Review: Her

Great acting and a unique look at the future more than make up for final third that drags just a bit. (Warner Bros./aceshowbiz.com)

I’ll have to admit that my interest level in Her was never quite high enough that I planned to go see it in theaters. Then there was the 93 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the praise and suggestions from friends, and an Oscar nomination for best picture. Well, after just a moment or two of consideration, I decided it was time to give the new film from Spike Jonze a chance. But a man falling in love with a computer…this couldn’t be that good…right?

Set in future day Los Angeles, the first thing this movie impressed me with was its visualization of how the world will look and how we as people will interact – or, cease to interact. It’s not a sci-fi picture, but the view of everything, from a hotel, to a train, to a phone booth, showed just how much technology has changed the look and feel of society. Then there’s the continuing disconnect of personal relationships among us as humans. Everyone is attached to their phones and devices on a seemingly 24/7 basis, which isn’t exactly a stretch to believe if you look at how we treat iPhones today.

Joaquin Phoenix plays a recently divorced, very melancholy man, whose job is to write personal love letters for people so they don’t have to put in that effort (again, this future is quite impersonal). He does a truly fine job at showing the heartbreak of divorce, the strain of emptiness, and loner mentality. But after purchasing the OS 1, the new operating system that’s more than just a computer program, everything is changed. The OS 1, voiced by Scarlett Johansson, feels and acts like a real person. Throughout the film, we witness Phoenix’s character go through the ups and downs of a real relationship with this OS 1 – or, Samantha. It begs certain questions: is what they have a real relationship? Is this a real and acceptable form of love? These topics, of which I’ve never seen put on film before, are touched on quite beautifully at times by Jonze and crew.

I gave praise to Joaquin Phoenix, as a man who literally falls deeply in love with a computer operating system, but I must also give a lot of credit to Amy Adams, who plays his neighbor. None of these roles are easy, and she gives a great performance of a wife at wit’s end, struggling to balance her sanity, love life, and career. It’s not surprising that the acting roles in a Spike Jonze film are tremendous, as we’ve seen a history of this is his previous efforts.

Were there a few moments of awkwardness, watching a man fall quite in love with an operating system? Sure. Did the last third of the movie drag on too much? Yes it did. But there was such a surprising amount of tender, emotional scenes, plenty of laugh out loud moments, and a truly bittersweet and fantastic ending as well. If you couple all of that with the great acting jobs, I can’t argue that Her was a success, that I never would have expected.

 

HER:   (out of 4)

Review: The Muppets

Jason Segel lent a big hand in bringing the Muppets back to the silver screen for their newest, and still very fun, adventure. (Walt Disney Pictures/aceshowbiz.com)

I remember the Muppets very vaguely from my childhood growing up, and to tell you the truth, I haven’t spent a seconds worth of thought on them in years. The memories have all but faded, as newer cartoons, programs, and other kids entertainment have come rushing into relevance. But this is just one of the many things that the Muppets themselves cleverly poke fun at in their newest movie since…well, a long time ago. There’s nothing earth shattering, or fall on the floor hilarious about this new adventure, but it’s a fun ride all the way through.

It must have slipped my mind one of the key components to the Muppets success throughout the years, of all the A-list (or close to A-list) celebrities having bit roles. From comedians like Zach Galifianakis and Sarah Silverman, to rock-star Dave Grohl, political analyst James Carville, and many more, this flick is loaded with star power. Unlike crappy looking movies made in the past few years just chock full of big time names that always completely fail, the Muppets features just a few minutes – if that – of each actor. There’s something nice seeing a kind of clean, kid-like humor from such a wide array of talent.

Now the stars are, of course, the Muppets themselves. There’s a lot of funny ones, and some of my personal favorites are some under appreciated characters for sure. Beaker, Swedish Chef, and Rowlf are in this writers one opinion, the best of the bunch. A lot of credit has to also go to Jason Segel. The comedic actor made a huge push to get this project off the ground and into production, and also threw his hat in the ring writing the screenplay. Everything points to a fun success.

 

THE MUPPETS: (out of 4)

Review: The Fighter

Pound for pound, 'The Fighter' is one of the best sports movies ever, and one of the top films of 2010. (Paramount Pictures/aceshowbiz.com)

I really wasn’t expecting anything close to this. To have The Fighter be not just one of the years best films, but one of the best sports themed movies of all-time? Wow. This was one of 2010’s most brilliant surprises. I came in with the following expectations: it would have good acting performances (as seen by Golden Globe nominations) but a story that’s been done a hundred times already. Listen – I’ve seen boxing movies before. It’s been done. But this particular picture was so in-depth covering the back story and family life…so emotionally stirring…and so well done in just about every aspect, that it made it something very special out of what could have been very ordinary.

It turns out half my expectations came true – the acting was outstanding. Mark Wahlberg, who has kind of burst onto Hollywood’s “respectable” scene after The Departed, continued his recent fantastic track record with a great lead performance. Amy Adams, as usual, was tremendous. But two other actors stood out for me, with the first being Melissa Leo as the mother figure. Even better than her however, was Christian Bale, playing the crack addicted former boxer of a brother to Wahlberg. So amazing in his dialect, his mannerisms, and his overall performance, that it will be sincere robbery if he doesn’t sweep it during awards season. This was a movie full of heart, triumph, and adversity. And as cliché as all of those sound, it was really one of a kind.

