Few films have had the cultural and cinematic impact of Quentin Tarantino's 1994 second feature, "Pulp Fiction". It is truly an audacious, provocative, and imaginative masterpiece of 90's cinema. It will conjure up a plethora of emotional reactions: laughter, repulsion, despair, anxiety, frustration. The list goes on.
The film's elliptical, fragmented, and out-of-sequence narrative structure is a brilliant device used by Tarantino to add an element of suspense and power. It demands that the viewer become an active consumer of the film, constantly rearranging in his or her head the multiple vignettes, occurrences, and character relationships.
The characters are unforgettable and expertly drawn. The screenplay gives the characters interesting and eccentric dialogue in a style that would be influential on the future of cinema.
When the film is over you are left in a state of euphoria and awe. The sequences of the film are brilliant but the end product has the cumulative effect of an engaging epiphany or stunning realization of having witnessed something truly profound.
Thoughts and insights on film, television, and other aspects of culture by Matthew J. White.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Whiplash (2014, dir. Damien Chazelle)
For a popular music course in university, I had to attend and review a performance by a jazz ensemble on campus. It was a memorable experience and one of the things I discovered was that a live performance is as exciting and enjoyable to watch as it is to listen to.
Director Damien Chazelle has a complete understanding of this characteristic of a jazz performance in his phenomenal new film "Whiplash". His camera captures each performance throughout the film in a manner that highlights the improvisational nature of jazz itself and emphasizes the excitement and wonderment of witnessing a live performance.
There are musical sequences in which each instrument is given sudden close-ups when it is its turn and the editing of this film is a major achievement in bringing about awareness of the intricacies, cohesion and inter-connectedness of all the parts of an ensemble.
The plot of the film is quite conventional and alludes to the Horatio Alger myth. It portrays a youngster named Andrew (Miles Teller) who must defeat his own doubts and insecurities and rise from a promising but inexperienced music major at a fictional university to an accomplished, respected musician. Andrew's chief nemesis/mentor is a frightening, harsh music professor/conductor named Fletcher (J. K. Simmons). Both of these performances are outstanding and make the film more believable and intense. Simmons' character is a complex villain. He makes you cringe and feel uncomfortable at the cruelty he inflicts on many of his students to bring about the performance he is after. At the same time he is at times sympathetic in ways that add depth and emotional investment.
This is one of the great films of 2014. Great acting, cinematography, screenplay and direction. It is an unforgettable experience.
Director Damien Chazelle has a complete understanding of this characteristic of a jazz performance in his phenomenal new film "Whiplash". His camera captures each performance throughout the film in a manner that highlights the improvisational nature of jazz itself and emphasizes the excitement and wonderment of witnessing a live performance.
There are musical sequences in which each instrument is given sudden close-ups when it is its turn and the editing of this film is a major achievement in bringing about awareness of the intricacies, cohesion and inter-connectedness of all the parts of an ensemble.
The plot of the film is quite conventional and alludes to the Horatio Alger myth. It portrays a youngster named Andrew (Miles Teller) who must defeat his own doubts and insecurities and rise from a promising but inexperienced music major at a fictional university to an accomplished, respected musician. Andrew's chief nemesis/mentor is a frightening, harsh music professor/conductor named Fletcher (J. K. Simmons). Both of these performances are outstanding and make the film more believable and intense. Simmons' character is a complex villain. He makes you cringe and feel uncomfortable at the cruelty he inflicts on many of his students to bring about the performance he is after. At the same time he is at times sympathetic in ways that add depth and emotional investment.
This is one of the great films of 2014. Great acting, cinematography, screenplay and direction. It is an unforgettable experience.
Birdman (2014, dir. Alejandro G. Inarritu)
“Birdman” is a totally electrifying, exhilarating new film from director Alejandro G. Inarritu. It has been painstakingly choreographed to contain a series of extremely complex, long takes in which characters move around throughout the contours of the snaking corridors of a theatre’s backstage, stage, and exterior streets on Broadway in New York City.
Michael Keaton, in the performance of his life, plays Riggan, a washed-up, former action hero star (he played the title character “Birdman”, over two and a half decades ago) who is trying to revitalize his career through a new Broadway play in which he is the lead.
