Kamis, 03 Januari 2013

The 50 Best Movie Musicals of All Time

Film.com Staff December 26, 2012


On the surface, movie musicals are love-em-or-hate-em fare; for every devotee, you’ll find a self-avowed enemy of the entire musical genre. But we believe — and we know you Fosse-haters are already bristling — that everyone loves something musical. Maybe “Jesus Christ Superstar” isn’t your bag, but surely you’re on board with “The Muppet Movie?” No?


For those who do love the old song-and-dance (or at least admit it), we asked our writers Scott Harris, Sandie Angulo Chen and Elizabeth Rappe to put together a list of the 50 greatest, ranked by committee… and here it is:


One of the most charmingly meta musicals of all time, 1963's ‘Bye Bye Birdie” is based on the stage musical of the same name, which in turn is based on the true story of Elvis being drafted into the Army. In the movie, a rock star named Birdie (Jesse Pearson) holds a contest to see which girl he will give his last kiss to before entering the military. Ann-Margret became a superstar for her role as that lucky girl, while the song “Put on a Happy Face” became a new standard. — S.H.


Man, why don’t more bands try to create rock operas? The answer is probably because there are few rock groups in history that have had both the skill and the vision to pull off a project as ambitious as The Who’s “Tommy,” which was turned into a major motion picture back in 1975. Featuring both musicians (like Elton John, Eric Clapton and The Who’s Roger Daltry among others) and superstar actors (Jack Nicholson, Ann-Margret), “Tommy’s” tale of a deaf, dumb and blind kid who becomes a pinball wizard is still the gold standard for high concept rock n’ roll. Play on, Tommy. — S.H.


“Line” is about the dedication of dance, and lengths a performer will go to (and suffer) to have their one shining moment on stage.  It definitely plays as stiff and claustrophobic compared to the exuberance of other classic musicals (is anyone having as much fun as Fred and Ginger?), and Zach and Cassie aren’t the roles anyone dreams of playing. But you can’t beat the closing number for sheer pizzazz, or the peek into a world most of us are too clumsy to join. – E.R.


Comedian Keegan-Michael Key has claimed there are five seminal movies every black person must see: “Wiz,” “Shaft,” “Juice,” “Friday,” and “Roots.” We think everyone should see them, starting with director Sidney Lumet’s urban reimagining of “The Wizard of Oz.” Set in Harlem instead of Kansas, the all-black adaptation stars the incomparable Diana Ross in the Dorothy role and fellow African-American icons Michael Jackson, Lena Horne and Richard Pryor as the Scarecrow, Glenda, and the Wiz. Everyone knows “Ease on Down the Road,” but the musical’s full of jazzy, R&B numbers that showed off the talent of all the triple-threat stars.


If you’re part of the “‘Rent’ is too damn high on this list party,” allow us to give you 525,600 reasons why you’re wrong. One of the biggest stage hits of the ’90s, “Rent” was brought to the big screen in 2005 in an adaptation so faithful that it starred almost the entire original Broadway cast, including Taye Diggs and Rosario Dawson, who won the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress. On film or on stage, “Rent” is one of the seminal musicals of the past quarter century. — S.H.


“Oliver!” is like the best and worst of musical adaptations all at once.  The songs have gone down into pop culture legend (“Food, Glorious Food” has been trilled over commercials) but it’s endless dance numbers, it’s angelic lead, and it’s syrupy songs contrasted with Dickensian brutality doesn’t exactly make a cohesive, enjoyable whole. Yet there’s an undeniable charm to stuff like “Who Will Buy,” and you have to admire they sprinkle in so much bloodshed while chirping “Consider Yourself.” — E.R.


We admit it takes considerable suspension of disbelief to see 40-year-old Babs as an orphaned Jewish maiden disguising herself as a yeshiva boy. Streisand directed the film, based on an Isaac Bashevis Singer short story, with herself in the starring role, naturally. Nepotistic as that may be, there’s no one else who could have done it – regardless of age. Featuring wonderful supporting performances from Mandy Patinkin and Amy Irving, “Yentl” is a celebration of family and faith, and “Papa Can You Hear Me?” remains one of the Great One’s most powerful songs ever. — S.A.C.


The songs have been weepy cover staples for more than a decade (see: Susan Boyle) but it took nearly thirty years for someone to finally dream the dream, and adapt it with all its barricades and ballads intact.   While it’s disappointingly claustrophobic at times, it’s nevertheless a throwback to the glory days when stars could sing and act with equal intensity.  Yes, it’s manipulative stuff, but it’s impossible not to get caught up and teary in the plight of Jean Valjean, who imperils everyone he comes across. – E.R.


If you ever doubt the ’70s were the time in which film could do anything, look no further than “Jesus Christ Superstar,” where Judas sports fringe and bellbottoms, and challenges Jesus on the very nature of his ministry. This is rock opera at its best – challenging, bombastic, anachronistic and irreverent, yet sincere in the questions it asks about religion and the prophets who inspire it. – E.R.


Concept albums have been around for a long time, but concept album films? Sure, there were a few before “Purple Rain” (see: Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”), but none of them ever reached the level of Prince’s 1984 hit “Purple Rain,” which works both as an album and as a cool movie in its own right. “When Doves Cry” is just the best known of the songs that comprise the legendary soundtrack to “Purple Rain’ – a soundtrack that has sold over 20 million copies worldwide. — S.H.


The two most memorable numbers from “Annie” consist of its anthem to optimism, “Tomorrow,” and its declaration of pessimism, “It’s a Hard Knock Life.” Amazingly, the lament of the poverty-stricken orphan girls is delivered with no less enthusiasm than the signature song of its lucky star. John Huston, famous for writing and directing “The Maltese Falcon,” and “African Queen,” helmed his only musical, directing Albert Finney as Daddy Warbucks and Carol Burnett as the venal Miss Hannigan (who snagged a showstopper with “Easy Street”). — S.A.C.


If you need one film to sum up the gritty ’70s musical movement, it would probably be Bob Fosse’s dark, dense, and cigarette fueled autobiopic.  It’s a weird fusion of glittery, showstopping numbers, humor, hallucinations, and grim egotism, never flinching from the nastiness (there’s an unflinching sequence of open-heart surgery) or decay, and indulging whenever it wants to.  It’s a testament to Roy Schneider that he keeps it all going, knowing when to put a wink and a grin to keep us hooked.  – E.R.


Everybody loves The Beatles, right? So making a musical based around their legendary pop songs seems like a no-brainer, assuming, that is, you can actually secure the rights to the music. Director Julie Taymor had the cred to do just that, with the result being the 2007 hit “Across the Universe.” Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood and a soundtrack that can rightly be called the most popular of the century? What’s not to love? — S.H.


No one ever did it as well as Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and “Top Hat” is arguably the best of an elegant and seemingly effortless partnership.  What’s striking about “Top Hat” today is how simple and fun it is. There’s no elaborate sets, no cast of thousands, and  no special effects setting off an epic story. It’s just dance, beautifully framed, and set to two of the most iconic songs in cinema. (“Top Hat” and “Cheek to Cheek,” which have both been parodied and imitated to the extreme, but never lost their charm.)  Who doesn’t dream of being this light on their feet, wrapped around the person they love?  — E. R.


Lots of stars have been accused of showboating before, but Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner and Howard Keel are among the few who could proudly admit to it. That’s because the 1951 musical “Show Boat” is a classic of the genre, earning two Oscars and providing a fantastic full-on extravaganza version of the hit 1927 stage musical by Oscar Hammerstein. With a songbook that introduced standards like “Ol’ Man River” and “Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man,” this one is hard to top for any fan of musicals.


The 2007 version of “Hairspray” has an interesting history, as it’s based on the stage musical that was adapted from the original 1988 film “Hairspray” by auteur John Waters. So why is the musical version so great? Well, it’s partially because director Adam Shankman does such a nice job of making the material accessible to everyone. And it’s partially because of Queen Latifah being awesome and the mad spectacle of John Travolta in a cross-gender fat suit. But it’s mainly because of the top notch performance by Nikki  Blonsky. You go, girl. — S.H.


The film may be more conservative in its narrative and stylings than the stage version (there’s little nudity, and the long, politically charged drug trips are missing) but it’s still a perfect slice of time, filmed when the Summer of Love was still fresh in people’s minds. Even with an arc that’s a bit mawkish compared to the commune love of the original, the shock value of the music remains, and the message about peace and love sticks. Even “Rock of Ages” couldn’t boast a song like “Sodomy,” and we’re supposedly post-sexual revolution now. – E.R.


What can we say about stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John that hasn’t already been said? Tapping into a wave of ’50s nostalgia that was sweeping the nation in the 1970's, “grease” took things to a new level thanks to the undeniable on-screen chemistry between Travolta and Newton-John. But it wasn’t just all about the stars; it’s a testament to the power of the music that sing-along screenings of “Grease” are still being shown around the country almost 35 years after it was first released. Go, greased lightning! — S.H.


The remarkable tale of a trio of R&B singers’ (with a remarkable resemblance to The Supremes) rise to prominence, “Dreamgirls” introduced us to the depths of “American Idol” alum Jennifer Hudson’s talent, confirmed Beyonce’s serious acting abilities and reminded audiences that Eddie Murphy was more than just a funny face (we’re still a little heartbroken that he didn’t win an Academy Award). A poignant take on the cost of fame and fortune, the musical boils down to one epic torch song, Hudson’s Effie letting loose “And I Am Telling You” from her soul. — S.A.C.


There was an energetic musical renaissance in the early 2000s, and one of the results was the sexy, snappy “Chicago.”   It’s pure girl power (who out there can’t identify a little with “Cell Block Tango”?) set in the 1920s we all wish existed, and mixed with a heady dose of celebrity cynicism that still bites today.  It could probably have done without some of those in-your-face crotch closeups, though. – E.R.


Well, put a feather in our cap and call it macaroni, because darned if “Yankee Doodle Dandy” isn’t just as cool now as it was when it hit theaters 70 years ago. James Cagney, who previously was known mostly as a Hollywood tough guy, won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of legendary song and dance man George M. Cohan. And the emphasis here s on the dance part, because seriously, these people could really hoof it. At a time when America sorely needed an old fashioned patriotic pick me up, “Yankee Doodle Dandy” was exactly what the doctor ordered. — S.H.


Ask yourself this question: Are you a man or are you a muppet? Leaving behind the tedious self-importance some musicals seem to have, “The Muppets’ embraces the joy of music in a way only iconic felt puppets can. Amy Adams and Jason Segel join their non-human co-stars in rousing and hilarious numbers that celebrate, well, just being alive. And Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords!) won last year’s Oscar for Best Original Song for “Man or Muppet.” Hey, if you can win over those stuffed shirts, you must be doing something right. — S.H.


“High Society” can’t really hold a candle to “The Philadelphia Story,” and if it wasn’t for Cole Porter, trying to set its madcap plot to music would have probably been disastrous.  It’s certainly  not the finest movie musical out there, but it’s sumptuous to look at (it’s the closest you’ll ever get to a “Mad Men” musical), and you can’t beat a love triangle of Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, and Frank Sinatra.  If you think you need loud ballads for a love scene, just watch “You’re Sensational” and realize how hot it can get over a minibar. – E.R.


Irving Berlin may dominate Christmas, but he could make a song-and-dance out of any holiday, as evidenced by “Easter Parade.”  (Warning – this film will make  you crave the return of Easter parades and large, luscious hats.)   It’s “My Fair Lady” with an even more spirited heroine, and without the sprinkling of misogyny.  Fred Astaire may  have been older, but he still had it, and it’s impossible not to fall in love with him as thoroughly as Hannah does.  – E.R.


Only in a musical could selling your soul for a sports team be so full of whimsy! “Yankees” lacks the sheer star power of its contemporaries, but it boasts the original Broadway cast (with the exception of pretty boy Tab Hunter in the lead) and a dogged faithfulness to the Broadway original. A remake could certainly spice it up (and restore the Lola’s banned hip thrusts), but it would be hard to beat the retro warmth and charm, and the ordinary evil of Ray Walston’s Applegate.  –E.R.


Calling it one of only two perfect films in existence might be overdoing it, but there’s no doubt “Paris” is an excellent musical. The sets are lavish, the ballet sequence (inspired and illustrated by French Impressionist work) is legend, and the romance is swoonworthy.  But none of it would work without Kelly, who was never better than when his puppy dog eyes were lovesick, or when he was dancing with a group of moppets. – E.R.


