Author Archives: Keith Garlington

REVIEW: “Interstellar” (2014)

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While some people may not love his movies, even they would have to admit that Christopher Nolan is a cinematic artist who has given us a number of movies known for their artistry and uniqueness. Personally I find myself smitten with every feature he brings to the screen. Nolan creates experiences. Through breathtaking visuals and challenging narratives, he takes his audiences places that must be navigating by the senses AND the intellect. I think he is a brilliant filmmaker, but even the greats sometimes miss the mark. There have been a lot of mixed opinions about Nolan’s latest work “Interstellar”. Is this his first shoot and miss?

Much of “Interstellar’s” divisiveness is rooted in extremely high expectations and/or the audiences’ willingness to not just quickly consume the film’s themes but to chew and meditate on them. It’s a film rich with ideas and questions, some of which are only barely touched on but which are still relevant and worth our attention. “Interstellar” is also soaked in science, not in the arrogant or haughty sense, but in a way that convincingly melds science fiction and reputable theory. It’s also ripe with emotion, something that I never expected going into it. In other words it’s a movie with a number of different components but none of which conflict thanks the masterful control Nolan has of his material.

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I firmly believe that the less you know about “Interstellar” going in the better. But to offer a little about its story, Matthew McConaughey plays a widowed ex-NASA pilot named Cooper who now runs a farm with his father-in-law, teenaged son, and 10-year-old daughter. It’s the future and times are hard for the human race. A devastating blight has ravaged crops and able farmers have become more valuable than pilots or engineers. Government programs like NASA and the military have been abandoned and the focus put on the urgent need of food. In reality Earth’s plight is incurable and Cooper is recruited by an old acquaintance Professor Brand (Michael Caine) to head a space expedition to find a habitable planet. But it would require Cooper to leave what he holds dearest in order to potentially save it.

Nolan takes his time developing his scenarios and his characters. It starts with McConaughey and his fabulous performance. His weather-worn face and calloused hands puts him right at home on the dustbowl that Earth has become. McConaughey has a natural and magnetic presence that helps him sell every scene he’s in. It may be a poignant scene with his young daughter Murphy (remarkably played by Mackenzie Foy) or a vigorous debate with a room of physicists. I connected with his character early on and stayed invested until the end.

There is also a host of fantastic supporting work. Anne Hathaway is great as Professor Brand’s daughter and fellow scientist. I also enjoyed David Gyasi as a physicist who joins the expedition. And later on Jessica Chastain appears and gives a performance that grounds and emotionally energizes the second half of the film. Once again she is fabulous. Other castings that I really liked included John Lithgow, Casey Affleck, David Oyelowo, and Ellen Burstyn. Only one performance stuck out like a sore thumb. Neither Topher Grace nor his character ever quite fit.

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But just having a great cast isn’t good enough. There has to be good material for them to work with and Christopher Nolan, along with his brother Jonathan, provide it. Their script pulls influence everywhere from “2001: A Space Odyssey” to “Alien”. From “Metropolis” to “Wall-E”. Yet despite that “Interstellar” is uniquely Nolan’s. Like many of his films it is cinematic brain food. It challenges us on a personal level by looking at our decisions and their consequences. It looks at self-sacrifice and the costs that some pay. It also challenges us on a philosophical level. What is our purpose of being? What is our place in the world?

And as I mentioned earlier there is a lot of science. This leaks into one of the complaints I’ve read in several places. Many count the film’s numerous science-laced conversations as a flaw. Some have seen them as nothing more than convoluted exposition. I couldn’t disagree more. Exposition is filling in gaps with back story or explanation and there is certainly some of that. But so many of the conversations center around the peril the characters are in and ways to handle it. They are dealing with unknowns, not providing filler. And of course I didn’t understand all of the talk about quantum physics, relativity, singularities, etc., but I believed it because the characters believed it and were passionate in their conversations about it. I bought into them so their knowledge was all I needed.

And then there is the emotional component of it. Surprisingly “Interstellar” is a film so full of emotion and some have had a hard time connecting with it. That’s a shame because emotion is the centerpiece of the film. At the core of “Interstellar” lies the one human force that transcends time and space. This is a movie about love. And it actually dares to be unashamedly sentimental, something else that many have viewed as a flaw. Again, I couldn’t disagree more. That’s because none of the heavy emotional scenes (all connected to the central theme of love) feel false or fabricated. In fact on several occasions I found myself deeply effected and more than once I was wiping tears from my cheeks. To add some perspective, that is very rare for me. But that’s not the only human side we see. Selfishness, cowardice, and deception all show their heads. Some at odds with love. Others born out of a twisted form of love.

