Jack Reacher Doesn't Reach High Enough

Being a volunteer of the TIFF festival, I was among the many who gained an opportunity to watch a film, that has not been yet released in theaters, for free. I walked into the TIFF Bell Lighthouse with no expectations (and thus - an open mind) as they never told us what movie we were going to be seeing. It was only in the opening credits where we saw "A Tom Cruise Production", did we realize it was Jack Reacher. The film is based off of Lee Child's novel called One Shot.

Unfortunately, I already knew the plot before watching the movie. Trailers are an important marketing technique as they offer a hint. A good trailer is like a tease - it leaves you wanting more. But some trailers give it all away. Case in point - Jack Reacher's trailer pretty much gave everything away simply because some of the best scenes are in the trailers. There was enough scenes for me to make an accurate guess at the story. From the trailer alone, I knew Jack was going to be a brilliant and dangerous loner who cares only for doing the right thing. I knew there would be action, romance, comedy with a pretty much standard plotline.

There was action. Car chases, gun violence and fist fights. Unlike his Mission Impossible series, there were no stunts that left the audience talking about as most of the violence and fighting has been seen in other movies that do it better.

There was hints of romance. The UST (Unresolved Sexual Tension) between Tom Cruise and the classically beautiful former Bond girl Rosamund Pike (who played defense lawyer, Helen) was there right from the initial beginning. And there is a glimpse of Tom's body (not bad considering he's 50) and the backside of a random blonde. Romance makes out about 2% of the film though.

The comedy was a surprise. It was funnier then I expected. There was plenty of dark and dry humor that Tom managed to pull off well. Even the crowd that wasn't that excited to see the film, laughed in appreciation.

The plotline was standard for a crime thriller. In the end, it's all about the money and to keep their secrets, Helen is kidnapped. Of course, you all should know what happens afterwards. But if you don't, well I won't spoil it for you.

It's decent enough but I doubt I would ever watch it again just for fun. A good movie for the guys and some ladies but I wouldn't recommend this for a first-date move.

I apologize for the review being brief but the movie did not do anything for me. I did not love it - I wouldn't watch it twice just for fun like I do with the Bond/Bourne series. I did not hate it - like I did the 2010 Takers which I spent days wishing back for the lost hours and ranting to everyone not to watch that film. I didn't like it and I didn't dislike it. It was just there - and in a way, that's the worst way you can describe a film because it didn't inspire any passion within their audience.

Rating: 2.5/5

Looper Throws Audience for a Loop

 Joseph Gordon Levitt (JGL) is everywhere you look in movies. In 2012 alone, he starred in Dark Knight Rises, Looper, Premium Rush and the just released Lincoln. He is a talented actor that showcases many different personas and characters. So when Looper came to TIFF, I really wanted to see it. Even though the director is relatively new, I trusted JGL. He is one of the few actors I trust to pick interesting scripts.  

Bruce Willis (BW) is also an actor who on occasion picks interesting scripts. Willis is known for his action but he also is very talented at showing love and vulnerability. His character can be seen as the villain yet he cannot be hated. Willis is genius in his portrayal. The audience is forced to empathize with his pain yet are torn about how they feel about his actions. 

 I was fascinated by duality of the character. Joe is both protagonist and antagonist, hero and villain. The movie showed how choices can define a person. One scene in particular stands out in mind - at the diner where both Joes converse. JGL Joe could not recognize BW Joe. He didn't seem to understand how he became the man in front of him and he doesn't want that future. It's an important scene that gives much insight to both versions of Joe. 

That scene also seems to show the infamous struggle between fate and free will. While the choices are shown to clearly define the character, when looking at the larger picture, there is a sense that there was someone behind the scenes pulling the strings. The fact that JGL Joe manages to gain the part of the map which contains the true rainmaker is more then just luck as his existence in the kid's life so early defines the boy for either evil (as BW Joe will believe) or good (as his mom believes). He is a pivotal existence for the boy in more ways then he can imagine. 

Despite the fact that there is time-travel, the movie's focus is not on the sci-fi portion. Instead, the director chooses to focus on the characters, which is why the actors' portrayals were so important. It can make or break the film. Luckily, the actors rise to the occasion. Looper is a brilliant hybrid of action and adventure, science fiction,romance and brilliant story overall. It appeals to the heart while it gets adrenaline pumping. There's also a moral hidden within the film that you just have to look for. Either way, it is a good movie to enjoy. 

