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

Silent Hill: Revelation 3D Review

Personally, I was very surprised by 2006's Silent Hill. I view it as one of those rare video game adaptations that really works as a stand-alone film. It had a creepy tone, decent acting, and some nice special effects. When I heard news of a sequel coming out, I was still looking forward to it because of the surprise the first film was to me.

Walking out of Silent Hill: Revelation, I felt cheated out of my money and my time. This didn't even feel like the first Silent Hill to me, it felt more of a ripoff of both the Resident Evil sequel films and all of the bad Saw sequels combined. It didn't even have the same creepy tone the first film had, one that differentiated horror films and video game adaptations for me.

I will get started with the acting in this film. This is possibly the worst ensemble cast I have seen this year! Everyone feels like they are reciting their lines rather than actually acting. Trust me, it was boring to watch! And the sad thing is, Sean Bean is even horrible in this film. Even in bad movies, the dude acts his best, but here, he is wasted by an awful director and an equally horrible script.

The script is pure garbage as well. There is awful dialogue throughout, mostly discussing character's courses of action and what they plan to do in the next scene. Being a film student, I was taught to never have characters speak about intents or courses of action, so this film fails in its writing. The film also relies on constant and obvious plot twists throughout. Whenever a character is introduced, you have a feeling that the character is up to no good. Surprise! It turns out that character is up to no good. The film fails at actually tricking its audience as well.

Technically, the film is bad too. The visual effects are awful here, worse than the first film released in 2006. The monsters look stupid here rather than horrifying and creepy. And Silent Hill itself doesn't even seem as creepy as the first film was. The only benefits I had from watching this film were listening to the awful but easily laughable dialogue and that the 3D actually wasn't that bad. But do these benefits really change my perception of this film as a whole?

The answer to that question is no. Silent Hill: Revelation 3D is truly a mess. This will go down as one of the worst sequels I have ever seen and easily one of the worst video game adaptations of all time. It's a waste of a sequel to a film I consider one of the stronger video game adaptations. Easily one of the worst of 2012, it's a must-avoid to fans of the first film and the video games.

Rating: 1 out of 10- Pure Garbage, barely any or no redeeming qualities to it at all.

Double Review: Argo and Sinister

Argo

Ben Affleck's latest directorial effort is his strongest effort behind the camera to date. Unlike his previous films Gone Baby Gone and The Town, he does not place his story in the crime scene of Boston but rather in Washington DC, Hollywood, and Iran during the Iran Hostage Crisis. This film could have been a simple political thriller, but thanks to Affleck's direction and Chris Terrio's intelligent script, the film becomes so much more.

Argo successfully blends the genres of political drama, Hollywood satire, and espionage thriller, and making these genres blend together efficiently. The three settings in this film each serve a particular genre and Affleck uses these settings to his advantage. The amount of detail Affleck uses in each scene proves himself as a director to watch out for.

The casting is also really spot-on here. Everyone does their role very well and no one slacks in the acting field. The real show-stealers are John Goodman, Alan Arkin, and Bryan Cranston. I hope all of them get Academy recognition at the end of this year. At the end of the credits, it amazes me how almost all of the actors look just like their real life counterparts in the movie. It proves Affleck's undying desire for accurate detail.

In the end, Argo proves to be more than just a simple political thriller. This film shows what I love in movies: spot-on humor, intense and suspenseful chase scenes, and excellent drama. If this film does not get Academy recognition, the Academy is obviously rigged. Argo is easily one of 2012's best and I want to see what Ben Affleck does next as a director. Stick to directing Ben, it's your calling.

Rating: 10 out of 10-Pure Masterpiece

Sinister

Sinister is the latest low-budget Hollywood horror film to arrive this Halloween season. I was a fan of the writer C. Robert Cargill's reviews and was curious to see what his writing brought to this film. Rather than being a simple found footage movie, Sinister somewhat pokes fun at that sub genre, creating a creepy and sometimes terrifying theatrical experience as a result.

I was never a fan of director Scott Derrickson's previous work (The Exorcism of Emily Rose and The Day The Earth Stood Still were both dull and boring films). However, I really enjoyed the creepy atmosphere that he brought to Sinister. This film is obviously influenced by earlier haunted house films, but the creepy tension here is unlike most recent horror films.

