Hmmm. "Soldiers penatrate hidden bunker" I wonder what the blue orb is.
Look likes we will need two buckets of popcorn for this movie.
John Turturro yelling in the film? That couldn't be possible.
Directed by Michael Bay with a budget around $200 million and 40 robots gracing our presence this is sure to be one of the summer's biggest blockbusters. It hits theaters June 26th, 2009.
The Spirit, based on a 1940s comic serial written by Will Eisner, is a smorgasbord of visuals and color coordination courtesy of writer/director Frank Miller. Miller, like Eisner, is a staple of the graphic novel, penning such classics as Sin City and Batman: Year One. Think of The Spirit, Miller's solo-directorial debut (he "co-directed" Sin City with Robert Rodriguez), as Sin City if it were 30 minutes shorter, felt an hour longer and took every ham-baked line and turned it into useless slosh.
Starring Gabriel Macht (a talented young actor who will hopefully go onto lead more substantial films than this one) as The Spirit, a superhero who was once a rookie cop named Denny Colt. Risen from the grave after being shot to death, The Spirit works with Police Commissioner Dolan to fight crime; most specifically the Octopus, over-acted to a tee by Samuel L. Jackson. After nearly two decades of performances, Jackson has proven himself as both an Oscar-caliber artist (see this year's Lakeview Terrace for proof of this) and a dimestore punchline. For proof of the latter pay 10 bucks to see him as the Octopus. In Eisner's comics, the Octopus remained faceless, only a pair of gloves to illustrate the character. Why Miller felt it necessary to put a face to the bad guy, especially a face as recognizable as Jackson's, is bewildering. Perhaps it was not his decision, but rather the producers'.
But then, if the studio had so much sway, why'd they let Miller get away with directing this thing in the first place? The screenplay is ridiculous to be certain, but that's the comic's tone more or less, and it'd worked with Rodriguez in Sin City. It's Miller's director's eye that is severely lacking, maybe even blind. This man has no idea how to frame a scene, much less pace a feature-length film. There are some cool shots here, but they feel like flukes because they emerge out of nowhere and dissapear as quickly into the background, forgetten moments of cinematic flare overshadowerd by blind ambition and a peculiar determination to revolutionize something - what exactly is unknown.
Miller still needs another, better director at his side to properly adapt these classic graphic narratives. Macht does his best, it most be said. The young man finds a sufficent growl in his voice to establish his noir superhero and has no problem wearing the black fedora and silly black eye mask. Even Eva Mendes uses her best attritbutes (her body) and thankfully avoids the rest to play Sand Saref, the childhood love of Denny Colt and a woman with a blodd-lust for diamonds. A noir-romance between these two may have been a very good film - think Batman and Catwoman if they were in Double Indemnity. Unfortuantely, Miller gives us this one, exercising his blatant inabilities as a filmmaker. Maybe the ambitious should channel said ambition into another graphic novel, co-write the screenplay and allow a real director to adapt it.
There is a scene towards the beginning of David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, in which a submarine emerges from the sea with the grace and other-worldliness of a giant squid's tentacles, that establishes the film as a visual masterwork to be applauded and studied for years to come. Every frame is so carefully imagined, every set piece placed so precise that, in fact, nothing feels precise at all. This is a world we are watching, full of splendor and life, and it's our own. Through the eyes of a man aging backwards, viewers are shown life in motion, always moving somewhere, the destination never certain. Inspired by a criminally short, and deliciously imaginative, story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Eric Roth provides an accessible screenplay for Fincher to work with. Roth is a staple of modern-day Big Hollywood, scribing such epics as Forrest Gump and Robert De Niro's under-appreciated The Good Shepherd. Roth writes economically, but on the largest of scales, giving his directors much room to maneuver with a sizeable budget.
Fincher makes the most of the free space. Taking the Hollywood Film by storm and bending the rules (he did the same for the crime thriller with Seven), the visual director is given characters worth observing and actors worthy to portray them. Brad Pitt gives yet another dynamic performance, comfortably wading into Benjamin Button and transforming into our protagonist as he himself transforms, from a man of 80 to a baby on his way out. Pitt has become comfortable in his own skin it seems, and this confidence shines through in his acing. In the last three years, the actor has delived the three best performances of his career (in Babel, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Button). An Oscar nomination is deserved here without question.
However, Pitt pales slightly in comparison to Cate Blanchett, who once again re-establishes herself as the greatest actress of her generation. With every movement of her face, Blanchett captures the viewer, accenting both her beauty and her conflict in a moment's twitch or twinge or blink. The central love between Pitt and Blancheet blossoms without so many as several lines throughout the film. This is Bogart and Bacall or Tracy and Hepburn: it just feels right.