Rating: 4/5

Perks for Seeing the Wallflower

I consider myself to be a wallflower. I always slipped under the radar during high school. So, The Perks of Being a Wallflower caught my eye. It was a movie that celebrates being a wallflower! So I had relatively high expectations for this movie. Especially, since this is Emma Watson's biggest role after the finish of the Harry Potter series.

But I didn't quite meet my expectations. Maybe because I truly celebrated and embraced being a wallflower. I had friends and I had social skills but I was never connected enough to be sucked in by the gossip and as such, I had a realistic view of my peers and life in general. That's one of the biggest differences between Charlie and I - besides his other issue that you will just have to watch/read to find out about. Charlie was almost desperate for friendship and had a desire to fit in somewhere.

Putting aside my own experiences as a wallflower, the movie was good. I don't know if it was a completely accurate portrayal of high school but there were still moments where I could relate. Despite all that I mentioned above, I still connected with Charlie. His introverted nature and his difficulty to interact socially with someone is something I think everyone goes through at one point or another. Logan Lerman did fantastic job showcasing a realistic Charlie. He was adorable, awkward, shy and vulnerable. It is a delicate balance as too little of one characteristic would have been plastic, while too much would have been annoying. He is a talented actor that I'm going to keep an eye out for.

Emma Watson is another actor that I have great respect for simply because of the way she handled coming out of the popular Harry Potter series. She could have easily been typecasted but she managed to avoid all problems by changing her looks, modeling and picked supporting roles for a while. She made us notice her as an actor and not just as Hermione Granger. She did a brilliant job as Sam - just enough spicy to be seen as the rebellious character. She's still was a little too sweet for me to 100% see her as Sam who seemed like she should have been a little more wild.

But my favourite character was Ezra Miller's Patrick. He embraced the identity of a misfit completely. He was bold. He didn't let his sexuality define him. It was just a part of the puzzle. He was hilarious to watch. His actions and dialogue brought laughs to the audience easily yet he was not comic relief. Patrick had many problems that he had trouble dealing with. He was beautifully vulnerable during these times.

Emma Watson described this movie best: "this is adolescence on crack". In the span of an hour and forty-five minutes, we experience the exploration of sexuality, various types of abuse, mental disorders, peer pressure, drugs, alcohol, the difficult transition of high school to college, bullying, the highs and lows of friendship, love and dating problems. I felt teenage angst, sadness, happiness, boredom and anger. It was a little exhausting to be honest.

This movie is good depending on your mood. But it has a little something for everyone, regardless of your age, gender or sexuality.

Rating: 3.5/5

Skyfall Meets Sky-high Expectations

After a four-year hiatus while MGM scrambled to find money, the twenty-third Bond film has hit theaters and blows the expectations away. Daniel Craig returned again as Bond and he is joined by an all-star team. Talented Sam Mendes directs what some consider to be the "best Bond yet". 

I loved it. What makes this Bond amazing is that it is also a wonderful movie. People who aren't Bond fans can go and enjoy this film without needing to know anything again.

That being said - it still rewards its dedicated fans. There are many subtle throwbacks that a fan of the series will recognize and be delighted about. 

The key word that sums of this film is "redemption".  It's what Bond wanted and it's what I felt this film was. Quantum of Solace was a flop in my mind after the beautiful masterpiece that was Casino Royale. But this movie seemed to redeem the franchise (not that it was in trouble) and it seemed to complete the reboot that Casino Royale started. 

Ben Whishaw joins the franchise as young, adorable nerd Q. If you recognize his face, it might be because he was in the very recent Cloud Atlas. He does a fantastic job as the quartermaster. He successfully manages to merge the beloved personality with a new hipster nerd vibe. He would appeal to both the older and younger generations. It also doesn't hurt that many females find him adorable. 

And he is only the tip of the ice berg with the wonderful  cast. Judi Dench gives an award winning performance as M. She balances the act between lady and bitch perfectly. Ralph Fiennes is a fresh face that we will thankfully be seeing more of in the future. He was so fantastic that I forgot that I last saw him as Lord Voldemort. 

Skyfall fulfills every requirement that Bond films need. 

1) Bond Ladies - 007 is known for many things especially his weakness for beautiful women. It has sometimes been his greatest weakness. The fifty years has showcased a great deal of unforgettable ladies and borderline hilarious names. Honey Ryder was the start with her iconic white bikini. In Skyfall, Naomie Harris teased the audience with her sexually charged banter. While Bérénice Lim Marlohe made blood pound with her raw sensuality and vulnerability. These ladies fulfill this requirement. 