The movie where Barbra Streisand just became, once and forever, Barbra. With eight Oscar nominations, including a Best Actress win for Streisand, 1968's “Funny Girl” is an undisputed classic of the genre. It was also a timely look at changing gender roles, telling the true story of pioneering female comedian and singer Fanny Brice, a woman who directly paved the way for Streisand and those who followed. The perfect role for the perfect star. — S.H.


Sure, it may not be a traditional musical, but on the other hand, it has the word “blues” right in the title. And John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd aren’t just playing around, they are playing the blues for real in this cult classic 1980 comedy. It’s true that the sequels were basically abominations, but this film also has a unique musical legacy: Aykroyd went on to launch the House of Blues chain of musical venues to promote new talent. — S.H.


It’s official, you guys: Johnny Depp can do anything. Despite having basically no training or experience as a singer, Depp stepped into the lead role of Tim Burton’s 2007 adaptation of the popular Stephen Sondheim Broadway production and proceed to, well, kill it. Beyond the singing, though, “Sweeney Todd” is one of the most cinematic musicals ever made thanks to Burton’s unique visual style, which saturates every throat cutting and meat-pie making. Face it: This ain’t exactly “The Sound of Music.” — S.H.


Like “Hairspray” and “The Producers,” 1986's “Little Shop of Horrors” is based on a musical adaptation of a previous motion picture, in this case the creepy 1960 cult classic “Little Shop of Horrors” that introduced the world to Jack Nicholson. As cool as that version is, though, we prefer our giant, sentient, man-eating plants to engage in some full-throated warbling alongside a surprisingly awesome Rick Moranis. As a wise plant once said, “Feed me, Seymour!” Feed us awesome musicals, that is. — S.H.


Another classic based on a Rodgers and Hammerstein show, “The King and I” tells the (mostly) true story of a schoolteacher who becomes the personal tutor to the King of Siam’s children. Like many Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, it also contains a strong anti-racism subtext; and like many of their musicals it’s also totally awesome. Yul Brenner and Deborah Kerr knock it out of the park with renditions of classic tunes like “Getting to Know You,” and their dance number is one of the best loved in cinema. Hey, it’s good to be the king. — S.H.


World War II doesn’t sound like the most obvious setting for a musical, but sometimes the least obvious ideas make for the best movies. Created by the legendary team of Rodgers and Hammerstein, “South Pacific” hit the big screen in 1958 and immediately joined the pantheon of great musicals thanks to songs like “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” and ‘Some Enchanted Evening,” which have become American standards. — S.H.


Based on the Broadway smash of the 1940s, the movie stars Gordon MacRae as Curly, the handsome cowboy who can’t help but flirt with the lovely farm girl Laurey (Shirley Jones). Rodgers and Hammerstein sure knew how to craft the catchiest of songs about love and land. Whether it’s the sunny “Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’,” the suggestively sweet “I’m Just a Girl Who Can’t Say No,” or the theme’s epic chorus, there’s no way you’ll get to the credits without wanting to square dance. Yee-haw! — S.A.C.


Other Muppet movies feel like comedies or adventures with some entertaining musical numbers thrown in, but “The Muppet Movie” is a true musical – the songs further the plot, develop the characters, and in the case of “Rainbow Connection,” make adult audiences misty eyed with nostalgia. Kermit and Fozzie and friends’ cross-country roadtrip to Hollywood (in that classic Studebaker) is still a family favorite, because what could be better than a “frog and a bear seeing America”? — S.A.C.


By the time Tevye (Topol) has seen his three daughters married (to increasingly more objectionable men), the Jewish shtetl of Anatevka, set in Tsarist Russia, seems as real as whatever “Tradition”-filled town you call your home. Even though the Old Country musical clocks in at just under three hours, the film hums along, driven by jubilant dancing and the all-embracing love that animates tune after tune — “Matchmaker,” “If I Were A Rich Man,” and the wedding-singer favorite, “Sunrise Sunset.” — S.A.C.


The rain in Spain may fall mainly on the plain, but what’s even more plain is the fact that Audrey Hepburn absolutely kills it in this 1964 adaptation of the classic Broadway musical. Not that Hepburn is someone you usually associate with the word “plain,” but that’s kind of the point to the story, as Rex Harrison’s egotistical professor embarks on a musical mission to turn a lower class girl into an upper class lady. A delightful romance and a must-see for any Hepburn devotee. — S.H.


No, Marlon Brando wasn’t much of a singer, but does it matter? This is one of the most strapping and sexy musicals out there thanks to the snappy dialogue, the catchy songs, the suits, the humor, the bad boys, and the Sinatra.   “Guys” is one of those musicals that’s good no matter who plays its wiseguys, but if you had to cement one production in cinema history,  thank goodness it was this one. – E.R.


Nearly 40 years after it hit theaters, “Rocky Horror” is the longest-running theatrical release in movie history. It wasn’t a huge hit when it came out, but two years later the horror musical drew a following as a sing-along “midnight movie.” The campy romp follows a newly engaged couple (Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon) that’s lost and winds up in the castle of the cross-dressing Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry in his first role). Although it has a catchy setlist of songs, like “Time Warp” and “Touch-a Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me,” nothing beats the experience of participating as you watch. — S.A.C.


Joe and Clarence are two of the cleanest, cutest sailors that ever washed ashore, and started to tap dance. This movie is pure boyish charm, whether it’s coming from the young, Navy obsessed Donald, Joe tap-dancing with Jerry the Mouse, or Clarence’s awkward attempts at love.  The songs aren’t as memorable as they could have been, but seeing Sinatra this young and nerdy (but still crooning like a king) is worth a few forgettable numbers. – E.R.


Many musicals deal with young love and misunderstandings, but “Meet Me in St. Louis” is rare, devoting far more screen and song time to family dynamics, and the strong pull of our hometown.   The Smith family lives in that magical Disney/Downton Abbey Victorian setting, where no one is poor or unequal, and girls can pursue young men without being called terrible names, or go trick or treating alone without danger.  It’s rather unfortunate “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” outstripped the fame of the other numbers, because “St. Louis” is so much more than a single Christmas lament. – E.R.


The first musical in 10 years to be nominated for a best picture Oscar, this pastiche of campy jukebox remakes and romantic excess convinced Hollywood to start producing musicals again. The sumptuous costumes and sets transformed fin de siecle Paris into a place of otherworldly beauty, and won Oscars for art direction and costume design. Highlights include a tuxedoed company remaking Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor belting out their love for each other in “Come What May.” — S.A.C.


Bob Fosse adapted the envelope-pushing 1966 musical into a multiple-Oscar-winning film that broached sensitive topics (sexuality, abortion, hedonistic excess) and proved that Liza Minnelli had as much (or, okay, nearly as much) talent as her late mother Judy Garland. Minnelli will forever be considered one of musical theater’s grand dames for her inimitable performance as Sally Bowles (she of the garter belts and bowler hat), the flamboyant American cabaret girl living it up in Weimar Berlin. Costarring Joel Grey as the voyeuristic (and creepy) emcee and Michael York as a reserved Englishman, “Cabaret” is as substantive as it is entertaining. — S.A.C.


Even five decades later, the hills (and the suburbs, and the cities, and definitely the preschool classrooms) are still filled with the sounds of this timeless musical. Julie Andrews’ Maria is the ultimate ingénue, and her tale of love and childrearing amidst the ugly (and often fast-forwarded) backdrop of Nazi-controlled Austria is one of the greatest testaments to the joy of going back to the basics (“Do-Re-Mi”), seeking comfort in a storm (“My Favorite Things”), falling in love (“Sixteen Going on Seventeen”) and staying true to your homeland (“Edelweiss”). — S.A.C.


It’s rare for a musical to be such a controversial and commercial disaster that it’s been all but destroyed, but such is the case with “Porgy and Bess.”  It’s a shame.  The storyline is explosive, tackling the misery of poverty, drugs, and abuse in a way had been rarely seen on stage or screen. It can be racially problematic (though that opinion seems to be slowly changing), but the heartbreaking performances of Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandrige should be more widely known and loved.  – E.R.


Proving that musicals need not be big technicolor productions to succeed, “Once” explored love and longing on a $160,000 budget. Anchored by the Oscar-winning “Falling Slowly,” the indie musical also stands out as a musical whose songs are entirely diagetic — each song begins only when the story requires the characters to sing. Because of that, this is the perfect choice for moviegoers who otherwise can’t stand musicals. The songs, as beautiful and moving as they are, merely support the story of an Irish busker (Glen Hansard) falling for his unexpected bandmate, a young Czech flower seller (Marketa Irglova). — S.A.C.


“Hedwig” is a crazy, colorful, rock concoction of droll wit, emotional poignancy, light philosophy, romance, and the search for self (and sexual) identity.  That’s a lot to cram into a musical, and the combination should tip the entire production over.  The fact that it keeps tripping along in its platforms, never stopping in its quest to make you laugh, rock out, and sniffle along with all of Hedwig’s emotional highs and love life lows. – E.R.


The rolled jeans, slicked hair and finger-snapping choreography have been oft-parodied (we swear, the gang’s balletic moves are less comical on stage than on-screen). But when Tony serenades “Maria” (the beautiful but lip-syncing Natalie Wood) or when she convinces Anita (the amazing Rita Moreno) to accept love rather than hate with “I Have a Love,” the genius of composer Leonard Bernstein and lyricist Stephen Sondheim cannot be denied. Fifty years later, there are few showstoppers that give chills like the climax’s “Tonight.” The soaring “Romeo and Juliet” remake won 10 Oscars, including best picture, the most of any musical. — S.A.C.


A perfect combination of Gene Kelley’s athletic dance moves, Debbie Reynold’s irrepressible charm, and Donald O’Connor’s slapstick (his “Make ‘Em Laugh” is almost as good on mute as it is with him singing). And there’s also the number with the man and his umbrella — perhaps the best filmed depiction of the happiness that comes from having just fallen in love. An antidepressant in four-four time, and considered by some to be one of the best musicals ever filmed. No one finishes this movie without humming a tune or feeling better about the world. — S.A.C.


The first of Julie Andrews’ back-to-back musicals is this British homage to the nanny who can make all things better. When Mary magically descends on her umbrella to the upper-crust (and highly dysfunctional) Banks clan, she’s able to do everything from get the kids to tidy their rooms and swallow medicine to pay attention to those less fortunate and bond with their busy parents (dad’s a banker, mom’s a Suffragette). From the sugary sweet “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” to the heartbreaking “Feed the Birds,” every day’s a “jolly holiday with Mary.” — S.A.C.


The Library of Congress has named “The Wizard of Oz” the most-watched film in history, and the story of a young girl in a gingham dress (plus her little dog too!) stands as one of the pillars of American popular culture. Unlike other musicals, with arrangements or costumes that place them in a very particular time or setting, Dorothy’s fantastical journey and its universal themes render the musical timeless, ensuring its appeal to each new generation of audiences. From little ones fixated with ruby slippers to grown-up Judy Garland fans, everyone can appreciate Dorothy’s trip to Oz. — S.A.C.

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Rabu, 02 Januari 2013

Review: ‘Les Misérables’ Is So Big It Hurts

Stephanie Zacharek December 24, 2012


If I were called upon to write a 140-character assessment of Tom Hooper’s weeperific musical extravaganza “Les Misérables,” I’d just laugh. Because I could cover it in fewer than 50: Call me Bessie, ’cos I’ve been thoroughly milked.


“Les Misérables” is a sprawling, splashy musical shellacked with appropriate levels of grimy grandeur. It’s designed to make us feel every emotion fortissimo – because pianissimo is so 1862.


It’s probably not the fault of Victor Hugo’s novel: Exploring just one of the story’s themes – the need for forgiveness in a world where injustice and lack of compassion are the order of the day – could easily fill more than 1,000 pages. So why not make a bulky doorstop of a musical out of the thing, as Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel did in France in 1980? (Herbert Kretzmer would later supply the English-language libretto.) The show went on to thrill audiences on 86 continents, bringing in $982.3 trillion – or thereabouts – in revenues.


