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Archive for June, 2008

WALL-E

Sunday, June 29th, 2008

Dear Youth Cinema Society Members,

If I am slow to post my thoughts on this film, it is only because I find it difficult to do justice to what may very well be one of the great works of the decade. Ever since John Lasseter and company blew our minds with Toy Story thirteen years ago, this is the film Pixar has been building up to. Over time, their technology has improved, their worlds have been more fully realized, and their characters and themes have grown progressively more mature. It has all built up to this little film called WALL-E, a movie that functions as much as a brilliant piece of science-fiction as a thoroughly entertaining family flick.

There is no denying that WALL-E was a risky move on Pixar’s part. Thematically, it could potentially have turned off adults fearful that its post-apocalyptic setting would be depressing or frightening to their children (it’s always the parents, not the children). Secondly, and possibly more disastrous, very few of the film’s many robotic characters say much more than each other’s names. A certain camp of people have predicted the film’s demise due to this quirk. So, has WALL-E overcome this potential hitch?

We open on a sparsely populated, thickly polluted world with a joyfully ironic tune in the background. It’s a magical opening, but it’s like nothing we’ve ever seen from Pixar. Enter our robotic pal, WALL-E. He’s the last robot of his kind in this desolate wasteland, but he has a friend in his nameless cockroach buddy. Wall-E spends his days accomplishing his directive, which is to compact all the garbage on Earth, but he’s in no rush. He spends just as much time sifting through the garbage in search of interesting items, which he houses along with himself in his own little station, a structure that doubles as shelter during the harsh nighttime sandstorms. His spoils include a cigarette lighter, an old casette, and, most importantely, the musical Hello, Dolly! (that’s the title, not my pretentious punctuation) It’s through this film that WALL-E learns the concept of love, and begins to itch for a mate of his own.

Wall-E also happens to come across a plant, which he stores away in a shoe unknowing of just how crucial it’s about to become. He learns soon enough, after another day of going through his morning routine (he has to slip on his treads just like the rest of us) he notices a little red dot on the ground. He follows and catches it only to find a ship about to drop right on top of him. WALL-E hides as a routine begins that ends in the ejection of the robot EVE onto Earth’s terrain. WALL-E and EVE couldn’t be any more different, with WALL-E’s older, clunkier, ground-based design and EVE’s sleek, levitating, iPod-esque look (Steve Jobs was a consultant for her design). What’s also interesting is how the gender roles are swapped here, with EVE being a tough, well-armed robot and WALL-E being the more sensitive of the two.

Their first meeting doesn’t exactly go well. Of course, being the unspoiled, lonely, timid romantic that he is, WALL-E follows EVE around anyway as she accomplishes some mysterious objective, which she is clearly more interested in than WALL-E. However, like WALL-E, EVE is a robot with an actual personality who would rather fly around free than scan random things. However, WALL-E does provide her with shelter when a sandstorm kicks up, and here they begin to relate through WALL-E’s collection; EVE is able to unlock elements of certain objects that WALL-E could never figure out on his own. But it’s the plant that EVE was here for, and when WALL-E reveals it she takes it from him and shuts off. WALL-E has no clue what’s going on, but he takes care of her in this mode nonetheless. Alas, the ship from which EVE first stepped on Earth comes to take her away, and WALL-E is forced to tag along.

I really do not wish to spoil any more. I could elaborate on the themes of what makes us human, and how the story teaches us to be aware of our surroundings. But I’ll leave that all for you to find out.

Andrew Stanton shares some similarities with his co-worker John Lasseter, but he’s an artist unto his own. As with Finding Nemo, Stanton isn’t afraid to go into deep, dark places with this story, which differs from Lasseter’s more comic, kid-friendly approach. That certainly isn’t a bad thing, but it prevents Lasseter from making anything that resembles this film. Finding Nemo wasn’t afraid to kill off a character in its opening, or to injure its young title character. Similarly, WALL-E has no fear in dealing with issues of mindless consumerism and the cost of human ignorance. Kids might not understand this, for they’ll be distracted by the characters, visuals, and story, but adults will certainly catch this and children will grow up to recognize these elements.

