Author Archives: Keith Garlington

REVIEW: “Dream House” (2012)

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Don’t you hate it when you buy a new house only to find out it was the scene of some grisly murders? Such is the case with Jim Sheridan’s schizophrenic psychological thriller “Dream House” – well, kinda. This is a movie featuring loads of talent and at its core a familiar but fairly interesting story. But it’s also a movie plagued with amateurish writing and an off-the-rails ending that undermines everything the movie tries to do.

The film starts with the standard yet pretty interesting haunted house treatment. Will (Daniel Craig) has quit his job as a successful editor to spend more time with his wife Libby (Rachel Weisz) and his two daughters in their new suburban home. As always things seem lovely at first. But through several discoveries they find out that five years earlier some horrible murders had taking place in their home. Their weird-acting neighbors and the uncooperative Police Department sends Will on an investigation of his own.

It’s here that the movie offers a big twist, and then another twist, and then another twist. Now I’ve always appreciated when a movie tries to shake things up. But here it’s done in a hamfisted and clunky way. The first big reveal does offer promise although it doesn’t necessarily take things in a better direction. From there the story launches into several different directions mimicking everything from “Shutter Island” to “The Shining”. This wouldn’t be a problem except everything feels fractured and manufactured and the constant shifts in tone are jarring. It just keeps throwing things at you right up to its ludicrous and off-the-wall ending. I mean the finale is so poorly conceived, so under developed, and utterly preposterous.

A lot of what does work can be contributed to the committed performances from Craig and Weisz. While the material is all over the place the two do inject some energy and spark into the script and I enjoyed them on screen. On the flip side, the usually good Naomi Watts seems bored playing a neighbor who knows more than she’s letting on. And then you have an equally flat performance from Marton Csokas as her jerk ex-husband. He ends up having a fairly important role in the movie but he’s without a doubt the worst written character in the entire film.

“Dream House” is ambitious and it starts on a pretty good note. But all of its ambition ends up being its undoing. Yet while critics have universally panned it, there are certainly worse thrillers out there. In fact, “Dream House” is a very watchable movie and it’s easy to digest. But it’s also an easy movie to forget and unfortunately it’s plagued with too many faults to forgive. And the biggest bummer is that all of this great talent simply goes to waste.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

REVIEW: “Lincoln”

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Stephen Spielberg’s “Lincoln” was one of my most anticipated films of 2012. From the early information surrounding the picture, there were so many things that grabbed my attention and peaked my interest. Of those things, nothing intrigued me more than the thought of Daniel Day-Lewis taking on the role of one of the most beloved presidents in American history. I stand by my belief that Day-Lewis is the greatest working actor in cinema today. Therefore the very thought of him submerging himself in this incredible character really excited me. I am also a sucker for well crafted period pieces and nobody does them better than Spielberg. But I’ve been a little skeptical of the director’s more recent work which gave me reason to be cautious. Well now I’ve seen this 2 1/2 hour dialogue-driven epic and let me say it’s nothing short of spectacular.

This is a very talky and very political movie that follows the final four months of Abraham Lincoln’s life. It particularly focuses on his fight to pass the 13th Amendment which would abolish slavery. Instead of incorporating mammoth sized historical set pieces, Spielberg looks at the man and the people who surrounded him during this tumultuous time in our nation’s history. The characters and the drama unfolds through the incredibly crisp script that sucks you in from the first moment. Now a movie like this has potential to trip over itself by doing too much. But I found that the grounded approach to the storytelling and the more character-driven narrative worked extremely well, and I was enthralled from beginning to end.

While this isn’t a movie dependent on flashy visuals, Spielberg still gives a lot of attention to details. He also goes to great lengths to make this the most vivid portrayal of the 16th president ever to be put on film. He gives us more than just the iconic image that we see carved in marble at the Lincoln Memorial. This is a deeper look at a man struggling under the burden of the Civil War. Lincoln is shown to be a flawed man who has a good heart, but is not without problems of his own both politically and personally. We see him use shady political tactics in an effort to secure the votes to pass the amendment. We also see him make questionable decisions related to the war that carry serious consequences. Then there are family issues between him and his wife Mary (wonderfully played by Sally Field) and his oldest son Robert (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). These bits do a great deal to humanize this intriguing figure.

