Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a throw back to the Cold War espionage thrillers I grew up with, both in film and books.  The movie stars an impressive list of British favorites like Gary Oldman (greatest actor on the planet), Colin Firth, and John Hurt as well as some new up an comers like Tom Hardy.

The film opens in the early 1970’s during the height of the Cold War with the resignation of the Head of British Intelligence, Control (John Hurt) after a botched Hungarian operation.  The upper executive team is disbanded, but not before Control warns that one of four men who comprise the highest level of British intelligence is a spy.  George Smiley (Gary Oldman) happily goes into retirement as he has had enough of his life as a spy.  Not long after Control dies, a senior government agent approaches Smiley to lure him out of retirement as he has been given information by a low level spy named Ricky Tarr (Tom Hardy) that corroborates Controls assertion that there is a mole at the highest level of British intelligence.  Since Smiley has been retired, he is viewed as an outsider and the only one that can be trusted.

The failure of the Hungarian operation and the subsequent rise of Operation Witchcraft, which provides almost too much valuable information about the eastern block, confirms in Smiley’s mind that there is indeed a mole.  He decides to take on the assignment and investigate.  He is determined to ensure that the British intelligence community is corruption free.  Whether he does this out of sense of duty or revenge for his inglorious discharge from the service, Smiley’s passive face never let’s on.  All that we know that, despite his age, Smiley is a consummate professional and a methodical analyst.  

The film is an assembly of flashbacks as Smiley attempts to piece together the puzzle of who the mole is.  It occasionally gets confusing because we sometimes have to take a moment to determine if we are in the present or in a flashback.  The film is skillfully done and the tension it creates is artful.  Like any ‘whodunnit’ film the clues rotate suspicion through all the suspects.  Just when you think you know who the guilty party is, some other piece of evidence pops up to implicate someone else.

This isn’t a bad film, but a little tedious and slow.  I do have issues with how Smiley came up with some of his conclusions as based on the evidence, it seemed like he pulled the connections out of thin air.  In fact, I’m not even sure how he made certain assumptions given the evidence.  It’s no fun in a ‘whodunnit’ if you can’t piece it together along with the protagonist.  

Overall, a worthwhile remake of the 1979 film based on the John Le Carre’s novel.  It just won’t make a big box office smash.  A nice nostalgic film ride from those who remember those types of film.  Easily forgettable though, despite excellent performances from a strong cast.

I give this **1/2  stars

War Horse

       Steven Speilberg’s movie ‘War Horse’ is one of those movies you are supposed to love.  I will  say that it was an impressive feat of film making and that it showcases Speilberg’s brilliance at creating epic and sweeping stories that tug at the heartstrings as they take you on emotional journeys.  This movie had the feel of a ‘made for Oscar’ film and I often resist the urge to be swept away when I feel manipulated by a story.  It’s a variation of the 'boy and his dog' genre that has been done to death, so they decided to use a horse this time.

The story follows the life and friendship of a horse named Joey and Albert (newcomer Jeremy Irvine) his poor English farm boy owner.  After they are separated by Joey being drafted into service, young Albert enlists in the army to pursue his beloved horse.  The film impressively captures WWI era Europe and gives us grand vistas as well has horrific scenes of war time cruelty.  Speilberg is arguably unparalleled in modern cinema in bringing us expansive landscapes and beautiful photography.  It almost seems to pay homage to the epic John Ford films of the 50’s in its' almost canvas like use of film.

The film opens in Devon, England as Joey is born and later bought by Ted Narracott, a drunken English farmer (Peter Mullen) trying to show up his landlord at auction.  The drunken Ted payed so much for the horse that he has put his farm in danger.  Ted’s wife Rose (played by an underutilized Emily Watson) tries to force Ted to return the horse, but young Albert, who instantly connects with Joey convinces her otherwise.  Albert sets out to train Joey and show that he can be a useful part of the family.  Unfortunately, the realities of life hit their farm and they are forced to sell Joey to an English Officer (Tom Hiddleston [keep him on the radar]) for the war effort.

The horse is used more of a plot device to showcase a series of vignettes about lives affected by The Great War.  As Joey passes from one owner to the next, we see a portrait of the lives of an English officer, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter.  Joey affects their lives as he struggles to survive the hardships of being a War Horse.    Albert faces horrors of his own as he relentlessly tries to reunite with his beloved horse.  

