MOVIE REVIEW: COMPLIANCE

Inspired by actual events, writer/director Craig Zobel's sophomore feature Compliance examines the complex hierarchy of authority through the experiences of a teenage fast-food restaurant clerk who falls victim to a twisted practical joke. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Craig Zobel

Cast: Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, Bill Camp, Ashlie Atkinson

Release Date: Aug 17, 2012

Rated R for language and sexual content/nudity

Runtime: 1 hr. 30 min.

Genres: Suspense/Thriller

Review:

Compliance is the type of feel that really feels like its stretching credulity and good taste various times during its runtime. At certain points during the film, I couldn’t help but feel like there was something exploitative or embellished about the proceedings but sadly, the plot of the film following the real life events fairly closely. It’s a disturbing and frustrating experience which leaves you with plenty of questions, most of which aren’t answered in the film or in real life for that matter. Craig Zobel shows an impressive talent as a director bringing an immediacy and authenticity to the proceedings. Ann Dowd’s complex and layered turn as the manager adds to the sense of authenticity. Dowd is always the most interesting person the screen even though there are other strong performances. The film loses some of its power when she isn’t front and center which happens for the better part of the final act. Dreama Walker is just as impressive with a performance that leaves her character exposed on multiple levels, both literally and figuratively. It’s a thankless role in many ways but she commits fully and believably. Pat Healy is appropriately detached yet sinister as the caller. It’s not a showy role but effective. We don’t know much about his character or motivations outside of tidbits of information that we are shown throughout the film after he’s revealed. In fact there we don’t get very many answers about him or the other characters, only a quick wrap up of each finishing with an interview with Dowd’s character.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE LAST STAND

A border-town sheriff pulls out the heavy artillery to prevent an escaped drug kingpin from blasting his way into Mexico in this sun-scorched action opus starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by Kim Jee-Woon (I Saw the Devil, The Good, the Bad, and the Weird). Johnny Knoxville, Luis Guzman, and Rodrigo Santoro co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Kim Jee-Woon

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Peter Stormare, Forest Whitaker, Jaimie Alexander, Luis Guzman

Release Date: Jan 18, 2013

Rated R for strong Bloody Violence and Language

Runtime: 1 hr. 46 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller

Review:

The Last Stand is Arnold’s triumphant return to the big screen as a leading man. Its ludicrous plot sounds like the perfect fodder for a good old fashion Arnie blowout. My only question is why Kim Jee-Woon decided to waste so much time with pointless set up whiling trying to shoehorn in some seriousness into the plot. The first act of the film is incredibly choppy seemingly reluctant to embrace its own silliness. Once the ball actually starts rolling and the property damage increases it finally stops taking itself so serious and starts having fun. Arnold is rather flat which doesn’t come as a surprise as he works his way back into the acting game. The rest of cast give forgettable performances with Johnny Knoxville and Rodrigo Santoro battling for silliest and most of the top performance of the movie. As an action film its enjoyable fluff but the script doesn’t do it any favors serving up some incredibly hammy lines creating some groan inducing moments. Kim Jee-Woon would have been well served to reference Con Air, a movie with a similarly outlandish illogical plot, to get an idea about setting up a tone for his film. There’s plenty of fat which could have been cut to streamline the old school action which is what everybody was paying to see.

C+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE IMPOSSIBLE

Director Juan Antonio Bayona follows up his critically acclaimed feature debut The Orphanage with this drama set during the 2004 Thailand tsunami, detailing one family's incredible fight for survival. Inspired by actual events. Tom Hollander and Geraldine Chaplin co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Juan Antonio Bayona

Cast: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Hollander, Marta Etura, Sönke Möhring, Geraldine Chaplin

Release Date: Dec 21, 2012

Rated R for intense realistic disaster sequence, disturbing injury images and brief
nudity

Runtime: 1 hr. 43 min.

