Spring Breakers (2013, dir. Harmony Korine) ***/****

"Spring Breakers" is a teenage boy's wet-dream of a movie.  I don't remember a movie where you see so many gyrating asses, flopping bare breasts, and grinding female co-eds.  There is a lot of bad behaviour in this movie, no bong is left unhit, line left unsniffed, and alcoholic beverage left unchugged.

   James Franco's performance is the highlight of this film.  His "Alien" is an unforgettable character and Franco's performance says a lot in critique of the American Dream. 

   The female leads, with the exception of Selena Gomez, are underdeveloped and completely interchangeable.  In fact it is difficult to distinguish them from one another.
  Gomez's "Faith" is a slightly more complex and sympathetic character than the other girls - she is seen attending prayer meetings before the vacation and she is vulnerable and questioning of her predicament.
  This is a quirky, eccentric movie with likeable performances.  It is, as it turns out, quite violent and the gangster personality of the Franco character shines through in the end.

A Royal Affair (2012, dir. Nikolaj Arcel) ***/****

     "A Royal Affair" tells the tale of a young princess of Britain, Caroline (Alicia Vikander) who is betrothed to the insane king of Denmark, Christian IV (Mikkel Boe Folsgaard).  Her life is, at first, one of isolation and disappointment.  Eventually, a German doctor comes into her life, Stuensee (Mads Mikkelson).  The two share an interest in Enlightenment ideas and progressive world-views.  They soon fall in love and a number of complications ensue as a result.
    The film is quite slow-moving - there isn't a lot of action and it mostly consists of political intrigue and the various relationships.  Vikander, as she was in Anna Karenina, is beautiful and enjoyable to watch on screen.  Without her, the picture would have been remarkably boring and hard to sit through.
  The cinematography is lush and engaging.  The performances are interesting as is some of the subject matter.  The Enlightenment was a time of revolutionary ideas and change and Denmark, under the leadership of King Christian and Dr. Struensee was the pinnacle country in guiding the Enlightenment ideas into fruition.  We get to see first-hand how and why this happened and we are given a better understanding about what the Enlightenment actually entailed.
  The period detail was fantastic and you become emotionally involved with the characters.  Arcel direction is good and this is a film worth seeing.

Coming Home (1978, dir. Hal Ashby) ***/****

    "Coming Home" tells the tale of a Vietnam war vet, Luke (Jon Voight) who was paralyzed in his time in the war.  In the veterans hospital where he stays he meets a volunteer, Sally (Jane Fonda) who's husband is currently fighting in the war.
    Slowly, the two characters develop a friendship and a mutual respect for one anther.  Eventually, they fall in love and this provides complications to the already married Sally.
   Fans of such Vietnam war films as "The Deer Hunter" and "Platoon" may enjoy this film as it deals with many of the same themes:  disillusionment with the war, war-induced post-trauma, fractured relationships on the home front after the fighting is over.   The characters are interesting and the actors bring them to life in a realistic manner that make us care for them and respect them.  The viewer feels as though he or she is living with the characters and that we are given a glimpse into their private lives and conversations.
   There is a fierce anti-war stance from the Voight character and he gives a compelling speech at one point in the film on the horrors of the war and the senseless and purposeless presence in Vietnam by the United States.  Ashby's direction in scenes like this shows expertise and a keen vision.
    One problem I had with this film was the soundtrack.  Although I liked the rock and roll songs that were played, they were used inappropriately and had no thematic purpose.  Unlike films such as "American Graffiti" and "Goodfellas" the rock soundtrack didn't comment on the profilmic material in any way.
   Apart from that, "Coming Home" is a gripping tale of life at home after the fighting is over and people must attempt to get on with their lives in whatever way they can.

Seven Psychopaths (2012, dir. Martin McDonagh) ***/****

"Seven Psychopaths" is a witty romp from director Martin McDonagh and it will thwart your expectations.  Colin Farrell plays Marty, a Hollywood screenwriter with a slight case of writers block.  He's trying to write a violent flick called "Seven Psychopaths" and when the creative juices start to flow he finds that he can draw inspiration from his own chaotic life.  This chaotic life is made that way because of his friend Billy (Sam Rockwell) who is a dog kidnapper who reaps in funds when he collects the reward for the dog's disappearance.  Things go slightly awry when he swipes the pooch of a gangster (Woody Harrelson) and suddenly Marty finds himself involved as well.
  There is a strong ensemble cast in this film with a great supporting turn from Christopher Walken.  The body-count is quite high and there is a lot of blood spilt throughout the movie.  Some of the killings come suddenly and unexpectedly which is refreshing for a criminal-centred movie such as this.  
  I liked the original way in which the film depicts the real life of the central characters interspersed with  recreations of the screenplay which is being developed.  Sometimes you get confused as to which is the real and which the screenplay.  This makes the viewing experience all the more fun and interesting.
  Overall, this is an original, violent spectacle that deserves to be seen by viewers with a strong stomach who like to be surprised.

End of Watch (2012, dir. David Ayer) ***/****

    "End of Watch" is a film that deals with the daily struggles and adventures of two Los Angeles cops, (Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena) partners in the line of duty, who find themselves in ever increasing danger and complications in their lives.

   As a storytelling device, the Gyllenhaal character is making a documentary of his daily existence on the beat and this lends to the documentary feel of the film.  There is constant, shaky hand-held camera footage that adds excitement, tension and realism to the picture.

  The two partners are also best friends off duty and there are touching scenes of them in their home lives as their wives learn to deal with the constant danger in their occupations.  There are pregnancies which obviously helps make us care for these characters and value their lives even more.