There are several things to admire about this film.  It runs the gambit of emotions effortlessly and is a visually stunning achievement.  I do feel the homage scenes from golden era films seemed a little contrite and especially the ending scene were the skyline was so painted with reds and oranges it illicited a few snickers in the audience.  Given all of that, it will be nominated for several Oscars as that is what it is supposed to do.  

I admired the perspective of war from both sides of the conflict.  Neither side was portrayed as monsters, merely normal people living in a monstrous world.  The story of Joey’s stay with two young German soldiers was the briefest in the film, but among the most moving and human.  Equally, the story of the Frenchman and his granddaughter merely trying to live a normal life amid the chaos of war invading their land was an incredibly human story.  Joey’s appearance helped enhance their lives, yet illustrate their hardship.

I’m not sure if I can recommend this film per se.  All I can say is that it was a sweeping epic.  The film will garner many nominations and technically it is an impressive feat of film making.  I did not walk out of the film thinking how much I loved it though.  Maybe it’s just personal bias. A good film that I was blasé about

I give this film ***1/2 stars

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

       Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol delivers exactly what it promises; an old fashioned, edge of your seat, popcorn munching roller-coaster ride.  I’ve said before that not all films have to be intellectual masterpieces.  Sometimes, just a well crafted adrenaline ride is all you need for a good time at the movies.  This is one of those.

Tom Cruise returns as IMF super spy Ethan Hunt.  The opening scene of a government team breaking him out of a Russian prison sets the stage for the introduction of all the characters on the new team and also sets the action tone of the movie.  Simon Pegg’s Benji is brought out of his lab rat role in previous MI films and adds comic relief as a newly minted field agent.  Paula Patton combines seductiveness and toughness as Jane, the film’s eye candy.  Up and comer Jeremy Renner as analyst Brandt (rumors that he may take over the franchise from Cruise) who has a secret past of his own rounds out the team.

The villain of the story is Michael Nyqvist, playing the rogue scientist Hendricks, who is obsessed with blowing up the world through orchestrating a nuclear war.  He feels that only the fittest would survive and make the human race stronger (very 80’s Bond plot).  Hendricks blows up the Kremlin and is able to frame the IMF team in the process.  Eager to avoid a war with Russia, the American government institutes ‘Ghost Protocol’ and disavows the entire team.  So, not only is Ethan and team trying to save the world, but they are on their own while doing it.  

Let’s be honest though, the plot is there to showcase the spectacular stunt scenes...and spectacular they are.  The one they play so over and over in the trailers that you would think you would be numb to it in the film takes place on the world’s tallest building; the Burg Khalifa in Dubai.  Reportedly Tom Cruise insisted on doing the stunts himself and not only that, but his stunt man was too afraid of heights to do it himself.  I’m not sure whether to respect Cruise’s courage or think he should be committed (I still remember the Oprah couch jumping incident).  Regardless, the trailers don’t prepare you for the intense arm rest clenching and vertigo from the scene.  Kudos to the stunt coordinator on this as it is one of the best cliff hanger scenes I’ve ever seen.

Like most of these types of movies, the action takes the IMF team around the globe to exotic locales.  This one doesn’t disappoint.  Paula Patton makes a strong impression while seducing an Indian billionaire in Mumbai (played by Indian Bollywood star Anil Kappor).  In fact, all the characters bring their action A performances.  Simon Pegg struck just the right tone of comic relief, but still indispensable as the laptop tech geek who can walk into any building and take over it’s elevators, cameras, and security systems.

There were many other spectacular stunts that are not getting the attention of the Dubai tower scene.  The scene were Benji leads Brandt through an air ventilation system by making him wear a magnetic suit that he controls from his laptop was unique, but it worked.  The fight scene in a space age parking garage where they battled atop of moving platforms was equally effective and nail biting.  The Director Brad Bird (whose previous credits were all animated films) did a great job and was a risky yet inspired choice to helm the film.  

