Double Review: Lincoln and Skyfall

Lincoln

It has been in talks for a long time that Steven Spielberg would direct a film about Abraham Lincoln's life. Rumored to originally star Tom Hanks, then Liam Neeson was attached to star in the role, then Daniel Day-Lewis was officially confirmed to play the beloved 16th President. Reuniting with his Munich screenwriter Tony Kushner and his frequent collaborators in cinematography, editing, and music, this would seem to end up like a traditional Spielberg film.

One thing that really works in this film is its performances. Day-Lewis, as usual, is amazing portraying Abraham Lincoln. It doesn't even feel like you are watching Day-Lewis act, it really feels like you are watching Abraham Lincoln in real life. He deserves an Academy Award nomination here, maybe even his third win. Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones steal the show here, giving wonderful performances and I wouldn't be surprised if they are nominated as well.

I also really enjoyed Tony Kushner's screenplay here. The writing really explores Abraham Lincoln's last few months in the presidency while working to pass the 13th Amendment. It's a rather refreshing take on a biopic. Instead of looking at Lincoln's whole life, we get a slice of the end of his life. I would have loved to learn more about Lincoln's life personally, but for this film it works as just a sole part of his life.

I really liked the set design and detail added to this film. It really looked like the 1860's in this film based on the backgrounds, clothing, and battlefields. It looked very realistic and I appreciate Spielberg's eye for detail here alone.

While Lincoln was enjoyable, it has a fair share of issues throughout. I honestly felt like this is Spielberg's laziest attempt as a director. Instead of focusing on the setting and visuals, he focuses on the acting, which normally isn't a bad thing. However, because of that, this film feels like I'm watching a play 2/3rds into it instead of watching a movie. 

The film also has moments of humor. Some of it worked, however the rest felt unnecessary and did not feel humorous. I can appreciate the attempt of it trying to be entertaining by incorporating humor, but it feels awkward here and doesn't work.

While it has its flaws, I still really enjoyed Lincoln for what it is. It's a well-acted, sometimes humorous, and wonderfully written film that should get some nominations this year. While not one of my favorites this year, I still suggest checking it out if you're a Spielberg fan or a history nut.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10- Very Good

Skyfall

After the last Bond installment Quantum of Solace, a lot of fans (including myself) lost faith in the series. As a result, the studios knew they needed a trustworthy writer and director to work on the latest installment. They hired American Beauty director Sam Mendes to direct and Gladiator screenwriter John Logan to work on the script. The end result? The best Daniel Craig Bond installment by far.

The acting really works here. We get to see a darker, moodier James Bond this time around and Daniel Craig does a phenomenal job portraying him in that matter. By the end of this film, I have officially accepted Craig in the James Bond role. A great Bond film needs a great villain. And who better to hire for that task other than Javier Bardem. Here he plays the traditional, over-the-top Bond villain grounded in reality. And Bardem excels in that role, he is a joy to watch on screen and a perfect Hannibal Lecter-esque villain.

I am surprised about how clever the script really is. When it isn't discussing the plot, it makes slight references to the Bond series throughout. It mentions how old is just as good as new several times, referring to how the old series worked so well while Quantum of Solace didn't. This may be the most clever and self-referential script I've heard for an action film that Joss Whedon isn't a part of. I also enjoy how the script shows a new side to Bond, M, and their relationship. It shows a lot of character development here that the rest of the series needs to be dependent of this side to the Bond character.

Technically, Skyfall is the most well-made recent Bond film. The cinematography here is beautiful, shot by frequent Coen Brothers cinematographer Roger Deakins. The shots here look really clean and crisp. The action scenes are handled very well here too. Instead of the Bourne Identity queasycam ripoff action scenes from Quantum of Solace, we are treated to well-shot and very exciting action scenes. The opening sequence is easily my favorite action scene this year, consistently exciting and never boring.

Skyfall truly is a phenomenal Bond film. While it does have a minor flaw (which I won't mention due to spoilers), I still loved this film. While not as classic as Dr. No or Goldfinger, Skyfall is a good turnaround for the series and I am looking forward to seeing what the next installment. Congrats Daniel Craig, you may be considered as one of the best Bonds after this movie.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10- Near Masterpiece

Double Review: Flight and Wreck-It Ralph

Flight

Flight is Robert Zemeckis's first live action film in 12 years since Cast Away. Before this film, Zemeckis was working on motion capture animation films, thinking that those types of films would be the future of filmmaking. Unfortunately, it backfired on him, but thankfully he has returned to live action filmmaking. Although this film is easily not his best in his filmography, it's still nice to see Zemeckis do this type of filmmaking.

What really differentiates this film is its performances. Denzel Washington does a really remarkable job here, he portrays a real life alcoholic flawlessly. It's not my personal favorite performance from Denzel (Training Day takes the cake for that one), this is still a solid performance from him and I see him easily getting nominated for Best Actor this year. The rest of the cast is wonderful, John Goodman steals the show as a really funny drug dealer.

Although the performances were remarkable, the script wasn't as remarkable. While there are a few great moments, mainly with Denzel dealing with his drinking, the rest of the script is completely by the numbers and is very slow. Half of the dialogue was even predictable and the events that went on are not hard to figure out either. Zemeckis and his cast really try with the material they are given, however the script can't save the film.

As I mentioned above that there are a few great moments throughout the film, one of them was the plane crash sequence. There was nail biting suspense throughout and it set up the film perfectly. Unfortunately, the rest of the film doesn't live up to its expected greatness from the beginning.

Although it's nice to see Robert Zemeckis return to live action filmmaking, Flight had a lot more potential than what was offered in the film. I really enjoyed the performances and the direction, but thanks to an uneven and predictable script it becomes just a decent film. If anything see the film for Denzel Washington's performance and the plane crash scene. It's a decent character study that could have been something great. Maybe next time, Zemeckis.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10- Decent

Wreck-It Ralph

Disney Animation's lastest film Wreck-It Ralph goes inside the world of one of my most beloved childhood memories: arcade videogames. The film does a Toy Story-esque approach by exploring what video game characters do when the arcade closes. The film also pulls a Who Framed Roger Rabbit approach by having famous videogame characters pop up in cameos. This sounds like a dream for a person who grew up playing and enjoying arcade games. The real question in the end is "Is it worth it?"

The animation of Wreck-It Ralph is simply beautiful. The animators put a lot of detail in each of the video game worlds, making each world resemble the video games they are parodying. The character design is wonderful here too, each of the characters have original looks to them and the video game character cameos look very nice as well.

The voice cast here is remarkable. Each voice fits their characters perfectly. I liked everyone in their roles, but I give specific praise to Sarah Silverman. She's normally very annoying in her roles, but here she is much more relaxed and fun. Not to mention her character is very likable as well.

The story here is a wonderful and sweet tribute to arcade games. While the film does have a tendency to go for more Disney cliches towards the end, it really works for the most part. There are nice plot twists, wonderful emotion and excellent humor for everyone to enjoy.

Wreck-It Ralph is a wonderful addition to the Disney Animation canon. With beautiful animation, an excellent voice cast, and a heartwarming story, this film is not to be missed. It's not only fun for the whole family, it's also more enjoyable if you are a huge video game fan. While it goes through standard Disney cliches, it's still a wonderful time at the movies that should be seen as soon as possible.

Rating: 9 out of 10-Excellent