The Gift (8/10): A solid psychological thriller

¨It's all in the eyes, you see. You see what happens when you poison other people's mind with ideas?¨

The Gift sort of appeared from nowhere and has surprised critics and audiences alike for its suspenseful narrative and strong performances. This is Joel Edgerton's directorial debut and what makes it even more impressive is that he wrote the script and co-starred in the film as well, so it is quite an achievement for him. Edgerton had previously co-written some interesting scripts (The Rover and The Square), but this is the first time he went solo while deciding to direct it as well.  These mystery thrillers are probably my favorite kind of films so I was hooked from the very beginning and loved the performances. This is the film I wished Creep would've been. The performances are solid and no one seems to be over selling it. There are also several suspenseful moments and a couple of jump scares that worked extremely well. Edgerton does a fantastic job directing this movie without trying to do anything overly artistic. It is a simple mystery thriller that manages to work thanks to some clever twists and surprises along the way. The premise at first seems like one you've seen before, but each time you think you know where the film is heading it takes a couple of unexpected turns that work to the film's advantage and adds to the overall creepy atmosphere.

I don't want to give the plot away so I will be as simplistic as possible, but no matter how familiar the premise may seem at first I recommend you stick with it because the film is very rewarding.  We are introduced to a married couple who have recently moved to California from Chicago. Simon (Jason Bateman) is returning to his childhood town with his wife Robyn (Rebecca Hall). They seem to be the perfect couple living a blissful life as they both are settling into their beautiful new home. While they are visiting a local store, Simon runs into a man who introduces himself as Gordo (Joel Edgerton). At first Simon doesn't recognize him, but they were both school friends and it doesn't take long for him to recall him (Gordo the weirdo as he later tells his wife). Gordo is very excited to see him and seems very friendly although it does make Simon a bit uneasy. Gordo begins sending gifts to the couple and showing up at their home uninvited which begins to make them uncomfortable (as well as the audience).  It becomes evident that Gordo is a bit of a creep, but he isn't exactly menacing either. As familiar as this stalker premise might seem, the film does evolve into something more and it does so in a very natural way. 

I'd say that The Gift is more of a psychological drama than an actual horror thriller, but it does have its jump scares scattered throughout. The mystery works because everything unfolds naturally and none of the twists seem forced. Edgerton never plays tricks on the audience and delivers a straightforward film which benefits from the three lead performances. Jason Bateman is known for his comedic work, but here he excels in this dramatic role playing a successful business man. Rebecca Hall is also great although her character isn't given much of an arc. Joel Edgerton is fantastic as this creep who makes the audience feel uncomfortable while also feeling sorry for him at times. I don't think the movie would've worked without these strong lead performances because they play a key role in making the premise evolve naturally. The Gift ended up being a memorable psychological thriller that benefited from the audience going into it without knowing much about it. It was a fantastic experience and one of the better thrillers to come out this year. In a way it feels like a throwback to some thrillers from the 90´s.

My Review: Transcendence (5/10)

"We're not gonna fight them. We're gonna transcend them."

Transcendence is one of those rare films where you can't quite grasp what exactly it is that's missing, but somehow it fails to find a connection with most audiences. Wally Pfister seemed to have all the right ingredients for his directing debut. He had a terrific cast including  Johnny Depp, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, and Kate Mara, and a strong screenplay that Christopher Nolan even considered to use before going on to make Interstellar. We also know that Pfister can handle the visuals because he has been the cinematographer for Nolan in all his films since Memento. The film looks great and has a strong cast, but the characters and the story simply didn't draw me in. For a film that tries to be thought provoking, I found it extremely difficult to stay awake or even care for the premise.  It tries to build suspense and make us consider how dangerous our technological advancements have become, but it succeeds at neither. I don't want to get into spoiler territory either, but I found the final act incoherent as it was completely changing the message it was giving all along. I was really disappointed with this film and found it quite boring. 

He may seem like the main character, but Johnny Depp doesn't get much screen time in this film. He plays Dr. Will Caster, one of the lead researchers and entrepreneurs in the field of Artificial Intelligence. He works alongside his wife, Evelyn (Rebecca Hall), and they are currently trying to create a sentient machine with human emotions (which is referred to in the scientific community as Technological Singularity, but Will likes to call it Transcendence). Paul Bettany is Max Waters, one of Evelyn and Will's best friends and fellow researcher. Their work has received a lot of attention, but not everyone is happy about this. A radical anti-technology organization led by Bree (Kate Mara) will do what it takes to stop them before they continue having success with their experimentation. 

