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Awesome reviews, Justin. 
And of less common fare than we sometimes hear about, too. Keep it up! 
And of less common fare than we sometimes hear about, too. Keep it up!
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Great review for Uncle Boonmee. I heard about this movie the other day at IMDB.com and became intrigued. Now I'm even more intrigued and hope to see it soon (hmm, wonder if it's playing anywhere near me or available to order On Demand.) Not looking forward to the "woman has intercourse with a fish" scene -- sounds like lesbian porno.
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Great review justin, Thanks
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True Grit (Coen Brothers,2010)
I have always admired the Coen Brothers for their shapeshifting ability--but however much they change, they always stay the same. With that in mind, True Grit isnʼt a stretch for them. Regardless of genre, the Coens have maintained a solid streak of films, ranging from good to fantastic. True Grit is a film that is well-directed, and itʼll be a popular hit amongst audiences, but there was something missing in the Coensʼ latest. The lack of an intimate or personal relationship with the material hurts it--and you can sense it, more than anything. A Serious Man is probably their most personal work to date, and without a doubt my favorite of theirs. Along with A Serious Man, No Country for Old Men has a lot of personality, and McCarthyʼs stellar writing made it what it was. But donʼt get me wrong, True Grit is a very enjoyable film with some very solid performances, but itʼs bereft of that very thing said films have: personality.
Iʼm sure many of you have seen the original, or possibly read the book, so Iʼll keep the synopsis short. True Grit follows a young girl--named Mattie Ross--whose father is murdered, which ultimately sets her off on a search for the culprit: a man named Tom Chaney. Sheʼs looking for someone with “true grit” to help hunt him down, and she discovers U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn, who fits the bill. Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn is a match made in heaven. His rough, nigh incoherent way of speaking (heʼs usually drunk, though....) brings the character to life. Mattie Ross is a stubborn but courageous one, and Hailee Steinfeld plays her wonderfully. Surprisingly enough, this happens to be her feature film debut (she had only done a few shorts, some TV shows and a TV movie). Her smooth, persuasive way of speaking is endlessly listenable, and how she gets what she wants is occasionally funny. One scene in particular is where sheʼs debating with someone--who is trying to screw her over--about ownership of a horse, and it brought a smile to my face.
Like I stated earlier, and Iʼll reiterate: beyond the performances and direction, the film falters mainly because of the lack of personality. Itʼs undeniably a solid piece of filmmaking, but yet, underneath it all, it seems a little vapid. Though that may seem like such a harsh term for a film that is in no way bad, it does describe best how I felt after it was over and done with. One could easily see the thematic elements, however it still felt a little stale. Weʼve seen the notion of “good-and-evil” being in question before in the Wild West, have we not? And perhaps done better, as well. I should mention that whether a theme is common or not is not necessarily a negative thing, but how they are presented: are they personal? or are they a new, unique way of viewing that theme? We have all of the necessary parts to construct a great film, but True Grit lacks heart and soul. And not even Bridges and Steinfeld can save it.
True Gritʼs pacing is deliberate and well done, but its shortcomings keep it from growing into anything more. The film is great to look at, though. As always, Roger Deakins gives us breathtaking, painterly photography of the old west. Thereʼs still some refreshing, signature Coen Brother humor to keep their fans happy, and their brand of humor happens to be in line with a lot of what I like, as well (A Serious Man is very dark, but very funny). But all in all, after it was all over, it was difficult for me to say Iʼd even remember much of the film in a weekʼs time. Nothing stuck with me, other than some of the scenes with Steinfeld and Bridges, and along with some of the beautiful imagery. True Grit is recommended, as itʼs fun and amazingly well acted. But I hesitate to say that itʼll ever be anything more than that.
I have always admired the Coen Brothers for their shapeshifting ability--but however much they change, they always stay the same. With that in mind, True Grit isnʼt a stretch for them. Regardless of genre, the Coens have maintained a solid streak of films, ranging from good to fantastic. True Grit is a film that is well-directed, and itʼll be a popular hit amongst audiences, but there was something missing in the Coensʼ latest. The lack of an intimate or personal relationship with the material hurts it--and you can sense it, more than anything. A Serious Man is probably their most personal work to date, and without a doubt my favorite of theirs. Along with A Serious Man, No Country for Old Men has a lot of personality, and McCarthyʼs stellar writing made it what it was. But donʼt get me wrong, True Grit is a very enjoyable film with some very solid performances, but itʼs bereft of that very thing said films have: personality.
Iʼm sure many of you have seen the original, or possibly read the book, so Iʼll keep the synopsis short. True Grit follows a young girl--named Mattie Ross--whose father is murdered, which ultimately sets her off on a search for the culprit: a man named Tom Chaney. Sheʼs looking for someone with “true grit” to help hunt him down, and she discovers U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn, who fits the bill. Jeff Bridges as Rooster Cogburn is a match made in heaven. His rough, nigh incoherent way of speaking (heʼs usually drunk, though....) brings the character to life. Mattie Ross is a stubborn but courageous one, and Hailee Steinfeld plays her wonderfully. Surprisingly enough, this happens to be her feature film debut (she had only done a few shorts, some TV shows and a TV movie). Her smooth, persuasive way of speaking is endlessly listenable, and how she gets what she wants is occasionally funny. One scene in particular is where sheʼs debating with someone--who is trying to screw her over--about ownership of a horse, and it brought a smile to my face.