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It should go without saying that “Interstellar” looks and sounds amazing. Whether it’s the dry, abrasive, decaying Earth ushering in mankind’s extinction or space and its beautiful palette of stars, planets, clusters, and wormholes, the film offers a number of stunning effects and visual treats. It’s never as spectacular as last year’s “Gravity” but it’s equally impressive. There is a style employed that reminded me of real archived footage. It made many of the sequences all the more immersive. I also loved the use of sound from the space ambiance to Hans Zimmer’s precise score. “Interstellar” is a technical delight.

So why is “Interstellar” a divisive film? I can see a few areas where some may struggle with it. Some may find it too talky. Some may find it to confusing. Some may find it too sentimental. I respect those criticisms yet disagree with each of them. “Interstellar” is a space opera that is inspired by many films but it lays its own course. It’s a contemplative adventure and an emotional exploration that captivated me from its opening moments. More than that, it is one of the deepest and most moving experiences I’ve ever had with a film. It challenged me to self-reflect. It asked questions that I’m still tossing around in my head. It entertained me in a way that few movies of the last decade have. Boring, overly sentimental, convoluted? No way. It’s a graceful, stimulating, a beautiful movie that gave me a motion picture experience I won’t soon forget.

VERDICT – 5 STARS

5 STARSs
5STAR K&M

REVIEW: “Key Largo”

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KEY LARGOPOSTER

Bogart and Bacall. Those two names together personified what it once meant to be a Hollywood couple. The two were the talk of the town both for their great chemistry onscreen and their romance off. Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall fell in love on the set of the 1944 Howard Hawks film “To Have and Have Not”. They would go on to make four films together, the final one being 1948’s “Key Largo”.

“Key Largo” was one of Bogie’s six movies to be made under the direction of close friend John Huston. It was also his fifth collaboration with Edward G. Robinson and the first time in their films that Bogart received top billing (although if you look at the placement of their names on the title screen there’s still room for debate). Loosely based on Maxwell Anderson’s 1939 play, “Key Largo” took the form of a brilliant crime drama anchored by a great cast and superb performances. It takes elements from other Bogie films such as “The Petrified Forest” and the aforementioned “To Have and Have Not”. But mainly its just great storytelling and watching Bogart and company work is most pleasing.

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Bogart plays ex-officer Frank McCloud. After recently leaving the military he heads to Key Largo, Florida and the Hotel Largo. It’s ran by an elderly man named James Temple (Lionel Barrymore), the father of a soldier who died while under Frank’s command, and Nora Temple (Bacall), the soldier’s widow. They welcome Frank with open arms anxious to here about their love one’s service and sacrifice. Frank notices the hotel also has a shady group of secretive customers. They turn out to be wanted gangster Johnny Rocco (Robinson) and his gang. Their plan is hidden and their motivations unclear, but soon Frank and the Temples find themselves held captive for the night all while a destructive hurricane passes through.

“Key Largo” builds itself around one great exchange between characters after another. Trapped inside by the threatening weather offers up plenty of great moments. Arguably the best is when Rocco’s alcoholic girlfriend Gaye Dawn (Claire Trevor) is asked to sing a song from her days as a successful performer. Her reward – one drink. It’s said that Trevor was nervous about the scene but was promised plenty of time to rehearse it by Huston. The director then shocked her by calling on her to perform the scene in front of cast and crew with no rehearsal whatsoever. The raw, nervous, and emotional first take is the fabulous scene we see in the movie. Trevor went on to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar and many point to that great scene as a big reason why.

There are numerous other amazing scenes that come to mind. Lionel Barrymore, disabled from arthritis in real life, standing up and taking a swipe at one of the gangsters. Rocco’s fall into fear as the hurricane’s intensity amps up. Rocco giving Frank a gun and an opportunity to rid the world of him but at a price. There are so many of these scenes that pour out of the rich and intelligent screenplay from Richard Brooks.

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The film also shines through the lines of Huston’s camera. While not as crafty with his angles and lighting as in his first film “The Maltese Falcon”, Huston still develops some beautiful and dramatic shots through a variety of cool techniques. “Key Largo” was filmed almost entirely on a Los Angeles set but you would never know it. Huston ably creates a strong sense of place and at no point was I doubting the films setting. And the details – from the perspiration brought by the hot and humid pre-hurricane afternoon to the fury of the storm and the damage it brings, Huston uses details to develop the setting yet never overdoes them. The looks and the sounds of the film are simply superb.

