Up

DAN - Pixar has released a total of ten movies since the debut of Toy Story in 1995, and not one of them has been disappointing. The studio has stated numerous times that their primary concern is strong storytelling, which has worked well in their favor. Up is a character-driven story about an elderly widower who, along with an accidental stowaway boy scout, makes a long-awaited journey to South America.

Another highlight of Pixar Animation is, well... Pixar animation. The animators at Pixar are somehow able to breathe life into the characters’ motions like no other modern animation studio. I can’t think of any other movies that employ nonverbal humor so well. The animal characters in Up (Dug the dog and Kevin the... bird thing) are shining examples of how Pixar animators inject personality into their work.

While Up’s story may not be Pixar’s strongest to date, it still packs some emotional punches. Specifically, there’s a beautiful montage in the film’s first reel that just might leave you in tears. All of the featured characters experience some sort of drastic change during the film, providing for some strong points of conflict.

Pixar is currently releasing one new film each year, and each film is followed by whispers of a Best Picture nod. I doubt Up will reach such status, as its not the best film in Pixar’s collection, but this film is still lightyears above most movies in theaters these days.

Away We Go

DAN - Away We Go is the newest film from acclaimed director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road). The film opens on an unmarried couple, played by John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, at the moment of discovering an unexpected pregnancy. The pair sets off on a cross-country trip with the hope of finding a place to start their new family.

I’ve always been pleasantly surprised by Mendes’ films. Road to Perdition has been one of my favorites since its release in 2002; I remember convincing my dad to let me see it, assuring him that I would be able to extract meaning beyond the violence. Mendes has a knack for examining relationships and the barriers that often tear them apart. Away We Go is a departure from the director's regular fare, and though it pains me to say so, I was disappointed.

This is Mendes’ least innovative film. It’s an amalgamation of the current trend of quirky indie movies that feel more hip than genuine. Mellow acoustic songs accompany people staring ahead with somber expressions hanging lazily over their eyes, as in any other film of the genre. I was sick of it before Juno, and I find it depressing to see an Oscar-caliber director follow suit.

Fortunately, a disappointment from Sam Mendes can still be a decent movie. Being a comedy, this film provides at least a few good laughs, including what might be the funniest line I’ve heard from a child.

Away We Go is ultimately a heartwarming film, but I’m personally tired of this style of filmmaking. Everything about this movie is so underplayed that I wonder how well it will be remembered in years to come. For now, this is a fun little film, but it could have (and should have) been something more.

The Reader

STEVE - Director Stephen Daldry presents an emotional roller coaster of a movie in his Oscar nominated film The Reader.

The story is about Michael Berg (Ralph Fiennes). The film begins in 1995 with a fifty-two-year-old Michael (Ralph Fiennes) coldly turning away his previous one night stand and then quickly flashes back to 1958.

As a fifteen-year-old Michael (David Kross) became entangled in a sexual affair with a mid-thirties Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet) who has only one rule. Read first, sex after. And with this he returns day after day reading her Homer, Tolstoy, and Shakespeare, and then sleeping with her.

Their relationship quickly develops from an erotic to love affair (for Michael at least), until one day he returns to find that Hanna has mysteriously disappeared. Crushed, Michael forever carries the pain Hanna has inflicted on him until 8 years later, when in law school, he attends a Nazi war crime trail with Hanna on the stand. Michael quickly discovers evidence that could possible save Hanna from a life in prison or worse, but can’t decide what to do with the information. His past still haunts him as much as Hanna’s past haunts her. It’s Michael’s ultimate decision that forever changes not only Hanna’s life, but his.

David Hare weaves multiple themes and subject matter into his adapted screenplay. On one level you have a deeply passionate (and somewhat disturbing) “love” affair. Here we see the joys and deep pains of intimacy, including life-lasting damage that can be inflicted in intimate moments.

On a separate level we see a young generation attempting to understand and process the sins of previous generations. Why their parents and grandparents sat idly by while millions were murdered. Why they live in such a dark shadow. It’s these complex ideas and more that pushes the film into the Oscar category of Best Picture.

However, it’s with the films many themes and implications that will hinder the movie from winning the category. The screenplay just becomes too weighted, and by the end of the film loses some of its zeal and vision in the background.

There are so many wonderful things to say about this movie, giving it plenty of reasons for it to have its well earned five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Yet, it sadly falls short of becoming a great cinematic classic. Here’s to next years Holocaust movie.

Synecdoche, New York

DAN - Charlie Kaufman has written some of the most innovative screenplays of the last decade, including Being John Malkovich, Adaptation., and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. His newest film marks his directorial debut.

Synecdoche, New York is about Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an ambitious director who undertakes the world’s largest live theatre production: recreating the daily lives of thousands of people in New York City. Cotard uses this world within a world to make sense of his personal troubles, all of which revolve around broken love.

