About Time

Plot: Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) can travel back in time to anywhere in his own past and re-do it. He becomes infatuated with Mary (Rachel McAdams) and re-does their early meetings over-and-over until she falls for him, and then he re-does their first-time sex perfecting his moves. Soon they have kids, traffic accidents, and someone dies. He learns that there are some things time travel can't fix, and time travel teaches him the importance of living each day like it is your last day.  [imdb]    [photos]

Review: Cute and sentimental. About Time is a romance -- it is not so much of a comedy as a straight up romance where the gimmick is the boy can re-do his mistakes. There are two minor characters for comic relief, sister KitKat and Uncle D.

The time travel gimmick is not used make money or fight crime like one of the X-Men, but to explore his relationships -- generally with Mary, but sometimes with his Dad (Bill Nighy.) 

There is an overlaid message about living each day like it is your last, and this message is told using time-travel to illustrate it -- so it is less glib that it sounds here in text, but it still feels superficial. 

Rachel McAdams is cute and easy to relate with. She is what carries the movie. Domhnall Gleeson delivers his lines well, and is easy to relate to, but is not super.  Their meeting in the restaurant when they talk simultaneously is the best writing in the film, and I liked it. Most of the dialog is just serviceable. 

There are a couple of good songs including one in the subway where the musicians  are buskers. The set design is kind of interesting, and there is one party scene in the rain that is pretty great. 

Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy

Written and directed by: Richard Curtis

Rating: 2.5 stars: entertaining, warm-hearted

More: Writer-director Curtis clearly wanted to make a light romance, and so he didn't explore any of the other ramifications of being able to do time travel, but seriously, only little text message to the FAA could have prevented the 9-11 terrorist attacks for example.

Even More: NPR reviewer Chris Klimek transposes this story line into a psychological thriller and imputes evil motives on Tim in his review.  I disagree with the review, because this is a plot device not a real thing. 

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12 Years a Slave

Here Solomon is running. That is misleading since the 

movie is slow paced. it is giving the prospective

viewer hope there will be a dramatic and 

exciting escape.  Don't go there thinking you will

see fast paced action. 

Plot: The title tells the whole story so don't complain about spoilers. Solomon (Chiwetwel Ejiofor) is kidnapped in Washington DC, and shipped to Georgia as a slave, where he keeps his head down. He endures many hardships with the other slaves. He has different owners, who are more and less cruel. At the end of twelve years, he manages to get freed.  [imdb]    [photos]

Review: Just like the title tells you the whole plot, it also forecasts the movie experience. Here is a guy who seems like anyone -- suddenly kidnapped and reduced to horrors from the middle ages -- with chains, muzzles, whippings, loads of indignity and rape. We get a relentless cataloging of terrible slave experiences to let the audience see what it must have been like.

It is interesting to see the mental states of the slave owners -- who manage to justify their cruelty with bible verses and racial supremacism. Mrs Epps (Sarah Paulsen) is especially interesting, because she knows her husband is having sex nightly with the Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o). She is very tough and unsympathetic.

Chiwetel Ejiofor's performance is often excellent -- he finds a lot of ways to show suffering on his face. I also like Lupita Nyong'o for the same reason -- her scene where she begs for suicide is dramatic and should win an supporting actress Oscar.

The sound track is pretty good. The photography is solid, but not overly creative.  There are pretty pictures of moss hanging from trees.

I liked the cross-cultural experience and the immersive experience of  12 Years a Slave.

I was weary of the unrelenting terribleness of it. I did not like the unhappiness of the ending -- as mentioned, the twelve years expire, he manages to get rescued. Does he smile as the carriage leaves the plantation?  NO. Does he smile as he greets his wife and now grown children? NO. Do the kids smile back? NO  Is this anything like the tearful and joyful reunions of countless soldiers returning from Afghanistan or even men being released from prison today? NO. Couldn't they have allowed one happy moment?   One little smile in 143 minutes?   I guess not.

Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong'o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt

Directed by: Steve McQueen (the black London-born director, not the American Actor)

Rating: 3.0 stars:  This is a weighty movie about weighty topics. While it is hard to watch, the movie is in service of a worthy goal, and it certainly helps people understand the evils of slavery. It makes me think about human trafficking today. There are also two Oscar worthy performances. On the other hand, the unrelenting sadness and terror was unnecessary. It was manipulative and borders on melodramatic. 

 

More: Here is another link on human trafficking in Michigan. 

