I've never been to a midnight premiere before, because I'm always nervous about falling asleep during the movie. When I go to the movies, I love to immerse myself into what I'm watching; and I don't have any intention on dozing off. But it's a bit of a challenge to have forty winks when your heart is in danger of erupting from your chest like the chestburster in Alien. As your heart rate increases, you are on full alert of what's happening on screen.
For a pre-Halloween festivity, I jumped at the chance to attend a midnight showing of the new found-footage horror film, Paranormal Activity 3, directed by Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost. What first started out as a modest ghost story with a shoe-string budget has now generated a madly popular horror trilogy, with each installment successfully topping each other. This one, however, goes a scare beyond and does some significant anxiety amplification.
As a prequel to the previous two films, this third entry takes place 18 years prior in 1988. We see Katie (Katie Featherston of PA 1 and PA 2) and Kristi (Sprague Grayden of PA 2) as sisters at a younger age. They are portrayed by Chloe Csengery, who plays Katie, and Jessica Tyler Brown, who plays Kristi. When Kristi begins talking to her imaginary friend Toby, bizarre things begin to happen throughout their home. Her father Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith) decides to set up cameras in several rooms to try and find some ghostly activity, and her mother Julie (Lauren Bittner) decides to dismiss Kristi's behavior as normal for a child. But when Toby begins to harass the family with spooky and dangerous actions, their seemingly ordinary life starts to turn into a nightmare that grows bigger with each passing day.
The forte of the film, as with the previous two, is its effective use of camerawork to derive much of its terror. There are three camcorders that are set up in the house, one of which is in the parents' bedroom and another one being in the daughters' bedroom. But the placing of the third camcorder is one that strikes you with the most trepidation. It's placed on the base of an oscillating fan in the living room, and it's view tracks back and forth from the dining room to the kitchen. The suspense piles on as it goes from room to room; and we sit frozen in the theater, not knowing what will be waiting for us when the fan goes back to the kitchen or the living room.
The movie, in some instances, utilizes offscreen space to add to its eerie atmosphere. On a few of the nights when we see the daughters' bedroom, Kristi wakes up, goes to the corner of the screen and talks to Toby. The demon is out of the frame, so we can't see him as she's talking to him, nor do we ever actually see the demon in these films. But, we can tell that Toby is visible to Kristi, and he's definitely there in her room at that time.
You hear a lot of people referring to an exciting story as a "roller coaster ride." That comparison is often overused, but it certainly works for this film. Every scene is, in fact, like a roller coaster ride. At the beginning of each one, we'll ascend as we wait in frightened anticipation for the inevitable jolt-moment. We can't really tell when the top of the hill will come, because the big "Boo!" can arrive at any instant. But when it does, we as an audience scream together as we immediately descend. Then, we are thrown for a loop at the grandly bloodcurdling finale that is always the supreme scare for all three movies.
Two years ago when I saw the first Paranormal Activity, I had trouble believing that the filmmakers could make a sequel without spitting on the original. They ended up making a prequel that not only topped the first, but also lived up to the mythology that was established by the first film. Then, after viewing Paranormal Activity 2 a year ago, I had even more difficulty thinking that a third film could be made, especially after the sense of closure we had at the end. Now, I can say that after seeing Paranormal Activity 3, I can eat my own skepticism. The screenplay by Christopher B. Landon ties well into the previous two movies and answers many questions that, until now, have remained a supernatural mystery. It brings this trilogy-in-reverse to a full finish. Hopefully this time next year, I'm not lamenting this horror series being tarnished by a needless fourth movie. I think it's time for the demon to pack his bags and move on, because he has given us enough enjoyably nerve-piercing scares to be thankful for.
Final grade: A-
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
A Little Bit of Laughter is the Best Medicine
It's an unfortunate and well-known truth that cancer, no matter what kind, affects millions all over the world. Not just those that are stricken ill, but their loved ones as well. Many try their best to take it in stride; but for others, it's a little harder. It's important to know that even when times might seem the toughest, it's how the person takes control of the situation that can help him or her choose how to live life and find the much sought after silver lining. This is what Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) must comprehend in director Jonathan Levine's dramedy 50/50, a film that takes a semi-lighthearted approach to a relatable and serious topic.
