"If you could have any super power, what would it be?" That's a question we have all been asked at some point in our lives. With a host of possibilities, including invisibility, super strength and the ability to fly, it's difficult to limit yourself to just one or to keep your answer the same over the years. Nonetheless, having any kind of new power granted to you would feel like a dream finally fulfilled. We all remember what Uncle Ben told his nephew, Peter Parker: "With great power, comes great responsibility." While that couldn't be truer, there's another side to that: With great power, can come the thirst for more power.
We're used to watching movies about ordinary people acquiring super powers; but in director Josh Trank's superhero film, Chronicle, he brings a level of authenticity to this proverbial story. The enhanced sense of realism offered by using the found-footage technique allows the film to answer the question, "What would you do if you had a super power?" to a higher degree than the more traditional entries in the superhero genre.
Andrew (Dan DeHaan) is an outcast at his high school. He barely has any friends and is constantly picked-on. At home, it's not much better. Andrew's father is a violent drunk and his mother is dying from cancer. One night, while reluctantly attending a party with his cousin Matt (Alex Russell), the two of them and the school's popular quarterback Steve (Michael B. Jordan) discover a hole in the ground. As they travel down below to see where the path leads to, they find a giant, glowing, crystalline mass of mysterious origins, and are suddenly exposed to its energy. The next day, the trio realizes that after being in contact with the strange object, they have obtained superhuman abilities. The three agree to keep their powers under control; but after suffering for so long, Andrew has his own malevolent plans for how to use them.
Dane DeHaan already has experience from playing a troubled teen in the second season of HBO's drama In Treatment, so he has an impressive ability to channel adolescent anger. He is hauntingly malicious as a teenager who has been victimized for too long, but then makes a shift into villainy that he can't resist. He is constantly the focal point of the high school bullies, and is continuously being physically abused by his alcoholic father. What's compelling about DeHaan's character is that he's never able to stand up for himself; and now, when he finally has the power to do that, his friends tell him they have to keep their super abilities under control. You can sense the boiling-over of his craving to take vengeance on his tormenters. He eventually defines himself as the apex predator as he uses his powers to crush a car from a few yards behind him. It's hard to decide whether to root for Andrew as he gets back at his oppressors, or to worry about what he has become. He is a superhero gone awry.
Alex Russell, as Andrew's philosophical cousin Matt, is the one who tries to keep Andrew on an understandably short leash. Matt is one of Andrew's only friends, and always looks out for him, from the beginning of the film where he tries to help Andrew make friends, to when they have their powers and Matt has to control Andrew's increasing lust for power. Matt is careful in thinking what consequences an abuse of their powers might hold, whereas Andrew is more reckless, taking any chance he can to prove that he is the dominant of the three.
Michael B. Jordan, as Steve, is the outgoing and well-liked high school football player that reaches out to Andrew in his time of need in the first 15 minutes of the film. He's a bit of a loose cannon, but is still sensible with the use of his powers. Michael Kelly is fear-inducing as Andrew's vicious father.
Many superhero films tend to take place in crime-ridden cities. Although Chronicle is set in a suburb for most of the movie, there are details to suggest that troublesome activity happens in the area, such as graffiti on public property, trash strewn across lawns and a group of drug dealers. On top of that, the way Andrew's home is designed isn't entirely welcoming, hinting that his neighborhood could be in the lower-middle class. This suburb looks like it could benefit from a superhero guardian.
With the use of the found-footage style of filming, the camera is able to follow Andrew, Matt and Steve even when they rocket through the clouds. Since they all have the power to control objects, it makes this possible. One of the best scenes shows the trio as they take to the sky and toss around a football. What happens a moment later, you'll have to see for yourself.
The screenplay, by Max Landis, isn't so much a film about heroes vs. villains, but is more of a cautionary tale. It concerns the three teenagers as they learn how to come to terms with their extraordinary gifts. One of Chronicle's strengths is its darker-than-expected nature, with the shocking fates of some of the characters and the ways in which Andrew exacts his revenge on others. The storyline of Andrew, Matt and Steve receiving their powers is cleverly placed in a high school backdrop. There, it serves as an appropriate metaphor for them going through significant changes in their lives, in respect to them getting ready to graduate, while at the same time, becoming different as they go from humans to super-humans. The only part of the story that wasn't needed was the subplot involving Matt and his new girlfriend, Casey (Ashley Hinshaw). The subplot itself wasn't bad, but it wasn't necessary.
Director Josh Trank is a young up-and-comer, and Chronicle acts an exceptional project to springboard his talent. He builds the film around the emotions of Andrew, showing us the effects of his maliciousness as it consumes him. Trank steadily leads the film into higher stakes as Andrew becomes more violent and unpredictable, and the director carefully develops his character. It all ends in an intense, friend vs. friend smack-down through the city of Seattle that has the main characters crashing through high-rising buildings and crowded streets. Josh Trank stages all of this with soaring thrills. Chronicle takes a new approach to the superhero genre, and therefore, doesn't make the found-footage technique tiresome. Now that's super.
Final grade: A-
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Predictions for the 84th Academy Awards
Very soon, it's going to be time to invite a man named Oscar into your house. With his presence comes the celebration of last year's achievements in motion pictures. It's the night in Hollywood that everyone in show business eagerly anticipates, and said anticipation gets amped up as those in attendance wait to hear what names will be called from the envelopes. This year, the night and excitement will be delivered by the master of ceremonies, Billy Crystal. This will be his ninth year hosting this event.
This year, the movies brought us a collection of stories that were very diverse in regards to their material. Among them, we had a return to silent film, a group of bridesmaids engaged in uproariously funny shenanigans, a young boy's adventures through a Parisian train station, an experimental look at the meaning of life and magical midnights in the City of Lights.
There are some big questions we're waiting to have answered: Can Viola Davis beat Meryl Streep for Best Actress? Will Christopher Plummer finally win an Oscar? Will French actor Jean Dujardin win Best Actor over George Clooney? And how many awards will be won by each of the two most nominated films of the year, which are Hugo with 11 nominations and The Artist with 10 nominations?
Here are my thoughts of who will win and who should win in the eight major categories.
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants, Hugo, The Ides of March, Moneyball and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Will Win: Moneyball - This baseball drama is refreshingly barren of cliches that usually go with the sports genre. I normally find the game boring to watch, but this film easily drew me in. The film reveals that it's not always about what happens on the field, but what happens behind the scenes, concentrating on the process of scouting and the mathematical methods of picking players. Just like many screenplays by Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian, Moneyball lives on intelligent and inspired dialogue to tell its story, and it's one of the film's several grand-slam aspects.
Should Win: Hugo - John Logan's screenplay is adapted from Brian Selznick's 2007 children's novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Despite the intended audience for the book, the film has reached a wide range of filmgoers. The way it delves into the history of early filmmaking and mixes it with the story of an orphan boy's adventures through a Parisian train station made the film one of 2011's most cinematically magical journeys. Watching the unraveling of film history that I learned earlier in my Language of Film Analysis class was one of the highest delights I had at the movies this year. Hugo is an observance of the limitless wonder and power of movies.