2) Action - Bond is known for making the impossible seem easy! Before any other franchise, Bond danced with death to bring some amazing stunts to the big screen. Skyfall does that in its first 20 minutes - a car chase followed by a motorcycle chase, climbing from a crane to jump into a train chamber, fighting on top of a moving train, falling from a height into a river. And that's before the song comes on!

3) Beautiful Scenery - from the exotic to the tropic and back to London, Skyfall shows it all. So, check!

4) Creepy Unique Villain - Javier Bardem gives a brilliant performance  that words will do not justice. He is amazing. The character is exactly how I would imagine Bond to be if be ever went bad. He is always one step ahead. 

Skyfall meets every requirement to their formula and then some. Either way - this is a movie to watch in the theaters! Go. Now.

 

Rating: 5/5

Movie Pet Peeves & Midnight Screenings

One of my biggest pet peeves is people disrupting my attention in the movie theatres. I hate when people are texting, chatting, sleeping or making out heavily in the theatre while a movie is going on. Such disrespect! I don't usually say anything because I've chatted with a friend once during a movie. But in my defence, it was a HORRIBLE movie. Overall, I do generally try to see the movie as soon as it comes out in theatres because the people who really want to see it will be there in the opening weekend.

Personally, I love seeing movies at midnight screenings. The hard-core fans are always there, dressed up in costume. The atmosphere is amazing! They cheer, gasp and laugh all together. I've gone to the Harry Potter midnight screening and people were dressed up like Hogwarts robes with wands and draw-on scars. They cheered when Harry came back to life and teared up with Snape died. The impact of the movie is actually heightened due to the shared emotions that the audience experience. So, I always try to watch my most anticipated movies at midnight to enjoy it the most.

But I have never heard of advance tickets for a midnight screening going on sale a little more then a MONTH in advance. Generally, it's a week at the most but it goes to show you how incredibly anticipated the final of Nolan's Batman trilogy is expected.

I was one of the many who at 12pm on June 11 was sitting in front of their computer, hitting refresh until the tickets popped up. The IMAX site had what seemed like a constant message that apologized for the inconvenience about the heavy traffic flow. It took like half an hour but I managed to save tickets for me and my movie buddies! It sold out quickly too!

But what interested me, was how little they advertised about the advance sales. Sure, it's on their facebook page and there is a couple TV spots that mention it at the end of the commercial. I guess they did it so only the true fans would come out.

If you haven't gone to a midnight screening yet, you should. Go see a movie that you've being waiting for at midnight and you just might notice how much more intense that movie experience will be.

My next midnight screening? Probably for Skyfall in November. Maybe, I'll see you there!

TIFF 2012 Reviews

In 2011 and 2012, I chose to volunteer at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which was one of the best decisions I've ever made. For movie lovers, it is the place to be!

As a result, I had the opportunity to watch many films before they reach the big screen. Click on the title to see TIFF's summary of the film and other details.

To The Wonder

Director: Terrence Malick
Stars: Rachel McAdams, Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem and Olga Kurylenko

If you click on the title of the movie, it will take you to the TIFF page dedicated to this film. The summary of this film IS A LIE!

What seems like a movie focused around Ben Affleck's character, actually revolved around Olga's character (she was the Bond girl in Quantum of Solace). Rachel's character only appeared for like twenty minutes of the film and I have no idea what the point of Javier's character was! Was he part of the Ben and Olga plotline or a completely seperate plotline? Only a certain group of movie goers will like this film as the vast majority will most likely dislike it greatly. I was in the vast majority as I found this film to be a waste of time.

This film has beautiful cinematography (the scenes are shot beautifully) and at the beginning, I enjoyed how Terrence seemed to find ways of making the ordinary seem beautiful (i.e., water and wheat fields). But after over an hour of 'artistic' filming, my head started to hurt and irritation grew. The problem with filming an entire movie like that, is that it loses its impact. The impact of the different filming style was much more heighten in the beginning.

Another problem I had was the complete lack of dialogue. There was only a handful of actual spoken lines. There was lots of lines being dictated over the action while the movie is playing. The story was being mainly told through body language, which is actually pretty interesting because I did understand a great deal of the plot. I do agree that body language and silence are powerful tools but not if they are overdone, which is exactly what happened in this film.

I heard a few people commenting on how they enjoyed the openness of the ending. Honestly, that annoyed me considered the whole movie was wide open for interpretation because there was barely any structure there to begin with. There is 4 main characters and maybe a handful of supporting characters

A fellow viewer summed it up best when he called it a "visual poem". Well, I was never a big fan of poetry.

