mikes-movie-review-onlin Reviews

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

"A superb movie, rich with a plethora of intriguingly gruesome scenes"

[8/10 · 15 April 2012]

The opening credits alone are enough to dazzle and confuse viewers in David Fincher's newest feature. Audiences will experience an incredible - and at times shocking - journey through the world Stieg Larsson created and David Fincher now brings to life. The casting was very well done, with supporting stars like Steven Berkoff, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård, and Robin Wright rounding off a powerhouse cast. Once you get over the prejudice of seeing Daniel Craig as an action star, you realise he's a good fit for Mikael Blomkvist. But the true star here is Rooney Mara, the relatively unknown actress gives an Oscar-worthy performance in the coveted role of Lisbeth Salander. Stealing each of her scenes, a young new actress shows her incredible talent.

For those of you who haven't read the novels (or seen the Swedish adaptations), the film revolves around two central characters. The first, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) is a reporter found guilty of libel. Having lost most of his life savings he is hired by a wealthy Swedish business owner named Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer). Vanger wants Blomkvist to write his memoirs for him, though in actuality Blomkvist's role is to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of Harriet, Henrik's niece. The Vanger family all live on a large island but rarely talk with one another, they're the kind of wealthy old family with creepy and reclusive members, as well as ties to Nazi Germany.

The second lead character is Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara). Lisbeth is a young girl who has been rejected from society, placed in the care of multiple guardians, she has been abused by many and left to live with whatever energy she has left. She seems willing to crawl up into a hole and to hide from the world, but when hit, she hits back five times as hard. This is what makes her such a compelling heroine for audiences. She's quite the opposite of your typical busty blonde female character in thrillers who lack depth and motivation. Lisbeth shows off her fierce bite, particularly when she is raped by her most recent guardian Nils Bjurman (Yorick van Wageningen), she fights back in a way that most people would never even dream of, but Bjurman certainly gets what he deserves.

These two characters' stories interweave later in the film when Mikael requests a research assistant. His investigation on the dissapearence of Harriet uncovers a much larger series of murders throughout Sweden, and he needs an assistant to help him get through research and follow leads. Lisbeth works as a researcher for a Stockholm security firm, and she's extremely thorough in her reports- often crossing into illegal means of data collection. Together these two characters work through piles of documents as they unravel the elaborate mystery that surrounds the Vanger family.

Writer Steven Zaillian remains very faithful to Larsson's original novel, changing only a little at the ending to keep it fresh without ruining the story. I'm extremely pleased that David Fincher directed this movie. With such great source material, Fincher works his magic upon this film. His camera work greatly reflects the story and characters, with Blomkvist moving around in still frames while Lisbeth is almost constantly followed by a moving camera, the audience often looking over her shoulder. Fincher is a master at building suspense in dark and stylish thrillers, and he shows it here. Even as I knew what was coming because I've read the book, David Fincher kept me in suspense for many scenes.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a superb movie, rich with a plethora of intriguingly gruesome scenes. The cast is terrific as they subtly unveil the secrets of the Vanger family, and the direction by David Fincher brilliantly portrays the characters while allowing for both plot and character development. Rooney Mara also stands out in a break-out role which deserves at the very least a nomination from the Academy. While The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo does have its flaws, it remains one of the best films of 2011.

The Back-up Plan (2010)

"The writers and actors have bothered it into this mess of a film"

[2/10 · 15 April 2012]

I honestly don't know where to begin. This movie had some promise in the storyline, but somehow the actors and the scriptwriters seem to have butchered it into this mess of a film. The movie isn't actually very funny, or very romantic.

The Back-Up Plan is about Zoe (Jennifer Lopez), a New Yorker who gets artificially inseminated after years of failed relationships. Just after her meeting at the doctor's office she meets a handsome and mysterious man named Stan (Alex O'Loughlin). Of course she does get pregnant, and of course she meets Stan again. He sells goat cheese and makes it at his own farm. They fall in love and decide to raise the baby together.

