Morning Glory (2010)

4/5

Morning Glory is a surprisingly affecting tale of a young, fiercely independent woman who believes in herself and her abilities. The plot follows Becky Fuller (McAdams), a TV producer who gets hired to rejuvenate the failing morning show Daybreak. Because of her age, nobody takes her seriously. But when she fires one of the co-anchors and hires news legend Mike Pomeroy (Ford) to take his place, people start cheering her on. Her handsome coworker Adam Bennett (Wilson) even asks her out on a date. But her challenges are far from over, as the ratings plummet further down and her boss (Goldblum) informs her that the parent broadcasting company may cancel the show altogether.

We all know this story. We all know the stresses of daily life and the balancing act between our professional and personal goals. We all know the trite romance that will develop between the handsome man and awkward woman. This movie deals with the former with aplomb and thankfully downplays the latter. But Morning Glory is also surprising in a lot of ways. It delves into a different kind of relationship rarely portrayed in cinema: the family dynamic that emerges after working with people day in and day out. It treats the coworker interaction as a special, cherished kind of relationship that is equally as important as the relationships we develop in our free time. It examines the workplace as a joyous environment, challenging but rewarding, filled with obstacles and solutions, instead of a miserable existence we so commonly hear about.

This movie succeeds not because of cinematography or editing, but because of convincing portrayals by the actors. You can see every bit of excitement and nervousness and determination in McAdams's eyes. Underneath Ford's gruff, monotone voice is a depth and texture that is not immediately apparent. It is so much more fascinating than him playing a jaded old curmudgeon. Morning Glory is a movie about love in a very nontraditional way. It's about loving ourselves, establishing priorities and dreams and never letting them go. This is an inspiring and uplifting movie. And here I was thinking it was just going to be another romantic comedy. I'm glad I was wrong.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1126618/

Remember Me (2010)

2/5

Remember Me is a gutsy movie that doesn't quite work for me. The impact and meaning is based on a surprise at the end that has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the movie, and therefore is a complete crap shoot as to whether or not you will like it. In fact, the entire movie trudges along because it knows what happens at the end, but you will find it slow and overbearing because you don't. The movie follows Emilie de Raven after a brutal scene in the beginning where she watches her mother get shot in a mugging. It also follows Robert Pattinson as a pale, emo non-vampire who gets into fights with random strangers and cops. The whole thing is very bizarre. They begin a relationship on fairly shaky ground and we watch it progress alongside their relationships with their families, with no sense of where anything is going until it eventually gets there at the end.

The technical aspects are surprisingly competent (I found them surprising anyway). There are some great shots in this movie and some provocative editing. However, that's where the competence ends and the incompetence begins. The script is excruciatingly emo, or maybe it's just the acting that makes me want to tear my eyeballs out and use them to plug my ears. The directing includes unnecessarily violent scenes, presumably intended to shock us with matter-of-fact style. Unfortunately it just comes off as gratuitous exploitation (as does the ending). There is no redeeming factor that would allow me to recommend this movie.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1403981/

The Social Network (2010)

5/5

David Fincher's The Social Network is a vibrant, invigorating film filled with excitement and possibility. The movie chronicles the beginning of the new digital era of human interactions. It is not so much about the creator of Facebook as it is about the unrelenting, self-propelled technology that everybody is trying their best to keep up with. It is a classic story of how we as a society deal with each other, how we share stories, how we reveal our emotions. It tackles betrayal, regret, and love. The plot itself is based on two lawsuits launched against Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg (Eisenberg). The first is by fellow Harvard undergrads Divya Narendra (Minghella) and the Winklevoss twins (Hammer) for stealing their idea, originally called Harvard Connection. The second is by best friend, co-founder, and CFO Eduardo Saverin (Garfield) for being written out of his share of stock options.

