Mind Your Do, Re, Mi's

"The Sound of Music"

Some musicals have a way of making us feel full of joyous merriment.  We start tapping our toes and singing along with the characters on screen.  It's obvious they can't hear us but there's a certain participatory element that is required when watching a film that is of the musical genre.  Robert Wise's big screen adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music is one those films that makes it hard for us to stay in our seat just because of the overall upbeat nature of the picture.

Maria (Julie Andrews) is a postulant of an Austrian abbey in the late 1930's.  She loves to sing and dance her way through life.  Unfortunately all the glee and liveliness that flows from Maria proves to be quite a distraction for her and she is unable to focus on her studies of becoming a nun.  So what's to be done with a problem like Maria?  Mother Abbess decides it'd be best if Maria transfer to the motherless Von Trapp household where Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) and his seven children reside. She is to become their new governess.  Upon her arrival Maria is met with a cold reception from both the captain and his offspring.  While Captain Von Trapp is away tending to his relationship he has with a baroness (Eleanor Parker) Maria attempts to bring some gaiety and exuberance to his children's dull lives.  They eventually see that Maria is not like the other dozen governesses they have had and soon take a liking to her.  Maria teaches them how to sing and have fun.  Captain Von Trapp soon finds he too is quite taken with Maria's general outlook on life and snaps out of his strict, militaristic mindset.  All the while the ever looming threat of the Third Reich casts a shadow over the family and the whole of Austria.

Julie Andrews' talents are in full swing throughout this three hour feature.  She is truly amazing to watch as Maria.  Right away from the opening sequence Maria displays such warmth and compassion for life it's hard not to instantly fall in love with her character.  Christopher Plummer's performance is interesting to watch too because he has to play a character with the greatest range of emotions.  Also all of the children pull their own weight throughout the course of the film.  Charmian Carr who plays the eldest child, sixteen year old Liesl, gives by far the best performance of all the children.  The cast as a whole works quite well together.

Most of the musical numbers don't feel forced.  The information we are told about the characters, particularly Maria, makes the transitions from each song seem more natural compared to other films of the genre.  The characters like to sing and dance because it's established early on as part of their characterization; that's just the way they are.  A lot of credit should go to Rodgers and Hammerstein for developing their characters to go consistently with each other and more importantly to the plot.  We move so freely and effortlessly throughout the film, there's never the feeling of we’re watching dead space to fill the void until the next musical number.

The only downside to The Sound of Music is its uneven tone between the first and second half.  The first half of the film does allude to the ever growing danger of invasion by the Nazis but this is hardly ever touched upon.  After the intermission title card the film takes a much more serious and darker tone with much less musical numbers once the Austrian neighbors to the west begin their occupation of the country.  Undoubtedly everything can't be sunshine and daisies for these characters given the setting of the film.  However, the Nazis could have been introduced at the very end of the first half which would have been a better place to have cut to intermission.  The almost immediate danger the characters are put in seems slightly rushed.

The Sound of Music is a well put together piece of cinema that does a fine job of captivating its audience through solid performances and wonderful musical numbers.  It's one of those films that can take you right out of bad mood.  The songs are memorable, the characters are immensely likable, and the film leaves you with a pleasant taste in your mouth.  Have the confidence to try this musical and you may find The Sound of Music turns out to be one your favorite things.       

    

His Drug of Choice

"Limitless"

Today's films rely so heavily on visual effects the end result is a feast for the eyes but mere scraps for the brain.  Certain filmmakers have a hard time understanding that visual effects should be used to enhance the story opposed to letting the effects tell the story.  The Illusionist which was director Neil Burger's first mainstream effort was a film that made good use of incorporating visual effects into the plot the film.  Limitless is his third picture and like The Illusionist Burger makes good use of the technology that is available but never overuses it to the point where the effects become a distraction from the screenplay.

Unkempt, struggling New York writer Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) hasn't started on a single page of his book deal and his girlfriend, Lindy (Abbie Cornish,) also just broke up with him.  Eddie is unmotivated to do anything.  One day he runs into his ex-brother in-law Vernon (Johnny Whitworth) who offers Eddie an unnamed, untested drug as a sort of pick me up.  The drug is basically a combination of speed and Ritalin.  Once Eddie ingests the tiny, clear pill his whole world begins to change.  He's able to clear his mind, concentrate on a singular task, and get a tremendous amount of work accomplished in a very short period of time.  This drug opens many new doors to Eddie and he begins living life to its fullest.  He even begins to attract some attention from notable business executive Carl Van Loon (Robert De Niro) after having quickly accumulated millions of dollars from playing the stock market.  Eddie's life seems to be on the up and up until the side effects of the drug take a hold of him and a European gangster starts pushing Eddie to give him more of the drug too.

