Black Swan Review

                                                           2 1/2 Nuts

Director: Darren Aronofsky          

Black Swan is Darren Aronofsky’s most recent film and although it has met high acclaim from the critics, this disappointed critic feels quite differently.  For those of you who like Aronofsky’s earlier works there should be no trouble falling in love with this tale of ballet.  The film is about Nina, played by Natalie Portman, who an incredibly dedicated ballet dancer.  Her ambition drives her to aspire for the roles of both the black and the white swan in her dancing company’s upcoming production of Swan Lake.  When newcomer Lily enters the scene as another promising dancer, Nina perceives her as a threat which quickly evolves into an obsession.

The film speaks to me in some ways and not in others.  The part that fascinated me the most was observing what it is like to be a ballet dancer; the physical toll it takes on the human body, and ultimately, in Nina’s case, the mental toll it takes on her mind.  The viewer gets to see how much dedication and perseverance went into becoming a dancer and how it can completely consume your life.  Everything else about this film; her obsessions, her wicked mother, and Nina’s spiral into insanity, seriously disturbed me. This I believe is Aronofsky’s goal and he executes it well. I have a feeling I am not the only viewer who will see this movie and walk out wondering what I am supposed take away from it.  For me, this film was simply the protagonist falling downward until she hits rock bottom.  It left me feeling sad.  However, if Aronofsky’s intention was to depress then he succeeded.

Having said that, Portman’s performance is different from anything she has done before. We get to see her act on a higher caliber, playing this role brilliantly.  She also is beautiful and rather pleasant to look at.  As I watched I just felt bad for the main character and hoped that her circumstances would improve.   

Aronofsky is great at directing these types of films. It is shot skillfully and can be rather creepy at certain parts.  The movie pained me and I felt terrible for the main character, Aronofksy defiantly accomplishes his portrait of despair. 

In a peanut shell: Many people believe that there are some great movies that can only be watched once.  For me however, I’m not entirely sure a film can be defined as great if I have not even the slightest interest to see it again.  I found no hope from this film, no underlying message that said ‘hey things will get better’, however I guess not even all American made movies have happy endings.

The Last Exorcism Review

                         

                                                            3 Nuts!

 Director: Daniel Stamm

Scary movies these days are a dime a dozen.  They offer cheap thrills with lots of gotcha moments.  Most disappoint, but occasionally one comes along that works.  One where a lot of actual scary moments don’t need to happen in order for you to be frightened and at the same time entertained.  That movie is the Last Exorcism.  It is about a minister, Cotton Marcus played by Patrick Fabian who is performing his final exorcism in order to prove what a fraud the whole thing is.  With him he brings 2 cameramen, in order to record the entire process and show how he is really doing nothing.  It is clear that this time it has to be different and something must go wrong or there wouldn’t be a movie.  The girl being “exorcised” is Nell played by Ashley Bell whose wide range of acting abilities is displayed, as she alternates from an innocent girl to a psychopath potentially possessed by the devil.

The film is shot in a documentary type style, and for the first half Cotton shows the viewer the elements necessary for an exorcism.  Not only is it a fascinating process but a rather funny one.  We watch as the family reacts to every noise, every bump and then audiences get a shot of how Cotton caused the exorcisms illusions.   While comical, these scenes are rather important as they help build a relationship between the viewer and Cotton.   This only increases our desire for the protagonist’s success.  The transition to darkness in the film is quick but subtle and it is what most people came to the movie expecting. 

I liked the first 82 minutes of this film a great deal.  However as I watched the last five minutes of the film it felt like I was undergoing my own personal exorcism.  It was as if the devil himself went into the film, knowing how brilliant and thought provoking it was, and attempted to ruin it.   Let’s just say it’s disappointing. 

In a peaNut Shell:  This is a solid film with stellar performances by its leading actors.  The plot is engaging and at times is incredibly suspenseful.   There are a few funny moments in the film which help balance out the scary scenes.  This is not at all what many will be expecting going into this film; it is not nearly as scary as it appears.  The only downfall to this movie is the ending, but if you can look past it, you will have an enjoyable movie going experience.

Buried Review

                                                      3 1/2 Nuts!

