True Grit

I went into this film with moderate expectations. The Coen brothers have been a bit hit or miss for me (loved O Brother and Millers Crossing for example, hated Burn After Reading) and I don't remember the John Wayne original being that amazing. So when it turned out that True Grit was actually incredibly entertaining I was pleasantly surprised. In some ways my expectations made it the exact opposite experience of when I saw the Fighter. For that film I went in expecting great and got good, here I was expecting decent and got very good.

The film is unapologetically a 'western' in the classical sense. It has a very basic story with a clear conflict (little girl tries to get revenge for her father's death) and has none of the irony or revisionism which characterize the more recent entries of the genre. What really makes True Grit work though is the dialog and a killer lead performance from Hailee Steinfield as Mattie ross. Everyone in the film talks a calm mannered tone that gives the proceedings a lyrical air and sense of calm even when violence is breaking out. Combine that with a wicked sense of humor and the script elevates the proceedings above what could have been a very traditional story.

While Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon have the two flashiest roles (and they're great) they could have been filled by a number of actors, but the role of Mattie is key. She's the emotional center of the film, and if you don't buy her motivations the whole thing falls apart. Steinfield nails the role and I shudder to think what would have happened if a Miley Cyrus type played it. The only question I had afterwards was what character was a bigger bad-ass Mattie or hit-girl from Kick-Ass? This of course assumes no weapons...but I digress.

The film's a little bloated in parts, but overall its a fun ride marked by good performances and a well written script. In that sense its much like Yogi Bear.

tron:legacy

Meh

Rabbit Hole

The film is centered on a couple (Nicole Kidman & Aaron Eckhart) whose son was killed eight months earlier chasing the family dog into the street. Basically the film portrays how tragedy has affected them (not well) and how they try to deal with the grief. Given the subject matter it would have been surprising had the film not been intense and, occasionally, uncomfortably bleak, but its difficult to say if its really the films quality that invokes the emotional reactions in the audience, or if its just the inherent nature of the subject. In some ways the film is very conventional in how it hits all the beats of grief (anger, acceptance, leading to maybe some hope, etc) and nothing that new is conveyed. What it does have going for it is some nice moments of humor which actually feel organic when they could have very easily been out of place.

Its a tough film at times, and I'm not sure its really fun to watch. It does have two really meaty roles at its core, which both actors tear into, and at least tries to deal with some serious issues. I wouldn't necessarily avoid it because of the subject matter, but I can't say that I learned anything dramatic either. Though I've never had anything happen to me that would bring about this level of grief (other than the time sobarro's was out of pizza sticks) so my lack of engagement could have just been a result of my generally shallow nature.

The Fighter

I need to say right up front that I liked the fighter. Its a satisfactory sports film that features strong performances (from Christian Bale and Amy Adams in particular) and delivers a generally entertaining story. That preamble was necessary because the next paragraph is going to make it sound like I'm much more down on the film than I actually am.

Most of my disappointment stems from the fact that I had such high expectations going in. Expectations driven mainly by the presence of the director - David O. Russel. Russel has made a career making quirky, darkly funny, movies (Flirting with Disaster, Three Kings, I heart huckabees) and I was anxious to see how he would apply his sensibility to the sports genre. Therefore when he delivered what is very much a conventional sports film I felt a little let down. Like I alluded to before, he executes those conventions at a higher level than most sports films (the cast helps) and the whole thing is generally entertaining (though it seems to be getting a little overrated in the press). I was just hoping for great and ended up with good.

Miscellany:

-The boxing scenes were fine, though nothing special. I couldn't get a sense of whether or not Whalberg could really box because of the way they shot it, he wasn't distractingly bad though which is generally the best you can hope for.

-The one performance that has been overrated is Melissa Leo's as the mother. The character is generally one note and broad, and her seven daughters exist solely to fulfill every 'Bawston' stereotype known to man. It doesn't kill the film but did feel a little out of place.

-I was a little surprised they didn't climax with Mickey Ward's fights against Arturo Gatti, those are what really put him on the map.

Black Swan

This was a really ballsy film to make. Darren Aranofsky basically set out to produce a twisted version of Swan Lake, set it around an actual production of Swan Lake for the stage, and infuse the story with the hyper-emotion, out-sized acting, and visceral energy of an opera. Combine that with his trademark stylized approach, as well as an examination of the artistic process and how it can destroy its practitioners, and you get a film that walks a fine line between over-the top ludicrousness and exhilarating art. While not completely successful at maintaining the balance, its in general fairly mesmerizing and has several moments (the climax in particular) that manage to harness all its disparate elements into an audacious and electrifying concoction (I think we've reached out pretension level for the evening).

I can see how this film could be divisive (and there was a section of the audience at my screening who were actively laughing at key moments), and really have no idea how it will play for general audiences. However if you accept it for what it is, and revel in its excess and audacity I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

The Warrior's Way

I went into this with fairly low expectations. It appeared to be basically Cowboys vs. Ninjas, and I thought it should at least be able to present some modest entertainment on the visceral level present in that premise. I could not have been more wrong. The film is a complete misfire on every level. Its bad. Not laughably bad, or even a fascinating fiasco, just bad. I cannot not recommend even seeing this on a mocking level since its the kind of thing you feel like you could mock, but can't be bothered to because you're bored. Really its a film that wants to look like it was directed by Zach Snyder, but didn't feel like paying for him. It tries really hard to be stylish and 'cool' but all you really end up seeing is the effort with no payoff. Kind of like the nerdy kid in high school (who may or may not have been me) who finally gets invited to a party, tries to act like he thinks the 'cool' kids do, but tries too hard and ends up just making everyone feel sad. The action scenes don't even deliver much in the way of enjoyment as they unfold with the perfunctory nature of a video game - See Ninjas/Cowboys, kill ninjas/cowboys, rinse repeat.

I can't even be bothered to talk about this anymore. Just avoid it.

Tangled

I rarely go see kids films in the theater anymore. Its not just because I'm cold, heartless, and have forgotten what it is to feel joy, but rather I know how creepy it is for an old guy to go watch the latest animated release by himself. What this means is that I miss trailers for films marketed specifically for children so I never see the ads for what I'm sure are amazing projects like this or this or god help me this. Seriously I weep for parents with small children. Its too bad they don't have quality entertainment options like i had growing up. To Wit.

Anyway back to the matter at hand. Tangled is a pretty straight up old school Disney animated film (despite the fact that its computer animation) and hues closely to those conventions. It takes a public domain fairy tale (in this case Rapunzel) throws in a few songs, some anthropomorphic animal sidekicks, a life affirming ending, and really (aside from the animation) wouldn't have been out of place in the fifties. This isn't a bad thing. Its nice to see a kids film not loaded with instantly dated pop-culture gags, and it doesn't overstretch the confines of the story. Its not as clever as the best pixar films, but as traditional animated feature its fine, and generally has a nice sense of humor about itself. It is about ten minutes too long, and the songs aren't particularly memorable, but its entertaining and a nice addition to the Disney canon. If there's any justice in the world it will do three times the business of that soon to be abomination Yogi Bear 3-d. (Note from future self "there is not justice.")