This is without a doubt one the best films of 2014 and has some of the greatest performances you will see from that year as well. Along with Keaton, there is Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Zach Galafianakis and others who contribute masterfully in their own parts to produce a work of surprising, jaw-dropping wonder.
It is an extremely self-reflexive piece: Keaton who like his character Riggan, hasn’t had a breakthrough role in many years, was the star of Batman in the late 80’s and early 90’s and Riggan’s role as “Birdman” wittily reminds the viewer of this former role and real-life parallel.
The film is also reminds us of certain themes such as the fleeting nature of stardom and fame in contemporary Hollywood. It is about the power of redemption and the fact that it is never too late to turn your life around and make amends to the people in your life who truly should be the most important.
With its extremely long takes (I imagine there were some tricks used to give the illusion that they are actually longer than they really are) the filmmaker produces a feeling of immediacy and buzzing excitement that you don’t see in many films. It also makes use of touches of surrealist fantasy to propel the film into territories that are truly amazing and inspiring.
Few films I have seen in recent years have left me with an ecstatic feeling of giddiness at the end as “Birdman.” It is probably my favorite film from 2014 and I will remember it for a long time.
Michael Keaton, in the performance of his life, plays Riggan, a washed-up, former action hero star (he played the title character “Birdman”, over two and a half decades ago) who is trying to revitalize his career through a new Broadway play in which he is the lead.
This is without a doubt one the best films of 2014 and has some of the greatest performances you will see from that year as well. Along with Keaton, there is Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Zach Galafianakis and others who contribute masterfully in their own parts to produce a work of surprising, jaw-dropping wonder.
It is an extremely self-reflexive piece: Keaton who like his character Riggan, hasn’t had a breakthrough role in many years, was the star of Batman in the late 80’s and early 90’s and Riggan’s role as “Birdman” wittily reminds the viewer of this former role and real-life parallel.
The film is also reminds us of certain themes such as the fleeting nature of stardom and fame in contemporary Hollywood. It is about the power of redemption and the fact that it is never too late to turn your life around and make amends to the people in your life who truly should be the most important.
With its extremely long takes (I imagine there were some tricks used to give the illusion that they are actually longer than they really are) the filmmaker produces a feeling of immediacy and buzzing excitement that you don’t see in many films. It also makes use of touches of surrealist fantasy to propel the film into territories that are truly amazing and inspiring.
Few films I have seen in recent years have left me with an ecstatic feeling of giddiness at the end as “Birdman.” It is probably my favorite film from 2014 and I will remember it for a long time.
Boyhood (2014, dir. Richard Linklater)
Richard Linklater's "Boyhood" is a unique film for its concept of allowing its actors to age over the course of a twelve year period. The film captures the actors and the characters they play at various times over these twelve years to bring about an evocative, bittersweet epic on the trials and tribulations of its characters, the transition from childhood to adulthood and essence of life itself.
Ellar Coltrane plays Mason who is 6 years old at the start of the film. By the film's end Coltrane and Mason, his character, is now 18 and has a whole new outlook, new interests and priorities.
Some may criticize "Boyhood" for its lack of plot: it is really a series of vignettes and anecdotes. But, isn't this the way real life is? Does life actually come with a pre-packaged, neatly put-together, and tightly-structured plot? It is the freedom of this film and the way that it unfolds that makes it so compelling and truthful.
Linklater does a masterful job of capturing the flawed, eccentric nature of the way a life unfolds. He has been known for his preoccupation with aging and time with such films as "Dazed and Confused" and the trilogy of "Before Sunrise" films. With "Boyhood" he has taken the theme of the passage of time to a whole new, unprecedented level with a concept that evokes the "Up" documentary series in a fresh, original and fictionalized manner.
When you are finished watching this epic you are left with a sense of having witnessed something truly profound. You are given a glimpse into the life trajectory of a family and given insight into the nature of existence like never before in film history.
Ellar Coltrane plays Mason who is 6 years old at the start of the film. By the film's end Coltrane and Mason, his character, is now 18 and has a whole new outlook, new interests and priorities.
