Film Review: "Lawless"

No wonder Cannes didn't warm to John Hillcoat's latest, beyond the simple feeling that it's cut from the crop of Sundance. "Lawless" is the anti-gangster film, at least in that the confident and macho persona that most characters of this film take on is more of a smokescreen for some honestly pathetic human weakness. Don't let the "true story" prestige fool you, as this is much more an adaptation of a novel than it is the story of the Bondurant brothers. Shia Labeouf's commemorative narration gives assurances of that from the beginning, and calls to mind another narrator propelled feature from a year ago, "The Help".

That unlikely feature would go on to Oscar glory, which is more than can be expected from "Lawless". That's not to say that Hillcoat's latest is lacking in comparison. In fact quite the opposite, in much the same way as films like "Drive" and "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" were too genre oriented for the Academy's taste. Hillcoat and writer Nick Cave (who also scores the film) are not intent on thrusting the audience into the world of prohibition-era in a rural landscape. This isn't conventionally a history lesson, which would probably pin the film's more exciting inclinations and rob it of a degree of intensity.

For Your Anticipation: Look at the Chocolates

How do you determine what films looks the worst? Think of everything you like about a movie, and find the film that has absolutely none of that. I can confidently say that "Albert Nobbs" has absolutely nothing that I find good in a film. An unbelievable hack at the as-it-stands unbelievable premise, though one which was done to much greater skill with "Tomboy". Bland and old style British setting, with absolutely no flair or sense of wonder. Gross sentimentality, and all this along with the fact that you would never believe for a second that Glenn Close is a man. I simply could not be desiring this less, and I'm very glad decided against seeing it back at Telluride by the Sea.

Film Review: Jane Eyre [2011] (**)

I have a very serious problem with costume dramas, in that most of them cause me to hate the very soul of England's history. Some of them have occasionally worked for me, like Joe Wright's 2007 film Atonement, but more often they are coldly executed with barely an inch of flair or liveliness. I had hoped that Jane Eyre would not be something like that. The trailers put forth the idea that it would be a passionate piece starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender, two actors whom I respect very deeply. As I settled into the start of the film, I came to terms with the fact that this wasn't the case.

The film follows the painful and depressing life of Jane Eyre, whose life is put in disarray through the cruelty of cousin and aunt. She's sent off to a cruel school where she is punished and scorned for no real reason. Case in point, she drops her tray one day, and is then shunned by the rest of the school, all except one kind girl, obviously. The depressing atmosphere of her situation is overly infectious, and it's impossible to be entertained or impressed with the film. As she gets older, she leaves the school in favor of life as a governess at Thornfield, a mansion owned by the mysterious and powerful Edward Fairfax Rochester.

Cannes Coverage 2011: "Restless"

Gus Van Sant is hardly one of the miracle directors of our age, because for every success he's had, he's also had a massive failures. I felt like Restless was going to be one of those missteps, despite optimistic inclinations towards the otherwise. I'm consistently pleased with Mia Wasikowska's performances, each containing a subtle sense of dimension or depth, but as much could not be said of the films she's appeared in. I'd reference my review for Alice in Wonderland, but I never had the drive to actually write on. As expected, the reaction to Restless after its premiere at Cannes has been typically cold to a degree.

Todd McCarthy (Hollywood Reporter): "Van Sant can be good at creating private worlds inhabited by sensitive and/or disturbed characters, but here the individuals are simply not very interesting. The project started as a group of short plays and vignettes by NYU student Jason Lew, a fellow classmate of co-producer Bryce Dallas Howard who subsequently worked them into a play and, ultimately, a script. It still feels sketchy, however, neither deeply developed nor very nuanced. With her Mia Farrow haircut and winsome air, Wasikowska is a welcome presence as always, but one wishes she had more levels to play than brave and resolutely upbeat. In his film debut, Hopper, son of Dennis Hopper, is tousel-haired and cute but struggles to bring dimension and nuance to Enoch’s balkiness."