Best Original Screenplay: The Artist, Bridesmaids, Margin Call, Midnight in Paris and A Separation
Will Win and Should Win: Midnight in Paris - The first few minutes of this film just consist of picturesque images of Paris. What followed was an unexpected Summer treat in the middle of big-budget blockbusters. Woody Allen's time-travel comedy follows an aspiring novelist, played by Owen Wilson, who longs to live in 1920s Paris, which he considers to be its Golden Age. That's exactly what he gets every night when the clock strikes 12. Every time Wilson's character meets one of his literary role models, we are just as excited as he is. It's a story about being influenced by past artistic achievements, while also learning to be inspired by and appreciate the beauty that your own era has to offer. The film is a festive and romantic view of a city that flourishes in its bountiful art. It also helps that Woody Allen has been nominated in this category 14 other times, and won twice. This year could be his third.
Best Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo for The Artist, Jessica Chastain for The Help, Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids, Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs and Octavia Spencer for The Help
Will Win and Should Win: Octavia Spencer for The Help - Spencer has been winning award after award for 2011's most-talked-about breakout performance. As a maid in 1960s Georgia who isn't afraid to speak her mind or cause some trouble to send society a message, Octavia Spencer hasn't lost any steam since she started picking up awards buzz during the film's release. After receiving wins at the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards, I think we can count on Octavia being called on stage on Oscar night.
Best Supporting Actor: Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn, Jonah Hill for Moneyball, Nick Nolte for Warrior, Christopher Plummer for Beginners and Max von Sydow for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Will Win and Should Win: Christopher Plummer for Beginners - Plummer is one of today's most celebrated actors, having a marvelous talent that has resulted in a few Emmy Awards and Tony Awards. Surprisingly, this is only his second Oscar nomination in his highly impressive career. In Beginners, Plummer gives a bold performance as an elderly man who comes out as a homosexual, and Ewan McGregor is his son who tries to come to terms with this revelation. Plummer has fared very well on the awards circuit so far this Oscar season, so expect the Academy to finally give him the recognition he's long overdue for.
Best Actress: Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs, Viola Davis for The Help, Rooney Mara for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady and Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn
Will Win and Should Win: Viola Davis for The Help - So far, this has been a tight race between Davis and Streep, with each winning their share of distinguished awards. It could be an honor, and yet intimidating, to be going up against one of the greatest actresses to ever work in film. But this could very well be Viola's year, who plays a courageous and strong-minded maid in The Help. She earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination back in 2009 for her work in Doubt, where she turned her 12 minutes of screen time into a knockout performance. If Davis could manage a nomination with showing up for only one scene in Doubt, then she has a genuine shot at coming out on top in one of this year's closest races.
Best Actor: Demian Bichir for A Better Life, George Clooney for The Descendants, Jean Dujardin for The Artist, Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Brad Pitt for Moneyball
Will Win and Should Win: Jean Dujardin for The Artist - George Clooney tends to be a favorite amongst the voters at the Academy, and was the frontrunner at first. Now, Dujardin is starting to catch up, after recently winning Best Actor at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Clooney is superb in The Descendants, but there's the chance that the voters could be siding with the most surprising performance in this category. Dujardin plays a silent film actor in 1920s Hollywood, who then loses everything when he refuses to work in talkies. His performance is a dedication to the classic silent films stars, who all proved that expressions and gestures can be just as successfully communicative as talking. His performance absorbs the audience into a lost world of filmmaking that has the chance to live again after all of these decades.
Best Director: Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris, Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist, Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life, Alexander Payne for The Descendants and Martin Scorsese for Hugo
Will Win and Should Win: Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist - It's a great deal of work for a director to tell his cast and crew what to do, especially the cast members, since they are the ones who we're mainly watching. Since The Artist is a silent film, Hazanavicius has to make sure that every actor and actress has their gestures and expressions down pat, because they can't rely on dialogue to move the story forward. The director always needs his cast to follow his instructions for how to interpret what's happening on screen. Hazanavicius does such magnificent work with making that happen, and has made a silent film appeal to generations that have been without such films. That's a movie miracle.
Best Picture: The Artist, The Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life and War Horse
Will Win and Should Win: The Artist - This film was a risky project from the start: a silent, black-and-white film with unfamiliar stars, except for a couple of recognizable faces in supporting roles. The most important question was, "will this find an audience?" As of now, it has earned close to $25 million domestically. While that's not enough to be considered a hit, it's still a respectable amount, given that it has only been released in around 900 theaters. It was the most nominated film at the Golden Globes, winning three of the six awards it was up for; and with 10 Oscar nominations, it's the movie to beat. It's a celebratory return to a classier time in Hollywood when the magical accomplishments in the movies were continuing to grow, and when this form of storytelling became the ultimate escapist dream. Seeing a silent film on the big screen offers an excitingly new experience for all viewers. The two leads are mesmeric and deserve the brightest of futures. The Artist is a golden example of being able to say so much with so little.
Although many of the major categories have predictable winners, there are still a few chances for a surprise here and there, like last year when The King's Speech won Best Picture over The Social Network. 2011 brought many fine films that deserve much recognition; but come Oscar night, the envelopes will reveal who are the favorites. So be sure to catch the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday February 26 at 7:00pm on ABC.
This year, the movies brought us a collection of stories that were very diverse in regards to their material. Among them, we had a return to silent film, a group of bridesmaids engaged in uproariously funny shenanigans, a young boy's adventures through a Parisian train station, an experimental look at the meaning of life and magical midnights in the City of Lights.
There are some big questions we're waiting to have answered: Can Viola Davis beat Meryl Streep for Best Actress? Will Christopher Plummer finally win an Oscar? Will French actor Jean Dujardin win Best Actor over George Clooney? And how many awards will be won by each of the two most nominated films of the year, which are Hugo with 11 nominations and The Artist with 10 nominations?
Here are my thoughts of who will win and who should win in the eight major categories.
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants, Hugo, The Ides of March, Moneyball and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Will Win: Moneyball - This baseball drama is refreshingly barren of cliches that usually go with the sports genre. I normally find the game boring to watch, but this film easily drew me in. The film reveals that it's not always about what happens on the field, but what happens behind the scenes, concentrating on the process of scouting and the mathematical methods of picking players. Just like many screenplays by Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian, Moneyball lives on intelligent and inspired dialogue to tell its story, and it's one of the film's several grand-slam aspects.
Should Win: Hugo - John Logan's screenplay is adapted from Brian Selznick's 2007 children's novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Despite the intended audience for the book, the film has reached a wide range of filmgoers. The way it delves into the history of early filmmaking and mixes it with the story of an orphan boy's adventures through a Parisian train station made the film one of 2011's most cinematically magical journeys. Watching the unraveling of film history that I learned earlier in my Language of Film Analysis class was one of the highest delights I had at the movies this year. Hugo is an observance of the limitless wonder and power of movies.