The storyline is very shaky and I think the only reason everyone stayed in the theater was that they wanted to finish their popcorn. To keep the film going the writers use two techniques: 1) Have the main characters break up and make up like three times. 2) Include unnecessary scenes such as ten minutes of feminists helping a woman give birth. The script itself is bad and the dialogue doesn't seem natural.

The acting is slightly better, but only slightly. Jennifer Lopez is as attractive as always, and this is perhaps her best acting yet, but even her best still isn't enough to make a good movie. Alex O'Loughlin (Whiteout) is relatively unknown, and I think I know why. The girls I saw this film with commented that he had a 'hot body', this is the sole reason he ever got an acting job in the first place. This man can not act. His emotions were flat and his dialogue was just boring throughout the entire film.

Alan Poul is a relatively new director, meaning that he hasn't many movies yet. His style is fine, but he still deserves some of the blame for this movie's failure to entertain. For example, the extended birth scene I talked about earlier. It's not even Jennifer Lopez giving birth, and the whole scene is weird and pretty stupid. Overall, The Back-Up Plan is not a good movie and I would personally not recommend it, but hey, somebody out there might like it.

The Ides of March (2011)

"An exceptional political film"

[7/10 · 15 April 2012]

George Clooney's The Ides of March is an intriguing political thriller. Critiquing the corruption of American democracy, The Ides of March shows how tiring it really is to run a presidential campaign, while alluding to the idea that to win, we may need to abandon our personal idealogies. Starring Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Paul Giametti and Philip Seymour-Hoffman, The Ides of March is both a thought provoking and entertaining film.

Stephen Meyers (Gosling) is the PR guy on a Presdential campaign for Senator Mike Miller (Clooney). He's young, he has experience and a bright future, and he brings in the voters. While on campaign in Ohio, Miller's competitor meets with Meyers and offers him a job. The meeting eventually leaks to the press and damages the Senator's chances at winning the Democratic primary. To make matters more

complicated, one of the young women working on the campaign is pregnant with Miller's child. If word of this gets out it would ruin Miller's stint as any kind of political candidate. This just goes to show the two-facedness of political candidates, as Miller seems in all ways to bet he perfect candidate. He's motivated, he believes in the constitution, he's likable, he supports strong moral values, he agrees to freedom of speech and action. However, even a guy like Mike Miller can have a seedy underbelly.

Meyer's character is a true believer. He knows that Mike Miller is the only one who will really make a difference in people's lives, and this drives him to fight for Miller's campaign. However, Meyer's idealist views are shattered as he is exposed to the dirty side of politics during the film. While trying to determine his role in the system, he works to quickly mend any problems of Miller's campaign, as if it all falls apart, Meyer's career will be over. The more senior aids on the campaign can always get a job consulting in Washington, but the young Meyers will be hung out to dry if the campaign becomes a PR nightmare.

The Ides of March focuses only on a Democratic primary election. In this way it doesn't choose sides in any political argument, but instead appeals to grander themes of politics and democracy than simply pointing the finger at the other party. The feuds which develop, particularly between the Senior Campaign Managers (Seymour-Hoffmann and Giametti) is an interesting one, these two go back a long time but are not hesitant to burn each other in the public eye. The Ides of March provides us with an interesting development of character. Stephen Meyers is perhaps the only central character not realistic at the onset of the film. As he views more and more of the political truth and scandal behind it, he metamorphoses into a colder realist.

Ryan Gosling gives a strong performance as Stephen Meyer the idealist PR guy. Clooney is great as Mike Miller, he is very believable as the intelligent and likable presidential candidate, and when things take a turn for the worse Cloonry displays the moral dilemmas Mike Miller faces with the deserved integrity and dignity of such a role. These performances, along with the strong writing, are what make The Ides of March an exceptional political film. It focuses on the themes of politics more than the individual stories of campaigners, differentiating it from other political movies. While both realistic and entertaining, it might make viewers think twice about the face validity of American politics.

Se7en (1995)

"An exercise in storytelling, visual style and suspense"

[9/10 · 15 April 2012]

David Fincher's dark, gruesome and intelligent thriller Se7en remains one of my favorite films of the 1990s. It's dark visual tone and use of pathetic fallacy coupled with the harrowing story of a killer attempting to teach humanity a lesson is both disturbing and brilliant. Fincher shows audiences his true capabilities as a director, and Se7en is an exercise in storytelling, visual style, and suspense, making it one of the definitive crime thrillers of the 20th century.