Now, Hooper’s film adaptation looms even larger. Plus, it stars Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway, all looking much larger than life. Jackman is the hero, the peasant Jean Valjean, who, as the movie opens, is just being sprung from 19 years of toil and torture in prison. His crime? Stealing a loaf of bread to feed his relatives. But Russell Crowe’s Javert, a man of the law who adheres to the rules 101 per cent, declares that Valjean is “a dangerous man” and decrees that he must be “on parole forever.”


Jean almost succumbs to that self-fulfilling prophecy before doing a complete turnaround and becoming the mayor of the town of Montreuil-sur-Mer, though he continues to live under cover, lest Javert smoke him out. Which, of course, he eventually does. All of this takes place in an era of political upheaval and social injustice: Hooper and cinematographer Danny Cohen show us lots of impoverished, toothless citizens huddling in the sewers, dressed in rags; in overscaled musicals like this one, that’s what you call hobo chic.


Lots of stuff happens in “Les Misérables”: There’s a failed revolution in which the most idealistic – and the most innocent – are killed. And there’s Jackman’s Jean Valjean, singing valiantly through most of it: One of the tragedies of this hunk of whale blubber is that Jackman really can sing – he does the best he can with the nearly unbroken stream of sung dialogue that constitutes this damn thing.


Others attempt, with varying degrees of success, to hit all the high highs and the low lows, though emotionally speaking, there’s not much in between – everything in “Les Misérables” is turned up to 11, and if Hooper achieved some degree of mainstream-pitched subtlety in his last feature, the pleasingly polished “The King’s Speech,” he’s lost the magic touch here. Amanda Seyfried makes a serviceably waifish Cosette; Eddie Redmayne is clumsy but earnest as her true love, Marius. When Samantha Barks, as the spurned Éponine, makes her ultimate act of self-abnegation, she spreads out every color she’s got in a peacock display of sacrificial misery. It’s too much, and yet not enough. And Crowe, having taken a wrong turn from a community-theater production of “H.M.S. Pinafore,” belongs in a special category by himself: He looks so uncomfortable, trussed into an assortment of stiff, brass-buttoned coats, that I began to feel sorry for him. But then I came to my senses and stopped.


Only Hathaway’s defeated and demoralized tragic heroine Fantine, in the killer show-stopper tearjerker “I Dreamed a Dream,™” manages to claw her way toward anything resembling true emotion. Her features – the Paul Klee eyes, those pillowy cracked lips – are large enough to stand up to the hyperbombast that surrounds her.


For some, “Les Misérables” may be harmless enough fun: There’s something to be said for going to the cinema and getting thoroughly cleaned out, having every surface emotion flushed right out of you. And still, there’s something that makes me uncomfortable about the picture. Here in New York this week, a man was killed when he was pushed from a subway platform and couldn’t climb up from the tracks fast enough: There wasn’t, apparently, time to save him from the train bearing down on him, but there was time for someone to snap a picture of his terror and desperation. (The New York Post, which ostensibly had time to decide whether or not to run the picture, predictably took the low road.) In the context of this event – a moment in which no one stepped in to help, even if no one was genuinely able to help — I should appreciate the themes of “Les Misérables” even more. Crimes against humanity are often delicate, small and brutal; their effects are long-lasting. Victor Hugo probably could have written 10,000 pages on that subject, but “Les Miserables” just turns it into a cinematic enema. Its garishness is no damn fun.


 Grade: D+

Categories: Reviews

Tags: amanda seyfreid, amanda seyfried, anne hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, hugh jackman, Les Miserables, russell crowe, Tom Hooper, Les Miserables Previous article Loquacious Muse’s Top 10 Films of 2012 Next article Musical vs. Movie: ‘Les Miserables’

Do You Enjoy a Movie As Much When You Know How It Ends?

Every year has its share of historical dramas, heavy biopics, inspired-by-actual-events thrillers and starry adaptations of classic books, but 2012 seems particularly loaded. In just a few short months, we’ve seen “Argo,” “Lincoln” and “Zero Dark Thirty” recreate history, “Anna Karenina,” “Les Miserables,” and “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” retell familiar tales, and even stuff like “Prometheus” and “The Amazing Spider-Man” spin out “surprising” origin stories that, ultimately, we already know the ending of. (Did the trend have its origins in our fervent belief the Mayans had predicted our 2012 end? Or were we just super afraid of the unknown 2013? Theorize away!)


Some might glance at that list, and wonder why they should bother going to the movies. Where’s the tension in “Zero Dark Thirty” when you know it ends with the death of Osama bin Laden? Abraham Lincoln successfully quashed slavery, so where’s the thrill of “Lincoln”? Bilbo Baggins picked up the One Ring and was still alive during “The Fellowship of the Ring,” so why should we worry? Shouldn’t we go into a story and be surprised?


In this 21st century of innovative consumption, it may surprise you to know that in the deep, dark past, no one ever fretted about spoilers or twist endings. The epic stories that were told over and over again were ones people already knew the ending to. In fact, that was the whole point. You knew the Greeks got into Troy, and you sat down to listen (or, once they sorted the whole “writing it down and letting you have your own copy” thing, took it off your bookshelf) precisely because you did know who lived, who died, who won and lost. The joy was, as corny as it sounds, in the telling. Each storyteller had their own version, and it was the individual flourishes they put in that made it worth hearing.


The same goes for a film in the 21st century. New stories and surprise endings are awesome, but a predetermined ending can be just as exciting in the right hands. In fact, a film can be more tense if you know the tragedy that’s looming ahead.


 


Take “Titanic,” for example. We know the ship sinks. We know Rose survives, and we can probably guess Jack dies. But we don’t know anything about Jack, or how she meets him, or what pushes their romance. We never forget that iceberg is looming, and knowing it’s out there makes us a lot more fearful about the time our lovers have, and what’s going to happen when the ship goes down. There’s also a sweaty anticipation to getting to such an enormous event, and actually getting to see it reenacted, and that can be as nerve racking as not knowing.


Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” also plays heavy on the historical heartstrings. We know the 13th Amendment passed (hint: we no longer have slavery) but most of us don’t know how, giving the back-and-forth a lot of snap and tension. There’s also the tragic fate of Abraham Lincoln himself, and knowing it’s there, hanging over every interaction with his wife and children makes it all fraught with drama. You worry every time he goes to the theater, afraid it’s going to be the last time, and wondering when the assassin is going to sneak up on him and us.


If you’re skeptical — or avoid historical flicks like the plague — ask yourself why you seek out a big-screen adaptation of a book you already read, loved and reread. Isn’t the excitement in seeing it brought to life through the embellishments the director and actors add, making it impossible to see any other way? We knew Katniss survived (heck, we knew reading it) but it didn’t make “The Hunger Games” as a film any less thrilling. We’re compelled to go watch this Anna Karenina hurl herself under the train because no one quite knows how Keira Knightley is going to get there, or how many gruesome details Joe Wright might add. Life isn’t going to work out for Fantine in “Les Miserables,” but it doesn’t stop us from getting caught up in her downfall and crying with genuine despair.


 


If anything, prequels and reboots offer far less apprehension than a well-done spin on history. We knew “Prometheus” led to “Alien,” so every shadowy corner seemed a lot less scary than it might have otherwise. We know Spider-Man will become Spider-Man, so must we watch Uncle Ben die again? As terrific as the “Riddles in the Dark” sequence in “The Hobbit” was, didn’t it play a little fast, as if Jackson knew — as we did — that Bilbo already had the Ring the very first time we met him, so let’s get back to Wargs?


Perhaps not. It’s undoubtedly a personal thing. Some of us are riveted by the Titanic, others by the doom of Lincoln, and others could watch Uncle Ben get it again and again. The point is, it’s easy (almost embarrassingly so!) to be caught up in a predetermined outcome. We beg to be kept free of spoilers, but knowing how it all ends never gets (and never has gotten) in the way of a good story. If you doubt it, look at your DVD shelf and ask yourself how you can go back to old favorites. Batman will always catch the Joker, and yet you still watch “The Dark Knight.”


So, don’t fear going in knowing what will unfold. Enjoy the ride, and recognize it can be a lot more nerve-wracking if you can see the hill you’re about to spill over.

Categories: Features

Tags: Anna Karenina, Les Miserables, Lincoln, Prometheus, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Zero Dark Thirty, Anna Karenina, Prometheus, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Zero Dark Thirty, Lincoln

DREDD (2012)

Tanggal Rilis : 16 October 2012 (Indonesia)
Jenis Film : Action | Crime | Sci-Fi
Diperankan Oleh : Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby and Lena Headey

Ringkasan Cerita DREDD (2012) :

The future America is an irradiated waste land. On its East Coast, running from Boston to Washington DC, lies Mega City One – a vast, violent metropolis where criminals rule the chaotic streets. The only force of order lies with the urban cops called “Judges” who possess the combined powers of judge, jury and instant executioner. Known and feared throughout the city, Dredd is the ultimate Judge, challenged with ridding the city of its latest scourge – a dangerous drug epidemic that has users of “Slo-Mo” experiencing reality at a fraction of its normal speed.


During a routine day on the job, Dredd is assigned to train and evaluate Cassandra Anderson, a rookie with powerful psychic abilities thanks to a genetic mutation. A heinous crime calls them to a neighborhood where fellow Judges rarely dare to venture – a 200 storey vertical slum controlled by prostitute turned drug lord Ma-Ma and her ruthless clan…

LINCOLN (2012)

Tanggal Rilis : 16 November 2012 (USA)
Jenis Film : Biography | Drama | History
Diperankan Oleh : Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and David Strathairn

Ringkasan Cerita LINCOLN (2012) :

In 1865, as the American Civil War winds inexorably toward conclusion, U.S. president Abraham Lincoln endeavors to achieve passage of the landmark constitutional amendment which will forever ban slavery from the United States. However, his task is a race against time, for peace may come at any time, and if it comes before the amendment is passed, the returning southern states will stop it before it can become law. Lincoln must, by almost any means possible, obtain enough votes from a recalcitrant Congress before peace arrives and it is too late. Yet the president is torn, as an early peace would save thousands of lives. As the nation confronts its conscience over the freedom of its entire population, Lincoln faces his own crisis of conscience — end slavery or end the war.

Review: ‘Quartet’ Makes Mediocre Music

In an age where racist, sexist or homophobic speech is likely to be shouted down, there is but one conclave of invective that usually goes unchallenged: ageism. Ageism is real and nigh ubiquitous, which is something I find peculiar – only those blessed with luck will be able to reach geriatric status. I do my best, therefore, to block ageist thought when I see it, which is why it doubly pains me to tell you that “Quartet,” a film by seniors about seniors, isn’t particularly good.

Dustin Hoffman, yes, THE Dustin Hoffman, makes his official* directorial debut 45 years after “The Graduate” with “Quartet,” adapted from a play by Ronald Harwood. The action takes place in a rather posh retirement home for classical musicians and concludes with a Verdi recital that, storywise, serves the same function as Mickey & Judy saying “hey, let’s put on a show.”

First we meet Billy Connolly, who all but announces he’s ready to haul ass to Lollapalooza. He’s crude to the nurses and urinates on the croquet pitch. Charming. Then there’s Pauline Collins, whose just a cut-up, because she’s suffering from dementia and acts like a child. This is an absolute scream until the movie decides it needs a quick injection of pathos and decides to let her illness get serious and everyone can look sad around her hospital bed.

Far more dignified is Tom Courtenay, the only one who comes out of this picture unscathed. He’s a stick in the mud (Lady Ga-WHO? Never heard of her!) but at least is willing to expand his horizons, as is evidenced by his googling the term “rap.” As it happens, these three used to be part of a renown singing group and when a van pulls up with Maggie Smith in tow the titular quartet is back together again.

But not so fast! Two major hurdles stand in the way. Courtenay is still licking his wounds over a broken heart (he and Smith were once briefly married) and Smith has to accept the reality of her winter years. She can’t hit the high notes like she once could, but she can still sing, dammit, and as long as there is there is the breath of life there is music and bah bah bah oh God make it stop I can’t take any more cliches.

When the four decide to sing they sell more than enough tickets to save the old folks’ home, but this is such a ridiculous anticlimax that they can barely look you in the eye when the plot point hits. It is done away with in a quick line of dialogue; maybe everyone was just too ashamed to go into it any more. “Quartet” is polite enough to be short, I’ll give it that much. Plus Michael Gambon runs around in a bedazzled housecoat just daring you to compare him to Dumbledore.

