Sleight of Film

Today’s quick review: The Usual Suspects. When a shipment of gun parts is robbed, the police round up five of the usual suspects to shake down for information: McManus (Stephen Baldwin), a cocky lunatic; Fenster (Benicio del Toro), his uptight partner in crime; Dean Keaton (Gabriel Byrne), a corrupt cop turned legitimate businessman; Hockney (Kevin Pollak), an abrasive demolitions expert; and Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey), a talkative cripple. The five decide to pull a job together to spite the police, but their work earns them the attention of the enigmatic crime boss Keyser Soze. Through a combination of blackmail and strongarming, he forces the crew into a suicide mission worth $91 million to whichever of them survive.

The Usual Suspects is a crime drama from director Bryan Singer that has a well-constructed plot and undercurrents of mystery. The story is told in bits and pieces by Verbal Kint in a police interrogation room after the main action has taken place. For all his hostility towards the police and his coyness about certain plot points, Kint makes for an oddly compelling narrator. Kevin Spacey does an excellent job of playing to both sides of the character: the sniveling informant looking to give the cops just enough to get off his back, and the able storyteller who spins the tale with all the color it deserves.

Watch The Usual Suspects if you are in the mood for a well-told crime drama with a couple of good surprises. The combination of an excellent plot with Spacey’s flavorful narration makes The Usual Suspects a gripping watch and one of the better entries in its genre. Be prepared to pay attention, though: the most important parts of the film are buried in names and dialogue and are easy to miss when watching casually.

8.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for sterling storytelling.

Today’s quick review: Ocean’s Eleven. Danny Ocean (George Clooney) just got out of jail, and he already has another job planned: knock down three Las Vegas casinos owned by Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia) for a combined take of $160 million. Together with his right hand man Rusty (Brad Pitt), he assembles a crew of eleven thieves, including a British explosives expert (Don Cheadle), a blackjack dealer and inside man (Bernie Mac), and a rookie pickpocket (Matt Damon). But Danny has hidden one crucial detail from his crew: Terry is dating his ex-wife Tess (Julia Roberts), and the theft is as much personal as it is business.

Ocean’s Eleven is a star-studded heist film with a light tone, a clever plot, and all the ritz one could hope for from Las Vegas. Danny and Rusty draw on their easygoing friendship and years of experience to recruit a team of top criminal talent, with personalities to suit. The film packs a lot of humor into its 115 minutes, and nearly all of it comes from the natural, amusing interactions between the characters. The heist itself unfolds nicely, teasing just enough to pique the viewer’s interest while saving the best for last.

Watch Ocean’s Eleven if you are in the mood for a well-constructed hesit film with a great cast, plenty of humor, and a couple of nice surprises. While not a revolutionary film of any sort, Ocean’s Eleven captures an excellent tone using an excellent cast, sparkling writing, and a well-considered plot. Skip Ocean’s Eleven if you are looking for a more dramatic heist film, if you dislike the lead actors, or if you have simply seen it too many times already. But if you have yet to see it and are in the mood for something light, give Ocean’s Eleven a try.

7.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for a great plot, a phenomenal cast, and sheer entertainment throughout.

Today’s quick review: The Departed. Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), a newly-minted detective for the Massachusetts State Police, is actually working for Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson), a notorious Boston criminal. William Costigan, Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio), a police academy washout turned felon, actually is working undercover for the police, trying to infiltrate Costello’s gang. As the police ramp up their investigation into Costello, the situation grows dangerous for both men, and any mistake could cost them their lives.

The Departed is a tense Boston crime drama from director Martin Scorsese. Backed by a powerful cast, The Departed takes a dynamic premise and lets it play out with all the chaos it deserves. The dual cat-and-mouse game leads to high-stakes tension as both the police and Costello’s gang begin to suspect they have been infiltrated. How Sullivan and Costigan react to this pressure determines their fates, and the attempts of each to discover the other’s identity keep the plot escalating and moving forward.

