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Reviews
Inception (2010)
Cerebral actioner, demands repeat viewing
Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite modern filmmakers, so I've been looking forward to this movie ever since I first heard about it.
Even though I've seen almost every one of Nolan's previous films, and even though I've been reading about Inception for months, it still managed to completely surprise me in so many ways. The audience is transported to a world where shared dreaming is possible, and thieves have (quite illegally) taken to using this technology to enter people's subconscious minds and steal their secrets. Sounds like a simple setup, right? But the way it's executed, it quickly becomes very, very complex.
Watching this film was unlike any experience I've ever had before. I thought it would feel similar to The Matrix, but I was very, very wrong. In The Matrix, the rules of the virtual world are clear, and the heroes and villains have superpowers. Here, there are no superpowers, and the rules of the dream-world are very, very intricate, and loaded with implications that even the experienced dream thieves don't completely understand. In The Matrix, the stakes of each action sequence are very clear -- either the hero will win, or he'll be killed. But Inception is much, much more complex. During the action sequences, I kept thinking to myself, "Wait, so what does this mean? What happens if they get killed in this dream? What are they trying to do?" Overall, it's a very cerebral experience that's unlike any other action film I've seen before. But there were also times when it verged on being too complicated, and I thought that maybe I would've enjoyed the action scenes more if they were more straightforward. It was tough for me to be completely invested in the on-screen action when I had to juggle so many other things in my mind at the same time.
I'm not saying that's a bad thing, though. Actually, it's quite an accomplishment that Nolan has made a mainstream film that's this original and this cerebral. But ultimately, I feel like I absolutely need to watch it again in order to try and unravel its many layers, to get closer to really figuring it out, and to really pass judgment on it.
Also, Inception looks gorgeous. The cinematography is excellent throughout. But watching it in IMAX isn't necessary. I didn't feel like it added anything to the experience, and in some places I thought the special effects might've been less obviously CGI if I were watching them on a regular screen instead of IMAX.
And the cast is great. So much of the supporting cast is just spectacular. Tom Hardy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt really stand out here.
If you like movies that require you to really think from beginning to end, and demand repeat viewings in order to be fully appreciated, then go watch Inception as soon as possible. If that's not your cup of tea, then don't say I didn't warn you.
4/5
The Invention of Lying (2009)
Seriously Intelligent Comedy ... An Instant Classic
The Invention of Lying is an ambitious film that tackles serious intellectual and philosophical issues with a charming sense of humor.
I just finished watching it for the second time last night. While I enjoyed it the first time, I absolutely loved it the second time around. It's difficult to really wrap your head around the alternate universe it's set in, especially when things start to get complicated for Mark Bellison, the main character who's the only person that can tell a lie. So it definitely benefits from repeat viewings. I'm sure I'll get the DVD when it comes out, and I'll enjoy its many-layered story and sense of humor even more the next time I watch it, and even more the time after that.
The most unfortunate thing about The Invention of Lying is that you just don't see many films like it in theaters these days. If only more comedies could tackle big issues, inspire self-reflection, and make you laugh as well as this film does.
Aside from its subject matter, I also enjoyed the film's excellent cast. The supporting performances by Jennifer Garner, Louis C. K., Jonah Hill, and Tina Fey are all excellent. But Ricky Gervais' performance as Mark Bellison easily takes the cake: he's clever and funny, but he's also vulnerable and very easy to relate to on an emotional level.
Zombieland (2009)
Great Fun
Zombieland is a rare gem: a horror-comedy that delivers on both fronts. It's got a fresh sense of humor and moments of gut-wrenching suspense.
I've got a few minor complaints, which I'll get out of the way first. A friend saw Zombieland the day before I did, and she said she was laughing the entire time. I didn't have the same experience - there were certainly some unexpected, gut-busting laughs, but the comedy isn't non-stop. It seemed like the first half of the film had a lot more laugh-out-loud moments than the last half.
