Blackhat (5/10): A misfire from Michael Mann

“This isn't about money. This isn't about politics. I can target anyone, anything, anywhere.”

Since his 2004 film, Collateral, Michael Mann has shot his movies almost entirely digitally, but Blackhat is the first time he has done so in its entirety. Since he made the switch from 35mm I’d say Collateral has been his best film, although I was a fan of Public Enemies as well. Miami Vice and Blackhat have been somewhat of a disappointment, despite the fact that Mann continues to direct some great action scenes. Sometimes his films are more stylish than anything else. That is the case with Blackhat, which has a unique style, but the plot didn’t do anything for me and neither did the characters. There are a couple of intense action scenes scattered throughout the 130 minute runtime, but by the time they arrive I had no sympathy for the characters and I felt disengaged with the story. There are many films in which you don’t have to know much about the subject matter to enjoy the film (take for instance Moneyball, a baseball film that didn’t rely on your knowledge or enjoyment of the sport), but Blackhat is a film with a lot of tech jargon centering around hackers and I felt lost at times. Because of that, there were moments I didn’t quite get how they got from point A to point B, but considering this is a film that has divided audiences I would say you have to be interested in the subject matter to enjoy this movie. I simply wasn’t engaged with the premise and I felt there was no character development whatsoever. They were simply pursuing a cyber criminal across the globe in a rather rapid pace without ever stopping to build on who these people were.

Blackhat opens with an explosion at a Chinese factory which was clearly triggered by a cyber criminal through computer malware (the camera takes us through the network and computer connections and so on). Authorities fear this is a terrorist attack so the Chinese and American government decide to work together to discover who is responsible. Chen Dawai (Leehom Wang) is the expert who is in charge of the case for the Chinese and he is partnered with CIA and FBI agents, Carol Barrett (Viola David) and Mark Jessup (Holt McCallany). Chen discovers that part of the computer code used in the RAT was actually designed by him and his college roommate, Nick Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth) several years ago. Nick however is currently serving a 15 year prison sentence for having hacked into several banks, so Chen convinces the American authorities to make a deal with him to help them out with the case. Nick and Dawai are reunited, and together they try to solve the case while this dangerous criminal continues to reek havoc across the globe. They’re always one step behind this mysterious hacker whose intentions are unknown to them and the closer they get the more dangerous things turn out to be for the agents.

Mann delivers some great action scenes which include a gripping chase and an intense gunfight sequence, but for the most part the film is dull and boring as we follow these agents trying to figure out what the criminal’s intentions truly are. I didn’t care for the hacker sequences and didn’t understand much of the jargon used. There is also a romantic relationship between Hemsworth’s character and Dawai’s sister, Lien (Wei Tang), that sort of comes out of nowhere and never feels believable. The characters are never developed and it all centers on this persecution around the globe which allows Mann to shoot some gorgeous scenes, but it doesn’t do much for the story. The handheld camera can become distracting at times, but it also shows the immediacy of the situation. Mann makes his film as real and authentic as possible, but unfortunately he forgets to deliver life to his characters and that is what left me disengaged. As much as I like Mann as a director, this didn’t work for me.  

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them (5/10): Fantastic performances, but an incomplete film.

“All I want is a chance to just talk it out. After that you can disappear to wherever it is you disappear to.”

To be honest I had no idea what this film was about before going into it. All I knew is that it starred Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy, two of the most talented actors I’ve seen in the past few years. The title had me fooled because I was expecting this sort of suspenseful thriller similar to Gone Girl. During the first scenes I was lamenting that Chastain would probably only be in a few scenes since she would eventually disappear, but what a fool I was. This was actually a romantic drama (or should I say anti-romantic drama?) with two strong lead performances centering on a couple who have experimented a tragedy in their lives and aren’t capable of coping with it together. They’ve become distant and love seems to be only a far away memory. In a sense it has a similar style as Blue Valentine where you get flashbacks of the couple when they were in love contrasting with their present situation. While watching this film I had no idea that director Ned Benson had actually made two movies about The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby from the view point of each of the characters (His and Hers). The version I was watching was a compilation of both those films, summarized in two hours going back and forth from both their view points. It was no wonder I felt like something was missing in this story. If you were to watch both original versions of Benson’s film the running time would be over three hours long, but in Them the film is cut into a two hour film. I never felt like I got a sense of who these characters were in this version and I wonder how much it had to do with the fact that so much was cut out of the film. After experiencing Benson’s two hour joint film I have no intentions of watching the separate films because I was incredibly disappointed with how vague and void this character study felt. By the end of the film I couldn’t relate to either character and felt like they did around their parents  when they had no clue what they were talking about (they both use this same line towards their parents in at least a couple of occasions).