The two main characters are compelling for opposite reasons. Matt Damon brings a charming, rascallish quality to Colin Sullivan that makes him a delight to watch. But his grace under pressure masks deeper insecurities and an uncertain moral compass. Leonardo DiCaprio is less immediately likable as William Costigan, a temperamental man who seems unable to bear the pressure of his position. But for all his flaws, his motives are ultimately pure. The two characters form a very solid core for the movie to play off of.

The Departed is fast-paced and intricate. The details of who knows what, who suspects whom, and just what is going on are all-important, and anything but a close viewing will not do the movie justice. Martin Sheen, Mark Wahlberg, and Alec Baldwin all appear in supporting roles, rounding out the main cast with more familiar faces. While the tone of the movie is tense and unpredictible, The Departed is peppered with coarse blue collar humor that flavors the movie and keeps the drama from being overwhelming.

Watch The Departed if you are in the mood for a well-plotted crime drama with a top-notch cast. Sensitive viewers should be aware of the film’s pervasive swearing and violence. Those looking for an action movie rather than a chess game should also look elsewhere, as The Departed requires careful attention to follow. The payoff for this attention, however, is a well-crafted and dramatic film that lives up to its considerable potential.

8.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for an interesting, surprising plot, colorful characters, and great execution.

Today’s quick review: Rage. Paul Maguire (Nic Cage), a successful businessman and overprotective father, must revisit his criminal past when his daughter is kidnapped by unknown assailants. Together with two of his closest friends from back in the day, he cuts a swath through the criminal underworld in search of anyone who knows what happened to his daughter. While clues are hard to find, what few there are point to the Russian mob and a past crime long thought secret.

Rage is a budget action movie about loss, revenge, and the futility of violence. The writing shows signs of potential in one or two places, but ultimately the movie fails to deliver. The storytelling is poor, the action is uninspired, and the acting leaves much to be desired. Nic Cage does not bring his best work to the role of Paul Maguire. Maguire is a stern, unlikeable protagonist with counterproductive anger issues. The charm that makes Cage an effective protagonist is utterly absent. His supporting cast does a decent job, particularly Danny Glover as a wizened police detective, but they have little to work with.

Rage’s main failing is its plot. The plot develops slowly, with no action for nearly half the movie and a peculiar, drama-heavy trajectory. The film plays its mysteries too close to the chest, so that the audience has neither the capacity nor inclination to speculate about who kidnapped Maguire’s daughter. Rage does have one interesting twist, but it is not enough to justify the distortions it imposes on the rest of the plot. The themes Rage plays with could be quite powerful in more skilled hands, but poor execution undermines what potential they had.

Watch Rage only if you are in the mood for a subpar action movie with lots of drama and a downer tone. Rage is not bad in any spectacular way, just structurally flawed, poorly handled, and mediocre in many ways it could have been good. Skip it unless you have nothing better to watch.

5.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.5 for poor execution and missed potential.

Today’s quick review: The Sting. When con man Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) and his partner Luther (Robert Earl Jones) unknowingly swindle a money runner for mob boss Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), they think they have hit the big time. But Lonnegan decides to make an example out of them by having Luther murdered and running Hooker out of town. Hooker seeks out Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman), an old master of the art, to help him take his revenge on Lonnegan. Together they set up an elaborate con to take Lonnegan for all he’s worth. But Lonnegan is not to be understimated, and a crooked police officer (Charles Durning) on Hooker’s trail threatens to ruin the whole operation.

The Sting is a classic crime film set in Depression-era Chicago. The Sting is a movie that promises and delivers exactly one thing: a long, elaborate con job. Nearly all of the film is devoted to the main plot, and it is a credit to the writer that none of it feels superfluous or ill-considered. The con is a good one, unfolding steadily over the course of the film, offering the view enough clues to work with, and saving a few twists for later on. The cast is a very strong one, and while the roles are not unduly dramatic, the performances are interesting, subtle, and human.