Adam is living a normal life and loves his job at the local radio station. When he begins to experience some back pains, he decides to go to his doctor and find out the cause of the trouble. The doctor tells Adam that he has a very rare form of cancer, to which there are limited options for treatment. Once he reveals this to his family and friends, including his pal and co-worker Kyle (Seth Rogen), his questionable girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard) and his mother (Anjelica Huston), they all try to help him out and figure what's best for him. In the meantime, Adam begins to attend sessions with a young psychologist Katie (Anna Kendrick) who tries to help him to better understand and live with the situation he has been thrown into.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt brings out the audience's understanding for him trying to be an ordinary guy that gets hit with this life-changing event that he doesn't have any control over. When given the startling news of his illness, he responds with, "That doesn't make any sense though. I mean...I don't smoke, I don't drink...I recycle..." His stunned reaction shows how unexpected something like this could happen to anyone, even if you have a good health record. The nonchalant attitude that he tries to feel in light of the circumstances gives a greater emotional punch, because we know there's a storm cloud behind the false expressions of his seemingly carefree exterior. We want to reach out to him and let him know that everything will be alright. But like him, we don't know for sure if it will be. What's happening to Adam is something that many are experiencing, and that's what makes his character worthy to bond with.
One especially resonant and empowering scene is when Adam decides to shave his head, before the cancer gets to it first. It's a sign that he's not going to be a victim to this illness. Rather, he's going to be a fighter.
Seth Rogen is his usual goofy self as Kyle, Adam's loud and foul-mouthed best friend. Kyle tries to help him by sharing his "embrace the moment and have fun" philosophy, which is something that Adam is in great need of at the time. Although his use of Adam's current condition as a means to pick up women for the two of them can come off as selfish, you can tell he has Adam's best interests at heart and wants to provide some merriment to take Adam's mind off his ailment. He tries to have Adam look on the bright side of things throughtout the film. At one point, he reassures Adam with his 50/50 chance of survival by saying, "If you were a casino game, you'd have the best odds." In one scene right before the end, you see how much Kyle sincerely cares for his friend.
Anna Kendrick is, and still remains, a natural-born scene-stealer. She has considerable screen presence, and there's something about her acting style that leaves an impression and charm on the viewer after each of her scenes. Anjelica Huston, as Adam's mother, gives the reasonably smothering love and care that any parent would give to their child in a time of crisis. Philip Baker Hall and Matt Frewer bring more of the film's comic relief, outside of Seth Rogen, as jokester cancer patients who Adam befriends.
Director Jonathan Levine and screenwriter Will Reiser, the latter whose life the story is loosely based on, treats the material sensitively. They add just enough humor to make it tasteful; but they don't forget that the film also needs the drama to reaffirm the audience that this is a realistic situation with a young life at stake. The characters are written and acted believably in how they each react to Adam's circumstance and help him navigate through an uncertain time after his life takes a sudden left turn. 50/50 fully transcends the typical "disease of the week" kind of film, and is instead a celebration of the familial and friendship bonds that can be as healing as any medicinal treatment.
Final grade: A
Adam is living a normal life and loves his job at the local radio station. When he begins to experience some back pains, he decides to go to his doctor and find out the cause of the trouble. The doctor tells Adam that he has a very rare form of cancer, to which there are limited options for treatment. Once he reveals this to his family and friends, including his pal and co-worker Kyle (Seth Rogen), his questionable girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard) and his mother (Anjelica Huston), they all try to help him out and figure what's best for him. In the meantime, Adam begins to attend sessions with a young psychologist Katie (Anna Kendrick) who tries to help him to better understand and live with the situation he has been thrown into.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt brings out the audience's understanding for him trying to be an ordinary guy that gets hit with this life-changing event that he doesn't have any control over. When given the startling news of his illness, he responds with, "That doesn't make any sense though. I mean...I don't smoke, I don't drink...I recycle..." His stunned reaction shows how unexpected something like this could happen to anyone, even if you have a good health record. The nonchalant attitude that he tries to feel in light of the circumstances gives a greater emotional punch, because we know there's a storm cloud behind the false expressions of his seemingly carefree exterior. We want to reach out to him and let him know that everything will be alright. But like him, we don't know for sure if it will be. What's happening to Adam is something that many are experiencing, and that's what makes his character worthy to bond with.