Despite the slow pace of the film (the two hours actually felt like three) I was still hooked with the story expecting it to head somewhere. Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy are such great actors that they held my interest in the film and they were a pleasure to watch. The story unfolds in such a way that you don’t get much of a sense as to what is happening. As we get some flashbacks we begin to understand what triggered the couple to grow apart from one another, but some things are missing. There are also very strange relationships that Chastain’s character has with her parents (Isabelle Huppert and William Hurt). She also shares a few scenes with a Professor she begins to take classes with played by Viola Davis, but those scenes also felt disconnected from the entire film. The same thing happened with McCoy’s character and the odd relationship he has with his father (Ciaran Hinds). He owns a restaurant/bar and works with his close friend played by Bill Hader with whom he also shares some strange and misplaced scenes together. Perhaps it was the way that both films were joined together, but I felt like something important was left out and I wasn’t able to engage with the characters despite enjoying the performances. Chastain is fantastic and continues to get better over time. She has had stellar roles this year in Interstellar, A Most Violent Year, and now this. Perhaps her breakout role came in 2011 with Take Shelter and The Tree of Life, but she had already collaborated with Ned Benson a year before for one of his short films, The Westerners. If you are a fan of Chastain’s work I’d recommend this film, but otherwise I’d suggest you to watch the two separate films because Them felt incoherent and incomplete at times.

My Review: Ender's Game (4/10)

"In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him."

I honestly don't understand some of the love this film is receiving considering how bored I was through the entire running time. The philosophy in this film didn't make much sense for me either and nothing in this sci-fi world felt believable. It was like having to sit through watching my little brother play one of his video games. Gavin Hood has received a lot of hate for his 2009 Wolverine film, but I was a huge fan of his South African film Tsotsi so I did have some hope for this. I guess he should stick to smaller productions because big scale films don't seem to work for him. The screenplay is based on Orson Scott Card's famous book of the same name which I never had heard of so I can't rate this based on its faithfulness to it. What I can say is that there isn't really anything thought provoking about it, which is some of the praise the book received. Here the themes are lost under all the CGI and extended action scenes. There are a lot of child actors in this film, which also hurt it a bit despite how much I like Abigail Breslin, Asa Butterfield, and Hailee Steinfeld. I didn't find anything spectacular form Harrison Ford's performance either, although I understand all the excitement from fanboys getting to see him back in space again. I just found this film hard to endure at times and found it a bit too grim and serious considering the subject matter.

Seventy years after an alien race known as the Formics attacked Earth and almost wiped out its existence if it weren't for Commander Mazer Rackham's (Ben Kingsley) heroics, Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) has been preparing a troop for the next attack. He has decided to attack the Formics at their home ground before they come back and destroy them, and in order to do so he has been training young children in hopes of discovering the next Mazer. He believes the one is Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a very quiet and shy boy who has unique strategizing skills. Graff brings him to space to begin his training at a battle school along with other elite kids like Petra (Hailee Steinfeld), Bean (Aramis Knight), Alai (Suraj Partha), and Bonzo (Moises Arias). Ender quickly shows his potential as he masters the training games by understanding the enemy. Despite Graff's assurance that Ender is the chosen one, Ender still fears he might fail because he hasn't quite understood the real enemy's motivation. Will he be able to save the human race? Are the Formics still a threat to humanity? These are questions racing through Ender's head as he begins to dislike who he's shaping up to be.

