Let me start off by saying that I really didn't have any intentions of seeing this movie. It looked kind of cute and the fact that Cameron Crowe directed it was a bit appealing, but after iffy reviews I figured I'd sit this one out. But then my mother and little sister wanted to see it so I decided to tag along. And I'm pretty glad I did.
Now I really don't have to sum up the plot here. I mean, it's in the title. We Bought a Zoo. But my usual viewers know me so I'm gonna do it anyway. Matt Damon's character, Benjamin Mee's wife has recently passed away, making him a single parent to a teenage boy and a little girl. He feels that his family needs a fresh start so he begins to look at new houses and the last one he comes across has a zoo as a backyard. That seems like a deal breaker, but when he sees his daughter light up, Benjamin gives in to his "20 seconds of insane courage" attitude and buys the house much to his son's dismay (but he's a curmudgeon about everything nowadays, so whatever).
Matt Damon and Colin Ford, who plays the son Dylan, are the actors who really carry this film. We Bought a Zoo is truly as corny as it looks and sounds, but Damon is as likable as ever and the constant feud between his character and the son is so powerful it brings the audience to tears. Crowe looks for every bit of sympathy he can from the viewers with every scene starting off with almost the same depressing song. And thanks to the subtitles on the screen at Regal Cinemas for whatever reason, I know the name of all of them. I thought that would ruin the movie (although I already thought I wouldn't like it) because I simply cannot ignore words on a screen. I have to read them. But whatever, I got over it. And although Crowe squeezes your tear ducts and it's so obvious that he's doing it, you can't help but feel the impact of everything Benjamin is going through. That's entirely thanks to Damon's performance. And as I said, him and the son really battle it out and one scene in particular involving them screaming at each other over what's right for them now that the mother is gone really triggered a big emotional response. The daughter, Maggie Elizabeth Jones as Rosie, is cute too so you can't resist rooting for this small family.
Scarlett Johansson also graces us with her presence and she's adorable as usual. Some of her lines are as cheesy as the rest of the film, but for some reason it all works. Her character, Kelly Foster, is the head zookeeper and is there with Benjamin throughout the whole "adventure" as he likes to refer to it. In addition, Thomas Haden Church is funny as the accountant brother who complains about Benjamin throwing away all his money.
The animals are cool to see as well, which is why my sister was interested, although some things were a bit inappropriate for her. Zoo ended up with a PG rating, but there are a lot of curses. No F bombs, but s*** is in there a few times, but not in the most obscene manner, which is okay I guess.
As predictable and obvious as this movie is with the title and all, some things aren't so. Sure there are the two teenagers on the farm, Dylan and the girl who already lives there, Elle Faning as Lily, and we all know how that ends up. But the foreseeable relationship between Benjamin and Kelly isn't as it seems, which is nice. Benjamin keeps thinking back to his wife, again bringing the river of tears.
I really didn't want to give a great review to this and didn't think I would. I don't want to be known as the guy who likes everything, but We Bought a Zoo really got to me. I'm telling you straight up that it is a cheesy film and does everything it can to make you cry, but thanks to great performances all around, especially Damon as the lead, a troubled father you want to see connect with his children, and Ford as an equally troubled teenager who is lost in his own emotions and dark artwork, Zoo manages to soar. They make Crowe's mushy screenplay and direction something we can get behind. And we all need one of those "feel good" movies every now and then anyway. As I do with all movies I enjoy, I leave the theater thinking I can be more like the protagonist, so for right now, "20 seconds of insane courage" is something I'm gonna live by. Probably not for long though. Oh well.
So it seems that I've viewed just about every movie released this holiday season, with a few exceptions (Tintin), and it's been a very entertaining and enjoyable one (besides The Descendants).
Let's hope the new year keeps us just as satisfied at the theater.
We Bought a Zoo: 3/4 Stars
Entire 2011 Holiday Season: 3.5/4
Monday, January 9, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
"The Girl" Has A Lot More Than Just A "Dragon Tattoo"
David Fincher captivates audiences once again with his adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo just in time for awards season. Fincher's latest work since the best motion picture of 2010 (I don't care what the Academy says) is dark and quite often brutal to watch, but also a great piece of cinema due to his direction and Rooney Mara's portrayal of the lead character, Lisbeth Salander, that will certainly keep people talking, and hopefully the people that really matter: members of the AMPAS.