Grade: C-

* I say official because there are rumors that he actually did most of the directing on the 1978 film “Straight Time,” plus I recall reading an article about the 1992 film “Hero,” which implied that he basically shadow-directed many of the scenes. You can also check out the behind-the-scenes stuff from 1981's “Tootsie” to see how much more-than-just-an-actor input he had on that one, much to director Sydney Pollock’s chagrin/delight.

Categories: Reviews

Tags: dustin hoffman, Maggie Smith, Quartet

Alt Weekly: ‘West of Memphis’ and More

Welcome back to Alt Weekly, a column in which we shine a spotlight on the independent films brave enough to open opposite Hollywood’s behemoth blockbusters before rolling out in wider release.


This week sees two final awards contenders sneaking under the wire in the shadow of heavy-hitters “Django Unchained” and “Les Miserables.”


‘PROMISED LAND’


Filmmaker Cred: This is the latest directorial effort from Gus Van Sant (“Milk,” “Good Will Hunting”) and the first screenplay co-written between stars Matt Damon and John Krasinski.
Star Power: Damon, Krasinski, Frances McDormand, Hal Holbrook, Rosemarie DeWitt.
Festival/Awards Buzz: This small-town drama skipped the festival circuit, and reviews so far have been mixed. You can read our very positive thoughts on the film right here.
Release Details: In several markets this Friday, with further nationwide expansion scheduled for next week.
See This If… You’re in the mood for a rather Capra-esque character study over the holidays.


‘WEST OF MEMPHIS’


Filmmaker Cred: Director Amy Berg made the heartbreaking 2006 documentary, “Deliver Us From Evil.”
Star Power: The West Memphis Three themselves — Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley, Jr. — as well as advocates Henry Rollins, Eddie Vedder and producer Peter Jackson.
Festival/Awards Buzz: This comprehensive re-examination of the WM3 case, previously tackled in the “Paradise Lost” films, stirred up much righteous anger after its Sundance premiere last January. Reviews have been almost uniformly positive.
Release Details: NY/LA on Christmas Day, with more markets to follow.
See This If… You can stomach two and a half hours of (rightfully) infuriating true crime investigation.

Categories: Alt Weekly, Columns

Tags: alt weekly, amy berg, Gus Van Sant, john krasinski, matt damon, Paradise Lost, peter jackson, Promised Land, West Memphis 3, west memphis three, West of Memphis, West of Memphis, Promised Land

Selasa, 01 Januari 2013

Could Helena Bonham Carter Just Put on Some Jeans?

There comes a time in every actor or actress’s career when a public intervention must be staged, not only for the good of their career, but because their particular quirks and habits have become impossible for moviegoers to watch any longer.


For Helena Bonham Carter, that time is now. We hate to be the ones to do it, truly, but … Well, better us than someone without a genuine enjoyment of her resume and her unconventional style. But we can’t take it any more, and so we send this plea out to Bonham Carter and her Hollywood enablers: Step away from the crazy wigs, the corsets, the croaky Cockney and the snaggleteeth. For the love of all that is still good and pure in cinema (and it ain’t much), stop.


Yes, we know. Bonham Carter’s problem has been an ongoing one, but it was manageable when confined to Tim Burton flicks. It was even acceptable when she appeared in a few “Harry Potter” films, corset-clenched and hair frizzed, screeching loud enough the Ringwraiths would ask her to tone it down, because it fit. Everyone looked like they needed a comb, an electric toothbrush and a 21st century makeover. If anything, Bonham Carter might have been underdone.


But now her propensity for this caricature has spilled out over the acceptable genre borders and landed in “Les Miserables,” where her performance brings the movie to a record-scratching halt and collapses Tom Hooper’s meticulous portrayal of 19th century France with one swift kick. As she and Sacha Baron Cohen lurch onto the screen as the wretched Thenardiers, they manage to turn what was a fresh adaptation into some kind of ill-advised “Sweeney Todd” reunion. (The extended use of a sausage machine only underlines the similarity. There’s even a wink to cannibalism, albeit with a wooden leg over a fleshy one.)


But wait! Can you really throw that at Bonham Carter when that’s how the Thenardiers are written and performed on Broadway too?


Well, yes. For one, it is incredibly lazy casting (“Let’s get Bonham Carter! She’s terrific at playing debauched Victorians!”) and one longs to see what Helen McCrory or Nicola Walker might have done with it.


Secondly, a casual glance at the Thenardiers’ Broadway incarnation argues that it’s distinctly different than the version Bonham Carter is playing, which seems an ill-advised homage to Mrs. Lovett. Bonham Carter spends much of the scene sticking objects in her wig (which, naturally, looks like every frizzy wig she’s ever worn), brandishing her fingerless gloves, chomping her rotten teeth and hoisting up her assets through her corset. Her costume veers into the Gothic fantastic and is miles away from the grubby 19th century dress Mrs. Thenardier usually sports onstage. It’s pure Bonham Carter (with a dash of Burton), making you wonder what on earth Hooper was thinking. Could he not have restrained the costume and flourishes a tad? Or at least upped the ante to a prosthetically rotten level that even Bonham Carter hasn’t yet reached? A glance through Google Image shows some deliciously disgusting Thenardiers, making Bonham Carter’s version look even more like a Halloween costume purchased at Hot Topic.


Bonham Carter has become so indelibly associated with this sort of deranged reject that in trying to name the last normal character she played, it’s easy to overlook her performance in “The King’s Speech.” Her turn as Queen Consort Elizabeth is genuinely wonderful – restrained, gentle, sensitive, prim yet tough. It’s so unlike her that you forget it is her, which is exactly what acting is supposed to be about. Bonham Carter shouldn’t come onscreen carrying her Burton-Potter baggage. She should make us look twice to see who it is.


Which is why we beg her – and those casting her – to stop casting her as historical or fantastical madwomen. Stop letting her burst onto the screen all pale and purple, draped in shredded lace, buried in hair, cackling and “Wot’s all this, then”-ing herself into a frenzy. It’s becoming what it shouldn’t be: boring. Make her play women who wear business suits. Jeans. T-shirts. Military uniforms. Something, anything, as long said character also goes to a hair salon. We know she’s a terrific actress capable of transforming herself, which is why we want to see her do it again and again. We want to see the original Bonham Carter of “A Room With A View” again.


Whatever you do, and however you do it, make it happen in 2013, because we’ve seen “The Lone Ranger” trailer and we’d recognize that wig-and-corset combo anywhere. This mean’s she’s truly escaped Burton-land and will soon find her way to Middle Earth, Marvel and DC Comics. If we don’t stop her now, it will be too late for us all.

Categories: Features

Tags: A Room with a View, harry potter, Helena Bonham Carter, Les Miserables, sweeney todd, the lone ranger, tim burton, Les Miserables, The Lone Ranger, Tim Burton, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Tom Hooper, Sacha Baron Cohen, Harry Potter [Film Series], A Room With a View, Helena Bonham Carter

‘The Hobbit’ Ekes Out Holiday Box Office Win

It was a seesaw battle for the holiday box office title this weekend, as new Christmas releases “Les Misérables” and “Django Unchained” duked it out with returning champion  “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” over the past few days. But now that the dust has settled we can officially declare a winner: “The Hobbit.”

Yes, coming in with an estimated $32.9 million, “The Hobbit” topped the box office for the third weekend in a row, just beating out “Django Unchained” with $30.7 million and “Les Misérables” with $28 million.

Of course, the figures were skewed by the fact that “Les Misérables” in particular burned off much of its pent-up viewer demand during the week; Tom Hooper’s adaptation of the classic Broadway musical easily won the box office on both Tuesday and Wednesday, earning an impressive $18.1 million on Christmas day alone.

Still, once all was said and done, it was “The Hobbit” coming out on top again, thanks in large part to an amazingly strong hold, as Peter Jackson’s latest fantasy epic was down only 11% from last weekend’s $36.9 million. And with only one major new release this coming Friday — the niche horror remake “Texas Chainsaw 3D” — it looks as though “The Hobbit,” “Les Misérables” and “Django Unchained” will likely be battling it out for first place again next weekend.

Oh, and one other note on this week’s box office: With $4.6 million domestically this weekend, good for 11th place on the charts, “Skyfall” became the first James Bond film to break the $1 billion mark worldwide. Not a bad way to celebrate your 50th anniversary.

Here’s a look at the full weekend box office courtesy of Hollywood.com:

1. “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” – $32.9m (our review)
2. “Django Unchained” – $30.7m (our review)
3. “Les Misérables” – $28m (our review)
4. “Parental Guidance” – $14.8m (our review)
5. “Jack Reacher” – $14.0m
6. “This Is 40? – $13.2m (our review)
7. “Lincoln” – $7.5m (our review)
8. “The Guilt Trip” – $6.7m
9. “Monsters Inc. 3D” – $6.4m
10. “Rise of the Guardians” – $4.9m

Categories: News

Tags: box office, Les Miserables, Django Unchained, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Quentin Tarantino, Peter Jackson, Parental Guidance, Jack Reacher

Weekly Trailer Report: ‘The Place Beyond the Pines,’ ‘Scary Movie 5′ & More

As we sit recovering from all the happy holiday goings-on, we’ve got a spate of new trailers that are sure to please.

First up is the Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper drama “The Place Beyond the Pines,” which isn’t a Twin Peaks-themed feature but instead a thrilling criminal cat and mouse game. Another film we’re getting a first look at is “Scary Movie 5,” starring Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen in a stunning bit of self-mockery.

With all these fantastic trailers, there’s something for everyone in the mix. Let us know what tickles your year-end fancy in the comments!

‘The Place Beyond the Pines’

A motorcycle stuntman turns criminal in order to provide for his family, which pits him against a cop determined to solve his crimes.
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes
Release Date: March 20, 2013

‘Scary Movie 5'

The latest entry in the parody series takes on a few of the biggest horror films in recent years.
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen and Terry Crews
Release Date: April 12, 2013

‘Aftershock’

A horror film that follows a group of travelers caught in the chaos following a massive earthquake as humans turn against one another in the aftermath.
Starring: Eli Roth, Andrea Osvárt and Ariel Levy
Release Date: 2013

‘The Gatekeepers’

A documentary that interviews six of the leaders of Shin Bet, an Israeli security agency shrouded in secrecy.
Director: Dror Moreh
Release Date:
Feb. 20, 2013

‘Let My People Go’

A young gay Jewish man finds himself back in Paris with his family after a breakup.
Starring: Nicolas Maury, Carmen Maura and Jean-François Stévenin
Release Date: 2013

‘The Other Fellow’

A documentary that explores the trials and tribulations of men who share the name James Bond with one of the most famous spies in history.
Release Date: 2013

Categories: Columns, Trailer Roundup

Tags: aftershock, Let My People Go, Scary Movie 5, The Gatekeepers, The Other Fellow, The Place Beyond The Pines

10 ‘Unfilmable’ Books Made Into Movies

As 2012 comes to an end and the awards season gets into full swing, attention will be placed on the year’s “unfilmable” novels brought to the big screen and whether or not they succeeded. When a novel is deemed unfilmable, it’s often because either they heavily employ conceits only a book can properly convey (i.e. stream of consciousness), they delve so deep into the imagination that it seems impossible to bring it to life, or the subject matter seems unable to feasibly make the jump into a world where the MPAA has the final say. So we decided to examine why novels adapted for this year and beyond were previously considered unfilmable and how well bringing them to life worked out.


Why it seems unfilmable: Comprised of nested stories and a gigantic cast of characters from different places and eras, it would require an unfathomable budget and inventive restructuring. Plus, David Mitchell’s third and wildly popular novel is partly about the importance of our own stories passed from lifetime to lifetime, through our collective unconscious and eternal relationship to each other throughout time, as demonstrated through these words.


Did it work? The reaction to “Cloud Atlas” has been as mixed as it gets. Audiences and critics either loved or hated the adaptation, rarely hanging out somewhere in the middle, but we lean towards yes. The film eliminates the structure problem by intertwining the six stories, a conceit that some find confusing, but actually keeps the pace and allows for greater exploration of the themes and connections between the stories. The character problem was dealt with by casting a primary ensemble of 13 in multiple roles, which adds to the message of our timeless connectivity, and the journals, letters, manuscripts and more that connect each generation are cleverly kept intact. Directors Lana and Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer also tweaked the message of the book to focus more on what they got out of the novel and wanted to explore, which is another example of a great way to adapt a work; rather than being steadfastly true to the page, a filmmaker can alter it just enough to make it his/her own story and message.