For Your Anticipation: A Mere Conventional Impediment

Apparently there have been several screen adaptations of Jane Eyre, which doesn't exactly surprise me. It seemed like the sort of film that would have been adapted already. Fortunately enough, this is the first of them that I've heard of, and it looks sublime. Even if I'm unable to gather exactly what the characters are saying at certain points, Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender are more than capable of filling the void through emotional implicity. They're two of my favorite actors as of this very moment, which puts me ahead of the curb. They're just an edge away from stardom, Fassbender especially. The director could mean less to me, because it only takes a competent job to put this material forward, which is the sort of thing I expect. Even though I still haven't a clue how this unfolds, Jane Eyre is the film I'll be eagerly pining over while it's in limited release.

Films To See In 2011: March

At the start of every month, I tell myself that it's going to be better than what we were saddled with last month. That hasn't really been working for me lately, seeing as the closest January brought us to real quality was No Strings Attached, and the top film out in February happens to come from Justin Bieber. That's meant to be a compliment, because unlike most people on the planet, I don't hate Justin Bieber. I have better things to do with my time than hate a 15 year old kid who never did anything wrong to me. Getting back on track, I genuinely believe this month will be a step in the right direction. There are some films that I'd have liked to put on this list, but just didn't make the cut. The Adjustment Bureau looks like it could be another great film for Matt Damon, Paul looks absolutely hilarious, and features like Sucker Punch and Battle: Los Angeles look like well produced action spectacles. I just found myself most anticipating of three somewhat unlikely films.

#3."Beastly"
Directed by Daniel Barnz

A surprise, I am sure this is going to come as, but I can't remember a point in which I didn't think this was going to be a good film. I know that it has a supporting cast that includes Mary-Kate Olsen and Vanessa Hudgens, of all people, but I remember when Hudgens was set to appear in Bandslam a few years back. Nobody thought that would turn out well, and it turned out great. Beastly truly looks like a sweet and somewhat enjoyable twist on the tale of Beauty and the Beast. This could be the true breakout role for Alex Pettyfer (I Am Number Four), or else just another film worth seeing for Neil Patrick Harris.

#2."Jane Eyre"

Directed by Cary Fukunaga

I wasn't exactly sold on this one so instantly, but before the trailer came out, I had a hard time seeing the down side. It's a pretty well-known story, though I haven't ever found the time to read it, and the film features two of my favorite up-and-coming actors of this era. If you're familiar with this sight, you'll know how much I've appreciated Mia Wasikowska's work over the few months, and Michael Fassbender immediately struck me when he appeared in Inglourious Basterds nearly two years ago. I knew that this guy was going places. The first trailer was a bit mysterious for my tastes, and I had no idea what to make of this film. However, given the tone and writing of the footage I've seen, I think Jane Eyre could be the rare old-British drama that actually works. I'm certainly hoping for that outcome.

#1."Win Win"
Directed by Thomas McCarthy

Inevitably the film that I am 100% assured of is from Thomas McCarthy, who is fashioning a resume that paints him to be the Christopher Nolan of indie dramedies. By that, I mean that his track record thus far is impeccable, which I can't say is too stupefying since this is only his third film. Still, the man has done some great work in the recent past, and he's also partially responsible for the screenplay for Up. My anticipation for this film is do only partly to the director's craft, because it also features a clean shaven (kinda) Paul Giamatti in the lead role. The plot of a failing lawyer and family man moonlighting as a high-school wrestling coach who takes in a talented teenager doesn't strike as classic off the bat, but it's off-kilter enough to be more than just nothing. This could be McCarthy's best yet, and Giamatti could be looking at his second Academy-Award nomination. Maybe my hopes are a bit too high, but I really want Win Win to be a major win.

