Category Archives: Reviews

“War Horse” gallops into theaters on Christmas

Just days after the release of his lighthearted animated feature The Adventures of Tintin, acclaimed director Steven Spielberg releases the more dramatic adventure War Horse on Christmas day. While Tintin (based on a long-running comic series by Belgian artist Hergé) is like a cross between Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean, representing Spielberg’s childlike fantastical side, War Horse (based on a children’s book by Michael Morpurgo) reflects the director’s more dramatic tendencies without losing the fun that comes with the suspension of disbelief.

Joey charges into battle as part of the British cavalry in "War Horse."

Set during the first World War, War Horse is the story or Joey, an unruly horse that appears to be untamable until he forms a bond and friendship with a young man named Albert (Jeremy Irvine). With Albert’s family on the verge of losing their farm, Albert miraculously trains Joey to plow the fields for turnip planting. But once British soldiers come to town looking for horses for the cavalry, Albert’s destitute family has no choice but to sell Joey to the army for whatever they can get.

From there Joey encounters another stubborn horse who becomes his companion in his upcoming adventures across European countrysides, forests and battlefields. Though he comes to be known by different names to different people, Joey unwittingly becomes a pivotal part of the lives of almost every person he encounters. From German siblings deserting their fellow soldiers to a French farmer and his spunky granddaughter to soldiers from opposing sides of the battle meeting in no man’s land to help untangle the horse from barbed wire, Joey tends to have a way of inspiring magnificent (and sometimes fleeting) moments of joy.

Joey gallops into his next adventure in "War Horse."

While Spielberg has long enjoyed showing us otherwise ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, the use of an animal protagonist is something new for the director. While Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan told the story of how one soldier’s fate affected many other lives, War Horse is able to tell multiple stories that intersect based on Joey’s whims and circumstances. Though the astonishing coincidences and fortunate serendipity that seem to follow Joey through his many adventures border on Michael Bay-like absurdity, Spielberg gives the story and its characters (including the horse) enough dimension to make you care about their fate, and never portrays anything that is completely out of the realm of possibility.

With some occasional Gone with the Wind-like visual splendor and the fanfare of John Williams’ score, War Horse is definitely a feel-good holiday flick. But as he has done before, Spielberg bucks that formula just enough to make War Horse more than just a sappy tale of triumph over tragedy.

War Horse. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Starring Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Peter Mullan and David Thewlis. Rated PG-13. www.warhorsemovie.com.

Review by Jonathan Williams

Scorsese explores childlike adventure and early cinema in “Hugo”

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In his new visually stunning film Hugo, Martin Scorsese has produced a movie that seamlessly incorporates 3-D technology with compelling storytelling in order to pay homage to childhood and the pioneers of special effects films. Part Harry Potter, part Little Orphan Annie, part Journey to the Center of the Earth, part A.I. Artificial Intelligence (including an appearance by Jude Law) and part film history lesson, Hugo (like the bestselling Brian Selznick book on which it’s based) creates a world where imagination, dreams and invention intertwine to tell the story of a young boy, left on his own after the death of his parents, trying to connect with his father through a shared love of clockwork and gears.

Hugo (Asa Butterfield) and Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz) have the coolest toy ever!

Left with his drunk uncle after his father’s death, Hugo (Asa Butterfield) lives in a Paris train station where he dutifully continues his uncle’s work of winding the station clocks after his uncle disappears. Afraid of being sent to an orphanage, Hugo hides in the walls and does his best to avoid being noticed by the station’s resident inspector, played by Sacha Baron Cohen. When he is caught stealing parts for an automaton left behind by his father from a toy shop in the station, Hugo becomes involved with the shop owner, Georges Méliès (Ben Kingsley) and his family, particularly goddaughter Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz). Together, Hugo and Isabelle uncover a connection between the two families that forces Georges to face his past. As it turns out, Papa Georges is the Georges Méliès, director of the ground-breaking French films of the early 20^th Century. One of the first directors to incorporate special effects into films, Méliès is known for creating dream-like cinemagraphic experiences, mirrored by Scorsese in Hugo. Through the innocent eyes of children, Méliès is able to recapture his own imagination and innocence that was destroyed, along with the majority of his films, by the first World War.

With scenes that reference other early films, such as the Lumiere brothers’ L’arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat and Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last!, Hugo is very self aware and a touch self indulgent, heralding the magic of film. It also features clips from other early films such as Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon and Edison Studios’ The Kiss.

Although the novelty of the groundbreaking 3-D may float this film at the box office, it may struggle to find an audience for its thoughtful and complex message. Theoretically a children’s film, it runs a little long for short attention spans (the two little girls sitting next to me were both asleep with more than an hour left in the film). Plus, an appreciation for this film requires a sense of nostalgia for childhood (and knowledge o cinema history) that is impossible for those with fewer than ten years under their belts.

