Review: True Grit (2010)

The Coen Brothers' adaptation of Charles Portis' 1968 novel-True Grit- stars Jeff Bridges as the infamous U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn. Known for his recklessness, yet also for his grit and consistent persistence, Cogburn seems a worthy candidate to help the young, autonomous Mattie Ross (the new and encouraging Hailee Steinfeld) find and kill her father's murderer, Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). Chaney, being a wanted man by more than simply the daughter of his most recent victim, attracts a Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) to his trail of hunters. Determined to not only pay the man who will avenge her father's death, but ride with him on this dangerous path to redemption, there is no shaking Mattie off the path. Will the heroic drunk and ranger have the guts and grit to eliminate Chaney and protect Ross? True Grit is a fine example of the Coen brothers ability to tell a compelling story. Having a passion for the west, Joel and Ethan had no trouble creating an atmosphere that engulfs it's audience in the 1860's. Reacquainting themselves with Bridges of The Big Labowski and Brolin of No Country for Old Men, and introducing their first collaboration with Damon- the brothers could not have crafted a better, more inspiring cast. It is hard to understand any issue with the film, other than The Dude vs. The Duke. Sure, Jeff Bridges "is no Duke", because the Duke has been gone for years. In comparison, Heath Ledger was no Jack Nicholson in the role of The Joker-- he was better. Additionally, fans of Fargo, Raising Arizona, The Big Labowski, etc. may notice a loss of overall absurdity in the brothers' translation of True Grit. This stronger sense of normalcy can only be described by the fact that they are displaying someone else's story and surely did not want to distort it too severely. Containing all of the original characters and personalities, a few precise horseback duels from the original, and the same plot, climax, and dramatic question- Grit still certainly maintains a Coen Signature. The dark humor is gut busting, and the few scenes of tension are enough to make any audience grind their teeth. It is hard to find a solid child actor, but the new aspiring Hailee Steinfeld proves that diamonds do exist in the rough. A fine display of leading and secondary performances, and film making at its finest, True Grit earns 31/2 stars.

Review: Black Swan (2010)

Director Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan is strongly based on the four act classical ballet: Swan Lake. Swan Lake tells the tale of a princess who has been cursed to appear as a swan, and will remain this way unless a prince confesses his love for her. Upon falling in love, the prince is deceived by an evil sorcerer, and proposes to the wrong lady. Devastated and heart-broken, the "Swan Queen" throws herself into the lake- taking her own life. The Prince witnesses this and cannot bare the despair- leading him to the same fate. Aronofsky is known for his ability to flourishingly depict a variety of downward spirals (i.e. the heroine addiction of Requiem for a Dream, the obsession of a washed up professional wrestler portrayed by Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler). Aronofsky continues this trend in Black Swan, as he introduces his audience to Nina (Natalie Portman)- a ballerina desperately consumed by the role of her lifetime, to the extent that her fate is beginning to match that of the very character she is set to master on stage- the Swan Queen. Challenged by her competition (the other desperate ballerinas), obliged by her mother to give it everything she has, drugged by her most prevalent rival (Mila Kunis), and hounded and seduced by her fierce ballet instructor (the always astonishing Vincent Cassel), Nina is quickly loosing her grasp on reality. She is becoming obsessed with perfection, and until she realizes that she is the largest obstacle in her way (perhaps quite literally), perfection will not be achieved. Will she make it to the show of her life before her hungry alternate dancer? Does she have the dedication it takes-and for that matter-is it worth it? Wow! Black Swan is everything a thriller should be. It's original, tense, charismatic, psychological; it's art. The symbolism achieved in this film between fairy tale and reality is truly hair-raising. As if the screenplay and Aronofsky's clear understanding of it wasn't enough, Natalie Portman shows us all that she was born for this role- which ironically is of a girl who was born for her role (I'm pretty sure we have just been incepted). Not only were her emotions absolute, but her physical abilities and appearance matched that of a professional ballet dancer. The levels that Black Swan clicks on are endless. The correlation between the characters of Swan Lake and the people in her life is something that could only have been captured in this way by Aronofsky and perhaps Kubrick. Much like the music within the ballet, this film is a never ending crescendo that contains a finale worthy of applause. The film achieves what its leading lady seeks the most- perfection. For ranking as the best film viewed all year and containing the best performance by a single actor, Black Swan earns 4 stars for this audience member.

