Arbitrage 3/4….a movie review

With a title like Arbitrage, it’s reasonable to expect a story that navigates the byzantine labyrinth of the world’s financial systems – perhaps a better companion piece to Wall Street than Money Never Sleeps…writes James Berardinelli. Read more

The Watch 1½/4 a movie review

Comedy-based “science fiction” needn’t be universally appalling but, to work, it has to be handled with more skill and care than is evident here…writes James Berardinelli. Read more

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted 2/4

Madagascar 3 raises an interesting question about what movie-goers want from animated films: intelligent, thoughtful productions that use artwork, rather than live-action, to tell a story, or colorful crap that can be used to distract children for about 90 minutes…writes James Berardinelli. Read more

Beasts of the Southern Wild 2½/4 … a movie review

Contained within Beasts of the Southern Wild are moments of fragile, understated magic that emphasize the relationship that exists even between the most neglectful, irresponsible fathers and their daughters…writes James Berardinelli. Read more

Hit & Run 1½/4 A movie review by James Berardinelli

For an action comedy, it’s generally advisable that the movie be (a) exciting, (b) funny, or (c) both of the above. In the case of Hit & Run, the unfortunate choice is (d) none of the above. Read more

The Expendables 2…a movie reviewed by James Berardinelli. Rated 2½/4

The Expendables 2 does not defy expectations; it defines them. If you think you know what the movie will deliver, you’re probably right…writes James Berdinelli. Read more

Moonrise Kingdom a movie reviewed by James Berardinelli. Rated 3 ½/4

Few working directors are as consistently, dependably quirky as Wes Anderson, whose films tend to excite art house audiences while being ignored and bypassed by mainstream movie-goers..writes James Berardinelli. Read more

Bully 3½/4

Columbine has never been a mystery to me. A tragedy, yes, but not mystery…writes James Berardinelli. Read more

Total Recall 2/4

It’s a hard thing for a filmmaker, even an accomplished one, to make a project “his own” when the original is well remembered as a vehicle for a star as big as Arnold Schwarzenegger…writes James Beradinelli. Read more

Hope Springs 3/4

Hope Springs has the unusual distinction of providing a sample of what an Ingmar Bergman movie might be like if made for mass American consumption…writes James Berardinelli. Read more

The Bourne Legacy 2½/4

The total worldwide box office gross for the first three Jason Bourne movies (The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum) is nearly one billion dollars (more if adjusted for inflation). Read more

The Dark Knight Rises 3½/4

For most superhero franchises, the third movie is a trap…writes James Berardinelli. Read more

Rock of Ages 3/4

Rock of Ages, based on the musical play of the same name, is a celebration of ’80s excess and, especially, music..writes James Berardinelli. Read more

Ted 3/4

Ted is essentially a one-joke movie… writes James Berardinelli. Read more

Take This Waltz 3/4

Michelle Williams must have an affinity for appearing in movies about melancholy relationships…writes James Berardinelli. Read more

Brave 2½/4

At first glance, Brave seems much like an old-fashioned animated Disney princess film done using new-fangled technology…writes James Berardinelli. Read more

This Means War **+

Sometimes it’s hard to recognize the importance of seemingly inconsequential element like “tone” when it comes to a romantic comedy. This Means War is a case study in what happens when the filmmakers mess this up. The movie is being marketed as an “action romantic comedy,” but the “action” aspect is really just a little flavoring that shows up at the beginning and the end. It’s jokey action – a would-be parody of over-the-top spy situations like those in Bond movies and the recent Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. But it’s clumsily presented, generating neither excitement nor humor. At the heart of the movie is a romantic triangle between three impossibly good-looking people who are so uninteresting that we keep hoping the sleazy bad guy will show up and shoot them all.

Maybe I’m being unreasonable. Maybe I’m asking too much that a romantic comedy makes me feel something other than apathy. Maybe it’s wrong of me to hope the most sympathetic character ends up with more than a throw-in consolation prize. I can’t say whether the biggest problem with This Means War lies in the direction, the acting, or the screenplay, but all three elements are contributors. Romantic comedies, especially those that overdose on steroids, are supposed to uplift. This one is just depressing.

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Shame ***+

Spoiler warning: In discussing the movie, I have revealed more about the plot than I normally do, including a brief, oblique reference to the ending. Although Shame is not narrative-driven, those who want a “pure” experience may wish to read no further than the first paragraph before seeing the film. Read more

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy ***

For decades, the spy thriller has been dominated by one name: Bond. 007’s trappings, which include pyrotechnics, high-octane chases, death-defying stunts, gorgeous women, and the like, have come to define the genre. While it’s unquestionable that Ian Fleming’s superspy has left an indelible impression on movies and novels, it would not be reasonable to apply Bond-generated expectations to the grounded endeavors of John le Carré and Len Deighton. Both authors began writing in the early 1960s with the primary purpose of creating “anti-Bond” protagonists. For Deighton, it was Harry Palmer (played in three films by Michael Caine). For Le Carré, it was George Smiley. Physically unprepossessing, meek in manner, emotionally cool, and antisocial, Smiley’s primary weapon is his mind not a gun. He is a master tactician of the Cold War, matching wits against the best the KGB has to offer.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is regarded by critics as being among the best of Le Carré’s yarns. A faithful adaptation (which this is) has two requirements: the narrative must be dense and the pace must be slow. Le Carré’s stories have no room for mindless action; they are heavily plot-driven, which makes them a challenge to adapt. Two hours is probably too short. The condensation required to cram the essence of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy into a feature film of reasonable length is likely to result in less attentive audience members becoming lost along the way. Even a quick trip to the bathroom could be a viewer’s undoing. And, although the pacing is slow, events move rapidly. A lot happens, but little is explosive.