Best Original Screenplay: The Artist, Bridesmaids, Margin Call, Midnight in Paris and A Separation
Will Win and Should Win: Midnight in Paris - The first few minutes of this film just consist of picturesque images of Paris. What followed was an unexpected Summer treat in the middle of big-budget blockbusters. Woody Allen's time-travel comedy follows an aspiring novelist, played by Owen Wilson, who longs to live in 1920s Paris, which he considers to be its Golden Age. That's exactly what he gets every night when the clock strikes 12. Every time Wilson's character meets one of his literary role models, we are just as excited as he is. It's a story about being influenced by past artistic achievements, while also learning to be inspired by and appreciate the beauty that your own era has to offer. The film is a festive and romantic view of a city that flourishes in its bountiful art. It also helps that Woody Allen has been nominated in this category 14 other times, and won twice. This year could be his third.
Best Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo for The Artist, Jessica Chastain for The Help, Melissa McCarthy for Bridesmaids, Janet McTeer for Albert Nobbs and Octavia Spencer for The Help
Will Win and Should Win: Octavia Spencer for The Help - Spencer has been winning award after award for 2011's most-talked-about breakout performance. As a maid in 1960s Georgia who isn't afraid to speak her mind or cause some trouble to send society a message, Octavia Spencer hasn't lost any steam since she started picking up awards buzz during the film's release. After receiving wins at the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards, I think we can count on Octavia being called on stage on Oscar night.
Best Supporting Actor: Kenneth Branagh for My Week with Marilyn, Jonah Hill for Moneyball, Nick Nolte for Warrior, Christopher Plummer for Beginners and Max von Sydow for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Will Win and Should Win: Christopher Plummer for Beginners - Plummer is one of today's most celebrated actors, having a marvelous talent that has resulted in a few Emmy Awards and Tony Awards. Surprisingly, this is only his second Oscar nomination in his highly impressive career. In Beginners, Plummer gives a bold performance as an elderly man who comes out as a homosexual, and Ewan McGregor is his son who tries to come to terms with this revelation. Plummer has fared very well on the awards circuit so far this Oscar season, so expect the Academy to finally give him the recognition he's long overdue for.
Best Actress: Glenn Close for Albert Nobbs, Viola Davis for The Help, Rooney Mara for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Meryl Streep for The Iron Lady and Michelle Williams for My Week with Marilyn
Will Win and Should Win: Viola Davis for The Help - So far, this has been a tight race between Davis and Streep, with each winning their share of distinguished awards. It could be an honor, and yet intimidating, to be going up against one of the greatest actresses to ever work in film. But this could very well be Viola's year, who plays a courageous and strong-minded maid in The Help. She earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination back in 2009 for her work in Doubt, where she turned her 12 minutes of screen time into a knockout performance. If Davis could manage a nomination with showing up for only one scene in Doubt, then she has a genuine shot at coming out on top in one of this year's closest races.
Best Actor: Demian Bichir for A Better Life, George Clooney for The Descendants, Jean Dujardin for The Artist, Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Brad Pitt for Moneyball
Will Win and Should Win: Jean Dujardin for The Artist - George Clooney tends to be a favorite amongst the voters at the Academy, and was the frontrunner at first. Now, Dujardin is starting to catch up, after recently winning Best Actor at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Clooney is superb in The Descendants, but there's the chance that the voters could be siding with the most surprising performance in this category. Dujardin plays a silent film actor in 1920s Hollywood, who then loses everything when he refuses to work in talkies. His performance is a dedication to the classic silent films stars, who all proved that expressions and gestures can be just as successfully communicative as talking. His performance absorbs the audience into a lost world of filmmaking that has the chance to live again after all of these decades.
Best Director: Woody Allen for Midnight in Paris, Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist, Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life, Alexander Payne for The Descendants and Martin Scorsese for Hugo
Will Win and Should Win: Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist - It's a great deal of work for a director to tell his cast and crew what to do, especially the cast members, since they are the ones who we're mainly watching. Since The Artist is a silent film, Hazanavicius has to make sure that every actor and actress has their gestures and expressions down pat, because they can't rely on dialogue to move the story forward. The director always needs his cast to follow his instructions for how to interpret what's happening on screen. Hazanavicius does such magnificent work with making that happen, and has made a silent film appeal to generations that have been without such films. That's a movie miracle.
Best Picture: The Artist, The Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help, Hugo, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life and War Horse
Will Win and Should Win: The Artist - This film was a risky project from the start: a silent, black-and-white film with unfamiliar stars, except for a couple of recognizable faces in supporting roles. The most important question was, "will this find an audience?" As of now, it has earned close to $25 million domestically. While that's not enough to be considered a hit, it's still a respectable amount, given that it has only been released in around 900 theaters. It was the most nominated film at the Golden Globes, winning three of the six awards it was up for; and with 10 Oscar nominations, it's the movie to beat. It's a celebratory return to a classier time in Hollywood when the magical accomplishments in the movies were continuing to grow, and when this form of storytelling became the ultimate escapist dream. Seeing a silent film on the big screen offers an excitingly new experience for all viewers. The two leads are mesmeric and deserve the brightest of futures. The Artist is a golden example of being able to say so much with so little.
Although many of the major categories have predictable winners, there are still a few chances for a surprise here and there, like last year when The King's Speech won Best Picture over The Social Network. 2011 brought many fine films that deserve much recognition; but come Oscar night, the envelopes will reveal who are the favorites. So be sure to catch the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday February 26 at 7:00pm on ABC.
Monday, February 6, 2012
A History Lesson at the Movies
I'm Vinnie Abbatecola, a junior English and Journalism major, and hopefully a Business minor, at Rider University. I've been going to the movies ever since I was about five, and I would enjoy it. But it wasn't until I was about eight was when I started to absolutely love it.
When I began my freshman year of college, I realized I was getting closer to studying what I loved. In my Fall semester of sophomore year was when I took my first film class, and it has made my viewing experiences so much richer. I learned a considerable amount about the history and art of early filmmaking, and it has helped me to understand contemporary film a good deal more.
The early years of moviemaking have appeared in two movies this season, and they also happen to me the two most nominated films for this year's Academy Awards: Martin Scorsese's 3D drama Hugo, and Michel Hazanavicious's comedy-tribute to the silent film era The Artist. Both films possessed very different storylines, but they extracted the same response from me: they are two movies about movies that remind you why you love to go to the movies.
Hugo uses film history more in its narrative, whereas The Artist doesn't use history as much as delightfully showcases a particular era in film.
In Scorsese's film, which is based on the 2007 children's novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, the director brings the story of an orphan living in a Parisian train station, and makes his first children's film into one that can bring in the a new audience; but also, his usual fans that have seen his harder films, such as Goodfellas and The Departed.
Anyone can see that although Scorsese has made numerous acclaimed hits, Hugo can be considered his labor of love. The film and book use pioneer filmmaker Georges Melies as one of its main characters, portrayed in the movie by Ben Kingsley. Through several flashbacks, Scorsese treats his audience to scenes depicting Melies meeting the Lumiere brothers and wanting to make films himself; and then, we see him following in the footsteps of the two brothers, and making his own films.
It was when I saw Melies filming, A Trip to the Moon, that the joy I had out of watching Hugo became one of my favorite experiences at the movies in 2011. Being able to apply what I learned in Language of Film Analysis made the viewing refreshingly different from other film viewings. The love for cinema that defines Scorsese was captured in every frame of Hugo.