But if you are - go for it!

Much Ado About Nothing

Director: Joss Whedon
Stars: Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nathan Fillion, Clark Gregg and etc.

A picture speaks a thousand words and this one gives a way a lot. This film, based on the Shakespeare classic, is in a modern setting yet keeps the language almost the same (only a couple of words are changed). Whedon's twist on Shakespeare is genius. There is still romance, drama, angst, tragedy but there is plenty of humor. There were many times when in the theatre, the whole audience came alive with laughter. This film was shot in 12 days, in between finishing up Avengers. Apparently, he just emailed some of his actor friends and shot the film in his house.

I personally really enjoyed it. I love Shakespeare regardless but I love how Whedon made it accessible to everyone. The dialogue was similar to Shakespeare, and maybe it was because it was spoken by trained actors, it was easy to follow along to. I especially enjoyed the humor. It was a great film that many loved. The audience always seemed to cheer when Nathan would appear on the screen (probably due to a mixture of Canadian pride and love for his acting work). There was a sense of friendship among the cast and crew that was there on and off the screen.

I would recommend it if for a possible date movie as it has both romance and humor to appease both genders. Definitely a sleeper hit.

Cloud Atlas

Director: Tom Tykwer, Lana and Andy Wachowski
Stars: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry , Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving , Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Ben Whishaw, James D'Arcy, Zhou Xun, Keith David, David Gyasi, with Susan Sarandon , and Hugh Grant

Apparently, this film received a ten-minute standing ovations from the TIFF audience at its first showing. That is telling within itself. The buzz was HOT for Cloud Atlas. This is a film people either seemed to hate or love. So I would recommend you see it yourself to judge because what your friend hates, you might like. Either way, it brought out powerful emotions in its viewers. There were six stories being told simultaneously that were subtly interconnected if the viewer paid attention.

I loved Cloud Atlas. This plotline of each story had a moral within them and characters were developed nicely. Plus, the cinematography of the film was beautiful! The CGIs and setting was designed as if to take the viewers into another world. The actors did an amazing job morphing into different characters. The make-up and costume department deserves an award because it was hard to recognize the actors most of the time. It's a beautiful film about the consequences of our actions. I was moved by the abundance of hope this film provided for me.

The only negative was that I had to pay a great deal of attention to the characters because there was elements of reincarnation as well as each actor would play a different role in another story. So, it can be complicated and if you go to the movies to zone out, perhaps this isn't the movie for you. But if you enjoy seeing the connections like a puzzle, this movie is wonderful!

Call Girl

Director: Mikael Marcimain
Stars: Pernilla August, Sofia Karemyr, Simon J Berger, Sven Nordin, David Dencik and etc.

Have you ever watched a movie and knew what was going to happen or what the character would say? If you have, you have watched a lot of Hollywood movies. This happens to me all the time because sometimes, Hollywood movies can be predictable. They have similar formulas that are applied to them. Don't get me wrong! I still love watching the movies but I am genuinely moved a director can come along with their movie and fool me. That or do such an epic job that I love it regardless. That's why I'm one of the few in my personal circle to judge movies by their directors. Just because Jennifer Aniston is in the film, doesn't mean it will be awesome (no offense). Now, there are some actors that know how to pick films (Matt Damon, I'm looking at you!) that are either stories worth telling or blockbusters.

Wow - that turned into a mini rant. Where was I going with this? Oh yes....

The good thing about watching foreign films is that they follow a different formula. I completely did not see how Call Girl was going to end. It blew my mind. I remembered being so shocked that my eyes budged and my jaw dropped (picture any beloved cartoon here). It didn't follow the Hollywood formula but it resonated true in my heart. I will always love it for that alone.


It was an interesting film. There was a great deal of nudity and sexual content (as expected though, when the film is based on a real-life prostitution scandal that involved some of the Swedish politicians). It drags on for a while during the middle. I remember checking my watch and yawning but the end was worth it. It made me want to watch more foreign films (alas the festival was over though).

If you have an open mind or you know the hollywood formula, then I recommend this film for you.

Summer of Superheroes

Summer 2012 featured a great deal of amazing movies but the most popular, without a doubt, were the films about the superheroes. So here's a brief review on all three.

Dark Knight Rises

My favourite movie of the summer and easily the year. I saw it (so far) three times in theatres. Why? Because it's just that good. The final movie takes place eight years after the second film so a lot has happened which are explained well. Wounds have barely scabbed over from the Joker's rein. But there are some new faces joining the older ones. As well as humor to defuse the tension when it becomes too dark. There is a beautiful balance between action & adventure, drama, angst, romance, humor and tragedy.