Watch The Sting if you are in the mood for a well-crafted con movie with an excellent plot. The tone is light drama, which can be a boon or a missed opportunity depending on your personal tastes. Despite the crime and danger, The Sting never lets itself get too grim, resulting in a pleasant watch that sacrifices pathos for accessibility. Skip The Sting if you are looking for more than just a tight, well-written plot or if you dislike the tone and pacing of older movies.

8.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it 7.5 for excellent writing and strong performances; your enjoyment will correspond to how fond you are of the tone, cast, and filmmaking style.

Today’s quick review: The Secret World of Arrietty. Arrietty is part of a miniscule family that lives in the walls of a human house in rural Japan. Her family “borrows” what they need from the humans, taking pins, thimbles, scraps, and knick-knacks to furnish their home and equip themselves for a dangerous world. Arrietty longs to follow her father on his borrowing expeditions, but he forbids her out of concern for her safety. When Arrietty ventures out on her own, she is discovered by the sickly, kind-hearted boy who recently moved into the house. As their friendship grows, the question arises of whether Arrietty’s family can remain now that their presence has been discovered.

The Secret World of Arrietty is a loose adaptation of the children’s book The Borrowers from Studio Ghibli. The story deals with themes of growing up, teenage rebellion, and exploration. As with all of Studio Ghibli’s works, the animation quality is superb. The realism of the animation is jaw-dropping and extends right down to the twitches and shimmies of the cat. Arrietty’s diminutive size allows the film to show the world from a fresh perspective: pins become swords, sugar cubes become feasts, and cats become lethal predators. The Secret World of Arrietty is an absolute delight to watch for its animation and setting alone.

The story and its characters are good, but they lack the polish of Studio Ghibli’s other works. Arrietty is a fine protagonist in the tradition of Nausicaa from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind or Chihiro from Spirited Away, but the boy she befriends is somewhat less interesting. The plot rambles and lacks a strong overarching conflict, although there is plenty of immediate danger. The lack of supernatural elements apart from the size of Arrietty’s family separates the film from Studio Ghibli’s other work, trading colorful Japanese folklore for the magic found in day-to-day life.

The Secret World of Arrietty is worth watching if you enjoy gorgeous animation and do not mind a low-conflict, child-friendly story. Unlike Studio Ghibli’s best work, which succeeds at all levels, The Secret World of Arrietty merely has splendid animation, a pleasant tone, and a serviceable story. Fans of Studio Ghibli will enjoy the film for its artistry but need not worry that their old favorites will be dethroned. Those who are trying Studio Ghibli for the first time would do better to start with Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, or Princess Mononoke, but The Secret World of Arrietty is an enjoyable movie that makes a worthy introduction in a pinch.

7.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for high-quality animation and a delightful world.

Today’s quick review: The Incredible Hulk. As the result of an experiment with gamma radiation gone wrong, Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) transforms into the Hulk, an incredibly powerful, rampaging monster, whenever he gets angry. Fleeing the U.S. Army and General “Thunderbolt” Ross (William Hurt), he hides out in South America, working to control his rage, until a stroke of bad luck puts him back on the Army’s radar. The Army sends Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth), a talented special forces operative, to flush out Banner. With the help of Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), Bruce’s ex-girlfriend and the daughter of General Ross, he races to escape the Army, keep his transformations under control, and look for a cure for his destructive condition.

The Incredible Hulk is the second movie in Marvel’s successful shared universe of superhero films. Released the same year as Iron Man and The Dark Knight, The Incredible Hulk was overshadowed by the two other films. But for all that superhero films have improved since its release, The Incredible Hulk remains a solid film and an enjoyable watch, making it a hidden gem of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The Incredible Hulk delivers what it promises: plenty of action, a dash of personal drama, touches of humor, and a few shoutouts to the character’s long history. The tensions of the story play out well on the big screen. Bruce Banner wants nothing more than to be left alone, free to keep his temper down, work on a cure, and keep others safe. The Army is unwilling to let him roam free, disrupting what peace he manages to find and endangering those around him by forcing him to transform into the Hulk. This one tension drives most of the plot, which is compelling if not especially deep.

