Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

3/5

Disney's Saving Mr. Banks is an expectedly heartwarming story about the creation of the Mary Poppins movie. Walt Disney (Hanks) has been trying for decades to woo P.L. Travers (Thompson) into giving them the rights to adapt her Mary Poppins books for the silver screen. Due to recent financial difficulties, she finally agrees to meet with the Disney songwriters (Novak, Schwartzman, Whitford) as long as she gets the final say in what ends up in the film. Upon first blush, she appears to be a crotchety old fart with a bug up her butt; she is senselessly rigid and unreasonable in her demands. But as the movie progresses she opens up, first to her chauffeur (Giamatti) and then to Disney himself. We discover what her childhood was like, why she wrote the Mary Poppins stories, and why she clings so closely to the words she put on the page.

Immediately after exiting the theater, I remember thinking how life-affirming and rewarding the movie felt. But looking back, it seems extraordinarily Hollywood-ized. Disney is basically advertising itself, which heavily limits how much we might believe that this was "based on a true story." If you've seen the trailer, there really is nothing particularly surprising about Saving Mr. Banks, from the saccharine atmosphere to the predictable storyline. After all, the ending "reveal" is so obvious they made it the title of the movie.

But the movie is not about twists and mysteries; it's about characters and their motivations. And there again the movie stumbles. Travers feels like an obstacle the entire time, who is eventually overcome by American bravado and intelligence, instead of a complex character with nuance and subtlety. Instead of framing the movie as a character study, Hancock directs it so conservatively that it loses the depth that Thompson worked so hard to infuse in her character. There is so much more to P.L. Travers than her childhood, but that is all we get to see. The movie rides on her ability to generate empathy within the audience members, and Hancock shoots himself in the foot by making her the enemy at the outset.

Now, that's not to say that this isn't an entertaining or enjoyable film. It very much is. It's delightful and funny too. And it will have you reaching for your tissue every once in a while. But it doesn't feel honest to me. It feels deceptive and inauthentic. And it's such a shame because so many fine actors deliver impeccable performances here. It's a good movie, but not as good as it could have been.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2140373/

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

4.9/5

The Cabin in the Woods is one of the most fascinating, enthralling movies I've seen in a long time. Written by Joss Whedon, it is a testament to the power of inventive, immersive storytelling. It gives me hope that there's still new ideas to be discovered and shared. The plot starts with five friends (Connolly, Hemsworth, Hutchison, Kranz, Williams) who take a trip to the titular cabin in the woods. They are warned by a gas station attendant (De Zarn) not to enter, but they choose to continue on, only to enter a world of horrors.

The movie is a joy to watch. It starts from a simple premise and constantly expands, adding layer after layer of complexity until its brilliant finale. It is set in a slasher horror genre, but contains elements of reality TV and ancient mythology. After a while, the horror element fades away and you are left with nothing but quality storytelling in a universe you've never before set foot in. It is exciting and entertaining, although it will not appeal to everybody. It aims to shock, at times, but also to make you smile. It succeeds admirably on all counts, and it is delightful the entire time.

As far as the acting goes, Kranz, Jenkins, and Whitford steal the show. They are incredible and they leave the rest of the cast in the dust. The camerawork and editing are pretty much what you'd expect from a horror movie, with the requisite shots of blurry objects sneaking up in the background and quick cut/loud noise combos. But even those are done in an almost tongue-in-cheek way that makes the whole movie all the more fun. I cannot seem to praise this movie enough, and I cannot wait to watch it again.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1259521/