Spielberg also puts a tremendous amount of effort into creating the historical context of the film. The wranglings between Lincoln, his cabinet, and the House of Representatives give life to the political tensions of the time. And while the Civil War isn’t the main focus of the picture, the effects of it, the desires for peace, and the uncertainty that will follow are all interwoven throughout the narrative. The tensions of the war are simmering under the surface, and the turmoil it has brought weighs heavy on everyone involved. All of these things feel genuine, and there is a legitimate historical weight to the story. But I did think Spielberg oversimplified the South, their motivations, and positions. That said, no movie has ever depicted the life of Lincoln and the political environment of our war-torn country better than Spielberg. It’s an amazing accomplishment.

Speaking of accomplishments, I have to talk more about Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance. Let me just say that the Best Actor Oscar may have been decided with the release of “Lincoln”. Day-Lewis is phenomenal. He is an actor known for his intense research and for his ability to get lost in his characters. Here he gives us a stand-out portrayal of Lincoln filled with detailed uniquenesses from his higher pitched voice to his physical postures and mannerisms. You quickly find yourself immersed in the character, and you feel as though you’re really watching Abraham Lincoln on screen. It’s a master class in acting.

And then there’s the marvelous supporting cast around him. I’ve already mentioned Sally Field and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. We also get Tommy Lee Jones in a somewhat stilted role but a fantastic one nonetheless. There are also some great performances from Hal Holbrook, David Strathairn, Jackie Earle Haley, Jared Harris, John Hawkes, Lee Pace, and Gloria Reuben. Even better, Spielberg gives each character their own moment to shine regardless of how small of a role they may have. But the entire film revolves around the performance of Day-Lewis and he lives up to expectations.

“Lincoln” may not be what everyone is expecting, but I found it to be mesmerizing cinema. There are a couple of historical shortcuts and a couple of unnecessary moments of Spielberg being Spielberg. But overall this is a phenomenal historical drama anchored by yet another stunning turn by Daniel Day-Lewis. You simply can’t take your eyes off of him. This is an amazing look at an iconic president. It doesn’t worship him but it doesn’t diminish him either. Instead we get a poignant and moving portrait of a man who led our country through its most difficult time. It’s a movie that I won’t soon forget, and also one of the more Oscar worthy films of 2012.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

“Snow White and the Huntsman” – 4 STARS

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Call me a sucker for fantasy pictures, but I really enjoyed “Snow White and the Huntsman”. In fact, I would go as far as to call this movie one of the biggest surprises of the year. In cinematic terms, this darker retelling of the classic Snow White fairy tale is pure fantasy through and through. We get trolls, dwarves, fairies, and magic but there is nothing lighthearted about it. Unlike the other Snow White movie of 2012 “Mirror Mirror”, “Snow White and the Huntsman” aims for a broader audience by creating a dark and often times creepy fantasy world that doesn’t shy away from cool horror elements and death. In the end, it was an effective approach that completely caught me by surprise.

One of my main concerns about the movie centered around Kristen Stewart in the lead role. After seeing her previous work I was never convinced she was a good actress. “Snow White and the Huntsman” does nothing to change that. But the writers seem aware of that and the script cleverly limits what Stewart is required to do. Much of her story unfolds through the words of other characters so Stewart isn’t asked to do much. It was a smart approach and I can’t help but think the movie benefits from it. For the most part Stewart is a good Snow White. She runs, rides horses, and innocently looks in wonder at the new world around her. It’s only when Stewart is asked to rouse the crowds in the third act that you’re reminded of her past work.

The movie takes the key ingredients from the popular fairy tale and mixes them with several unique twists. As a child Snow White witnesses the murder of her father the king at the hands of her wicked stepmother Ravenna (Chalize Theron). Queen Ravenna takes over the entire kingdom and throws Snow White into a tower prison cell. Ravenna is dependent on dark magic for her power thanks to a spell cast on her by her wicked mother. She maintains that power by draining the lifeforce of the young girls from the nearby villages. Years pass and Snow White has grown up yet is still confined to the tower. Queen Ravenna learns from her magic mirror that Snow White is destined to topple her so she figures it’s time to suck the life right out of her competition. Snow White escapes into a dark and marshy forest where the Queen’s powers can’t reach. The queen bribes a drunken widower (Chris Hemsworth) who has survived the forest to lead her forces in order to capture the princess.

While Hemsworth seems to be falling into the same type roles for each of his films, I still really like him. Once again he plays the tough and rugged sort and once again he’s very good. It’s a pretty simple role that fits the fantasy character model well. He has a decent chemistry with Stewart which is helped by the fact that the script doesn’t force anything on their character’s relationships. And what is Snow White without dwarves, right? Several fantastic actors played the dwarves, or at least had their faces placed on different, smaller bodies. It’s a remarkable bit of animation. Ian McShane, Ray Winstone, Bob Hoskins, and Toby Jones are a blast to watch in the roles. But it’s Theron who steals the show as the wicked queen. She sells each calculated expression and devious grin and she opens up a fairly layered character. Theron has a lot of fun and it shows.

