As evidenced by past posts and a few too many critiques from readers, this blog does not provide its audience with enough concrete reasons to either see a film or avoid it. Instead, it illustrates the highly subjective opinion of its foolish author who tries to make a quick joke by whatever means necessary. Rather then point out aesthetics and content, the dummy writes about personal experiences and tries desperately to connect them to the themes of the film in review. If there is one redeeming quality of this flawed genius, however, it is his brilliant campaigning for his readers to click the advertisements on his blog. It is with the funds he collects from Google Adsense that he is able to feed his wife and eight children. Subjectivity is what makes a critic's review special, personal, even memorable. But subjectivity and stupidity have criss-crossed all too frequently and smart reviewing must prevail. Bottom line: I'm switching things up and this blog will be all the more bearable.
So 2012 wasn't quite like 2011 and it definitely wasn't like 2010, cinematically speaking of course. There was no Descendants, no Artist, no King's Speech, and no Fighter. But Hollywood managed to put out an original installment of James Bond, give Lincoln some much needed screen time, and produce another Tarantino minority fantasy film. It wasn't a year of cinematic genius, it was just a year of damn fine entertainment. So, as the Golden Globes celebrate these films, let us mildly dissect them.
Flight: I can't wait to see which airline is the first to put this movie on their in-flight entertainment. The story revolves around a pilot (Denzel Washington) in the wake of an accident aboard his commuter jet. The film followed a linear plot line from glory to pit-fall, but was a stunning portrayal of metamorphosis, not only of an investigation, but of the mind. Mr. Washington's character is a sad, shameful man that resists his vices, but doesn't indulge his fame as a hero either. He is untraceable, not easy to read, yet there is something solid and grounded about him. When faced with the unescapable fate of his alcoholism, he is timid, but during his airplane disaster, he exudes the calmness and heroics one would hope from their pilot. Actors make movies move, and Mr. Washington takes this film for a journey. It is a film worth seeing for his performance alone, if anything at all.
Skyfall: What happens when a dynasty falls? The James Bond franchise, easily the most important spy films and one of the great film characters of all time, reboots for its first Ian Flemming-free story. As much as it is a 143 minute joyride of bullets, blood, and bombs, Skyfall also takes a deeper look into Bond, M, and a whole slew of other memorable characters' pasts. Javier Bardem plays a vicious, sadistic enemy that draws upon the suspense of Dr. No and the brutality of Jaws. Mr. Bardem's nod to villains past is just one piece in the ode to Bond films past. The end sequence leaves the audience with aspirations of a whole series of Bond remakes.
This is 40: Judd Apatow is a comedy god. He has rebranded the comedy genre and made stars out of Seth Rogan, Paul Rudd, Jason Segal. Well, this was a funny movie, but I can't picture my parents acting this way when they turned 40; I certainly don't want to imagine it. An Apatow comedy doesn't depend on its aesthetic beauty to capture audiences, few comedies every do with the exception of Woody Allen, maybe. An Apatow comedy takes the normalcies of everyday life and operates on them until comedy is extracted. One can't help but watch This is 40 and die after seeing Leslie Mann's freakout at her daughter's middle school Facebook bully. We all go through these common events in life, but since we are not Judd Apatow, we are inherently not funny.
Django Unchained: I won't lie; I went into this film with the exact same expectations I had walking into Inglorious Basterds and they were to see the minority (Blacks) annihilate the majority (Whites). Well, didn't have to wait too long before the first white man was gunned down by Jaime Foxx. Recently freed by a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz), Foxx and his liberator roam the South collecting rewards for their kills. It is an awesome combination of exploding chests, quick gunfights, and an incredible cameo by Jonah Hill. While it doesn't hold itself to the same level as Inglorious's suave dialogue, the writing has captured the South's relaxed, fun, who-dat! attitude. But its violence takes away from its importance and instills entertainment as a top priority, not education (the education of slavery, of the south, of that time period). And while Christoph Waltz remains typecast as the formulaic, systematic German, his switch from bad-to-good confuses viewers at first. Django achieves what Inglorious did not in action, but lacks what Inglorious had in meaning and theme.
Lincoln: Probably the most important portrait of an American president ever put to film is Steven Spielberg's latest endeavor. Daniel Day-Lewis gives an A++++++ performance as the tall, bearded, soft spoken statesman who is trying to pass the 13th Amendment. There to back him up is Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones (who got snubbed hard core by Christoph Waltz at the Globes). Spielberg's last project, Warhorse, focused on its massive landscapes and its rolling scenery. This film is propelled forward by excellent dialogue that captures that importance of vocabulary, pronunciation, and emotion. Lincoln is as much a lesson in public speaking as it is in history. With a script by Tony Kushner, shoe in for Oscar gold, Lincoln is the top film of 2012 and deserves recognition far beyond the minor credits I give it.
Les Miserables: By this time I am too tired to want to write anything else. I was excited to see this movie musical, but as soon Hugh Jackman started singing and didn't stop singing for the next two and a half hours, I realized I wasn't going to like it. The intro is sweet, a large shot of French prisoners dragging a ship into a dock, probably not to far from what they actually do over there in that crazy country. But Les Mis is alot like Rent because there is no dialogue because everyone is singing all the time, forever, and ever. I feel my old ways coming back and I want to destroy this film, but I will restrain myself and go onto the end. Goodbye
I did not see every film nominated for an Oscar, but I'm still pecking away at the remains. Like I said earlier, 2012 was made for entertainment, not enlightenment. I had fun watching these movies, a whole lot of fun at the movies. They weren't made to change my view on life and contemporary issues; they were made to get me off campus for a few hours and relax. I forgot about life for awhile and melted into the magic of movies. Can't you ask for that from a movie once in awhile? Oh damn! I forgot about The Dark Knight Rises! AND CLICK THE ADS!
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