Limitless unfortunately doesn't quite live up to its title.  We do get to see some of the out of control craziness that is caused by the drug; the film doesn't spend enough time with those sequences though.  Eddie is introduced to a drug that acts as the ultimate stimulant and all he wants to do is turn all that power into the greedy desire to obtain more wealth.  The premise is interesting enough but the characters fall into cliché situations that don't give us the truly wild ride that we are hoping to see.

As aforementioned Burger's choices as the director make Limitless whiz, bang, and pop.  It's these decisions that give the film some life.  Stark changes in the color palette that give a clear indication of when Eddie is on and off the drug are an interesting contrast.  Also the visuals that accompany Eddie when he is experiencing those surges of adrenaline when he is on the drug make for rather exhilarating sequences.  Burger does a stupendous job of communicating to the audience what Eddie is going through.  

Limitless gives us a chance to experience something unique and entertaining but in the end falls into a hole that we've seen too many times before.  While Bradley Cooper does a fine job of creating a likeable looser it's the choices his character makes that leave us wishing Eddie taken a different path.  Burger's knack for visual flare does keep the film afloat for a while but we're soon beached by the run-of-the-mill screenplay.  After a while Limitless squanders its possibilities and leaves us with the feeling of having watched something finite and bound by its own limitations.

Getting There By Any Means Necessary

"Around the World in Eighty Days"

In the 1950’s theaters across the nation were losing business due to the invention of the television.  Studios wanted something new to compete with this alternative form of media.  Different camera systems were created and the process of using 70mm film stock was then available to filmmakers.  Being able to shoot on 70mm meant directors could get a much bigger, wider, clearer picture projected on screen.  This was to give the audience the impression of being fully immersed in the film.   Around the World in Eighty Days was one of those films that was shot in 70mm and utilized the large format process beautifully.  

In the time of Victorian England members of The Reformers Club propose a wager to one of their own, Phileas Fogg (David Niven.)  The bet is (as the title suggests) that Fogg has eighty days to travel around the world.  Fogg is up for the challenge and brings his newly hired man servant Passepartout (Cantinflas) along for the ride.  The two of them get from place to place by any means necessary whether it is by boat, train, or even hot air balloon.  Each new location brings a different challenge for the pair (actually it’s mostly for Passepartout) from bull fighting in Spain, to rescuing a beautiful princess in India (Shirley MacLaine,) and even fending off an attack by some American Indians.

Around the World in Eighty Days is one of those films that could easy get by on its imagery alone.  There are so many moments throughout this film where you are just in awe of the cinematography.  Just about every shot is vast, sweeping, and layered with depth.  It's plain to see that Director of Photography Lionel Lindon was allowed to take full advantage of the 70mm film stock.  We are thrust in the middle of all the action.  Each sequence proves to be quite an immersing and engrossing experience.

Cantinflas is fantastic as the Passepartout.  He brings a great deal of energy and liveliness in his performance.  Each scene allows him to show off his acrobatic and comedic talents.  Niven too is enjoyable as the straight-man.  Even though he isn't given as much to do as his co-star, Niven still brings a certain magnetism and charm when he's on screen.  We want Fogg to succeed in his adventure and it's amusing to watch his character figure how to overcome each obstacle that stands in his way.  Tons of actors make appearances all over the place.  Red Skelton, Frank Sinatra, and Buster Keaton are just some of the many delightful cameos made throughout the duration of the film. 

Around the World in Eighty Days has a Sunday matinee quality about it.  We get strapped in for an entertaining, adventurous, thrill ride that doesn't let up for three hours.  There are times when we are treated to more spectacle than substance but that doesn't detract from the picture for the most part.  The source material it’s based off of (a novel by Jules Verne) probably had better characterization than what's actually adapted on the screen.  This is a film that should be seen on the big screen in a theater that can handle 70mm to fully appreciate the sheer size and scope of its cinematography.  However if you have a big enough television and a loud enough home theater system than a minute piece of the cinema going experience should be fulfilled.  