Michel Hazanavicious's The Artist is a black-and-white silent film that acts as an homage to the 1920s period of Hollywood. It tells the story of fictional movie-star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) who has a chance encounter with a starlet-to-be Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo). He helps her get a role in one of his films, and she soon becomes the industry's next big thing. As talkies start becoming popular, George doesn't want anything to do with them, and remains in silent films until they can't financially benefit him anymore. In the meantime, Peppy continues to star in many new talkies.
Although some people dismiss The Artist as just a gimmick, I see it as a way to bring audiences back to a place in film history that is massively different from today's moviegoing experience. With this film slowly expanding into more theaters each weekend due to its Oscar buzz, this shows that there is still an audience out there that wants to watch a silent film. It doesn't just have to be a novelty from the 1920s. It can still tell as much of a story as any film today, and still generate interest amongst cinephiles.
When I began my freshman year of college, I realized I was getting closer to studying what I loved. In my Fall semester of sophomore year was when I took my first film class, and it has made my viewing experiences so much richer. I learned a considerable amount about the history and art of early filmmaking, and it has helped me to understand contemporary film a good deal more.
The early years of moviemaking have appeared in two movies this season, and they also happen to me the two most nominated films for this year's Academy Awards: Martin Scorsese's 3D drama Hugo, and Michel Hazanavicious's comedy-tribute to the silent film era The Artist. Both films possessed very different storylines, but they extracted the same response from me: they are two movies about movies that remind you why you love to go to the movies.
Hugo uses film history more in its narrative, whereas The Artist doesn't use history as much as delightfully showcases a particular era in film.
In Scorsese's film, which is based on the 2007 children's novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, the director brings the story of an orphan living in a Parisian train station, and makes his first children's film into one that can bring in the a new audience; but also, his usual fans that have seen his harder films, such as Goodfellas and The Departed.
Anyone can see that although Scorsese has made numerous acclaimed hits, Hugo can be considered his labor of love. The film and book use pioneer filmmaker Georges Melies as one of its main characters, portrayed in the movie by Ben Kingsley. Through several flashbacks, Scorsese treats his audience to scenes depicting Melies meeting the Lumiere brothers and wanting to make films himself; and then, we see him following in the footsteps of the two brothers, and making his own films.
It was when I saw Melies filming, A Trip to the Moon, that the joy I had out of watching Hugo became one of my favorite experiences at the movies in 2011. Being able to apply what I learned in Language of Film Analysis made the viewing refreshingly different from other film viewings. The love for cinema that defines Scorsese was captured in every frame of Hugo.
Michel Hazanavicious's The Artist is a black-and-white silent film that acts as an homage to the 1920s period of Hollywood. It tells the story of fictional movie-star George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) who has a chance encounter with a starlet-to-be Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo). He helps her get a role in one of his films, and she soon becomes the industry's next big thing. As talkies start becoming popular, George doesn't want anything to do with them, and remains in silent films until they can't financially benefit him anymore. In the meantime, Peppy continues to star in many new talkies.
Although some people dismiss The Artist as just a gimmick, I see it as a way to bring audiences back to a place in film history that is massively different from today's moviegoing experience. With this film slowly expanding into more theaters each weekend due to its Oscar buzz, this shows that there is still an audience out there that wants to watch a silent film. It doesn't just have to be a novelty from the 1920s. It can still tell as much of a story as any film today, and still generate interest amongst cinephiles.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
A family living in paradise, but not exactly
In the broad drama genre of film, perhaps the most potent is the kind that deals with family. It can hit close to home, because it encourages the viewer to evaluate the dynamics of their own family, and how they relate to what's being played out in front of them. Whether a family is facing everyday situations or life-altering events, they count on their togetherness and collective strength to make a gift out of each passing day with one another. After all, family is what keeps us going when we think we can't go any further.
In Alexander Payne's poignant family drama, The Descendants, based on the novel of the same name by Kaui Hart Hemmings, Matt King (George Clooney) is faced with an unanticipated challenge that takes a considerable toll on his family. With a witty and emotionally-charged script, outstanding acting across the board and a realistic look at what it means to be a family, this film beautifully expresses the widely-known truth of how important it is to be with those you cherish in a time of upheaval.
Matt King is a lawyer living in Honolulu and is in charge of a trust that controls 25,000 acres on the island of Kaua'i. With the trust set to expire in seven years, Matt has to start looking for a buyer. Before his family can go any further with the arrangements, Matt receives the devastating news that his wife was in a boating accident that has placed her in a coma. Upon learning this, he and his 10-year-old daughter Scottie (Amara Miller) go to take his 17-year-old daughter Alex (Shailene Woodley) out of a rehab/boarding school, hoping for emotional support from both of his daughters. He doesn't have entirely good relationships with his daughters, and accepts the fact that he's just the "back-up parent." Alex soon reveals to her father that his wife had been cheating on him before the accident, but can't quite remember with whom. Once Matt finds out who he is and that he's vacationing in Kaua'i, he and his daughters travel there to confront him. During this, Matt will try to reconnect with his daughters, in the hopes of establishing strong family bonds in the midst of this ordeal.
George Clooney is transcendent as a man who suddenly has the weight of the world thrown on his shoulders. As a lawyer, he has to deal with the land trust. As a husband, he has to deal with a cheating wife in coma. As a father, he has to fulfill both parenting roles. In Matt's time of crisis, you feel so pulled in by him, because you want him to regain the family ties that he needs now more than ever. His character's need for family is something viewers can relate to. Clooney's character makes admirable efforts to make sure his oldest daughter understands the situation, and that his youngest daughter knows as little as possible to keep her from worrying. He is a nurturing father who wants nothing more than to put the lives of him and his family back in order, and knows what's best for his children.
Shailene Woodley gives a star-making performance as Clooney's rebellious teenage daughter. We're first introduced to her when she and a friend are engaging in late night antics on their school's campus. Afterwards, we see how the mother's boating accident acts as a catalyst that influences her to mature and become the dependable daughter that her father needs during this unexpected hurdle. She has the right amount of insubordinate teenage attitudes to help us sympathize with what she is going through, and never comes off as a brat.
Matthew Lillard's character as the mother's secret and regretful boyfriend, Brian Speer, isn't the stereotypical jerk that you would suspect. Rather, he's honest and sincere to the point where a trace of likability appears. Judy Greer leaves a splendid impression as Speer's chipper and unsuspecting wife. Amara Miller, as Matt King's too-smart-for-her-own-good youngest daughter, says some things that are hilariously not age-appropriate. Robert Forster gives an emotional performance as Matt's stern father-in-law who grieves over his daughter's comatose state and continuously places the blame on Matt.
The screenplay, by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, firmly blends the drama and sense of togetherness that goes into a family. From the lack of connection between a father and his daughters, to the reconstruction of trust and respect they have for him, it emits a newfound appreciation they have for the life they share with each other. Payne's direction allows for the cast to act with the ideal amount of feeling without it becoming overly sentimental or a beggar for an audience's emotional response. The film helps us think about how we get along with our own loved ones and how we react to unusual circumstances within our lives. In the end, The Descendants is as relatable to us as our own relatives.