Why it seems unfilmable: The entire meaning and impact of the graphic novel is very specifically enhanced by the medium of comic book (“Fearful Symmetry,” anyone?) and it is the shining beacon of proof that comics are indeed art. There’s also the backstory; author Alan Moore hates adaptations of his work, so an attempt to bring his graphic novels to life is a terrifying feat for any director. There’s also the little matter of special effects, like creating a giant blue man who can manipulate time and space at will.


Did it work? Despite the fact that Zack Snyder’s movie is practically a frame-by-frame recreation of the novel, the adaptation left a lot to be desired, even among those who loved it at its release. Although modern-day special effects made Dr. Manhattan possible, the brilliance of the book simply didn’t translate to the screen as well as we hoped. Certain elements that didn’t make the move, like the bulk of the supplemental material, were later added as a separate Blu-ray and even included in an extended edition, but they make an already long movie overstay its welcome. A bold, daring attempt, but if anything, simply further evidence that “Watchmen,” arguably a perfect comic, may truly be unfilmable.


 


Why it seems unfilmable: Most of the book takes place on a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean. With a tiger. And three other animals for a period of time. There’s also an island that is alive. There’s also a horrific shipwreck. It’s also mostly about faith and philosophy and existentialism and hope and a boy’s intellectual journey with these ideas. While trapped on a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean with a tiger.


Did it work? Boy, did it. Ang Lee has been passionate about adapting “Life of Pi” for years but never felt like the medium of film was quite ready for it, until 3-D came around. Using the first ever underwater 3-D camera and employing the best CGI out there to bring a tiger to life that’s so realistic looking, you’ll find yourself wondering how they got a wild beast to act so damn well, “Life of Pi” is a visual spectacle to behold. On top of that, Ang Lee’s knack for human stories and capturing the inner workings of our souls helps make sure that none of the underlying meaning is lost in translation, even if a certain degree of intimacy had to be sacrificed along the way. The film adaptation also removes certain things from the book that perhaps wouldn’t have read on the big screen and slightly alters the ending to help narrative flow, resulting in a great example of how a (mostly) faithful adaptation can succeed when the right mind is behind it.


Why it seems unfilmable: The free-flowing narrative is as aimless as it is enthralling, the definitive depiction of the Beat Generation as we know it. But making that a compelling two-hour film is a whole other story.


Did it work? Sort of. The film captures the meandering anti-narrative of the book rather precisely, but it doesn’t always manage to make sense or grab your attention the way the book managed to do, even at its most disjointed. Filled with encouraged ad-libbing and never stopping to explain time or place, the film sometimes feels like you’re on your very own jazz- and drug-fueled road trip, for better or worse. Some may argue this means Walter Salles’s take was the perfect adaptation, while others will insist that part of adapting a book to screen is making it work for that medium and that simply mimicking the loose structure that worked so well in the novel counts as a failure.


Why it seems unfilmable: The series is three volumes, roughly 1200 pages, that are dense with language and hundreds of creatures, races, animals, and characters that for a long time we could only dream of.


Did it work? Thanks to Peter Jackson’s epic vision and the smarts to wait until technology caught up to his imagination, the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy is widely regarded as one of the best film series of all time. There may be some questionable CGI in one scene of “Return of the King” (here’s looking at you, Legolas on the Oliphant), but for the most part, the effects are perfect, Gollum in particular. Although some diehard fans feel as though the books themes get somewhat muddled in exchange for squeezing in as much plot as possible, there is no denying that the power and influence of these films matches that of the novel, and they will go down in history as a massive win.


 


Why it seems unfilmable: Written through a hallucinogenic haze, fragmented, psychotic and disturbing, filled with incredibly graphic violence and sex, it was considered unfilmable because of both content and style.


Did it work? Yes, due a lot in part to bringing the comedy out to help cut through the horrific subject matter, taking the violence down a notch by making references to many of the murders but not showing them, removing some of the more disturbing sexual scenarios and removing some of Bateman’s more controversial prejudices like homophobia and racism. Even toned down this much, the film still barely got away with an R rating and maintains all of the horror of the novel. A great example of how pushing the limits all the way to the edge in film reads just as intense as pushing the limits all the way to the edge in a book, even though those boundaries are wildly different. The film captures the essence of the book, which ultimately is what matters most.


Why it seems unfilmable: HBO isn’t television, you guys! Okay, it’s sort of television. Whatever, it counts. Point is, the sprawling story that takes place over an epic amount of time, even longer if you count the massive backstory, combined with graphic sex, an enormous cast of characters, a whole new language, hundreds of set pieces, massive battles and a character-by-character third person POV-based structure, struck the filmic world as a story too grand to make it off the page. Basically, it’s the impossible fantasy of “Lord of the Rings” meets the boundary-pushing sex and violence of “American Psycho” (okay fine, “Game of Thrones” isn’t that messed up, but you get the point).


Did it work? Absolutely. Choosing to go with HBO, where a season could cover each book, or even half a book, was a brilliant move, and although a television budget is significantly smaller than a film budget, producers make it work. Plus, the Blu-ray releases and HBO Go allows for audiences to experience the backstory while watching the episodes. Naughty, bloody, gorgeous and just as addicting as the series, “Game of Thrones” is one of the best eff yous to the “unfilmable novel” claim of all time.


Why it seems unfilmable: The entire book is a stream of consciousness that takes place inside the mind of a man who, after being seriously injured in the war, has lost his arms, limbs, eyes, ears, teeth and tongue. He’s totally unable to move or communicate, despite being fully conscious with not an ounce less intelligence as he had before. If there were ever a truly unfilmable novel in existence, you’d think it would be this. And yet, in 1971, Dalton Trumbo brought his own work to the screen.


Did it work? What do you know, it actually did. The film was even nominated for the 1971 Palme d’Or at Cannes, and won the Grand Prix Special de Jury and FIPRESCI Prize. Most of its critical success was no doubt due to the fact that it was adapted by the book’s author for the screen. The film is divided up between Joe’s memories, which are rendered in clear, vivid color, his fantasies in intense saturated color, and the black and white hospital scenes. The narrative is primarily a stream of consciousness voiceover. Known as one of the most harrowing anti-war films of all time, “Johnny Got His Gun” is proof that the right combination of passion and talent can bring any unfilmable novel to life.


 


Why it seems unfilmable: It’s a non-fiction book based on Susan Orlean’s investigation of a group in Florida poaching a rare kind of orchid. Low on action and high on self-reflection and people obsessed with orchids, nothing about the book makes you think it would possibly be an enticing movie.


Did it work? The fact that “The Orchid Thief” is so difficult to adapt is precisely the reason why the brilliant film “Adaptation” exists. The main characters in the movie are writer Charlie Kaufman and his fictional twin brother Donald (Nicolas Cage), author Orlean (Meryl Streep), and orchid thief himself John Laroche (Chris Cooper). In “Adaptation,” the Kaufman brothers attempt to adapt the “The Orchid Thief” as its events play out at the same time, with a healthy dose of invented elements thrown in to the mix as well. The film was nominated for adapted screenplay at the Oscars (it lost to “The Pianist”) and won a slew of other awards. Take that, “unfilmable”!


Why it seems unfilmable: It’s a 48-page children’s book, mostly made up of giant wild creatures and a tiny boy having a romp on a mysterious island


Did it work? Not only did it work, it was easily one of the best pictures of its year. Director Spike Jonze took the seed of Maurice Sendak’s picture book and created a beautiful, heartbreaking portrayal of childhood and the way children deal with their emotions. The giant creatures were created from a mix of practical and CGI that manages to affix the audience with the childlike wonder we all read the book with. The film succeeds on every level and demonstrates the power of inspiration meets inventiveness.


See also: “Tristram Shandy,” “Cosmopolis,” “Naked Lunch,” “Lolita,” “Catch-22.”

Categories: Features, Lists

Tags: Adaptation, alan moore, American Psycho, Andy Wachowski, ang lee, Catch-22, charlie kaufman, Chris Cooper, Cloud Atlas, Cosmopolis, Dalton Trumbo, game of thrones, Johnny Got His Gun, Lana Wachowski, life of pi, Lolita, lord of the rings, Maurice Sendak, meryl streep, naked lunch, nicolas cage, On the Road, peter jackson, spike jonze, The Orchid Thief, Tom Tykwer, Tristram Shandy, walter salles, watchmen, where the wild things are, zack snyder, Adaptation, Life of Pi, Cosmopolis, On the Road, Cloud Atlas, American Psycho, Chris Cooper, Watchmen, Zack Snyder, Ang Lee, Where the Wild Things Are, Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings [Film Series], Lana Wachowski, Walter Salles, Jr., Tom Tykwer, Andy Wachowski, Johnny Got His Gun, Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, Naked Lunch, Lolita, Lolita, Catch-22, Alan Moore, Dalton Trumbo, Charlie Kaufman, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Spike Jonze, Maurice Sendak

Video Q&A: Rosemarie DeWitt on Acting with Screenwriters

Rosemarie DeWitt, Hollywood’s hardest-working actor of 2012, keeps the hits coming in her sixth role of the year. She stars as Alice, a local girl who catches the eye of a visiting natural gas contractor, in the environmental drama “Promised Land.”

Though her face has been all over movie screens this year, there’s one place she hasn’t been: the writers’ room. In “Promised Land,” she stars alongside Matt Damon and John Krasinski, who also co-wrote the film.

“It made me a little bit more nervous,” she told Film.com in New York ahead of the movie’s Dec. 28 release, of acting alongside the authors of the script, “but in a good way.”

“As an actor, I’m so inspired by people who put on other hats.”

Watch the video, below, to hear DeWitt talk about taking notes from her co-stars, shooting the film and the importance of personal responsibility.

Categories: Interviews

Tags: john krasinski, matt damon, Promised Land, Rosemarie DeWitt, Promised Land, Rosemarie DeWitt, John Krasinski, Matt Damon

THE LORD OF THE RINGS 2: THE TWO TOWERS (2002)

Tanggal Rilis : 15 January 2003 (Indonesia)
Jenis Film : Action | Adventure | Fantasy
Diperankan Oleh : Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen and Viggo Mortensen

Ringkasan Cerita THE LORD OF THE RINGS 2: THE TWO TOWERS (2002) :

Film Lord of the ring 2 menceritakan perjalanan mereka ke kawah Dom untuk menghancurkan cincin milik Dark Lord Sauron, penguasa kegelapan, kelompok Frodo yang terdiri dari 9 orang kini terpecah. Frodo dan Samwise (Sean Astin) kini hanya berdua yang pergi ke Mordor karena Merry (Dominic Monaghan) dan Pippin (Billy Boyd) ditawan oleh bangsa Elves yang jahat, Uruk-hai, sedangkan Boromir (Sean Bean) telah tewas. Sementara itu, Legolas dan Gimli telah bergabung dengan Rohan, sebuah bangsa manusia yang dipimpin oleh seorang raja yang telah menua, Theoden (Bernard Hill). Namun kekuatan kebaikan di Middle Earth kini menghadapi masalah serius karena dua menara yang terletak antara Mordor dan Isengard, yaitu Barad-dur dan Orthanc telah bersatu untuk penghancuran dunia.


Selain itu, penyihir jahat Saruman (Christopher Lee) dengan bantuan kekuatan dari penguasa kegelapan, Dark Lord Sauron, dan asistennya, Grima Wormtongue (Brad Dourif), telah menciptakan pasukan yang sangat besar untuk menghancurkan umat manusia dan Middle Earth. Namun Gandalf the White (Sir Ian McKellen), yang semula dikira tewas akan memimpin perlawanan untuk melawan kekuatan jahat Sauron.

