Unlike some other book-to-screen adaptations I've covered, Drive, originally by James Sallis, kept its name in transition. What else should we talk about?
Well, Ryan Gosling is the hero, known only by his profession ("The Driver"). By day, he's a stunt driver for the movies; by night, he's a getaway driver for common thugs. Even though he associates with them, he's not really a crook at heart.
His friend and boss Shannon (Bryan Cranston) gets him acquainted with two crime bosses named Bernie (Albert Brooks) and Nino (Ron Perlman). He also gets acquainted with Irene (Carey Mulligan), whose husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) is newly paroled. Standard owes money to some really bad guys and he surely needs a driver's help to get out of trouble.
Sure, Driver, get a friend out of trouble will you? That'll just get you into trouble.
As the Driver, Ryan Gosling's performance keeps the film going. He maybe an aloof professional, but he still has decency in him. That's what makes him appealing, even when the film enrolls in The Art of Creative Dismemberments 101 halfway through.
Of the crew assembled by director Nicolas Winding Refn, the sound designers stand out. It's because of them that the film's action scenes sound just right. One in particular relies on no sound as its set-up; the payoff is perfectly brutal.
It also helps that editor Matthew Newman and screenwriter Hossein Amini have also done well here. What they've done is create a story that wisely positions its violence rather than swim in blood. As I've probably said before, this is how to make an action film.
But still, this isn't for the faint of heart. For those who prefer ultraviolence, this is the best use of it out in theaters so far.
About Me
- Jethrotcat
- This is the blog where I talk about the latest movies I've seen. These are my two Schnauzers, Rufus (left) and Marley (right, RIP). As of now, the Double Hollywood Strikes are officially over. May the next strikes not last as long as these ones did.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Moneyball
And now for an inspirational sports movie about a baseball team that doesn't win. Uh, yay? No, read on.
It's Moneyball, whose story is taken from Michael Lewis's non-fiction book of the same name. Said story was written by Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin and realized by director Bennett Miller (Capote).
In 2001, Oakland Athletics GM Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) saw his team lose a spot in the Series to the Yankees. When next season rolls along, Billy finds himself forced to get a winning team together. But the Oakland A's don't have the financial luxury of the Yankees, so how will Billy do it?
A recent Yale Grad named Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) comes to Billy with a mathematical answer. He points out some promising statistics from unpromising players, an actual "island of misfit toys." But with the right training, these toys'll work good as new. And so Billy sets out to prove these theories, even if it does cost him some personal and professional relationships.
Although Baseball's a team sport, this is Brad Pitt's movie. As Billy Beane, he's likeable in spite of some tragic overconfidence because he's charmingly over-confident. He's practically in every scene, so his dominance is very much assured. When Billy falters, both in the game and off, the audience'll feel his frustrations for sure.
It helps knowing that the writing was in good hands to begin with. As he did in The Social Network, co-writer Sorkin has made a "geeky" subject accessible to the "average" filmgoer. Together, Sorkin and Zaillian highlight the managerial dealings behind the sport and why, for them, this sport is serious business.
Does it hit one out of the ball park? No, because it goes on for a bit longer than it should've. But still, it's a homerun and definitely one to watch out for this January.
It's Moneyball, whose story is taken from Michael Lewis's non-fiction book of the same name. Said story was written by Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin and realized by director Bennett Miller (Capote).
In 2001, Oakland Athletics GM Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) saw his team lose a spot in the Series to the Yankees. When next season rolls along, Billy finds himself forced to get a winning team together. But the Oakland A's don't have the financial luxury of the Yankees, so how will Billy do it?
A recent Yale Grad named Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) comes to Billy with a mathematical answer. He points out some promising statistics from unpromising players, an actual "island of misfit toys." But with the right training, these toys'll work good as new. And so Billy sets out to prove these theories, even if it does cost him some personal and professional relationships.
Although Baseball's a team sport, this is Brad Pitt's movie. As Billy Beane, he's likeable in spite of some tragic overconfidence because he's charmingly over-confident. He's practically in every scene, so his dominance is very much assured. When Billy falters, both in the game and off, the audience'll feel his frustrations for sure.
It helps knowing that the writing was in good hands to begin with. As he did in The Social Network, co-writer Sorkin has made a "geeky" subject accessible to the "average" filmgoer. Together, Sorkin and Zaillian highlight the managerial dealings behind the sport and why, for them, this sport is serious business.
Does it hit one out of the ball park? No, because it goes on for a bit longer than it should've. But still, it's a homerun and definitely one to watch out for this January.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Warrior
How many inspirational sports movies are there? Well, let's name a few examples.
Boxing has had Rocky, Baseball has had The Natural and Hockey has had Miracle. And now, Gavin O'Conner, director of the last mentioned film, has an inspirational film for Mixed-Martial Arts out called Warrior.
Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton) "used to be one of those animals" duking it out in MMA rings. Now, he's a physics teacher in serious debt. His brother Tommy (Tom Hardy) has also fallen on hard times after a stint in the marines. All he wants is to support the family of a fallen compatriot. There's an MMA tournament in Atlantic City with a $5 Million Grand Prize. Perhaps that's the solution to their problems.
Well, it's not that easy. Not just for them, but the audience.
The script, co-written by O'Conner, makes both brothers perfectly valid protagonist. There's no obvious bad guy here except for the brothers' personal demons. They both have good intentions but they have bad blood between them. Now, how'll the audience cheer for one when the other loses?
Not helping matters is the great performances of both on-screen brothers. They looked so much like brothers that at some points, I lost track of who was who. Seriously.
And then there's Nick Nolte as the brothers' sober wreck of a father and Tommy's trainer Paddy. His performance was on equal footing with his on-screen sons. It's truly the best of the supporting cast and a name to remember in a few months.
Surely, there were the usual cliches of the format. But in this film, they felt more natural than artificial. It's an awesome film overall and it wins on the first round.
Boxing has had Rocky, Baseball has had The Natural and Hockey has had Miracle. And now, Gavin O'Conner, director of the last mentioned film, has an inspirational film for Mixed-Martial Arts out called Warrior.
Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton) "used to be one of those animals" duking it out in MMA rings. Now, he's a physics teacher in serious debt. His brother Tommy (Tom Hardy) has also fallen on hard times after a stint in the marines. All he wants is to support the family of a fallen compatriot. There's an MMA tournament in Atlantic City with a $5 Million Grand Prize. Perhaps that's the solution to their problems.
Well, it's not that easy. Not just for them, but the audience.
The script, co-written by O'Conner, makes both brothers perfectly valid protagonist. There's no obvious bad guy here except for the brothers' personal demons. They both have good intentions but they have bad blood between them. Now, how'll the audience cheer for one when the other loses?
Not helping matters is the great performances of both on-screen brothers. They looked so much like brothers that at some points, I lost track of who was who. Seriously.
And then there's Nick Nolte as the brothers' sober wreck of a father and Tommy's trainer Paddy. His performance was on equal footing with his on-screen sons. It's truly the best of the supporting cast and a name to remember in a few months.
Surely, there were the usual cliches of the format. But in this film, they felt more natural than artificial. It's an awesome film overall and it wins on the first round.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Contagion
CAUTION: Symptoms of the new movie Contagion may include stuff I'll talk about later on. Sneezing or Coughing during the movie is not advised. You don't want to jynx it.
With that fake health warning out of the way, we should get on to describe the film.
Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) comes back from Hong Kong on Thanksgiving Week to her husband Mitch (Matt Damon) and her little son. Five minutes into the film, she is dead from a nasty new superbug sweeping the world. It's spreading faster than Dr. Ellis (Laurence Fishburne) and his CDC colleagues can come up with a cure. But obviously, they're going to have to.
And somehow, Mitch is immune from the superbug. Why him? For reasons of plot, of course! Meanwhile, society starts to collapse and everyone's Christmas becomes not so Merry.
It's biggest problem is that for a thriller, it's quite restrained. For instance, the characters were somewhat involving, keyword being somewhat. It was thus quite hard initially to get involved with their plights. But what does elevate this from a "meh" to an "OK" is that gradually, this situation reverses itself.
What also saves the film is director and cinematographer Steven Soderbergh's photography. The empty scenery shots are great realizations of this nightmare scenario. Another scene, where Mitch drives off robbers from his neighbors' house, stands out amongst them all.
For those who like scientific knowledge unsensationalized, this is the right film for you. Who knows, it might just change your habits once you leave the theater.
JETHRO'S NOTE: I did not cough during the whole movie.
With that fake health warning out of the way, we should get on to describe the film.
Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) comes back from Hong Kong on Thanksgiving Week to her husband Mitch (Matt Damon) and her little son. Five minutes into the film, she is dead from a nasty new superbug sweeping the world. It's spreading faster than Dr. Ellis (Laurence Fishburne) and his CDC colleagues can come up with a cure. But obviously, they're going to have to.
And somehow, Mitch is immune from the superbug. Why him? For reasons of plot, of course! Meanwhile, society starts to collapse and everyone's Christmas becomes not so Merry.
It's biggest problem is that for a thriller, it's quite restrained. For instance, the characters were somewhat involving, keyword being somewhat. It was thus quite hard initially to get involved with their plights. But what does elevate this from a "meh" to an "OK" is that gradually, this situation reverses itself.
What also saves the film is director and cinematographer Steven Soderbergh's photography. The empty scenery shots are great realizations of this nightmare scenario. Another scene, where Mitch drives off robbers from his neighbors' house, stands out amongst them all.
For those who like scientific knowledge unsensationalized, this is the right film for you. Who knows, it might just change your habits once you leave the theater.