Final grade: A
In Alexander Payne's poignant family drama, The Descendants, based on the novel of the same name by Kaui Hart Hemmings, Matt King (George Clooney) is faced with an unanticipated challenge that takes a considerable toll on his family. With a witty and emotionally-charged script, outstanding acting across the board and a realistic look at what it means to be a family, this film beautifully expresses the widely-known truth of how important it is to be with those you cherish in a time of upheaval.
Matt King is a lawyer living in Honolulu and is in charge of a trust that controls 25,000 acres on the island of Kaua'i. With the trust set to expire in seven years, Matt has to start looking for a buyer. Before his family can go any further with the arrangements, Matt receives the devastating news that his wife was in a boating accident that has placed her in a coma. Upon learning this, he and his 10-year-old daughter Scottie (Amara Miller) go to take his 17-year-old daughter Alex (Shailene Woodley) out of a rehab/boarding school, hoping for emotional support from both of his daughters. He doesn't have entirely good relationships with his daughters, and accepts the fact that he's just the "back-up parent." Alex soon reveals to her father that his wife had been cheating on him before the accident, but can't quite remember with whom. Once Matt finds out who he is and that he's vacationing in Kaua'i, he and his daughters travel there to confront him. During this, Matt will try to reconnect with his daughters, in the hopes of establishing strong family bonds in the midst of this ordeal.
George Clooney is transcendent as a man who suddenly has the weight of the world thrown on his shoulders. As a lawyer, he has to deal with the land trust. As a husband, he has to deal with a cheating wife in coma. As a father, he has to fulfill both parenting roles. In Matt's time of crisis, you feel so pulled in by him, because you want him to regain the family ties that he needs now more than ever. His character's need for family is something viewers can relate to. Clooney's character makes admirable efforts to make sure his oldest daughter understands the situation, and that his youngest daughter knows as little as possible to keep her from worrying. He is a nurturing father who wants nothing more than to put the lives of him and his family back in order, and knows what's best for his children.
Shailene Woodley gives a star-making performance as Clooney's rebellious teenage daughter. We're first introduced to her when she and a friend are engaging in late night antics on their school's campus. Afterwards, we see how the mother's boating accident acts as a catalyst that influences her to mature and become the dependable daughter that her father needs during this unexpected hurdle. She has the right amount of insubordinate teenage attitudes to help us sympathize with what she is going through, and never comes off as a brat.
Matthew Lillard's character as the mother's secret and regretful boyfriend, Brian Speer, isn't the stereotypical jerk that you would suspect. Rather, he's honest and sincere to the point where a trace of likability appears. Judy Greer leaves a splendid impression as Speer's chipper and unsuspecting wife. Amara Miller, as Matt King's too-smart-for-her-own-good youngest daughter, says some things that are hilariously not age-appropriate. Robert Forster gives an emotional performance as Matt's stern father-in-law who grieves over his daughter's comatose state and continuously places the blame on Matt.
The screenplay, by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, firmly blends the drama and sense of togetherness that goes into a family. From the lack of connection between a father and his daughters, to the reconstruction of trust and respect they have for him, it emits a newfound appreciation they have for the life they share with each other. Payne's direction allows for the cast to act with the ideal amount of feeling without it becoming overly sentimental or a beggar for an audience's emotional response. The film helps us think about how we get along with our own loved ones and how we react to unusual circumstances within our lives. In the end, The Descendants is as relatable to us as our own relatives.
Final grade: A
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Silence is golden
Despite its simplicity, there's something magnetic about silent film. We're so used to watching movies with sound, that some people don't realize that the non-talkies have their own splendor to them. When you watch a silent film, you can't help but think about how far movies have come today, and that what you're watching was a beginning stage of one of our most cherished forms of storytelling. It was a radiant and elegant era of cinematic triumph.
It seems like one of the more popular aspects in film this season is the art of early moviemaking. We witnessed it in beautiful detail in Martin Scorsese's Hugo. Now, we get to live it again in The Artist, director Michel Hazanavicius's tribute to the age of silent film. It has the feel of a lost treasure that has only just been dug up from classical Hollywood. This movie presents a rare viewing opportunity that hasn't been experienced on the big screen since the late 1920s.
George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent movie star in 1927 Hollywood, who works for Kinograph Studios. While basking in the camera flashes and paparazzi after the premiere of his latest film, he bumps into Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), a young woman with big dreams of becoming famous. The two quickly become the new celebrity couple. After appearing as an extra in several films, Peppy eventually becomes the next big thing in Hollywood, with the help of George. Two years later, studio boss Al Zimmer (John Goodman) announces that talking pictures are the next big thing, and silent film is on its way out. Not wanting to get on board with this idea, George decides to make his own silent films. As Peppy keeps gaining stardom in talking movies, George's relevance in Hollywood begins to decline; and he now must figure out how to keep himself going in the midst of changes in show business.
The cast establishes that one such as this in a silent film can be as powerfully expressive as a cast in a talking film. Jean Dujardin is the latest and certainly most welcome of European actor/actress imports. He is very well like an incarnation of the iconic Charlie Chaplin, returning us to the glory that was early Hollywood. He is a smooth and debonair showman who knows how to "wow" his crowds of adoring fans. Dujardin captures the energy that actors applied to tell the story to the audience back then with the absence of talking. He showcases little touches of his character that truly stick out: his movie-star mustached smile, his joking and playful manner and the small things he does to irritate his wife at the breakfast table. He is extraordinarily communicative with how he acts without sound.
Of course, every leading man needs a leading lady, and Berenice Bejo fulfills the criteria splendidly. She is achingly luminous as the film's star-on-the-rise. Bejo's character receives her 15 minutes of fame by having her chance encounter with Valentin published in the morning paper; but those 15 minutes soon turn into starring roles and magazine covers, and Bejo prevails in her character arc. What starts out as having bit parts in films soon brings her to top billing, which is undoubtedly a reflection of Bejo's big break amongst American audiences with this role. Bejo accomplishes with presenting Peppy in such a way that transports us back to early-20th century Hollywood where actresses carried themselves with grace and dignity. The poise and modishness that she puts into the role of Peppy assures the audience that her character has a dazzling future in show business, and so does Bejo.
Alongside the suave showman and the stunning starlet is a company of distinct personalities. There is John Goodman as the cigar-smoking Hollywood studio bigwig, James Cromwell as Valentin's devoted chauffeur, Penelope Ann Miller as Valentin's neglected and frustrated wife and Missi Pyle as one of George's annoyed co-stars. But before walking into The Artist, one of the most memorable characters was not who I anticipated. It was Uggie, Valentin's well-trained Jack Russell Terrier. He is forever loyal to his human companion, whether it's being in Valentin's movies or saving his life.
The set design by Laurence Bennett and Robert Gould carries the audience back to what can be perceived as a lost world of an art form in its blossoming into something grand. The film studio depicted throughout the story saturates with the magical process of filmmaking which was, and still is, the essence of Hollywood. One of the more prominent set pieces is that of the old-fashioned movie theater, especially in the opening scene. It's a considerably large theater, complete with a mezzanine and pit orchestra that accompanies the latest George Valentin movie that's playing. This takes you from the experience of watching The Artist in your contemporary multiplex, and places you with the audience in the film. This results in a shared experience of watching the work of the story's Hollywood icon.