Senin, 31 Desember 2012

RUROUNI KENSHIN (2012)

Tanggal Rilis : 25 August 2012 (Japan)
Jenis Film : Action | Drama | History
Diperankan Oleh : Takeru Sato, Emi Takei and Yû Aoi

Ringkasan Cerita RUROUNI KENSHIN (2012) :

Former legendary assassin Kenshin Himura (Takeru Sato) has now become a wandering samurai. Offerring aid & protecting those in need as atonement for his past deeds. During this time Kenshin Himura comes across and aides Kaoru Kamiya (Emi Takei). Her father opened the Kamiya Kasshin-ryu, a kendo school located in Tokyo and Kaoru is now an instructor there. Kaoru then invites Kenshin to stay at her dojo. Their relationship develops further, but Kenshin is still haunted by his violent past…

Senin, 24 Desember 2012

SINISTER (2012)

Tanggal Rilis : 12 October 2012 (USA)
Jenis Film : Horror | Mystery
Diperankan Oleh : Ethan Hawke, Juliet Rylance and James Ransone

Ringkasan Cerita SINISTER (2012) :

A struggling true-crime novelist stumbles into a grim supernatural mystery that threatens the lives of his entire family in this nightmarish horror yarn from director Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Day the Earth Stood Still). Ellison (Ethan Hawke) is seeking inspiration for his latest book when he moves his wife and children into a home where an entire family perished under gruesome circumstances.


Terror soon hits closer to home, however, when the writer discovers a box of old family movies in the attic of his new house, and watches in horror as images of various families being murdered flicker before his eyes. Now the deeper Ellison investigates the disturbing case, the more he begins to fear he has stirred an ancient evil that won’t rest until it has claimed his entire family.

Q&A: ‘On the Road’ Star Sam Riley on Road Trips and Googling Himself

You may have seen Sam Riley and not even know it. After all, the husky-voiced Brit tends to disappear into roles thoroughly, never using his own accent on film and thoroughly inhabiting his characters. This is the case with Riley’s latest film, “On the Road.”


Directed by Brazilian Walter Salles, the film is finally reaching U.S. audiences after decades of starts and stops, green lights and financial failures. Jack Kerouac himself wrote that he wanted to see his novel made into a movie in the late ’50s, and now audiences are finally being treated to a film adaptation of one of the most iconic American novels of all time.


The pressure was on for Riley, who plays Sal Paradise, Kerouac’s literary stand-in. Riley sat down with Film.com in New York City ahead of the theatrical release of “On the Road” to talk about chain-smoking, disappointing auditions, his road trip soundtrack and co-star Kristen Stewart.


It must be a huge relief to have “On the Road” finally coming out in the U.S., since you’ve been connected to the project since 2007.
I met [director] Walter [Salles] in 2007 and then auditioned later that year, I think, but they never told me I got the part. I had the feeling they wanted me to do it, but then before anything formal was offered or anything, it then disappeared again. One of the ways I protect myself in this business is that if it’s not happening then I try not to think about it anymore, because that sort of thing happens, you know, you go out for castings or auditions, and if you don’t hear, then you sort of think, “Well, f**k you!” and onto the next. Then they phoned me and said “It’s going to happen in three months.” I hadn’t heard anything before then!


It was a huge surprise. I was in a way almost sort of relieved when it didn’t happen the first time, because I joined a very illustrious list of nearly-Sals. Which I was quite happy with, I would have been ok to leave it at that to some extent without having to put myself through it somehow.


But you’re not a nearly-Sal!
There have been so many people mentioned, and me in between. I don’t know, I’m very honored. I can’t believe my luck, really. It was like my fourth film or something and I get to play — first I got to play a British icon, Ian Curtis, and then I get to play Jack Kerouac. I mean, yeah, I’ll do that! I feel very honored.


Did you ever doubt that it would happen?
Oh yeah, I mean, as I said, at one point it was going to happen and then it wasn’t. It seemed to have been so jinxed in the past, it kinda felt like, even if we were halfway through shooting, I sort of had this anxiety that something might stop it from happening. The very first shooting day, Tom [Sturridge], who plays Carlo Marx, we arrived on-set and it was my father’s funeral, which I don’t think is in the American cut, and we shot all morning. It was all going very well and then the skies went black and it started raining and so everything that we’d done was useless. We were sitting in our trailer, Tom and I, just thinking, this isn’t going to happen, is it? It’s Ginsberg and Kerouac pissing on us because they don’t want two limeys to play them!


I’m an optimistic person, but in other ways I’m always waiting — when you’re as lucky as I have been the last few years, you’re always waiting for it to kinda go tits up, as they say.


Like you said, you’re British. Did you have any qualms about portraying this great American author in a quintessential American story?
Well, I mean, America’s a country of immigrants as well. Jack [Kerouac] didn’t speak English until he was four or five. Of course, like anybody else, I thought OK, they want a Yorkshireman to play Jack Kerouac, I’ll do that. I never have used my own accent in any of the films I’ve done so far. I’d love to one day. That’s a big challenge [using an American accent], because I didn’t want to spoil it for people that it means so much to by being obviously English. Like, “No, that word doesn’t sound right!”


Kristen Stewart, who plays Marylou in “On the Road,” is kind of an indie actress who happened to be in a big franchise with “Twilight.” You’ve done smaller movies so far as well. Do you hope to make the leap to bigger productions?
Yeah, it depends what it was. I just did a big film this year with Angelina Jolie, “Maleficent.” That’s my first foray into that sort of thing. I really enjoyed it, because it’s very different, and to work with her is pretty cool, obviously. And I was playing something a bit more lighthearted, I was the comic relief. And normally I’m the chain-smoking, lost in thought, brooding. I enjoyed that. Yeah, I’m not a snob, and I enjoy all sorts of — I don’t only watch Jean Luc Godard films.


While chain-smoking, right?
I’m hoping to quit very soon. But yeah, exactly. I sit there, reading French poetry. I’m sure I would do larger films, if it was the right thing, but I don’t think I’m the first on the list when they’re thinking of Superman. Maybe not yet.


Were you worried at all that Kristen’s personal drama might impact the release of “On the Road” and how people perceived it?
No. I don’t really think that. Um, no. I mean I was more worried for a friend. You know, I don’t really care. That’s difficult to say, really. You say anything about that subject you’re sort of feeding the beast. But no, I didn’t think about that at all.


When did you first read “On the Road”?
Later than all the others. I had friends that read it at school and all that, but it just passed me by. I sort of, I don’t really know. I read “Catcher in the Rye” and things like that, but I didn’t read “On the Road” until they sent me the script. You sort of feel like you’ve read it when you haven’t. But then I read it and yeah, I was a bit older. I loved it but I was thinking all the time while I was reading it, “How am I going to do this?” or “How am I going to play that?” Things like that.


Was it difficult at all for you to wrap your head around playing both Sal and Kerouac in the same character?
That’s it, from the young man into then what everybody remembers him being. It was confusing sometimes, because I relied very much on being Sal sometimes instead of Jack, because it’s less of a burden on me psychologically than if I’m thinking I’m Jack Kerouac all the time. I listened very much to his voice and about his life and things like that, but I was more focused on him then as a young man, before the alcoholism and the fame and the Beat god and all that.


Is it different reading the book knowing you’re going to be making a movie of it? Did you enjoy it less?
Yeah, certainly for me, I enjoyed the story but I was sort of thinking how the hell am I going to do it. It helped me enormously, because you’re very much him when you’re reading it, so you really feel like you understand what he’s feeling and thinking. As an actor it was very helpful to get in his mind and hit the mark.


The buzz around this movie is huge. Do you ever Google yourself?
I have done. But it’s a weird thing. It’s not very healthy. But it’s human nature to be interested in it — you know, you mainly do the job for the enjoyment of the playing and the discovery of trying to make something real, but of course it’s nice if people enjoy it as well and if someone says good job. But then, that sort of side of it, fame and things like that, which is not really something I have to worry about, it’s quite odd.


It’s unhealthy to read it because you start to get obsessed with what people think about you. With anyone, a lot of people think you’re a prick without even having met you. I mean there’s lots of people that do know me that think I am as well! But I try and avoid it. But I have done it because I wanted to know, for example, the morning after Cannes, I turned on my computer, and the first site that comes up is this film site on a particular British newspaper. And I saw the two-star review as soon as I looked at it in the morning and thought, “Oh, well, why the fuck did I switch the computer on?” And it’s often the first time you see the trailer or something. You put in “Sam Riley On the Road” or you put on YouTube and see the trailer, and then you see one comment and you think, “Oh, god.” And then you end up reading whatever and then you know that’s the day ruined.


It’s a strange thing, I try and avoid, and I don’t Twitter my everyday activities or anything, so I try and avoid. I try and keep a lot of separation if I can help it.


Do you have a preference between the two cuts of the film? Did the long cut feel long to you?
I think it’s, no, I didn’t think it was long. I think it’s very difficult and that’s part of why it’s always been so hard to make these last 50 years: there’s so much, it’s very difficult to fit everything in. I remember the first time I watched it, and you always do that with films, there’s always bits missing that you remember shooting or that you liked, and this one particularly, I had the feeling we must have shot nearly four or five hours worth of material. I wouldn’t want to be charged with working out what to put in and what not to. It’s very hard, I only saw it the once, and the first time it’s very hard, I’m very critical of myself. But I’m proud of it.


This is sort of the ultimate road trip movie. Have you been on a long road trip before?
Making the movie was a six-month road trip across America, so we lived it, really. And for me, seeing America for the first time in that detail, instead of sort of the business cities, for my business, New York, LA. It was really fascinating and helped because Sal was seeing it for the first time, and so was I. I used to play in a rock and roll band in England before I was an actor, and we went on tour, but it’s a bit different, the sort of Glasgow to London is not quite the same thing. That certainly felt like that was my period in life when I was free from my parents and having fun.


And an important part of any road trip is the soundtrack. Any key songs you listened to on the shoot?
I was sort of one of the ones that was in charge of the jukebox while we were shooting. I bought a huge collection of bebop songs and things which I always had with me on my phone and would always play while we were driving in between. I didn’t think I would get into it, but I sort of did, actually.


So you went era-appropriate?
Sometimes it helps a little bit. I learned a lot about modern bands through the kids like Kristen and Tom and Garrett, who all listen. My finger’s not on the pulse of what is popular these days.


They all liked, I can’t even remember the names… Arcade Fire, they all like folksy stuff these days. Mumford and Sons. And Kristen, occasionally, a bit of Miley Cyrus, as well. And Garrett liked to play a lot of country as well. Whereas I was still listening to Elvis Costello and The Clash.


What did your family say about the movie? Have they seen it?
My grandparents went to watch it in England, my grandfather is 90 and my 86-year-old grandmother, and I thought, “I’ll be curious to see what they think.” And she was very cute, she was like, “Well, yes, you were very good, and there were certain things of course, but it’s just not really our generation.” And I thought I won’t tell her that it actually was her generation.

Categories: Features

Tags: On the Road, Sam Riley, walter salles, On the Road, Sam Riley

Reality vs. Movie: ‘The Impossible’

Director Juan Antonio Bayona’s “The Impossible” aims to tell one family’s story of struggle and survival after the disastrous Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. The film’s surefire awards season sweetheart Naomi Watts has called the adaptation a “blow-by-blow” representation of her real-life counterpart’s journey.


Faithful though the film may be in portraying the heart and humanity of the experience, screenwriter Sergio G. Sánchez has admitted to at least “bringing the story down a few notches because there were some moments in the real story that were so incredible that it’s, like, ‘Nobody will believe this.’” We’re here to ferret out those absolute truths and the stretches presented in “The Impossible.”


1. The Family
The real-life Belon family — Maria, Enrique and their three sons Lucas, Tomas and Simon — are Spanish, but on-screen they are portrayed by British actors Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland, Samuel Joslin and Oaklee Pendergast. As a result, there are three name changes involved: Enrique to Henry, Tomas to Thomas and Belon to Bennett.


Maria Belon herself, who was charged by her family with ensuring protection of her family’s story during production, was not bothered by the fact the script was re-written in English — repeatedly justified by financing and audience concerns — nor that U.K. actors were cast. In fact, she recounted instructing Bayona, “[T]his is not about [an] English family, Swedish family, German family, Thailand family … [T]his is about human beings living a painful situation.”


Also worth mention is the fact that while Watts and Holland spent time meeting and repeatedly consulting their real-life counterparts for intricate detail preparation, McGregor did not personally encounter Enrique until the cameras were already rolling. Still, following the Toronto International Film Festival’s successful screening, where the Belon family made a surprise appearance before the crowd, the real-life father praised McGregor’s performance, saying “He’s got me, he’s got me. How did he ever know? He never met me.”