Some may criticize "Boyhood" for its lack of plot: it is really a series of vignettes and anecdotes. But, isn't this the way real life is? Does life actually come with a pre-packaged, neatly put-together, and tightly-structured plot? It is the freedom of this film and the way that it unfolds that makes it so compelling and truthful.
Linklater does a masterful job of capturing the flawed, eccentric nature of the way a life unfolds. He has been known for his preoccupation with aging and time with such films as "Dazed and Confused" and the trilogy of "Before Sunrise" films. With "Boyhood" he has taken the theme of the passage of time to a whole new, unprecedented level with a concept that evokes the "Up" documentary series in a fresh, original and fictionalized manner.
When you are finished watching this epic you are left with a sense of having witnessed something truly profound. You are given a glimpse into the life trajectory of a family and given insight into the nature of existence like never before in film history.
Force Majeure (2014, dir. Ruben Ostlund)
A family of four receives their lunch in an outdoor restaurant overlooking the mountains in a beautiful ski resort. Suddenly there is a loud explosion and an avalanche is happening on the nearby mountain. It is a controlled avalanche, something that frequently happens here as the father explains. But soon it looks as though the cascading snow will engulf them all. The reactions to the crisis by the family members, and the results of these reactions are the focus of Ruben Ostlund's "Force Majeure".
The reaction in question is that of the father, Tomas (Johannes Kuhnke) who seemingly abandons his family in a panic to save his own skin. The avalanche turns out to be a minor thing - though smoke and some snow comes into the restaurant, everyone is OK. But because of Tomas's reaction, his wife and two children are left in a state of anger and dismay. How could he be so selfish and not worry about the welfare of his family?
"Force Majeure" examines how Tomas and his family comes to terms with this decision. The film is an engaging look at how relationships are put in jeopardy and family ties are threatened when one's true colours and cowardice are brought to the fore in an emergency situation. The film really forces the viewer to question his or her own bravery/cowardice when faced with a similar crisis. Tomas's reaction sheds light on the human condition and how the majority of us are out to save our own skin when all is said and done.
The film is sometimes uncomfortable to watch and its mixture of humour with seriousness subtly reinforces a sense of imbalance and uneasiness to its aura.
The cinematography is quite stunning in its various shots of the mountains and resort and the performances are strong. It raises questions as all works of art must and it will leave a strong impression on any viewer.
The reaction in question is that of the father, Tomas (Johannes Kuhnke) who seemingly abandons his family in a panic to save his own skin. The avalanche turns out to be a minor thing - though smoke and some snow comes into the restaurant, everyone is OK. But because of Tomas's reaction, his wife and two children are left in a state of anger and dismay. How could he be so selfish and not worry about the welfare of his family?
"Force Majeure" examines how Tomas and his family comes to terms with this decision. The film is an engaging look at how relationships are put in jeopardy and family ties are threatened when one's true colours and cowardice are brought to the fore in an emergency situation. The film really forces the viewer to question his or her own bravery/cowardice when faced with a similar crisis. Tomas's reaction sheds light on the human condition and how the majority of us are out to save our own skin when all is said and done.
The film is sometimes uncomfortable to watch and its mixture of humour with seriousness subtly reinforces a sense of imbalance and uneasiness to its aura.
The cinematography is quite stunning in its various shots of the mountains and resort and the performances are strong. It raises questions as all works of art must and it will leave a strong impression on any viewer.
Love Is Strange (2014, dir. Ira Sachs)
“Love is Strange” isn’t very strange. It is a fairly conventional drama, in fact. The film is from director Ira Sachs and tells the tale of a newlywed gay couple, Ben (John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina). Soon after their marriage at the beginning of the film, George is fired from his job forcing the couple to sell their apartment. While they look for a new, more affordable place to live they have to move into separate living environments. This new situation has repercussions for all involved, mostly negative.
Whether a film is conventional or not is irrelevant. What matters is the general impression left upon the viewer by the film as a whole. In that regard, this film is successful in making you feel good. There are moments of beauty and truth. It doesn’t come across as phony or trite but succeeds as a bittersweet glimpse into the lives of people in modern Western society. It reflects the struggles we are experiencing today with relationships, finances, mortality and spirituality.