Getting into the plot would be too complicated and a bit repetitive since the award-winning novel and Swedish films have been out for years, but I'll provide a brief explanation for those who have no idea what this whole story is about. It follows Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), a journalist for Millennium magazine in Sweden who has just lost a libel case to a crooked businessman. Despite this, he is hired by Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) to investigate the case of his niece, Harriet, who has been missing for 40 years and may in fact have been murdered. Eventually, Mikael hires Salander as an assistant after learning that she performed the background check on him before being chosen by Henrik. Up to this point, we also witness what is going on in Salander's life at the same time as we see Mikael deal with the entire wacky Vanger family on Henrik's property.
Although the whole story is a mystery, I found that the conclusion and the discovery of everything was a bit expected. I had a few hunches and they were all correct. Fincher could have done a better job at building the suspense for the actual mystery, but his attention in other areas allows for the film to shine regardless. Although "shine" might not be the right word since it's so very dark and ominous.
It was extremely difficult to find someone to join me in the theater because everyone is aware of the rape scenes in the film. Normally, I can handle anything on screen, but this was pretty hardcore. Rooney Mara really makes you feel her pain. And although she's supposed to be a complete freak in this film, there's still something oddly appealing about her. She's also naked a lot more than I expected, but then again I never read the book aside from a bit of the beginning and a few major sequences that my girlfriend had me look at, so what do I know? Fincher didn't want Mara in this part at first, but now I think he's aware that changing his mind was a very good idea. Mara definitely deserves recognition and her full commitment to the role defines her as a wonderful actress. She's still kind of sporting the odd haircut in real life too.
Other than the mystery being a bit predictable, the only other problem with the movie is that the girl cast as Harriet looks exactly like Rooney Mara. When they first showed her picture, I thought it was a relative of hers or her with a different hairstyle. It would have been much easier to follow if the two actresses didn't look so similar to one another. Maybe that is something that is explained in the other books or maybe it's just a coincidence, but either way it was a little confusing.
I have also heard that the original film is much better than Fincher's version, and since this one is so well done and has received much critical acclaim, the original must be spectacular. I'll have to check it out. Nevertheless, the latest Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is very entertaining particularly thanks to Fincher's directing style and Mara's outstanding performance. I don't mean to leave Craig out of the loop because he's always entertaining, but it's just his standard acting as usual, which is fine. I'm not sure how fans of the Swedish film or of the book itself will feel about it, but overall it's a great movie. We'll see these guys at the Oscars, and then hopefully all three major players (Craig, Mara, and Fincher) on board for the sequels.
Stars: 3/4
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Multiple Yays And Minimal Neighs For "War Horse"
There is certainly no question that Steven Spielberg is one of, if not the best filmmaker of his or any generation. He served as an inspiration for me as a child while making movies with my friends, feeling that my S.S. initials meant I could be just like him. And I've been a fan since that time, but have grown very skeptical, watching him make millions as executive producer for below average alien projects like Transformers, Cowboys & Aliens, Falling Skies, and more. Tacking his name onto these things for a paycheck made me lose some respect. But now, seeing him return to serious filmmaking has made me remember the true talent this man has. However, I had zero interest in War Horse. I laughed along with the SNL skit mocking the play, but experiencing the film was actually quite similar to the way the audience members react in the sketch. If you don't understand what I mean, you should check it out. At first you may think, "Really? It's just a horse" and then you get emotionally attached and understand. War Horse started off as a children's book, then an award-winning play, and now a future award-winning film.
The film begins with the birth of the majestic horse and shortly after we see it purchased by a man who cannot help but fall for it's beauty and uniqueness. He also buys it in spite of his landlord who tries to outbid him. This leaves the old man and his family with no money, but the son, Albert (Jeremy Irvine) adores the horse and raises it, teaching it how to work on the farm. Albert proves how strong the horse, Joey, truly is despite his size and breed. When the weather destroys the family's crops, the father must sell Joey to the army, hence War Horse. Albert is obviously heartbroken, but he ties his father's regimental pennant to the horse, which we follow throughout the film, and vows to meet him again.
