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Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire review
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| The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Lionsgate Runtime: 146 minutes Directed by Francis Lawrence Written by Michael Arndt, Suzanne Collins and Simon Beaufoy |
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - ★★★
By Nate Davis
When I saw the first installment of The Hunger Games I went with a date. Upon arriving at the theater I was asked what
film we were going to see. I responded
with, “The Hunger Games.” She replied
with, “Is that a weight-loss movie?” A
legitimate question if one hadn’t heard of the books or seen a commercial in
the three months leading up to its opening.
Unfortunately, I can only say that I returned her question with laughter,
and I’m sure this made her feel as awkward as our night out became. It ended early and I’m assuming with her
forgetting me as quickly as I was hoping to forget the film. I was not a fan, however, the recently
released sequel, Catching Fire, left
me doubting my premature judgment on the series.
The first two-thirds of the film are quite predictable, but
it is the finale that leaves you wanting more.
The final third is not executed to perfection mind you, but the strength
of the perception shifts are enough to make this film rise above the average
clutter of most blockbusters. Jennifer
Lawrence makes do with the reluctant and stubborn hero, Katniss Everdeen. After winning the previous year’s Hunger
Games, she is forced to conduct a tour with fellow winner and District 12
resident, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson).
Her love interest, Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth), is not fond of this
situation as Katniss and Peeta won the Hunger Games together by pretending to
be in love.
Regardless of the characters’ internal objections to this
the show must go on, at least according to President Snow. The leader of the dystopian and futuristic nation
of Panem, is played by Donald Sutherland, and he conveys to Katniss that she
and Peeta must serve as a distraction to the other districts as revolution is
being whispered amongst their citizens.
While on the tour, the two fail to impress Snow and under the counsel of
his new game-maker, Plutarch Heavensbee (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), the
president decides to make this 75th Hunger Games a Quarter Quell
edition. Previous winners from each
district are selected, and only naturally Katniss and Peeta are the chosen
tributes from District 12. Thus the
games begin.
Having over twice the budget from the first film, Catching Fire, relives some of the
introductory moments with even more flair.
This works in some ways, and not so much in others. The long shots of the scenery and special
effects are wonderful in this film, especially in a scene where Katniss’ dress burns
up in flames. However, everything in the
capitol, including the supporting characters residing in it, seems mostly from
a bad Tim Burton film. The costumes and
makeup are too eccentric that it made me roll my eyes. However, that isn’t to say those actors in
the silly costumes and makeup aren’t exceptional. Elizabeth Banks is wonderful as Effie, and
shows her allegiance and fondness towards Peeta and Katniss even behind her masks. Stanley Tucci is again great as the annoying
host of a celebrity show that features the Hunger Games participants. Despite being over-the-top in the design
categories, there are more pros than cons in Catching Fire.
Lawrence does well to hold the film together as Katniss,
although the range of the role is pretty limited. While the love interests of Peeta and Gale
are given more lines and spotlight, the young actors are still not given much
to work with. The supporting roles are
where this film shines. Woody Harrelson
returning as the drunken mentor of Haymitch is again wonderful as he guides us
through again the politics of forging alliances and winning public relations
battles. Jenna Malone and Sam Clafin are spot on in their performances
of fellow tributes Johanna and Finnick.
The real improvement of the film is through the directorial
hand of Francis Lawrence. He guides the film
smoothly enough in the shaky early goings on of the film that we are left more
interested in the politics and relationships built between the characters
before than the games themselves. He
does well with the action, but some scenes obviously were there to please fans
of Suzanne Collins’ novels. The film is
two hours and 30 minutes, and should have either been cut down by 20 minutes or
shown more attention to the characters instead of the action. The effects during the games are great and it
does get the blood pumping, but I found myself wanting to know more about the
new characters instead of their martial and survival abilities.
