Plain Jane

"Jane Eyre"

There have been lots of film and television adaptations of the Charlotte Brontë novel Jane Eyre.  Certain sadness is cast over this picture.  The film's tone is very apparent in this gorgeously mounted production.  Ms. Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) knew nothing of what it felt like to be loved or be in love.  Her parents died when she was a child and she was cast out of her aunt's house and sent to a strict school for girls.  Once Jane was old enough she left the school to become a governess at the House of Rochester.  Mr. Rochester (Michael Fassbender) becomes fascinated with the young governess which soon leads him to an infatuation.  Jane wants to become more sociable particularly in the company of men but isn't quite sure how to act around her employer.

Jane eventually starts to come around to Rochester and the two end up falling in love.  The dialogue in this film, especially the scenes between the two lovers comes off as beautifully poetic.  Obviously people don't talk like that nowadays.  However if you do have an appreciation of language, listening to the conversations that occur between Jane and Rochester are naturally wonderful.  

It's plain to see that director Cary Fukunaga has an incredibly good understanding of the source material.  The performances he gets from his two leads is captivating.  Fassbender and Wasikowska cannot only speak the flowery language but they have a definite comprehension of what they are saying to each other.  The characters are interesting and complex enough which allows us to get swept up in their relationship.  Our sympathies fall toward Jane.  We want her to be happy.  She says that she is perfectly content with her life, although it's evident Rochester sees right through her.

The production values are high.  The costumes are not only period perfect but match each of the character's personalities to a tee.  There's a naturalistic quality to the cinematography in regards to illuminating many scenes considering the lack of electricity that would not have been available at the time.  Roaring fireplaces, big windows with many panes of glass to let in outside light, and of course candles are the film's primary lighting sources.  Nothing is going to ever top the photography of Barry Lyndon but Jane Eyre borrows from its ideas and the result is impressive.      

Fukunaga has put together a handsomely well-made production of Jane Eyre.  The film captures not only the time period but more importantly the themes of love, innocence, and friendship. Fassbender and Waikowska have excellent chemistry together and that is the essential part of this production.  They propel the film to a new level of intensity rarely seen in a period piece such as this.  Eventually the other versions of the novel should probably be watched so as to compare and contrast with this latest version.  Until then this Jane Eyre is simply haunting with fine performances across the board.  You will find yourself consumed by the film’s characters and aesthetic qualities.  This was one of the best period dramas to have graced the screen in 2011.     

Float Like an Iron Butterfly, Sting Like a Titanium Bee

"Real Steel"

Does anyone remember the game Rock'em Sock'em Robots?  For those unfamiliar with the popular kids’ toy it involved two plastic robots that each player could manually control.  The goal was to have the bots fight each other in a boxing ring, throwing jabs at each other and eventually knocking the opponent's head off.  Michael Bay's Transformers and the upcoming Battleship are both based on toys.  Even though this film is called Real Steel it very well could have been adapted from Rock'em Sock'em Robots.

Apparently in the not too distant future society has grown weary of the man vs. man boxing matches.  The people demanded that the sport be changed thereby upping the entertainment level.  Now the masses flock to see their favorite giant robot fighter go head to head with another metallic adversary.  Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) used to a one of those flesh and blood boxers.  He now has settled for being one of the operators who controls the fighter bots.  Charlie's really down on his luck, he owes tons of money on lost fights.  To add to his woes Charlie also to act like a father to his eleven year old son Max (Dakota Goyo.)  Max's mother died and Charlie hasn't been in his son's life until now.

Charlie isn't exactly father material and he reluctantly agrees to take Max for the summer just until his legal guardians get back from vacationing in Italy.  While on the road Max gets a real taste for his dad's line of work.  After losing yet another fight and more money, Charlie and Max go rummaging through a junk yard looking for parts.  What they end up finding is Atom.  Atom is an old sparing robot with built in shadow boxing technology.  That means that he is able to mirror the movements of the person who is controlling him.  Together Charlie and Max turn Atom into a prize fighter and put everything on the line when they compete in Real Steel.

This movie had the potential to interesting.  Instead it relies on clichés and plot devices that we've seen too many times before.  This isn't always a bad thing just as long as the performances are strong or the plot retains some aspect of originality.   It's when the clichés start to become glaringly noticeable, that’s when we start to lose interest.  The whole father son dynamic is a little overdone and tiresome throughout the two hour plus runtime.  Multiple times we have to listen to clunky dialogue and are introduced to stock characters that distract us from what the movie should actually be about.  

Real Steel was released by Disney.  And most of the time it sure feels like it.  Although with that being said this film is PG-13 and is far too intense for younger audiences.  Much of the plot just feels like filler in between the fight sequences.  Jackman and Goyo give it their best but their characters aren't as moving as they could be.  

