My Review: Enemy (8/10)

"Chaos is order yet undeciphered."

Denis Villeneuve's latest film, Enemy, opens with this very interesting quote about chaos and I can't think of a better one to explain  this intense and intriguing film. Enemy is a movie that requires your full attention and it is definitely not for the casual viewer. At first glance the story may seem chaotic, but Villeneuve is reminding us to pay close attention because there is an order to this surreal film if you decipher the symbolisms and meanings behind each scene. There have been many different interpretations as to what this film is trying to say, but I believe Villeneuve has made it possible for the viewers to put the clues together and understand the true meaning of his film. He has stated that it is a film about Jake's subconscious and the poster also points to that so I am not entering into spoiler territory when I make these claims. Enemy will be a divisive film because it doesn't follow a classical narrative structure and many people might find that misleading, but others will absolutely love trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together and solving this intriguing thriller. I think that the most important element for the audience is what they interpret the spiders to be since they play an important role in this film. However, even if you don't understand the chaos at first (which I didn't) Villeneuve sets such an eerie and creepy atmosphere with the cinematography and score that the film can still be enjoyed. The mystery completely sucked me in and I loved all the twists. I never saw the ending coming either and it left me completely perplexed, but after thinking about the story and reading some interpretations I was fascinated by the resolution. Enemy will either make you want to go back and rewatch it immediately to pick up on the clues, or it will turn you off completely and make you want to wipe out your memory. Enemy in my opinion is a great film and Villeneuve continues to show his versatility as a director.

The screenplay was adapted by Javier Gullon from Jose Saramago's novel (The Double) although he included some clever surrealist elements like the addition of spiders which aren't part of the novel. We are introduced to Adam (Jake Gyllenhaal) giving one of his lectures as a history professor. He gives a speech about totalitarian governments and how events repeat themselves over the course of time. His life is pretty dull as is his relationship with his girlfriend, Mary (Melanie Laurent), but things take an interesting turn when he watches a movie that a friend has recommended. After watching the film, he realizes that there was an actor in the background that looks exactly like him. He looks the actor up on the internet and decides to call his number. A woman answers the phone and believes it is her husband that is on the other line. Not only does Adam resemble this other actor, but they have the same voice as well. Adam tries to explain who he is, but the woman named Helen (Sarah Gadon) seems to be deeply disturbed. Her husband, Anthony (Jake Gyllenhaal) arrives and finds Helen troubled so he asks what's going on. After she explains to him the situation Anthony decides to meet with Adam in a hotel room and that is where the psychological thriller picks up and the mystery thickens. 

I've been a huge fan of Villeneuve ever since I saw his Canadian film, Incendies. It still remains my favorite film of his, but he has shown an impressive range with his latest films. Prisoners sort of felt like a conventional thriller with a straightforward narrative although the cinematography and the performances made it stand out. Enemy on the other hand is very different and audiences expecting a similar thriller will be disappointed because it is more of a psychological surreal thriller resembling some of the films from David Lynch. Enemy succeeds in most part thanks to Jake Gyllenhaal's brilliant performance as he plays two distinct characters giving each one different depth. It also benefits from an ending that some have called the scariest they've seen on film. I wouldn't go that far, but I thought it was shocking and unique. Villeneuve has really messed with his audience, but he did it in a positive way because it makes you want to go back and watch what you missed (unless you hated it and thought it was silly which is also a possibility with films like this). The tone of the film completely captured me and I was engaged once I got past those disturbing opening minutes. The entire film has a lot to do with the lecture Adam gives and whether you liked this film or not it does have order once you decipher all the chaos. Enemy is a clever film that will stick with you and it is so unique that it's hard to compare it to other films.

My Review: Now You See Me (4/10)

"First rule of magic: always be the smartest person in the room."

The latest film directed by Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk, and The Transporter) is probably one of his weakest efforts, only competing against Clash of the Titans. If the first rule in magic means you have to be the smartest person in the room, then the first rule to enjoy this movie is that you have to be one of the dumbest persons in the audience. The movie tries to make us think that the more we look the less we will see, kind of like telling us the more we think about the movie the less we will enjoy it. So it is trying to keep our mind centered on the nice tricks and great cast, but trying to keep us away from thinking too deeply at the absurdity of the plot. Now You See Me is all an illusion and the more you think about it the more you know that the tricks and twists are a bit beyond belief. It is a pity because I really like this cast (seeing Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine back together after the Batman trilogy was something I was looking forward too) and they aren't bad in this movie either, but the problem I had with it was that the screenplay was pretty weak and the tricks were unbelievable. Don't get me wrong, I'm not against smart heist films that use magic and illusions, but this doesn't even deserve to stand against other films in the genre such as Oceans 11 that accomplishes this feat way better than this. The characters could have been developed so much better, but the film introduces them in such a lazy way that I didn't really get emotionally involved with them. I know all the movies don't have to be smart and believable, but at least those that aren't manage to engage and involve the audience in an entertaining way. I didn't feel that way about this silly movie. I didn't feel tricked either, I felt cheated on with such dumb twists. 