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Ender's Game

Plot: Tweens are recruited into the military by Col. Graff (Harrison Ford)  to battle an alien invasion because of tween's superior strategic skills, and Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) is one of these. Ender is bullied by all the other cadets, but he keeps getting promoted because he is the best. Along the way, he becomes platonic friends with Petra (Haliee Steinfeld.) Soon he finds himself in deep space getting ready to battle real alien ant-people.  [imdb]    [photos]

Review: Ender's Game isn't that enjoyable because  it is too much like a Power Rangers episode -- too campy to be cool and not campy enough to be funny. This is especially true early in the movie, for example, when the tough guy sergeant is yelling at a co-ed group of cadets in their underware by their bunks. While later parts of the movie are more grown-up, this part looked like after-school TV.

A second gap is the Asa Butterfeld's Ender isn't that sympathetic. While the lines are delivered well enough, he was like a cerebral superhero -- too distant from real world experiences to evoke emotion. When he threatens to quit, it feels like an intellectual power game; part of the mental "chess game" he is playing with Ford's Col. Graff. It doesn't feel like he needs to be with his sister as he claims.

Harrison Ford provides some good dialog and facial acting, but it is in service a bullying plot line that is predictable.

Speaking of bullying: Ender usually he beats up the bully using superior tactics, but the point is to use violence to fix violence. This aspect of the message makes the story feel much older -- like WWII era Sci-Fi stories. I was surprised that the novel was written as late as 1992, because Star Trek Next Generation (from the same period) was far more progressive. Maybe author's Orson Scott Card's conservative views extend beyond his views on homosexuality.

The special effects are great. There are good action scenes in the weightless sports-game that seems to be a cross between Quidditch and football. These are probably the best scenes in the movie, but they are less interesting and suspenseful than Quidditch in Harry Potter.

I liked the ethical dilemma posed by the end of the movie. This began to redeem the movie, but it was pretty campy. I am glad they felt bad about what they did after it was all done.

Cast: Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Hailee Steinfeld, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis

Directed and screenplay by: Gavin Hood

Based on the book by: Orson Scott Card (link to Amazon)

Rating: 1.5 stars:  Not so great. Not so fun. Predictable. 

More: I love the ink on Ben Kingsley. Even though he looks good, he had an empty character and was wasted in this film. 

Even more: I read the book about four years ago, but I didn't like the book enough to read any of the sequels. Going into the movie I did not remember most of the plot. 

The Counselor

Plot: The Counselor (Michael Fassbender) is funding his first drug deal with associates Reiner (Javier Bardem) and Westray (Brad Pitt).  The Counselor is feeling good, so he buys a big diamond engagement ring for girlfriend Laura (Penelope Cruz.) Reiner's mysterious girlfriend Malkina (Cameron Diaz) is a fem fatale with two pet Cheetahs, underworld friends,  and a car-load of sexual energy. Someone intercepts their drug shipment and the funders worry for their lives. [imdb]    [photos]

Review: The Counselor is a farcical drama about a drug deal going bad, and how its unravelling destroys lives of the white collar masterminds and their girlfriends. To enjoy the movie you need to appreciate the absurd little side stories, beautiful images, and philosophical speeches. This means plot-oriented viewers might want to stay home. The absurdity of the story makes it lighter, but never actually funny. 

Misogyny is the hatred of women, and there is a big dose of it. From the opening oral sex scene, to Cameron Diaz's bizarre car sex scene, to the closing confessional about how killing provides a woman sexual gratification, writer McCarthy piles it on.

I like most of the performances especially Javier Bardem and Cameron Diaz. Michael Fassbender provides a everyman character that we can identify with -- he underacts at the beginning, but gets more emotive as his life crumbles.

Aside from the misogyny, the writing tends toward the wordy and philosophical -- I adjusted my expectations toward a slower paced movie, and went with it.

The photography is wonderful. The set design is cool and lush. There are a few good Spanish songs, but no soundtrack has been issued. 

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Javier Bardem, Brad Pitt, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Written by: Cormac McCarthy

Rating: 2.5 stars: good enough for 3 stars but minus 1/2 for the women bashing

More: Javier Bardem's hair deserves an Oscar by itself. It's like a separate character. The best hair since Merida in Brave, and hers was CGI!