One especially resonant and empowering scene is when Adam decides to shave his head, before the cancer gets to it first. It's a sign that he's not going to be a victim to this illness. Rather, he's going to be a fighter.
Seth Rogen is his usual goofy self as Kyle, Adam's loud and foul-mouthed best friend. Kyle tries to help him by sharing his "embrace the moment and have fun" philosophy, which is something that Adam is in great need of at the time. Although his use of Adam's current condition as a means to pick up women for the two of them can come off as selfish, you can tell he has Adam's best interests at heart and wants to provide some merriment to take Adam's mind off his ailment. He tries to have Adam look on the bright side of things throughtout the film. At one point, he reassures Adam with his 50/50 chance of survival by saying, "If you were a casino game, you'd have the best odds." In one scene right before the end, you see how much Kyle sincerely cares for his friend.
Anna Kendrick is, and still remains, a natural-born scene-stealer. She has considerable screen presence, and there's something about her acting style that leaves an impression and charm on the viewer after each of her scenes. Anjelica Huston, as Adam's mother, gives the reasonably smothering love and care that any parent would give to their child in a time of crisis. Philip Baker Hall and Matt Frewer bring more of the film's comic relief, outside of Seth Rogen, as jokester cancer patients who Adam befriends.
Director Jonathan Levine and screenwriter Will Reiser, the latter whose life the story is loosely based on, treats the material sensitively. They add just enough humor to make it tasteful; but they don't forget that the film also needs the drama to reaffirm the audience that this is a realistic situation with a young life at stake. The characters are written and acted believably in how they each react to Adam's circumstance and help him navigate through an uncertain time after his life takes a sudden left turn. 50/50 fully transcends the typical "disease of the week" kind of film, and is instead a celebration of the familial and friendship bonds that can be as healing as any medicinal treatment.
Final grade: A
Saturday, October 8, 2011
A Road to the White House That's Paved With Scandal
How well do we know our politicians? Hopefully well enough, since we trust them with our nation's future. Will they keep their promises to their voters? Or are they lying through their television-friendly white teeth? It's not a complete shocker that as much as we do know about them can be equal to what remains in the dark about them. George Clooney, who himself is very involved in government matters, directs and stars in The Ides of March, a twisty political drama that pulls back the voting booth curtain on the dirty secrets and dealings that can occur on the campaign trail.
Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) is a young, hot-shot campaign manager for Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney). When the race for the Presidency's Democratic nomination brings the group to Ohio, they realize that how well they do there could make or break Morris's chances at winning the nomination. When the opposing Democratic hopeful's campaign manager Tom Duffy(Paul Giamatti) witnesses Meyers skills, Tom encourages him to switch over to his side. When Meyers neglects to notify his boss Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) about the meeting, Paul fires him. Fueled with anger, Meyers plans to join Duffy and use a career-damaging secret of Governor Morris against him.
The film's cast emanates the heated tension that causes opposing sets of morals to ignite sparks on the campaign trail. Ryan Gosling fluently synthesizes suave with political smarts. He's a flirtatious guy who knows how to work a girl as well as he works a campaign. His character, like anyone, easily gives in to flattery, which is his undoing and sets the film's events into ominous action. George Clooney brings his passionate political attitudes to his role, and it's conclusively visible that he's incorporating his love of these ideals in the film. His character almost mirrors how he is in reality. We basically see two Clooney's in the film: Clooney the actor, and Clooney the politician.
