Compact Film Reviews 21-30

Before David began writing full-fledged film critiques, he crafted brief capsule reviews—here are numbers 21 through 30

 

21. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Adapted from Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novels, this film mines the oeuvres of video games and superhero movies, mixes in post-modern music and pop-culture references, and dashes on several coats of humor and flashy design. Director Edgar Wright gets the best from a good young cast in a fun romp that sometimes hints at deeper things. Astutely observes today’s culture. Enjoyable.

*** (out of *****)

 

 



2010 • 1 Hour, 52 MINUTES
UNIVERSAL PICTURES • BIG TALK FILMS

STARRING
• Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

ALSO STARRING
• Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, Alison Pill, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman

WRITTEN BY
• Michael Bacall & Edgar Wright (Screenplay)
• Bryan Lee O’Malley (Based on the OnI Press graphic novels by)

DIRECTED BY
• Edgar Wright

No 2010 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS

22. True Grit (2010)

This handsome remake of John Wayne’s 1969 film comes with a tight script, fine performances, and stylish direction. Young Hailee Steinfeld shines as a 14-year-old girl out to track down her father’s killer in the 1880’s American West. Truer to the Charles Portis novel, the Coen brothers film is very good, but falls short of greatness by failing to engage the audience emotionally.

***½ (out of *****)










2010 • 1 Hour, 50 MINUTES
Paramount Pictures • Skydance Productions

STARRING
• Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin

ALSO STARRING
• Barry Pepper, Hailee Steinfeld

WRITTEN BY
• Joel & Ethan Coen (Written for the screen)
• Charles Portis (Based on the novel by)

DIRECTED BY
• Joel & Ethan Coen

2010 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS (10)
• Best Picture (Lost to The King’s Speech)
• Best Actor: Jeff Bridges (Lost to Colin Firth for The King’s Speech)
• Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld (Lost to Melissa Leo for The Fighter)
• Best Director: Joel & Ethan Coen (Lost to Tom Hooper for The King’s Speech)
• Best Adapted Screenplay (Lost to The Social Network)
• Best Art Direction (Lost to Alice in Wonderland)
• Best Cinematography (Lost to Inception)
• Best Costume Design (Lost to Alice in Wonderland)
• Best Sound Editing (Lost to Inception)
• Best Sound Mixing (Lost to Inception)

23. Brothers (2009)

Jim Sheridan expertly directs this story of siblings on different paths. Tobey Maguire excels as the heroic soldier, and Jake Gyllenhaal delivers as the jackleg felon. The tale explores the horrors of war and the changes people can make in their lives. Supporters Natalie Portman and Sam Shepard are solid, while ten-year-old Bailee Madison truly impresses.

***⅛ (out of *****)









2009 • 1 Hour, 45 MINUTES
LIONSGATE • Relativity MEDIA, LLC • Sighvatsson Films • Michael De Luca Productions, Inc.

STARRING
• Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman

ALSO STARRING
• Sam Shepard, Clifton Collins Jr., Mare Winningham, Bailee Madison

WRITTEN BY
• David Benioff (Screenplay)
• Anders Thomas Jensen (Based on the screenplay by)
• Susanne Bier and Anders Thomas Jensen (Based on the story by)

DIRECTED BY
• Jim Sheridan

No 2009 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS

24. Unstoppable (2010)

Mostly an on-the-surface action flick, helmed by Tony Scott, and filled with the requisite shaky cameras and quick cuts. The simplistic script doesn’t promise much, and so doesn’t fail. Denzel Washington and Chris Pine are top notch, though, elevating the film through chemistry and star power. Decent, if you don’t expect more than the trailers advertise.

**⅞ (out of *****)









2010 • 1 Hour, 38 MINUTES
Twentieth Century Fox • Prospect Park • Scott Free

STARRING
• Denzel Washington, Chris Pine

ALSO STARRING
• Rosario Dawson

WRITTEN BY
• Mark Bomback

DIRECTED BY
• Tony Scott

2010 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS (1)
• Best Sound Editing (Lost to Inception)

25.  Nell (1994)

This film follows a “wild child” after her stroke-addled mother dies in their remote mountain home. Jodie Foster received a Best Actress nomination for her able turn as Nell, who has had virtually no contact with other people. Unable to enunciate, she is believed mentally ill. Enjoyable, but a simplistic script and middling direction leave the film not emotionally involving.

**¾ (out of *****)







1994 • 1 Hour, 52 MINUTES
Twentieth Century Fox • PolyGram Filmed Entertainment • Egg Pictures

STARRING
• Jodie Foster, Liam Neeson, Natasha Richardson

ALSO STARRING
• Richard Libertini

WRITTEN BY
• William Nicholson and Mark Handley (Screenplay)
• Mark Handley (Based on the play Idioglossia by)

DIRECTED BY
• Michael Apted

1994 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS (1)
• Best Actress: Jodie Foster (Lost to Jessica Lange for Blue Sky)

26. Green Zone (2010)

Paul Greengrass deftly helms what amounts to an action-filled thriller, but Green Zone delivers more than that. It offers an examination of the run up to the current war in Iraq, delving into the genesis of the drumbeat that led the charge. Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear are utterly believable, as are supporting players Brendan Gleeson and Amy Ryan, as well as the numerous U.S. vets portraying soldiers. Khalid Abdalla shines as an Iraqi aiding the Americans, but doing so for the sake of his own country.