Real Steel is far more pleasing than Transformers.  These robots are here for entertainment purposes and no more than that.  The characters and plot stay the course and do exactly what they are supposed to do.  The result is mildly entertaining but the stakes aren't high enough.  After the film is done we are left unaffected but not necessarily unsatisfied.  Even though the highlight of the film is the fight sequences, the visual effects come off as cartoony at times.  This film could have been better had it not been about a father son relationship.  That clearly is supposed to be the heart of the screenplay.  The robot fighting is actually more of a side story.  Actually any sport could be substituted into the plot and the result would be the same.  Real Steel is by no means a bad film but more of a letdown.  When it comes to robot fighting, the Ultimate Robot Fighting League in Futurama proves to be more entertaining.   

Hail Caesar

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

Shortly after the all the accolades Avatar received for its visual effects, 20th Century Fox made the announcement that they were going to do yet another reboot of their franchise Planet of the Apes.  Ten years ago Tim Burton did a remake of the first film from 1968.  This was not going to be another remake but instead a prequel.  And the apes were not going to be costumed actors under hours of makeup applications.  No, this time all the primates were to be "photo realistic" using motion capture technology.  

What better actor to play the lead ape Caesar than Andy Serkis.  For those unfamiliar with that name, Mr. Serkis has been in such blockbusters like The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and King Kong.  His performances are prevalent throughout each film but without us ever actually seeing him.  He played Gollum and King Kong.  Serkis' facial expressions and body movements are captured from a suite he wears on set and then are fed into a computer where animators can flesh out whatever character he is performing over a wire frame.  Even though we don't see Serkis' face, everything that the character is doing is done by him.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the perfect vehicle for Serkis because it plays to all his strengths.  Like the two previously mentioned films, we again fall under the captivating spell of becoming emotionally invested in the characters he creates.  Caesar is more than just your average chimpanzee.  Before she was killed in a lab accident, his mother Bright Eyes (Terry Notary) was the subject of an experiment led by research scientist Will Rodman (James Franco.)  What Will was attempting to study was the effects of a serum he developed that is supposed to repair damaged brain cells, ultimately leading to a cure for Alzheimer's disease.

Now orphaned from his mother, Caesar is taken home by Will and raised in a home environment where his father (John Lithgow,) who is suffering from Alzheimer's also resides.  Something unexpected that Caesar inherited from Bright Eyes was the effects of the serum.  Caesar shows remarkable increased brain stimulation from the drug.  The older Caesar gets the smarter he becomes.  Despite his intelligence the fact still remains, he is a wild animal and yearns to be outside amongst the trees.  After some unfortunate residential mishaps Caesar is put in a facility where he is around other (lesser intelligent) apes.  Caesar realizes he can longer live his life behind bars and devises a plan where he and his fellow ape brethren will rise above the lesser evolved humans and start a revolution.

On paper this film sounds absurd and almost laughable.  Also, considering something similar to this film had already been done once before is a further turnoff.   Rise of the Planet of the Apes contradicts these beliefs and comes off as a gripping, enthralling, smartly written piece of entertainment.  The screenplay upholds a level of originality and aptness that is absent from so many other films released over the summer.  We know where the plot is heading but the ride that takes us there is still a good one.  The center piece of the film is the apes running amuck through the streets of San Francisco which is simply spectacular to watch.  Director Rupert Wyatt does a fine job of keeping us entertained by building on events that lead up to this eventual payoff. 

Serkis and the other mocap actors portraying the apes should be commended for their efforts.  Visual effects company Weta Digital has left each of their performances intact.  We can see each actor’s performance shining through the layers of animation.  The actors are able to convey emotions that strike a chord in a way that is only possible through the aid of motion capture technology.  We feel bad for Caesar not because he's an animal locked in a cage but because Serkis is able to put forth feeling and believability into everything that is captured on screen.  And that is real question here:  are these apes real enough for us?   

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a pleasant surprise.  All the pieces somehow seem to fall in the right places.  The film knows what it is and doesn't try to be anything bigger than that.  It does acknowledge some points that are seen in its successor.  There are however some gaps (probably intentional) that are in need of further explanation.  At least one more film has to come out; a sequel actually worth waiting for.  Rise of the Planet of the Apes delivers on a number of levels that makes this film live up to its name.  By the end of the film you too will want to rise with Caesar.             

Our Fiscal Future in Their Hands

"Margin Call"

It's safe to say that most of us probably don't know much about the stock market.  That's because we're the little guys, the unsuspecting public.  In the climatic moments of Margin Call the heads of a big time investment bank decide that they're basically going to tamper with their books while still appearing to save face.  Did I mention the year is 2008?  This film takes place on the eve of the financial collapse suffered by the United States some four years ago.  Risk management executive Eric Dale (Stanley Tucci) has just been let go due to massive cut backs by his New York investment bank.  Before Eric is officially escorted out of the building he hands twenty - eight year old analyst Peter Sullivan (Zachary Quinto) a flash drive.  The drive contains some very important information that Mr. Dale had been working on before his nineteen years of service was no longer needed.