  The film itself is action-packed and barely lets the viewer catch his or her breath in between the shootings and various investigations.

  Mixed in with the action scenes are scenes of camaraderie between the two cops as they drive around in their cruiser sharing life stories and anecdotes.  At other times they are playing practical jokes in the station.  Scenes such as these also helps to build the characters and turn them into human beings instead of cinematic stereotypes.

   Eventually the two partners find themselves in dangerous predicaments that truly test their intelligence and survival instincts.

  In a year of great films, "End of Watch" is an underrated gem and should be considered as a strong film from 2012.

Samsara (2011, dir. Ron Fricke) ****/****

    "Samsara" is a visual and auditory wonder directed by Ron Fricke who brought us "Baraka" in 1992.  It is a film containing a series of moving documentary images of different locales around the globe.  Disaster zones, religious monuments, factories, cityscapes, lush rain forests;  nothing goes unnoticed by the 70mm cameras that capture these sites in all there majestic, zen-quality beauty.
    The juxtapositioning of different locales creates thematic motifs that build upon one another as the film progresses.  There are certain sequences which are difficult to watch but at the same time you are transfixed by the way in which they are filmed.
   At one point we are shown meat producing factories at various stages of their processing.  From the cow to carcass to beef patties, we are given a glimpse into the many different stages of the production line.  Finally, we are shown a group of overweight consumers chowing down on the end-product in a fast food restaurant.  This portion of the sequence in shown in fast motion and we are given a sense of the sheer enormity of the amount of food that is being consumed by these obese people.  This makes a comment on the state of North American fast food ingestion and when juxtaposed with images of poor countries of the world where inhabitants are close to starvation the contrast is all the more powerful and revealing.
   The use of colour in this film is visually delightful.  One section shows the construction of a huge artwork made of coloured sand by a group of buddhist monks.  The attention to detail and the sheer beauty of the end product is all the more noticeable as we are given a look into the creative process that went into its development.
   The music of the film is powerful as well and when accompanied by the images, it gives it a more profound and moving effect upon the viewer.
   This is an engaging spectacle and one whose images stay with you for a long time after it ends.

Oz the Great and Powerful (2013, dir. Sam Raimi) **/****

   The new Oz film inhabits a world already established in the 1939 classic, "The Wizard of Oz".  It is in fact, a prequel to that film and in this film, Oz (James Franco) ends up in the mythical land and must establish himself as a "great and powerful" wizard that he was destined to be.
   Visually, the film is appealing:  the CGI seamlessly blends into the real world in a way that makes it pleasing to watch.  The 3D effects are appropriate and entertaining.  The problem is the film is quite boring and unimaginative despite all its "imagination" and action.  It lacks the originality and excitement of the original film and doesn't even hold up to other fantasy pictures that have come out recently.
   It is a film where a lot happens on the screen but not much really happens at all in the story.  The plot is straightforward and too simplistic:  Oz must defeat the wicked witch and restore harmony to the land of Oz.  Along the way he learns about himself and how his flawed character can be redeemed with the help of his travelling companions and the decisions he makes.
  Fans of the original movie will either be really disappointed or delighted.  There is no middle ground.  Sam Raimi's direction lacks cohesion and the acting from Franco is not very charismatic.  L. Frank Baum is probably rolling in his grave.

Amour (2012, dir. Michael Haneke) ****/****

  Michael Haneke's "Amour" is difficult to watch but that doesn't detract from its greatness.  It is about an elderly, married couple and their struggles in dealing with getting old and the prospect of dying.  The film stars French film legends Jean-Louis Trintingnant and Emmanuelle Riva as the couple, Georges and Eva.  One day Eva is not responding and unable to communicate:  she has a long blank moment at the breakfast table that seems to indicate a stroke.  Her condition worsens over time and the course of the film and Georges is faced with the ordeal of taking care of her in her increasingly helpless state.
   The film is leisurely in its pace:  you have to be patient with this film.  The film mostly takes place in the couple's apartment and the scenes between the two are compelling and riveting.  There is a very realistic feel to the circumstances and relationship.  The story takes place over a set period of time, but you get the sense that these two have really been married for many years and that their emotions and reactions are appropriate to the characters in a realistic manner.
    "Amour" doesn't yield to typical viewer expectations and thwarts the ideal "Hollywood" story-line structure and linearity.  There is an ominous but beautiful nature of the set and art direction.  There are scenes which are rife with symbolism and mystery.  At one point, Georges has a dream that is Jungian and creepy.  Then there is the scene with the pigeons who fly in from open windows.
  The film is a tragic tale and is somewhat unsettling but it stays with you afterwards and is a rewarding cinematic experience.

Sunrise (1927, dir. F.W. Murnau) ****/****

Sunrise is one of the greatest silent films ever made.  The cinematography is captivating and ground-breaking.  There are certain sequences which are unforgettable.   It tells the story of a man (George O'Brien) who is unfaithful to his wife (Janet Gaynor) with a woman from the city (Margaret Livingston).  The man and his mistress plot to drown his wife but he has second thoughts and on a trip to the city, they mend their broken relationship and slowly rebuild their marriage.  It is artistically beautiful to look at.  Some scenes in the city when they are walking down the streets are fascinating and a joy to watch.  It is a film about redemption and second-chances.  The acting is good for the time but the film is really about the visuals.  Cinematographers Charles Rosher and Karl Struss are masters of long takes, mobile camera work and expressive lighting.
Murnau is an alumni of the German Expressionism camp of filmmaking and here he proves to be an expert at creating a moody ambiance and moving scenes.  This is a film you can watch over and over and never get tired of it because it is so thrilling to behold.