Ethan Hawke really carries the film on his own, playing a writer obsessed with solving this mystery. Every film he's in, he goes above and beyond and it's not different here. While the rest of the cast doesn't do the best here, it's Hawke who keeps the film from going south in the acting department.

One main problem I had with the film was the script. The film has a tendency to use really cliche characters and cliche dialogue throughout that it feels less original than it should be as a result. Also, there are a lot of jump scares throughout the movie. Some really worked, others didn't. They felt rather stupid and almost laughable than terrifying.

Regardless of its problems, I still had a lot of fun watching Sinister. It's one of the creepiest recent horror films I have seen since Insidious. And it's also Scott Derrickson's best film as a director, even though that's not saying much. It has its problems, but if you want to be creeped out this Halloween, see this movie.

Rating: 7 out of 10- Good

Looper Review

In a time where science fiction films have come down to nothing but explosions and fast-cut action scenes, there is always that one film that goes against the system. Two years ago, Inception reinivented the concept of dreams, a subgenre of science fiction that at the time was difficult to explain really well. Time travel has been a similar subgenre: difficult to explain, yet has been in multiple films. Looper has reinvented the concept of time-travel, making it complex but at the same time easier to understand.

The film's heart really exists due to Rian Johnson's ingenious script. On the surface, you may assume it's a cat-and-mouse sci-fi thriller. However, the script takes many twists and turns throughout, making this one of the most unpredictable films I've seen in years. Also, Johnson sets up his own time-travel rules in the beginning of the film and follows them perfectly until the end.

The acting also sells the film very well for me. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is at the top of his game here, he nails it as a young Bruce Willis. He has his voice, mannerisms, and even the way he walks. Gordon-Levitt has done what it's sometimes impossible to do: imitate every aspect of an actor and do it really well. Willis also does a wonderful job here, his emotions are genuine and you feel for his character throughout. This is the first recent film I've seen where Willis actually does a great job in it.

I also really liked the futuristic world that Rian Johnson created in this film. It looks just like our society but with a more run down look to it. It's a more realistic vision of the future compared to recent science fiction films.

I was very surprised by the amount of heart and humor this film had. The interactions between Willis and Gordon-Levitt provide the most humor, because of true genuine feelings between these characters. There's also a lot of touching sequences throughout the film, creating heart as a result, and making any slow scene great to watch.

In the end, I was very pleased with Looper. Rian Johnson has created one of the smartest, well-thought out, and unpredictable science fiction films I have seen in years. Due to great performances from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis, a smart script, and a refreshingly original plot, Looper takes a lot of risks but ends up accomplishing its tasks without any problems. Looper is not only the best science fiction film this year, but it remains one of this year's best and I question how this film could possibly not end up on my top ten list this year.

Rating: 10 out of 10-Pure Masterpiece

Premium Rush Review

Going into Premium Rush I was a bit skeptical. The trailers made this film look silly but it had a good cast and writer/director David Koepp helming it, so I had to give it a shot. When I left this film, I realized that this is a film of a rare breed: a fun action thriller that is not meant to be taken seriously, but also does not insult the audience as a result.

One thing I really enjoyed about this film was the casting. Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives a great performance as Wilee, a bike-riding daredevil who has to deliver this mysterious package on time. He gives innocence to this character which instantly makes him likeable and makes you root for him to complete his mission. The real show-stealer here is Michael Shannon, who gives a corrupt cop who wants the package from Wilee. The villain Shannon plays is both goofy and terrifying, but not over the top on both accounts. This film shows Shannon can play great villains, which makes me anticipate his turn as General Zod in next year's Man of Steel even more. The rest of the actors do a fine job at playing their characters but they are ultimately one dimensional for me to care about them.

The script is very well done for an action film. Instead of telling this story in chronological order, Koepp puts certain plot points in random scenes. This makes the film move at a brisk pace and doesn't bore the audience as a result. The one issue I had with the script was a lack of character development from the other characters other than Gordon-Levitt's or Shannon's.

The action scenes are really fun to watch. The bike chase scenes are a spectacle to see, it amazes me how Koepp was able to shoot these bikers around NYC without pedestrian complaints. While the CGI can be goofy during the biker intuition scenes, it is cool and exciting to watch. It shows how dangerous these bikers' jobs can be.

