Monday, February 20, 2012
Friday, February 3, 2012
The Ides of March
Politics are ruthless. I'm sure you've heard or seen that before as you watch your CNN, your Fox News, your BBC, your MSNBC, or your local news channel. This is especially true with the election or perhaps re-election coming up. A country sharply divided. Republicans. Democrats. Reds. Blues. Elephants. Donkeys. Conservative. Liberal.
Sometimes it can destroy us. It can destroy our relationships with people. Politics. Beliefs. This is what is at the core of this film. It has a political background, sure, but it does not necessarily preach the opinions or beliefs of the actors or filmmakers behind it.
Yes, if you are Republican, the idea of watching a movie based on the campaign of a Democrat is not very inviting, but hold on a minute before you grab your torch or pitchfork. I promise you that this is a film for everyone. As I said, the backdrop is political, but the movie is about loyalty, human nature, and, most importantly, what one is willing to do to get to the top.
In the special features, George Clooney, who is both the director and one of the principal actors, mentions that Paul Giammatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman, two of Hollywood's modern greats, have never actually been in a movie together, let alone a scene. Not only is it exciting to see this grand moment in film history, but it is well worth it. Both actors, who are phenomenal in their own right, make their scenes stand out, especially when they are on screen together.
With the two heavyweights of film out of the way, and George Clooney, needless to say, is great, too, I think it only appropriate to give the leading man the attention and respect he deserves. Ryan Gosling is wonderful as an actor in general, but this film especially. Not only is he the glue to the film, but he is also the lightning, for he is, without a doubt, electrifying, and I apologize for using clichés, but they are more than adequate a way of describing him.
The film in its entirety is good. Not George Clooney's best, but it is certainly good. Whatever your political leanings or the political leanings of family and friends, you should watch this movie just so you can have something to talk about that is about politics, while at the same time it isn't.
REVIEW RATING:
Sometimes it can destroy us. It can destroy our relationships with people. Politics. Beliefs. This is what is at the core of this film. It has a political background, sure, but it does not necessarily preach the opinions or beliefs of the actors or filmmakers behind it.
Yes, if you are Republican, the idea of watching a movie based on the campaign of a Democrat is not very inviting, but hold on a minute before you grab your torch or pitchfork. I promise you that this is a film for everyone. As I said, the backdrop is political, but the movie is about loyalty, human nature, and, most importantly, what one is willing to do to get to the top.
In the special features, George Clooney, who is both the director and one of the principal actors, mentions that Paul Giammatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman, two of Hollywood's modern greats, have never actually been in a movie together, let alone a scene. Not only is it exciting to see this grand moment in film history, but it is well worth it. Both actors, who are phenomenal in their own right, make their scenes stand out, especially when they are on screen together.
With the two heavyweights of film out of the way, and George Clooney, needless to say, is great, too, I think it only appropriate to give the leading man the attention and respect he deserves. Ryan Gosling is wonderful as an actor in general, but this film especially. Not only is he the glue to the film, but he is also the lightning, for he is, without a doubt, electrifying, and I apologize for using clichés, but they are more than adequate a way of describing him.
The film in its entirety is good. Not George Clooney's best, but it is certainly good. Whatever your political leanings or the political leanings of family and friends, you should watch this movie just so you can have something to talk about that is about politics, while at the same time it isn't.
"The Ides of March" is out now online and physically in stores.
REVIEW RATING:
★
Mystic River
Clint Eastwood is the man. I know this review seems very similar to the previous one, but there's a reason for it. This movie is based on a novel by the same man who wrote "Gone Baby Gone", which was also adapted into film, as you may have noticed based on the previous review. Not to mention the setting is the same, being Boston, Massachusetts, and all surrounding areas. So, yes, I'll start the review similarly by talking about the director who, once again, is also an actor: Clint Eastwood is amazing as an actor and as a director.
And as a composer, as it would so seem. This film is pretty good, but what surprised me the most is the amount of effort the director put into this film. Not to mention the superb choices in actors and actresses he chose for it. Not a single actor has given me cause for complaint.
All that effort certainly paid off, as both Sean Penn and Tim Robbins won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor awards at the 2003 Oscars, respectively. Well deserved, in my opinion, especially by Sean Penn who, to use a cliché, is absolutely mesmerizing. Whenever he is on screen, the viewer's eyes never leave him, and for good reason, too. The only chance they might is if Tim Robbins is in the scene, and even then it is moviemaking and acting at its finest as these two unstoppable forces are constantly competing and contributing for amazing scenes together.
The film is not perfect, however, despite all the praise I have given it. Unlike its spiritual cousin in film "Gone Baby Gone", I was not always wrapped up in the film. The intricacies of the latter film are just too enticing to not fall into. This is not the film's fault so much as the writing, but it is noteworthy, still. Even though the emotional scenes are absolutely heart wrenching, the rest of the film that makes up the time between emotional scenes, Sean Penn scenes, Tim Robbins scenes, or any combination of the three is just not that interesting.
Still, this is another worthy film to own, along with watch. Just make sure you watch "Gone Baby Gone" second so that it stands a chance.
"Mystic River" is out now online and physically in stores.
REVIEW RATING:
★
And as a composer, as it would so seem. This film is pretty good, but what surprised me the most is the amount of effort the director put into this film. Not to mention the superb choices in actors and actresses he chose for it. Not a single actor has given me cause for complaint.
All that effort certainly paid off, as both Sean Penn and Tim Robbins won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor awards at the 2003 Oscars, respectively. Well deserved, in my opinion, especially by Sean Penn who, to use a cliché, is absolutely mesmerizing. Whenever he is on screen, the viewer's eyes never leave him, and for good reason, too. The only chance they might is if Tim Robbins is in the scene, and even then it is moviemaking and acting at its finest as these two unstoppable forces are constantly competing and contributing for amazing scenes together.
The film is not perfect, however, despite all the praise I have given it. Unlike its spiritual cousin in film "Gone Baby Gone", I was not always wrapped up in the film. The intricacies of the latter film are just too enticing to not fall into. This is not the film's fault so much as the writing, but it is noteworthy, still. Even though the emotional scenes are absolutely heart wrenching, the rest of the film that makes up the time between emotional scenes, Sean Penn scenes, Tim Robbins scenes, or any combination of the three is just not that interesting.
Still, this is another worthy film to own, along with watch. Just make sure you watch "Gone Baby Gone" second so that it stands a chance.
"Mystic River" is out now online and physically in stores.
REVIEW RATING:
★
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