The film begins in a miserable and unidentified cityscape, perhaps Los Angeles, or New York. Perhaps it is simply a metaphorical version of all the crime in American urban areas. This city seems – for at least the one week the movie takes place in – perpetually covered in fog and light rain. We are introduced to Detective Mills (Brad Pitt), a young and impulsive cop who was transferred to the city. He is paired with Detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman), an older, calmer, meticulous veteran to the force with one week left before retirement. The contrasting pair make a nice centrepiece for the havoc which is to be wrecked upon them by an unknown murder.

Their first case together is the supposed murder of an obese man, found bound to a chair, he was forced at gunpoint to eat himself to death. His crime was gluttony. There are six more deadly sins, all of which the meticulous, patient, and above all disturbed, serial killer plans to use as his MO. They are: greed, sloth, lust, pride, wrath, and envy. Somerset, who has a keen insight into the mind of the killer, asks to be taken off the case but remains in contact with Mills as he reads through Dante's "Divine Comedy", Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales", and other prose relating to the seven deadly sins. Together the pair of detectives get closer to the murderer, eventually ending in a climax which is brilliantly scripted by Andrew Kevin Walker.

The key to Se7en's success as a crime-thriller is the feel of the movie. Fincher is terrifically talented at bringing to life the most stylish interpretation of the material possible. The sinister atmosphere of the city is only furthered by the grisly murders and the seeming hopelessness of finding the murderer. Even when they find what they think is his apartment they don't discover a single fingerprint. Also vital to the film is the script by Andrew Kevin Walker. He gives Morgan Freeman just enough poetic lines to run with, and the killer presented here is unique. He is intelligent, he writes his thoughts down journal after journal, he is patient, calm, sensible, and he seems to enjoy killing his victims. Interestingly, the murderer is presented with about 30 minutes left of the film, given a speaking role and made an important character, opposed to simply being the unnamed monster behind the killings who is caught at the end. I won't ruin who plays the killer for anyone who hasn't seen the film, just know that it was a smart choice both to cast this actor/actress, but also not to advertise it.

Brad Pitt gives a strong performance as Mills, the younger cop who loses his temper more frequently, but still believes he can make a difference. I wouldn't have liked anyone else to play the role, but I could see a handful of other actors also embodying Mills. Somerset, on the other hand, could not logically be played by anyone but Morgan Freeman. Freeman's calm deep voice, and his presence on-screen is unavoidable. His character more questioning of the supposed good nature of humanity, yet still devoted to catching the killer. He is intellectual, he reads Milton and Dante and Chaucer for clues to the murders, and he thinks before he acts, unlike Detective Mills. This difference in character serves as an essential plot point later in the film.

David Fincher has become internationally successful as a maker of both highly stylish thrillers (e.g. Fight Club, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and more sweeping dramatic films like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and The Social Network. Se7en was Fincher's first real venture into the crime-thriller genre, and it stands as one of his best works. The director is certainly unafraid of being uncompromising and violent, and he shows a strong understanding of visual style and artistic expression. Many shots in this film are incredibly memorable, being just a part of what makes Se7en such an unavoidable film.

Avatar (2009)

"An incredible film journey which sets new limits for special effects"

[8/10 · 15 April 2012]

Avatar is an incredible film journey which sets new limits for special effects and proves that James Cameron can make a really good film.

The story is set in the year 2154, a concept which made me edgy as futuristic Star Trek-style movies can be disappointing. This was not the case with Avatar. In 2154, humans discover a resource on a distant planet called Pandora. This resource sells for lots and lots of money. The only problem is that the local people, called the Na'vi, have their home right on top of the mine.

Our hero, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is a Marine whose twin was a scientist. When his brother is shot he is sent to Pandora to take his brothers place in the Avatar program. This is a system where 'avatars' are made with a combination of human DNA and that of the Na'vi.

