Sept 5: A Double Team Review: Lawless

"Set in Depression-era Franklin County, Virginia, a bootlegging gang is threatened by a new deputy and other authorities who want a cut of their profits."

Directed by: John Hillcoat, Rated: R, 116 minutes

Here's something a little different today for The Cinematic Katzenjammer. Lately, I've been really wanting to change things up a bit and inject the site with a bit more variety so I decided to partner up with Joe from Two Dude Review (and fellow As You Watch member) for a review of Lawless, the new gangster movie about a group of moon-shining brothers in 1920s Virginia. Below, you can find our discussion. As a note, I am in blue and Joe is in red. 

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May 21: The Tree of Life

"A family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence."

So, after months of putting it off, I have finally seen The Tree of Life. I have had it sitting in my room forever, never really finding the time to sit down and watch it, knowing it's a rather heavy experience with a lot of "what the hell is going on?" moments. I decided to just give it a go, popped it in the Blu-ray player (yeah, fancy), and sat back for two and a half hours as I watched one of the most beautiful, yet confusing, films I have ever seen. Directed by the ever elusive Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life is both a film packed with symbolism (I think?) and meticulous crafting. 

And there are dinosaurs! I know! I have no idea why either!

The Tree of Life is a story of how the world began, starting at The Big Bang, taking a quick stop in the 1950s to focus on a family, then jumping to modern day, followed by the end of the world. So much happens and every single scene is shot as though it is its own work of art. As we travel through time, we witness nature at its beginnings and the eventual evolution of life. There really is no story to these scenes and the bulk of the plot is what happens when we see the O'Brien family (patriarch- Brad Pitt), struggling with their own problems. Every member of the family is cast perfectly and the acting is amazing, especially by Pitt and his sons. Jack (Hunter McCracken who also wins best name ever) is the eldest son and the primary focus of the story. His struggles with his over-authoritative father (Pitt) are the main conflict, and we see Jack becoming a man of his own. His encounters with friends, his brothers, his faith, and his family all leave much to question, as the tribulations seem so minuscule to the fact we're also on a journey through time. I think that's the point however, and that love conquers all?

Holy Hell does that not look like the spitting image of Pitt hanging off his shoulders?

The Tree of Life is an experience. Similar to Enter the Void (review) and 2001: A Space Odyssey, the primary focus is on the visuals with very little dialogue. Every shot is gorgeous and the cinematography is mind-blowing. Malick has a reverence to his story and for film itself, and his approach to film-making is incredible. Malick's visuals and special effects are accompanied by an equally amazing soundtrack and, if time traveling is this beautiful, I would love my own Tardis and/or DeLorean. The Tree of Life is a must see, but must be watched with an open mind and a lot of patience. 

The Good:

a unique movie experience that has much more meaning and symbolism to be understood in one viewing and leaves a lot to be discussed

The Better:

incredible acting by the entire cast, with noteworthy performances by the three brothers, Brad Pitt, and Jessica Chastain

The Best:

mesmerizing special effects and visuals that are heightened by an equally tremendous score 

Overall: 8.6/10

One of the best trailers I have ever seen:

Feb 21: The Help

"An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African-American maid's point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis."

  The Help is a great movie with a good message about a bad time in our history. With excellent acting and a great script, The Help succeeds as a feel good movie. However, any movie with this setting and material cannot avoid being cliche at times. The film brings nothing new to the film world or the genre, but it does stand out on its own as having a good mix of drama, humor, and charm. It's almost as though the producers decided to make a cookie cutter film about racism specifically for the Oscars. 

"I have a dream that people will make movies about the civil rights movement, and win Oscars."

   The best part of The Help is the acting. Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Jessica Chastain are all excellent. Viola Davis, as Aibileen, is marvelous and genuine and so real with her character, you can't help but laugh and cry with her. If Meryl Streep wins another Oscar on Sunday, the Academy is absolutely idiotic. It's Davis' to win. Octavia Spencer is incredible as Minny, and she brings a much needed lightheartedness to the film. She could be considered the "comic relief" of the film, and the humor she brings is unique and sincere. And, in all seriousness, I pray that this year will be a first, come Oscar Sunday, where two incredible African American women walk away with the two actress awards. It's refreshing to see a movie with so many strong roles for women. 

They deserve it. 

   Overall, The Help is a film that's completely reliant on its performances and without each actress in her respected role (that each woman was made for), the film would be entirely forgettable. The script is strong and smart, but a movie with such a dangerously sensitive theme, the boundaries should be pushed a little further. The film is safe, and uplifting, but it just seems to sugar coat the issues slightly. I'd recommend The Help, and I hope to see it take away a few awards this week. 

The Good:

incredible performances by amazing women

The Bad:

just a little too safe

The Ugly:

a reminder of how horrible things were, just fifty years ago

Overall: 8.3/10

Best Quote:

Aibileen Clark: "18 people were killed in Jackson that night. 10 white and 8 black. I don't think God has color in mind when he sets a tornado loose."

Feb 20: Take Shelter

"Plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, a young husband and father questions whether to shelter his family from a coming storm, or from himself."

   Take Shelter is a beautiful film about a man that feels that he's slowly losing control of his life and his sanity. Michael Shannon plays the man, Curtis, and his performance is one of the best I have seen in a very long time. It's a crime, no, a sin that he wasn't nominated for an Academy Award. His acting is on an entirely different level than so many others and he makes the movie. He is absolutely believable as a man losing his grip on reality and you feel for him through his intensity and dramatic unhinging. 

He's smiling now, but he'll act you into an empathetic mess of emotion.

  Take Shelter was filmed with an insanely small budget, and its in the subtleties and what we don't see that makes the film all the more effective. Glimpses into the man's dreams and hallucinations are terrifying, and we are the audience to a man's complete unraveling. There are no incredible special effects or explosions, and neither are necessary as the dread and fear of the storm itself does more than enough. Take Shelter is filmed simply, and it's the plainness and normalcy that the possibility of a storm destroying everything that's eerier. 

Run.

   Overall, Take Shelter is a perfect, low-budget, dramatic thriller that is insanely well acted and disturbing. The sense of dread that lingers throughout the entire film heightens the experience. The foreboding score, by David Wingo, adds so much to the film and helps build the story to a good climax. The ending may leave some unsatisfied, but the film is still strong enough for the first couple parts that nothing is ruined. 

The Good:

a flawless Michael Shannon

The Bad:

schizophrenia and the effects it has on one man and his family

The Ugly:

the dread and unsettling feeling you have throughout the film

Overall: 8.8/10

Best Quote:

Dewart: "You've got a good life, Curtis. I think that's the best compliment you can give a man; take a look at his life and say, 'That's good'."