Saturday, August 10, 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2012 in Review: Most Disappointing
Let's get this out of the way: Most Disappointing doesn't mean "worst." I actually hate "worst films of the year" lists for this very reason: the films that end up on them are either obvious (e.g. Scary Movie 27) or are blockbusters or high profile films that weren't terrible, but simply not good enough.
The films that appear on this list--which are, by the way, in no particular order--aren't bad movies. As a matter of fact, I'd encourage you to see any of them, but a word of caution: keep your expectations reasonable.
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Directed by Lynne Ramsey
Starring Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly
Available on DVD, digital download
This one is a bit of a cheat: We Need to Talk About Kevin came out in 2011 but was only released wide to theaters early in 2012 after strong critical acclaim and a screening at the Cannes Film Festival that stunned the audience.
We Need to Talk About Kevin is based on a book of the same name by Lionel Shriver. The novel is written as a series of letters by a woman named Eva to her estranged husband. The letters reflect on their life together, the love they shared, and the guilt she feels for how things turned out, especially in regards to their son, Kevin, and an event she only refers to in the vaguest of terms until the end of the book. I adored the novel; it was one of those rare books that made me literally laugh and wept. By the end, I cared for Eva and her family--even Kevin, who, for many reasons, doesn't deserve much sympathy.
So, yes, my expectations were high. And, maybe that's why the final product was such a disappointment. To my mind, the film missed an opportunity. The book's tone is harrowing and emotional, but it asks a very important question: are monsters born or made? What responsibility does the parent of a killer have? The film adaptation simply dips its toe in the water in this regard.
I also didn't understand some of the filmmakers' creative choices. For example, the first third of the movie--before you really understand why we need to talk about Kevin--is bathed in a sea of crimson foreshadowing the horror to come. I felt like I was being beaten over the head with the implications. (Look! Eva has what looks like blood on her hands!)
The always amazing Tilda Swinton as Eva and John C. Reilly in a rare dramatic role as her husband lead the fantastic cast. The performances are spot-on, but they aren't enough to save the effort, which feels hollow as the story's nature-versus-nurture theme is lost in the shuffle of art house parlor tricks.
The Dark Knight Rises
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Available on DVD, digital download
I realize it would have been difficult, if not impossible, for Nolan to top, or even match, what he accomplished with The Dark Knight--a near perfect superhero movie, realistic without being too self-conscious, true to the comics without being self-indulgent. Even giving Nolan & Co. the slack they deserve, The Dark Knight Rises is a tepid, muddled affair that isn't a worthy ending to the trilogy.
Logic also takes a vacation (spoilers incoming): Batman/Bruce Wayne takes an 8 year hiatus (really?), holed up in a corner of Wayne Manor no one dares to tread--except Selena Kyle aka Catwoman, who steals the Wayne Family jewels while taking Bruce his daily bread. Bruce becomes intrigued, decides to rejoin society only to discover Wayne Enterprises is practically bankrupt (no one thought to tell him?). Meanwhile, new nemesis Bane (a highlight of the film, played by Tom Hardy) attacks the Gotham stock exchange, terrorizes the traders, and has a program installed that will wipe out Wayne's fortune. Apparently no one ever told him about the virtues of working remotely. Anyway...despite the fact that obviously an evil mastermind was behind Bruce's sudden poverty status, the power company shuts off the lights at Wayne Manor and Bruce gets it on with a mysterious, wealthy woman who wants to invest in Wayne Enterprises and take charge of a secret, energy project the company was overseeing. The sex is good and she gets her wish, but it turns out she's evil and she wants to use that secret energy project to destroy Gotham. Turns out Bane and mystery lady kinda-sorta grew up together so she employs Bane's services to take over Gotham...like all of it. He blows up bridges leading out of the city and a football field just to show he's serious. Oh, and all 3,000 (yes, you're reading that number correctly) of Gotham's police officers were under ground at the time of the explosion effectively imprisoning them. Now, that's some poor planning. But, it's worst for Bruce Wayne whose existential crisis on the meaning of being Batman allows him to be lead to Bane's secret lair by Selena Kyle, who's trying to curry favor to get her hands on some mythical computer program that will allow her to erase her past. Bane breaks the Bat, throws him down a hole in a prison in the middle of the desert--which appears to be just outside of Gotham--and for the next 30 minutes Bruce can only watch (the prison in a hole in the desert gets cable!) Bane terrorize the dear citizens of Gotham he cared so much about that he took a 8 YEAR VACATION. Finally, Bruce finds his inner Bat, defeats Bane, and commits "suicide" aka making baby eyes with Selena at a cafe in Italy.
The Dark Knight Rises isn't a bad movie, but it's silly. This trilogy deserved a better ending.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Directed by Peter Jackson
Starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman
Now in Theaters
The Hobbit, as a book, is about a quarter the length of The Lord of the Rings, the inspiration for Jackson's last trip into the world of hobbits, dwarves, and wizards from the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien. Three films were needed to tell that story--the same cannot be said for The Hobbit. What made The Lord of the Rings trilogy such an astonishing film experience was the depth of its story-telling. Peter Jackson brought the world to life, but it was the source materials that gave the films its soul.
Likely because of the lack of material to cull from, The Hobbit's first of three installments--An Unexpected Journey--commits the greatest sin a movie like this can: its boring. It doesn't help that it clocks in at a mind-bogglingly bloated 160 minutes. Scenes stretch on and on, unconstrained and without purpose.
The biggest problem here, I think, might be Peter Jackson. Brilliant director, no doubt about that, but as someone who has already been there and back again into the world of Tolkien, he might just be too close to the material to do The Hobbit justice. It doesn't feel like its own movie, but, rather, a dull retread of where we've already been.