Director: Rodrigo Cortes                              

Suspense, tension, intrigue, excitement, Hitchcock would be proud.  Everything about this movie is suspenseful.  For the entire 95 minutes you are completely consumed by the film’s plot.  The film is about Paul, played by Ryan Reynolds, who wakes up to find that he has been buried alive (what gave it away).  We soon learn that he is a U.S truck driver working in Iraq, and has been taken hostage and will remain buried underground unless the hostage’s demands are met.  I watched this film on my computer like many will, but it’s a film for the big screen, so one can get the feel of being trapped inside the coffin with our protagonist.  Equipped with only a few items, including a knife and a cell phone, we watch as Paul desperately tries to figure out how he got into this predicament and struggles to stay alive. 

Although this movie takes place entirely inside the coffin, the director does a fabulous job keeping us entertained the whole time.  There is no real slow part of the movie, there cannot be one; Paul only has a short amount of time before he runs out of oxygen.  It is clear that the audience will not be bored for one second of the film.  The plot comes with twists and turns that may seems a bit contrived and a bit over the top but it keeps the plot fresh and original.  If you can look past the absurdities you will find an incredibly jarring film that will keep you on the edge of your seat until literally the last second. 

On a technical note, I found this film’s direction to be extremely impressive.  Working only within the confines of a small box, the director is able to establish a great deal of suspense and even thrill.  This film also pays homage to Hitchcock, who also didn’t need a lot of material to make a film incredibly suspenseful.  From the music of the title credits you immediately feel that this could have easily be mistaken for a Hitchcock film. 

Ryan Reynolds does a surprisingly solid job as the main character.  Although his character may seem like a bit of a jerk at times in the movie, we are rooting for him and desperately want him to survive.  His acting is believable enough for this role and he comes across as an average Joe. 

In a peaNut Shell: I think that when a film can accomplish the suspense and terror that it sets out to create, then the director has done a good job.  The plot goes a little over the top, but not to the point where people will be rolling their eyes. It’s not incredibly bloody but, gore is not needed to make the film frightening.   I strongly recommend this film for anyone who enjoys suspense.  Watch this one on a large screen. With the lights out.

               

True Grit Review

                                                            4 Nuts!

Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen

True Grit is the Coen Brother's most recent masterpiece.  Based on the book with the same title by Charles Portis, the story is about a 14 year old girl Mattie Ross played by Hallie Steinfeld, driven to seek justice for her father’s murder.  She is one of the smartest, 14 year old,  girls in recent cinema history and she shows off her sharp mind throughout the film.  Mattie searches for a bounty hunter to help track down her father’s killer, Tom Chaney played by Josh Brolin.  She finds Rooster Cogburn played by Jeff Bridges, who is a U.S Marshall and a drunk. He’s gritty and that seems to be the qualifying trait that Mattie is looking for to help kill Tom Chaney.  They are joined by LeBeouf a Texas Ranger played by Matt Damon as they set out together on their quest.

Unlike what the trailer suggests, this film is not  about Cogburn, it is about Mattie and she is definitely a heroin you can root for.  Mattie may have hired Rooster because of his “true grit” but we learn early on in the film that it is she who has the real grit.  In fact, there is not a single scene that Mattie is not in.  The entire story is told entirely from her perspective.  The Coen Brothers make this clear to the viewer early on in the film; when the viewer learns that if Mattie is not in ear shot of a conversation then we cannot hear it either. 

This is a true, authentic, Western. Simple and yet incredibly entertaining.  The scenery is beautiful and at times haunting.  The performances from both Steinfeld and Bridges are superb and the dialogue is riddled with dry wit.   Mattie’s is very quick minded and seems to be able to talk down anyone.  All the while, Cogburn’s one liners keeps the audiences chortling.  This however is not the same type of comedy typically found in the Coen Brothers movies.  The humor is dark however it is not as subtle as their trademark wit usually is, as exemplified in their previous films, “A Serious Man”and "The Big Lebowski." It is still very funny but the humor is stylistically different.  However, this  of course is not a comedy and should not be looked at as one.  It’s tough and mean just like the characters in it. 

In a peaNut Shell: I loved every second of the film.  The characters all seem to be able to work well off one another. Their interactions are classic and won’t soon be forgotten. The viewer really feels for Mattie and desires, almost as strongly as Mattie does, that her father’s murderer be brought to justice.  I strongly recommend this movie for everyone, but especially those who have lost faith in the American Western. Additionally, for those not familiar with the genre, this is a great jumping off point.