2. The Big Wave
On Dec. 26, 2004, the Belon family lounged by the pool at their Phuket, Thailand, holiday vacation resort as Maria casually read “The Shadow of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Enrique played with Simon and Tomas in the pool, and Lucas played with a ball on the deck. As told by Maria, the group then “heard the sound of this monster coming” but couldn’t identify the source. “When I saw the big wall, the big black wall coming, I thought ‘Okay, that is coming for us.’” That wall, of course, was the enormous dark tidal wave that ripped the area apart and claimed nearly a quarter million lives across fourteen separate nations.


Production on “The Impossible” aimed to recreate this moment with precise attention to detail on-screen. “It was important because we were there where it really happened, and to the point that we were standing in the same positions around the same swimming pool where the families were standing that day,” said Ewan McGregor. “It was really real, and the director made all of our sets feel very real.” Although Maria Belon has said she didn’t recognize the looming threat of the noise as quickly as it appears in the movie moment, most of other details are considered spot-on for the critical scene.


3. The Hospital
For much of the film, as in reality, the badly injured Maria and her eldest son Lucas were separated from the other three members of their family as she recovered in a hospital. As with the resort scene, filmmakers used the original locations for production and even incorporated tsunami survivors as extras. “They were so proud that we were filming there,” said Belon of the hospital and its staff. “I think they are proud we are telling the story of what happened there, of the reality of what we saw in the hospital. The art department was doing such an amazing job that everybody thought ‘This is a deja vu, this has been here years ago.’”


4. The End
Obviously, the moment that defied all odds for the Belon family was when they found each other at long last, by chance. Cinematically, Bayona claims it played out just the same. “Totally coincidental,” he said of their reunion. “It really was at the entrance in the lobby. They embraced and remember it as the happiest moment of their lives.”


Maria’s harrowing firsthand account of the events can be listened to (in Spanish) here.

Categories: Features

Tags: ewan mcgregor, Juan Antonio Bayona, naomi watts, The Impossible, Naomi Watts, The Impossible, Ewan McGregor, Juan Antonio Bayona

Minggu, 23 Desember 2012

TAKEN 2 (2012)

Tanggal Rilis : 5 October 2012 (USA)
Jenis Film : Action | Crime | Thriller
Diperankan Oleh : Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace

Ringkasan Cerita TAKEN 2 (2012) :

Film dibuka dengan janji Murad Krasniqi (Rade Serbedzija) di hadapan pusara sang anak yang mati dibunuh oleh Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) karena menculik anaknya, Kim (Maggie Grace). Setting lalu melaju satu tahun kemudian saat rumah tangga mantan istri Mills, Lenore (Famke Janssen), diguncang prahara.


Untuk membuat perasaan mantan istrinya sedikit tenang, Mills memboyong Lenore dan Kim ke Istanbul. Di tempat inilah Murad bersama komplotannya menyusun rencana untuk menculik dan kemudian membunuh Mills sekeluarga sebagai ‘hadiah’ atas kematian sang anak.

Weekly Trailer Report: ‘This Is the End,’ ‘To the Wonder’ & More

It’s a great week to be a movie lover as we’ve got some of the biggest releases of the new year, all lined up for you. Our heavy hitters for this week include surprising new looks at Terrence Malick’s new film, “To the Wonder,” as well as the comedy “This Is the End,” and a new trailer for “The Great Gatsby” as well.


There’s plenty of thrills, chills, laughs and romance in the rest of the bunch, so check them out and let us know what you love in the comments below.


‘This Is the End’


A group of celebrities are forced to come to terms with their own mortality when the world ends.
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and James Franco
Release Date: June 14, 2013


‘Tyler Perry Presents: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor’


A marriage counselor’s life is thrown into chaos when she begins to fall for one of her own clients.
Starring: Jurnee Smollett, Vanessa Williams and Kim Kardashian
Release Date: March 29, 2013


‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’


Steve Carell stars as a big time Las Vegas magician who, along with his partner, has been on top of the magic world for three decades until a new magician with a flashier, more modern style shows up and horns in on the action.
Starring: Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi and Jim Carrey
Release Date: March 15, 2012


‘To the Wonder’


From director Terrence Malick comes a story of love, loss, romance and great beauty.
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Olga Kurylenko and Ben Affleck
Release Date: April 12, 2013


‘Turbo’


In this animated entry, a slimy green snail dreams of racing in the Indy 500.
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Luis Guzman and Bill Hader
Release Date: July 19, 2012


‘The Great Gatsby’


The opulent life and destructive times of the fabulous and great Jay Gatsby, as imagined by director Baz Luhrmann.
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Joel Edgerton
Release Date: May 10, 2013


‘Pain and Gain’


A pair of meathead gymrats concoct a plan to get rich by kidnapping an innocent man.
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Rebel Wilson
Release Date: June 14, 2013


‘Star Trek Into Darkness’


While exploring new worlds, the crew of the Enterprise must battle an insidious foe.
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldana
Release Date: May 17, 2013


‘Phantom’


Soviet submarines! Secret missions! Intrigue and dark thrills!
Starring: Ed Harris, David Duchovny and William Fichtner
Release Date: March 1, 2013


‘Ex-Girlfriends’


In this science fiction adventure, a father and son explore and fight to stay alive in a world abandoned by humans nearly 1,000 years earlier.
Starring: Jennifer Carpenter, Kristen Connolly and Alexander Poe
Release Date: TBD


‘Smurfs 2'


Gargamel continues his plan to destroy the happy Smurfs and their world by creating a race of Naughties!
Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays and Katy Perry
Release Date:
July 31, 2013


‘Drift’


A band of surfing Australian brothers embark on a new enterprise that may very well tear their family apart.
Starring: Sam Worthington, Xavier Samuel and Lesley-Ann Brandt
Release Date: 2013


‘May I Kill U?’


In this dark comedy, one British cop goes full throttle in his hunt for criminals to punish.
Starring: Kevin Bishop, Jack Doolan and Frances Barber
Release Date: 2013


‘The Butterfly Room’


A terrifying secret threatens to come to light in this horror film that pits neighbors, mothers and daughters against one another.
Starring: Barbara Steele, Ray Wise and Erica Leerhsen
Release Date: 2012


‘Broken City’


A new trailer for the cops and politicians thriller takes an extended look into the relationships and intrigue.
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones
Release Date: Jan. 18, 2013


‘I’m So Excited’


This comedic teaser takes a quirky look at a group of Spanish flight attendants, but who knows what the movie is about yet!
Starring: Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Paz Vega
Release Date: 2013


‘Intersections’


A young couple on their honeymoon in the Mexican desert find themselves in the midst of a deadly struggle for their very lives.
Starring: Jaimie Alexander, Frank Grillo and Charlie Bewley
Release Date: 2013

Categories: Columns, Trailer Roundup

The 6 Differences Between ‘On the Road’: Book and Movie

Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” was one of the defining novels of the Beat generation. Based off of his real life adventures with notable figures like Neal Cassady, Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs, the book continues to serve as an inspiration for young hipsters everywhere. With the enduring popularity of “On the Road,” it’s somewhat surprising that no one has adapted the novel into a film until now.


Then again, after reading the book, it’s easy to see why no one has gotten a film adaptation off the ground: there’s not really a straight-forward plot to speak of, characters pop in and out at random and the book zigzags across the continent from New York to San Francisco to Mexico and back.


Director Walter Salles (“The Motorcycle Diaries”) pares down the novel and emphasizes the relationship between buddies Sal (Sam Riley) and Dean (Garrett Hedlund) and their mutual love interest Marylou (Kristen Stewart). He cuts down on some of the traveling and extraneous character appearances, effectively creating opportunities for a lot of brief cameos from A-list stars (Hey, Viggo Mortensen and Amy Adams!).


If you check out the film adaptation and want to know what you’ll be missing by skipping out on all that reading, here’s a guide to some of the major differences between the book and the movie.


1. The Original Scroll


While the film is mostly based on what’s featured in the novel published in 1957, Salles also borrows from Kerouac’s first draft of the book (referred to as the “original scroll”), which was only recently published in a slightly edited form in 2007. This draft uses the real names of the characters (Sal is Jack, Dean is Neal) and features events which were considered too risqué for publication in its time period.


Some elements of the film taken from the scroll include Sal living with his mother (in the book, it’s his aunt), an alternate first meeting with Dean and Marylou (in the film and scroll Marylou is lying on a bed topless, but in the book she’s clothed jumping on a bed) and the first line of Sal’s manuscript (“I first met Dean not long after my wife and I split up” becomes “I first met Dean not long after my father died”). As a result, some of the differences between the book and the film actually make it more accurate to Kerouac’s original scroll.


2. Sal’s Travels


The movie delivers what the title promises: There is a lot of driving, hitchhiking and walking on the road. Yet the film actually cuts out a lot of the Sal’s solo travels. The book describes Sal’s first trip out west with more detail (Sal travels with a hitchhiker named Eddie for a while), as well as the time he spends in San Francisco working as a security guard. Additionally, Sal travels to Chicago (Dean and Sal drive from Denver to Chicago in 17 hours) and Detroit (in the scroll, his ex-wife lives in Detroit and he tries and fails to get her back), but these trips are also left out, suggesting that there can be too much road in a film called “On the Road.”


3. Terry and Her Family


In the film, Sal meets a young woman named Terry (Alice Braga) and carries on a short romance with her. She has a young son, and the couple spends a few weeks together before Sal heads back to the East Coast.


In the novel, we see more of Sal and Terry’s relationship. They travel from Los Angeles to Bakersfield and then Sabinal where Terry introduces Sal to the rest of her family including her brother, Rickey. They stay in tents and get jobs picking cotton, and Sal learns to appreciate his role as a contributor to the family. The weather gets colder though, so Terry returns to live at home and Sal heads back to New York.


In the book, their relationship feels like a formative experience for Sal, while in the movie, it comes across as little more than a temporary dalliance.


4. The Many Wives of Dean Moriarty


The film portrays Dean’s first two marriages to Marylou and Camille (Kirsten Dunst), neither of which come across as particularly healthy relationships, but in the book Dean also marries a third woman, Inez, who he meets in New York. Dean gets Inez pregnant and lives with her for a short time before the Mexico trip, and after his return they marry, but he heads back to San Francisco and Camille shortly after that.


Dean is already kind of a player, so for him to love and leave yet another woman after impregnating her may have made him more unlikable. Plus, Inez is the least mentioned of the three women, so she is the easiest to excise.


5. Down to Mexico


Dean and Sal’s trip down to Mexico represents the “end of the road” for their relationship; leaving a friend alone in Mexico while he’s dangerously ill seems like it could do that. In the novel, a third friend, Stan Shephard, comes along as well. Stan doesn’t really do much other than get stung by a weird insect, so it’s not surprising that the character was left on the chopping block. Yet, if Stan were there while Sal was suffering from his illness, it would make Dean seem like slightly less of a jerk for leaving him in the middle of Mexico.


6. The Ending


Dean and Sal’s final meeting on the streets of New York is taken directly from the book, but the film adds a following scene of Sal furiously typing “On the Road.” The scene dramatizes how Jack Kerouac typed his entire manuscript on 120 feet of sheets of paper taped together in only three weeks. The book ends on a downbeat note as Sal reflects on his friend left behind on the street, signifying the end of youth and irresponsibility. However, the film emphasizes the novel that came out of the experience, suggesting that even though sometimes our friends are jerks who leave us to die in Mexico, we can still get a great story out of it.

Categories: Features

Tags: Alice Braga, amy adams, garrett hedlund, jack kerouac, Kirsten Dunst, kristen stewart, On the Road, Sam Riley, viggo mortensen, walter salles, On the Road, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Walter Salles, Jr., Jack Kerouac, Sam Riley, Amy Adams, Alice Braga

SILENT HILL (2006)

Tanggal Rilis : 13 October 2006 (Indonesia)
Jenis Film : Adventure | Horror
Diperankan Oleh : Radha Mitchell, Laurie Holden dan Sean Bean

Ringkasan Cerita SILENT HILL (2006) :

DFDer masih ingat dengan Silent Hill nggak? Bagi DFder yang suka bermain game ber-genre survival horror di Playstation, tanpa pernah nonton filmnya pun pasti ingat. Film ini adalah salah satu film yang diangkat dari sebuah game selain film semisal Resident Evil, Fatal Frame, Forbidden Siren, dan masih banyak lainnya.