It is difficult to describe how compelling this movie is. The script is an absolute treasure. It unites fast-paced, witty, intellectual dialogue with important, ancient thematics. It is fresh and edgy and filled with electricity. The cinematography is beautiful and appropriately moody. The editing may be one of the most underrated aspects of this movie, but it is essential to its success. The story could have easily taken 3 hours, especially given Fincher's propensity for making movies longer than they need to be, but I'm thankful that they were able to edit it down to just 2 hours. It is expertly paced with only the essential ideas. And last but not least is the acting. It is spot-on. The characters are full and richly textured. You feel their pain and heartache and sorrow. You are enraptured by their vivacity and exhilaration. They are not just fascinating character studies. They are living and breathing people with the same unique talents and flaws that you love and hate about your friends and enemies.

And of course there is the subject matter. I wonder what it means that everybody who saw this movie went home and posted their thoughts about it on Facebook. People complained that this movie came out too soon: Facebook's role is still being sorted out. We are right in the middle of it and don't know how it will all play out in the end. But I think now is the best time to make and release this movie precisely because we are still in the thick of it. People said the same thing about 9/11 movies, but they remain some of the best and most memorable movies because they are tied to my memory of life events and contain universal themes. This movie is exactly the same. And while it may not have all the facts right and may be biased one way or another, it is a phenomenal story that is flawlessly told. It must be seen, and sooner rather than later.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1285016/

A Prophet (2009)

4.9/5

Jacques Audiard's A Prophet tells the story of 19-year-old Malik (Rahim). He is sentenced to prison for 6 years for assaulting a cop. He is very rapidly educated on the prison hierarchy and code. On the first day he is kicked and beaten for his sneakers. On the second day he is extended a proposition by Luciani (Arestrup): kill newcomer Reyeb (Yacoubi) or be killed. Liking neither option, he attacks another prisoner in the hopes that he is sent to solitary confinement. But he discovers that Luciani is the prison overlord and he has influence even over the security guards. Malik must accept. He is instructed on how to conceal a razor blade in his mouth. At the right moment, he will grip it between his teeth and slit Reyeb's carotid artery. He practices many times in front of a mirror, every mistake causing blood to flow from his lips. When the time finally comes, he messes up. And it leaves him trembling.

This is only the beginning of the film. It still has 6 years and 2 hours to go. We come to care for Malik. We sympathize with him. And because we like him, we root for him. We want him to rob efficiently, threaten brutally, and kill successfully. We want him to climb the ladder as high as possible to get the revenge he deserves. We quickly forget that he is a criminal. We ourselves get indoctrinated into the values of the prison world, on the importance of power and respect above all else. And when the film ends, we can only watch in silence and awe at the person he becomes.

The movie is impeccably directed, from the visceral cinematography to the tense editing. Every technical aspect in this movie is astounding to see. The film offers plenty of social commentary in its thematics to ponder and discuss, but the acting is where this movie shines. Rahim and Arestrup are absolutely mesmerizing. We believe them every second of the film. From terrified to terrifying and vice versa, these actors play characters who hide their emotions as much as possible and they do it with the necessary subtlety and nuance. Their transformation is so gradual that it turns invisible, believable, and all the more shocking. It is a phenomenal achievement. And one that should not be missed.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1235166/

Coco Before Chanel (2009)

3/5

Coco Before Chanel, according to IMDb, tells the "story of Coco Chanel's rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of the fashion world." She is played by Audrey Tautou, and she brings a disarmingly innocent smile to a fiercely independent yet loyal woman. She befriends the rich but ugly Balsan (Poelvoorde) before befriending the rich and handsome Boy (Nivola). All the pieces are there--the acting is pitch-perfect, the cinematography and editing were precise, and the ending is beautiful--but it didn't feel as gripping or riveting as I was hoping it would be. Maybe it was because I saw it at 11pm after an exciting Bulls game and some expensive cheap beer (I did in fact nod off for the last 15 minutes, although I watched those final 15 minutes again the next morning), but there was something very bland and boring about this story that I can't quite put my finger on. The whole affair just seemed subdued and formal instead of spicy and fresh. I wanted a little more vivacity and vibrancy for this kind of a story. As it stands, I wasn't too terribly impressed. It works on many levels, just not the ones I needed it to work on.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1035736/

Life As We Know It (2010)

4/5

Life As We Know It is a tender, heartfelt romantic comedy that hits all the right notes. When Peter (MacArthur) and Alison (Hendricks) Novack die in a car accident, their two best friends are given guardianship of their 1-year-old daughter, Sophie. Holly (Heigl) is a driven, organized entrepreneur and chef; she is taking out construction loans to expand her pastry shop into a full-out restaurant. Messer (Duhamel) is a suave womanizer living the life every guy dreams of: he watches basketball games for a living and gets free dinner and drinks from women who want to sleep with him. Out of their love for their friends and the child, they accept. But fitting into their roles as Sophie's parents is much more difficult than they anticipated.