Review: Buried (2010)

Director Rodrigo Cortes' Buried stars Ryan Reynolds as Paul Conroy- a U.S. Contractor who delivers supplies by truck to Iraq. For Paul, this day bears no resemblance to other days on the job. Conroy has awakened to darkness, feet below the surface of an unknown location in Iraq, after he and his crew were attached: killing his fellow truck drivers and leaving him alone in a coffin. Though exasperated, Conroy is filled with a sense of ambition as he discovers that his kidnappers have left him a cell phone, a knife, a Zippo lighter, a glow stick, and a flashlight. As an average joe, Paul desires nothing more than returning home to his family. Unfortunately for Paul, he lacks the position of royalty, therefore struggling to find answers or anyone that feels as desirous about his escape as he does. Will Paul reach his wife and son? Will this day end with vengeance over his Iraqi kidnappers?Will his battery die-or more pressingly- will he? Much similar to Neil Marshall's The Descent, by the end of this film the viewer and the protagonist will be gasping for the same breath of air. Whether or not they both receive I will reserve for the film to portray. From the beginning of Buried, the audience is plunged to the edge of their seat: much like classic Hitchcock. For a movie involving a single six by four foot set, there is enough struggle, action, and stimulation to keep an audience member counting down to closing time. Sure, Buried is at times so heavily claustrophobic, secluded, and uncomfortable that even the viewer feels the need to amplify- but what else should one expect from such a title? The one-man-show performance delivered by Reynolds deters fans of the actor from the belief that films such as The Proposal define his career. Reynolds performs an exceptional work of art in Buried. Such a role has the potential to make or break a film judging by the actor carrying the load- and Reynolds conveys Buried its full length. Never has a dying battery of a cell phone had such an intense effect on me. By the end of this film, you will have formed a liking for its protagonist, a passion for their survival, and a sense of unpredictability of their fate. Buried brings suspenseful film making back to its roots, earning it a strong 3 stars.

Review: Monsters (2010)

Written and Directed by Gareth Edwards, Monsters tells the tale of Andrew Kaulder (Scott McNairy), a struggling photographer and journalist who is having a hard time making a living in an earth that is dealing with alien inhabitants that landed six years ago. These Monsters have implanted fear in the minds of humans- not only making everyday situations much more complicated- but making dangerous journeys significantly more hazardous, for example, crossing the border of Mexico and the United States. In a world that a photo-journalist can only benefit from horrific, appalling photographs and stories, Andrew is open to high paying projects. Conveniently for Andrew and for a fair price, Samantha Wynden (Whitney Able)-daughter of an important American figure- needs guidance and transportation across the Mexican border. Inconveniently enough, the ferry (the safest way to travel in these formidable times) has become unavailable to the duo, forcing them to cross the border on foot with a team of protective authorities. Though Andrew is a bit of a playboy and Samantha is engaged, sharing the same journey and fear of these "creatures" that lurk our land forces Andrew and Samantha to not only become familiar, but perhaps fond of each other as well. Not only will this film please monster film fans or those devoted to science fiction, but a large array of viewers of all tastes due to its appeal to human emotion. For a film who's title and centerpiece is Monsters, this picture has everything to do with human relationships and the magnetic forces of love and fate. Much like early George A. Romero films such as Night of the Living Dead, the beasts are candidly bait to bring the film's characters together- and when this happens in Monsters, the chemistry is coercing. The film has a perfect enough blend of magic realism, drama, action, humor, and tension to earn its spot on the top of this year's independent film list and 3 1/2 stars in my book.

Review: Unstoppable (2010)