Like I stated earlier, and Iʼll reiterate: beyond the performances and direction, the film falters mainly because of the lack of personality. Itʼs undeniably a solid piece of filmmaking, but yet, underneath it all, it seems a little vapid. Though that may seem like such a harsh term for a film that is in no way bad, it does describe best how I felt after it was over and done with. One could easily see the thematic elements, however it still felt a little stale. Weʼve seen the notion of “good-and-evil” being in question before in the Wild West, have we not? And perhaps done better, as well. I should mention that whether a theme is common or not is not necessarily a negative thing, but how they are presented: are they personal? or are they a new, unique way of viewing that theme? We have all of the necessary parts to construct a great film, but True Grit lacks heart and soul. And not even Bridges and Steinfeld can save it.
True Gritʼs pacing is deliberate and well done, but its shortcomings keep it from growing into anything more. The film is great to look at, though. As always, Roger Deakins gives us breathtaking, painterly photography of the old west. Thereʼs still some refreshing, signature Coen Brother humor to keep their fans happy, and their brand of humor happens to be in line with a lot of what I like, as well (A Serious Man is very dark, but very funny). But all in all, after it was all over, it was difficult for me to say Iʼd even remember much of the film in a weekʼs time. Nothing stuck with me, other than some of the scenes with Steinfeld and Bridges, and along with some of the beautiful imagery. True Grit is recommended, as itʼs fun and amazingly well acted. But I hesitate to say that itʼll ever be anything more than that.
Last edited by Justin; 04-15-11 at 10:13 PM.
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Nice reviews again, Justin. I completely agree on True Grit. I too think that films lacks something. After having watched it, I thought it fell short of their latest work, even Burn After Reading I liked better. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it just misses that dash of 'something' to turn it from good to excellent or great that A Serious Man and No Country for Old Men did have. You called it 'personality'. I think I settled for 'inspiration'.
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That's another good word, Brodinski. 'Inspiration' is definitely something that was lacking in True Grit.
Okay, so aside from the reviews, I think I'll be posting a top 30 list. There won't be a whole lot accompanying them, except for a sentence or two and a picture, but it should be fun.
Thanks for reading, everyone!
Okay, so aside from the reviews, I think I'll be posting a top 30 list. There won't be a whole lot accompanying them, except for a sentence or two and a picture, but it should be fun.
Thanks for reading, everyone!
Last edited by Justin; 03-27-11 at 09:53 PM.
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Thanks for the review 
Justin - I'm looking forward to your top 30 list. I already have mine 
I remember watching Uncle Boonmee a few months ago in Singapore. A beguiling film indeed! In fact, i consider it to be Apichatpong's best film yet.
I remember watching Uncle Boonmee a few months ago in Singapore. A beguiling film indeed! In fact, i consider it to be Apichatpong's best film yet.
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Black Swan (Darren Aronofsky,2010)
Darren Aronofsky has certainly made a name for himself. Requiem for a Dream permanently seared itself into the subconscious of everyone and needless to say, Iʼm sure youʼre not likely to forget it. To be truthful, I have always found Aronofskyʼs films to be a breath of fresh air from the norm because of their lack of subtly and in-your-face style. Requiem, like The Wrestler and Black Swan, pack a heavy punch. They are very physical films, where almost all of the pain inflicted onto the protagonists is through the body (an almost Cronenberg-esque body horror nightmare). His protagonists are enduring a lot of physical hardships, and thus, it is brought inwards.
Natalie Portman plays the naive and innocent Nina Sayers, who aspires to be the lead in the new rendition of Swan Lake. This is no easy task, as the sleazy director of the ballet, Thomas Leroy (played expertly by Vincent Cassell), is bent on maintaining her as the White Swan. Ninaʼs domineering mother, Erica (Barbara Hershey) isnʼt helping much, either, with troubling comments filled with passive aggression. Nina is caught in a whirlwind of demands and obsessions, where her own persona is lost in the mix. And to make matters worse, she has competition: the not-so-naive Lily, who is played by Mila Kunis, and to wonderful effect. She could easily be seen--perhaps almost explicitly--as the Black Swan to Ninaʼs White Swan. Slowly but surely, Ninaʼs own persona begins to slip away, like our grasp on her reality.
I walked away from the film with an idea on my mind: Ninaʼs child-like personality, and perhaps the resemblance of the stages of adolescence and the oftentimes troubling years of being a teenager. There is one scene in particular that stands out where Nina is in the bathtub (the “blood” of growing up), and another where she is caught up in the “bad girl” phase of her life, the darker side of life--the side that is the opposite of what she is used to. Regardless, these are all just ideas--maybe even flimsy ones at that--but what matters most in this film is the feelings it elicits. Aronofsky dives into the internal struggles of these characters, despite the emphasis on physical terror. Of course, itʼs all very much connected.