The acting in this movie is superb. Duhamel was the best part about When In Rome, and he's the best part about Life As We Know It too. He has charm and wit, but lacks the sleaze you'd associate with someone who supposedly sleeps around with every woman he can find. One of the negatives about this movie is that I just didn't find him convincing as Messer. He somehow changed the character into someone likable and sympathetic. I doubt that the person on screen was the same person scripted. Luckily, Heigl is his match, revealing an understated but explosive personality. She is not what you'd expect, given her professional, work-obsessed appearance and relative lack of a personal life. Yes, she wants a family, but she wants it on her terms, not thrust on her like this.

I spent a paragraph describing the characters because characters are what make a movie like this successful, endearing, and memorable. They are imbued with humor and played with honest emotion. Their intricacies and complexities are precisely brought to life on screen. The rest of the technical details like dull cinematography and subpar editing just fall by the wayside when you see this movie. No, I didn't laugh as much in this movie as I did in Going the Distance, but this one did pull at the heartstrings a little bit more. This may not be the movie for everyone, but you'd have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by some of the scenes in this movie.

Note: There is a crucial scene near the climax/finale dealing with a phone call. The phone that rings is an original Sprint Palm Pre with all original webOS UI, and I don't think I have ever been so excited to see anything or anyone in a movie in my life. I literally jumped out of my seat and started hitting my girlfriend's arm to get her attention as I giggled like a little schoolgirl. I have no idea why. I also noticed that my favorite Parker Jotter pen and Oxo mug made cameos, which was pretty cool as well.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1055292/

The American (2010)

4/5

Anton Corbijn's The American is a slowly-paced but superbly-crafted cerebral thriller. The plot follows an assassin (Clooney) who wants to quit for love (Placido), but his employer (Leysen) has one last job for him. The plot is the film's weakest aspect, as it is flimsy, cliché, and predictable. But everything else about this movie is exquisite. The cinematography is stunning and is paired with impeccable editing. It lingers just the right amount to let you appreciate the beauty without it feeling forced on you. The music is refreshingly different and appropriately atmospheric. The slick production is well-directed, adding tension to the simplest scenes and unnerving you when you least expect it. The use of colors and subtle shifts in composition add meaning to an already intriguing and complex thematic framework. Clooney continues to surprise me with his choice of roles after his equally fascinating turn in Up in the Air. All in all, I cannot recommend this film enough. Just know that it is not a James Bond action movie. It can be slow-paced, forcing the audience to be patient, so you must be in the right mood. But if you are, you will enjoy what this film has to offer.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1440728/

Henry Poole Is Here (2008)

3/5

Henry Poole Is Here looked so promising from the trailers. The plot follows Henry Poole (Wilson) after he moves into an old bungalow in LA. There's something odd about him. He wants to pay the full asking price, without any negotiations. He does not want it to be re-stuccoed, as he repeatedly states that he will not be staying there long anyway. He keeps his eye on another house across the street, his first choice for where he wanted to live. He buys large amounts of liquor on a daily basis, just for himself, at the same grocery store with the same cashier (Hines). When his neighbor Esperanza (Barraza) sees an image of Christ on his wall, he writes it off as a stain. She brings her pastor (Lopez) and the rest of her congregation to his house to see the miracle, but he gets so frustrated with all the attention that he tries to remove it with a high-pressure water spray. That only makes it more visible. His other neighbor Dawn (Mitchell) witnesses the events and her daughter Millie (Lily) starts recording him from across the fence.