Catching Fire is
no doubt a much improved product compared to its predecessor. There were many opportunities where it could
have stumbled and suffered the fate many sequels do – not improving upon the
original – but the pacing and smooth transition from scene to scene throughout
its entirety make it worth seeing. One
can only hope that this director can improve even more on this series
throughout the final two installments.
Friday, November 22, 2013
12 Years a Slave review
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| 12 Years a Slave - Fox Searchlight Runtime: 133 minutes Directed by Steve McQueen Written by John Ridley and Solomon Northup (book) |
12 Years a Slave - ★★★★
By Nate Davis
“12 Years a Slave” is a kick to the stomach experience that shines a flashlight into the dark corner of American slavery. Spanning over a decade, obvious from the title, Steve McQueen’s latest film is another snapshot of human beings trapped within their own bodies, this time literally in bondage, and the effect is profoundly disturbing and simultaneously captivating. The engrossing facet of McQueen’s film is “Slave” makes no attempts to reconcile.
Based on Solomon Northup’s bestseller of the same title, Steve McQueen (like his previous work “Hunger”) doesn’t hold our hand, but rather pushes us into this world that is unfortunately true. Many films have the title overlay of “based on a true story” before the narrative begins, but “12 Years a Slave” is so well done that instead of asking, “how could this happen?” we ask “why did this happen?” It is easily the greatest film about American slavery, but that isn’t McQueen’s intention. His goal was to show the worst part of our history, by making you feel actively apart of it.
Led by a strong performance from Chiwetel Ejiofor playing the protagonist Solomon, we are introduced to him already in bondage. Shortly after we flash back to his life with his family in Saratoga Springs, New York, where he is a free man that is respected within the community as a talented violinist. He has two young children and a wife as well, and he is presented with a opportunity to make extra money performing in the nation’s capitol, and like most men with a family, he wants to provide as much as he can for them. His supposed employers get him drunk, and Solomon wakes up chained in a basement dungeon. The camera pans up from him meekly calling out for help to put the white house center frame, an obvious intention of McQueen.
Solomon is taken by boat south and renamed “Platt” despite his objection. He is sold to a Mr. Ford in an auction house where we see mothers torn from their children. Ford, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, seems to have some modicum of kindness towards Solomon in this terrifying and foreign world. Ford recognizes the intellect and talent in Solomon and shows favor to him in giving him gifts and taking his advice over the overseer Tibeats. However, Solomon is quickly reminded by a fellow slave that Ford is and always will be a slave-trader. Although Ford invites slaves to mass and is kind in conversation, he quickly removes slaves he deems inconvenient at the drop of a hat. Tibeats, played disgustingly well by Paul Dano, is a slimy and jealous man, who finds Solomon’s intelligence threatening. Solomon is provoked to a boiling point by Tibeats and reacts physically, throwing the overseer to the ground, hitting him with a whip. Solomon is then tied up with a noose at his neck by Tibeats and other whites and is left barely able to touch the muddy ground with his toes in order to stay alive. It is arguably the most striking and disturbing image of the film, as other slaves casually go about their day with Solomon barely holding onto life. Ford returns and cuts Solomon down, but has to sell him off in order to avoid more altercations between Solomon and Tibeats.
Solomon is sold to Edwin Epps, a slave master who prides himself in breaking the will of slaves. Michael Fassbender plays Epps with a tour de force performance. Epps is an alcoholic, envious and lustful man, who hides behind scripture to commend his actions. One of the more disgusting scenes is when Epps drunkenly wakes up Solomon and other slaves in the dead of night to dance for him and his wife at night. We then see that Epps fancies one of his slaves, Patsey, played by newcomer Lupita Nyong’o. He comes to her at night and rapes her at his own pleasure. His obvious affection for her causes jealously to arise in Epps’ wife, played by Sarah Paulson.