But what about that issue of WALL-E being unable to talk? Perhaps someone should’ve informed the sceptics that film is a visual medium that doesn’t even need dialogue if the makers don’t want it. Pixar’s animators obviously looked at movies from Charlie Chaplin and the like in order to convey the emotions of the robotic characters, and the result is a film of sparse dialogue where you don’t even notice the lack of conversation. Whether it’s EVE’s digitized eyes or WALL-E’s binocular head, subtlety counts for everything here. None of these characters appear inanimate, and that’s key for buying into the universe.

But the human characters are no slouches either…well, actually they are at first. Too much talk of this cast will lead to spoilers. However, I simply must throw in some praise for Jeff Garlin as the Captain as well the character’s animators for taking someone who could very well have been a huge joke and making him a person of depth and gradually uncovering wisdom. Another special mention goes to Fred Willard in a bizarre live-action role that’s both funny and sad considering his character is probably long-dead in the story.

This film’s breathtaking visuals need no description, but it would be unfair to overlook the audio, which plays a huge role here. When Andrew revealed WALL-E to me and my family, he described it at “R2-D2, The Movie.” It makes perfect sense that he would hire the original voice of R2-D2, Ben Burtt, to create most of the robotic voices and sound effects. In all honesty, the rough, distorted manner in which WALL-E states his name says far more about his character than any amount of dialogue ever could. Add to this Thomas Newman’s score (one of his very best) and you have a world that is far from silent. And speaking of music, Peter Gabriel supplies an end credits song that might just be one of the greatest things he’s ever sung.

I’m stunned. It’s quite likely that WALL-E is the best movie of Pixar’s entirely career, and one of the greatest animated pictures of all time. To think Pixar has accomplished so much in its short time in existence, and to think they still have years ahead of them. WALL-E simply is the best movie of this year, and I’ll be stunned if something better or even equal comes along. WALL-E has joined the ranks of Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Metropolis, and the greatest films of the science-fiction genre. Courses will be taken in college on how Wall-E changed the way we look at film. A minority will claim it is derivative of Short Circuit, but that cannot be cured. If there is any shread of love for cinema in you, Wall-E is a must see. If ever you’ve needed proof that animation is as much an art as live-action film, this is the evidence.

And I haven’t captured a fraction of my love with these words.

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The Incredible Hulk

Friday, June 20th, 2008

I can’t imagine what it must have been like for the Hulk fans who waited so long for Ang Lee’s take on the story in 2003 only to be bitterly disappointed. It had everything going for it: A great director, a great cast, and, most importantely, a giant green mass of muscles and bones out to destroy everything in sight. Sadly, it lacked one thing: a villain. Ang Lee had gone out of his way to create a different superhero film, one that focused on the character elements and made a metaphor into the antagonist. Personally, I thought the film was an interesting experiment, but it’s easy to see why people were so disappointed. It was a good movie, just not a good Hulk movie.

Marvel Studios have sought to make amends with their sequel/reboot, The Incredible Hulk. Gone is the arthouse style of Ang Lee, replaced by French action director Louis Leterrier (Transporter, Danny the Dog) and his more mainstream style. Has the story and character study been dropped? Absolutely not, but it has been weaved into a more narrative, action-packed script penned by Zak Penn and Edward Norton (the latter of which is uncredited). Don’t be mislead, for it is certainly a continuation of the last film, but the overhauled cast and crew makes it a very different experience. In fact, it’s an experience I very much prefer, as The Incredible Hulk is one of the very best superhero movies yet.

We begin with Bruce Banner (played this time by Edward Norton) having made a comparitively comfortable home out of Brazil. He can barely speak the language, and he’s stuck working in a run-down bottling plant, but at least the army isn’t shooting at him. Unfortunately, he’s forever in danger of making that despised transformation, and has a beeper to make sure his heart-rate never rises above two-hundred. He learns techniques to control his emotion. However, the most vital of his enterprises is a constant communication with a mysterious Mr. Blue, who aids Bruce in his attempt to find an antidote.

Unfortunately, he has an accident at the bottling facility. A drop of his gamma-infected blood winds up in one of the bottles, killing a consumer (the exact consumer will delight you) and bringing the army to Brazil to take him down. Of course, the operation is headed by General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt) who intends to use Hulk as a military weapon. But there’s also the issue of the main villain so sorely missing from the last Hulk, and here we have it manifested in Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth), a military agent. He and his team pursue Banner, only to provoke his inner monster to come out and clobber the living daylights out of his assailants.