Also, the horror/suspense elements are mainly an after-thought. Most zombie movies have a pervasive sense of dread, but Zombieland doesn't give you that feeling (aside from a couple fleeting moments). This is easy to forgive, though, since it obviously isn't trying to take itself too seriously.
Complaints aside, Zombieland is very entertaining. It grabs your attention right from the beginning, when Jesse Eisenberg explains his tips for surviving in zombie-infested America. The use of slow-motion, narration, and superimposed text in this introduction is stellar.
Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, and Emma Stone are all perfect for their roles, and it's a blast when they're all together. The movie spends more time focusing on their relationships with one another than developing any sort of detailed storyline, which is a good thing.
Once the credits roll on Zombieland, you'll be left wanting more. Given the buzz it's received, and its well-deserved box office success, a sequel seems likely. If and when that happens, you can count me in.
Whip It (2009)
Thoroughly Enjoyable
Whip It is a slightly different take on the traditional coming-of-age tale. The story itself would have been pretty forgettable if not for its great cast and the fact that most of the film revolves around the memorable backdrop of the roller derby in Austin, Texas.
We get all of the standard elements of any teenage angst story: the parents who just don't get it, the popular kids who pick on the unpopular protagonist, the well-adjusted-but-equally-unpopular best friend, and so on. The plot itself is fairly predictable. And the "girl power" image promoted by this film feels a bit stale.
But Whip It is still a blast to watch, despite these flaws. Ellen Page is a delight, as always (although I fear she's in danger of becoming typecast). The supporting cast members were also enjoyable, especially Alia Shawkat, Andrew Wilson, and Kristen Wiig.
The tone of the film strikes a good balance between light-hearted humor and sincere drama. A few scenes border on being melodramatic, but they don't subtract that much from the overall experience.
The high-school characters in Whip It aren't necessarily the best role models, but their misbehavior probably won't be anything earth-shattering to any of today's high schoolers. At least we're left with a positive message about the importance of getting along with your family, no matter how difficult it can be at times.
And we're introduced to the roller derby culture, which comes off as a unique, entertaining, and inclusive social scene. After watching this movie, I'm tempted to see if there are any roller derby events in my area.
Whip It probably isn't going to win any major awards, but it's well worth two hours of your time, and it holds its own against other coming-of-age comedy-dramas.
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Pleasantly Surprised
I had low expectations for this film, given how disappointed I've been by, well, everything Quentin Tarantino has directed since Pulp Fiction. Plus, it seemed pretty obvious that the marketing campaign was misrepresenting this movie by showing only a handful of scenes and lines that didn't give the slightest clue as to what the story was actually about.
Fortunately for us moviegoers, almost everything the studio decided not to show us in the trailers and commercials is excellent.
QT's style is here in full force. What makes his distinctly modern touches (including fast-paced and unexpected flashbacks, cringe-inducing ultra-violence, charismatic villains, cold-blooded heroes, and a lot of dialogue that serves little purpose other than drawing attention to itself) especially amusing is how sharply they clash with the WWII setting. As a result, they feel even more absurd, and are even more laugh-inducing. (Hopefully this won't be the last time he looks to the history books for inspiration.)
But there's a lot more to like about this film than its Tarantino-isms. There are subtle moments of character development, tense scenes of nearly unbearable suspense, and an intricate plot that's in no hurry to unfold. Even without all the quirks of QT's style, the central story is strong enough to stand on its own.
The film isn't without its flaws, though. There are a few points where the humor and the action take a break, the plot moves at a slow crawl, and you may find yourself getting impatient. There isn't nearly enough of Brad Pitt and his Basterds. The ending is a little abrupt, and left me craving a bit more resolution (call me old-fashioned).
Overall, Inglorious Basterds is better than I'd expected. I strongly recommend it to any fans of Quentin Tarantino and anyone who enjoys their humor dark, their violence over-the-top, their suspense slow-brewed, and their historical fiction unabashedly modernized.
After my confidence in him had been waning for years, this movie has made me a born-again believer in Tarantino's ability to deliver.
