THE BEST OF THE LOT
The Descendants
His wife has slipped into a coma and George Clooney is left alone to parent two difficult daughters. The complications keep piling up and we go along. Typical Alexander Payne fare with moments that will stay with you for long. George Clooney, excellent as always. Hope this one gets its due when the winners are announced.
A Better Life
The Bicycle Thief is obviously an inspiration for this one. An illegal Mexican immigrant and his son face a tough time when their truck, a means of livelihood is stolen. Damian Bichir’s soft, understated performance is a treat to watch.
Moneyball
A baseball manager has to deliver the goods on a shoestring budget. His first purchase is a statistician low on confidence but high on data. They pick up players who come in cheap but have great potential. This is a sports film with most of the games being played off the field. Based on a true story. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill are too good.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I had read the book and seen the Swedish version of the movie. So I was pretty sure this one will have nothing new to offer. Was proven wrong as it gripped me as much as its predecessors. There’s something inherently fascinating about Mikael Blomkvist (Lisbeth Salander becomes interesting only in the second and third book). Daniel Craig looks and acts the part, not reminding us of a certain Mr. James Bond. And David Fincher can always be counted upon to give you a good thriller
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
I can’t say I understood everything that transpired in this film. I even gave up the book after a hundred odd pages. But still there’s no denying that this is a superbly mounted film. Spies aren’t always James Bonds, they can quite ordinary too. George Smiley (Gary Oldman) is brought back to uncover a suspected mole. The film makes a grave mistake which every suspense film should avoid. If I tell you what, I’ll give away the ending. But that doesn’t dilute the overall experience.
The Iron Lady
Less than two hours are not enough to do justice to the story of Margaret Thatcher. Perhaps that is why this isn’t a great film. But Meryl Streep in the titular role is superlative. Immediately after the film, I saw a Youtube video of Thatcher. Streep has got everything down pat, the accent, the voice, the gait, the diction and the expression.
A Seperation
I haven’t seen a film like this ever, nor do I think, I ever will. Good films take you along with them, this one also asks you to make a moral judgment. And it isn’t easy. The human character is flawed and yet it’s inherently good. The matchless screenplay beautifully brings out this dichotomy. I was floored.
Bridesmaids
After watching this film, I must have recommended it to at least half a dozen people. The laughs keep coming in thick and fast. Co-written by Kristen Wiig who also stars, the film seems like an extended Saturday Night Live skit. Each actor suits his or her role perfectly. A must watch. There, I have recommended it some more.
Margin Call
Margin Call charts one day in the life of an investment bank, the day before it starts dumping its inferior goods. A move that collectively led to the recession of 2008. A nice ensemble cast but veterans Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons stand out. You will identify with it, especially if you have ever worked in a corporate environment.
The Ides of March
A superbly written film about the politics that goes behind a political campaign. With stand out performances by Ryan Gosling and George Clooney who also has directed. The film always stays one step ahead of the viewer keeping him guessing.
The Help
This is one of the better films you will see on the subject of racism. The focus is on domestic helps and the exploitation they suffer at the hands of their mistresses. Of course the treatment isn’t heavy – Viola Davis’ serious maid if offset by Octavia Spencer’s feisty maid. Even the whites in the film do a fab job.
HO-HUM
The Artist
A silent movie star obstinately refuses to make a transition to the talkies and pays the price. The film is shot in black and white and is silent. Just like the good old days it portrays. After this initial novelty value wears off, you realize it isn’t terribly inventive. Just plain simple. Directed by Michel Hazanavicius and starring Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo.
Hugo
A fictionalized account of the re-discovery of pioneering filmmaker, George Melies told through the eyes of a couple of kids. The set pieces and production values are superb, something you would not associate a Martin Scorsese film with. But the storytelling is very clichéd, once again something you would not associate a Martin Scorsese film with. It was soap-opera-esque; I was easily able to guess what the next bit of dialogue is going to be.
Beginners
This is a whimsical film with at least two stories running parallel to each other. One with Ewan McGregor as he finds a new girlfriend and the second with his father who has recently come out of the closet about his sexual preference, and is dying of cancer. Not much of a thinking man’s movie, but good performances.
Albert Nobbs
A woman takes up employment in a hotel dressed up as a man because a female will not do for the job. Glenn Close is superb in the role but what undermines the performance is that she continues to look like a woman to all of us.
WHAT WAS THE ACADEMY THINKING
Midnight in Paris
I just fail to see what the world sees in this film. A struggling writer (Owen Wilson) in Paris meets his idols when nightly he is transported to the era of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Dali and Bunuel. Another fantasy like Allen’s The Purple Rose of Cairo but not half as involving.
The Tree of Life
This film is like modern art, you need someone to point out its meaning to you. Terrence Malick’s take on life, death and an overbearing parent. Visually arresting but boring otherwise.
War Horse
Is this film being nominated just because it’s a Steven Spielberg film? A fine horse keeps changing masters during World War I, each more compassionate than the other. The cinematography and the scale are impressive, the film isn’t.
No comments:
Post a Comment