Michel Hazanavicius's screenplay takes the "star is born" premise and cleverly pairs it with the other birth of the story, which is that of sound in film. Besides being a throwback to early Hollywood, the film is also a testament to the grueling challenge of trying to remain in the spotlight, despite the endless flow of Hollywood hopefuls and their dreams of becoming famous. Both plot points place George in a painful fight to preserve his relevance in the industry. As the fame skyrockets for the girl he helped make a name for herself, his fame slowly declines as he refuses to work without silent film. It is, however, an endlessly uplifting journey of a man who doesn't want anything more than to live his life in front of the camera, and provide his fans with escapist screen adventures. The Artist is black and white, but it's supremely colorful. It's silent, but it will have you talking.
Final grade: A
It seems like one of the more popular aspects in film this season is the art of early moviemaking. We witnessed it in beautiful detail in Martin Scorsese's Hugo. Now, we get to live it again in The Artist, director Michel Hazanavicius's tribute to the age of silent film. It has the feel of a lost treasure that has only just been dug up from classical Hollywood. This movie presents a rare viewing opportunity that hasn't been experienced on the big screen since the late 1920s.
George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent movie star in 1927 Hollywood, who works for Kinograph Studios. While basking in the camera flashes and paparazzi after the premiere of his latest film, he bumps into Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), a young woman with big dreams of becoming famous. The two quickly become the new celebrity couple. After appearing as an extra in several films, Peppy eventually becomes the next big thing in Hollywood, with the help of George. Two years later, studio boss Al Zimmer (John Goodman) announces that talking pictures are the next big thing, and silent film is on its way out. Not wanting to get on board with this idea, George decides to make his own silent films. As Peppy keeps gaining stardom in talking movies, George's relevance in Hollywood begins to decline; and he now must figure out how to keep himself going in the midst of changes in show business.
The cast establishes that one such as this in a silent film can be as powerfully expressive as a cast in a talking film. Jean Dujardin is the latest and certainly most welcome of European actor/actress imports. He is very well like an incarnation of the iconic Charlie Chaplin, returning us to the glory that was early Hollywood. He is a smooth and debonair showman who knows how to "wow" his crowds of adoring fans. Dujardin captures the energy that actors applied to tell the story to the audience back then with the absence of talking. He showcases little touches of his character that truly stick out: his movie-star mustached smile, his joking and playful manner and the small things he does to irritate his wife at the breakfast table. He is extraordinarily communicative with how he acts without sound.
Of course, every leading man needs a leading lady, and Berenice Bejo fulfills the criteria splendidly. She is achingly luminous as the film's star-on-the-rise. Bejo's character receives her 15 minutes of fame by having her chance encounter with Valentin published in the morning paper; but those 15 minutes soon turn into starring roles and magazine covers, and Bejo prevails in her character arc. What starts out as having bit parts in films soon brings her to top billing, which is undoubtedly a reflection of Bejo's big break amongst American audiences with this role. Bejo accomplishes with presenting Peppy in such a way that transports us back to early-20th century Hollywood where actresses carried themselves with grace and dignity. The poise and modishness that she puts into the role of Peppy assures the audience that her character has a dazzling future in show business, and so does Bejo.
Alongside the suave showman and the stunning starlet is a company of distinct personalities. There is John Goodman as the cigar-smoking Hollywood studio bigwig, James Cromwell as Valentin's devoted chauffeur, Penelope Ann Miller as Valentin's neglected and frustrated wife and Missi Pyle as one of George's annoyed co-stars. But before walking into The Artist, one of the most memorable characters was not who I anticipated. It was Uggie, Valentin's well-trained Jack Russell Terrier. He is forever loyal to his human companion, whether it's being in Valentin's movies or saving his life.
The set design by Laurence Bennett and Robert Gould carries the audience back to what can be perceived as a lost world of an art form in its blossoming into something grand. The film studio depicted throughout the story saturates with the magical process of filmmaking which was, and still is, the essence of Hollywood. One of the more prominent set pieces is that of the old-fashioned movie theater, especially in the opening scene. It's a considerably large theater, complete with a mezzanine and pit orchestra that accompanies the latest George Valentin movie that's playing. This takes you from the experience of watching The Artist in your contemporary multiplex, and places you with the audience in the film. This results in a shared experience of watching the work of the story's Hollywood icon.
Michel Hazanavicius's screenplay takes the "star is born" premise and cleverly pairs it with the other birth of the story, which is that of sound in film. Besides being a throwback to early Hollywood, the film is also a testament to the grueling challenge of trying to remain in the spotlight, despite the endless flow of Hollywood hopefuls and their dreams of becoming famous. Both plot points place George in a painful fight to preserve his relevance in the industry. As the fame skyrockets for the girl he helped make a name for herself, his fame slowly declines as he refuses to work without silent film. It is, however, an endlessly uplifting journey of a man who doesn't want anything more than to live his life in front of the camera, and provide his fans with escapist screen adventures. The Artist is black and white, but it's supremely colorful. It's silent, but it will have you talking.
Final grade: A
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
It's Time To Grow Up
We open on a tall apartment building. Inside, the camera hovers over a bedroom with the television still on, and a young woman sprawled out on her bed, looking like she's recovering from a night of one-too-many. It looks down on her, almost like a person hanging their head in shame at what this woman has become. She eventually awakens, feeds her dog, feeds herself, plays a video game, and then sits at her computer. There is the ambiance of the character's feeling of "I don't have anything else better going on today." This is 37-year-old Mavis Gary. She is stuck in a rut, and has some serious growing up to do.
In director Jason Reitman's arrested-development comedy, Young Adult, he focuses on a woman who refuses to mature with those around her, and who goes about life as a brat who thinks she entitled to whatever she wants. This film is her wake-up call, a darkly funny story about what it means to cast away childish and high school antics, and to finally become an adult.
Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) was the admired girl in high school, and it seemed like everything would come easy for her. But now, her life doesn't seem to be going anywhere. She lives in a dreary apartment, with only her dog as a companion. Mavis is a writer of teen literature, and was once doing well with her book series, which is about a popular girl in her high school years. She is now writing the last book, due to her audience's decreased interest. Mavis has so far lived her life with almost nothing to show for it. She then receives an invitation to a party in her hometown for her ex-boyfriend Buddy's (Patrick Wilson) and his wife Beth's (Elizabeth Reaser) newborn baby. Determined to win Buddy back and continue where they left off in high school, Mavis accepts the invite. Once she arrives, Mavis will do what she can to sabotage their marriage and rekindle her past relationship.
Charlize Theron is ideal as the girl that you once both secretly loathed and envied in high school. She is flirtatious with men and expects them to simply fall for her. Her character is a person who once had everything going for her, but is now hopelessly empty. She is a compulsive liar, telling her ex-boyfriend that she is back in town for real estate matters, when in fact, she's there to get him back; and she sits alone at a restaurant table, typing random letters in her phone to make people think she's texting someone. Mavis is intriguing in the way how she is someone who you would want to distance yourself from, but one who you can weirdly relate to, in the way that we all need to face adulthood eventually.