By the time the messiah-like figure of Bass enters the picture, played by Brad Pitt (whose company produced the film as well), Solomon’s soul seems to have drifted out of him. We see Patsey come to him with a request to drown her and rid her of the terrible life she has. Solomon is further plunged into the awfulness of being under the shadow of Epps. Epps sees Solomon as threatening as well and comes close to killing him several times. There is a moving scene where we see Solomon lose all faith and hope as he joins the other slaves singing “Roll Jordan, Roll” at a burial of another slave. Epps and the cruel world of slavery has broken him.
Ejiofor’s performance coupled with McQueen’s vision brings us one of the best pictures of the year. It isn’t melodramatic, even though we know Solomon will return to tell his story at some point, based on the fact a book was written with the title “12 Years a Slave.” There aren’t happy moments to celebrate by the end, there are only horrors that put the topic of slavery into the foreground of our thoughts that stay days after the film ends. While Solomon’s story is one of a slave that was returned to freedom, we are left thinking about all the others that had to spend their entire lives in that cruel Hell.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Gravity Review
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| Gravity - Warner Bros Runtime: 91 min Directed by Alfonso Caurón Written by Alfonso Caurón and Jonás Caurón |
Gravity - ★ ★ ★ ★
by Nate Davis
Aflonso Caurón’s latest film “Gravity” provoked emotions I thought were long expired from my cynical viewing nature. Stressed, saddened and scared for most of the 90 minutes, my heart was thumping as I experienced one of the best cinematic spectacles in recent memory. This is not merely a film, and it would be treasonous to label this as a movie. “Gravity” is an event that should not be missed while it is in theaters.
The special effects, greatly enhanced by the 3D attribute, will steal the headlines, however, it is the tone and acting that allows this work of science fiction seem so human. It is horrifying, yet beautiful - showing the wonder and attraction of space and at the same time revealing its punishing nature. For a film that shows characters floating around, literally detached from the rest of humanity, it is immensely intimate, and will grab you by the collar, because you don’t want to miss a second.
The script, written by Caurón and his son Jonás, seems formulaic at first and will have you predicting the outcome within 10 minutes, but will leave you doubting your prophecy time and time again. It begins with an extremely long single take which introduces Dr. Ryan Stone, played by Sandra Bullock, and Matt Kowalski, played by George Clooney. Stone is a regarded medical engineer on her first mission to space. She is all work and no play as she focuses solely on doing everything right in the loneliness of space. Her breathing and subtle facial expression give us a good feel for who she is within five minutes of meeting her. On the other hand, Kowalski is as well professional, but is on his final mission and is taking in the beauty of space and life. He plays country songs and tells tall tales of himself as he whizzes around with a jet-pack. Perfect casting, as Clooney delivers his performance with ease. A nod to the as well to the casting director to include Ed Harris - star of Apollo 13 - as the voice of Mission Control.
“Matt, it’s been a privilege,” Mission Control relays to Kowalski as the mission comes close to an end, indicating something horrific is on its way. That horror is debris from a neighboring space station and satellites that is flying towards them at bullet speed. Kowalski orders and abort of mission, but not all of them are able to make it back to the shuttle as Stone is flung out into the darkness of space. After several minutes of silence, only broken by the perfect acting from Bullock calling out for help accompanied by her panicked breathing, Kowalski reunites with her with the aid of his jet-pack. From here we see the dazzlingly display of Caurón’s use of 3D, coupled by the performance of the two actors, showing all they have is each other now as they search for a way back home.
Just when you think things can’t get worse, they do, but it is believable and not something like the Bourne films. This is Bullock’s best performance I’ve seen. She doesn’t have the Oscar-bait scenes, but her acting let’s us know who Dr. Stone is immediately and conveys her history in the extremely cramped and fast-paced film. “Gravity” is a film that must not be missed, and if you have the opportunity, see it on the biggest screen possible.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
The Two Up Front
Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo are proving to be a lethal striking tandem this season. Click the link to view the story.
http://stoopsports.com/2013/11/07/the-two-up-front/
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