Coming Up: My Favorite Films of 2012
The films that appear on this list--which are, by the way, in no particular order--aren't bad movies. As a matter of fact, I'd encourage you to see any of them, but a word of caution: keep your expectations reasonable.
Directed by Lynne Ramsey
Starring Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly
Available on DVD, digital download
This one is a bit of a cheat: We Need to Talk About Kevin came out in 2011 but was only released wide to theaters early in 2012 after strong critical acclaim and a screening at the Cannes Film Festival that stunned the audience.
We Need to Talk About Kevin is based on a book of the same name by Lionel Shriver. The novel is written as a series of letters by a woman named Eva to her estranged husband. The letters reflect on their life together, the love they shared, and the guilt she feels for how things turned out, especially in regards to their son, Kevin, and an event she only refers to in the vaguest of terms until the end of the book. I adored the novel; it was one of those rare books that made me literally laugh and wept. By the end, I cared for Eva and her family--even Kevin, who, for many reasons, doesn't deserve much sympathy.
So, yes, my expectations were high. And, maybe that's why the final product was such a disappointment. To my mind, the film missed an opportunity. The book's tone is harrowing and emotional, but it asks a very important question: are monsters born or made? What responsibility does the parent of a killer have? The film adaptation simply dips its toe in the water in this regard.
I also didn't understand some of the filmmakers' creative choices. For example, the first third of the movie--before you really understand why we need to talk about Kevin--is bathed in a sea of crimson foreshadowing the horror to come. I felt like I was being beaten over the head with the implications. (Look! Eva has what looks like blood on her hands!)
The always amazing Tilda Swinton as Eva and John C. Reilly in a rare dramatic role as her husband lead the fantastic cast. The performances are spot-on, but they aren't enough to save the effort, which feels hollow as the story's nature-versus-nurture theme is lost in the shuffle of art house parlor tricks.
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Available on DVD, digital download
I realize it would have been difficult, if not impossible, for Nolan to top, or even match, what he accomplished with The Dark Knight--a near perfect superhero movie, realistic without being too self-conscious, true to the comics without being self-indulgent. Even giving Nolan & Co. the slack they deserve, The Dark Knight Rises is a tepid, muddled affair that isn't a worthy ending to the trilogy.
Logic also takes a vacation (spoilers incoming): Batman/Bruce Wayne takes an 8 year hiatus (really?), holed up in a corner of Wayne Manor no one dares to tread--except Selena Kyle aka Catwoman, who steals the Wayne Family jewels while taking Bruce his daily bread. Bruce becomes intrigued, decides to rejoin society only to discover Wayne Enterprises is practically bankrupt (no one thought to tell him?). Meanwhile, new nemesis Bane (a highlight of the film, played by Tom Hardy) attacks the Gotham stock exchange, terrorizes the traders, and has a program installed that will wipe out Wayne's fortune. Apparently no one ever told him about the virtues of working remotely. Anyway...despite the fact that obviously an evil mastermind was behind Bruce's sudden poverty status, the power company shuts off the lights at Wayne Manor and Bruce gets it on with a mysterious, wealthy woman who wants to invest in Wayne Enterprises and take charge of a secret, energy project the company was overseeing. The sex is good and she gets her wish, but it turns out she's evil and she wants to use that secret energy project to destroy Gotham. Turns out Bane and mystery lady kinda-sorta grew up together so she employs Bane's services to take over Gotham...like all of it. He blows up bridges leading out of the city and a football field just to show he's serious. Oh, and all 3,000 (yes, you're reading that number correctly) of Gotham's police officers were under ground at the time of the explosion effectively imprisoning them. Now, that's some poor planning. But, it's worst for Bruce Wayne whose existential crisis on the meaning of being Batman allows him to be lead to Bane's secret lair by Selena Kyle, who's trying to curry favor to get her hands on some mythical computer program that will allow her to erase her past. Bane breaks the Bat, throws him down a hole in a prison in the middle of the desert--which appears to be just outside of Gotham--and for the next 30 minutes Bruce can only watch (the prison in a hole in the desert gets cable!) Bane terrorize the dear citizens of Gotham he cared so much about that he took a 8 YEAR VACATION. Finally, Bruce finds his inner Bat, defeats Bane, and commits "suicide" aka making baby eyes with Selena at a cafe in Italy.
The Dark Knight Rises isn't a bad movie, but it's silly. This trilogy deserved a better ending.
Directed by Peter Jackson
Starring Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman
Now in Theaters
The Hobbit, as a book, is about a quarter the length of The Lord of the Rings, the inspiration for Jackson's last trip into the world of hobbits, dwarves, and wizards from the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien. Three films were needed to tell that story--the same cannot be said for The Hobbit. What made The Lord of the Rings trilogy such an astonishing film experience was the depth of its story-telling. Peter Jackson brought the world to life, but it was the source materials that gave the films its soul.
Likely because of the lack of material to cull from, The Hobbit's first of three installments--An Unexpected Journey--commits the greatest sin a movie like this can: its boring. It doesn't help that it clocks in at a mind-bogglingly bloated 160 minutes. Scenes stretch on and on, unconstrained and without purpose.
The biggest problem here, I think, might be Peter Jackson. Brilliant director, no doubt about that, but as someone who has already been there and back again into the world of Tolkien, he might just be too close to the material to do The Hobbit justice. It doesn't feel like its own movie, but, rather, a dull retread of where we've already been.
Coming Up: My Favorite Films of 2012
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