There is one powerful sequence in which George, a music teacher, listens to his young student play a piece of music on the piano. He is dissatisfied with her performance and asks her to replay to piece with more feeling and to make use of the instrument in a more harmonious way. The music is accompanied by a series of shots reflecting the mood of the piece in a lyrical way. It is sequences like this that propel the film into another place and add something to its overall quality, making it a little more special and meaningful to the viewer.
There is nothing earth-shattering about “Love is Strange.” It is fairly conventional and won’t be remembered as one of the seminal films of 2014. But, it is well-told, with interesting characters, and moments that may surprise you.
Whether a film is conventional or not is irrelevant. What matters is the general impression left upon the viewer by the film as a whole. In that regard, this film is successful in making you feel good. There are moments of beauty and truth. It doesn’t come across as phony or trite but succeeds as a bittersweet glimpse into the lives of people in modern Western society. It reflects the struggles we are experiencing today with relationships, finances, mortality and spirituality.
There is one powerful sequence in which George, a music teacher, listens to his young student play a piece of music on the piano. He is dissatisfied with her performance and asks her to replay to piece with more feeling and to make use of the instrument in a more harmonious way. The music is accompanied by a series of shots reflecting the mood of the piece in a lyrical way. It is sequences like this that propel the film into another place and add something to its overall quality, making it a little more special and meaningful to the viewer.
There is nothing earth-shattering about “Love is Strange.” It is fairly conventional and won’t be remembered as one of the seminal films of 2014. But, it is well-told, with interesting characters, and moments that may surprise you.
American Sniper (2014, dir. Clint Eastwood)
Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) was a deadly sniper, serving in four tours of the Middle East where he racked up nearly 200 kills with his razor sharp accuracy. “American Sniper” tells the tale of the heavy psychological load Kyle had to carry in the aftermath of his service and how it affected him and those he loved.
In the video game generation we’re currently experiencing where gamers are able to cathartically live in the mind’s eye of first-person shooters, many of us may have become de-sensitized to the reality of taking the life of another human being. In Clint Eastwood’s latest war film, we learn about the toll that the reality takes on those who put their lives on the line and are thrust into the role of a killing machine.
Eastwood expertly draws a portrait of what it is like to experience the role that Kyle takes on. Like him, the viewer is given the opportunity to witness each death and the ramifications of each. The viewer is given a real sense of the colossal death toll that Kyle is constantly expanding. We are left with a real-time Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from simply watching this movie. Unlike the video gamers, we are not de-sensitized and neither is Chris Kyle. The weight of each kill is forever stacked one on top of another until we are left breathless by the end. The war scenes in “American Sniper” are exciting, spellbinding and will leave the viewer riveted to the screen.
The viewer is given a rest in the home scenes where Kyle tries to live with his family. We witness his distraction, anxiety and frustration at having to live with his status of hero for killing so many people. He struggles to be there emotionally for his wife and children and Cooper does a masterful job of conveying his distress.
This is one of Eastwood’s best and is a paramount testimony to the sacrifices, painful decisions and trauma experienced by soldiers in any war.
In the video game generation we’re currently experiencing where gamers are able to cathartically live in the mind’s eye of first-person shooters, many of us may have become de-sensitized to the reality of taking the life of another human being. In Clint Eastwood’s latest war film, we learn about the toll that the reality takes on those who put their lives on the line and are thrust into the role of a killing machine.
Eastwood expertly draws a portrait of what it is like to experience the role that Kyle takes on. Like him, the viewer is given the opportunity to witness each death and the ramifications of each. The viewer is given a real sense of the colossal death toll that Kyle is constantly expanding. We are left with a real-time Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from simply watching this movie. Unlike the video gamers, we are not de-sensitized and neither is Chris Kyle. The weight of each kill is forever stacked one on top of another until we are left breathless by the end. The war scenes in “American Sniper” are exciting, spellbinding and will leave the viewer riveted to the screen.
The viewer is given a rest in the home scenes where Kyle tries to live with his family. We witness his distraction, anxiety and frustration at having to live with his status of hero for killing so many people. He struggles to be there emotionally for his wife and children and Cooper does a masterful job of conveying his distress.