Oscar 2010 Predictions: Supporting Actress

Not nearly the most difficult race to predict, but also not a walk in the park. This was really a banner year for supporting female performances, and in fact more so than lead female performances. You can tell by the sheer amount of talent that wasn't nominated here, and yet should have been. Mila Kunis was did a fantastic job with what she was given in Black Swan, but the supporting gal that really stole the show for me was Barbara Hershey as Nina's overbearing mother. It's really one of the most tragic performances of the year, embodying somebody who reluctantly gave up her own career to become a mother, and as such is now realizing how she hasn't prepared her daughter properly for the real world. When she's looking up at Nina at the close of the film, you can see it in her eyes.

I could go on about Rooney Mara's stellar-but-short performance in The Social Network, Marion Cotillard's fascinating, multifaceted, and underrated work in Inception, or Mia Wasikowska's sweet and fragile overlooked performance in The Kids Are All Right, but I pretty much just summed them up in a run-on sentence. If there's any actress nominated here who is undeserving of any recognition, it is Helena Bonham Carter for The King's Speech. Don't get me wrong, because I've loved plenty of her past work, but she's the plainest and most uninteresting of the big three characters in the film. You can tell that from the clothing she wears, and you can tell that from her performance. I much preferred her latest turn as Bellatrix Lestrange in Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

I still haven't seen Animal Kingdom, for which Jacki Weaver is nominated, and I've been putting it off because the only ads for the film have been showing off this creepy and demented image of her. Maybe that's one of the big appeals of it, but I'll have to check it out sometime before this Sunday. Amy Adams is up for her work in The Fighter, which almost immediately appealed to me after I saw it. I gather that that's the way it was for most people, because she had such a trashy-yet-sexy attitude about her that seemed pretty authentic, and most people could imagine a girl like that in their neighborhood.

The big fight is between Hailee Steinfeld for True Grit and Melissa Leo for The Fighter, and I've been pretty one-sided for most of this race. At the end of last year, I absolutely loved Steinfeld's brave and beautiful performance, and I still believe that she's the best actress in contention here. However, as for the person who I believe will win and absolutely deserves to win, I have to go with Melissa Leo for The Fighter. After going back to the film, she's really got that ferocity and expression that almost matches her up with Bale's work. That's not even to mention the work she's done in the past. She's been unrewarded for so long, and that should end on Sunday night. If not, then she'll turn in another bravura performance and we'll be right back here again.

1. Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)
2. Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
3. Amy Adams (The Fighter)
4. Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)
5. Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech)

Will & Should Win: Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
Potential Upset: Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)
Should Have Been Nominated: Barbara Hershey (Black Swan) OR Rooney Mara (The Social Network) OR Marion Cotillard (Inception) OR Mia Wasikowska (The Kids Are All Right)

Fragility, Bravery, and Sexiness: Best Female Performances of 2010

If yesterday's list of the best male performances felt a bit underwhelming, it's because this wasn't so much a year for men. This was a fantastic year for women, so much so that it it's become difficult to place final decisions on those two Oscar races. I've had several favorites throughout the past few months, and I think I've finally got my choices nailed down for both categories. Many are saying that this was a year of newly discovered actresses, which I believe to be a bit of an overstatement. Maybe it's because I had already discovered Chloe Moretz in last year's (500) Days of Summer, not to belittle her efforts this year. I'm hesitant to say she's the next Dakota Fanning, because I hate Dakota Fanning. Nevertheless, her disturbing dark and controversial performances in Kick-Ass and Let Me In have certainly made a name for her.

One of the greater acting showcases this year was The Fighter, which obviously contained the jaw-dropping performance from Christian Bale, but there were also the smaller gems from the film. Amy Adams is probably the most underrated of the group, because she gives a very tough, sexy, and somewhat skanky performance as Mickey's girlfriend Charlene. She gives something a logical compass for the film when Mickey's delusional family comes to misdirect him. Probably the most overrated performance is from Melissa Leo, who I admit gave a fantastic performance as the cancer faced mother of Mickey's family, and the person who really controls all the moves of her blessed white-trash children. However, she's not really given too much of a chance to shine, and her character's purpose is a bit too similar to Bale's character, and it edges on lunacy at times. She's an amazing actress, but this just isn't her time.