Patton Oswalt's role, as a former high school classmate of Mavis's, is her voice of reason. She constantly rebuffs his helpful advice; but he's always there to try and steer her in the right direction, even if she still goes into inappropriate territory. Oswalt's character wasn't in Mavis's inner circle in school, so it's ironically interesting to see these two different people suddenly come back into each other's lives.
Screenwriter Diablo Cody, who first collaborated with Reitman for his 2007 film Juno, returns to pen the script. Just like her other movies, she employs hip, comical and quotable dialogue. Cody seems to specialize in writing memorable lines for the teenage characters whom are normally at the center of her movie scripts, such as in Juno and 2009's Jennifer's Body. But having Mavis as her main character seems proper, seeing as she is an adult with a teenage soul. Diablo Cody writes Mavis in a way that makes you question what exactly her deal is. We don't know why she acts out the way she does. But once you find out the true influence behind her behavior, it's unexpected and heartbreaking.
Diablo Cody makes clever use of narration throughout the film. Whenever we see Mavis typing her book, we hear what she's writing down. What she's writing for her book very closely resembles what she is living through. The fantasy that Mavis is putting to paper is the one that she desperately clings to in real life.
Jason Reitman, as with his other films, uses comedy when dealing with real world issues. He did it with the tobacco industry in 2005's Thank You for Smoking, teen pregnancies in Juno and the current recession in 2009's Up in the Air. Now, in Young Adult, he concentrates on the reluctance that people have towards growing up and moving on with life. He brings Mavis through a world where everyone is changing, but she stays the same. What's fun about her character is that Reitman directs Theron to have her act in ways that could divide audiences on whether or not Mavis is likable. In the end, it's up to us how we accept her. Mavis Gary might not have been someone to sign your yearbook in high school, but that doesn't mean you should ignore her relevant, witty and coming-of-age tale.
Final grade: A
In director Jason Reitman's arrested-development comedy, Young Adult, he focuses on a woman who refuses to mature with those around her, and who goes about life as a brat who thinks she entitled to whatever she wants. This film is her wake-up call, a darkly funny story about what it means to cast away childish and high school antics, and to finally become an adult.
Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) was the admired girl in high school, and it seemed like everything would come easy for her. But now, her life doesn't seem to be going anywhere. She lives in a dreary apartment, with only her dog as a companion. Mavis is a writer of teen literature, and was once doing well with her book series, which is about a popular girl in her high school years. She is now writing the last book, due to her audience's decreased interest. Mavis has so far lived her life with almost nothing to show for it. She then receives an invitation to a party in her hometown for her ex-boyfriend Buddy's (Patrick Wilson) and his wife Beth's (Elizabeth Reaser) newborn baby. Determined to win Buddy back and continue where they left off in high school, Mavis accepts the invite. Once she arrives, Mavis will do what she can to sabotage their marriage and rekindle her past relationship.
Charlize Theron is ideal as the girl that you once both secretly loathed and envied in high school. She is flirtatious with men and expects them to simply fall for her. Her character is a person who once had everything going for her, but is now hopelessly empty. She is a compulsive liar, telling her ex-boyfriend that she is back in town for real estate matters, when in fact, she's there to get him back; and she sits alone at a restaurant table, typing random letters in her phone to make people think she's texting someone. Mavis is intriguing in the way how she is someone who you would want to distance yourself from, but one who you can weirdly relate to, in the way that we all need to face adulthood eventually.
Patton Oswalt's role, as a former high school classmate of Mavis's, is her voice of reason. She constantly rebuffs his helpful advice; but he's always there to try and steer her in the right direction, even if she still goes into inappropriate territory. Oswalt's character wasn't in Mavis's inner circle in school, so it's ironically interesting to see these two different people suddenly come back into each other's lives.
Screenwriter Diablo Cody, who first collaborated with Reitman for his 2007 film Juno, returns to pen the script. Just like her other movies, she employs hip, comical and quotable dialogue. Cody seems to specialize in writing memorable lines for the teenage characters whom are normally at the center of her movie scripts, such as in Juno and 2009's Jennifer's Body. But having Mavis as her main character seems proper, seeing as she is an adult with a teenage soul. Diablo Cody writes Mavis in a way that makes you question what exactly her deal is. We don't know why she acts out the way she does. But once you find out the true influence behind her behavior, it's unexpected and heartbreaking.
Diablo Cody makes clever use of narration throughout the film. Whenever we see Mavis typing her book, we hear what she's writing down. What she's writing for her book very closely resembles what she is living through. The fantasy that Mavis is putting to paper is the one that she desperately clings to in real life.
Jason Reitman, as with his other films, uses comedy when dealing with real world issues. He did it with the tobacco industry in 2005's Thank You for Smoking, teen pregnancies in Juno and the current recession in 2009's Up in the Air. Now, in Young Adult, he concentrates on the reluctance that people have towards growing up and moving on with life. He brings Mavis through a world where everyone is changing, but she stays the same. What's fun about her character is that Reitman directs Theron to have her act in ways that could divide audiences on whether or not Mavis is likable. In the end, it's up to us how we accept her. Mavis Gary might not have been someone to sign your yearbook in high school, but that doesn't mean you should ignore her relevant, witty and coming-of-age tale.
Final grade: A
Saturday, January 14, 2012
A Tale Of An Orphan, As Told By Scorsese
We are first introduced to Hugo as he travels through the nooks and crannies of a Parisian train station to operate the different clocks throughout. While doing so, we are given the gift to view a long take of him running through the labyrinthine tunnels, going from one level to another, from one clock to another. There isn't any dialogue. There's just a young boy as he goes through his day-to-day routine. Traveling with him through the inner workings of the train station provides a childlike feeling of exploration. That, however, is just the start to the magic of adventure and discovery that enchants every frame.
In Hugo, based on Brian Selznick's 2007 novel The Inventions of Hugo Cabret, director Martin Scorsese steps out of his more gritty storytelling, and takes a bold dive into a dramatic piece of children's cinema. Despite the source material, the film's serious tone dictates that Scorsese wasn't going to make this just for a younger audience, most of whom are probably going to be newly introduced to this prolific filmmaker by experiencing Hugo. He has shown that he can reach another demographic, while still retaining his already-dedicated fans.
It's 1931 in Paris, and young Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) lives with his clockmaking father (Jude Law), and his mother has been dead for several years. After his father perishes in a museum fire, Hugo is taken in by his alcoholic uncle Claude (Ray Winstone), who has the job of working the clocks in a train station, where they both now live. After his uncle walks out on him, Hugo is officially an orphan, and is left to fend for himself. His main goal is to fix an automaton, a mechanical man, that he and his father had been trying to restore, believing that the repaired machine will reveal a message left by his father. After he meets a gruff toyshop owner (Ben Kingsley), and his goddaughter Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz), Hugo feels that the two can help him unlock the secret behind the automaton; and therefore, lead to a life-changing adventure.
Seeing Butterfield and Moretz trek through the train station and walk the streets of Paris reminds the viewer of the pleasure in exploring as a child, always keen on finding curious places. With the powerful friendship these two characters have, the connection the actors share feels so genuine.