Hugo. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Starring Asa Butterfield, Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen and Chloë Grace Moretz. Rated PG. www.hugomovie.com.

Review by Jennifer Waller Sibley

The Muppets return to the big screen in “The Muppets”

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It’s been 12 years since the Muppets were last seen on the big screen, and apparently many people have forgotten all about the puppeteered music and comedy numbers that once made The Muppet Show a hit for children and adults alike in the late ’70s and early ’80s. At least that’s the case in The Muppets, the new movie that is (thankfully) not a revamping of any kind and mirrors reality in a slightly more surreal version of a world that has not seen the Muppets in all these years.

Kermit the Frog (Steve Whitmire), Mary (Amy Adams), Gary (Jason Segel) and Walter (Peter Linz) invite Rowlf the Dog (Bill Barretta) to rejoin the gang in “The Muppets.” Photo by Patrick Wymore

Their recent appearance on WWE Raw (and other promotional ploys) notwithstanding, it’s entirely plausible that there’s an entire generation or two that has completely missed out on the madcap mayhem that the Muppets were once known for. But in The Muppets, Gary (Jason Segel) is a small-town goodie-goodie who grew up watching The Muppet Show and continues watching old episodes with his little brother Walter (Peter Linz) into adulthood. Despite their lifelong brotherly bond, Walter, being a Muppet and all, is clearly adopted or something, which explains his undying fascination with the Muppets he watches on TV.

When Gary and his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) plan a romantic getaway to Los Angeles, Gary can’t help but let Walter tag along so they can visit the old Muppet Theater together. But it appears that that old Muppet magic is long gone as all the historic Muppet landmarks have fallen into disrepair and not a single Muppet is anywhere in sight. And when Walter unwittingly uncovers a plot to tear it all down so oil tycoon Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) can drill for oil, the news is so devastating to his innocent little mind that he vows to track down the old Muppet gang and stage a telethon to save the theater and get the show back on the air.

Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) and his henchmen, Uncle Deadly (Matt Vogel) and Bobo the Bear (Bill Barretta). Photo by Scott Garfield

From there, it’s one satirical song-and-dance number after another as the trio teams up with Kermit to drive cross country (and, in Miss Piggy‘s case, they even find a way to drive a station wagon to Paris) to track down the old gang and try to get them back together again. In keeping with Muppet tradition, the adventure is filled with celebrity cameos including Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters (as Animohl, the drummer for a Muppet tribute band called the Moopets), Jack Black (who is in an anger management program with the real Animal), Selena Gomez, Whoopi Goldberg, Mickey Rooney and Zach Galifianakis as a hobo.

As the Muppets rally more and more support, it appears that they just might overcome the odds and save the theater from the tyranical Tex, a hapless villain played to the hilarious hilt by Cooper, who even breaks out into a hip-hop number at one point. Once the Muppet gang is back together, everything seems to fall into place despite minimal rehearsal, ramshackle planning and other setbacks.

The Muppet gang is back in “The Muppets.” Photo by Scott Garfield

In the end, life lessons are learned, relationships are mended and the Muppets (as well as the rest of the world) realize that they are meant to be together. Whether or not the theater is saved becomes almost inconsequential, and it seems that the unique satire and cleverness of the Muppets is here to stay. Let’s just hope that such a fantasy carries over to the real world, because even those who are just being introduced to the silliniess of the Muppets will likely agree that the pop culture landscape is a better place with Jim Henson‘s felt-and-fur covered guys around.

The Muppets. Directed by James Bobin. Starring Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper and the Muppets. Rated PG. www.disney.com/muppets.

Review by Jonathan Williams

“Happy Feet Two” spreads its wings for snow-covered fun

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Happy Feet Two has everything you likely loved about the original Happy Feet (singing and dancing penguins) and nothing you may have hated (environmentalist propaganda). After reading up on the first Happy Feet, I went into the sequel expecting a propaganda film in the tradition of pre-World War II German director Leni Riefenstahl. After all, my go-to children’s film experts (my sister and her 10-year-old daughter) described the first film as “preachy” and “long,” respectively. But it seems writer/director George Miller, who won an Academy Award for the first installment, learned from his heavy-handed mistakes and instead presented us with an inspiring tale of using your unique talents to contribute to society.

The Mighty Sven (Hank Azaria) teaches Erik (Ava Acres) life lessons in "Happy Feet Two." Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The hero of Happy Feet, Mumble (Elijah Wood), is back and this time he is struggling with helping his son, Erik (Ava Acres), find his place in the Emperor Penguin society. Unable to dance like his father, Erik feels out of place and seeks out his own path, meeting a cast of characters each with his own unique strength, including a penguin named Sven (Hank Azaria) who can fly! With elements of children’s fable Jonathan Livingston Seagull, the flying penguin encourages Erik to look within himself to find how he can find his place in penguin society. Sadly, it turns out that Sven is actually a con artist puffin, but the truth of his message is not lost on Erik, who eventually recognizes the strengths of his father and finds his inspiration there.

