A Very Long Engagement (2004)

5/5

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's A Very Long Engagement is a brilliantly-conceived and impeccably-created tapestry of emotion and perception that transcends its individual setting and story. The movie takes place around World War I and it concerns the young Mathilde (Tautou) and her lover Manech (Ulliel). In 1917, Manech had been traumatized by the vulgar and violent sights and actions of trench warfare. He got himself shot in the hand by the Germans in the hopes of being sent home injured. But instead he was court-martialed for self-mutilation and sentenced to No Man's Land at Bingo Crepuscule with four other unlucky souls. Three years later in 1920, Mathilde believes against all odds that Manech is still breathing and keeps her hope alive with simple superstitious gambles. She hires detective Germain Pire (which ironically translates to "Germain the Worst") to find out where he is. While following the winding trail, she soon discovers that Tina Lombardi (Cotillard), another soldier's lover, is also tracking the five men from Bingo Crespuscule. But instead of reuniting with her man, she ends up killing the soldiers involved in his unjust sentence.

This movie, like all of Jeunet's movies (and Tim Burton's), contains within it a fully-realized alternate world filled to the brim with small oddities and assumed rules. After watching for just a few minutes, you get an intimate sense of the beauty and hope of the people inhabiting this macabre and sinister environment. Both Tautou and Cotillard pull this off masterfully, putting the utmost heart and honesty into their decidedly disparate but equally compelling roles. They show the vast variability love can take on, from revenge to forgiveness. Their sadness--and their happiness--is seemingly palpable and absolutely heart-wrenching.

Technically, the film is incredible. It is so well-constructed that many of the shots and scenes seem airy and natural, despite their being planned down to the degree of the camera angle. The lights, the special effects, the cinematography, the sets, the costumes, the makeup; everything is pitch perfect and as beautiful as it could possibly be expected to be. The editing is precise down to the individual frame. The only complaint that could be lodged against the cinematics of the movie lie in its complicated storyline. It is easy to get lost in its labyrinthine plot. For me, however, that just made me want to watch the movie again and again so I could gather all the subtle details and clues and piece them together.

There are two things I absolutely love about this movie. The first is the concept of point of view and the unreliable narrator. It takes Rashomon on in a different and new light. It examines illusion in the absence of deception and hope in the absence of reason. With different points of view come different stories and different conclusions, but you soon realize that you can't always trust what you see... or what you think you see. The second is the relationship between Mathilde and Manech. Something about it--in its entire breadth and depth--is so pure and so innocent that you simply cannot believe for a second that war or even death can destroy it. It is somehow unbreakable, and the ending to the film incorporates that concept so fully and so brilliantly that I cannot speak about it highly enough. It is the perfect ending to a perfect movie. Watch this movie. And then watch it again. I hope you fall in love with it as much as I did.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0344510/

The Incredibles (2004)

5/5

When I first saw Brad Bird's The Incredibles, it instantly became my favorite Pixar movie. And seeing it again after 5 years, it remains my favorite Pixar movie. It has everything you could want and more, from humor to tension, from mature themes to childish fun. What struck me the first time I saw this movie was its remarkable breadth of material and motifs. Not since The Rules of the Game had I seen so many topics explored so fully in such a short period of time. The Incredibles brings up the ideas of juggling family life and career life, of being true to yourself when you're not allowed to, of our rampant litigation and torts system, and of doing a needed public service, whether or not it is requested. Being in medical school, it is the last of these many subjects that struck an intimate chord with me this time. What do you do when you take an oath to do good and you find yourself in an opportunity to utilize all the faculties you've harnessed in your training only to have them reject your help?

But what really took my breath away when I saw the movie yesterday was simply how entertaining, engaging, and engrossing it was. On this second viewing, I found myself laughing at different times. I found myself breathlessly waiting for the action sequences' resolutions. I knew everything that was going to happen and it still held me completely in its grasp, as only the best films can do. This movie is far, far more than a movie. It is a brilliant work of art and a foray into human nature, social expectations, and family dysfunction. And it is something that invades your body and warms the cockles of your heart, instantly and tenderly, with levity and empathy. This is not just my favorite Pixar movie, or my favorite cartoon; it is one of my favorite movies of all time.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317705/

The Notebook (2004)

3/5

Before I start this review, I should note that there were certain distractions that took my attention away from the movie for several minutes at a time. Thus, it may be an unfair assessment. However, I remain confident in my rating within plus or minus 0.5 stars, which I don't use anyway. With that in mind, let us begin with the review.