The performances were solid, but the story just felt flat and failed to engage me. I didn't really care for any of the characters either. Most of the actors were underused, and the only noteworthy thing about Transcendence was its visuals. The inconsistencies in some of the characters is what really hurt this film in my opinion, and I think they simply tried to tie things up too neatly at the end by redeeming some of things that had been done earlier on. The film also seems to have some pacing issues as it drags during several scenes and feels way too long. The film lacks thrills and feels unfocused making it hard to follow at times. I usually like smart sci-fi films, but this one felt all over the place and could have used some of that Artificial Intelligence to help with the production of the film so it would be more coherent. It never transcends from the screen to our brains in the way it so desperately tries to. 

My Review: Dorian Gray (5/10)

"I am what you made me! I lived the life that you preached... but never dared practice. I am everything, that you were too afraid to be."

Dorian Gray is the third film Oliver Parker has directed based on the work of one of the greatest Irish writers of all time, Oscar Wilde. "The Picture of Dorian Gray" is Wilde's only written novel and perhaps one of his most famous works which was censored at the time due to the source material. It has become a masterpiece for Wilde's sharp critique towards the aestheticism of Victorian society. This double life that Wilde's novel captured perfectly didn't really resonate with me in the film. I found it un-engaging and dull with characters that weren't developed really well. Dorian is completely hedonistic and there was nothing about him that made me believe that the people would be so sympathetic towards him. This double life he lived wasn't explored as well in the movie because everyone saw him as he really was, young and beautiful but completely hedonistic. Lord Henry Wooton's influence on him is the main theme in this film as he is the one that introduces Dorian to this lifestyle which he immediately embraces. Despite its good production, I felt the film wasted its potential and lost its appeal quickly. 

The screenplay was loosely adapted by Toby Finlay. The film begins with the arrival of the young Dorian Gray (Ben Barnes) to Victorian London. He has inherited a huge estate from his abusive grandfather. Dorian is a nice and naive young man who is quickly swept away with the charismatic Lord Henry Wooton (Colin Firth). Lord Henry also feels attracted to Dorian and reminds him to take advantage of his beauty and youth because it won't last forever. He introduces Dorian to the several pleasures the city has to offer. Lord Henry is married to Lady Victoria (Emilia Fox), but he isn't faithful to her. Lord Henry's artist friend, Basil (Ben Chaplin) also feels admiration for Dorian who hires him to paint a special portrait of him that will capture his youthfulness and beauty. When Basil finished his painting, everyone is entranced by it and it becomes one of the painter's best work. Dorian adores it so much that he makes a pledge saying that he will give his soul to maintain that youthfulness forever. As he becomes more and more obsessed with the painting he begins living a life of debauchery and hedonism. Nothing affects him, as the painting absorbs all his scars and unveils what his soul truly looks like. Dorian hides the painting and lets everyone see him as this beautiful and youthful young man.

Ben Barnes gives a decent performance but his character did lack more depth. It was very difficult to engage with him as he becomes completely obsessed with maintaining his youthful appearance. I couldn't see that spark that I needed to see from him to believe that all the Victorian society would become so obsessed with him. Colin Firth is a great actor and he played a key role in this film as he is the main influence for Dorian's narcissistic obsession. However I never felt this guy could have such an important influence in Dorian's life, he was lacking that magnetism. The addition of Rebecca Hall's character in the second half of the film didn't help either. I couldn't help but feel this film was missing something and it fails to draw the audience in. Dorian Gray is just too explicit in its portrayal of debauchery and nothing is left for the viewer to imagine.   

My Review: Iron Man 3 (8/10)

¨Ladies, children, sheep... Some people call me a terrorist. I consider myself a teacher. Lesson number one: Heroes, there is no such thing.¨

Iron Man 3 is the first film following the events of The Avengers, and if you wondered if the movie was going to lose entertainment value considering it shifts the focus back to only one superhero, you were wrong. Despite not having all those great characters together, Robert Downey Jr. manages to capture the audience’s attention once again with his vibrant portrayal of Tony Stark. He has been the main reason why I´ve enjoyed these films so much because they are just a perfect fit. New director, Shane Black (Lethal Weapon), who worked with Downey in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, knows that the secret to the success of this franchise is letting Downey be himself and focus on his character. In this third film Starks is stripped down of his toys and questions whether or not he is worth anything without the suit. The Nolan effect which has been a key element in superhero movies is present at the beginning of the movie. We see a much more vulnerable Tony Stark, who is suffering from panic attacks due to the events in The Avengers, and who makes mistakes like putting his beloved Potts in danger due to his big mouth. This first part of the movie didn’t work very well because it felt like a different kind of hero, but the effect wears off real quickly and Starks is once again back to his normal self once he realizes he is what makes the suit and not vice versa. Having his character stripped of his toys and having to manage to depend on simple things once again to defeat his foes is what made this film so entertaining. It was like if Stark had to go back to the basics and rediscover himself, although he never loses his goofiness. The villains in this film were also a huge improvement from its predecessor. This might not be as great as the original Iron Man, but it is an improvement from the first sequel. Black did a decent job following Jon Favreau´s work and he manages to keep the franchise afloat.   

Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) has to face a new set of villains in this third film which takes place after the events of The Avengers. A terrorist who calls himself The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is terrorizing the world through several explosions across the globe. Meanwhile Tony has found himself absorbed trying to perfect his suits and may have crossed the line trying to overprotect his love interest, Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). The reason behind his obsession is that he can´t afford to lose what he loves most. When Stark threatens The Mandarin, his army destroys his home leaving him for dead. Stark has to hide out while he figures out more information about this terrorist. He discovers some information about an AIM program run by Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) which seems to be involved with the well known terrorist. Without being able to use all his equipment and technology, Stark is forced to use his intellect and capabilities to defeat his new enemies, while at the same time trying to protect Potts. Along his quest he makes some new friends, like the young boy named Harley (Ty Simpkins) who helps gather some materials for him to work with, and counts with his always reliable friend, Rhodes/War Machine (Don Cheadle). Rebecca Hall also has a small role in this film as Killian´s assistant, and Paul Bettany lends his voice once again to Jarvis.    

As you would expect, the visuals in this film are great and the action sequences are also very entertaining. The two hours go by in a flash thanks to some decent pacing. The franchise doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but it still offers some great summer popcorn fun entertainment. Iron Man 3 is the perfect way to start off the 2013 summer and we can only hope the rest of the films keep this streak going. I loved the little twists and turns the film takes here by making you think it is going to be so much darker than the rest of The Avengers, but then all of a sudden it returns to its playful self. The Marvel universe is one that doesn’t have to be taken so seriously because we have fun with the lightness of the characters and situations. The entire spin with The Mandarin was incredible. I wasn’t too pleased with the opening minutes of the film considering Stark was much more vulnerable and not as fun as his usual self, but once he got his confidence back everything seemed to play out really well. Black is a master at mixing some great action scenes with tons of comedy (Lethal Weapon and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang are proof of that) and we see it once again with Iron Man 3. Downey Jr. continues to deliver with his clever lines and charismatic self. He is the only reason we need to want to go see this movie.

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My Review: Everything Must Go (8/10)

¨Do you know what the rate of success is for marriage when one person sobers up, but the other one doesn`t?¨

Will Ferrell stars in this fantastic comedy slash drama, but this isn’t the typical Ferrell comedy where we see him screaming all over the screen. This time he plays a quiet and sad alcoholic, and it`s perhaps one of his best performances to date. Everything Must Go was a really pleasant surprise for me; it reminded me a lot of 2008`s film The Visitor starring Richard Jenkins. Will Ferrell gives a very similar and quiet performance. Nothing really happens in the movie, but it`s the relationship between the characters that carries the film to a higher ground. This is Dan Rush`s first film as a director, and he really hits a home run with his debut film. He also adapted the screenplay from Raymond Carver`s short story ¨Why Don`t You Dance.¨ The dialogue in this movie is just great, and it really feels authentic. The actors also do a great job with the pauses; everything about this movie makes it fresh. The film is rather slow paced and focuses more on the drama and interactions between characters who end up bonding in unexpected ways. It also has very funny moments; although not the laugh out loud kind of humor, but more of a put a grind on your face kind of comedy. I didn’t know Ferrell had it in him to give a performance of this caliber without relying on his usual loud mouth role. This is the sort of guy we can identify with, and whose life seems to be unraveling right in front of us. So much potential gone down the drain due to a small mistake.

Will Ferrell plays a Sales Executive named Nick Halsey who at the beginning of the film is being fired from his job due to his problems with alcohol. He was a great worker, and seemed to be recovering from his drinking problem, but recently had a relapse when he travelled to Denver and decided to have a few drinks to celebrate an important sale. Word got out to the office in Arizona and they decided it was time to let Nick go. Without a job, now Nick arrives home only to discover that all his things are laying in the front yard of his house and his wife has changed the locks of the doors. Apparently in Denver he also slept with another woman and now his wife has kicked him out of the house. Nick decides to stay in his front yard sitting on his reclining chair and has no intention of moving out. Someone makes a complain and the police come to arrest him for disturbing the peace in the neighborhood, but his friend, Detective Frank Garcia  (Michael Peña), gets him a permit to stay in his front lawn for five days with the excuse that he is having a garage sale. During these days he befriends a young boy named Kenny (Christopher Jordan Wallace) who practically spends all day on his own. Nick hires him to help out with the sale and during that time they become friends. Nick teaches Kenny a thing or two about baseball. A new neighbor also has recently moved in the house in front of Nick`s; she introduces herself as Samantha (Rebecca Hall) and says she`s expecting a baby girl in a couple of months. Nick opens up to her about his problems and they being an interesting friendship.