Paul Giamatti is the essence of an unfair political game as the manipulative and deceitful Tom Duffy. Philip Seymour Hoffman is entirely different from Duffy as Meyers's boss who values loyalty over everything else. The two are as opposite as Republicans are to Democrats. The youthful and gorgeous Evan Rachel Wood is impressive as a campaign intern who catches Gosling's eye. She is thrown into a tough adult world when a life-altering secret of her's is revealed; and her playfulness turns to desperation as quickly as an undecided voter's choice in an election. And Marisa Tomei does a lot with a little as the pesky New York Times reporter who always gets the scoop.
Clooney is certainly not an outsider to political cinema. He has dabbled in it twice back in 2005 when he starred in Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck, the latter of which he also directed, and received awards and nominations for both projects. It doesn't matter if you agree or disagree with his political views. You have to appreciate his fervor for politics and film and his gift for uniting them into sharp, stimulating stories.
The screenplay by George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon is based on the latter's 2008 play Farragut North. The first half hour of the film is mainly for the fleshing-out of what Clooney's role is as a candidate, his policies and the current status of his campaign. So the movie takes some time to get started because of that. But when a major plot revelation about one of the character's is exposed, the movie spikes to life. It becomes a web of scandal, blackmail, corruption and revenge, where some people aren't who them seem to be. Political films, mercifully, tend to leave out all of the tiresome mudslinging between candidates that we watch on television. The Ides of March spares us all of that as well, and serves us an intelligently engaging story. It has my vote.
Final grade: A-
Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) is a young, hot-shot campaign manager for Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney). When the race for the Presidency's Democratic nomination brings the group to Ohio, they realize that how well they do there could make or break Morris's chances at winning the nomination. When the opposing Democratic hopeful's campaign manager Tom Duffy(Paul Giamatti) witnesses Meyers skills, Tom encourages him to switch over to his side. When Meyers neglects to notify his boss Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) about the meeting, Paul fires him. Fueled with anger, Meyers plans to join Duffy and use a career-damaging secret of Governor Morris against him.
The film's cast emanates the heated tension that causes opposing sets of morals to ignite sparks on the campaign trail. Ryan Gosling fluently synthesizes suave with political smarts. He's a flirtatious guy who knows how to work a girl as well as he works a campaign. His character, like anyone, easily gives in to flattery, which is his undoing and sets the film's events into ominous action. George Clooney brings his passionate political attitudes to his role, and it's conclusively visible that he's incorporating his love of these ideals in the film. His character almost mirrors how he is in reality. We basically see two Clooney's in the film: Clooney the actor, and Clooney the politician.
Paul Giamatti is the essence of an unfair political game as the manipulative and deceitful Tom Duffy. Philip Seymour Hoffman is entirely different from Duffy as Meyers's boss who values loyalty over everything else. The two are as opposite as Republicans are to Democrats. The youthful and gorgeous Evan Rachel Wood is impressive as a campaign intern who catches Gosling's eye. She is thrown into a tough adult world when a life-altering secret of her's is revealed; and her playfulness turns to desperation as quickly as an undecided voter's choice in an election. And Marisa Tomei does a lot with a little as the pesky New York Times reporter who always gets the scoop.
Clooney is certainly not an outsider to political cinema. He has dabbled in it twice back in 2005 when he starred in Syriana and Good Night, and Good Luck, the latter of which he also directed, and received awards and nominations for both projects. It doesn't matter if you agree or disagree with his political views. You have to appreciate his fervor for politics and film and his gift for uniting them into sharp, stimulating stories.
The screenplay by George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon is based on the latter's 2008 play Farragut North. The first half hour of the film is mainly for the fleshing-out of what Clooney's role is as a candidate, his policies and the current status of his campaign. So the movie takes some time to get started because of that. But when a major plot revelation about one of the character's is exposed, the movie spikes to life. It becomes a web of scandal, blackmail, corruption and revenge, where some people aren't who them seem to be. Political films, mercifully, tend to leave out all of the tiresome mudslinging between candidates that we watch on television. The Ides of March spares us all of that as well, and serves us an intelligently engaging story. It has my vote.
Final grade: A-
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