Genres: Drama

Review:

The Impossible is the type of harrowing experience that has you watching the film through clenched teeth while grasping the arm rest during some of the more intense sequences. It’s a dramatization of a true story but it does an impressive job of giving you an approximation of the destruction that occurred during this tragic event. Bayona masterfully re-creates the tsunami’s impact with the visceral punch of a horrific amusement park ride. Naomi Watts and Tom Hollander do the majority of the heavy lifting on the emotional side. Watts and Hollander share a strong believable chemistry as mother and son. Personally, I can’t think of anybody better at playing emotionally beaten and frayed than Naomi Watts while keeping a quite strength behind her eyes. Watts delivers an unglamorous raw turn; it leaves a lasting impression even though she disappears for the better part of the last act. Hollander matches her every step of the way with one of the best performances I’ve seen by a child actor in years. Ewan McGregor and the 2 younger actors get some small moments to shine and each does impressive work with limited screen time. They get relegated to the background for the most part and the script seems content to use them for some of the more manufactured moments of heart string pulling such as a trifold set of near misses before the final reunion. It’s an issue that becomes more apparent as the film nears its finale. These moments feel out of place and forced even though the story didn’t need to beat you over the head with agony and could have relied on the organic moments of uplifting human drama.

B

MOVIE REVIEW: HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET

A teenager (Jennifer Lawrence) and her mother (Elisabeth Shue) move to a new town and make a gruesome discovery about the house next door in this tale of terror from Hush director Mark Tonderai. Shortly after learning that the neighboring house was recently the scene of a horrific double homicide, the curious teen forges a tender friendship with the boy who cheated death (Max Thieriot) on that fateful night. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Mark Tonderai

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Elisabeth Shue, Max Thieriot, Gil Bellows, Nolan Funk.

Release Date: Sep 21, 2012

Rated PG-13 for Intense sequences of violence and terror, thematic elements, language, some teen partying and brief drug material

Runtime: 1 hr. 41 min.

Genres: Suspense/Thriller

Review:

It helps to know that Jennifer Lawrence filmed House at the End of the Street before Winter’s Bone was released and her star began it’s impressive rise. Knowing that explains why she’d be involved in such a terrible production. House at the End of the Street misfires on pretty much every level, it’s terribly scripted, flatly acted and clumsily directed. Director Mark Tonderai is more concerned with unnecessary camera movement such as using shaky cam during standard conversations and capturing Lawrence’s assets via a series of borderline gratuitous shots throughout. Worse of all he moves the story along at a terribly awkward pace, never building any suspense and forgetting to deliver any actual scares. This is all topped of with a liberal dose of clichéd horror movie logic along with a nonsensical plot and motivations. It leaves you disinterested and waiting the ending which doesn’t come quick enough.

F

MOVIE REVIEW: ZERO DARK THIRTY

Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal, the Academy Award-winning duo behind The Hurt Locker, reteam for this drama detailing the hunt for Osama bin Laden, which stars Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain as the intelligence expert who dedicated a decade of her life to tracking down the world's most wanted terrorist. Joel Edgerton, Edgar Ramirez, Mark Strong, Chris Pratt, and James Gandolfini co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Release Date: Dec 19, 2012

Rated R for Strong Violence, Language and Brutal Disturbing Images

Runtime: 2 hr. 37 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Edgar Ramirez, Kyle Chandler, Mark Strong

Review:

Zero Dark Thirty is not a jingoistic depiction about the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. Kathryn Bigelow takes Mark Boal script and opts for a detached documentary feel. There’s a noticeable neutrality throughout the film. It’s not the type of feel that’s going for a slant or angle; instead it decides to simply unfurl the series of events that occurred even if some are fictionalized. It’s a methodical straightforward film that keeps you engaged as you watch the frustrating and occasionally dangerous machinations of the world’s biggest manhunt. At its center is Jessica Chastain. Chastain gives her character a calculated intensity and steely resolve. She’s fascinating in her singular dedication to her task, so much so that when the task is done you have to wonder how the character would ever find meaning in another task. The supporting characters come and go as the film goes on. Due to the style of the film, we never get very close to any of the characters even the lead. The climatic raid is almost clinical but incredibly tense and powerful. The same can be said about the film as a whole.