Where the film really shines is its action. The terrifying, dangerous side of the Hulk is shown early on when Emil Blonsky confronts Banner in South America, while the Hulk’s raw destructive potential comes out in later fights. The CG animation is more than up to the task of bringing the Hulk to life. Hulk’s quick, powerful movements and creative use of his environment make each fight an enjoyable experience.

Watch The Incredible Hulk if you are a fan of action, science fiction, or comic book movies. While not as superlative as later entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Incredible Hulk is a good movie that holds up well and deserves more attention than it got. Skip The Incredible Hulk if you are not a fan of the genre, you are expecting the higher standards of the later MCU, or you are looking for a bit more in the way of characters or depth.

6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for big fights, an interesting plot, and solid execution.

Today’s quick review: Brick. Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a high school loner with a sharp mind and a knack for sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. When his estranged ex-girlfriend Emily (Emilie de Ravin) contacts him saying she is in trouble, he begins an investigation into her whereabouts and the crowd she has fallen in with. He uncovers a tangled web of high school politics, drug dealing, and murder. But to get at the truth, he will have to put himself in danger and follow his investigation wherever it takes him.

Brick is a fast-moving, stylish noir told against the backdrop of a high school wracked by drugs and violence. Writer and director Rian Johnson depicts a world with almost no adults, where teenagers handle their own affairs, and where consequences are dire. The setting treats itself as seriously as any crime drama, which allows noir conventions to map naturally onto a high school setting. At the same time, the restricted setting provides a cohesive world for the characters to inhabit and juxtaposes the high stakes of the plot with the theoretically sheltered environment in which it takes place.

Brendan Frye is almost the perfect noir hero: level-headed, resourceful, dogged, and scrappy in a fight. His investigative techniques involve making a nuisance of himself to those more powerful than him, and like a true detective, he never flinches or backs down. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the role ably, never bowing to the emotional pressure he is under except in the most extreme cases. Despite a shady past and no clear allegiance to any of the school’s factions, Brendan Frye is a persistent force for justice throughout the film, perhaps the best that can be hoped for in a morally grey world.

The craftsmanship of Brick is superb. Detailed dialogue laced with clues and drenched with teen slang quickly gives the viewer a sense of the world, its values, and its key players. The plot is remarkably tight and proceeds smoothly from one stage to the next. The central mystery has enough twists to keep the most ardent noir fans happy but never devolves into nonsense or inconsistency. The camerawork shows real thought, creating a visual language for the film that the conscious mind barely detects. To top it all off, the film has a beautiful, varied, and understated soundtrack that subtly augments each scene without overwhelming it.

Brick is a well-executed mystery that succeeds admirably in plot, characters, setting, and presentation. Fans of tense, interesting, and well-crafted movies should go out of their way to watch it. Do not expect a light watch, but do not expect a film that wallows in misery either. Brick is a film that constantly moves forward, and despite its serious treatment of bleak subject matter, Brendan’s agency as a protagonist ensures that the situation never seems hopeless.

7.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it 8.0 to 8.5 for outstanding quality.

Today’s quick review: Swordfish. When Stanley Jobson (Hugh Jackman), a retired hacker, is offered $10 million to perform one last crime, he risks going back to jail for the money he needs to win custody of his daughter. His boss is the enigmatic Gabriel (John Travolta), a flashy, unpredictable man with a scheme worth billions. At Gabriel’s right hand is the lovely Ginger (Halle Berry), an intelligent woman who recruits Stanley. Stanley must put his prowess to the test and finish the job before he gets dragged in any deeper, all while staying a step ahead of the FBI agent who caught him in the first place (Don Cheadle).

Swordfish is a heist movie with a fair amount of action and a digital bent. Despite a noteworthy cast and a strong opening, Swordfish does not live up to its potential. Swordfish relies on a suspension of disbelief it never earns. The flashy criminal world it portrays is patently thin, while unrealistic elements, such as exploding cars or fictionalized hacking, that would be fine in an action movie with better execution simply draw attention to the Hollywood nature of the film. The lack of credibility damages what would otherwise be a nice little plot.