The film was fun and time well spent.  I won’t rate it as one of the top films of the year, but i will rate it as one of the top films I had fun at this year.  If you go with that mind set then I highly recommend it.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

This is a hard review for me to write as I am a huge Guy Ritchie fan.  I really respect what he tried to do with a unique take on the Sherlock Holmes mythos.  I also have huge amounts of respect for Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law.  All that being said, I can’t say I enjoyed this film.  Maybe it’s just my hang up as the first one was popular enough to produce this sequel.  Still, there is something inherently unsatisfying about this film.  I feel it valued style over substance and action over plot.  There are lots of cool visuals and stunning action sequences, but the story left me less than impressed.

Guy Ritchie made his name on his hard edged style of movie making and I respect that.  I think it was a bold move to adapt the usually stuffy Sherlock Holmes character with a hip and more action adventure take.  All these great ingredients still needed to be brought together in a coherent format, which neither of these films do.

Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law return as the original dynamic duo of crime fighting.  This time around Holme’s most notorious adversary Moriarty (Jarred Harris) is the villain.  Moriarty is Holme’s intellectual equal in every aspect, but even more formidable as he is not encumbered with morality or  conscience.  As Holme’s investigation into the mysterious Moriarty deepens, it leads him around Europe as he uncovers a plan that has world devastating consequences.  Holme’s enlists the aid of his once constant companion Dr Watson, who is newly married with plans of retiring from his life of adventure.  

Watson’s involvement became confusing to me as I never really bought how Holme’s talked the newlywed onto the case and I never understood why Moriarty was fixated with him.  It was an odd plot device that I didn’t feel worked.  Downey’s eccentric interpretation of Holmes, while at times interesting, seemed a little over the top  and went to the excess merely for comedic value.  I liked the interpretation, but moderation would have made it more effective.

It was fun to see pre-WWI Europe which gave a sense of foreboding as Moriarty attempted to orchestrate the start of the war.  We know that no matter what the outcome of the movie, the war will indeed happen, so there is actually suspense in the inevitability of it.

A few interesting supporting characters were introduced, not the least interesting was Holme’s domineering older brother Mycroft Holmes (played by Stephen Fry who looks nothing like Holmes).  You can see that eccentricity runs in the family.  Also introduced was the enigmatic gypsy fortune teller Simza (Noomi Rapace).  Her main contribution was adding a female lead to an almost all male cast.  

There are some positive things to say about this film and I know many who have enjoyed this Guy Ritchie franchise.  For me, the dazzle and edge was not enough to make up for a rather mundane story line rife with cliche plot devices (does anyone still find it that amusing when men dress up as women for a disguise?).  I’ll still go see Guy Ritchie films, but this is not one that I will be repeating

I give this film ** stars

Shame

        Shame is a movie I have mixed feelings about.  It is an indie film that deals with the uncomfortable topic of sexual and pornography addiction, but it is in no way a gratuitous movie.  The film is rich and textured, yet does not so much follow a story or plot.  This is more of a character profile of a modern man in the 21st century.  He lives in a society where instant gratification is available with 24 hour convenience and a click of a button.

Brandon (played by the newest coolest actor on the planet, Michael Fassbender) is a New Yorker who shuns intimacy, but feeds his desires compulsively with pornography and prostitutes.  Brandon doesn’t fit the stereotype of what we would think a sex addict would look like.  He is charming and handsome and makes an above average living as an exec for a generically large corporation.  He is able to make married women swoon with just a glance and his low key cool persona makes him irresistible in the after work bar circuit.  The scene on the subway where Brandon seduces a woman (Lucy Walters playing an unnamed character) is completely without dialogue, yet one of the more powerful seductions I have ever seen on screen.  There is no physical contact between the two, yet you know that mentally, she has totally given herself to this stranger on the train.  Fassbender is able to convey seduction with just a look.

Brandon’s life begins to spin from his control with the arrival of his mentally unbalanced sister, Sissy (aptly named character played by Carey Mulligan) who needs a place to stay.  The film shows that they are both emotionally damaged and are antagonistic towards each other even as they are being supportive.  It’s interesting as we never are allowed to see the source of their emotional baggage.  It’s just there for us to see and make our own conclusions. She threatens the life of solitude that he has set up for himself.

