Invictus (2009)

3/5

Clint Eastwood's Invictus is a simple sports movie that was poorly advertised as a political biopic of Nelson Mandela. The film attempts to straddle multiple genres, and it actually does so quite well, but the problem is that none of the component parts are very fleshed out or satisfying. For example, Nelson Mandela is painted as a man who is filled to the brim with provocative quotes on life, but you never really figure out his motivations or reasonings. Matt Damon's character makes the observation that after being imprisoned for so long, he walked out ready to forgive those who put him in prison. He doesn't understand why, and neither do we. We never truly discover what makes him so perfect. Not only that, but hinting at a failed marriage is not enough to make him "complex." It seemed like Eastwood was more checking off the "imperfect" box than actually making Mandela realistic. The same shortcomings could be said of the rugby aspect. Invictus is an exciting sports movie, but it was not truly inspirational as it was very adamantly trying to be.

The technical aspects were also a mixed bag. For example, the acting was spectacular but the characters were incompetently written. Most of the cinematography and editing was adequate, but the final few minutes featured horrendous slo-mo that was so obviously overdone that it made me cringe. For every pro, there's a comparable con. The movie is not a great movie, but it also isn't a bad movie. It's just somewhere in the middle. So watch it if you feel like you've been waiting for this movie, but otherwise I'd say pass.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1057500/

Gomorrah (2008)

2/5

After first learning about Gomorrah, seeing the trailer and stills and hearing about the festival awards it won, I was super excited to see it. The film not only failed to live up to my expectations, but it also confused and bored me. The plot of Gomorrah allegedly focuses on a crime syndicate in Italy called the Camorra, although there is no way of knowing that until you read about it in the end credits. There are approximately three or four different story lines--all featuring very similar-looking Italian men--that neither relate nor converge. One deals with illegally dumping toxic waste, another with imitation designer clothing, and another with stealing guns.

The cinematography was a mix between amateur faux-artistic and documentary shakiness that offended and nauseated me. Additionally, it felt very video-esque. The editing between the multiple story lines seemed arbitrary based only on length of time given to each story instead of mood, pace, or progression. It gave it a jilted and perplexing experience that was less than the sum of its parts. The dialogue and acting were uninspired and unrealistic. However, there were two fantastic scenes that stick in my head. Both of them are murder attempts and both derive their power from the speed and suddenness by which they occur. These scenes, and the concept behind some of the repulsive criminal actions being committed, may stick in your head. But otherwise I found very little merit in this film. Avoid it if you can.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0929425/

Avatar (2009)

4/5

The plot of James Cameron's Avatar follows a wheelchair-bound ex-Marine named Jake Sully (Worthington) as he makes his way to the planet Pandora, which is inhabited by the humanoid alien race of Na'vi and is filled to the brim with precious minerals. He is sent there to control an avatar--a genetically crafted Na'vi body--through a scientific program run by Dr. Grace Augustine (Weaver) whose mission is to understand the aliens' world and culture. However, they aren't the only humans on Pandora. A mining expedition is attempting to extract as much of the precious minerals as they can from Pandora and have recruited military personnel to protect them from the "hostile" Na'vi.

The world is filled with small differences that appear to be minor details but manage to significantly differentiate it from Earth. For example, on the tips of the lengthy Na'vi hair are tentacles that allow them to connect to other animals (and in fact to the planet itself). No, it's not "realistic," but it is believable. There exist no inconsistencies that take you out of the experience and remind you that this is just a movie. While the dialogue isn't particularly impressive, the writing paints the planet in such a way as to make it true to itself and completely immersive. However, Avatar is by no means perfect. The story is extremely conventional--think of it as a sci-fi version of the anti-imperialist Pocahontas story--and therefore quite predictable. Still, there are a few unexpected surprises to the plot and the action is absolutely spectacular. It progresses at a flawless pace and is breathtaking and exciting.