I found Ender's Game to be one of the worst sci-fi pics of the year along with After Earth. There was nothing really thought provoking about it for me and it completely failed to engage me. This seems to be only the first chapter to a franchise I'm not really looking forward to enduring. I don't even feel inspired to write a proper review for this film and I don't really have much to say about it. There is no charm or appeal found here, and I never bought into the drama. The story could've at least used some dramatic tension to draw me in, but I never felt anything worth engaging in here. 

My Review: Prisoners (8/10)

"Pray for the best, but prepare for the worst."

Prisoners is a dark thriller that will have you at the edge of your seat during almost the entirety of the film. It was a very intense experience. It is hard not to compare this film to Mystic River or Gone Baby Gone because those two movies set the landmark for modern thrillers dealing with abduction. Prisoners almost lives up to the standards that those two films set. Canadian director, Denis Villeneuve, follows up his Oscar nominated film, Incendies, with this intense thriller that manages to capture the audiences attention once again. Incendies was one of my favorite films of 2011, and despite Prisoners not living up to the perfection that film achieved, I still thought this film was highly entertaining and satisfying. There were a few minor plot points that didn't work for me, but that didn't take anything away from this great film. It is a more mainstream film, but it manages to follow a similar approach as Fincher reminding us of Se7en or Zodiac thanks to its dark and haunting atmosphere. I am a huge fan of this genre and really had a fun time trying to solve the mystery through the small clues that Villeneuve masterfully presented in the story. Prisoners was without a doubt one of the most gripping and intense experiences I had all year. Unfortunately it is a little too intense and at times I felt the film could have used some moments to release such tension. Anyways Prisoners is a highly recommended film and a must-see. 

Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) is a family man who is always prepared for the worst. He is a survivalist with a basement full of provisions and is teaching his older son, Ralph (Dylan Minnette), how to hunt. He's married to Grace (Maria Bello) and they have a daughter named Anna (Erin Gerasimovich). One afternoon, Keller's worst nightmare comes true while they are hanging out with their friendly neighbors the Birches. Franklin (Terrence Howard) and Nancy Birch (Viola Davis) have two kids about the same age as Ralph and Grace, Eliza (Zoe Borde) and Joy (Kyla Drew Simmons). While the two families are having a lovely time together, Joy and Anna decide to go back to Anna's house, but when the Dover's come back home they are horrified to discover that the kids never made it back. Ralph remembers that they were playing next to a strange RV that was parked up front which is now gone. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is appointed as the lead investigator in the case and the first thing he does is locate the RV. The driver is a disturbed young man named Alex Jones (Paul Dano) who has the IQ of a 10 year old and with no evidence to incriminate him Detective Loki has to let him free. His Aunt (Melissa Leo) comes to pick him up and explains how naive and innocent he is. As hours pass, Keller begins to get more desperate and convinced that Alex was involved he decides to take matters into his own hands. From here on the tension begins to escalate as they try to solve the mystery.

Prisoners succeeds as a neo-noir thriller building up a lot of tension with a very dark atmosphere which is perfectly captured by cinematographer Roger Deakins. It adds to the mysterious mood of the story which on its own is already pretty intense. The screenplay, written be Aaron Guzikowski (Contraband), is very well written with a very interesting premise and some great twists. My only complaint with this film has to do with the lack of a strong female character. With such a strong cast, I thought that Maria Bello or Viola Davis could have been given a stronger role, but the film focuses mostly on Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal. They both give very strong and convincing performances, and Gyllenhaal has surprised me over the last three years with very good films (Source Code, End of Watch, and now this one). I guess he has been choosing his roles very wisely lately because his next film also looks interesting (Enemy which is also directed by Denis Villeneuve). Paul Dano also gave a strong performance as his character's motivations were very hard to decipher. The strong cast and the interesting story make this a very entertaining film despite some minor flaws involving character motivations. It is one of the best recent thrillers coming out of Hollywood and I doubt you will be disappointed.