As Brandon’s addiction grows worse, it begins to intrude upon his professional life.  Massive amounts of porn is found on his work computer and Brandon’s married boss begins to take an interest in Sissy.  The secret life intrudes upon his normal life. Brandon makes attempts at normalcy but can’t seem to make it work.  His date with an attractive co-worker (Nicole Beharie) goes astray when their conversation reveals that Brandon doesn’t see the reason for marriage or even relationships.  It seems it is a revelation for Brandon as well.  It is an intriguing conversation and it doesn’t really judge.  Like I stated earlier, it’s just profiles his life.

The director, Steve McQueen (not the actor) is an exciting new British director making a name for himself on the indie circuit.  This is McQueen’s second team up with Fassbender after the film ‘Hunger’.  His vision in ‘Shame’ is much more coherent than ‘Hunger’, but still lacks what I would call a story.  If you’re going to see this film for sexual thrills you will be in for a disappointment (even though it is very graphic).  The tenor of the film is voyeuristic, yet not arousing.  If you are going to see this film for full frontal Fassbender nudity, well that you will get.  No answers are given, no lessons are learned.  Epiphanies seem to happen, but nothing is really changed or resolved.  

I give this film ** 1/2 stars.  I feel I should give it more due to it’s boldness, but I won’t.

Young Adult

       Whatever becomes of the beautiful, self centered, most popular girl in school after high school ends?  The one that everyone hated, yet envied.  The one who casts aside her small town constraints for the bright lights and big city to become the metropolitan everyone knew she was destined to become?  Young Adult, the latest movie by Jason Reitman (who has already eclipsed his more famous director father Ivan, in terms of film making quality), provides a character profile into the disturbingly self-centered world of the high school princess who is past her glory days.

Charlize Therone, one of the most beautiful women in films today (and our favorite South African import), takes on this quintessential American caricature flawlessly.  Charlize plays Mavis Gray, a writer who has achieved some level of success as a writer of a once popular series of Young Adult novels.  Even though she is a ghost writer, her success is enough to ‘wow’ her hometown who view her as a big city success and the height of sophistication.  After Mavis’s divorce, she decides to relive her glory days and returns to her hometown with plans to rekindle romance with her high school boyfriend.  

Charlize could have played Mavis over the top, but this was a very restrained performance of a woman who never grew up past her glory days.  A woman who still feels like the princess she was in high school even though everyone else in her life has moved on with their lives (as mundane as they might be).  The director, Jason Reitman, is able to capture her depression and loneliness along with her feelings of superiority.  She returns to the small town she hates to validate her self worth.  She tries to be understood, but no one can relate (or tries to).  Even her parents think she is just being dramatic when she confides to them that she thinks she is an alcoholic. It was a funny scene, but sad as we realize that her parents are out of touch with her and would rather gloss over uncomfortable issues than deal with them.  She no longer has any human connection that she desperately seeks.

She runs into Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswald), while on a binge at a local bar.  Even though he instantly recognizes her, she cannot recall the nerdy handicapped classmate whose locker was right next to her’s for their four years of high school.  Matt’s character is there for comic relief, but their connection develops into some of the more poignant moments in the movie.  He is the unthreatening nerd who she is able to confide all her secret plans to break up her ex-boyfriend’s marriage.  He is her voice of reason, despite being totally enamored of her.  He lives the pain of the unpopular and abused, yet still retains his innate goodness despite his anger.

Mavis plans to seduce her ex-boyfriend, Buddy Slade (played with boyish charm by Patrick Wilson).  Buddy is a new father and blissfully happy in his role of family man.  He adores his comparatively plain jane wife and lives for his new born daughter.  Mavis cannot believe he is happy in his suburban life and seeks to rescue him from it.  When Buddy tells her he is happily married, she tells him not to worry “It’s something she can help him get past”.  

Again, this film had all the elements that could have made this an over-the-top silly ‘chick flick’.  However; a combination of skillful directing by Jason Reitman (Up in the Air) and a smart script by Diablo Cody makes this a memorable if small film (it has an indie vibe to it).  I thought that the ex-stripper Diablo Cody would be a one hit writing wonder after the success of her indie film ‘Juno’.  She strikes again with this incredibly thoughtful and observant film and proves that she does have a voice worth listening to.  Diablo doesn’t lay it out for you.  She doesn’t allow us to make easy judgements or have tidy resolutions.  She has a deep understanding of the feminine psyche and can critique it while at the same time respecting it.  I greatly admire her talent and I will see anything she puts forward in the future.