Now, Banner goes on the run again and Blonsky is left embittered by his being uninformed about Hulk and the severe casualities inflicted on his unit. He demands an explanation from the General, and, getting what he wanted, asks to be subjected to a supersoldier experiment.

Banner, in the meantime, steals away to America in order to find data that could lead to the antidote he seaks. Along the way, he comes across his old lover, Betty Ross (this time played by Liv Tyler), who actually possesses the data Banner needs. Still, the army is forever at Banner’s heels, and his struggle gets more and more complicated. Without spoiling too much, Emil Blonsky eventually transforms into the villain Hulk fans had cried out for after the first film, and he provides a worthy adversary for Banner.

In fact, in most respects, this overhaul is an improvement upon the first film. I’ve heard people complain that this take on the story omits any character development and consists of pure “Hulk Smash!” We get plenty of “Hulk Smash” here that works beautifully, but there’s a reason it works. Granted, Lee’s film featured more apparent character elements, but Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk doesn’t feel the need to focus on elements that are already there. Instead, it communicates these elements through the action, like any good action flick does, and in many ways the story is the key element that makes the action sequences as tension-filled and memorable as they are. Along with Speed Racer, The Incredible Hulk is a great example of how to execute action that is as meaningful and dramatic as it is thrilling.

Of course, Leterrier is no stranger to action, but he’s never had as good a script as he does here. It’s impossible to tell which elements are Zak Penn’s and which are Edward Norton’s, but the whole is both thrilling and surprisingly deep, though not so concentrated on either element that one exceeds the other. Its first act is the slowest, taking ample time to set up Bruce Banner’s story without any initial sign of the Hulk, which highlights something often missing in film today: build-up. The Hulk doesn’t show up until the second-act begins, Blonsky doesn’t make his transformation until the third-act, we don’t see “Mr. Blue” until near the end of the second-act. Of course, those who follow the comics already know who Mr. Blue is, but this film knows how to hook people in and pay-off their expectations.

As for the overhauled cast, that too improves greatly on the previous film. While Eric Bana was and still is an excellent actor, Norton puts a touch more subtlety into his performance. William Hurt’s General Ross has more menace than Sam Elliot’s, overall matching the role better than the previous actor (though, admittedly, there’s not as much depth to his character in this version). However, the biggest improvement is in Betty Ross: Liv Tyler sometimes overacts her role, but she is a massive improvement upon Jennifer Connelly’s performance in the last Hulk. As for new characters, we have both Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky and Tim Blake Nelson acting without the accent. Both are pitch-perfect for their roles, and both leave an impression (and it’s quite clear that Tim Blake Nelson will have a role in the sequel). I have few complaints with this cast.

However, the most sorely needed improvement was needed in the effects department, and this film quite thankfully delivers. No longer does the Hulk look like a giant, overly-clean cartoon. His design is quite a bit more believable here, with a rougher and more detailed look. What’s most important is that is has exponentially more character. Hulk isn’t a hunk of CGI here; he’s a real character. All of these strengths are also inherent in Hulk’s enemy later in the film. Great praise should be given to this film’s effects team for doing such a remarkable job on bringing these characters to life.

Generally, I’m very surprised that this film turned out as great as it did. I haven’t mentioned how great the sound design and score are, but it’s just another factor that shows how much love these people have for the character. As previously mentioned, I feel Ang Lee’s Hulk is underrated, but there are serious flaws within, and this reboot fixes every one of my issues. Characterization is more understated, the acting is more consistent, the effects are an exponential improvement, and this film is just a lot more fun. It’s the Hulk film everyone clamored for five years ago. Many exciting references are made to the comic and TV show, many of which I had to read up on myself. Even if you’ve never been a fan of Bruce Banner, this film can be enjoyed as an action film, and it is perhaps the best of the year. Marvel Studios is quickly turning into the best thing that ever happened to superhero movies, and if this and Iron Man are any indication then we’ll be looking forward to a bright future for Marvel characters. Along with Iron Man,The Incredible Hulk is one of the best movies of the year.