The Notebook is a rather simple boy meets girl tearjerker love story. The title refers to a notebook detailing how the couple met and fell in love. Now a grandfather, the man reads it to his Alzheimer-stricken wife to help her get back the memories the disease stole from her. It's a tender premise, at risk of being filled with saccharine sentimentality and overwrought melodrama. For the most part, it manages to avoid the sappiness associated with its cliched and tired story, and instead infuses it with just the right amount of emotion. This is in large part due to the acting by the two leads (Gosling and McAdams), whose performances allow us to feel empathy instead of resentment for the cocky boy and rich girl who find true love in each other. As far as the story and acting goes, this is about as good a film as any other romance.

Technically, the film is about the same as your typical romantic fare. The painterly compositions could be quite stunning, but the overuse of slo-mo was a bit excessive. The simple editing served the story well, with some efficiently-cut scenes and some unnecessary ones. The dialogue, what I heard of it, wasn't particularly poetic or cheesy. All in all, this was a fairly average romance with a few good qualities and a few bad qualities. If it seems like this is your type of movie, you'll probably enjoy it. But it won't change anybody's mind about the genre.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0332280/

Tae Guk Gi (2004)

4/5

Tae Guk Gi tells the story of two South Korean brothers as they get forcibly drafted into the army to fight in the Korean War. It depicts the effects of the war on each brother's mental capacities and it also shows the strain on their seemingly unconditional love for each other. Set in a similar storytelling framework as Saving Private Ryan, we know who lives and who dies by the end. And yet the movie still manages to surprise us, taking us on a a series of unexpected twists and turns, gripping our seats in fear and anticipation. Other times the story felt forced and staged. While I was never that emotionally connected to the characters, I could see how the drama was the focus of the movie and respected that.

Even so, it's a war movie, and the action was truly relentless and gut-wrenching. The short shutter speeds (as in 28 Days Later) during several war scenes felt both otherworldly and realistic, putting the audience front and center in the chaos. The music was a bit of a mixed bag. It kept your pulse pounding during the battles, but felt really overbearing and melodramatic during the dramatic scenes. (When the music came on with a ridiculous montage of their civilian life, it was almost too sappy to believe. I actually groaned.) While the acting was great, I think a lot of credit deserves to go to casting. The younger brother had just the right look of boyish innocence and the older brother's resemblance to Chow Yun Fat made his character instantly recognizable and likable. Overall, this is a very good movie. It's easy to watch despite it's length, and I recommend it if it sounds appealing to you.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386064/

2046 (2004)

4/5

Seeing 2046 was like watching In the Mood for Love but with an added element of a future fiction world and the relationship between a writer and his work. My biggest complaint with this movie is that it adds nothing to the table that Wong Kar Wai hasn't already done, so it becomes an almost burdensome task to sit through and watch this movie as if you're rewatching In the Mood for Love. Though it feels like the thematic companion, it is technically the sequel, which makes me like the characters less because it is as if they haven't matured or changed very much. The same problem plagues both movies: it feels as if Wong doesn't know when to end. He just keeps going and going. Some of the themes were too blunt and forced. Some of the slo-mo effects were obnoxious and didn't work quite as well as in all his earlier movies. And as Sameer noted during the movie, the displays of affection were quite bizarre and overexaggerated.

Now, onto the good stuff. The cinematography is jaw-droppingly luscious. It's probably Wong/Doyle's best of their collaborations. I would compare it only to In the Mood for Love, although this one is more expansive and inventive while In the Mood for Love was more restricted and conservative in tones, hues, and compositions. The music was amazing, a perfect soundtrack with just the right amounts in just the right places. It wasn't too overpowering as in My Blueberry Nights. And I really did enjoy the stuff that wasn't in In the Mood for Love, like the fictional futuristic universe. I thought it was one of the best parts of the movie and was disappointed at its relatively limited inclusion. (I didn't think the special effects were that good though.) I also liked the concept of how a writer weaves his own life stories into his work in different ways. It was always interesting to see how events were reinterpreted in the 2046 world. What I liked specifically about this movie that I don't recall happening in any of his other movies was the use of setups. It seemed like the entire movie set up curious behaviors and shots that teased you, only so that later on they could reveal the underlying reasonings. Normally I feel it's a cheap tactic to get you to like the movie more, but here it works surprisingly well. (My only complaint is that when it ends, it starts tying up all the loose ends with very poetic ruminations. It makes you feel like the movie is about to end, but no, there are about five more subplots whose endings need to be tied up.) Anyway, I definitely recommend this movie if you haven't yet seen In the Mood for Love, but if you have, there's not much to warrant seeing this unless you're just dying to experience Wong's entire oeuvre.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0212712/

Ocean's Twelve (2004)

3/5

Ocean's Twelve was an enjoyable comedy/heist movie. The heist elements were pretty subpar for the most part with a couple cool things thrown in here and there, but I thought it was just so funny. My expectations were so low because everyone came out disappointed (because the first one was so good) that I actually had a really fun time watching this. The acting as always was great, the laughs consistent and solid, and the directing light and fun. There are cameos and big names like nothing you've ever seen before. And, for the most part, it just works. You let go of small inconsistencies because you're entertained.

