#13 - Gravity (10/06/2013)

Of course I had to review this movie, being it the movie everybody is talking about. My expectations where rather high but unfortunately the movie failed to fullfill them. I have to admit that I missed the first 5 minutes of the movie, but unless they totally change the perception of the movie I don't think that matters too much.

Let's start with positive side: George Clooney and Sandra Bullock! Both actors pull of wonderful performances, especially considering that for large parts they can just use their voices and their breathing as they are in the space suits. Also the visual effects are stunning as to be expected. The atmosphere is nightmarish managing to create a claustrophobic and agoraphobic impression at the same time.

Unfortunately this is where the positive things end for me. As the story is rather simple it is not possible to write a review without spoilers.

*spoilers*

As I writer I have stated several times in my reviews that I am annoyed by lazy writing. They say that for a novelist it is the greatest sin to edit their own book, maybe for a director it should be to shoot their own script and viceversa. Maybe Alfonso Cuaron should have gotten a script writer to work out his idea instead of writing the script himself with his son.

The first scene that in my opinion made no sense at all was that before the crisis is over and the safety is ensured, the mission commander (George Clooney) pulls Ryan (Sandra Bullock) to retrieve the corpse of a colleague. They don't know if the shuttle is functional or if someone injured needs help, but they go to retrieve the corpse, while Ryan is extremely low on oxygen? Of course they should do it once the crisis is over but the timing is completely illogical.

Also why does he insist in her keeping to talk when being low on oxygen? Wouldn't an experienced astronaut suggest the opposit? Of course then there would be no movie, but why writing the oxygen issue into the script in the first point? It seemed like a cheap way of adding some more tension.

It seems doubtful that someone who "crashes" the capsule everytime would actually make a space mission. Doesn't it? I mean, no doubt that she was qualified for her job but wouldn't others be too? How many people go into space per year? My guess would be 30-40 people maximum and I doubt anybody who failed something like the landing would make the programm considering that hundreds of people might be waiting in line to take their place.

Then we have twice the "story" of an abandoned space station being hit by the debris and destroyed. Luckily for the main character it happens in the right order, so she can "jump" from one to another.

Another scene was the mission commander's death scene which reminded me too much of the death scene of Tim Robbin's character in "Mission to Mars". It also seems scientifically wrong, as the characters didn't seem to be moving anymore  but this could be just the impression. Since I am not very good as physics I won't argue about that.

*end of spoiler*

These are just a few points about the writing that I found implausible to the point where the movie lost its grip on me.

I thought it was pity that George Clooney didn't get more screen time (Most of the time he is in a space suit anyhow) as he and Sandra Bullock had a great chemistry and he is a wonderful actor, who did a good job with his voice in this movie.

All in all the movie had an interesting premise but not sufficient substance for a feature film in my opinion. The story would have made a great short film. The writing was uninspired and the story seemed to be constructed around the visual effects and to promote Sandra Bullocks acting abilities. If it hadn't been for the great acting I might have walked out of the cinema.

Points 4/10

#12 - "Elysium" (08/24/2013)

Loving scifi movies I was really looking forward to "Elysium". The synopsis sounded interesting, it had great actors in it and the style looked interesting enough. Unfortunately the movie didn't manage to keep what it promised.

Jodie Foster and Matt Damon do a good job with what they are given but unfortunately this isn't much.

The story always remains flat, barely more than a synopsis. Too many questions are left unanswered for it to be really captivating. It also shares a lot of similarities with Colin Farrell's "Total Recall", such as the deeply divided society with extremely opposed living conditions for the poor and the rich, villains having legitimate power and desperate lead characters who are pushed into the situation by circumstances beyond their own control. The two main characters even have the same job (working in a factory for roboter policemen). While I felt well entertained by "Total Recall" I didn't by "Elysium".

Jodie Foster's villain is convincing and scary in a realistic way, as you can imagine politicians in the future making such decisions. Unfortunately she never gets to interact with Matt Damon's character and her final curtain is spectacularly unspectacular.

Matt Damon has proven with the Bourne-series already that he is a capable action star and he doesn't disappoint in that respect. Unfortunately he doesn't get the chance to do much more in this movie.

None of the characters is introduced in depth, so that their fate doesn't move the viewer and many chances are not pursued by the story such as the possibility of him being the father of the little girl.

Despite being a scifi movie it lacked the futuristic feeling one would expect. The "rich world" is never shown in details and remains distant. The plotholes are downright annoying, especially to me as a writer who is always focusing on the details and making everything plausible.

Points 4/10

#11 - A Place beyond the Pines (07/15/2013)

This movie was probably the most intriguing movie I have seen this year, although at first I didn't like it. The reason for this wasn't the movie itself, but my expectations. Without spoiling anything I can tell that the advertising of the movie was giving the wrong impression about what the movie truely is and therefore deceptive.