While it is disheartening to know that 70mm features don't really exist anymore due primarily to budgetary constraints and the overall effort it takes into projecting a large format film, some filmmakers are given the green light to shoot certain sequences of their films using the process.  Christopher Nolan's upcoming conclusion to his Batman saga is being shot almost entirely in a large format using the IMAX camera system.  It's gratifying to know that some filmmakers still understand the power of putting their films on 70mm.  The studios want to revitalize our movie going experience from time to time and give us a little more bang for our buck.  If you're a fan of cinema and understand what it means to see a large format film or are just looking for a fun, pleasant, and rousing flick then indulge yourself in viewing Around the World in Eighty Days.  You are in for a real cinematic experience that pays off in the biggest way possible. 

Why Can't You Just Do It By the Book

"The Adjustment Bureau"

Hollywood seems to fancy stories by Philip K. Dick.  Blade Runner, Total Recall, and Minority Report are some of the films that have been adapted from Dick's novels and short stories.  The latest adaptation of his to hit the big screen is The Adjustment Bureau from first time director George Nolfi.  The film falls into the odd genre of romantic science fiction.  It's the latter half of the genre that keeps this film from slipping into a cliché, hum drum piece of work.

Young, charismatic, Democratic congressman David Norris (Matt Damon) is running for a seat in the senate in hopes of representing the great state of New York.  David's hopes of winning are cut short after he gets buried in the poles due to scandalous photos of him in the newspaper.  On the night of his defeat while preparing for his concession speech in a men's restroom, just by chance (or is it) David meets Elise (Emily Blunt,) a beautiful ballet dancer who happens to be hiding out from security after crashing a wedding.   In this brief encounter she gives the deflated congressman some words of encouragement despite his loss and the two then proceed to kiss.  She then scurries off.  From that one moment David becomes infatuated with Elise but never got got the chance to get her phone number.  

Eight months pass and just by chance again (or so it seems) David runs into Elise on a bus on the way to start his new job.  Is this fate?  This event happens right after we meet a man dressed in a dark suit and hat named Harry (Anthony Mackie) holding a book with contents of what looks like the world’s most complicated schematic.  Who is Harry?  What exactly is inside his book?  Why is he so determined to stop David from running into Elise again?  All these questions are soon answered by Harry’s boss, Richardson (John Slattery.)   David is captured by Richardson and his men after he accidentally stumbles upon them conducting their business at his work. David is told by Richardson that he and his men are in charge of planning and carrying out people's destinies.  Richardson goes on to say that David was never meant to run into Elise a second time because it’s not part of his life plan.  Three years pass and David, this time by sheer dumb luck, meets Elise a third time which then really grinds Richardson’s gears.  David is determined to be with Elise even if it means ruining the life plan the adjustment bureau already has in place for him.

While Blunt and Damon give suitable performances, their characters remain for the most part pretty one dimensional.  The Adjustment Bureau is definitely more of a plot driven film with ideas and themes that keep it from becoming stagnant.  All the scenes with Damon and Slattery or one of the other members of the bureau (Mackie and Terrance Stamp) are superior to the ones with Blunt and Damon.  Their love story never really moves the plot along.  David seems so puny compared to the god-like Richardson and the rest of his team.  The power struggle between the two of them is interesting to watch.  Richardson wants David to live his life as long as he stays clear of Elise and therefore fulfills his destiny.  David wants to be the one who is control of his life by the choices he makes and not because of some elaborate life plan from a book.  It's a unique dynamic.  

The film does however begin to deteriorate by the third act.  When David begins to defy the bureau by taking matters into his own hands this is when we start to lose interest.  The chase at the end is frivolous and inconsistent with the plot.  Perhaps it was necessary to heighten the stakes but it feels out of place and tacked on.   The goal that David and Elise are trying to achieve during the chase doesn't seem plausible even in a story such as this.  And the way they go about thwarting Richardson and his men is cinematically entertaining but irrational in regards to its set up.  

Dick has the rare ability to construct incredible science fiction ideas around very conventional stories.  This is what makes The Adjustment Bureau quite watchable for at least its first two acts.  The third act is disappointing but by no means makes the film unwatchable.  While The Adjustment Bureau isn't as grand in scale as some of Dick's other film adaptations it does delve into some rather heavy philosophical subject matter.  The film never allows itself to be too far-out or unusual in its setting.  The concepts it presents to us are absolutely thought provoking and complex but hardly complicated.  Adjust your perception of what you think a typical sci-fi film should be  treated to a unique hybrid of romance and fantasy.  It's all part of your life plan, right?