Another standout component to the movie’s success are the wonderful special effects and cinematography. The fantasy environments are well done and often times stunning. There are several cool creatures, beautiful landscapes, and some really slick magical effects. As alluded to, “Snow White and the Huntsman” isn’t necessarily a kid’s movie and some of the effects attest to that. Maybe that’s one reason it worked so well for me. It helps make the movie more closely resemble “Lord of the Rings” than the Brothers Grimm classic fairy tale. And as a fantasy fan, that’s a really good ingredient to this incredibly surprising movie.

THE THROWDOWN – 3D vs. IMAX

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Wednesday is Throwdown day at Keith & the Movies. It’s when we take two movie subjects, pit them against each other, and see who’s left standing. Each Wednesday we’ll look at actors, actresses, movies, genres, scenes, and more. I’ll make a case for each and then see how they stand up one-on-one. And it’s not just my opinion that counts. I’ll share my take and then open up the polls to you. Visit each week for a new Throwdown. Vote each week to decide the true winner!

Filmmakers and studios have employed all sorts of methods to try to enhance the moviegoing experiences of their audiences. Some of these techniques and innovations have been successful in making a visit to the cinema even more enjoyable. But some attempts at creating a better experience hasn’t worked all that well. Right now two of the biggest enhancements are IMAX and 3D. Both will make a bigger dent in your wallet but both can be loads of fun when executed well. So for this week’s Throwdown you get to decide which offers you the better moviegoing experience. Is it IMAX or is it 3D. As always you vote, you decide, and the winner takes all.

3D vs. IMAX

Whether you like it or whether you don’t, you have to admit that 3D technology has come a long way. Years ago it found its way into the movie theaters with pretty mixed results. The technology has seen several incantations over the years but it seems to have finally figured things out. The first movie to open my eyes to the technology’s possibilities was James Cameron’s blockbuster “Avatar”. Narratively speaking I thought “Avatar” was an overrated mess, technically it was an amazing accomplishment. Since then many movies have tapped into (or should I say cashed into) the 3D craze. Unfortunately subpar results have outweighed good ones. Studios have taken to tacking on 3D in post production instead of shooting their films with 3D in mind. The results have been lackluster at best. On the flipside there have been some films that have used 3D to create a truly satisfying visual experience. Movies like “Hugo” and “Prometheus” are actually made better by the technology in the hands of their capable directors. I still find myself skeptical, but for me, a few good results are enough to keep me curious about what’s to come.

I’ve now seen several movies on the IMAX screen and it’s hard not to be impressed. The sheer size of the screen is enough to excite you, but then considering that most IMAX theaters feature state-of-the-art sound, the overall experience itself is simply fantastic. Many quality filmmakers have played with IMAX and the results have been for the most part great. But the one film that I always go back to when thinking about the strengths of IMAX is Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight”. Nolan is a big proponent of IMAX technology and sequences of “The Dark Knight” were shot in IMAX. He went even further this year with “The Dark Knight Rises”. IMAX screens now use 3D technology to create their own unique experiences. But to me you can’t beat a movie shot in IMAX for IMAX. This is a technology that’s been around for a long time, but we are now seeing more great filmmakers using it to create the ultimate cinematic experience.

So which is tops when it comes to your experience at the theater. Does 3-D or IMAX tickle your fancy more? Which do you think has proven itself? Which offers more for the future? Most importantly what makes your movie watching better? Your votes decide. Vote now!

“SKYFALL” – 4.5 STARS

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Skyfall” may be the best James Bond movie ever. Better yet, Daniel Craig may be the best James Bond ever. Now before the Bond diehards come at me with torches and pitchforks let me make something abundantly clear. I am not the biggest Bond guy. I haven’t seen even half of the Bond movies. So I certainly don’t consider myself a Bond expert. In fact I may not even qualify as a true Bond fan by some. I’m not well versed on Bond lore, the Bond girls, or the history that has surrounded this universally loved character for the last 50 years. So I don’t live under the false assumption that I’m an expert when it comes to the James Bond franchise. But I like to think that I know a good movie when I see one and “Skyfall” is a very good movie.