You could sense the magnitude of their importance for each other when Hugo finds that Isabelle possesses a key that could activate the renewed automaton. But it goes beyond the key and the automaton. These two need each other to help discover their purposes in life. There's a scene where Hugo and Isabelle look out at a bustling City of Lights from a clock in the upper levels of the station, something he has done many times before. He tells her, "I'd imagine the whole world as one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured, if the entire world is one big machine, I couldn't be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason." They are here to help each other, and others, achieve their dreams. Their intertwined destinies in the story is a perfect reinforcement for how well Butterfield and Moretz work together.
Every scene with Ben Kingsley is permeated by an air of mystery. As the reserved and irritable toy store owner Papa Georges, his first encounter with Hugo hints at some significant, and maybe painful, secrets that have been on his mind for a good deal of time. I regretfully can't reveal more of his interesting character, since doing so would result in some spoilers. Sacha Baron Cohen is amusingly eccentric as a bumbling station inspector who always manages to make a fool of himself. Christopher Lee makes a warm appearance as a generous bookstore owner.
Hugo taps into the art, history and magic of early moviemaking. In a flashback sequence, we get transported to a time where movies were just beginning to take flight. We see a group of people watching a short film, by the Lumiere brothers, of a train arriving in a station. Having never seen a movie before, the audience recoils in fright for a second, thinking the train is going to come out of the screen. This scene is an ideal fit for this film, since the 3D technology heightens the sense of the trains coming at you in several shots of the train station scenes. Hugo is one of those rare films since 2009's Avatar where 3D benefits the story and enhances the viewing experience. I could go into greater detail of how the process of moviemaking is pivotal in the story; but alas, it would cause some spoilers.
Screenwriter John Logan seamlessly places important life lessons and some enthralling history into the film's character development and plot. What the characters ask and learn about concerning their places in the world is reflected back to the audience, with the question of our own significance in the world having, without a doubt, crossed our minds several times. The times gone by of early films that are presented to us brim with a rich sensation of wonderment as you can't help but think of how far movies have evolved since then. John Logan also peppers the film with some charming little vignettes of Parisian life inside the train station. There is Sacha Baron Cohen's character trying to get the attention of a florist (Emily Mortimer); and a random man and woman who try to strike up a conversation with each other on numerous occasions, only to have the man barked away by the woman's dog.
With the fine art of early moviemaking playing an important role in the film, it's easier said than done to picture a more appropriate director to be paired with Hugo than Martin Scorsese. Having him take charge of this film shows the audience how passionate he is about what he does, and that a love for cinema forever flourishes within him. This passion is shown in a scene where Hugo and Isabelle sneak into a movie theater to watch a silent film. As they are viewing it, pure captivation takes hold of them, and this is exactly what the director had me feel while watching this miraculous tale unfold. With a film like Hugo, Mr. Scorsese shares his deep adoration for movies, and attests that there is never a shortage of joy when watching them. That is the finest gift a filmmaker can give to the viewer.
Final grade: A
In Hugo, based on Brian Selznick's 2007 novel The Inventions of Hugo Cabret, director Martin Scorsese steps out of his more gritty storytelling, and takes a bold dive into a dramatic piece of children's cinema. Despite the source material, the film's serious tone dictates that Scorsese wasn't going to make this just for a younger audience, most of whom are probably going to be newly introduced to this prolific filmmaker by experiencing Hugo. He has shown that he can reach another demographic, while still retaining his already-dedicated fans.
It's 1931 in Paris, and young Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) lives with his clockmaking father (Jude Law), and his mother has been dead for several years. After his father perishes in a museum fire, Hugo is taken in by his alcoholic uncle Claude (Ray Winstone), who has the job of working the clocks in a train station, where they both now live. After his uncle walks out on him, Hugo is officially an orphan, and is left to fend for himself. His main goal is to fix an automaton, a mechanical man, that he and his father had been trying to restore, believing that the repaired machine will reveal a message left by his father. After he meets a gruff toyshop owner (Ben Kingsley), and his goddaughter Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz), Hugo feels that the two can help him unlock the secret behind the automaton; and therefore, lead to a life-changing adventure.
Seeing Butterfield and Moretz trek through the train station and walk the streets of Paris reminds the viewer of the pleasure in exploring as a child, always keen on finding curious places. With the powerful friendship these two characters have, the connection the actors share feels so genuine.
You could sense the magnitude of their importance for each other when Hugo finds that Isabelle possesses a key that could activate the renewed automaton. But it goes beyond the key and the automaton. These two need each other to help discover their purposes in life. There's a scene where Hugo and Isabelle look out at a bustling City of Lights from a clock in the upper levels of the station, something he has done many times before. He tells her, "I'd imagine the whole world as one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured, if the entire world is one big machine, I couldn't be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason." They are here to help each other, and others, achieve their dreams. Their intertwined destinies in the story is a perfect reinforcement for how well Butterfield and Moretz work together.
Every scene with Ben Kingsley is permeated by an air of mystery. As the reserved and irritable toy store owner Papa Georges, his first encounter with Hugo hints at some significant, and maybe painful, secrets that have been on his mind for a good deal of time. I regretfully can't reveal more of his interesting character, since doing so would result in some spoilers. Sacha Baron Cohen is amusingly eccentric as a bumbling station inspector who always manages to make a fool of himself. Christopher Lee makes a warm appearance as a generous bookstore owner.
Hugo taps into the art, history and magic of early moviemaking. In a flashback sequence, we get transported to a time where movies were just beginning to take flight. We see a group of people watching a short film, by the Lumiere brothers, of a train arriving in a station. Having never seen a movie before, the audience recoils in fright for a second, thinking the train is going to come out of the screen. This scene is an ideal fit for this film, since the 3D technology heightens the sense of the trains coming at you in several shots of the train station scenes. Hugo is one of those rare films since 2009's Avatar where 3D benefits the story and enhances the viewing experience. I could go into greater detail of how the process of moviemaking is pivotal in the story; but alas, it would cause some spoilers.
Screenwriter John Logan seamlessly places important life lessons and some enthralling history into the film's character development and plot. What the characters ask and learn about concerning their places in the world is reflected back to the audience, with the question of our own significance in the world having, without a doubt, crossed our minds several times. The times gone by of early films that are presented to us brim with a rich sensation of wonderment as you can't help but think of how far movies have evolved since then. John Logan also peppers the film with some charming little vignettes of Parisian life inside the train station. There is Sacha Baron Cohen's character trying to get the attention of a florist (Emily Mortimer); and a random man and woman who try to strike up a conversation with each other on numerous occasions, only to have the man barked away by the woman's dog.
With the fine art of early moviemaking playing an important role in the film, it's easier said than done to picture a more appropriate director to be paired with Hugo than Martin Scorsese. Having him take charge of this film shows the audience how passionate he is about what he does, and that a love for cinema forever flourishes within him. This passion is shown in a scene where Hugo and Isabelle sneak into a movie theater to watch a silent film. As they are viewing it, pure captivation takes hold of them, and this is exactly what the director had me feel while watching this miraculous tale unfold. With a film like Hugo, Mr. Scorsese shares his deep adoration for movies, and attests that there is never a shortage of joy when watching them. That is the finest gift a filmmaker can give to the viewer.
Final grade: A
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