Jake gets lost while on an expedition with the scientists in the Avatar suit. Luckily he is found by a local and trained in their ways. As he moves into their civilization he is torn between the Na'vi's simple ways and the destructive genocide of his own race. Of course the choice is simple. Now fighting a seemingly losing battle Jake must fight to help protect the locals and the flora and fauna of the planet.

This film is a triumph in many ways, it boasts the best visual effects I've ever seen. The movie is about 70% CGI as everything about Pandora and the Na'vi are computer generated. This is risky, but works extremely well in this case. Cameron decided to go for computerized aliens instead of the ridiculous people with make-up films like Star Trek have shown us for the past forty or so years. This is a success, with the avatar bodies and the Na'vi looking beautiful. These ten foot tall blue creatures are the best looking aliens I've ever seen.

While many films nowadays worry about just blowing stuff up and beginning to end action scenes Avatar contains action, but it pays respect to the plot and almost everything in the film. The 163 minutes go by quickly as the film simply blows you away. I highly recommend Avatar for everyone. If you get the chance to see this movie, shell out a few bucks more to see it in 3D, it's worth it.

Black Swan (2010)

"A terrific film which delves deeper than most thrillers"

[9/10 · 15 April 2012]

Black Swan is just as much about a woman dancing in Swan Lake as it is a modern retelling of the story. Nina Sayers starts off as the perfect Swan Queen, pure, innocent and sweet. The film sees Nina (Natalie Portman) preparing for the performance of Swan Lake, as she takes on the role of the White Swan she seems to be becoming more and more like her evil twin, the Black Swan. This film encapsulates the essence of Tchaikovsky's original ballet, playing with the lines between good and evil and displaying the conflict and delusions of the protagonist.

Nina begins as a young ballerina who is hoping to receive a larger role in this season of the New York City Ballet as she is a perfectionist who couldn't work harder at her art form. She lives at home with her over-protective mother, a former dancer herself who invades into Nina's life. Thomas Leroy, the head of the dance company, is hesitant to select Nina as the Swan Queen in the company's new production of Swan Lake. This is because Thomas does not believe that Nina has the passion and emotion to portray both the White and the Black Swans.

Then another dancer from San Francisco joins the company, Lily (Mila Kunis). She seems to be everything Nina is not, outgoing, bold and open about herself. Lily's presence puts pressure on Nina, as well as the pressure of the role itself, of her mother and of the other dancers who wanted to be the Swan Queen and claim Nina slept with Thomas to get the part. Nina begins to hallucinate and slowly loses her mind with all of the emotional and physical stress she has on her.

Natalie Portman powers the film with an incredible performance. The character of Nina is acted amazingly as she descends into madness. Portman drives the spirit of the movie, a seemingly fragile girl who becomes passionate and aggressive through her own creation. The supporting cast is great as well. This is by far the greatest performance we have yet seen out of both Portman and Kunis.

Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler) directs the film with an absurd quality that makes it great. Black Swan is incredibly tense, with emotion being explored deeply. Aronofsky also explores the themes of sexuality and violence in a way that disorients the audience and almost makes people question their own sanity. Overall, Black Swan is a terrific film which delves deeper than most thrillers, exploring the psychological cause and effects of actions, as well as displaying the art of ballet and the stress associated with a role with almost perfection.

The Artist (I) (2011)

"A visionary film unlike anything modern audiences have seen before"

[8/10 · 15 April 2012]

Michel Hazanavicius' visionary film The Artist is unlike anything modern audiences have ever seen before. It is exceptional on many levels, but unfortunately will not attract the mass attention it deserves. Hazanavicius presents the film in black and white, displacing it from reality and creating its own absorbing characters and world. The film also has next to no dialogue, being for the most part, a silent film with nothing but a musical accompaniment. This works brilliantly, and a unique story with strong performances lift this film to make it one of the most entertaining motion pictures in years.

Jean Dujardin stars as George Valentin, a silent film star living large in 1927 Hollywood. He lives in a large house with a painting of himself in the foyer, reporters can't get enough of him, and many women eagerly chase him around. However, everything changes for George when the studio head (John Goodman) informs him about sound being recorded to accompany 'talkies'. George soon falls from grace as audiences don't want to see silent films anymore. He ends up moving into a small apartment and pawing off his tuxedos and possessions to get over the debt of funding his own failed attempt at writing, directing, and starring in a movie.