The film begins by introducing us to four different magicians that are all being recruited by some sort of mystery man. First there is J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) who is doing a classic card trick in front of an audience in the street and picking up a girl while he's at it. Then there is Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), who is hypnotizing a woman while blackmailing her husband. The third magician is Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher) who is performing a dangerous stunt involving a pool and piranhas. And finally there is Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) a con-magician who distracts people with cheap tricks while stealing from them. These four magicians are all recruited by a mysterious man who gives them a blue print of some great tricks they can work on together. The film then jumps a year forward where we see these four magicians working on an act together in Las Vegas. They are known as the Four Horseman and they are about to pull a live bank robbery from the stage. This is where the FBI comes in as lead investigator Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo) begins to pursue the case along with his assigned partner from Interpol, Alma Dray (Melanie Laurent). With no definite proof to arrest these magicians they must work together before their next heist takes place. For this, they enlist the help of Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman), a profesional illusion exposer and former magician himself. But be warned, nothing is what it seems in this film as the twists begin.

I had high expectations for Now You See Me because it had an interesting premise and the cast involved was excellent. They are all really talented and honestly they did a good job with the weak script they had to work with. My biggest issue was the story which didn't make much sense. I won't mention the issues because I don't want to give away spoilers, but everything pretty much seemed false. I didn't believe the twists and turns the film took. I also thought the entire hypnotic sequences were kind of a cheat to explain how they could perform most of the tricks. The film really defies logic and I had a problem with that considering I never got emotionally involved with the characters in order to forgive those faults and simply enjoy the movie for what it is. I can forgive films that don't make sense as long as the audience is allowed to have fun with the premise and be entertained with what is going on, but that didn't happen with me. I won't be recommending Now You See Me to anyone, but I know some fans will have a good time thanks to the illusions and tricks that the director plays on us.

My Review: Beginners (8/10)

¨Well, let's say that since you were little, you always dreamed of getting a lion. And you wait, and you wait, and you wait, and you wait but the lion doesn't come. And along comes a giraffe. You can be alone, or you can be with the giraffe.¨

Beginners is one of those movies that stands out due to the strong performance from the cast. The actors tell the story, and sometimes a look can say more than actual words. Ewan McGregor has this look in his eyes that constantly reminds us in this film that his character is a very sad and lonesome guy. There is no need for him to tell us, we just know it by the way he acts. From the opening scene you will also notice this isn`t your typical Hollywood romantic movie; it`s different and actually rings true to life. Beginners is a romantic drama with a strong and special chemistry between the two lead roles played by McGregor and Melanie Laurent (from Inglorious Basterds fame). In order for a romantic movie to work it`s a must for the two lead characters to have a strong chemistry between them, and these two have it from the start, from the very first moment they meet. Ironically when they first meet she can`t talk, but they say so much to each other with their eyes. That is true in life sometimes. From that moment I knew this film was going to be good, and it was. Their relationship is the center of the story although the movie is non-linear as we get to see McGregor`s relationship with his now dead mother and father. Those interactions with them shaped him and made him the man he is today. He witnessed how his parents respected one another, but lacked real love for each other. He doesn`t want to make the same mistake.

Oliver (Ewan McGregor) is the narrator of the movie in which he is telling the story of his life. It`s 2003 and his father, Hal (Christopher Plummer) has recently passed away. We get several flashbacks dealing with their relationship together. His mother, Georgia (Mary Page Keller), who he was closer with had died five years ago. After this, Oliver grew closer to his father who opened up to him and let him know he has been gay all his life. Hal really begins living after he comes out of the closet and has a relationship with a much younger man named Andy (Goran Visnjic). Oliver begins to see a version of his father that he never knew. At the same time he realizes his father has terminal cancer and therefore has to take care of him, but in a way they form a stronger bond with each other. Oliver is now on his own, working as a graphic artist who keeps to himself most of the time and spends time with his father`s dog, Arthur, but one day his co-workers invite him to a party and insist on him joining them. There Oliver meets a young French actress named Anna (Melanie Laurent) and despite the fact that she can`t speak at first due to laryngitis they spend the night together and the relationship grows from there. The two seem perfect for each other, neither of them is in a relationship, but Oliver is afraid they won`t last. The movie jumps back and forth from Oliver`s relationship with his father and his present relationship with Anna. We get to see how some things of the past have affected him and shaped him in the present.  