Black Swan is a near-perfect film that deserves to be watched over and over (though it may be difficult to sit through it again for some of you--if you get what I mean). Thereʼs a lot to it. But letʼs not forget his cast, who did a terrific job of carrying his weighty material. Letʼs also not forget Matthew Libatiqueʼs work behind the camera, which swoops in and out of each ballet sequence and creates dizzying photography. Aronofsky once again proves heʼs one of the best directors working today, and perhaps one of the most interesting. His subversive filmmaking is what makes his films very personal--he clearly has a lot on his mind.
Darren Aronofsky has certainly made a name for himself. Requiem for a Dream permanently seared itself into the subconscious of everyone and needless to say, Iʼm sure youʼre not likely to forget it. To be truthful, I have always found Aronofskyʼs films to be a breath of fresh air from the norm because of their lack of subtly and in-your-face style. Requiem, like The Wrestler and Black Swan, pack a heavy punch. They are very physical films, where almost all of the pain inflicted onto the protagonists is through the body (an almost Cronenberg-esque body horror nightmare). His protagonists are enduring a lot of physical hardships, and thus, it is brought inwards.
Natalie Portman plays the naive and innocent Nina Sayers, who aspires to be the lead in the new rendition of Swan Lake. This is no easy task, as the sleazy director of the ballet, Thomas Leroy (played expertly by Vincent Cassell), is bent on maintaining her as the White Swan. Ninaʼs domineering mother, Erica (Barbara Hershey) isnʼt helping much, either, with troubling comments filled with passive aggression. Nina is caught in a whirlwind of demands and obsessions, where her own persona is lost in the mix. And to make matters worse, she has competition: the not-so-naive Lily, who is played by Mila Kunis, and to wonderful effect. She could easily be seen--perhaps almost explicitly--as the Black Swan to Ninaʼs White Swan. Slowly but surely, Ninaʼs own persona begins to slip away, like our grasp on her reality.
I walked away from the film with an idea on my mind: Ninaʼs child-like personality, and perhaps the resemblance of the stages of adolescence and the oftentimes troubling years of being a teenager. There is one scene in particular that stands out where Nina is in the bathtub (the “blood” of growing up), and another where she is caught up in the “bad girl” phase of her life, the darker side of life--the side that is the opposite of what she is used to. Regardless, these are all just ideas--maybe even flimsy ones at that--but what matters most in this film is the feelings it elicits. Aronofsky dives into the internal struggles of these characters, despite the emphasis on physical terror. Of course, itʼs all very much connected.
Black Swan is a near-perfect film that deserves to be watched over and over (though it may be difficult to sit through it again for some of you--if you get what I mean). Thereʼs a lot to it. But letʼs not forget his cast, who did a terrific job of carrying his weighty material. Letʼs also not forget Matthew Libatiqueʼs work behind the camera, which swoops in and out of each ballet sequence and creates dizzying photography. Aronofsky once again proves heʼs one of the best directors working today, and perhaps one of the most interesting. His subversive filmmaking is what makes his films very personal--he clearly has a lot on his mind.
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Great stuff, mate. I've yet to see The Social Network but given the universal praise it's receive, I expect to see a four star film.
I'm with you guys on True Grit. It's what I would class as a GOOD film. Almost very good, but yeah, I kinda expect a bit more out of The Coen's these days. It's well acted by everybody and all and is very funny in a lot of places (my favourite bit being the guy dressed as a bear or whatever animal it was and Jeff Bridges' reaction shot to it) but like you guys said, spark is absent.
I liked how you suggested the physical trauma that Aronofky's protagonists suffers as Cronenbergian in portrayal. I never thought to make the comparison before but there does seem to be an obvious influence there, whether it's subconcious or not. Black Swan was great I thought. Not as powerful as The Wrestler but not significantly weaker as well.
I'm with you guys on True Grit. It's what I would class as a GOOD film. Almost very good, but yeah, I kinda expect a bit more out of The Coen's these days. It's well acted by everybody and all and is very funny in a lot of places (my favourite bit being the guy dressed as a bear or whatever animal it was and Jeff Bridges' reaction shot to it
) but like you guys said, spark is absent. I liked how you suggested the physical trauma that Aronofky's protagonists suffers as Cronenbergian in portrayal. I never thought to make the comparison before but there does seem to be an obvious influence there, whether it's subconcious or not. Black Swan was great I thought. Not as powerful as The Wrestler but not significantly weaker as well.
Excellent reviews Justin
I'm also in the camp of being slightly disappointed by True Grit. Yes it was good but was just missing that little something to make it great.
I expected a film directed by the Coens, starring Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon to be something rather special. As it was would probably give it a 7.5 or 8 out of 10
I'm also in the camp of being slightly disappointed by True Grit. Yes it was good but was just missing that little something to make it great.
I expected a film directed by the Coens, starring Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon to be something rather special. As it was would probably give it a 7.5 or 8 out of 10
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I was disappointed, but I still thoroughly enjoyed myself. Direction was solid, as always with the Coens. And as for the rating, I'd probably give it the same.
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