What more can I say about Premium Rush? This is a action-chase thriller that could have been made in the 90's but instead is made today. It's a fun and entertaing film that doesn't want to take it self seriously nor should it. They really do not make films like this anymore especially with great actors, a smart script, and clever direction. If you want to have fun without leaving your brain at the door, Premium Rush is the film to check out.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Double Review: The Expendables 2 and Hit & Run

Note: These two reviews are not in my traditional positive and negative format, just wanted to try something different. Let me know what you think!

The Expendables 2

Leaving The Expendables 2 I wasn't too sure what I thought about it. Sure it had awesome action sequences and really clever puns throughout. However, it also contained awful acting and scenes I wasn't sure was meant to be unintentionally funny or it just happened to be unintentionally funny. Regardless, this film is still a lot of fun.

The Expendables 2 is meant to be a thrownack action film to the 80's action films. It sells well on that part. The action scenes are well done. They are explosive, bloody, and do not stop for unnecessary dialogue scenes. This is an improvement over the first film which used CGI blood, didn't have a lot of action scenes, and when they did they stopped for some really unnecessary dialogue.

This film also takes pride in making fun of itself. These action stars poke fun at each other and their respective films. They also make really ridiculous puns which work well for the most part. However, there are a lot of moments in this film which are unintentionally funny when they are supposed to be serious. I'm not sure if the script intended that or if it's a bad script with these actors trying to make it serious.

I enjoy seeing veteran actors such as Sylvester Stallone, Bruve Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger on screen. However, you can really tell that they are aging now and they seem lazy in their roles rather than trying to take it seriously. Two new actors, Liam Hemsworth and Nan Yu, are both terrible in their performances. Hemsworth tries so hard to play the innocent youngster in the team that he creates one of the most laughable performances I have ever seen. Yu, on the other hand, is a terrible actress. She can barely speak English, but she looks bored during this film and it makes her performance unworthy. The sole performance I enjoyed was Jean Claude Van Damme's. He steals the show as the villain Vilain and makes a much more charismatic and better villain than Eric Roberts' in the first film. Also, the lack of Jet Li in this film was an improvement from the first film. I am a fan of Li, but he gave one of the most embarrassing scenes in the first film that I could not take his character seriously from that moment forward.

So what did I think of this film? It's stupid, unintentionally funny, and filled with terrible performances. However, I enjoyed this more than the first film. It has better action sequences, a better villain, and a lack of unnecessary characters. The Expendables 2 is a film so bad that it is hilarious and fun to watch. In that respect, check this film out. If you want a serious film with a compelling plot, look elsewhere. It's a bad film, but a fun bad film.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Hit & Run

Hit & Run is an independent action comedy film directed by Dax Shepard and David Palmer. It contains a great comedic cast including Shepard, Kristen Bell (his real-life fling), Tom Arnold, and Bradley Cooper. It also has a simple but workable plot that should have been fun. I left this film asking, "Why was this film so lame?"

For a film to be considered to be a comedy, it has to be funny. And for a film to be considered an action film, it has to have action scenes. This "action comedy" contained neither. Sure, I laughed once or twice, but other than that, this film is not funny. It relies on long dialogue that tries to be clever and funny, but instead it is boring and unfunny. There are only two action scenes in this film and both were horrible. Both are standard car chases with really terrible camera angles and nothing interesting happens in those scenes. These scenes should have been exciting, but instead they are boring.

This film also has an awful script that has no direction whatsoever. It tries to be this action comedy with an independent twist, but instead goes for the lame indie route. It has boring dialogue, uninteresting characters, and a lot of plotholes throughout. If there was more effort put towards the script, this film could have been something special.

The only reason I stayed to watch this film was because I liked the cast and their respective performances. It is not their fault that this film turned out to be lame. Shepard and Bell give wonderful romantic chemistry and the fact they are a real couple makes these performances convincing for me.

In the end, Hit & Run is a film that had so much potential that ends up being wasted. It's not an action film nor is it a comedy. It's a failed combination of the two genres that is very boring, uninteresting, and just plain awful. With more experienced writers and directors, this film could have been great. Instead, this great ensemble cast is left to star in a horrible comedy with no direction and ends up boring the audience as a result. 

Rating: 2 out of 10