Beginners is not a movie for everyone; some might find it slow-paced, but it is a very smart film with a good script written by Mike Mills himself (this is his first film since the 2005 movie Thumbsucker) and it has some great performances. I already mentioned how strong McGregor and Laurent were together, but who really has been getting all the praise is Christopher Plummer for his supporting role. He plays an openly gay seventy five year old man who is enjoying life after trying to repress his feelings for so many years. Just when his life begins to look good he is diagnosed with cancer and has to deal with this as well without telling his young lover that he`s dying. He gives a terrific performance and will probably get nominated for the Oscars. I however found Laurent`s performance to be the true heart of the film. She is just so natural on screen and was so believable; she was just amazing. McGregor is a terrific actor as well and we`ve grown used to seeing him give strong performances. Beginners is a movie for film lovers, they won`t be disappointed. I recently saw New Year`s Eve and that movie had so many romantic stories going on that none of them really rang true, but this one is really authentic and worth seeing. The characters are really complex and you can tell it just by looking into their eyes. Great film.

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My Review: Inglourious Basterds (10/10)

(10/10) Inglourious Basterds is by far the best movie of the year. Quentin Tarantino once again directs a masterpiece; a film that combines a lot of violence, funny and inteligent dialogues, and great characters. I`m a huge Tarantino fan and have enjoyed all his movies. It`s very hard to pick a favorite since all his movies are great: Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill, and now Inglourious Basterds. Tarantino is a master at what he does and he knows everything there is to know about films, and in this movie which you would expect to be all about World War II he combines so much film history knowledge into it that the war actually seems to take a second place. No other director can tell a story the way he does and combine so many diferent characters that you actually care for and hate seeing them get killed off. I had huge expectations for this movie and I wasn`t disappointed. Tarantino seems to combine the same formula he uses for all of his movies mixing funny dialogues with violent sequences, but he has a way of telling each story that just ends up captivating you every time.

The opening sequence was just brilliant and it actually set the tone for the rest of the movie since the film seemed to focus on long dialogues (which explains why the movie is two and a half hours long) that contributed on building the tension and anxiety of the viewer. In this opening scene we are introduced to Col. Hans Landa (played brilliantly by Christoph Waltz) who has a long conversation with Perriere (Denis Menochet), a family man who has a milk farm and is hiding jews. Col. Hans is trying to find out if Perriere is hiding jews and we are introduced to his character in this dialogue where he explains his position, his occupation, his nickname, and so on. Everything we need to know about him, we learn through the conversation that these two characters have. In the meantime, we the viewers begin to feel the anxiety that this Colonel is putting us through. Col. Hans doesn`t just storm in and turn the place upside down in search of the jews, instead he loves torturing his adversary and has long conversations with them prooving his intelligence and superiority. Christoph Waltz creates one of the best villains (I would rank him up there with Ledger`s Joker and Hopskins`s Hannibal Lecter) and surely will get an Oscar nomination for his work in this movie where he switches back in forth from german to french to english to italian. In this opening sequence he proves his talent by being able to soften Perriere and making him talk despite seeming to be uncorruptable at first. His character does this several times during the movie and enjoys torturing his victim`s psychologically. After Perriere gives away the hiding spot of the jews, one girl escapes, Shosanna (played by Melanie Laurent) and she will become a key character later on in the film when she finds an opportunity for revenge. In the second chapter of the movie we are introduced to the basterds. They are a group of about a dozen American Jews who are in France with the sole purpose of torturing and killing Nazis. Their leader is Lt. Aldo Raine (who is also played extremely well by Brad Pitt and his character is probably the one that delivers most laughs). Some of the basterds include: Donny Donowitz, the bear jew (played by Eli Roth, the director of the Hostel films) who kills nazis with a baseball bat, Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz (Til Scweiger), Lt. Archie Holcox (Micheal Fassbender), and Wilhelm Wicki (Gedeon Burkhard) among others. Some of these characters share a key scene with Bridget von Hammersmark (played by Diane Kruger) in a tavern where they plan on ambushing the nazis in a theater. Diane Kruger also delivers a great performance as Bridget, a famous movie actress that is actually a spy against the nazis. The performances by Christoph Waltz, Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, and Melanie Laurent were all outstanding and there were a few other characters that played smaller roles that were also great. The perfomances combined with Tarantino`s script add to the overall suspense and tension of the film.

This movie introduces so many different characters that I wish they all had a chance to have more screen time. Brad Pitt is not in this movie all that much as the trailers made you think, but it all worked out for the best becuase every character brought something different to the table. The language switching from german to english to french and then to italian all contributed to give this film a more realistic touch. I loved the diversity and complexity all these factors brought into play. The film isn`t actually as violent as you would expect it to be. It does have some of the classic Tarantino elements of over the top and suprise violence, but there is much more to it. The way the story is told and put together is what I enjoyed the most along with how Tarantino builds the suspense and tension. All these elements contribute to make this a complete film. It is hard to say if this is his best work because I have come to love all his other movies, but this films feels more mature and maybe Tarantino feels the same way about it. He even might have subconsciously said it through Lt Aldo when he told his partner at the end of the movie: I think this might just be my masterpiece. His masterpiece or not this is still a great movie and the best I`ve seen all year.