When George was a big star, he was photographed kissing a stranger after a premiere on the red carpet. He helps her get a job in one of his movies, and gives her advice that aids her career. Her name is Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), originally an unknown dancer, with George's push she becomes a huge star. While she becomes one of the fresh new faces for talking pictures in Hollywood, George's situation is simultaneously getting worse and worse. These two characters have a complicated relationship, as it seems they both have loved each other from the beginning, but it becomes hard to love each other when George overhears Peppy in an interview saying "out with the old, in with the new". Despite any problems, Peppy tries to help George right up until the end of the movie.

Jean Dujardin has the appropriate emotionality for a silent film star; we feel his sentiment and dilemma without the effort of overacting. Dujardin plays George Valentin very well, sometimes subtly and sometimes broadly- but never too far over the top. The audience develops a connection to his lovable character and his plight as the world changes around him. Bérénice Bejo plays the supporting character with spirit and skill, and the presence of actors like James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller and Ed Lauter serve their parts well. Part of the beauty of silent films is that it can be both made by and enjoyed by a wide range of people, regardless of their mother tongue.

Writer/director Michel Hazanavicius brilliantly incorporates aspects of the silent era. When the characters speak, we see their mouths move and dialogue is shown on screen afterwards. The Artist is a film that not only requires the silent film era to have come, and films like Singing in the Rain were obvious inspirations, but the silent era also had to come to an end for The Artist to be made. It deals with the themes of changing times, being forgotten, and attempted return to mainstream success. These concepts are highly relevant today, and help the audience associate with the characters. Hazanavicius also knows that he's made a silent film in a time when they are practically extinct, and he brilliantly plays with the audiences. There is one memorable scene after George first watches a talkie in which he begins to notice the sounds of the world around him as he knocks over things in his dressing room. We hear the sounds like George, almost for the first time. Never before has the sound of make-up quietly toppling on a table drawn me in to such a degree.

The Artist is a tremendous film that stands out against all other modern works. With a marvelous story and compelling characters, The Artist tells a wonderful tale without the overuse of dialogue or sound effects. While many modern viewers will dismiss it for being silent and black and white, The Artist should not be missed. This film may go over the heads of some audience members, but those who fall into its trance will connect with the characters and be dazzled by the absorbing and timeless qualities The Artist has to offer.

Blue Valentine (2010)

"A contemporary romantic drama"

[7/10 · 15 April 2012]

Blue Valentine tells the story of the inception and eventual decay of a relationship with a vast understanding of human emotion and filmed with subtle genius. Director/writer Derek Cianfrance shows us two days in the life of a married couple, played by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. The working-class Pennsylvania couple started off as an incredibly sweet young couple madly in love with each other, but over time they have lost that magic and the reality of everyday life seems to have drained the two of them to the point where the marriage is loveless and hollow, bound for eventual implosion.

Dean (Gosling) and Cindy (Williams) met at a retirement home, when Dean was working as a mover and Cindy was studying medicine at university. An almost classic nod to the 'boy-meets- girl' romances of Hollywood, an ironic component given the end of this film,. Their relationship began with the speed of any young romance, passionate nights were occasionally interrupted by cute looks shared in the warm light of a streetlamp. Dean meets Cindy's parents – who don't exactly approve of him – and Cindy tries to end the other relationship she was in at the time. She becomes pregnant, and after a rash wedding the couple decide to start a family and a life together. This is told entirely through flashbacks while the real time of the film tells two days in the couple's lives at the climax before the fall of their relationship. They have reached the point at which the attractions of younger romance no longer exist, Cindy has become sick of Dean's insistent smothering and minor drinking problem, as well as his underachieving life as a house painter.