Cerita dalam film ini diawali dengan rasa putus asa dan kecemasan seorang ibu bernama Rose Da Silva (Radha Mitchell) yang mencari anak perempuannya Sharon (Jodelle Ferland) yang hilang saat tersesat di sebuah kota mati (Silent Hill). Sebenarnya bukan sebuah ketidaksengajaan Rose menuju kota tanpa penghuni ini, namun Rose memang berniat mengikuti mimpi-mimpi yang sering menghantui Sharon dan digambarkannya dalam sebuah lukisan.


Tak peduli dengan protes suaminya, Christopher (Sean Bean), Rose mengajak Sharon menjemput takdir yang membawa mereka ke sebuah tempat yang akan mengubah hidup mereka selamanya. Dalam kekalutannya, Rose mengikuti sebuah siluet yang mirip dengan sosok Sharon. Tanpa sadar Rose berjalan terus mengikuti sosok ‘Sharon’ (belakangan diketahui sebagai Alessa — juga diperankan Jodelle Ferland), yang membawanya ke sebuah gerbang batas yang berlawanan dengan kenyataan.


Rose terbawa masuk ke sebuah kota asing, berkabut, dan dihuni berbagai makhluk berwujud aneh yang tunduk pada kegelapan dengan sebuah kekuatan yang sanggup merubah apapun yang mereka sentuh (salah satunya menampilkan karakter monster ‘Patients’ dan ‘Lying Figures’ dari game Silent Hill 2). Dalam usahanya mencari Sharon, Rose dibantu Cybil (Laurie Holden), polisi lokal yang secara tak sengaja ikut terjebak di Silent Hill.


Saat menyusuri kegelapan kota dan mulai mengenali apapun yang dijumpainya, Rose penasaran dan tergerak menyelidiki latar belakang Silent Hill. Dia mulai menyadari bahwa dirinya dan Sharon hanya sebuah bagian dari permainan misteri yang memaksanya mempertaruhkan nyawa dan membuat perjanjian dengan iblis berwujud gadis kecil (Alessa). Demi menyelamatkan Sharon, Rose harus terus berjuang atau berakhir bersama kegelapan.

THE KINGDOM (2007)

Tanggal Rilis : 28 November 2007 (Indonesia)
Jenis Film : Action | Drama | Thriller
Diperankan Oleh : Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper and Jennifer Garner

Ringkasan Cerita THE KINGDOM (2007) :

Film ini bercerita tentang penyelidikan yang dilakukan oleh tim elit FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) yang dipimpin oleh Ronald Fleury (Jamie Foxx) dan beranggotakan Grant Sykes (Chris Cooper), Janet Mayes (Jennifer Garner), dan Adam Leavitt (Jason Bateman) dalam mengungkap serangan bom yang menewaskan ratusan warga Amerika di pemukiman Ar-Rahmah, tempat tinggal bagi pekerja Amerika dalam perusahaan minyak Amerika di Arab Saudi.


Cerita berawal ketika terjadi pembunuhan masal disertai pengeboman di Ar-Rahmah, Saudi Arabia. Kepala Agen FBI di Saudi Arabia, Francis Manner (Kyle Chandler) yang ketika itu sedang mengusut di lokasi sedang menelepon rekannya, Ronald Fleury di Amerika, ketika tiba-tiba saja bom kedua meledak dan menewaskannya. Saat para diplomat sedang berdebat tentang batasan teritorial, Fleury dengan cepat membentuk tim elit dan mereka pun berangkat ke Saudi Arabia.


Sayang, Saudi Arabia bukan tempat yang ‘bersahabat’ bagi orang-orang Amerika tersebut. Pertentangan budaya mewarnai setiap langkah mereka dalam menelusuri jejak organisasi yang ada di belakang pengeboman tersebut. Ditambah lagi segala tetek bengek birokrasi.


Dibantu oleh Kolonel Polisi Faris Al Ghazi (Ashraf Barhom) dan Sersan Polisi Haytham (Ali Suliman), mereka masih harus menghadapi kenyataan bahwa mereka hanyalah pengamat saja, bukan pelacak kasus seperti yang seharusnya. Kasus ini sepenuhnya ditangani oleh Jenderal Garda Nasional Al Abdulmalik yang kejam dan sembrono.


Fleury pun meyakinkan Pangeran Ahmed Bin Khalid (Omar Berdouni) agar mempercayakan penyelidikan kepada Kolonel Al Ghazi, komandan polisi di kompleks tersebut dan mereka akan membantunya. Pangeran Ahmed memberinya izin, dan mereka pun punya akses ke segala macam wilayah maupun hal yang perlu untuk diselidiki.


Mereka akhirnya berhasil membuka rahasia di TKP peledakan dan membawa tim ke dalam konfrontasi yang membahayakan nyawa mereka. Mereka diberi pilihan untuk bertarung atau mati demi keadilan.

Alt Weekly: ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ and More

Welcome back to Alt Weekly, a column in which we shine a spotlight on the independent films brave enough to open opposite Hollywood’s behemoth blockbusters before rolling out in wider release.


This week puts the hunt for Osama bin Laden and the aftermath of 2004's devastating tsunami up against the likes of “Jack Reacher,” “The Guilt Trip” and “This is 40.”


‘AMOUR’


Filmmaker Cred: This is the latest endurance test from acclaimed director Michael Haneke (“Caché,” “The White Ribbon”).
Star Power: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert, a pigeon.
Festival/Awards Buzz: This harrowing drama concerning the limits of an elderly couple’s devotion to one another premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, where it won the coveted Palme D’Or prize. Here is our review from the New York Film Festival.
Release Details: NY/LA this Friday, and these markets to follow.
See This If… You’re willing and able to cope with a very deliberate look at the horrifying heartbreak that comes with old age.


‘THE IMPOSSIBLE’


Filmmaker Cred: Director J.A. Bayona made his debut with the 2007 ghost story, “The Orphanage.”
Star Power: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland.
Festival/Awards Buzz: This intense look at the impact of 2004's South Asian tsunami and one family’s struggle to reunite in the aftermath premiered to strong praise at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, though some criticize the more tear-jerking second half. Our review can be found here.
Release Details: 14 screens across the country this week, with further expansion to follow in January.
See This If… You won’t let the queasy subject matter get in the way of some tremendous performances and visual effects work.


‘NOT FADE AWAY’


Filmmaker Cred: This is the first film from “The Sopranos” showrunner David Chase.
Star Power: James Gandolfini.


Festival/Awards Buzz: A semiautobiographical look at New Jersey teens attempting to start their own rock band in the ’60s, we reviewed it following its New York Film Festival bow in October.
Release Details: Two screens in NYC this weekend, along with one in LA.
See This If… You’re interested in a “struggles of a band” story that’s a little less rose-tinted than “Almost Famous” or “That Thing You Do!”.


‘ON THE ROAD’


Filmmaker Cred: Director Walter Salles (“The Motorcycle Diaries”) finally brings Jack Kerouac’s classic Beat novel to the big screen.
Star Power: Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Viggo Mortensen, Amy Adams, Kirsten Dunst.
Festival/Awards Buzz: This long-awaited, star-studded adaptation debuted to mixed reviews at Cannes, but has since been recut and reportedly improved in time for the fall’s film festivals. Our reviewer approved.
Release Details: NY/LA this weekend, although expansion plans are ill-defined at the moment.
See This If… You’re eager to see Kerouac’s prose translated to the silver screen.


‘ZERO DARK THIRTY’


Filmmaker Cred: Kathryn Bigelow took home the Best Director Oscar for her last war drama, 2009's “The Hurt Locker.”
Star Power: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt, James Gandolfini, Mark Strong, Mark Duplass, Kyle Chandler.
Festival/Awards Buzz: This docudrama about the manhunt that led to the death of Osama bin Laden skipped the festival circuit, yet has earned considerable year-end acclaim all the same, including our own.
Release Details: NY/LA this Wednesday, with plans to expand nationwide on January 11th.
See This If… You’re likely to be engaged by a film that places more of an emphasis on intelligence gathering and moral ambiguity than hardcore action (although the climactic raid certainly satisfies in that regard).

Categories: Alt Weekly, Columns

Tags: alt weekly, Amour, amy adams, david chase, ewan mcgregor, garrett hedlund, j.a. bayona, jack kerouac, james gandolfini, jason clarke, jessica chastain, kathryn bigelow, Kirsten Dunst, kristen stewart, michael haneke, naomi watts, not fade away, On the Road, Sam Riley, The Impossible, walter salles, Zero Dark Thirty, On the Road, Amour, Not Fade Away, Zero Dark Thirty

Sabtu, 22 Desember 2012

Review: ‘This Is 40′ Is Too Long But Terribly Funny

To put it in terms Paul Rudd’s character Pete would understand, “This is 40” is to Judd Apatow what “Sandinista!” is to The Clash. It is overblown and unwieldy and has more than its share of misfires. It also has moments of absolute perfection that will have a universal and timeless resonance. Most importantly, it is a pure, maximalist representation of a gifted artist simultaneously at the top of his game and looking to expand the form.

The form, let’s face it, is the sitcom. Most of “This is 40”’s gargantuan running time is spent at the very upper-middle class (and product placement-heavy) home of Pete (a troubled record executive) and Debbie, Sadie and Charlotte, played, if you didn’t know, by Apatow’s wife and daughters. Here, they keep their spirits up with arguments that range from light ribbing to harmful accusations. Even when things get rough, you’ll still be laughing. “This is 40” has a twin arsenal of extremely clever writing and gifted comic performers. When the two fire at once, look out.

The problem with “This is 40,” and there is indeed one, is the low to no stakes in the film. Try as I might, I couldn’t get too worked about the looming, secret crisis – that the family might have to sell their house. When Rudd’s dark moment comes – sobbing in his BMW – I knew for sure that Apatow had gone way off the rails of crafting characters for outside of his own elite set or those so addicted to reality television that they project the problems absurd wealth onto their own lives.

However – and this is key – it doesn’t really matter. It’s Apatow’s life and it’s his film. Write what you know, you know? To that end I can’t applaud the seemingly distasteful casting nepotism enough. When Julie Delpy casts her parents in her films it is charming. When have we ever seen this in something so mainstream and commercial? The results crackle on the screen. If we didn’t know the behind-the-scenes story, we’d still notice the very striking, personal nature of these relationships. The younger daughter doing a goofy dance for the older daughter is the type of thing a father notices about his kids, and it never makes it into the movie except for in a one-of-a-kind scenario like this.

With a film so light on plot (“our leads are 40, so now they think about being 40, plus business is bad” is the closest thing to a logline) the big question for me is… why stop at 134 minutes? Trust me, you’ll feel like you’ve lived in that house for a month. From my notebook, at the 98 mark, “I can’t believe this movie is still going.” There are many scenes in “This is 40” that land with a thud – the Jason Segel bits, the pop culture referencing (although the “Mad Men” zing kills) and the curiously racist gags at the Indian doctor (made all the worse that he is the only person of color in the entire film) – so one has to wonder what got left out? We’re already immersed, may as well keep going.

There’s an underlying arc of brighter horizons – we open with Rudd confessing to a friend how he fantasizes about his wife’s death; we conclude by hugging it out with ultimate schnorrer  Albert Brooks – but most of “This is 40” is free form. Side characters waft in as we take little trips to schools or hotels or Pete’s office or Debbie’s boutique. I believe this is wholly intentional. Apatow is purposely saying to hell with the hackneyed devices that bog down so many mainstream comedies. He’s saying that his way of experiencing and observing the minor inconveniences of life are hilarious and, by and large, he’s right. I simply wish the conflicts roiling his characters weren’t quite so worthy of an oh, get over yourself! “You are bummed you are 40? Move to the Congo and your odds of not making it to 40 just increased a great deal you whiney ingrate!” you’ll be forgiven for thinking, until Paul Rudd delivers a reaction shot that would make Jack Benny jealous.

By sheer force of will, “This is 40” is an emotional workout. Apatow’s blood in on every frame. Every viagra joke and mammogram gag. Every setup for Albert Brooks to deliver a shtetl-ready punchline that brings the house down in what might be the best performance of his career. Nevertheless, the barb “This is 40 Minutes Too Long” still stands.

Grade: B+

Categories: Reviews

Tags: Leslie Mann, paul rudd, This is 40, This Is 40