While the advertising left me under the impression that this movie was an average but good crime thriller it is in reality so much more that makes bold artistic decisions.

Ryan Gosling proves, why he is one of the top actors of his generation. His protrayal of "Luke" in this movie manages to gain sympathies for a character the otherwise would be considered a villain or simply just annoying. Yet the viewer manages to see Luke's softer and kind side as he tries to do the right thing, despite choosing the wrong path. We get an idea of the man he could have become had his life started differently and this is what makes him likable.

On the other side we have Bradley Cooper as "Avery", who with this movie shows that his great performance in "Silver Linings Playbook" was by no means a one-off thing. Actually I think he is even better in "A Place beyond the Pine", as he manages to develop his character with very little screen time and Avery's transformation feels genuine and this makes it all more shocking to the viewer.

The only down side is occasionally the writing. The story overall is great but sometimes the characters' decisions are not logical or at least incomprehensible. These are however minor issues that can be forgiven.

Sometimes the pace is  a little slow but this is neccessary for the unique atmosphere of the movie. There are a lot of scenes without dialogue and the situations we observe the characters in are so personal, that one feels ocasionallly like a voyeur instead of a viewer.

If you look for a fast paced action thriller, this is not the movie you should watch. On the other hand if you want to see a movie full of fresh ideas and with a unique atmosphere you won't be disappointed watching "A Place beyond the Pines". The movie isn't perfect but it deserves a special credit for the risks it takes and its new ideas, especially in a time when the market is flodded with dozens of pointless remakes.

Points 8/10

#10 - Les Miserables

Being a huge fan of the musical I had been looking forward to this movie quite a lot and subsequently had very high expectations.

My personal highlight was of course Anne Hathaway's performance, it was an epiphany. She protrays the downwards spiral of "Fantine" perfectly and while many considered her rendering of "I dreamt a dream" weak, I found it brilliant, as it fits her situation exactly. You cannot expect a woman that has literally hit bottom in life to have a powerful and strong voice, instead of  a broken voice that resembles a painful cry. To me she was "Fantine".

A very positive surprise to me was Aaron Tveit as "Enjolras". His performance was gripping and he was convincing as the charismatic leader of the rebelling students. I think we should watch out for him as he is a star in the making!

Russell Crowes acting as "Inspector Javert" was superb, unfortunately his singing couldn't keep up with his performance. While he did ok with the softer notes, he reached his limits with the louder notes quickly.

Regarding Hugh Jackman as "Valjean" it is quite difficult to judge properly. His acting was excellent and he has a great singing voice, but in my honest opinion he just didn't fit in the role. I know typecasting is a nasty thing but somtimes the right type in a certain role is important. This is very obvious in the scene with the "bishop" who is played by Colm Wilkinson the original "Valjean". In any case this is more like personal taste and I admit that Hugh Jackman did a great job! 

The structure of the movie follows the musical closely and the small changes made were fitting. There wasn't the feeling of alien scenes even knowing the musical quite well, which in a way was comforting. 

The musical itself is well known and I won't comment any further on it. Just for those who haven't seen/heard it yet: The story is captivating and has everything in it love, obsession, crime, action and interesting characters. 

Something I really liked was the fact that the singing wasn't recorded in the studio but while filming. This gave the movie a touch of reality despite it being a musical. 

Despite some casting choices that might have not been ideal "Les Miserables" is a great movie adaptation of what is one of the best musicals of the last 30 years. 

Points 7/10

#9 - Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (03/01/2013)

I have to admit I had been looking forward to this movie, because the trailer promised a fun movie, without too much depth but solid entertainment. Also with Framke Janssen, Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner it had very good cast.

To create a movie as a second part to the classic fairy tale was an almost brilliant idea. It had all ingridients to make an interesting plot: lead characters with personal issues, revenge, witches and magic, action, mystery and a lot more. 

Unforunately the movie fails to explore its full potential. The action scenes are creative but for my taste a tad to bloody. Don't get me wrong I don't mind watching a bloody movie, if it fits the story but in this case the viewer gets the impression of a literal overkill. There are some things I really don't need to see while stuffing myself with popcorn. 

*minor spoilers*

The actors were as good as expected, but unfortunately they are not given enough to work with. We get some interesting scenes with the siblings (Played by Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton) , while they try to deal with their past or when they face emotional dilemmas. Unfortunately these scenes remain very marginal and the director rushes back to bloody fighting scenes ,without exploring these issues in depth. This is not surprising considering the movie is only 88 minutes long. 

The general look of the movie is great! The leather costumes are simply sexy and the guns look cool and retro. This gives the movie and almost steampunkish look. 

It is a pity that the director Tommy Wirkola didn't make use of everything he was given. Simply by adding 20 minutes of storyline the movie would have improved significantly as the viewer would have cared more about the characters and they'd been given more depth. I felt well entertained nonetheless and would recommend the movie anytime for a dvd movie night with friends, where it doesn't matter if you miss two minutes of a movie while you get some popcorn. 