Will the Krill (Brad Pitt) and Bill the Krill (Matt Damon) in "Happy Feet Two." Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The main plot is mirrored in a subplot involving two krill, Will (Brad Pitt) and Bill (Matt Damon), who break away from their own swarm in order to become individuals. Ultimately, each character finds himself and returns back to the society from which he came, with a new understanding of his unique purpose. And all unite to save the penguins from a perilous situation, involving habitat destruction as a result of global warming (although I read that into the film and it wasn’t overtly stated). In fact, the humans in the film are portrayed as benefactors and although they aren’t able to save the penguins, the relationship between the two societies is portrayed as one of respect.

The 3-D gimmick is well done here, and if there’s any place for a gimmick, it’s a children’s film. It helps create a sense of immersion in the Antarctic world, but isn’t distracting. Strangely, if the film has a weakness, it’s the music. The original songs aren’t catchy or memorable and the songs go on a little too long. The audience clapped at the end of the film and while I, personally, didn’t feel that it was clap worthy, it’s a good way to spend an evening with the kids. Happy Feet Two is fun, clever, cute and has a positive message for the little ones.

Happy Feet Two. Directed by George Miller. Starring Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Alecia Moore (P!nk), Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. Rated PG. www.happyfeettwo.warnerbros.com.

Review by Jennifer Waller Sibley

“J. Edgar” exposes the good and bad of an American icon

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For the most part, Hollywood has a tendency to romanticize historical figures when putting out biopics such as J. Edgar. But with Clint Eastwood directing a screenplay by Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black, this movie doesn’t hesitate to show both the noble accomplishments as well as the darker secrets of controversial American hero J. Edgar Hoover.

Regardless of how much you know about Hoover going into the film, one thing that is pretty accepted about him is that he was neither charming nor particularly handsome. So the casting of Leonardo DiCarpio in the lead role is a bit questionable at first. But in much the same way Charlize Theron did in 2003’s Monster, Leondardo DiCaprio provides a powerfully convincing portrayal of a man who was as guarded as he was determined, thanks in large part to heavy prosthetics, makeup and dark brown contact lenses. Physical attributes aside, DiCaprio seems to adequately capture the inner conflict and frustrations of Hoover, both in his prime and later in his life.

Because of the rapid flip-flopping between Hoover’s earlier and latter life, J. Edgar can be a bit hard to follow at times. But for those able to keep up, it is a revealing look at the life of the man who created the Federal Bureau of Investigation and revolutionized the way crime investigations are done by implementing (despite a good deal of resistance) things like forensic science into the process. But for every good deed it commends, J. Edgar touches on just as many perceived flaws in Hoover’s characters.

Judi Dench as Anna Marie and Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover. Photo by Keith Bernstein

Sure, he was instrumental in solving some of the biggest crimes of his time and revealing numerous scandals. He was the director of the FBI for almost 50 years and served through eight different presidencies. But he was also sometimes delusional, abused his power to get his way, blackmailed political foes and harbored numerous secrets, personally and professionally. Hoover (according to the film) was also an incredibly insecure man who had an almost Norman Bates-like relationship with his overbearing and judgmental mother (Judi Dench).

Armie Hammer as Clyde Tolson and Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover. Photo by Keith Bernstein

J. Edgar also touches on subjects such as Hoover’s widely speculated homosexuality, namely with his hiring of and long term relationship with Clyde Tolson (The Social Network‘s Armie Hammer) and other rumored behaviors. DiCaprio and the rest of the impressive cast (including Naomi Watts as Hoover’s secretary Helen Gandy) do a phenomenal job of telling the many stories that made up Hoover’s personal and professional lives. There’s no questioning the abilities of anyone involved with this film, but it’s always difficult to fully tell a story about someone as seemingly complicated and controversial as Hoover. And even if it just scratches the surface of what all went into making the man who was arguably the most powerful person in the country for most of his career, J. Edgar succeeds at providing an entertaining and balanced look at the life of someone who radically changed American crime fighting and politics forever.

J. Edgar. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Namoi Watts and Judi Dench. Rated R. www.jedgarmovie.warnerbros.com.

Review by Jonathan Williams

“Immortals” gives Greek mythology some added visual spectacle

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Fantasy and mythology have always made for good big-screen drama, and 2011 has been quite a year for such adventures. From Thor to Conan the Barbarian, chiseled warriors doing battle against insurmountable odds have fared incredibly well at the box office. I’m not sure if there is any numerological significance to its release date of 11/11/11, but Immortals is the latest such film to battle its way into theaters.