Blue Valentine, as the title seems to suggest, smartly contrasts the rashness of young love, and is suggestive of the shallowness of emotion that lies below. Dean asks his buddy if he believes in love at first sight as the two men set perched on the back of a moving van the day after he first lay eyes on Cindy. He's in that phase where "when a song comes on you just have to dance". The problem is that Cindy and Dean both have different perspectives on marriage, Dean sees his wife and family as the reason to work, and that marriage is the final station, while for Cindy it seems to be more of a journey than the destination. The foundation of their marriage simply wasn't strong enough to last, and in that way Blue Valentine isn't a tragedy, it is simplistic and realistic tale, as well suggestive and perhaps precautionary. After several year of marriage, they reach the point where Cindy cries "I feel nothing for you anymore!" as Dean, partially drunk, comes to her office and quarrels with her boss and co-workers. What is interesting is that it isn't Dean's alcohol problem that ends their marriage, or Cindy's dedication to her job, the relationship just runs its course, as it seems it was always destined to do.

Gosling and Williams are gifted young actors, and both show understanding of their respective roles. Doug and Cindy's relationship feels so real because Derek Cianfrance writes with realism in mind, and the cast seem highly dedicated to producing as genuine a film about love as possible. An intriguing and deeply interesting film, Blue Valentine is a contemporary romantic drama which maps the first six years of a couple's marriage through flashback, as well as witnessing the marriage's almost inevitable collapse. The movie asks audiences to question the concept of love at first sight, as Doug and Cindy did love each other at one point, but that is no longer the case. They have reached the stage where we wonder why they ever got married. Different audiences will associate themselves with different characters, making the interpretation of the film a different experience depending upon your perspective.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

"One of the best movies of 2008"

[8/10 · 15 April 2012]

F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' has been transformed into a splendid film by David Fincher. A marvelously made film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of the best movies of 2008. The cast is terrific and director David Fincher beautifully puts together the tale of Benjamin's life. The only large flaw many will find is that the concept of the film's premise seems too unrealistic.

The film tells the life of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt). Born as an old man, Benjamin ages backwards; gradually getting younger as those around him age normally. Benjamin is abandoned at birth and picked up at an old-age home. As a child - or rather as a hunched over 80 year old - he meets a girl named Daisy (Cate Blanchett). Together they engage in innocent child games, and through this they develop a special connection. As Benjamin goes off into the world, Daisy continues to grow up, later pursuing her dream of dancing. Benjamin joins a crew and sails round the world, ending up in Russia. Then, after Pearl Harbor, Benjamin joins in the war effort, following battles across the north Pacific and only engaging in one combat situation.

Returning to New Orleans, Benjamin has grown taller, lost many of his wrinkles, and grown more hair. The visual effects are spectacular in following Brad Pitt through the various stages of his life. From an old man to a young teen, Benjamin always resembles Pitt. Upon arrival in his childhood home, Benjamin learns that many of the tenants he knew have passed on. This is the tragedy of aging backwards, those you knew continue to age forward as they exit this world while you do the opposite. Benjamin also meets Daisy again, who after many years has become a successful dancer and has blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Long gone is the innocence of childhood, and Daisy has become intimate with many men in New York City. Missing by an inch, she and Benjamin do not initiate a relationship until later in the film.

Narrated from the present, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starts with Daisy's daughter reading Benjamin's diary to her mother in a hospital on the cusp of Hurricane Katrina. This allows the narration to occasionally halt for an elderly Daisy to comment on events of her life. A key motif running throughout this film is time. Beginning and ending with sequences about the same clock, David Fincher seems to allude to the notion that things fade, and that we must hold on to the things we love in the time we have with them.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a fantastic film. Beautifully created, David Fincher paints an image of the south of the United States in the early 1900s which seems both realistic and fantastical. The film also illustrates war, travel, death, and many of the other events of life. Brad Pitt shows emotional depth as Benjamin, and Cate Blanchett is terrific as Daisy. It is surprising how much we can take away from a 166 minute movie, the audience feels as if they have known Benjamin and Daisy for all of their lives. While some may question the premise of the film, arguing that time is linear and that the plot is therefore incoherent, there can be no arguing that this film does its best to develop human relationships and to establish emotional connections between characters. As Roger Ebert once said, "A film is not about its subject; it's about how it's about its subject", and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button certainly handles its subject material splendidly.