Avatar is a compelling argument for the 3D action film. I was never a huge believer in 3D, since it seemed gimmicky and could easily give you a headache (especially in a film that lasts 2 hours and 45 minutes, as this one does), but Avatar was made to be seen in 3D. And it shows. Every single shot of every single action scene--of which there are many--is enhanced by the depth of the environment and the movement across the planes of action. I heard that James Cameron invented a large part of the 3D technology that's been used in other movies as he was developing this film; I believe it. Simply put, Cameron knows what he's doing with 3D. If you were interested in seeing a 3D movie, this is the one to watch. Just make sure you see it in IMAX 3D, because I only saw it in regular 3D and now I have to see it again. I just have to.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/

Sex and the City (2008)

3/5

Sex and the City tells the story of four NY friends and their trials and tribulations with love. Carrie (Parker) is going out with Mr. Big (Noth) and, after finding the perfect apartment to live in together, they decide to get engaged (in an extremely awkward, business-like exchange). However, on the day of their wedding, he gets cold feet and cannot manage to get out of the car and join her down the aisle. As you can imagine, she becomes quite distraught and never wants to speak with him again. The rest of the movie focuses on bringing her spirits up and enjoying time with her best friends Samantha (Cattrall), Miranda (Nixon), and Charlotte (Davis) as they live their extravagant lifestyles filled with expensive shoes, purses, and jewelry.

All the technical aspects of the movie are competent. As for the story, it's fairly predictable but entertaining throughout, even for guys. There is also a fair amount of nudity and sex, which I was not expecting (even though I should have been, considering it was HBO). The writing does a good job of letting you enjoy the movie even if you haven't seen the series. The characters are likable enough, although their seemingly excessive wealth may make you unreceptive to their plight. All in all it was a funny movie with the requisite amount of conflict and resolution to keep you engaged for its 2.5 hour runtime. (And I'm told the fashion is pretty impressive as well.)

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1000774/

Disney's A Christmas Carol (2009)

3/5

I got the opportunity to see Disney's A Christmas Carol in IMAX 3D and I am grateful for it. I'm sure it was a very different experience compared to seeing it in a regular old hum-drum cineplex; things truly do jump out at you in 3D. This version of A Christmas Carol very closely follows the plot of the original Dickens story, meaning it is dark and scary. It's not the fun kid's movie it has turned into over the years. Because of its strict adherence to the source material, the pacing feels stilted and Jim Carrey doesn't get the opportunity to engage in the kind of body humor we're used to seeing from him. It wasn't quite what I expected going in, but it was still a great Christmas movie.

Still, I can't help but think how traditional the filmmaking was. Over-the-shoulder cross-cutting just doesn't work in 3D. Zemeckis, who seamlessly used special effects in Forrest Gump, does not truly take advantage of all that this new medium is capable of. He valiantly tries to immerse you in the animated world he created, but always falls one step short of truly wowing me. Even so, in his attempts, he manages some thrilling 3D moments and beautiful shots. This is not the movie to change your mind about 3D, and it's not going to be the version of A Christmas Carol that you'll remember forever after, but it's a pleasant way to spend the holidays remembering to be grateful for all you've been given and to give back to those less fortunate than you.

(I'm still waiting for a movie to get 3D right and, after seeing this movie, I want to give more and more movies a chance, because watching movies in 3D is awesome!)

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067106/

Sholay (1975)

4/5

Ramesh Sippy's famous Sholay is quite possibly the most watched movie of all time, considering it had a 10-year theatrical run in a country with 1+ billion people. After seeing it last night, I can see why! The movie has an engaging story, exquisite writing, likable characters, and wonderful performances. It appeals to almost all tastes, effortlessly mixing elements of drama and comedy, action and romance. Told in the style of a spaghetti Western, the plot follows an ex-sheriff (Kumar) who hires two courageous thieves (Dharmendra and Bachchan) to capture the bandit (Khan) responsible for killing his family. It unfolds over 3 hours fluidly, revealing bits and pieces of each character's history and motivations with precise pacing. Some of the jokes were gimmicky, some of the action was absurd, and some of the romance was cheesy, but it doesn't really matter because you will become so engrossed in the story, so invested in the characters, that after a while you just won't care about any of that stuff anymore.

There seemed to be some problem with the DVD release (at least I hope) because the colors in this film were noticeably faded. The camerawork was creative but unpolished (again, it may just be a poor DVD transfer). While the subtitled translation was adequate, a lot of nuance, subtlety, and double meaning was lost on me. I would absolutely love for Criterion to pick this up, digitally remaster it, and professionally subtitle it, because then I think more Westerners could appreciate this movie for the gem that it is. Even if it forever remains on a DVD with subpar quality, the movie is an absolutely delightful treat and I highly recommend it.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073707/