 

THE FIGHTER: (out of 4)

OSCARS 2009: Who Should/Will Win

The 81st Annual Academy Awards are upon us, as the biggest night in movies hands out the statuettes for 2008’s best.  This Sunday night, February 22nd at 8pm on ABC, the lives of many actors, producers, writers, etc will change forever: because when you’re an Oscar winner, you have reached the pinnacle of your trade, and that title will forever be attched to your name.

There are a lot of categories, 24 to be exact, and while some may “bore” the mainstream audience, this night is everything for the nominees. I’m talking about  make-up, sound editing, documentary live shorts: the categories they do quickly to get to the ones that America actually knows a little about on stage asap. But we all know from watching, it usually lasts about 4+ hours anyway.

So sit back and enjoy as I, not Hugh Jackman who hosts on Sunday, go through the 8 major categories one by one, telling you who should win, and who will win.

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—WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)—

the Nominees are:  Benjamin Button, Doubt, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire

–who should win:

DOUBT

The play turned movie didn't make any mistakes and was almost picture perfect the entire way through. There were no let downs in this screenplay, and while great acting was certainly recognized in this film, the beautiful writings of betrayal, suspicion, and disbelief were supremely impressive.

–who will win:

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

The critics have fallen in love with this story (94% on Rotten Tomatoes) and movie fans have as well. The fairy-tale love story stuck in poverty ridden Mumbai has struck gold with creativity, love, and a tremendous amount of heart.

———————————————————————————————————————-

—WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)—

the Nominees are:  Frozen River, Happy-Go-Lucky, In Bruges, Milk, Wall-E

–who should win:

MILK

Capturing the essence of the late Harvey Milk was difficult, but creating his world must have been even harder. Dustin Lance Black's screenplay is full of emotional fatigue, spirit, and gives a loud voice to nominee Sean Penn.

–who will win:

MILK

see above.

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—ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE—

the Nominees are:  Amy Adams (Doubt), Penelope Cruz (Barcelona), Viola Davis (Doubt),Taraji P. Henson (Benjamin Button), Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler)

–who should win:

AMY ADAMS (Doubt)

Nominated in 2005, this baby-faced actress is a sure winner at some point in her career. This year should be it: her role as the perfectionist stuck in the middle of a Catholic school scandal was played to a T.

–who will win:

MARISA TOMEI (The Wrestler)

I haven't seen Penelope Cruz's performance, so I have to go with Tomei: she was fantastic. It's easy to overlook her because of Mickey Rourke, but her performance was heart-wrenching on its own. Plus, if you get naked, you have a better shot at winning.

———————————————————————————————————————-

—ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE—

the Nominees are:  Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Angelina Jolie (Changeling), Melissa Leo (Frozen River), Meryl Streep (Doubt), Kate Winslet (The Reader)

–who should win:

MELISSA LEO (Frozen River)

Since I do miss the occasional film, like Frozen River, I'm going with the opinion of someone I trust: my mother. She raved, like most critics have, at first time nominee Melissa Leo's performance.

–who will win:

KATE WINSLET (The Reader)

One of the two absolute locks of the night. She's more than due for the Oscar after all her nominations, but the performance didn't blow me away. Plus, the recent backlash against the film as a whole makes me feel less inclined to want her to even get it.

———————————————————————————————————————-

—ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE—

the Nominees are:  Josh Brolin (Milk), Robert Downey, Jr. (Tropic Thunder), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight), Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road)

–who should win:

HEATH LEDGER (The Dark Knight)

This isn't coming from being a 'fanboy' of The Dark Knight, but this is seriously one of the most intense performances I've ever seen. Heath Ledger was never on my radar for actors that can take it to that next level...until this role. To play someone with complete reckless abandon, someone so pathologically insane, and do it so cleverly and upfront...well that's Oscar worthy.

–who will win:

HEATH LEDGER (The Dark Knight)

see above. (RIP Heath Ledger; what a fine way to go out)

———————————————————————————————————————-

—ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE—

the Nominees are:  Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Sean Penn (Milk), Brad Pitt (Benjamin Button), Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

–who should win:

MICKEY ROURKE (The Wrestler)

Like Daniel Day-Lewis did last year, Rourke created a character in which I didn't see, hear, or feel anything about an actor, just the character. He was Randy the Ram, and he took this role seriously and gave one of the most heartfelt and gut-wrenching performances I've ever seen. This one goes down in the books.

–who will win:

FRANK LANGELLA (Frost/Nixon)

Not as perfectly, but like Rourke, Langella was truly fascinating to watch as Richard Nixon. His physical and emotional fatigue and transformation were incredible and worthy of much praise. It really is a hard pick between him and Rourke, but I certainly won't be disappointed to see Langella win.