After filling in some of the gaps left by his former boss, Peter discovers that if these historically predicted trends continue as they have been for several days apparently, the firm will find itself deep in the red.  Like any big company there is a chain of command.  Peter tells his boss Will Emerson (Paul Bettany,) Will explains the situation to his boss Sam Rodgers (Kevin Spacey,) Sam expresses concern to his boss Jared Cohen (Simon Baker,) and lastly the buck stops at John Tuld (Jeremy Irons.)  What the firm is about to go through is serious, much more serious than anything any of them has ever seen before.

It's pretty scary to think that this country's economy is controlled by a handful of buildings that lye in the heart of New York City.  High above the sidewalks everyone's financial futures are in the hands of a select few individuals.  The decisions that the upper management makes during this film will probably destroy lots of people's lives.  What does it matter though, it's just money.  That is the attitude of some of the characters in the film.  

Margin Call has a solid screenplay.  The situation is real.  The consequences are also real.  Even though there are moments throughout the picture where the dialogue is above our heads the overall message of what is happening in the scenes is conveyed.  The characters seem believable and the performances from everyone involved come off as authentic.  All the conversations we get to listen in on about decisions that are far from moral or just will raise a few eyebrows.  To think that similar situations like this occurred nationwide proves to be unsettling.

For those who were uninterested in checking out 2010's fantastic documentary Inside Job please watch this flick as a good substitute.  The film doesn't come off as preachy or pretentious about the situation.  That's hard to do.  Margin Call does have an agenda but we leave knowing that what we just watched was something informative opposed to something cinematically exaggerated.  All the actors must have known they were attached to a piece of mature cinema that comes off as both relevant and engaging.  And that what this film boils down to, relevant and engaging.  Everything that is being talked about happened and we are still reeling from the side effects.  Margin Call received a limited release from Lionsgate last year, making it drop below many people's radars.  The original screenplay nomination it grabbed at this years Oscar's should turn some heads.  Good writing and excellent performances propel this film to one of 2011's best.      

Playing by the Rules

"The Ides of March"

Any sort of dreams or aspirations of wanting to be a politician or to have any sort of involvement in the game of politics get thrown right out the window after watching this film.  Writer/director/actor George Clooney shows us what it is like to work on a campaign and all the deception that is involved in the process.  Senior campaign spokesman Stephen Meyer (Ryan Gosling) thinks he is above politics.  He's not about getting roped in to situations, promises, and compromises that are going to lead to bad things down the road.  He believes in the constitution and Democratic hopeful Governor Mike Morris (Clooney,) and you should too!  Morris is neck and neck with another Democratic candidate who are both vying to get on the presidential ballot.  Morris' campaign manager Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Stephen are fairly confident that Morris will make the ticket.

Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti,) campaign manager to the other guy, thinks otherwise.  Tom however has great respect and admiration towards Stephen and offers him a position to work for the other side.  Unless Stephen works for the opposing candidate, Tom knows that Morris will lose.  Where do Stephen's loyalties fall?  Is it about may the better man win?  Or is it about as long as Stephen wins?  Tricky questions that can only lead down that road that our main character thought he would never see.

The Ides of March takes an interesting look at the politics behind the politics of a political campaign.  What drives us to make the decisions that we make?  Clearly from this film it already reconfirms what we already assumed, politics is a dirty, dirty game.  And that's all it really is, a game.  The question is, are you willing to play the game while still keeping your own head above water?  The film does a decent job of answering these questions in such way that is simple enough to understand.  

This is the picture's greatest strength; we're able to understand what is going on.  Lots of good, dialogue driven scenes that take us to an ending point we know we'd get to sooner or later.  We accept this because of the assumptions we already have about the political spectrum.  It is essential to the plot for us to see how Stephen is slowly seduced into changing the way he thinks about what it's going to take to get to the next level.  And we are there with him every step of the way.

Clooney strikes success along the same lines as he did with Good Night, and Good Luck.  He has written a fantastic screenplay with terrific performances from his actors to accompany it.  Gosling has had a great year with being in three completely different films.  This guy has range (and a good agent.)  He is definitely one of the better young working actors the industry has right now.  Clooney seems like the kind of person that knows he the older he gets the more limited acting roles will be available to him.  He has done a fine job of establishing himself as a director that should be taken seriously.  

It’s interesting that this film is about two Democratic candidates.  Given the political climate of Hollywood one would think this would be about the all the punches those nasty Republicans would throw at each other.  It's refreshing to see that both political parties are participants in the ugly race to presidency.  The Ides of March was based on the experiences from someone who worked on the 2004 Howard Dean campaign before he dropped out of the race.  Those experiences were then turned into a play.  The screenplay however doesn't have the feeling of being a play.  Clooney and the other screenwriters changed enough the story to make it cinematic enough to bring it to the screen and he should be applauded for that.  This film shouldn't scar away viewers from voting.  The Ides of March gives us a more in depth look at world that few actually take the plunge into.  After watching this film though, you kind of want to take a shower.