Director Tony Scott's Unstoppable tells the tale of an absurd first day on the job for a rookie conductor named Will (Chris Pine). Tutoring Will is an experienced veteran engineer- Frank (Denzel Washington). Will- not looking forward to being hounded as a rookie on his first day by old-timers- and Frank- upset at the fact that the industry continuously brings in new blood to weed out such old-timers as himself- have no idea what kind of high-octane, nerve-racking day is ahead of them. Young, dumb, full of fun engineer Dewey (Ethan Suplee, Remember the Titans, My Name is Earl) lets a twenty-six car locomotive carrying toxic chemicals get away from him going full throttle. At the rate this train of death is traveling, it is likely to run off the tracks in Stanton, PA and has the ability to decimate it from existence. The question is: will the brave/crazy Frank and Will have what it takes to stop it? I'll admit I was skeptical about the second consecutive film by Tony Scott being about issues on a train. However, leaving the theater I was quite pleased to have witnessed Scott returning to his roots by delivering his most exciting, lovable film since Top Gun. It is easy to give an audience non-stop action from start to finish (*cough* Michael Bay *cough*), but to include some exceptional character development and astonishing tension that will keep you in your seat is another thing. A director has something to be proud of when audiences claim that the final fifteen minutes of a film had them on edge, but in Unstoppable's one hour and thirty-eight minute running time the viewer will be on edge for one hour and thirty minutes. The Scott brothers (Tony, and Ridley- Alien, Gladiator), tend to stick with Denzel (i.e. American Gangster, De Ja Vu, Man on Fire), and it works. For the first time together on the big screen, the chemistry between Pine and Washington was that of two long-time friends. This, along with tremendous direction, camera work, and simplistic plot, makes a perfect formula for a marvelous film. Is Unstoppable slightly predictable and been there-done that? Absolutely, but what isn't? This film blasts its way to the top of my list for 2010 faster than the train that carries it, earning it 31/2 stars.

Reviews from the Vault: Tremors (1990)

Director Ron Underwood's Tremors stars Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward as two natives from a tremendously isolated desert valley between mountains and a cliff edge. Valentine (Bacon) and Earl (Ward) often spend there days riding around cutting up on the job. This day, however, isn't filled with as many laughs due to mysterious findings of deceased natives. Puzzled and aghast, the wild country duo frantically fled to a nearby convenience store to warn the locals of these eerie findings. Meanwhile a new set of legs in town, Rhonda (Finn Carter)- a seismologist- is observing some sketchy reads of seismic activity under this isolated valley. Before they know it, the whole gang is gathered on roofs, avoiding monstrous worms that seem to be the reason for the demise of the town people. Tremors is a classic cheesy tale of man vs. beast that honestly gets the job done as far as entertaining goes. Though it is certainly no work of Hitchcock or Spielberg, if Psycho prevented you from showering, and Jaws deterred you from the ocean, Tremors will keep you from resting in the deserts of Nevada. The film delivers both thrills and laughter, earning itself a position in both horror and comedy. The acting may be sub-par, but a film of this caliber does not require Oscar-worthy performances. One phenomenal element of Tremors- much similar to Robert Rodriguez projects and early James Cameron films- is its use of complex puppets, machines, and make-up as its beasts rather than CGI. There is nothing worse than becoming attached to the characters of a film and then being snatched right out of the atmosphere when a monster similar in comparison to a Nintendo 64 character bursts from the ground. Such effects create a state of realism that only adds to the fear and excitement. Though the film is far from perfect, it delivers nothing less than what it promises. Tremors is a fun-filled, thrill ride of a man vs. beast stand off that is nothing less than 96 entertaining minutes, earning it a solid 3 stars.

Review: Due Date (2010)

Director Todd Phillips' Due Date stars Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis as two strangers caught up in a situation that neither could have previously anticipated. An edgy soon to be father-Peter Highman (Downey Jr.)- only desires to promptly arrive home in L.A. to his wife (Michelle Monaghan) in time for their child's birth. Little does Peter know that an individual would soon be placed before him. This man's name is Ethan"Tremblay" (Galifianakis), and though his heart is large, he is a walking disaster. From the moment Peter encountered this gentle cataclysm of a man, Ethan began setting down his large array of speedbumps in their trip to L.A. that they have been forced to share together due to Highman's misplacement of his information. Along the extended road to California, this odd couple is forced to form a relationship- whether or not it involves more love than hate is determined by the upcoming events. Yes, we have seen this film before; it was called Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, with a blend of characteristics from Todd Phillips' other films- such as Road Trip. However, Due Date earns a spot on its own map with credit given to strong, talent-fueled performances from Galifianakis and Downey Jr. Though at times being a sucker to trailers portaying too many funny moments of the film, Due Date still managed to extract chuckles from its audience. The film may have been an overall fun trip, yet it did at times try a bit too hard to change gears- leaving the audience confused as whether to laugh or cry. Had it not been for the talented direction of Phillips alongside a stand-up cast, the script of Due Date would have as likely as not fallen short of a theater release. Thanks to its nearly indestructible talent, Due Date earns a strong 21/2 stars.