A

The Best (and Worst) Movies of 2012

NOTE:

Major Films I missed in 2012:

Argo, Zero Dark Thirty, The Impossible, Beasts of the Southern Wild & Amour.


All films are in no particular order, so without any further adieu;


Best films of 2012


The Hobbit




Not being a diehard LOTR fans left me kind of iffy about this but Jackson’s slightly uneven film kept me entertained throughout, unlike Fellowship of the Ring.

Prometheus



It’s a flawed film with its issues magnified with repeated viewings, still it worked for me on so many levels. So much so that I saw it various times in theaters and multiple times on blu-ray.

The Dark Knight Rises




It’s was one of my most anticipated films of the summer and it didn’t disappoint. That being said, much like Prometheus, its flaws are more and more apparent with repeated viewings but it still leaves me satisfied with each viewing.

Moonrise Kingdom




My favorite Wes Anderson film has been The Royal Tenenbaums for ages. While his films have been consistently solid, Moonrise Kingdom was the first one since The Royal Tenenbaums that connected with me in such a strong manner.

The Master




It’s a movie who’s plot could be written on a post it but it’s has some of the best performances I’ve seen all year. While the plot is frustratingly opaque and ultimately unresolved, Hoffman Phoenix and Adams keep your eyes glued to the screen.

Silver Lining Playbook




I hate romantic comedies because they are so formulaic. At its base this film is a Rom-Com but it does it with such interesting characters and strong performances that you won’t really notice until the film’s over.

Lincoln




Spielberg and Daniel Day Lewis are in top form supported by an equally game supporting cast. Sure it’s ready made Oscar bait, so much so I kept imaging fake trailers for it like on Tropic Thunder, but it’s thoroughly engaging and fascinating.

Life of Pi 3D





Ang Lee’s visually stunning and moving adaptation of the beloved book is the type of film that needs to be seen on a big screen and in 3D.

Django UnChained




Quentin Tarantino’s latest film is another stellar turn. It’s his most romantic and unflinching film, which is saying a lot on both fronts, it’s nearly perfect and easily re-watchable.

The Avengers




It should have worked at all but it did. After a few more viewings I still can’t help thinking its Joss Whedon playing with toys on a massive scale. The interplay between the characters is fun delivering as much fan service as possible.


My Biggest cinematic surprises of 2012


Cloud Atlas




It’s not a perfect film but I couldn’t keep but respect its audaciousness. It’s as massive as it is bold. In a sea of films I really enjoyed, this one left me the most emotionally invested by the time the credits rolled.

Pitch Perfect




Trailers looked funny enough to be respectable but I was surprised at how well written it was. A good collection of talent and the fact that it never took itself too serious made it a big success.

Wreck-it Ralph




One of the best non Pixar animated film out there. Some inspired voice acting choices along with a more textured than expected story left me grinning and caring about the characters.

Chronicle



I love found footage films but even I can tell it’s overexposed. Chronicle was entirely off my radar so I was taken by surprise at how well acted and inventive this superhero origin story was.


The worst movies I suffered through in 2012



Silent House




Stupid endings with bad plot twist can kill a solid film, a real shame because Elizabeth Olson put in a great performance.

Wrath of the Titans




For some reason I thought this sequel might be better than the horrid remake. It was worse and even stupider.

Chernobyl Diaries




The first third of the film does a solid job of establishing the setting and tone. Then they introduce the mutants from The Hills Have Eyes….

Snow White and the Huntsman




Kristen Stewart as Snow White. I tried as hard as I could to give it a fair shot but Stewart’s endlessly mopey face and Charlize Theron unchecked Mommy Dearest overacting make this an unpleasant experience.


Total Recall




Glossy, slick and just about as soulless and pointless as they come, it’s a perfect example of what not to do with remakes.


Resident Evil Retribution




Why do I keep watching these expecting to be surprised? Somehow even worse than the last one and even more incoherent and idiotic.

Paranormal Activity 4




A cash in sequel which could and should be ignored when the next chapter hits screens. Lazy in everyway possible after some rather well thought out sequels to the original hit.