My Bond apathy changed in 2006 with the release of “Casino Royal”. It introduced a grittier, more grounded Bond in the form of Daniel Craig. He wasn’t as prim and polished and a sense of reality was brought to the character that I had never seen before. It was also a fantastic movie that I thoroughly enjoy. The Bond appeal grew for me in 2008 with the lesser but equally entertaining “Quantum of Solace”. And now he’s back with “Skyfall”, a 007 film that’s every bit as good as “Casino Royale” and for my money even a bit better. Sam Mendes directs the film, the 23rd installment of the franchise. Mendes tips his hat to several of the previous 007 films and has fun with many things that Bond fans should love. But he also maintains the emotional edge to Bond that has made Daniel Craig’s run so effective for me.

The film starts with a jaw-dropping opening chase sequence that uses cars, motorcycles, trains, and cranes. It moves through market streets, on rooftops, through tunnels, and finally on a huge bridge where Bond is inadvertently shot off of a speeding train by a fellow agent at M’s command. Believed dead, Bond goes off the grid and submerges himself in a life of anonymity and alcohol. Now the movie never gives a satisfying reason as to why Bond became a closed off boozer. We get a few hints of it later but it seemed pretty drastic and off-the-wall. But we wouldn’t have a Bond movie if 007 wasn’t spoiling evil plots with his well-pressed suits and assorted gadgetry. He makes his return after MI6 is devastated by terrorist attack with M seeming to be the main target. Judi Dench returns to the role that she first played in 1995’s “GoldenEye”. This time she’s not only a terrorist’s target but she’s facing heavy political pressure concerning her handling of MI6. As with each of her other performances in the series, Dench is marvelous and here we get to see a different side of her and her relationship to 007.

The big baddie this time is none other than Javier Bardem. He plays Raoul Silva, a psycho former MI6 agent with a rather large grudge against M. Bardem is deliciously villainous and once he makes his appearance the movie’s intensity amps up. Unfortunately he doesn’t show up until well into the film. Now that’s not a knock on the first part of the movie. But I wanted more of Bardem and I couldn’t help but feel that they could have built up the character and his motivations more in the early parts of the movie. Some of the movie’s best moments feature Bardem. There is a tense first meeting between Bond and Silva that you can’t take your eyes off of. There’s also a fantastic “Silence of the Lambs” styled exchange between Silva and M that sets the table for what’s to come later in the movie. It’s one of my favorite exchanges in cinema this year.

Another new addition to the cast is Ralph Fiennes. He places an ex-military man and current government intelligence official who regulates MI6. Fiennes is rock solid, as you would expect. Albert Finney also has a fun role as an old family friend of Bond’s and Ben Whishaw steals several scenes as Q, the gadget granting quartermaster. All the performances are good and this is probably the best overall cast in a Bond movie yet. They are helped by a crisp, intelligent, and perfectly paced script that pulls absolutely everything out of these characters. And the screenplay knows how to be respectful of the franchise while also having fun with it as well. There are several good laughs but for the most part this is the same serious, no-nonsense Bond that we got in the last two films and I’m thankful for that.

There are several other things that worked incredibly well that I could mention, most notably Roger Deakins brilliant camera work, the wonderful editing by Stuart and Kate Baird, and Thomas Newman’s perfect score. But not everything worked that well. The Bond girls have become almost as popular as 007 himself. But with the exception of the unconventional M, these Bond girls are bland and for the most part forgettable. Now Naomie Harris is fine as a fellow MI6 field agent who holds her own with 007. She has some really good scenes when working in the field, but she also has a couple of almost obligatory flirt scenes with Bond that didn’t work as well for me. Then you have Bérénice Marlohe who certainly looks the part but disappears almost as soon as she arrives. Also, I know Bond is a ladies man. But there are a couple of scenes featuring out-of-the-blue “romance” that are thrown in just because its expected from the character. Never mind that they clash with the tone and pacing of the story. Both are scenes that were poorly conceived and I could have done without them.

While these few flaws may keep “Skyfall” from being a perfect movie, they don’t stop it from being great movie. More importantly, the Daniel Craig era of 007 movies has won me over to the point that I’m anxiously awaiting the next installment. There has been a lot of internet buzz lately over who may be the next 007. But for my money Craig has earned the position for as long as he’s willing to take it. And as long as the studio is willing to surround him with a fine supporting cast, intelligent writers, and sharp directors, the possibilities are endless for this iconic character. One thing is for certain, I’m now officially a Bond fan and “Skyfall” only cemented that. Bring on oo7 #24!

5 Phenomenal Movie Redemptions

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Everyone loves a good story of redemption and the movies have given us plenty of them. Through almost every film genre you can find stories involving characters who redeem themselves in a wide variety of ways. That’s what this list is all about. I’m listing five of my favorite movie character redemptions. Now since this list is dealing with redemption, there will be a few spoilers. Now anyone who loves movies know that there are a countless number of choices so it would be insane to call this the definitive list. But there is no doubting that these five movie redemptions are absolutely phenomenal.