“Key Largo” may not be considered one of Humphrey Bogart’s top-tier movies but its such a great classic film. His slick and cool lead performance is effortless and his chemistry with Bacall is undeniable. Her subtle beauty and stunning screen presence are evident and there is no doubting that she made the movie better. This is a really good Bogart and Bacall vehicle but there’s much more to it than that. “Key Largo” is just a great film and another clear example of the strength of the Golden Age of cinema.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

Ten of the Greatest Beards in the Movies

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FAIL

Who doesn’t love sporting a cool beard? Well, aside from any female readers I may have. Beards have a pretty interesting history when it comes to movies. So for no rational reason other than entertainment value I thought it would be fun just to look at 10 movie beards that have stood out to me. And let me tell you, just sticking with 10 was a chore in itself. Anyway, here we go…

#10 – The Retro 1980 Beard (Tony Mendez – “Argo”)

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Ben Affleck’s Oscar winning “Argo” had a great opening, a great cast, and a great story. But it also features a Ben Affleck beard that hearkens back to the 1980’s. It is a bit jarring when you first see Ben in his mass of facial hair. But it actually fits well in the setting especially when combined with the bushy mop he is also sporting.

#9 – The Overtly Obvious Fake Beard (Everett – “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”)

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We have seen George Clooney in beards on multiple occasions but never in something that looked straight off of Duck Dynasty. Well that is what we get in the Coen Brothers deep south comedy “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”. Trying to hide your identity but also singing on a big public stage isn’t the smartest idea. Luckily Everett and his friends have the worse faux beards you’ll ever see.

#8 – The Sick, Twisted Evil Guy Beard (Calvin Candie – “Django Unchained”)

Calvin Candie

Leo DiCaprio has played a number of roles and many of them featured bits of facial scruff that had me wondering if he could even grow a full beard. Well he shut me up with his pointy bad boy beard in “Django Unchained”. His Calvin Candie is mean to the bone and a thoroughly detestable human being. But that beard he sports is unique even in a film full of bearded brethren.

#7 – The Wise Old Wizard Beard (Gandolf – “The Lord of the Rings”)

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I mean come on, when it comes to memorable movie beards how can you not include Gandolf and his massive mane? The Gray and white beard as sported by Ian McKellen is picture perfect as a wise old sage with a bit of magic on the side. It’s as much a part of the character as is his powers and who would ever want to see a clean cut Gandolf? Nope, not me.

#6 – The Surly Wild West Beard (Rooster Cogburn – “True Grit”)

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When the Coen Brothers decided to remake “True Grit” I thought it was an interesting choice for them. But so many of the components worked well including Jeff Bridges as the surly, cantankerous Rooster Gogburn. His unkept ratty beard actually had many similarities with the character himself. How many times does he scratch his beard during some scenes? It makes sense. I mean who knows when he washed it last?

#5 – The ‘It’s Fur, Not a Beard’ Beard (Scott Howard – “Teen Wolf”)

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When you think back on it “Teen Wolf” was one preposterous movie. But oddly enough and despite something inside of me telling me different, it’s an entertaining flick that feels right at home in the crazy 80’s. The story is obvious – an awkward young teen (Michael J. Fox) turns into a werewolf and becomes the social hit of his school. It starts with facial hair which we all know makes you more popular in school, right? Well for him it didn’t stop there.

#4 – The Blood-Soaked Battlefield Beard (Leonidas – “300”)

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Okay, whether you appreciated “300” or not you have to admit that those were some pretty tough Spartans. There is a violent and bloody artistry to the battle scenes in “300” as this group of outmanned Spartans battle an entire Persian army. But with a tough and powerful leader like Leonidas, armed with his chiseled six-pack abs and jet black warriors beard, even I (minus the six-pack and jet black beard) would run out and die in battle.

#3 – The Suave Euro Beard (Hans Gruber – “Die Hard”)

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In all of movie history I don’t know if you’ll find a more suave and chic main villain than Hans Gruber. He is smart and calculated. He is thorough and precise. He has an appreciate for good food and fine suits. He sports well groomed hair and and an even better groomed beard that screams “in fashion”. It’s impossible not to be impressed with Hans even while he is shooting your boss, blowing up the building, and taking you hostage.

#2 – The Crazed Stranded on a Deserted Island Beard (Chuck Noland – “Cast Away”)

Cast Away

What a metamorphosis! In “Cast Away” Tom Hanks goes from well groomed and clean cut to looking like a wild man raised by a pack of wolves. But lets be honest, it is with good reason. I mean lets see how you would look after being stranded on a remote island for over four years with no razor or shaving cream. Regardless it is a beard that is unforgettable whether it’s because of its craziness or because it’s on Tom Hanks.

