While reflecting on all the films I saw in 2010, I came across several good films that still have not received wide distribution in North America. Here are ten films that you should keep an eye out for in theatres, or on DVD, in the 2011.
10) Crikus Columbia – After fleeing his country many years earlier due to communist rule, a man returns home with his new girlfriend and a fancy new German car. Needless to say, this does not sit well the man’s wife or his son who have been waiting patiently for his return.
9) Machete Maidens Unleashed – This humorous documentary explores how the likes of Roger Corman and other B-Movie/exploitation genre directors made some of their most outrageous movies in the cheap, but politically turbulent, Philippines. (Full review coming soon)
8) I Saw the Devil - Sure revenge flicks are becoming all too common in Korean cinema. Still, that should not stop you from seeing this bloody good film…and I do mean bloody.
7) Even the Rain – Gael García Bernal stars as a director who is determined to finish his film despite the unstable political climate of Cochabana, Bolivia. (Full review coming soon)
6) The Mountain Thief – A fictionalized story that documents a way of life that is all too real in the Philippines.
5) The High Cost of Living – Picture the love story from The Town but done ten times better. Zach Braff plays a drug dealer who falls for the pregnant woman he knocks down in a hit and run accident. (Full review coming soon)
4) Super – Let the debate begin over which average Joe superhero tale is better! For the record, I enjoyed this one far more than I did Kick-Ass.
3) Balada Triste de Trompeta (The Last Circus) – What happens when you take Tim Burton’s aesthetics and mix them with Quentin Tarantino’s flair for violence? The answer is this entertaining, and extremely dark, comedy about two competing clowns in love with the same woman. (Full review coming soon)
2) Rubber – Easily the best, and most bizarre, festival going experience I had in 2010. Who would have thought that a story about a killer tire could be such a smart commentary on the state of Hollywood movies and their audiences?
1) Beautiful Boy – Michael Sheen and Maria Bello are outstanding as a couple who must come to terms with their son committing a mass school shooting, and then taking his own life. Look for both Sheen and Bello to be in the mix at next winter’s award race.
Based on Lewis Carroll's two stories, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, as well as his poem "Jabberwocky", Tim Burton's latest film, Alice in Wonderland, is not short on source material...although it often feels that way at times. In this latest version of the classic story, Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is 19 years-old who is tormented by the same recurring nightmare, of a strange land, since she was young girl. On the same day Alice receives a marriage proposal, from a man whom Alice does not love, she sees a strangely dress White Rabbit (Martin Sheen) scampering around in the garden. While chasing the rabbit Alice stumbles into a hole that transports her to the magical Wonderland. Alice has no recollection of the place, which she first visited when she was a child, and thinks it is all a dream. Yet the inhabitants of Wonderland, including the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), desperately need Alice to regain her memory. It has been foretold that Alice will dethrone the ruthless Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) by defeating the beast known as the Jabberwocky (Christopher Lee). Once the Jabberwocky is destroyed, the White Queen (Anne Hathaway) can resume her rightful place as the true ruler of Wonderland.
Tim Burton is known for his surreal visuals and this film is no different. Alice in Wonderland’s greatest strength is the wonderful art direction and special effects. This is probably Burton's best looking film in years; even the minor details, such as the White Queen's soldiers having the heads of chess pieces, are a treat. If you exclude Stayne (Crispen Glover), who looks awkward in every scene he is in, it is tough to find fault with the outstanding visuals. The funny thing is, for a film that had such wonderful art direction, the 3D aspects were shockingly poor. I will not get on my usual soapbox about how 3D is a cash grab, as I have beating that horse to death. Regardless, I can easily see visual elements, like the seamless incorporation of the Cheshire Cat in many scenes, amazing audiences in either format.
Speaking of the Cheshire Cat, I thought Stephen Fry's voiceover work was near perfect. The same can also be said for Alan Rickman, who brings the Abosolom to life with a mystic charm. The interesting thing about Fry and Rickman's performances is how easily they steal scenes from the actors on screen. You know you have problems when the CGI characters are far more interesting than the human ones. Which brings me to one of the flaws with Alice in Wonderland; the film has too much talent and not enough use for them.