JETHRO'S NOTE: I did not cough during the whole movie.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
The Debt
Funny how a movie called The Debt was made by a studio in debt.
It was supposed to be one of last fall's big Oscar contenders, but due to Miramax's financial burdens, it's now one of this year's big Oscar contenders. With Focus Features now taking charge, let's see how it'll do.
Directed by John Madden, best known for Shakespere in Love, this is a remake of the same-named Israeli thriller from 2007 (in Hebrew, it's HaHov). It goes back in forth in time to tell its story of Rachel (Jessica Chastain/Helen Mirren), David (Sam Worthington/Ciaran Hinds) and Stefan (Martin Csokas/Tom Wilkinson). They're young, in love and in Mossad.
The trio was sent in 1965 to find and apprehend Dieter Vogel (Jesper Christinsen), the infamous Nazi scientist. By 1997, everyone remembers their mission which ended in Vogel dead and gone.
But no one except them know that the official story wasn't the real story. And that has taken a terrible price on the trio.
Both sets of actors, highlighted by Worthington and Mirren, give some great performances. The script, co-written by Matthew Vaughn, is intriguing save for some spots near the end. These spots are the kind that make one say "OK, we get it, move!" Yet, these spots detract from the film only in the slightest.
Put together by editor Alexander Berner, the majority of the film is perfectly tense and exciting. Ben Davis, Matthew Vaughn's frequent cinematographer, is appropriate for its dark subject matter. Both have never been up for Oscars before; hopefully, this film'll change that.
What twists have I been keeping from you? You'll just have to find out for yourselves. It's not an appealing subject, but it's still an appealing thriller.
It was supposed to be one of last fall's big Oscar contenders, but due to Miramax's financial burdens, it's now one of this year's big Oscar contenders. With Focus Features now taking charge, let's see how it'll do.
Directed by John Madden, best known for Shakespere in Love, this is a remake of the same-named Israeli thriller from 2007 (in Hebrew, it's HaHov). It goes back in forth in time to tell its story of Rachel (Jessica Chastain/Helen Mirren), David (Sam Worthington/Ciaran Hinds) and Stefan (Martin Csokas/Tom Wilkinson). They're young, in love and in Mossad.
The trio was sent in 1965 to find and apprehend Dieter Vogel (Jesper Christinsen), the infamous Nazi scientist. By 1997, everyone remembers their mission which ended in Vogel dead and gone.
But no one except them know that the official story wasn't the real story. And that has taken a terrible price on the trio.
Both sets of actors, highlighted by Worthington and Mirren, give some great performances. The script, co-written by Matthew Vaughn, is intriguing save for some spots near the end. These spots are the kind that make one say "OK, we get it, move!" Yet, these spots detract from the film only in the slightest.
Put together by editor Alexander Berner, the majority of the film is perfectly tense and exciting. Ben Davis, Matthew Vaughn's frequent cinematographer, is appropriate for its dark subject matter. Both have never been up for Oscars before; hopefully, this film'll change that.
What twists have I been keeping from you? You'll just have to find out for yourselves. It's not an appealing subject, but it's still an appealing thriller.
These Amazing Shadows
There are a lot of big stars in the documentary These Amazing Shadows. And they all appear in big films deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the National Film Registry. And you'll have fun knowing why the organization was created.
Created in 1989, the National Film Registry preserves select films for future generations. Unlike the Oscars, plenty of films'll get the honor. The only question is when they'll get it.
The film's best moments came from explaining why certain films were chosen. Not just the obvious choices such as Gone with the Wind, but the more eccentric choices such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Seeing the interviewed guest stars explain these films' unique significances was immersive and rewarding.
It also explains how average viewers, not just stuffy suits, can vote for certain films. It even explains how they alone can help their favorites get chosen, case in point Blazing Saddles. I didn't even know this was even possible and to learn something new is just great.
For anyone who likes movies, this is a must see. Unfortunately, it's in very limited release now, but last I heard, it'll play on PBS this fall. If it's not playing near you, do see it on TV the first chance you get. It's the most fun you'll have learning about the movies.
Created in 1989, the National Film Registry preserves select films for future generations. Unlike the Oscars, plenty of films'll get the honor. The only question is when they'll get it.
The film's best moments came from explaining why certain films were chosen. Not just the obvious choices such as Gone with the Wind, but the more eccentric choices such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Seeing the interviewed guest stars explain these films' unique significances was immersive and rewarding.
It also explains how average viewers, not just stuffy suits, can vote for certain films. It even explains how they alone can help their favorites get chosen, case in point Blazing Saddles. I didn't even know this was even possible and to learn something new is just great.
For anyone who likes movies, this is a must see. Unfortunately, it's in very limited release now, but last I heard, it'll play on PBS this fall. If it's not playing near you, do see it on TV the first chance you get. It's the most fun you'll have learning about the movies.
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