Points 5/10

#8 - Silver Linings Playbook (01/20/2013)

What drew me initially to this movie was that it had a different approach to two topics that have almost been sucked dry by Hollywood. 

The first is the classic lovestory. One has seen it in all variations and what most have in common is that despite the obvious the leads are kind of a catch. This is where Silver Linings Playbook is different. the leads are basically broken people one would consider "undateable". 

Second and more important in my point of view is the issue of mental health problems. While most movies or tv shows only deal with extreme cases e.g. psychotic killers or comically distorted versions of people suffering from OCD, this movie in my opinion shows the real deal. What happens when people are released from the mental health facilities and try to adjust to normal life. How they deal with an illness they have to accept as part of their life as other people have to accept diabetes. 

Silver Linings Playbook deals with this in a sensitve yet entertaining way. Pat, the lead character, is never ridiculed, on the contrary, the movie shows how he fights bravely to get his life back on track despite the ocasional set back. 

Bradley Cooper's protayal is nuanced and engaging. In one simple phrase: He makes you care for Pat! I have seen some of his work before and while I considered him a decent actor until now, he literally blew me away in this movie. 

Opposite of Bradley Cooper they casted Jennifer Lawrence, who is proving to be one of the most promising actresses despite being only 22 years old. While her introduction is rather slow and slightly tedious she manages to quickly give depth to her character. A lot of people have mentioned the age gap between the two leads, but to be honest I wouldn't have noticed had I not known the actors real life ages. Especially since Jennifer Lawrence interpretation is very mature her character seems much older. 

Also the supporting cast is a sheer delight Robert de Niro in particular whose acting skills are well known and don't require further comment. 

While the movie is smart entertaining, there are also some negative points in my opinion. The introduction is a little too slow for my taste so that in the end the pace quickens a little too much (Due to Hollywoods recent idea that movie shouldn't be much longer that 120 Minutes). But this seems more like a matter of personal taste. 

All in all I really enjoyed this movie, it has some great acting, awesome writing and the right balance between entertainment and sophisticated art. 

Points 8/10

#7 - Argo (01/08/2013)

It took me some time to watch "Argo" due to long working hours. So it came that I had to drive one hour to the only cinema that was still showing this move, yet somehow I thought it was worth the trouble and wasn't disappointed. 

I would like to start by saying that I hadn't seen any of the movies Ben Affleck has directed before, but of course had heard he was an even better director than actor (I have always liked him as an actor) and I admit he is!

One of the things that have impressed me about "Argo" was that despite of (or because of?) its calm demeanor the movie manages easily to keep the suspension up for two hours. In a way this mirrors the characters and their situation. At all times they have to appear calm in public while in reality they were tense beyond imagination. 

I also like the fact, that the movie quality was made "to look" like a 70ies movie as it greatly enhanced the atmosphere and at times you had the feeling you were watching an old documentary of the time. 

The acting of the whole cast was superb. I would like to mention in particular Ben Affleck himself, Alan Arkin and John Goodman who render beautifully understated performances, which in my opinion supported the credibility of the movie. I personally was impressed with Scoot McNairys performance, whom I had never seen in a movie before, but is definetely a name one should keep in mind. He steals every scene he is in. 

*minor spoilers*

I am not going to spoil too much (Although in this movie the point is not what happens, but rather how is happens). To me there was one thing in particular that impressed me and in my eyes interpreted best how the "houseguests" must have felt. I write "interpreted" consciously since this is one of the ficticious scenes of the movie. 

The scene I am referring to is, when they get stopped at the airport and Scoot McNairy's character tries to explain the situation to the security personel in Farsi. What Mr. Affleck did (I only watched the dubbed version, but I assume the original version is the same in that aspect) is that he choose not to add subtitles to the conversation execpt for an explanation as to why he speaks Farsi. The viewer finds himself again in the same situation as the "houseguests". We are not understanding what is going on, but know that their lives depend on the outcome of that conversation. 

*minor spoilers end* 

I have only one very small issue with the movie, which has been addressed already many times, but I feel the urge to mention it to, so that this review is "complete". The movie neglects the assistance of the British and New Zealand diplomats, when in fact they also assisted. I understand that for the movie actual facts had to be shortened and events simplified, but as a final comment was inserted to acknowledge the canadian efforts I would have love to see that justice done to the British and New Zealand diplomats as well. 

Still I believe Ben Affleck has created a wonderful masterpiece. "Argo" is intelligent movie, that manages to keep you glued to your seat. The cast is fabulous and the only reason that no single actor sticks out, it that each one of them is fanastic. The historical "inacuracies" can be forgiven, as in my opinion it helps to capture the mood and desperation of the situation. 

I will certainly check out now the other movies Ben Affleck has directed. 

Points 9/10