The acting has its ups and downs. Hugh Jackman has a good dynamic with most of the other actors, especially the actress who plays his daughter and Don Cheadle, the FBI agent on his trail. Halle Berry performs well as the good cop to John Travolta’s bad, a reasonably trustworthy face in a den of criminals. John Travolta, however, disappoints. His affable, dangerous style is as interesting as ever, but his character simply cannot live up to the reputation he has within the film. The lack of credibility comes back to bite Swordfish again, as what should have been a grandiose, unpredictable mastermind instead collapses into merely something of an oddball.

Watch Swordfish if you’re looking for a half-decent heist, fake hacking, and a couple of explosions. The film is noteworthy for its liberal treatment of encryption, a reasonably competent plot, and an excuse to show off the bodies of Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman. All in all, Swordfish makes for an okay popcorn flick and little more. Skip it if you’re looking for something actively good, but give it a watch if you are looking for a bit of action and do not care about quality.

6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for modest enjoyability.

Today’s quick review: The Grand Budapest Hotel. While vacationing at a run-down European hotel, a young writer (Jude Law) meets Mr. Moustafa (F. Murray Abraham), the hotel’s aging owner, and listens to him recount the hotel’s glorious history. In Moustafa’s youth, he was the hotel’s lobby boy Zero (Tony Revolori) under its legendary concierge, Monsieur Gustave (Ralph Fiennes), a refined, effete man with a knack for satisfying his guests. But when one of Gustave’s dearest guests, a wealthy old widow, turns up dead, suspicion falls on him. To clear his name, Gustave and Zero set out on a bold adventure that will determine the course of their own lives and the fate of the hotel.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a peculiar comedy from director Wes Anderson where his distinctive style reaches its zenith. Set in the fictional Eastern European country of Zubrowka at the start of a war suspiciously similar to World War II, The Grand Budapest Hotel pastiches 20th-century European culture and intellectualism. Elaborate dialogue, ornate architecture, and sentimentality for a refined, bygone era are contrasted with bursts of vulgarity, occasional violence, and a pervasive sense of silliness. The result is a unique, amusing, and intellectually stimulating world that plays with historical and cultural themes without delving into real world history.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a masterfully crafted film from start to finish. As is typical for Wes Anderson, the camerawork features detailed, precise shots, symmetry, and almost no deviation from square, direct camera angles. The obvious use of models for long shots gives the world a light, toylike feel and distances the film from more conventional moviemaking. An absolutely phenomenal soundtrack by Alexandre Desplat gives the movie much of its quirky, energetic tone; electric organ, percussion, and winding guitar lend each scene a slightly silly sort of intensity that goes perfectly with the rest of the film. The writing anticipates the viewer, playing upon the viewer’s expectations for the sake of suspense, anticlimax, and comedy.

To top it all off, The Grand Budapest Hotel boasts an enormous cast of top-notch actors who lend their talents to Wes Anderson’s unusual little world. Ralph Fiennes holds the movie together as Monsieur Gustave, a poetry-quoting, perfume-slathered aesthete who mentors the young Zero. Tony Revolori plays off of him as the impressionable, fastidious Zero, Gustave’s protege, audience, and lackey. The supporting roles are peppered with familiar faces, including Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Adrien Brody.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a must-see for those enjoy well-crafted, stylish movies with plenty of replay value. Anyone who is looking for a light, delicate comedy with an unusual tone would also do well to give it a watch. Those who prefer conventional filmmaking, real history, or more overt humor should look elsewhere. Sensitive viewers should also be warned that, despite its light tone, the movie has pervasive swearing, some vulgarity, and one or two moments of unexpected violence. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a rare treat of a film that is well worth a watch.

8.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.5 for excellent craftsmanship, a unique tone, and plenty of entertainment.