Now You See Me (2013)

4/5

Now You See Me is a deliciously devious con/heist movie with an engaging cast of characters and compelling story. A group of four magicians (Eisenberg, Harrelson, Fisher, Franco) are brought together by a mysterious stranger to perform a series of grand illusions, with the ultimate goal of Robin Hood-esque bank-robbing. A local cop (Ruffalo) and Interpol officer (Laurent) chase after them, wondering the whole time what their true motives are. And what their final act will be.

What makes this movie so fun is the sense of wonder you get watching the actors perform. The movie is not so much about magic as it is about deception, manipulation, and subverting expectations. You don't really concern yourself with how the illusions were performed--instead you find yourself focusing on the misdirection and the acting. Eisenberg delivers arrogance to perfection (only to be outdone by Freeman's know-it-all cockiness). Franco endears with his youthful charm and innocence, making him the most sympathetic character in the whole movie.

Now You See Me is riveting from beginning to end, thanks to a well-crafted story and well-paced editing. But the film ultimately fails in the finale. The big reveal at the end is terribly unsatisfying. Quite frankly, the twist just doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Yes, it is possible for everything to be explained as it was, but it is fantastically absurd and illogical. It feels as if it were written in an effort to confuse and surprise the audience, not in an effort to be true to the world it creates. But, strangely enough, none of that changes my enjoyment of the film. It is still eminently watchable and utterly delightful.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1670345/

Chronicle (2012)

4/5

Chronicle tells the story of three high school students who develop superpowers overnight. Andrew (DeHaan) is a shy loner who has never had any friends. He decides to start filming his life, presumably to document the verbal and physical abuse his alcoholic father (Kelly) dishes out. We see how his environment shapes his mentality, and how popularity and embarrassment can dramatically alter fickle adolescent emotions and thoughts. His cousin Matt (Russell) is interested in philosophy and girls. After witnessing the destructive potential of their powers, he institutes rules to govern their use. And the third is Steve (Jordan), the popular kid in school who wants to go into politics because he's good with faces. A good kid with a good heart, he would prefer to use their newfound talents to put on a playful magic show.

These characters are the essence of the story, because this is really a character-driven meditation on teen angst (despite the superpowers). Infused with the kind of puerile humor that would make funniest home videos, it is genuinely engaging and fascinating. How would three high schoolers actually respond to that kind of ability? It is astonishing how rapidly jokes can turn mean and pranks can turn sadistic. And this movie seems ready, almost anxious, to discuss the fragility of human emotion. Much like Irreversible, we see small moments in the events that lead up to the climax that make us think, what if? What if this one word, this one reaction, had been heard and felt?

The movie manages to be both contrived and eminently believable. It uses the "found footage" concept to great effect in offering up realism, but never really explains how it all got edited together (and with other sources spliced in). The experiments the kids do to test the limits of their power are clever and inventive, but the climactic finale is just a little too preposterous for me. I am only able to suspend my disbelief so far; beyond that I am taken out of the experience. I can see how silly I look sitting in the theater, watching a movie where a boy is wrapped head-to-toe in bandages, yelling at the top of his lungs with glass windows shattering all around him.

Overall, this is a great film. It is breathlessly-paced and powerfully-told. It has so much to say, but doesn't always use the right tools. I felt like it came out of the conception phase a little too early; I wanted it to cook a little more and mature a bit before they committed it to film. I wanted to see a classic fable of the teenage years that would stand the test of time. This does not do that, but it's an original, electrifying film nonetheless.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1706593/

Changeling (2008)

4/5

Clint Eastwood's Changeling tells the emotional true story of LA mother Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie) whose missing son Walter is claimed to be returned by police captain J. J. Jones (Jeffrey Donovan). Except the boy is not her son, and the police deny their mistake. She finds an ally in Reverend Briegleb (John Malkovich), who encourages her to fight the corrupt LAPD. After she publicly announces the police's error, they lock her up in a mental asylum, force-feed her medication, and threaten electric shock therapy. I will leave the rest of the story's twists and turns open for you to discover yourselves.

While the drama was a bit overwrought and overbearing in the beginning, it works. We feel her pain and sympathize with her quest for truth, hanging on every new piece of evidence in the hopes of discovering what happened. Jolie does an exemplary job here; we are not watching an actress, but a distressed mother at her wit's end, with every imaginable injustice cast upon her and no end in sight. The abuses of power, by both the police and the psychiatrists, are horrifying, ugly, and almost unbearable.

Eastwood directs the film with intensity and brilliance. He has imbued Changeling with astute set design, painterly lighting, and evocative cinematography. The editing and pacing are spot-on as well, thanks in no small part to the story and its writing. Most movies sag in the middle half, but Changeling shifts into an exciting suspense thriller halfway through to help us get through its 2 hour 22 minute running time while still remaining true to its dramatic roots.

The ending, which is as inconclusive as all historical mysteries, is still extremely satisfying. Changeling exposes fears that I'm sure any parent can relate to, and it does so without simplifying or sugar-coating them. But it is not just for parents. It is for anyone who has ever loved a family member or friend to the point where they cannot stop loving them. And so I wholeheartedly recommend this movie to anyone who fits that description.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0824747/