#1 – The ‘Because I’m Clint Flipping Eastwood’ Beard – (Blondie – “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”)

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Clint Eastwood is the man. I know that sounds silly, but Clint has been the quintessential movie tough guy for more than four decades. My first exposure to that gravely voice and patented Clint squint came in Sergio Leone’s “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”. The film is Clint Eastwood in a nutshell – tough as nails, quick with his sidearm, wearing a menacing serape, and of course that tough guy beard. He didn’t support it as much after the spaghetti westerns, but this tough guy look is how I first got to know him.

REVIEW: “Ender’s Game”

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Enders game Poster

It would be easy to lump “Ender’s Game” in with the current trend of science-fiction films centered around young people. These movies seem to be popular now and modern Hollywood has shown it will milk popular trends dry. But while “Ender’s Game” has several elements that puts it in this category, it also does somethings that sets it apart. It is a movie with a thinly-veiled message, but it’s also a fun bit of science fiction that doesn’t always feel original but still works as a whole.

Asa Butterfield, who I loved as the wide-eyed title character in Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo”, plays a young prodigy named Andrew “Ender” Wiggin. After months of observation, he is sent to an advanced battle school by Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford). The school is the first step in preparing the kids for war with an alien species known as the Formics. 50 years earlier the Formics attacked Earth but were finally repelled by the heroic and sacrificial acts of a now iconic soldier named Mazer Rackham. The military believes another alien attack is inevitable so they plan to strike before the aliens do.

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The film follows Ender and a number of other kids through various stages of Battle School. You see apparently these video game savvy youth have acquired a better skill set for the video game-like combat of the future. As Ender advances he encounters an assortment of new kids, some of which are characters we’ve seen in movies a hundred times before. For example, there is an adolescent “Top Gun” rivalry that was just too corny to buy into. All of this is going on under the watchful eye of the cold, businesslike Colonel Graff and his counterpoint Major Anderson (Viola Davis) who is more interested in the children’s emotional well-being.

The story builds and builds towards the seemingly inevitable war to come. Ender develops a few close relationships with fellow cadets including an outgoing girl named Petra. She’s played by Hailee Steinfeld, one of my favorite young actresses in Hollywood. Ben Kingsley also pops up in the second half of the film with an interesting role and a face full of tattoos. The performances from all who I’ve mentioned are solid. I’m really impressed with Butterfield and Steinfeld, both of whom know how to handle themselves in front of the camera. Some of the other young actors, not so much.

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While I liked the story of “Ender’s Game” as a whole it does run into a wall about two-thirds of the way through. It begins to feel as if it is repeating itself (with slight advancements of the plot) at certain junctures. I eventually found myself ready to move past Ender’s training and get to the big finale. It certainly does come with some big special effects and a few rather disorienting twists that took a minute or two to soak in. Some interesting ramifications and personal conflicts follow which I thought was a neat way to end the story.

Maybe I shouldn’t say “end the story” because “Ender’s Game” is clearly set up with a franchise in mind. The final scene leaves no doubt about that. I would check out another chapter of this story although I’m not sure how compelling the new direction might be. As for this first installment, it is a fairly satisfying bit of science fiction that walks the tricky line of trying to appeal to youth and adults alike. For the most part it succeeds. It’s not a movie I would rush to see again, but it is a film I can appreciate.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Amador”

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AMADOR POSTERThere’s an intriguing, poignant, and fairly bizarre idea at the center of the 2010 Spanish drama “Amador”. Marcela (Magaly Solier) is a woman struggling to find an ounce of happiness in her life. Her husband Nelson (Pietro Sibille) has promised her the world including owning her own flower shop. But he seems content with running a second-hand flower business out of their tiny apartment. He sends out cheap laborers to get discarded flowers from dumpsters. He then picks out the salvageable ones, prunes them, sprays them with floral air freshener, then sells them on the street. It’s quite a concept but its far from what Marcela wants.

One day Marcela packs her suitcase and leaves a note for Nelson telling him she’s leaving. But while waiting at the bus stop she collapses. It turns out she’s pregnant. Knowing she can’t handle a baby on her own, she heads back home before Nelson arrives. She never tells Nelson her initial plans and even more, she doesn’t tell him she’s pregnant. This gets into one aspect of this movie that drove me crazy. Marcela never tells anyone anything! This leads to several predicaments that could have been avoided with better judgement and better communication.

