At the Cinema - September 2012

Looper – 10

You’ll like this movie if you like

a. Movies
Now this is why I go to movies.  Most movies seek to entertain you, and if they accomplish their mission, you leave the theater satisfied.  But if you’re a movie lover, you want more, but at the same time you know it’s oh, maybe one out of twenty that delivers that “more” that you’re looking for.  It’s a movie that challenges you to keep up, to go on a new ride to a place you’ve never seen before.  This is such a movie, an ingenious science fiction tale with heart and depth.

It’s not an easy movie, and it’s not what you’re used to.  Looper is the story of Joe, a professional hit man, or “Looper” in 2044.  His is an easy job.  You see 30 years later they’ve invented time travel and it has been properly declared illegal because of the paradoxical danger of tampering with events that have already transpired.

But a crime syndicate, run by Abe (Jeff Daniels) in the present and The Rainmaker in the future, finds it perfect for killing and disposing of the bodies.  So, they send their targets back to the Loopers and they do the deed.

There’s just one problem – isn’t there always - Inevitably every looper has got to be sent back for disposal, and the looper has to kill his older self.  It’s called “closing the loop” and as you would expect loopers have a history of balking at the assignment, and all hell breaks loose when they do.

So young Joe (Joseph Gordon-Leavitt) hesitates when his older self (Bruce Willis) shows up and all hell breaks loose.  This is further complicated by the fact old Joe has come back with a specific “save his future” mission.  It isn’t easy to keep up with all this, but it’s worth the ride as the Joe’s world unravels.  This movie has so many discussable layers, I could easily talk about them for a week.

I love the feeling of walking out of a movie having been wowed.  I remember that feeling in Minority Report and Inception.  I also admit I love time travel movies, from Time After Time, to Back to the Future. 

So, without giving away too much, let me say, go see director Rian Johnson's potential classic.  Hope you’re up for the challenge.

The Master – 6

You’ll like this movie if you like

1. Confusion
2. Cult movies
3. Great Acting

Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix go toe to toe as a cult leader and his disciple in this interesting but ultimately unsatisfying story, allegedly based on L Ron Hubbard and Scientology.  That their acting is exceptional is no surprise.  That Amy Adams is their equal, as Hoffman’s wife (and master) is a revelation. 

Director Paul Thomas Anderson seems to have intentionally created a movie as strange as Scientology.  The movie starts after World War II when drifter Freddie Quell (Phoenix) falls under the spell of Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman) who is founding “the Cause” and developing a cult like following.  Freddie never really gets control of his life, despite Dodd’s best efforts, and his loyalty to Dodd ebbs and flows along with his doubts as the years go on.  It’s not as interesting as Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood” but there’s no denying the movie’s ambitions.  It just didn’t work for me.  Maybe it will for you.

 

End of Watch – 7

You’ll like this movie if you like

1. Cop Buddy Movies
2. Hand held Cameras
3. Loud, profane soundtracks

The excuse for the frenetic camera here is that Jake Gyllenhaal’s cop character is going to film school, so he’s constantly filming what happens.  This movie has been widely acclaimed as the best cop buddy movie in a long while.  It may be, but that ain’t saying much.  There are some loud and effective shootouts, particularly the first one, but they can be drowned out by the louder hip-hop soundtrack.  It comes off like an MTV movie of the week.  I suspect many will love this movie.  In movies, there’s often that magical moment that I think they call suspension of disbelief.  It’s when you forget you’re watching actors, and begin to believe you’re watching real-life.  That moment never happened for me.  I never bought it.

Sparkle – 6

You’ll like this movie if you like

1. Jordin Sparks
2. Motown
3. Dreamgirls

I couldn’t tell if this was a remake of the first Sparkle, or Dreamgirls.  No matter.  There’s some good music, particularly at the end when Sparkle, the character played by Jordin Sparks, suddenly becomes a Motown Alicia Keyes.  The script is retro and dated, and the movie will probably be remembered as Whitney Houston’s last screen appearance.  I went to this by myself (and I mean by myself – I was alone in the theater) so I really don’t know if the movie moves an audience, but it didn’t move me.  I went mainly to see Sparks, whom I kind of think of as the last real American Idol, before they started letting the singers play instruments, ensuring that white guys with guitars would win.  (This will of course change this year, and they’ve hired the judges to change the dynamic.)  Sparks sparkles as Sparkle, and the other singers are good too.  I liked the music ok, but can’t say I liked it $10 worth.

Arbitrage – 7

You’ll like this movie if you like

1. Richard Gere
2. Crime Thrillers
3. Financial Thrillers

Gere plays a Bernie Madhoff type financial tycoon whose deceptions are unraveling. I was expecting, and wanted, a financial thriller like Margin Call or Too Big to Fail.  I figured giving the financial fiascos of the last decade a big time Hollywood treatment would be interesting, but I should have known better.  The financial thriller wasn’t enough, so they had to make it a crime thriller as well.  Too bad.  Missed Opportunity.  There was plenty of thriller to be made here.  The two movies I mentioned do a terrific job of building the tension surrounding real events – no fictional additions needed.

Gere may finally get his Oscar nomination, and the supporting task, including Susan Sarandon, are up to the task as well.  Could’ve been a great movie.

Interestingly, I didn’t see this in the theater.  It was simultaneously released on pay per view and theater, so we plucked down $7.99 to watch it on Directv.  Pretty cool 

Premium Rush – 8

You’ll like this movie if you like:

1. Athletic action
2. Genuine emotion
3. New York City

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is becoming a star, and one of the reasons is that he seems to know how to pick a script.  Who’d have thought that an adventure movie about bicycle couriers could be this good?  Now don’t mistake this for high art.  Like all action movies, the action is ridiculous, but with a few neat visual tricks by director David Koepp, the whole thing comes together way better than we have any right to expect.

The messenger must deliver a ticket across Manhattan.  He ends up being chased by good cops, bad cops, and other couriers.  Don’t think too much, just enjoy.

Sleep Walk With Me – 6

You’ll like this movie if you like:

1. Offbeat comedy
2. Breakout performances
3. Lauren Ambrose

This is the slightest of relationship comedies.  It’s short and to the point, and the point seems to be that if you’re in a bad relationship, and you walk in your sleep¸ you have enough material right there to be a stand up comedian.  Maybe.  The breakout performance here is by Mike Birbiglia, who apparently has filmed an autobiography.  His sleep walking scenes are hysterical, but the rest of the movie is a low-key chucklefest at best.  It’s mildly amusing as Mike finds his comedy falling flat until he starts talking about his girlfriend (a terrific Lauren Ambrose, whom I’ve loved since HBO’s Six Feet Under).  This is good for his career, but not his relationship.  Oh well, he got a movie out of it, and I suspect he’ll do another one.  With a little help, he may become an important film-maker.

Scanning the Satellite

Homeland, fresh off an Emmy sweep of best actor, actress, and drama resumes tonight, and it appears this is the show that has pulled Showtime into the pantheon with HBO.

Martha Marcy May Marlene is another cult related movie currently on satellite and it’s way more enthralling than The Master.  Elizabeth Olsen is the lead character with multiple names and Elizabeth begins a trek to stardom as she nails the conflicts of someone trying to break free of a cult.  Great stuff.