Nolan brings it back full circle as Batman has to face his fears, limitations and demons to overcome the huge obstacle that is threatening the destruction of Gotham. One of my favourite things about Nolan's films, is that there is a great amount of depth in the film. Whether it is plot or symbolism. There were many times were I felt, symbolically, Nolan was showing his audience his first film again. Spoiler Alert but for example, when Bruce was climbing up from the Pit, it reminded me of the him in the first movie trying to climb up from the well. Actually, the whole part of the film where Bruce was in the Pit, was almost a homage to the Batman Begin's well known quote: "Why do we fall, sir? So, we can learn to pick ourselves up." That's what Bruce shows us in the pit - never give up. End of Spoiler Alert. Unlike Spiderman 3, Nolan masterfully juggles with the multiple villains so that the audience never feels awkward.

But as much as I loved it, it could be easily disliked as well. For those who had extremely high expectations - it will not meet them. After the late Ledger's legendary performance as the Joker, it's hard to come even close. Also, many people will not like it simply because Nolan's ending is not the one they wanted.

One thing you should know though is that this is the last Batman movie in Nolan's series. If another Batman movie comes out, it will not have Nolan as director, Bale as Bruce/Batman or probably many of the other actors.

Avengers

The big blockbuster hit of the summer, directed by the famous Joss Wheldon. For those who don't know the name, you know of his creations: Buffy, Firefly, Angel and even Toy Story. Originally Jon Favreau (director of the first two Ironman movies) was supposed to direct but he chose to stay on as an executive producer. This movie has a little bit of everything! It has action & adventure, drama, romance, angst, tragedy and plenty of humor to keep the audiences engaged. It is entertain for everyone. It nicely balances the storyline of the four protagonists as well as the supporting characters without neglecting anyone. It is incredibly easy for the view to connect with any one of the heroes. Also, Joss Wheldon does an amazing job with dialogue as many characters have memorable lines without being cheesy.

Personally, I saw the film four times in theatres because there were many scenes that I loved. In particular, Hulk had many hilarious scenes that I died laughing.  The first time I watched it, my friend had to nudge me in the ribs to get me to stop cackling like a hyena. 

The only problem with this film is that if you haven't watched the other four series (Hulk, Ironman, Thor and Captain America) you are going to miss something because a lot of the same faces pop up in this movie.  Ideally, to watch this movie, the viewer has to be up to date on the other four series. Well, not so much Hulk, seeing as they changed the actor. Mark Ruffalo, by the way, does an amazing job as Bruce Banner (I think you found a winner Marvel)!

One other negative for this film is that it is currently the most mistake filled film of 2012. It's not that much but it is still more then any other film so far.

But it's still an amazing movie.

Amazing Spiderman

I had mixed feelings about this reboot. I loved the new actors, Emma and Andrew, but I was still sort of loyal to the older actors. I disliked strongly where Spiderman 3 left us and I did feel like they were screwing up what had great potential from the first film. But at the same time, I was wondering where's Mary Jane and who's Gwen Stacey in the new reboot? Ultimately, I decided to approach the film with an open mind.

I'm glad I did because they did an amazing job. Andrew Garfield's version of Spiderman was more easier to identify with then Tobey Maguire's saint-like approach. Andrew's Peter was multi-dimensional. Sometimes, he was angry, vulnerable and hurt and other times he is shy, friendly and funny. But overall he is a nice guy. But Andrew's approach allowed for the audience to accept it more when Peter wasn't always nice whereas I judged Tobey's Peter more harshly simply because he seemed more saintlike and naive.

Emma Stone also did a wonderful job as Gwen Stacey to the point where I was like 'Mary Jane who?' Plus, the chemistry between the two actors set the screen on fire. There were times where I blushed more at their flirting then I did at some other movie's explicit scene. I'm glad they became a real-life couple as well because they are very cute together.

This movie like the other two superhero films mentioned aboved, have the same genres; action & adventure, drama, angst, tragedy, romance and humor. This movie is also a very good compromise for a date.

Unlike the previous two films, Amazing Spiderman has a slower build to the climax because unlike Dark Knight Rises and Avengers, it is starting from the beginning so it needs screen time to set up everything.

Chances are you will either love the new reboot or hate it because you are that loyal to the Tobey's. But personally, it really does deserve to be called the AMAZING Spiderman.