This is probably the most daring praise I'll give an actress this year, I was extremely impressed with Tina Fey's voice work on the film Megamind. She joins the ranks of other actors who emotionally transcended the animated genre, most notably Ellen Degeneres in 2003's Finding Nemo. Tina Fey's vocal expression brings a lot of the charm and sexiness to the character of Roxanne Ritchi. Rounding out the actresses who didn't quite make the cut for me is Rooney Mara who had merely two or three scenes in this year's greatest success story, The Social Network, but one of them happens to be the best standalone scene in the film. Her work as Erica Albright, the soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend of Jesse Eisenberg's Mark Zuckerberg, is surprisingly passionate and gives a feminist edge to the predominantly male driven film. The top ten actresses of the year after the jump!

Theatrical Trailer + Poster: Jane Eyre

Consider me completely confused, but oddly intrigued here. I think everyone on earth has at least heard about Jane Eyre, but never actually read it, so I have no idea what to make of all this. I find the film interesting because it stars Judy Dench, Michael Fassbender, and Mia Wasikowska, who have all made a positive impression with the work they've done. Fassbender's character in Inglourious Basterds really put him on the map, just because he had such great lines. We always took him as the intellectual Brit, so I can't wait to see what he does with such dramatic roles as this. All the same, I have absolutely no idea what's going on in this trailer. The poster is nice and all, but the light white/blue filter is the only thing that makes it such. Easiest thing in the world to duplicate.

Film Review: The Kids Are All Right

Seeing as we've gotten some great epic films such as Inception and Toy Story 3, it's easy to overlook some of these other great film opening in limited release. In a Summer so unrewarding, Lisa Cholodenko delivers more perfectly timed entertainment than most of the bloated blockbusters out right now. Her new film, The Kids Are All Right, is a suburban comedy focusing on the kids of lesbian parents Jules (Julianne Moore) and Nic (Annette Bening). The family is very unconventional, and while it never once seems unrealistic, we get that the family isn't the way they should be. A change needs to happen.

That's when the kids get in contact with their sperm donor, Paul (Mark Ruffalo), a slacker in the food service industry. His interactions with this family put them through a string of unexpected twists and turns that put their family bond to the test. While there are so many different stories being followed in this film, the one that I most related to was Joni (Mia Wasikowska), a girl who is about to go to college and leave everything behind, all while these changes are shaping her life. The ending to this film really had me in tears in a way that no other live-action film has done this Summer.

The entire cast does absolutely breathtaking work in their roles. Annette Bening isn't an actress I follow that much, but I should, because she always gives these honest performances that strike me as pure. Along the way, you may be wondering how I could possibly think her the best actress in this film, but by the end you'll realize. Mark Ruffalo does a great job portraying a slacker at his core. Deep down, he wants a family, but he isn't willing to do all the extra work. Mia Wasikowska really breaks through with this film, after her uninspiring turn in Alice in Wonderland. This film isn't completely hers, but every scene she's in is. I wouldn't be surprised if Bening, Ruffalo, and Wasikowska all get acting nominations come awards season.

Julianne Moore was pretty good as Jules, and carefully puts us on the edge of the confrontations through the film. The audience is never quite sure of what's right and what's wrong, and she embodies that sort of curiosity. Josh Hutcherson is actually a good young actor. I've never had a problem with any of his roles, but he's always felt like a Disney kid because he's starred in a lot of Disney films. It's nice to see that he's no longer bound by that company, and he displays such a great attitude as any son of two lesbian parents would. He'd kind of have to.

Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg's script has such comic timing on its own, so it seems even more natural when it's said. Everything feels like it works, and the dialogue never once feels forced. It doesn't feel like somebody else is putting the words in their mouths. The Kids Are All Right depicts the best portrayal of a real family that I've probably seen since Juno. Comedies don't usually score with the Academy, but this is more than just a comedy. It's an original film about growing up and growing old. This is one of my favorite films of the year, and it won't be forgotten when Oscar season comes swirling by.

A+