District 9 (2009)
Disappointing
I had high expectations for this movie, and I've been looking forward to it for a long time, but I was a little disappointed once the credits started to roll.
I'm glad to see that a movie like this even got made with a decent budget, a wide release, and good marketing. I'm thrilled that it came in first place at the box office on its opening weekend and is getting good press. Having grown up in the 90s, I miss the former place of prominence aliens had in the popular culture. Hopefully the financial success of this movie will encourage the studios to green light more films in the same genre.
Overall, District 9 is creative and entertaining, but not as original or intelligent as I'd hoped. The trailers seemed to promise the film's main storyline would explore the societal impact of the aliens' arrival and the rich history that preceded the film's main action.
But the story that emerges from its great premise is pretty standard. It hardly develops the aliens' history or psychology. What little development we do get is uninspired, incomplete, and self-contradictory. It also doesn't explore the cultural impact of their arrival with the kind of depth that I'd hoped it would.
And none of the characters are particularly well-developed. Read a synopsis of the movie, and you'll have about as deep of an understanding of the main characters as you would if you'd have watched the whole film. Aside from a unique name and a slightly amusing quirkiness, the main character is relatively forgettable.
My other main criticism is that the narrative isn't as cohesive as I would've preferred. The story jumps from one scene to the next with little or no effort to establish the setting or the purpose of the action. It all ends up feeling less deliberate and focused than it ought to, and I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something essential missing from the mix. The faux-documentary style seemed arbitrary and without a clear purpose. I wanted to be able to forget that this was the director's feature film debut, but this thought kept popping into my head again and again.
District 9 does have a great premise, and its presentation is pretty solid. The first few minutes of the film do an excellent job of making this fictional world feel believable and realistic. But since the filmmakers did an excellent job in some departments, it makes the film's shortcomings in certain crucial areas that much harder to forgive.
Overall, it's a worthwhile use of two hours' time and the price of admission, and it's certainly more deserving of success than most other films currently in theaters. However, it's not the intelligent, insightful, engaging, allegorical story I'd hoped it would be. Instead, it comes off as an ambitious misfire: an entertaining-but-simple story with a handful of interesting ideas.
Hopefully, though, District 9's critical and commercial success will help pave the way for a resurgence of well-funded, high-concept sci-fi films (especially alien invasion ones).
The Hurt Locker (2008)
Intelligent and Engaging
I had high expectations for this film after all the critical praise it's received. It's probably because of this that I was initially disappointed by the film's first act. The shaky hand-held camera work feels like a gimmick that made it difficult to follow the action or get a good sense of each scene's setting. When the main character, Will James, is introduced, he seems like an over-the-top caricature that belongs in Top Gun or some other 80s action flick rather than an Iraq war movie that looks like it's trying to achieve a tone of gritty realism.
Luckily for us, the audience, things get much better. It was a great creative decision to have the narrative follow a team of bomb specialists. Pretty much everything they do is interesting. Once the film hits its stride, the drama and suspense are powerful and nearly non-stop.
The characters, which border on being clichés at the beginning, thankfully become developed to the point where they feel dynamic, sympathetic, and, most importantly, believable.
I find it likely that the main character's name is a nod to William James, one of the founders of modern psychology. This is fitting, since it seems like the film's main purpose is to draw the viewer into the psychological realities of war: the excitement, the fear, the post-traumatic stress, the tensions and camaraderie between soldiers, the constant vigilance for an enemy that blends in with Iraqi civilians, and the American soldiers' disconnectedness from their former lives as civilians.
And the shaky camera work that I hated at first grew on me as the film drew me further into these psychological realities. Whereas a steady, patient camera might make the actors' performances and interactions feel melodramatic or unnatural, the hand-held cameras refuse to linger on a man's face as he's enduring life-or-death anxiety or going through emotional turmoil, which ultimately makes the dramatic moments feel more authentic.
All in all, I strongly recommend this film. I'm not sure if it will have enough long-term staying power to become a classic of the genre, but it's certainly a worthwhile use of 2 hours' time and the price of admission.