Everything Must Go is a really interesting small film that will surely put a smile on your face as we see these authentic interactions between characters that probably under normal circumstances never would`ve befriended each other. The thing I enjoyed the most about this film was the realistic way in which each of these characters was portrayed; and the way the actors played them. Will Ferrell, Christopher Wallace, and Rebecca Hall (who I first came to love in Ben Affleck`s flick The Town) all give great performances and the success of the film relies entirely on them. The movie isn`t deep, it doesn’t try to be preachy either; it just focuses on these small relationships and lets us now that it`s never too late to start again. Will Ferrell should continue to accept interesting projects like this so he can prove that he is more than a one dimensional actor. I love his comedies, like Talladega Nights and Ron Burgundy, but it is great to see him in different roles as well proving he can be a serious actor as well. Director, Dan Rush took a huge risk by giving him the lead role, but the gamble paid off because he fit the role perfectly. This is a different kind of film, but I absolutely recommend it. I loved it.

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My Review: The Town (10/10)

¨I will see you; this side or the other. ¨

Many critics thought that Ben Affleck`s successful directorial debut in Gone Baby Gone could have to do with beginners luck, but he proved them otherwise with The Town because he has made one of the best films of the year once again. He has managed to go two for two now and is beginning to prove he may have a better career as a director than an actor. Affleck has brought us one of the best crime thrillers of the decade; I was completely hooked from the very beginning with the heist and chase scenes as well as with the characters. The movie has several tense scenes that will have you at the edge of your seat, and at the same time very well developed characters with good dialogues thanks to a smart script adapted by Affleck himself and a good performance from the entire cast. The screenplay was adapted from Chuck Hogan`s novel ¨Prince of Thieves¨ and besides Affleck, Aaron Stockard and Peter Craig collaborated with the adaptation. The screenplay was very well adapted although it differs from the novel in the ending. Affleck also stars in this film and he does a pretty good job, but who really steals the show is Jeremy Renner as the secondary character. The rest of the cast also have an above average performance: Blake Lively, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, and the late Pete Postlethwaite all give very memorable performances thanks to the solid material they had to work with. Affleck seems to bring the best out of each actor as a director and he has proven he has a very promising career ahead of himself if he continues at this pace.

As in Affleck`s other film the story takes place once again in Boston. Charlestown is a neighborhood known for producing the most blue collar bank robbers in the world. Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck), James Coughlin (Jeremy Renner), Albert Magloan (Slaine), and Desmond Elden (Owen Burke) have all grown up together in Charlestown and are no exception to the rule. Together they have managed to pull off a series of armored vehicles and bank robberies throughout Boston under Doug`s leadership. They receive tips from a florist owner known as Fergie (Pete Postlethwaite) who has controlled the neighborhood for years. During their latest bank robbery things go wrong and they are forced to take the bank manager, Claire (Rebecca Hall) hostage before letting her go unharmed once they have escaped. Things begin to get complicated once James realizes that Claire lives in their same neighborhood and fears she might have seen something. Doug decides to follow her around to make sure she doesn`t suspect anything and in doing so they begin to develop a friendship. James would much rather get rid of her because he doesn`t want to risk their cover, but Doug has fallen for her and wants to change his life around. Doug will soon discover that getting out of a life of crime will be more difficult than he ever could have imagined. Doug`s other concern is that the FBI is close on their tail and they are receiving a lot of heat from S.A. Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm) and his partner Dino (Titus Welliver).

The Town is a very tense and gripping movie that manages to balance well crafted suspenseful crime scenes with well developed characters and a good script that adds some emotional drama to the action sequences. It is hard to avoid comparisons between this movie and Michael Mann`s Heat since every successful crime film can be compared to that one, the best of its genre. Ben Affleck is turning into a great director and is perhaps doing something similar for Boston to what Woody Allen and Spike Lee do for New York. There is no denying Affleck also has talent as a screenwriter since he won an Oscar for his work with Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting, and Gone Baby Gone was also a really good adaptation. Crime thrillers are one of my favorite genres in film and it has been awhile since I have enjoyed one as much as I did with The Town. It has great action scenes that feel real and interesting characters. Jeremy Renner is really on a hot streak following up on his Oscar nominated performance for The Hurt Locker. In this movie he is once again the highlight of the film. Blake Lively also gave a terrific performance as an alcoholic and drug addict mother from Charlestown who has a casual relationship with Doug. Her Boston accent was right on the mark. The entire cast was great in this film. I really enjoyed this film and consider it to be one of the best of 2010 along with Inception.

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