This film is packed with hidden meanings, symbolism, and intense introspection. The narrative is non-linear to a point where the story might be overwhelmed by its own convolution. I can’t say that I fully understand this movie. In fact, I’m certain that a good portion of it flew right over my head. But I love this film. It’s one that demands repeat viewings.

Cotard is a character with whom I can easily relate, though his narcissism is much more apparent. He uses theatre as a means of analyzing his own life, hiring actors to give lifelike portrayals of himself and those around him. Cotard’s dedication to his art doesn’t make his personal life easy, but his faux reality provides him with an escape from such problems.

I can’t write enough about this movie. I haven’t even mentioned the cast, which consists of nothing but talented people. If you’re unfamiliar with Charlie Kaufman’s work, I strongly suggest you make an effort to change that.

The Wrestler

DAN - Darren Aronofsky is one of the most visionary directors of this era. His previous films, Pi, Requiem for a Dream, and The Fountain, have become modern cult classics. The Wrestler is the least psychedelic of Aronofsky’s films, but it is perhaps the most emotionally profound.

The film follows Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a professional wrestler who is past his prime but unwilling to end his career. When our protagonist experiences health trouble, he turns his efforts to finding romance and mending a broken relationship with his daughter.

The Wrestler is a raw movie. Aronofsky isn’t afraid to let the handheld camera linger on his characters in quiet moments, allowing the audience to realistically experience the world of the film. This movie’s rough edges reflect The Ram’s lifestyle, both in and outside of the ring.

Randy is self-abusive both physically and mentally. He puts his body through hell for the sole purpose of entertaining his audience. His personal relationships are on the ropes and his heart takes a beating (ah, the puns). The Ram is like a less fortunate version of Rocky Balboa, but he has equally high hopes.

The Wrestler is one of the best movies I’ve seen in the past year. It’s a shame that the film only garnered two Oscar nominations, but they are well deserved. This film is worth seeing if only for Mickey Rourke’s career-reviving performance.

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

DAN - “The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over.” This quote from the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson is a suitable introduction to the man himself. Gonzo is a documentary about Thompson, a rogue journalist and author who gained notoriety throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s.

The film’s title comes from the term “gonzo journalism,” which was used to describe Thompson’s eccentric style of reporting. Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney composed this film from archive footage and interviews with those who knew Thompson.

Those of you who are familiar with Thompson’s book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (or the film adaptation starring Johnny Depp) are aware of the doctor’s other-worldly nature. The unashamed pot smoker once ran for sheriff of Aspen, Colorado and was highly involved (no pun intended) in politics for the majority of his life.

A large portion of Gonzo focuses on Thompson’s role in the presidential election of 1972. The reporter adamantly supported George McGovern, who lost to Nixon. This was one of the most intriguing segments of the film for me, as I observed parallels with America’s more recent elections.

A two-hour retrospection is hardly enough to capture the essence of a character like Hunter S. Thompson. The author once said, “...the public version of the news or whatever event, is never really what happened.” This documentary can only go so deep into Thompson's psyche; it’s more like a beginner’s guide to the man.

Changeling

STEVE - Clint Eastwood’s latest film stars Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins, mother of young Walter Collins who goes missing in the city of L.A. in 1928. Her life takes a tumultuous turn when after months of searching the L.A. Police claim to have found her lost son. It is only when mother and son reunite that Collins realizes that the child is not her own.

There is no doubt that Clint Eastwood is a master behind the camera. He has stylized his film to near perfection with his common use of cold colors and bleak tones, and is this film bleak. Eastwood carries the audience on an emotional rollercoaster causing us to feel anguish for Ms. Collins, hatred for the corrupt L.A. Police Department, and a tingle of horror at the eventual outcome.

Eastwood directs a fine movie, but unfortunately falls short of the mark that is expected of him. The film is saturated with over-the-top performances that play down the intensity and drama of each scene. It’s unfortunate as Michael Kelly gives one the most understated performances of the film as the only non-corruptible cop in L.A.

As a director, Eastwood’s favorite themes deal with issues of evil, the bad things that happen to decent people. As I was watching this movie, mad at the unfairness and poor treatment that Ms. Jolie’s character was experiencing as she was lied too, treated as inferior, and then tossed away in a psychiatric ward with no just cause, I couldn’t help but ask the question, why is this happening? Why are these people treating her this way?

And I couldn’t help but wonder if answering those questions might not have been a more interesting tale to tell than the one I was watching. No doubt the tale of Ms. Collins and her son was a true account that needed to be told. Audiences should always be reminded that a governing system which goes unchecked can have terrible consequences on us all. But the tale wasn’t as capturing nor at the same level of greatness as other Eastwood films dealing with similar issues such as Forgiven, Mystic River, or Million Dollar Baby.