This is a small, yet very well crafted film with lots of thought and emotion.

I give this film  **** stars

The Descendants

        There are different kinds of actors.  What I consider a true actor is someone that can transform themselves believably into different characters.  They can take on a persona or physical attribute that makes you forget that they are who they are.  Gary Oldman is one of these, as well as Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci.  These are all great actors, but there is something even higher and that is a Movie Star.  Their on screen presence, glamour and force of personality becomes the focus of the performance.  We never forget who they are. Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn; these are all Movie Stars. Add George Clooney to the list because he is a Movie Star.  That doesn’t mean he doesn’t give powerful performances, but we are aware that it’s Clooney that we are watching and his image fills box office seats.

The Descendants is a role for a more mature Clooney, still handsome and charming, but a less glamourous and more sophisticated character.  Clooney plays Matt King, a neglectful husband whose wife is in a coma as a result of a boating accident near their home in Waikiki.  Matt isn’t intentionally neglectful, but he has become complacent and distracted with the travails everyone faces in life.  A busy career, care taking of his family’s trust, troubled children who are constantly in trouble, and just the ennui of any family.  The King is a large family who are descendants of some of the original Western settlers of Hawaii.  As a result, they own large amounts of land that makes their net worth staggering, but Matt, the lawyer in the family, has been entrusted with guarding the fortune and leads a comparatively modest life administering the family assets.  he doesn’t believe any of the money should be touched and lives only off of his lawyer salary.

Matt’s marriage is troubled and with the accident that has left his wife in a permanent coma, he is forced to come to grips with his strained relationship with her and his true feelings.  He is also forced to come to a rapprochement with his two young daughters who spent the majority of their time with their mother while he worked.  I usually don’t care for child actors, but Shailene Woodley, as his in rehab/boarding school 17 year old daughter Alexandra, gave a performance that was as powerful and nuanced as Clooney’s.  She could have played it over the top and overly dramatic, but she managed to hit just the right notes of a troubled girl torn between loyalties to her two parents.  I feel in some ways she stole part of the movie from Clooney.  However, Clooney shined brightly in this and conveyed the emotion of someone who loved and hated his wife simultaneously. Their relationship caused him pain, but she was someone he loved and was at the core of a family he cherished (a big stretch for the eternal bachelor Clooney, but he captures it perfectly).

While Matt is facing the problem of the Government forcing him to sell back his land, he is also dealing with discovering his wife’s infidelities.  Despite the strained marriage prior to the accident, Matt becomes obsessed with who his wife was sleeping with.  Alexandra, who was aware of the affair all along, is more determined than even her father to find the man and prods him along when his resolution falters.  

Matt eventually finds the man (who happens to be married and has a family) and confronts him.  Matthew Lillard playing Brian Speer(in the first role I’ve ever seen him in outside of teenager movies), gives a painfully good performance of being confronted by the husband of the woman with whom he was sleeping.  His performance runs the gambit from terrified, to guilty, to defiant, to angry and then back through them all again.  I love to see actors like this evolve from their previous teen drama/comedies to become fully realized actors.  Brian’s innocent (but not naive) wife is played by Judy Greer with an equal level of complex emotions and subtlety.

The movie is heavy and emotional despite the light background of the paradise of Hawaii, but as Matt points out in the beginning of the film, that just because they live in paradise they suffer the trials of life the same as anyone else.  Clooney’s conversation and reconciliation with his comatose wife is some of his most powerful acting to date and I’ll be amazed if it doesn’t earn him an Oscar nomination.  Clooney is at a point where he can pick and choose his film projects and he has a rather good track record in recent years  (Up in the Air).  I like this Clooney much more than I like the slick  ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ Clooney and definitely much more than Jo’s boyfriend Clooney on ‘Facts of Life’.  He is a Movie Star in every sense of the word and delivers powerful, mature, and impactful performances.  

This is just a good film

I give this film **** stars  (more for performances than the actual movie)