I like the fact that every time a stranger saw how emotional the boy got over his horse, he or she would say, "It's not a dog." That's how I felt at first, but I'm a city boy so I've never had a chance to take much of a liking to horses. But this horse is something special and touches multiple lives in very meaningful ways throughout its journey. I didn't have much interest at first because the main character is an animal and it doesn't have a celebrity providing the voice for it so you know, who cares? But Joey should be nominated for Best Supporting Actor or something. I don't know how Spielberg captured half of the shots in this film, but well done, sir. It really makes me wonder what the people behind the play must do. I'll have to check it out. And the rest of the cast, the humans, are superb as well. Not many recognizable faces other than Tom Hiddleston from Midnight in Paris and Thor, and Eddie Marsan from Sherlock Holmes, but everyone does a great job. The standout performances though are Irvine and Emily Watson who plays Albert's mother.
There are some faulty points, however and surprisingly, the long running time isn't really one of them. All of the characters speak English which certainly isn't a complaint, but a man and his granddaughter in the French countryside speak English as well as the German soldiers. They ignore it for a while like in Valkyrie, but then in one scene, which was still my favorite despite this flaw, an English soldier says to a German soldier, "You speak English pretty good" to which the soldier replies, "I speak it well." That'd be fine if the Germans weren't casually speaking it amongst themselves when you'd think they would speak their native tongue.
War Horse isn't Spielberg's greatest work, but it's a fine piece of cinema. He captures elements of war like with Saving Private Ryan and ties in great emotional story lines. If at first you think, "Why would a boy go into war for an animal?" take a second and consider what you'd do for your favorite pet. My dog Oakley is pretty awesome. Jumping into the First World War is a bit of a stretch, but it works. I think Spielberg will nab Best Director. Regarding the films considered in the current Oscar race, War Horse absolutely trumps The Descendants. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo will be my next review.
Stars: 3/4
The film begins with the birth of the majestic horse and shortly after we see it purchased by a man who cannot help but fall for it's beauty and uniqueness. He also buys it in spite of his landlord who tries to outbid him. This leaves the old man and his family with no money, but the son, Albert (Jeremy Irvine) adores the horse and raises it, teaching it how to work on the farm. Albert proves how strong the horse, Joey, truly is despite his size and breed. When the weather destroys the family's crops, the father must sell Joey to the army, hence War Horse. Albert is obviously heartbroken, but he ties his father's regimental pennant to the horse, which we follow throughout the film, and vows to meet him again.
I like the fact that every time a stranger saw how emotional the boy got over his horse, he or she would say, "It's not a dog." That's how I felt at first, but I'm a city boy so I've never had a chance to take much of a liking to horses. But this horse is something special and touches multiple lives in very meaningful ways throughout its journey. I didn't have much interest at first because the main character is an animal and it doesn't have a celebrity providing the voice for it so you know, who cares? But Joey should be nominated for Best Supporting Actor or something. I don't know how Spielberg captured half of the shots in this film, but well done, sir. It really makes me wonder what the people behind the play must do. I'll have to check it out. And the rest of the cast, the humans, are superb as well. Not many recognizable faces other than Tom Hiddleston from Midnight in Paris and Thor, and Eddie Marsan from Sherlock Holmes, but everyone does a great job. The standout performances though are Irvine and Emily Watson who plays Albert's mother.
There are some faulty points, however and surprisingly, the long running time isn't really one of them. All of the characters speak English which certainly isn't a complaint, but a man and his granddaughter in the French countryside speak English as well as the German soldiers. They ignore it for a while like in Valkyrie, but then in one scene, which was still my favorite despite this flaw, an English soldier says to a German soldier, "You speak English pretty good" to which the soldier replies, "I speak it well." That'd be fine if the Germans weren't casually speaking it amongst themselves when you'd think they would speak their native tongue.
War Horse isn't Spielberg's greatest work, but it's a fine piece of cinema. He captures elements of war like with Saving Private Ryan and ties in great emotional story lines. If at first you think, "Why would a boy go into war for an animal?" take a second and consider what you'd do for your favorite pet. My dog Oakley is pretty awesome. Jumping into the First World War is a bit of a stretch, but it works. I think Spielberg will nab Best Director. Regarding the films considered in the current Oscar race, War Horse absolutely trumps The Descendants. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo will be my next review.
Stars: 3/4
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