However, the plot was pretty pitiful, a fact that cannot go ignored; it felt like it was trying to construct a story around the actors' schedules and not the other way around. Because of that, I was actually impressed when all the actors were on the screen together. But the story's limitations really hinder it, considering it's a crime movie with more than twelve main characters in it. Each character really should have some fundamental role in the narrative, and they don't. They're merely accessories. This is what is lacking in this movie that people seemed to love about the first one. Anyway, I greatly enjoyed myself while watching it, and if you're interested you should definitely check it out.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0349903/

The Ladykillers (2004)

4/5

The Ladykillers is a truly hilarious movie, both while watching it and while remembering it. Tom Hanks, Irma P. Hall, J.K. Simmons, and Marlon Wayans are unforgettable. Their characters are off-the-wall on paper, but portrayed with such vivacity and honesty to make them fleshed out and believable. The story (crime), the cinematography (crisp), and the dialogue (black comedy) is undeniably Coen. The brothers Coen have practically outdone themselves in shot composition and camerawork; every frame of this movie is utterly pristine, precise, and pretty.

Even so, the story wraps itself up a bit too nicely at the end. The introduction to the characters, while extremely funny, felt conventional and uninspired. The dialogue, specifically from Hanks's character, is extraordinarily fast-paced. It could be argued that this somewhat diminishes your enjoyment on the initial viewing but it also gives huge replay value as you get jokes you missed the first time. I honestly don't have many more cons about this movie. It is exquisite.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0335245/

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

4/5

I found Shaun of the Dead to be a very entertaining movie. I laughed more than I thought I would and I was on the edge of my seat more than I thought I would be. (To be honest, I had no idea what to expect.) It is a British movie, and as such has British humor, which I like. I think the reason that this movie was so successful is because it's so inventive. It is like almost no other movie I have seen. Yes, it tries to incorporate more genres than it can handle, but I don't think the point was to be a romantic comedy and a zombie horror movie and a spoof, but to mix those into a wholly new genre. It's able to create a world that is believable in the same way that fantasy worlds can be believable. The characters just fit in the worlds so well.

It is a surprisingly well-produced film, with excellent cinematography and editing. The music was also quite good. I think a lot of the humor fell a bit flat though--there's nothing worse in a comedy than a joke nobody laughs at. The story was surprisingly engrossing, the characters very fleshed out, and the tension palpable. There were emotional parts that hit harder than in a drama because I wasn't expecting them. Overall, though, it's hard to recommend. I think it requires a specific audience to enjoy. If you only like romantic comedies or you only like zombie horror movies or you only like spoofs, you might not like this movie. But if you're open to trying out creative new movies, then you might want to check this one out.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0365748/

Mysterious Skin (2004)

4/5

This movie is first and foremost incredibly gay, but that is just the necessary backdrop for an emotional journey into the lives of two tormented youths. The editing often faded from one boy's face/body to the other's to give the impression that they were somehow connected, if not the same. Yet they both react to the same situation in two vastly different ways, one with ignorance and the other with embrace. I may have slightly "ruined" the ending, but I don't think what happened was really a mystery; it's merely the end of a journey of self-discovery, which is really the heart of the film. And this journey is expressed vividly by amazing acting all around.

Being so exquisitely and flamboyantly gay, it limits its message to a very specialized audience. While the movie was effective, I wasn't quite sure what its point was with a lot of scenes. It seemed like there was a gratuitous amount of unnecessarily explicit sexual encounters for the sake of either making you disgusted or depressed at the depth of depravity in our society. Some characters, like some scenes, didn't really have points and were just there to change up the scenery. The editing was extremely artsy and made the movie feel pretentious, which took away from the feeling of the story being realistic and raw. Even so, I think it's an extremely well-made movie, but definitely not for everyone's palate.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0370986/

Electric Shadows (2004)

4/5

Electric Shadows is like the Chinese Cinema Paradiso, but worse in every way. It feels more constructed and less real, more one-dimensional and less robust, and more senselessly sad without being as powerful. This movie is really good, but it's already been done before, and better. Except I think this movie has one thing that Cinema Paradiso does not have--a vastly different location, which allows for a completely different world to be immersed in. The director uses it to his full advantage at every possible moment. Fields of shiny white flowers, windy sand dunes, cobbled streets and tiled roofs, and inimitable Asian faces: the cut terrain of the aged and the porcelain curves of the youth. The shot compositions are mesmerizing. It's a completely different, refreshing, and vibrant experience.

IMDb link: http://imdb.com/title/tt0424273/