Things get tougher when the couple’s refrigerator goes out leaving them with no way to refrigerate their flowers. With no money for a new one, Marcela is forced to take on another job as a caregiver for a sick, bedridden elderly man named Amador (Celso Bugallo). She’s hired by Amador’s daughter who seems to see her father as a burden. She leaves a phone number and medication instructions then leaves. Marcela cooks Amador’s meals, gives him his pills, does his laundry, and eventually forms a connection with him, something he grows to appreciate. But Amador’s declining health soon leads to several decisions that carry all sorts of moral implications.

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There are many things that this film does right. Unfortunately there are several stumbling blocks that keeps me from being able to fully embrace it. It’s hard to get into one of my problems without wandering into spoiler territory. I’m not going to do that, but let me just say there are some breaks from logic that were tough for me to get past. There’s a big turning point midway through the movie that effects the rest of the story and adds an interesting dynamic to what we’ve seen so far. But with it comes some head-scratching questions that the film tries to but never adequately deals with. I spent a lot of the second half of the film focusing more on these gaping illogical holes than on the actual story.

Another problem is with the handling of the Marcela character from writer and director Fernando León de Aranoa. She is incredibly passive when it comes to her situations and decision making. It’s another movie example of how a little communication could solve a lot of the problems that come her way. We also spend a lot of time just watching Marcela think, stare, and look concerned. And trust me, I mean A LOT of time and it ends up bogging the movie down a tad. Now I can’t really fault Solier’s performance. She’s very good here. But de Aranoa chooses to keep his camera in her face for long stretches and directs her to be slow and deliberate with almost everything she does. This did eventually slow things down a little too much for me.

If you can wade through the intentional deliberate pacing and forgive a couple of obvious plot holes, there is a lot to like with “Amador”. There’s such a great concept at the heart of this stor. I also think Marcela is a fascinating character and I particularly enjoyed her candid and often times amusing conversations with Amador. With a little better direction and a sharper script it could have been even better.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

REVIEW: “Prisoners”

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Prisoners poster

There isn’t an ounce of Hollywood spectacle or flash in “Prisoners”. Instead Canadian director Denis Villeneuve (in his American movie debut) creates an intense and methodical thriller rooted in an uncomfortable realism. The story is bleak and unsettling and hope, much like the cold wet weather, deteriorates as the movie takes one emotion turn after another. It’s powerful stuff brought together by an impressive and capable director, a phenomenal cast, and a really strong script.

The story revolves around the abduction of two young girls in a working class Pennsylvania town. The parents, Keller and Grace Dover (Hugh Jackman and Maria Bello) and Franklin and Nancy Birch (Terrence Howard and Viola Davis) go through a whirlwind of ever-changing emotions and developments. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a determined yet complex officer with a stellar reputation for solving cases. Paul Dano plays the chief subject who has the mind of a 12-year old. Melissa Leo plays his mother. The story features several misdirections and twists, each effecting these characters in an assortment of different ways.

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You can’t talk about “Prisoners” without focusing on the stellar cast. Jackman gives the performance of his career. He peels back the layers of conflicting emotion and exposes a vulnerability that I’ve never seen from him. He causes you to feel sympathy for the character while also making you shudder at his actions especially when the chief suspect is released for lack of evidence. I also feel this is some of Gyllenhaal’s best work. I’ve always been mixed when it comes to his acting prowess but he’s so good here. Sporting a threatening neck tattoo and slouchy top-buttoned shirt, you always get the feeling he has some baggage he’s struggling with.

There is also a great sense of place throughout the entire film. The rain, snow, and cold weather plays an ever-present role and the locations set things firmly in a blue-collar Northeastern environment. The great cinematographer Roger Deakins gets a ton of credit for that. His camera seems perfectly in tune with the moods of each scene and he gives us several unforgettable shots. It’s his first work since “Skyfall” and he once again shows that he is a true master of his craft.

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“Prisoners” can at times be uncomfortable for a variety of reasons. Of course the child abduction aspect isn’t something anyone is comfortable with. But there is a sly cleverness to how the movie deals with human nature particularly the thirst for revenge. We see how the emotionally compromised can be consumed by their sorrow and resort to terrible things. But is there a time when certain tactics are justified? Are their instances where you would do the same thing? These are interesting questions and the movie lets you decide the answers yourself.

“Prisoners” offers some slick foreboding, crafty twists, and a satisfying ending. An A-list cast masterfully handles the material and the look and tone of the film is just right. The sharp direction works in conjunction with a smart script to create a visceral experience that will stick with you. It does get a tad heavy at times and the running time is a bit long, but it still is one of the better and more intense thrillers of late.

VERDICT – 4 STARS