It is rare that you walk into a film starring Johnny Depp and walk away being more wowed by the supporting characters, like the aforementioned Fry and Rickman, yet that is exactly what happens here. While I liked the darker tone that Depp gave the Mad Hatter, his overall performance was surprisingly dull. I understand that Depp is trying to find a balance between exploring the root of Hatter’s madness and being the comic relief; but he often falls short on both parts. At times it felt like Johnny Depp was merely channeling the Scottish cousin of his Willy Wonka character from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The difference being that the Mad Hatter’s often mumbles large chunks of his dialogue. At first I thought I was merely burned out by the Depp/Burton pairing as this is the fourth straight film they have done together, and eighth film in total. Then I realized that even the new players to Tim Burton's world were not fairing much better.
Mia Wasikowska is a serviceable but ultimately forgettable Alice. Even when she final raises up and embraces her female independence, which the entire film is building towards, it does not carry the weight it should. We should be cheering Alice along her journey yet I found myself caring less about what happened to her as the film went along. I will say that Wasikowska was much better than Anne Hathaway, as she at least had things to do. Anne Hathaway, on the other hand, had to suffer through a painfully awkward performance as the White Queen. Hathaway serves no real purpose in the film other than to be the embodiment of good. Since the White Queen has sworn not to hurt a living thing, she is merely glides around all day with her dainty hands in the air. It is shame to see such a talented actress like Hathaway take on such a meaningless role.
The only on screen actor that really seems to fit the tone of the film is Helena Bonham Carter. As the Red Queen, Carter is a delight to watch in her small role. In a few short scenes she conveys a queen who is both ruthless and desperately in need of acceptance. If you take away Helena’s performance there is no other human character that really generates any interest. Alice’s family and friends are mere footnotes to the overall picture.
While the art direction, and a few key performances, keeps Alice in Wonderland afloat; the film, in the end, is much ado about nothing. Tim Burton’s version of the source material creates a beautiful but hollow world, which is probably why Alice found it so forgettable in the first place.
Today I should: A) Start packing for the move B) Work on some last minute wedding stuff C) Finally write my review of The Messenger D) Procrastinate on all of the above and promote some other blogs.
Yep, when in doubt always opt for procrastination.
News and Notes:
I am working on a new column entitled "LAMB Acting School 101" over at The LAMB. Each month the feature will highlight the career of actor/actress that has made an impact (good or bad). This month's actor is Johnny Depp.
Thistimeitwillbedifferent offers up a review of Fantastic Mr. Fox. Which reminds me, I really need to see this movie...procrastination you are a cruel friend indeed.
There is nothing harder on a movie lover than watching a film that practically screams “potential to be great” slowly falter into banality with each passing minute. Such is the case with director Shane Acker’s feature length debut 9.
One day #9 (Elijah Wood) wakes up to find himself in a post-apocalyptic world. Void of all humans, the world now belongs to fearsome machines that canvas the earth destroying everything in their path. Through his travels #9 comes across a small community of numeric clad beings like himself. Led by #1 (Christopher Plummer), the group moves from one hiding spot to another in order to maintain their survival. Tension arises when #9 joins the commune and starts to question how the world reached its current state. When #2 (Martin Landau) is captured by one of the machines #9 and # 5 (John C. Reilly), against # 1’s wishes, sets out in hopes of finding their friend and unlocking the mystery of their existence.
At times, visually speaking, 9 is a stunning work filled with many inventive character designs. The ramshackle world that the creatures and robotic monsters roam in allows Acker to create some thrilling action sequences. Unfortunately the overall story does not have the depth needed for a film this ambitious. A film such as this really needs to have a compelling story to match the visuals. The pacing of this picture is painfully slow which, as a result, causes several major plot points to take too long to unfold. While all the gaps are eventually filled, most of which you see coming from a mile away, it requires a lot of effort on the viewers part to stay awake long enough to see the whole thing through.
Another issue I had with 9 is that for all the visual flair, and great ensemble voice casting, the majority of characters are surprisingly one-dimensional. Since there is no real depth to any of the characters, many of the same scenes are repeated over and over in different settings. There are only so many times that you can sit thorough #1’s old cowardly lion routine before you want to smack somebody. The same can be said for #7's (Jennifer Connelly) numerous “jumping into battle by herself” sequences. While I am all in favour of strong female action heroes, Acker never really develops #7’s character any further than what we see on the surface. While 9 is extremely fascinating on a visual level, it lacks the substance needed to truly make it a beautiful picture.
