Song. However, that is neither here, nor there. This film depicting a cruise ship that encounters disaster on New Year’s Ever is renowned for its Special Effects and heavy handed acting. Gene Hack stars as a priest leading survivors through the overturned ship. This is a great New Year’s movie for those who are looking to take charge of their life in the upcoming year… And for anyone who does not like Shelley Winters.

4. The Hudsucker Proxy (1994): The Coen Brothers comedic genius emerges through this heartwarming and hilarious romp through the fast talking 1930’s business world. Tim Robbins stars as a mailroom clerk who comes up with the idea for the Hula Hoop, while the company’s board supports the toy as a front for their stock scheme. A hilarious romp that is a sure throwback to Billy Wilder and Howard Hawks, which highlights an era that is gone from Hollywood. A great New Year’s film for anyone looking for career success in the next year.

3. The Shining (1980): Nobody does crazy like Nicholson. Kubrick’s methodic film depicts a man and his family keeping watch over a secluded hotel that has supernatural happenings. Heralded as one of the scariest movies ever, the psychological tension is as engrossing as any film ever produced. The film’s New Year’s festivities take place during a blizzard as Nicholson’s insanity has overwhelmed him. This is a great New Year’s message to anyone looking to escape the past and go towards a new future.

2. The Godfather – Part II (1974): Ordinarily, this would be number one, but we will get to why it is not later on. Coppola’s darker sequel is arguably a better successor than its predecessor. The Corleone Family is at the height of their power, which makes their internal fall that more devastating and harrowing to watch. The betrayal and intrigue emerge at a New Year’s Eve party in Cuba as Michael discovers a horrific secret about his brother, Fredo. The scene culminates with one of the most memorable movie lines as Michael kisses Fredo and says, “I know it was you Fredo. You broke me heart. You broke me heart!” This is the perfect New Year’s film for someone going through family dysfunction and possible Congressional hearings.

1. Strange Days (1995): James Cameron was white hot. Come to think of it, Cameron has not been white hot from 1999 to 2006, and that was because he was not making movies. This film is based on a James Cameron script, directed by his third ex-wife – Kathryn Bigelow, and produced by his second ex-wife – Gale Anne Hurd. Basically, an awkward family reunion for Iron Jim. The story focuses on Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes), a dealer of a psychedelic drug and a murder conspiracy he finds himself in as the end of the Millennium draws near. Angela Bassett plays his love interest, confidante, and security as he searches the streets of Los Angeles amidst the chaos. Tom Sizemore, Juliette Lewis, Vincent D’Onofrio, William Fichtner, and Kelly Hu all make appearances in this neo noir / sci-fi film hybrid.

Nobody saw this film upon its release, but it has found new life on cable television and developed a minor cult following. Overall, it is an overlooked gem from the 1990’s that features excellent performances, a well paced plot, and some interesting portrayals of the then near future. The perfect film for anyone looking for new adventures and truth in the upcoming year.

Enjoy the list and Happy New Year.

Sweeney Todd Review

The trailer for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street makes the film look like a grim tale of revenge directed by the master of the melancholy, Tim Burton. However, the film is a hybrid of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Kill Bill, and – one of Burton’s previous films – Sleepy Hollow. It embodies Sleepy Hollow through its style, Kill Bill through its depiction of violence, and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg because about 90% of the lines in the movie are sung.

This works to a dazzling effect that will treat the viewer to a film experience unlike any other in recent memory.

The titular character, Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp), is a man named Benjamin Barker, who is sent to prison on a falsified charge because a judge coveted Barker’s wife. Barker, now Todd, returns fifteen years later as a shell of who he once was and thirsty for revenge against Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). Todd returns to his old haunts to form a partnership with Mrs. Lovett (Helen Bonham Carter), which becomes a twisted collaboration of murder and bakery as they move towards Todd’s ultimate plan against Judge Turpin.

The singing in this film is better than Chicago. While the cast of Chicago had the better voices, the nature of the songs here require a particular realism to them. Depp’s gravely voice, Bonham Carter’s seductive whispers, even Sacha Baron Cohen’s over-the-top opera voice is welcome and greatly satisfying. The songs stick with the audience long after they have left the theatre.

The most engaging element in this movie is Depp. The camera is on him for the majority of the film, but the viewer never tires of him. The make up, the outfits and even his singing make the viewer sympathize with this man’s plight. Years of collaboration has allowed Depp to be comfortable and roam within a character under Burton’s deft and subtle direction. The harrowing portrayal of this man allows Depp to work beyond the role of Captain Jack Sparrow. He is haunting, lustful, and lethal.

The other performances in the film are excellent too. Freddy Highmore and Timothy Spall show up in small roles, while Alan Rickman makes a nice return to villainy. Bonham Carter is whimsical as the want some Mrs. Lovett. She evokes the memory of Angela Lansbury’s heralded Broadway performance.

The gothic, monotone setting is subdued as Burton – per his usual – utilizes a muted color palate to place more emphasis on the character’s faces. The camerawork and set production are also limited in order to keep with the theme of a staged musical.

Though a musical, there is a substantial amount of violence. Blood flows like the Thames, but not in a graphic, sickening fashion. The blood sprays enormous amounts inviting the audience to laugh at the moment’s ridiculousness. This was one of the fantastic parts of the night, as the elderly couple in front of me flinched and winced at this rather comical site. While this aspect may have made marketing this film a difficult task, it offers the audience a chance to view pessimistic reality.

While this film may not be the exact picture that is portrayed in trailer, it is still one of the best films of the year. The film floats along like a dream, as the viewer will leave the theatre singing the songs of the film, wishing that there was more to take in.

When to See It: ASAP

Hey everybody!

Reverse Shot is officially back online! This most recent hiatus is due to me graduating college, moving, and then being without internet for several days.

So thanks for your patience in the meantime. Regular features will resume, but this blog is no longer for college credit, so it'll only be as good as I want it to be. Although I did get a 97 in the class it was for, so hey...

For starters, Dave got to Sweeney Todd well before I did, so his review will be up soon. (He sent it to me days ago, but I've been lazy).