———————————————————————————————————————-

—DIRECTING—

the Nominees are:  David Fincher (Benjamin Button), Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon), Gus Van Sant (Milk), Stephen Daldry (The Reader), Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

–who should win:

DAVID FINCHER (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

Button grabbed 13 nominations and Pitt won't be winning Best Actor and I don't think it'll get Best Picture either. Is this consolation? Maybe. But damn does David Fincher deserve it anyway after his stellar past career. He has quietly put together one of the best decades or so behind the camera out of anyone in Hollywood.

–who will win:

DANNY BOYLE (Slumdog Millionaire)

Even though I found it somewhat cheesy, there's no doubt that the momentum is in full throttle for this being the feel good movie of the year. Boyle did a great job intersecting the crowded streets of Mumbai to tie it all up with a wild story of love.

———————————————————————————————————————-

—BEST PICTURE—

the Nominees are:  Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire

–who should win:

FROST/NIXON

This was a poor job by the academy selecting the 5 best films of the year (where's The Wrestler? Dark Knight? Doubt? Gran Torino?), but out of this selection it has to be Frost/Nixon hands down. This is like the little movie that could compared to the rest. A modest cast, no love story, etc: but it's the smartest, most gripping, compelling, and outright tremendous film listed. Most younger people have no idea what these interviews were all about. Well, after seeing this unforgettable movie, nobody will have any questions.

–who will win:

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

I don’t think there’s any stopping it from winning now. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t enjoy the film nearly as much as most people did, so I’ll be rooting for my pick.

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(all photos from Oscar.com)

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ENJOY THE SHOW!

Review: Doubt

It’s funny how such an ordinary view on basic human emotions can be turned into something so intense that you can’t look away, even for a moment. How something so seemingly ordinary could keep you talking days after you’ve left the theater. It’s also funny that a film like Doubt could fly under the radar during December and up to this point in time. Now, it has been recognized in the way of five Golden Globe nominations – tied for the most of any film with Button. But all the advertising on television, hype, and word of mouth is about other films – Frost/Nixon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and even the putrid looking Yes Man. Before it’s gone from theaters, I wouldn’t want to be someone who didn’t take a chance on Doubt.

Oscar-winners Streep and Hoffman don't disappoint in the slightest (Miramax/aceshowbiz.com)

Set in the early 1960’s in a New York based Catholic school, all is fine and well, at least for the first twenty or so minutes of the film. One of things I enjoyed most about Doubt was the “set-up”, of the characters and the eventual dreadful tone that creeps up on the story. Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams – the films big 3 – are shown in their natural state, or, their primary personalities. We learn who they are and why they are, and this makes the shift in each one of them that much more dramatic when it comes.

As the skies become darker and winter sweeps across the school and church, the word of doubt takes a number of forms. Doubt of the preacher, of the accusation, of his defense, of the church’s line of order, of the changing times, and so on and so on. Doubt, Hoffman’s character says, can be as strong as certainty. This is no more obvious than in Streep’s character, a nun and school principal.

The back and forth between Streep and Hoffman starts like one drop of water, and eventually becomes an ocean (to use the same stupid metaphor). The intensity in not only their words, but their action and deception of each other and those surrounding them builds on itself as the film carries on. Swaying a fellow nun, played by Amy Adams, is one of the primary goals of both Streep and Hoffman. It would seem like too tall a mountain to climb for Adams, to provide an acting job worth while standing amongst two acting giants in prime roles – but she does a remarkable job. If Hoffman is certainty, and Streep is doubt, then Adams is caught smack in the middle. A terrific portrayal of anyone, not just in this type of situation, who is scared sick of the ramifications of a large decision going either that way, or the other.

Amy Adams completes a terrific trio of performances - worthy of an award in her own right (Miramax/aceshowbiz.com)

An interesting aspect of this movie is the subject matter, and the “unimportance” of it in the grand scheme of things. Clearly it needs something a bit edgy and controversial – and what better than the Catholic church mixed with some race issues. But even if you took away the exterior of the church and such, the raw emotions and inner workings of the human brain are tremendously fun to watch. That’s what this movie does perhaps more effectively than anything else.

Every critic or person who has seen this movie will tell you that Streep, Hoffman, and many others gave riveting performances worthy of awards. They’ll talk about Oscar-winners yelling back and forth, and the ‘game’ played between the two to the bitter end. But that’s not the film’s finest point or aspect to be remembered. I said earlier that after watching Doubt, you could be talking about it for days. What’s done so well is the ability to make you, the audience member, believe what is said – by either character, or both. You’re so caught up in everything that’s going on, that the explanations they might have for doubt or certainty are satisfying enough for you as the audience. But then the last scene hits you like a brick wall. Your head goes back a bit and you mutter, “now, wait just a minute here.” Obviously, you’d have to have seen the movie to know what scene with Meryl Streep I speak of, but even if you haven’t, it’s worth describing the effect. For over an hour and a half, you were certain, and you had doubt. You, as the audience, followed along closely as the pieces fell in place. But when everything unravels in one scene, suddenly…everything you thought was right or wrong, doubt or certain, is thrown off. You’re back to square one: you’re back to guessing. You’re left with a strong feeling of doubt.

DOUBT: (out of 4 stars)