This is one of Eastwood’s best and is a paramount testimony to the sacrifices, painful decisions and trauma experienced by soldiers in any war.
The Imitation Game (2014, dir. Morten Tyldum)
Benedict Cumberbatch continues to prove he is one of the most versatile, engaging performers in recent times in Morten Tyldum’s “The Imitation Game.” Cumberbatch plays Alan Turing, a brilliant but eccentric mathematician who is hired by the British government to decrypt the enigmatic code of German war communications during World War Two. Turing and his team of code-breakers are in a race against time as the death toll continues to climb on the battle front.
Turing is a complex character: he is a loner, a homosexual, stubborn, rebellious, and pompous at times. I can’t imagine anyone playing the part better than Cumberbatch. This is why he was nominated for an Oscar for this role. The whole cast is effective including Keira Knightley. Turing’s unique mindset compels him to go against the dictates of the crowd and his fellow code-breakers: he constructs a massive contraption he calls “Christopher”, really the first computer, and struggles to get it working in attempts to break the elusive German communication codes.
The film also does interesting things narratively in the portrayal of past, present, and future events. It effectively iterates the various timelines in a manner that is never confusing and orientates the viewer efficiently within the fabric of the narrative.
The period detail is masterful and compelling and the direction is excellent as well. It is one of the most exciting, enjoyable films you will see from 2014.
Turing is a complex character: he is a loner, a homosexual, stubborn, rebellious, and pompous at times. I can’t imagine anyone playing the part better than Cumberbatch. This is why he was nominated for an Oscar for this role. The whole cast is effective including Keira Knightley. Turing’s unique mindset compels him to go against the dictates of the crowd and his fellow code-breakers: he constructs a massive contraption he calls “Christopher”, really the first computer, and struggles to get it working in attempts to break the elusive German communication codes.
The film also does interesting things narratively in the portrayal of past, present, and future events. It effectively iterates the various timelines in a manner that is never confusing and orientates the viewer efficiently within the fabric of the narrative.
The period detail is masterful and compelling and the direction is excellent as well. It is one of the most exciting, enjoyable films you will see from 2014.
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014, dir. Peter Jackson)
The highly-anticipated final instalment in Peter Jackson's "Hobbit" trilogy has arrived and it is an exciting, visually-appealing conclusion to the series. It features all the usual Jacksonian signatures that we have become familiar with in the first two Hobbit films as well as "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy: stunning CGI, pulse-pounding, epic battle scenes and a cast of characters that are well-drawn, amusing, fierce, surprising and droll.
The big battle of the title takes up a large chunk of the film and Jackson manages to conceive of J. R. R. Tolkien's novel in appropriate, tactful and imaginative ways. Mind you, there are many liberties taken by the Hobbit series and this instalment is no exception. There are some characters and different plot points that deviate from Tolkien's story but Jackson is able to present these differences in interesting and believable ways. Still, the die-hard fans of Tolkien's books may be dismayed at the liberties taken but you obviously can't please everyone and, in my mind, most viewers will be satisfied by the finished product.
That all being said, I didn't find myself as thoroughly immersed in this chapter as I was in the previous two. Perhaps, I was expecting more from the epic finale. But it still packs a visual and emotional wallop and cast a spell on this viewer. The overall epic grandeur of the film gains resonance from the cumulative power of the previous films as well as the LOTR trilogy.
The big battle of the title takes up a large chunk of the film and Jackson manages to conceive of J. R. R. Tolkien's novel in appropriate, tactful and imaginative ways. Mind you, there are many liberties taken by the Hobbit series and this instalment is no exception. There are some characters and different plot points that deviate from Tolkien's story but Jackson is able to present these differences in interesting and believable ways. Still, the die-hard fans of Tolkien's books may be dismayed at the liberties taken but you obviously can't please everyone and, in my mind, most viewers will be satisfied by the finished product.
That all being said, I didn't find myself as thoroughly immersed in this chapter as I was in the previous two. Perhaps, I was expecting more from the epic finale. But it still packs a visual and emotional wallop and cast a spell on this viewer. The overall epic grandeur of the film gains resonance from the cumulative power of the previous films as well as the LOTR trilogy.
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