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The Happening

Friday, June 13th, 2008

Plan 9 from Outer Space. D-Wars. The Wicker Man remake.

Every year, we recieve one comedic masterpiece that critics and the public foolishly write off as just another bad film. If only people would take closer looks at these works, they would find themselves watching satiric masterworks.

This year’s Wicker Man remake is The Happening.

Early on in the film, an entirely inconsequential principal informs his staff that “an event is happening,” and I feel this sums up the plot superbly. First, something happens. Next, nothing happens for ninety minutes. Finally, nothing stops happening.

Indeed, what we have here is a piece of subversive filmmaking from Mr. Shamalonyalonamon that only a genius like Douglas Sirk could have concieved, though not with as high a concept as Shmaladong has crafted. Previously, Shmellalong graced the screen with several solidly crafted dramatic works such as The Sixth Sense and Lady in the Water (<seriousmode>I’m not joking when I say I actually dug Lady in the Water as an imperfect experiment</seriousmode>). However, with The Happening, our noted auteur has done something very interesting: After breaking away from his formula with The Village and Lady in the Water, only to be spat upon by critics and audiences alike, this director has made the crafty decision to return to his previous formula with the twist of making everything as utterly terrible as he possibly can.

It’s a risky move, but it has payed off in belly laughs and deliciously cynical satire.

Our story begins with something happening. After something has happened, we find ourselves in a classroom, where a man named Dignam swears profusely at young Billy Costigan about all the “****n’ disappearing bees,” before killing Matt Damon and being taken to a meeting where the principal informs his staff that “an event is happening.” The teachers are understandably shaken, considering nothing interesting ever happens in Philadelphia. Dignam returns home to his wife, played by Zooey “Big, Teary Eye-Balls” Deschanel. Apparently, she’s cheating on him, and he, being the stupidest man alive, does not know. Now, you may ask, what does this affair have to do with trees making people kill themselves? I assure you, there are many, many answers to your question.

The two of them leave on a train, only to be booted off. John Leguizamo leaves them to find his wife with another family. He is killed, apparently owing to the fact that humanity has not yet developed small-hole-covering technology. Dignam and his wife leave with his little girl with Mr. Hot Dog and his wife. They find themselves at an intersection, where they meet living proof that gays are admitted into the military. Nothing else happens until they reach some old hag’s house. She hits her head on some windows and stuff suddenly stops happening. Finally, the story ends with Big-Eyes McGee being pregnant. You may have noticed what a gripping narrative this is, but I assure you it is doubly gripping on the big screen.

This story is rife with symbolism. For example, the scene in which a man commits suicide by jumping into a lion cage is indicative of humanity’s relationship with nature. We shield ourselves from nature’s might with shields of blissful ignorance and allow ourselves to play with danger, only to suddenly find our arms have transformed into bafflingly fake red stumps. The immortal sequence in which Dignam converses with a household tree reflects humanity’s everlasting cry to nature to deliver us from its cold hand of death, only to find our words fall on deaf-ears, belonging to a plastic God. As previously stated, only Sirk or maybe Paul Verhoeven could have gotten away with this level of thematic subversion. It is a testament to directorial visual and narrative wit that these sequences of subtle depth can be put across on screen. Shmelvin should be commended.

Of course, the production values are also excellent. Tak Fujimoto gives his finest cinematographic work since Pilot Episode of MacGyver. James Newton Howard proves how much more valuable sudden and concentrated walls of sound are than actually having scary scenes. Other people worked on this film as well.
And, so, I will end this review by stating what Shteinenheiser’s trademark twist ending this time is. You may want to stop reading at this point, for the twist ending is amazing. The Happening….HAPPENS AGAIN!

In France.

And so, the audience left the theater with the confident knowledge that France stinks. Indeed, we can all take a page from this film, for, yea verily, France is lame. Lame, however, does not describe the genius oozing out of every crevice of every frame on this wonderful picture. Of all the words I could use to describe it, there is only one that could possibly come close to encapturing the experience I had while watching this picture: Scaramaflogget. This is the most scaramaflogget movie I have ever seen.

Mark Wahlberg Talking to a Tree/10

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