My Review: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (8/10)

¨If things were easy to find, they wouldn't be worth finding. ¨

This is Stephen Daldry`s fourth Oscar nominated film for Best Picture after his work in Billy Elliot, The Hours, and The Reader. Many critics seemed to have disliked this movie, and perhaps it may have to do with the fact that it didn’t measure up to some of his previous films. I however found Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close a very powerful and emotional film. It was hard not to get emotionally involved with this film that deals with the 9/11 attacks, although mainly targeted on how it affected one particular kid. Just like the kid in the movie, I found myself recalling these events of the past and trying to figure out what I was doing at the time of the attacks. I personally didn’t lose a loved one in the attacks so I don’t know how this movie could affect those who did, but I think Daldry has paid them a decent tribute. The screenplay was adapted by Eric Roth (who has a great trajectory in writing for films such as Forrest Gump, Munich, The Insider, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) from Jonathan Safran Foer`s novel of the same name. I don’t understand why so many critics hated this movie since it is much better than most films released in 2012, although I wouldn’t have nominated it for Best Picture either. Perhaps critics aren`t ready for a 9/11 film yet, or they thought it was too emotionally involving, but I don’t see how you can make one dealing with this subject that isn`t emotional. The other issue they might`ve had was that this film centers entirely on the performance of Thomas Horn, the Jeopardy winner during Kids Week who never starred in a film before this. I thought it was a good performance, although it did have its up and downs.

The main protagonist of the film is Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn), who is not your ordinary kid. He is very smart, but not very social, and there is something about him that you know isn`t what we would consider normal behavior. He loves however playing expedition games with his father Thomas (Tom Hanks) who is always teaching him interesting facts and sending him on new quests. Thomas told Oskar that in New York there used to be a sixth burrow, but it has  disappeared although the clues of its whereabouts are hidden are around Central Park. All he has to do is continue searching. Thomas sends his son on all these expeditions because he wants him to interact with other people. Oskar`s mom is Linda (Sandra Bullock) who doesn’t seem to connect with him in the same way that his father does. She is however a loving and caring mother who has an excellent relationship with Thomas. On September 11^th their lives will change forever when Thomas is killed in one of the World Trade Center towers. We know Thomas dies from the very beginning because the story is non-linear as most of the scenes between Oskar and his father come from the boy`s memory. It`s been a year since the ¨terrible day¨ and Oskar is afraid of losing his connection with his father. He`s in desperate need of a new expedition and he finds one when he discovers a mysterious key inside a blue vase with the name Black on the envelope and a newspaper cutting with the words ¨not stop looking.¨ Oskar believes this is another quest from his father and is set to find what the key unlocks with the help of a speechless renter (played by Max von Sydow) from his grandma`s home. They embark on the journey together and try to discover the impossible.

I think the main idea of the film revolves around the fact of trying to make sense of these terrible things that have happened and learning how to deal with them. During one point of the movie, Horn`s character tells us that if the Sun were to explode we`d still see it and feel its heat even eight hours after it exploded. In the same way he still feels the presence of his father in his life even if it has been a year since his tragic death. He fears however that those eight hours are running out and wants to do something about it before it`s too late. How can he continue to feel the presence of his father in his life? He believes that with this new expedition he will continue to keep his memory, but what he doesn’t realize is that by embarking on this journey he will encounter many other people and hear their stories. The movie is very emotional and had me holding back my tears. I really found it powerful and enjoyed Horn`s performance, although I really got more involved with the movie when Max von Sydow`s character showed up. He deserved the nomination for best supporting actor because he really lifted this movie. The scene where Oskar shares his story to this stranger is just so powerful, I really enjoyed this film. I wouldn’t have nominated it for Best Picture, but I still enjoyed it even more than I did War Horse, The Descendants, and The Help so my major complain won`t be why this got nominated, but how Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Drive, Harry Potter, and Warrior didn’t.