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The Muppets *** 2011

The Muppets is a rare family film likely to appeal more to parents than to their offspring. Although it’s true that most kids today know a thing or two about Jim Henson’s creations (the movie’s premise – that they have vanished into obscurity since the early 1980s – is an exaggeration), the Muppets are ingrained in the older generation’s DNA. It’s hard to imagine anyone between the ages of 35 and 50 who didn’t grow up with the loveable puppets, either on Sesame Street or The Muppet Show, or in the early movies. Technically, The Muppets is classified as a “musical comedy,” but this is essentially a 97-minute exercise in nostalgia. It’s the Muppets as they haven’t been since Jim Henson died, a throwback to the time when their TV show was popular and their first movie, 1979’s The Muppet Movie, was a bona fide hit. Kids today will have the same kind of fun at The Muppets they have at all films of this kind. Adults, however, will connect in a deeper way.
The storyline, as has always been the case with the Muppets, is an excuse for singing, dancing, witty exchanges, high-profile cameos, and the magic that happens when the old school felt-and-fuzz creatures come together on screen. Like the television program, this is more variety show than traditional narrative, and it has been assembled with obvious affection by all those involved. Despite the passage of decades, the Muppets have not noticeably changed. Advances in technology have not impacted them. They have not been “enhanced” by the use of CGI. And, although two of the original “voices” are no longer participants (Henson having died and Frank Oz having retired from puppeteering), Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, and the rest of the gang sound pretty much the same. The Muppets proves that sometimes the best approach is not to tinker with a successful formula.

 

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Hugo ***+ (Jan 2012)

With Hugo, Martin Scorsese has accomplished what few in Hollywood are willing to try: make a movie for adults that arrives without sex, violence, or profanity and earns a PG-rating. It’s a fairy tale for mature viewers, but the airy exterior hides emotional depth. Hugo is appropriate for young viewers, but it’s questionable how much they will derive from the experience and, because the pace is more leisurely than frenetic, it’s likely the average child’s attention will wander.
The style is nothing like what we have come to expect from Scorsese. The whimsical approach with its Dickensian overtones and interludes of magical realism recall Terry Gilliam and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. For at least one film, Scorsese has left behind much of his baggage and accomplished what David Lynch did with The Straight Story and David Mamet did with The Winslow Boy – use his considerable behind-the-screen prowess and apply it to a different kind of story. The result is often magical.

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Tower Heist **

Whether suffused with tension or laced with humor, the heist movie has enjoyed enduring appeal since the heyday of film noir. Good heist movies proceed according to an established template that includes meticulous attention to the details of the scheme both in the planning stage and in its execution. The twists – there are often many but always at least one – are ingenious and the screenplay is often referred to as “smart” and “cunning.” Unfortunately, few (if any) of these characteristics apply to Brett Ratner’s Tower Heist, as sloppy a heist movie as I can remember. It is redeemed, at least to a degree, by the comedic performances of lead actor Ben Stiller and supporting player Eddie Murphy. The pace, emphasized by Christophe Beck’s relentless score, is so fast that viewers might miss some of the king-sized plot holes (although not all of them). But the caper is a dud – so stupid and implausible from beginning to end that it’s impossible to take it seriously for even the briefest of moments.

 

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Shutter Island ***

Spoiler Alert: Although every effort has been made to limit the revelations in this review, it’s difficult to provide a coherent discussion of Shutter Island without giving away something, so readers are hereby placed on alert. If you’re familiar with the book, however, there’s no reason to stop here…

What’s wrong with Shutter Island? This has been the question ever since Paramount Pictures elected to move the Martin Scorsese-directed thriller from its comfortable pre-Oscar position to the wastelands of February. It turns out that there’s nothing wrong with Shutter Island – except perhaps that it’s not Oscar worthy material. An atmospheric mind-twister of a thriller, this movie delights in playing games with the audience’s perceptions and has been crafted with such competence that it rises above the somewhat generic storyline that forms the basis of Dennis Lehane’s novel. The strength of the film, like the book, is that it never allows the viewer to feel comfortable with what he is watching. That’s because Shutter Island is presented from the perspective of an unreliable narrator and, as such, the lines between fantasy and reality sometimes blur so strongly that it’s easy to become unanchored in trying to distinguish between what’s real and what isn’t. A case can be made that the movie is so enamored with this aspect of its approach that it fails to connect on an emotional level. Shutter Island addresses some powerful, disturbing concepts but, despite effective performances by the leads, the movie’s psychological impact is minimal. It doesn’t pack the powerhouse punch one has come to expect from Scorsese. Still, the director’s consummate skill has lifted what might otherwise be a middling endeavor into something compellingly watchable. It’s another Cape Fear.

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Law Abiding Citizen **

The premise of Law Abiding Citizen – angry father seeks revenge on the system when his daughter’s murderer gets off with a light sentence – probably sounded great in the pitch meetings but, as with all high concept motion pictures, the devil’s in the details. For a while, F. Gary Gray’s thriller works on a purely visceral level, offering a degree of guilty satisfaction to viewers as one sleazy individual after another gets eliminated in a gruesome, Saw-esque manner. Unfortunately, Law Abiding Citizen isn’t content to be a Death Wish for 2009. It wants to be bigger and bolder. So it takes a simple revenge fantasy and uses it as the core of an elaborate high-stakes game that, in shooting for “inventive,” ends up hitting “preposterous.” The more Kurt Wimmer’s screenplay reveals about the lead character’s scheme, the more difficult it is to believe that Law Abiding Citizen is intended to be taken seriously.

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