And while Roth's screenplay feels a bit shallow at times (some lines, like the repeated "Can't see what's coming," sound like they were written solely to be recited viewers), their presentation on screen comes off more nostalgic than distractive, paying homage to Old Hollywood past and the grandiose lines that fueled the classics; think "Here's looking at you kid." Chalk this success up thanks to Fincher's direction and editor Angus Wall's quick cutting and fast-paced visual eye. The pacing is reminescent to Forrest Gump, only this movie does not feel as forced. Where Gump seemed to rely on gimmicks and mannerisms (and one hell of a performance by Tom Hanks), Button relies on characters with regrets and desires, not just stories.
The political backdrop of Fincher's film is also much more fine and subtle than Gump, and for this Roth should be commended. Setting the film's frame story during the beginnings of Hurricane Katrina is as effective as it is insightful and timely, speaking for a forgotten city at a time when compassion is a difficult trait to afford.
There are laughs to be had when viewers become tired by the long running time (2 hours and 45 minutes), well-paced throughout by the running narrative of an old man recalling the various times he has been struck by lightning. But as the old man, played by veteran Ted Manson, says of the lightning: "God let me know how lucky I was to be alive." Button reminds us of this luck, and how to appreciate what life has to offer. Although Pitt's Benjamin laments the fact that "nothing lasts," I happen to agree with the response Blanchett's Daisy gives: "some things last." The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is one of those things.
I'm wondering why Paramount decided to use the oddly boring posters of just Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett's massive heads when they had something like this on their hands. Maybe it was too creepy. Thanks to /Film here is a poster that was never released:
Here is a mock up /Film reader Bruno V did:
Directed by David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button hits theaters Christmas Day.
Here is my worst films of the year, followed by fellow writer, Dan Mecca's list.
This year brought a couple true masterpieces to the life of cinema, but it also gave us some pretty poor movies and one particularly horrendous movie. Here are the year’s worst films:
Disclaimer: I did not go see such caliber films as The Love Guru, Meet The Spartans, or 10,000 B.C. so those do not appear on my list. Also, there will be spoilers.
I’ll kick it off with some honorable mentions: Rambo, Flawless, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, Vantage Point, Speed Racer, Run Fatboy Run, and Hancock.
5) Nights in Rodanthe
In one part of Nights in Rodanthe Richard Gere’s character, Dr. Paul Flanner tells Adrienne (played by Diane Lane) that the hardest thing he has ever had to do was say goodbye to her. This is only days after they have met and even less time since he had to tell his patient’s family why their father and husband died in his hands at the operating table. Yeah, I’m sure saying goodbye was horribly difficult for you. Then we are led to believe, by a montage of disturbingly sexual letters, that the two have completely fallen in love since they departed. Many people will say this is standard fare for a one-note romantic flick, but I’ve seen it done well in Nicholas Sparks’ other movie adaptation, The Notebook.As the movie ended and I could hear tears hit the floor of every woman around me and the groans of the few other men dragged along I wondered how I managed to sit through this atrocity.
4) Jumper
This movie really could have been good. Doug Liman directed such outstanding movies as Bourne Identity, Go, Swingers, and even Mr. and Mrs. Smith; which was enjoyable. The premise is awesome: a person can teleport wherever he wants. Except that person is Hayden Christensen, and he can’t act. His relationship with Rachel Bilson’s character is just annoying and the action leaves much more to be desired. There is zero story, it’s just a bunch of consecutive scenes that the director thought would look cool. The worst part is there is supposed to be a sequel.
The videogame this film is based on is all sorts of wonderful, and mainly because of the story. Somehow this film managed to botch it, taking out the best elements and adding in some of the worst. Director John Moore tried to push every scene to the maximum amount of grittiness possible and it comes off cheesy and laughable. PG-13 as well? Come on. At least it wasn’t Mark Wahlberg’s worst movie of the year.
1) The Happening
"Be scientific, douchebag"
Dan Mecca's Worst Films of the Year:
5. The Happening
For this one I can only say that the once-reliable M. Night Shyamalan did appear to try really hard. At achieving what I could not tell you. Featuring the worst performance of Marky Mark’s career, this film promises the best of Shyamalan in the first fifteen minutes and then literally does everything wrong, derailing into an ambitious, pretentious, asininely-written opus concerning – the environment? I mean, I guess.
4. Fool’s Gold
I just don’t even know how this thing was not “accidentally” burnt in the editing room. Probably because Matthew McConaughey’s too cute. Understandable.
3. Made of Honor
Before I lambaste this movie, let me just say this: I like romantic-comedies. I enjoyed 27 Dresses, I came to love The Notebook and When Harry Met Sally, It Happened One Night and You’ve Got Mail are all personal favorites. This movie demeans those movies (yes even 27 Dresses) so vehemently I almost walked out of the theater several times. But I didn’t, because I was with a lovely girl and I relished the thought of writing this. Don’t ever see this movie, no matter how many McDreams you’ve had about McDreamy. It will just offend you.
2. 88 Minutes
I remember when Al Pacino was the greatest actor of all time. He’s not anymore. Here’s the proof.
1. Max Payne
I remember when Mark Wahlberg was the greatest rapper-turned-actor of all time, even better (for a Departed moment) than Big Willie. He’s not anymore. Here’s the proof. Oh and The Happening too.
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