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World War Z

Plot: A highly contagious disease is spreading across the world, and it is turning people into zombies. UN trouble-shooter Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) and his family get out of Philly and fight their way to an UN ship in the Atlantic. Gerry soon goes off in search of a cure in Korea, Israel and Wales. He battles ravenous zombies along the way. [imdb]    [photos]

Review: World War Z is a fast moving story with rapid-fire zombie action. It spends time to set up Gerry's home life, and he is always calling home to remind us that he is a real guy. Unlike Captain Phillips  whose wife isn't in the movie after the opening scene.

In the latter 80% of the World War Z , Gerry is killing zombies and getting hints at a cure --- but mostly killing zombies.

The sound track is good. The fighting scenes are exciting, but a little campy: comic enough that they were never scary. There is very little blood, and whatever blood there is miraculously disappears before the next scene.

Cast: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos

Directed by: Marc Forster; very roughly based on the novel by Max Brooks

Rating: 2.5 stars:  Rapid-fire fun. Gross, but good for what it is. 

 

More: The UN is like the world government in WWZ. I can't think of another movie where the UN so active -- I wonder if this is a transparent ploy to appeal to a world wide audience. I know that there is a posse of UN haters in the USA, and this movie probably irks them. 

Even more: Why do zombies start so many fires?

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Captain Phillips

Plot: Captain Phillip's (Tom Hanks') container ship is bringing fright to western Africa. It gets boarded by Somali pirates, and the crew tries a few things to fight them off.  Somali pirate captain Muse (Barkhad Abdi) is determined, and manages to board the ship, and find the crew. Phillips and the crew negotiate the swap of the ship for the Captain, and soon Captain Phillips and the pirates are motoring slowly to Somali.  In time, the Navy shows up leading to the climatic conclusion.  [imdb]    [photos]

Review: A slow paced, naval hostage drama that may double as a Navy recruitment film.  It has fine acting and pretty pictures, but it isn't that much fun.

Highlights were the realistic naval scenes which give a flavor of living on a freighter, and the cool, competence of all US Navy Sailors. In a scene where the Navy Seals are getting dressed, they look like superheroes they are so muscled up.

Lowlights were the long and repetitive scenes of Phillips and the Somali guys on the lifeboat. I didn't need endless scenes Somali guys arguing with each other. Another lowlight was filler material after the climatic battle -- why do we need to see Phillip's medical check up? Just end the movie!

Hank's acting was great -- you knew it would be. Amateur actor Abdi does a fine job as the terrorst -- he seemed convincing through-out.

Cast: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi

Directed by: Paul Greengrass

Rating: 2.5 stars

  

More: Here is the real Captain Phillips.  

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Gravity

Plot: Astronauts Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) are working on the space telescope when a disaster strikes. Suddenly their shuttle is wrecked, Stone is floating by herself in space, and they can't radio earth. Stone and Kowalski try to survive as circumstances continue to deteriorate. In time, Stone begins to reflect on her death, and the struggle to live.  [imdb]    [photos]

Review: A suspenseful, nail-bitting movie where I always felt identified with Bullock's astronaut Stone and her panicked struggles. While Ryan slowly manages to save herself, every step forward comes with two steps backward. Gravity looks like a sci-fi, but it is really a disaster movie.

The suspense is continuous, but there are a lot of solitary scenes, and most of the dialog is Astronaut Stone with herself. Her performance is wonderful, and Clooney's is also strong. Bullock has enough range that we don't get tired of her.

Stone brings up the big issues of life as Job-like disasters keep unfolding: life vs suicide; her daughter; her inability to pray; whether anyone will mourn her death.

In the disasters, people die. In Gravity, people  seem happy before they go. Father and son writers Alfonso and Jonas Cuaron seem to be saying that happiness at the time of death makes dying better.

The movie is spectacular: a great use of 3D. The scenes of the spacecraft floating above the earth are beautiful. The scenes of Bullock floating through the space station seem effortless and realistic. Very nice. 

Cast: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney

Directed by: Alfonso Cuaron; cowritten with son Jonas

Rating: 3.5 stars: suspenseful, thoughtful, well-acted, enjoyable.

 

More: It is wrong to criticize science-fiction movies for realism -- so I won't. No Hollywood movie is realistic, even the so-called true stories, for example The Butler.  A better question is if they could have set-up this plot with more realistic premises.  

Even more: My DW thought it was the best movie of the year because she liked the weighty end-of-life themes.  This film is a little short of perfect for me. The philosophy doesn't seem that substantive and I value good dialog a little more.