***¾ (out of *****)




2010 • 1 Hour, 55 MINUTES
Universal Pictures • StudioCanal • Relativity Media • Working Title Films

STARRING
• Matt Damon

ALSO STARRING
• Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan, Khalid Abdalla, Jason Isaacs

WRITTEN BY
• Brian HELGELAND (Screenplay)
• Rajiv Chandrasekaran (Inspired by the book Imperial Life in the Emerald City by)

DIRECTED BY
• Paul Greengrass

No 2010 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS

27. The Social Network (2010)

Scribe Aaron Sorkin penned this film’s screenplay, which comes replete with his dense, smart dialogue and cutting observations. David Fincher directed the fine-looking film, guiding his actors through good performances; Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake deliver particularly well. But while the film unmasks the history of Facebook’s development and shines a light on those involved, it comes off as strangely antiseptic. It engages intellectually, but not emotionally. I expected more.

*** (out of *****)






2010 • 2 Hours
Columbia Pictures • Relativity Media • Scott Rudin Productions • Michael De Luca Productions • Trigger Street Productions

STARRING
• Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield

ALSO STARRING
• Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, Max Minghella

WRITTEN BY
• Aaron Sorkin (Screenplay)
• Ben Mezrich (Based upon the book The Accidental Billionaires by)

DIRECTED BY
• David Fincher

2010 ACADEMY AWARDS (3)
• Best Adapted ScreenPlay
• Best Film Editing
• Best Original Score

Additional 2010 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS (5)
• Best Picture (Lost to The King’s Speech)
• Best Actor: Jesse Eisenberg (lost to Colin Firth for The King’s Speech)
• Best Director: David Fincher (Lost to Tom Hooper for The King’s Speech)
• Best Cinematography (Lost to Inception)
• Best Sound Mixing (Lost to Inception)

28. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

I’m wondering why I watched this film. Perhaps solid actor John Cusak lured me in, or maybe the comedic talents of Rob Corddry and Craig Robinson gave me hope, or more likely, the outrageous title simply seemed funny. Well...lesson learned. When a bad script gets helmed by a bad director, and the result is cut together by a bad editor, no cast can save it. If college students had produced this film as a school project...it still would have failed miserably, but at least such a failure could have been easily explained. For its cast and a few good lines, it just barely manages to rate above one star.

*½ (out of *****)



2010 • 1 Hour, 41 MINUTES
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures • United Artists • New Crime

STARRING
• John Cusack

ALSO STARRING
• Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Crispin Glover, Lizzy Caplan, Chevy Chase

WRITTEN BY
• Josh Heald AND Sean Anders & John Morris (SCREENPLAY)
• Josh Heald (STORY)

DIRECTED BY
• Steve Pink

No 2010 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS

29. The Great Buck Howard (2008)

While something of a trifle, this film earnestly follows the life of a corny mentalist late in his show-biz career. John Malkovich plays the aging B-lister to perfection, exacting some measure of sympathy, if not pathos, along the way. Both Emily Blunt and Colin Hanks are solid in their roles, and writer-director Sean McKinley does well executing his arch script of this small tale. Pretty good, but probably not for most people.

**½ (out of *****)







2008 • 1 Hour, 30 MINUTES
Magnolia Pictures • Bristol Bay Productions • PLaytone

STARRING
• John Malkovich, Colin Hanks

ALSO STARRING
• Emily Blunt, Ricky Jay, Griffin Dunne, Steve Zahn, Tom Hanks

WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY
• Sean McGinly

No 2008 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS

30. Runaway Train (1985)

This combination prison-break and action film feels dated, more from poor production values than for artistic reasons. Both Jon Voight and Eric Roberts earned Academy Award nominations for their performances, and deservedly so. Rebecca De Mornay also gives a nice turn in her role as a lower-echelon railroad employee. Despite several thrills, the film actually works well as a character study of the two escaped convicts. To some, the end might seem a cheat required by a low budget, but I saw it as neatly and strongly poetic.

***¼ (out of *****)





1985 • 1 Hour, 51 MINUTES
The Cannon Group, Inc. • Golan-Globus Productions • Northbrook Films

STARRING
• Jon Voight, Eric Roberts, Rebecca De Mornay

ALSO STARRING
• Kyle T. Heffner, John P. Ryan, T.K. Carter, Kenneth McMillan

WRITTEN BY
• Djordje Milicevic and Paul Zindel and Edward Bunker (screenplay)
• Akira Kurosawa (Based on a screenplay by)

DIRECTED BY
• Andrey Konchalovskiy

1985 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS (3)
• Best Actor: Jon Voight (Lost to William Hurt for Kiss of the Spider Woman)
• Best Supporting Actor: Eric Roberts (Lost to Don Ameche for Cocoon)
• Best Film Editing (lost to Witness)