#5 – BEN WADE – “3:10 to Yuma”

I really appreciated the 1957 film “3:10 to Yuma”. But I loved the 2007 remake even more and one reason is because of Russell Crowe’s great performance as Ben Wade, an outlaw and killer who has been captured by the authorities. He’s being escorted to the train station in Contention where he will be put on the 3:10 train to Yuma prison. The problem is his gang is there waiting and only a poor rancher named Dan (Christian Bale) and his son are willing to take him to the station. We get hints to Wade’s inner conflict especially as he grows closer to Dan and his struggles. And in the end when his gang comes bearing down with guns blazing, it’s Wade who stands up and in his own way puts an end to things. Crowe is fantastic and Ben Wade’s redemption is one reason this underappreciated movie works so well.

#4 – EBENEZER SCROOGE – “Scrooge”

Everybody knows the story of Ebenezer Scrooge from Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol”. There have been many versions of this Christmas classic but my personal favorite is the 1970 British film simply titled “Scrooge”. In it the great Albert Finney plays the cantankerous old miser who is visited by three ghosts who wake him up to the joy of Christmas and more importantly life. Scrooge is a mean old cuss who hordes his money, scares little children, bullies his one employee, and hurts the poor and needy through his greed. But the ghosts do their job and Scrooge’s life is forever changed. He stuns the town on Christmas morning buying toys, tearing up debts, donating to the poor, and especially blessing the family of his employee Bob Cratchit. It’s a unique story of redemption but a wonderful one nonetheless. Finney is superb and even though I’m not a fan of musicals, this one works perfectly.

#3 – BOROMIR – “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”

While far from the main character, Boromir from the first film in Peter Jackson’s epic “Lord of the Rings” trilogy is a key character. I loved Boromir and a lot of that had to do with Sean Bean’s great performance. From the early moments of Boromir, we are immediately suspicious of him. The way he eyes the ring at the center of the fellowship’s quest and his questions about its destiny show a weakness that the ring can exploit. The seduction of the ring proves too powerful and once alone with Frodo he tries to take the ring for himself. Frodo escapes and Boromir realizes what he has done but it’s too late. The army of orcs and Urak-Hai arrive. In an effort to save Merry and Pippin, Boromir draws the attention to himself and does everything in his power to save the Hobbits. He loses his life in the struggle but not before sharing one of the most emotional scenes in the entire trilogy with Aragorn. Boromir gets a bad wrap. He was consumed by the ring but gave his life to correct his mistake. It’s a great, great moment in the series.

#2 – OSKAR SCHINDLER – “Schindler’s List”

Throughout the first half of Steven Spielberg’s gripping classic “Schindler’s List”, Oskar Schindler is all about making money and being successful. He’s exploiting the war through his shady business tactics and kissing up to the Nazi’s who are occupying Poland. He buys a factory and hires Jewish workers because they are cheaper and things are going well. But Schindler comes face to face with the brutal horror of the Nazi’s and their death camps. It’s here that he makes the decision to use his acquired status to try to help as many of the Jewish people as he can. Schindler’s transformation is a key part of the story and we watch him turn from a despicable opportunist to a true hero of the Jewish people. Schindler’s plans don’t work out perfectly and he never shakes the poor decisions of his past, but his work to save the Jews is powerful and he’s a wonderful picture of redemption.

#1 – DARTH VADER/ANAKIN SKYWALKER – The “Star Wars” series

We all know “Star Wars” and its even more in the news with Disney’s recent aquasition of the property. It’s a series filled with fantastic worlds, cool space ships, wild alien races, and plenty of iconic characters and scenes. But at its core, the “Star Wars” series is really the story of Anakin Skywalker (a.k.a. Darth Vader) and his story of redemption. Counting the three prequel films, we follow Anakin from his life as a young slave boy to his rise of power as Darth Vader, second in command of the Galactic Empire. But in episodes 5 and 6 we begin to see internal struggles within him mainly brought on by the reconnection with his son Luke. All of this comes to a head when Luke is about to die at the hands of the Emperor, Vader’s superior. Feeling the good in him once again, Vader sacrifices himself to kill the Emperor, save his son, and in turn save the galaxy. It’s a story than spans six pictures but when put together it’s redemption at its finest.

So, there you have them my young padawans – 5 Phenomenal Movie Redemptions. I know of several others that could have made this list. How about you? What do you say is the greatest movie redemption?