Onto more technical aspects. The cinematography and editing were well-done, although very "indie" in its artsy compositions and lingering scenes. The acting was appropriate, but nobody really stood out. All the pieces are in place for a quirky independent dramedy, but the movie plays much more slowly and predictably than I assumed it would. I wanted something that would speak to all faiths and beliefs, something that would let anybody take what they wanted from the movie. But it's hard to argue when a blind person sees, a mute person talks, and a dying person lives. It just felt a bit heavy-handed with respect to faith and miracles. I guess my big issue with this movie is that it was not as good as I was expecting it to be. I gave it too much credit. Feel free to watch it if the trailer or the plot interested you, but don't get your hopes up too high.

Note: I had about 60-70% of a bottle of wine over the course of this 90 minute movie, which I started watching at 11:30pm, so I was a little tired and inebriated. Still, I stand by my rating within 0.5 stars.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1029120/

When In Rome (2010)

3/5

When In Rome is a silly little movie with a lot of heart and charm. The plot is outrageously dumb: Beth (Bell) steals five coins from a fountain in Italy and a spell is placed on the five people who threw their coins in looking for love. One is an artist (Arnett), one is a sausage businessman (DeVito), one is a magician (Heder), and one is a male model (Shepard). "But wait!" you say, "That's only four!" You are correct. Incidentally, Nick (Duhamel) is also in love with her, and Beth must figure out if it's because of true love or if it's because the fifth coin was his and he is merely under the spell.

Yes, I know, it is preposterous and corny, but it gets an A for effort. You see these men attempt to win her over with the most desperate and sad displays of affection. They try and try and try to please her but to no avail. And once you get past the buffoonery and circus-like lunacy, you find a smile somehow crept its way up onto your face. I don't know how it does this, because the writing is terrible, but the actors put so much of themselves into their ridiculous roles that you just have to love it. Some parts of the story started out blunt and obvious (e.g., Beth's love of her job over personal relationships), but further into the movie it became surprisingly subtle and nuanced. But by far the most surprising thing about this movie for me was how charismatic Duhamel turned out to be. It's easy to see why he's starring in all these romantic comedies nowadays. You don't have to watch this movie (but feel free if it sounds like your kind of movie), but you should definitely keep an eye out for Duhamel.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185416/

Conviction (2010)

3/5

Conviction follows the true story of Betty Anne Waters (Swank) and her brother Kenny (Rockwell). After Kenny is sentenced to life without parole for a brutal murder, Betty Anne goes back to school to get her GED, BA, and JD so that she can exonerate him. Although the audience may still have their doubts, Betty Anne is unswaying in her belief of her brother's innocence. As she devotes more and more of her life to this case, we become more and more apprehensive that it may have all just been a waste. The story itself is remarkable and inspiring; we would not be able to suspend our disbelief had this movie been fictitious. But it serves to show us the dedication family members have for each other, no matter how unlikely the odds are. This is true not only in the main plot architecture, but also in the side stories: a number of characters' motivations for doing seemingly despicable acts stem from the fact that they don't want to lose their children.

The acting was exquisite. I truly enjoyed the superb performances by Rockwell, Leo, and Lewis, but I found Swank's character to be extremely similar to that in her previous Oscar winner Million Dollar Baby. Jomarie and I got the chance to listen to a Q&A with the real Betty Anne Waters, and it was a real treat to hear her talk about the experiences and elaborate on a number of items the movie only glossed over. The woman is strong and resilient; it shows in everything she does. Quite frankly, I don't think Hilary Swank did her justice. Other than that, the technical aspects are not particularly noteworthy. The script serves the purpose of telling the story and doesn't attempt anything further. The directing is acceptable, the cinematography is mediocre, and the editing is rather bland. There are rarely any textual descriptors of time and place, despite the fact that the story bounces around in those two dimensions quite frequently. But it works here. It is able to maintain the mood of the piece across all those varying scenes. And the mood is really the movie's strongest aspect. It is able to twist your heartstrings, alternating between repeated injustices and hope for redemption before its ultimate conclusion. This is an incredible story wrapped up in a simple film, but it is definitely worth watching.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1244754/