In much the same way 300 gave the Battle of Thermopylae some stylistic jolts, Immortals (touted as being “from the producers of 300“) retells the story of Theseus and the Minotaur with elaborate costumes, grandiose settings and battles filled with mind-boggling effects. Known for his visual flair and over-the-top aesthetics, director Tarsem Singh (The Cell, The Fall) has plenty to work with here as Greek gods, oracles and armies of masked warriors dominate every scene.

Mickey Rourke as the ruthless King Hyperion. Photo by Jan Thijs

As the ruthless King Hyperion (The Wrestler‘s Mickey Rourke) systematically conquers village after village (torturing and murdering innocent people along the way), he progressively builds a larger and larger army to help him on his quest to rule the world. Channeling the tough repugnance he’s portrayed in such movies as Sin City, Iron Man 2 and The Expendables, Rourke’s portrayal of Hyperion makes it impossible to do anything but despise him. And when he personally murders your helpless mother right in front of you (as he does to Theseus, unknowingly incurring the wrath of one of mankind’s greatest warriors and the gods that support his cause), he eventually determines his own fate, despite the destruction he leaves in his wake.

Theseus (The Tudors‘ Henry Cavill), a rebellious peasant who has no faith in the gods, reluctantly becomes humanity’s last hope, with the help of the virgin oracle Phaedra (Freida Pinto of Slumdog Millionaire and Rise of the Planet of the Apes), the thief Stavros (Stephen Dorff) and, eventually, the gods themselves. In pure Greek irony, the death of Theseus’ mother inadvertently leads him to the very thing he will need if he is to prevent Hyperion from achieving his goal of obtaining the Epirus Bow and releasing his fellow Titans from captivity.

Stavros (Stephen Dorff), Theseus (Henry Cavill), Phaedra (Freida Pinto) and Nycomedes (Greg Bryk) in "Immortals." Photo by Jan Thijs

From the oracles’ visions of the future to epic battles between vast armies, Singh’s unique cinematography makes Immortals feel as imaginative as the Homeric tales from which these characters have been derived. Singh’s visual spectacle seems to assume that the audience will either be familiar enough with these Greek myths to already know the relationships that exist between some of the characters, or that viewers will be distracted enough by the skull-bursting battles and other excrutiating scenes to not care about what’s going on. So whether you see it as fantasy escapism or recognize Singh’s literal and aesthetic influences, Immortals is a grandiose Greek drama filled with the tragedy and triumph that should be expected.

Immortals. Directed by Tarsem Singh. Starring Henry Cavill, Mickey Rourke, Stephen Dorff and Freida Pinto. Rated R. www.immortalsmovie.com.

Review by Jonathan Williams

Love proves to be a proverbial battlefield in “Like Crazy”

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Just because I wear a mask and fight evil doesn’t mean I haven’t experienced the manic highs and heartbreaking lows of love. So even though Like Crazy (which won the Sundance Film Festival‘s Grand Jury Prize (Dramatic) for Best Picture) doesn’t feature a single explosion, supervillain or plot to destroy the world, the seemingly earth shattering struggles faced by Jacob (Anton Yelchin, who has battled all kinds of baddies in Star Trek, Terminator Salvation and Fright Night) and Anna (Felicity Jones from The Tempest) are all too familiar to Flash Gorem (as I’m sure they will be for many of you as well).

After Anna, a British student, falls for Jacob, her American classmate, their young love becomes so unquenchable that Anna overstays her student visa in order to spend the summer with Jacob. As a result, poor little Anna is unable to obtain a tourist visa, and is thus unable to return to the United States to see her true love. As we all know, long distance relationships can be difficult, bringing out all kinds of insecurities on both sides.

Now that we've found love, what are we gonna do with it?

Though their Notebook-like intentions (yeah, I saw The Notebook, too) of toughing it out in hopes of someday being able to spend their lives together seem noble, the push and pull of the situation is a constant reminder of the impending hopelessness of it all. And it’s not until after they’ve agreed to see other people (which results in a similar push and pull for their new significant others) that Anna and Jacob finally decide to go through with the most logical solution: getting married. Oh, but even then Anna’s previous visa violation holds things up, sending Jacob packing his bags back to American once again. Just when things look up, it gets all depressing again and again!

By the time the couple is finally able to be together, it seems too much damage may have already been done. Or has it? Based on the mostly silent and somewhat awkward interaction between the two after they finally get what they’ve been wanting, it’s difficult to deduce the exact emotion being conveyed. Could be sadness or regret. Could be a peaceful relief. It’s probably an odd mix of many emotions, and each viewer is likely to have his own opinion of where things stand. But regardless of what you take away from this film, Like Crazy ultimately shows that it’s just as easy to make mistakes in the battle of love as anything else that’s worth fighting for.

Like Crazy. Written and directed by Drake Doremus. Starring Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones. Rated PG-13. www.likecrazy.com.

Review by Flash Gorem