My Review: The Help (7/10)

¨If you can love your enemy, you already have victory.¨

The Help has received a lot of Oscar buzz and I wouldn`t be surprised if it gets many nominations, but I was a little disappointed after watching the film since I had such high expectations for it. The Help is a good, solid movie, but it just didn`t live up to all the hype for me. Racial and segregation films like this one have been made before with much greater effects. This film felt a bit light at times, and reminded me a lot of Fried Green Tomatoes. I can`t help but think this film could`ve been much stronger considering the strong cast it had and the social issues it was pointing out. The film is based on Kathryn Stockett`s novel of the same name, and it was adapted for the screenplay by director Tate Taylor himself. This is Taylor`s second film, after having made a small film three years ago named Pretty Ugly People. Taylor, a relatively unknown has jumped to fame with his work in this movie, but considering the material I think a good director could`ve brought so much more to the story. In a way this seems to be a light drama which is touching a serious and dark period for many people. There are some funny moments, but the movie is really long and drags during some periods of time. I thought that the last half hour was probably the best part of the movie and you end up leaving the theater with a smile in your face. It`s a good movie with some terrific performances, but I just was expecting so much more.

The Help is a reference to the maids in Jackson, Mississippi during the 60`s when racial discrimination and segregation was really strong. Civil rights movements had begun, but separation between whites and blacks was still very much an issue. The movie centers around several Southern society girls and the relationship they have with their maids. Skeeter (Emma Stone) returns home after college to take care of her sick mother (Allison Janney) and gets a job at a local newspaper writing housekeeping articles. Since she has no clue whatsoever about housekeeping she decides to interview the maids. Skeeter is sad to hear that the maid she grew up with and was like a mother to her has left to Chicago, but realizes there might be more to it than her mother is telling her. Skeeter is the only single girl since all her friends are already married and have children. Her best friend Hilly (Bryce Dallas Howard) is president of a local society and has come up with the idea that every family should have a special and separate bathroom for their maids. This of course, because of fear that they will transmit some sort of disease to their children. Hilly is very cruel towards her maid Minny (Octavia Spencer) and one day in a dispute fires her. Minny then finds a job working for a very nice lady named Celia Foote (Jessica Chastain) who`s just arrived back in Jackson with her husband and live in a huge house. She is very disorganized, but Minny helps her get the house organized. Meanwhile, Skeeter realizes how terrible most maids are treated and decides she wants to write a book about the help, but written with the maids point of view. Skeeter begins interviewing her maid`s best friend, Aibeleen (Viola Davis), who has had a lot of experience working with high society white families. Hesitant at first Aibeleen then begins opening up and convincing other maids to tell their stories to Skeeter and the result might shake things up for the residents in Jackson, Mississippi.

The best thing about The Help without a doubt is the performance from the entire cast. Emma Stone does a great job as the lead character fighting for the rights of some of the maids which have been such a great help to her, but at the same time realizes that her friends will probably be upset with what she`s doing. She still speaks what`s on her mind and isn`t afraid to point out the things that are wrong. She is very courageous. Viola Davis is just excellent and will probably receive an Oscar nomination. She also has a lead role in my opinion and she is just good in every movie she`s in. She does a great job at repressing the anger she sometimes feels after suffering so much injustice. Her friend Minny, played by Octavia Spencer, doesn`t do such a great job at repressing that anger and sometimes explodes. Spencer really surprised me in this film; she does a great job and absolutely nails her role. She will get a lot more job offers after this. It`s hard to pick just one performance because everyone in this film does such an outstanding job. Jessica Chastain is excellent in this movie in her supporting role and perhaps gives the best performance of all. She is sweet and naïve, but also feels broken due to her incapacity of bearing children. It`s really sad considering she probably would be a loveable mother, unlike the rest of the society moms who can`t even pick up their own kids and leave it all to the maids. I can`t end this review without mentioning Bryce Dallas Howard who is just so good at being bad, mean, and cruel. She truly is scary in this movie and plays an excellent villain. The Help is a good movie, I just was expecting a little more from the story, but still go see it.

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