The Incident (★★★★)
Coming up soon…
Moon (★★★★)
There are many music videos of David Bowie’s eponymous genre-defining song, Space Oddity. In fact, a quick search on youtube surprisingly brings up only a few of the many that are actually out there. But I recently saw another version of the video to that song. And guess what? It was a movie.
To add some more drama into the mix here, (the director) Duncan Jones is David Bowie’s son. And what a fine debut! It is tough for me to tell you what the movie is about. Is it a character study? Or is it a comment on isolation, the most feared of all human experiences? Is it a one-man-tour-de-force for this age? Or is it a space odyssey for the 21st century? But here’s something plain and simple. You should go watch this movie. Even before you read the rest of this review. Not that I will spoil anything for you, but I’m afraid you might forget to watch it. So go! Watch it. Now…
The viewer is dragged into the lonely existence of Sam Bell, an astronaut of the future, left to mine the Moon for resources that have helped diminish Earth’s power problems. Why is he alone there? Well, I can’t answer that straight, but for the sake of this review, let’s just say that the investment in sending teams or squads of astronauts and sustaining them for long years is not possible in that fictional future. So Sam Bell works away for the queen bee, awaiting the end of his three year contract so he can finally go home, and be united with his family. His radio transmission equipment has failed, so his only means of communication is through recorded messages to and from Earth. He has one companion though, his computer GERTY, a gentler and much nicer throwback to (remember?) HAL 9000.
That’s the setup. What next? Well one fine day, our protagonist goes to check on something outside his base station, and is involved in a series of events that leads to contact with another human being. That other human being is Sam Bell. Confused? It gets even better. The whole movie is a struggle by Sam Bell(s) to find out who is the original, and what is happening? Is it all in the mind, or is it a conspiracy?
Honestly, the resolution of this issue is not what the movie is about. It is about the redefining of science fiction for a new age. It reminds us of the mind bending psychological science fiction of the 70s (and I will reference 2001: A Space Odyssey for the third time) and makes use of lighting, camera and music in a way that will keep the viewers at the edges of their seats even when no one on screen is moving. The movie is about the power of a taut script, beautiful narration and utterly inspired acting. Why else would you go to the theaters?
I will round up the technical details first. The music, brilliant. By the same guy who gave us those amazing soundtracks to Requiem for a Dream, Pi and The Fountain. The cinematography, amazing. The special effects, used in moderation and to carry the story along, just as it should be. And the narrative, compelling.
But this movie is an out and out one man show (no disrespect to the director, he does provide life). SAM ROCKWELL.
To say this is good acting is to say The Godfather is a decent movie. And there are people who say that The Godfather is a decent movie (as I say to each man his own) so this performance might be underrated in some circles. But if the academy does not nominate Sam Rockwell for an Oscar, it will undermine an honest effort. At one point in the movie, you are left wondering as to how a single person could pull all that off. And easily overshadow Kevin Spacey at the same time. Not to say people haven’t done it before, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen an individual carry the show like this.
I’m missing adjectives here, I want to say more but I don’t know how to. But that’s because I’m that spellbound. That’s the end of this review … just go watch it.
★★★★
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (★★★)
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince opens with almost a couple of chapters of the original book condensed into a scene that lasts barely minutes. But director David Yates knows that lukewarm beginnings are forgiven in this monster franchise. The fans are ready to wrap it all up, almost forgiving the many flaws that are bound to surface in a well publicized literary adaptation like this.
Now I would have called it an average movie if Yates stuck to that notion, but then, out of the blue, he does something outrageous, but also so cheeky that J.K. Rowling would have been proud herself. The next scene brilliantly defines this movie. The dark foreboding shadow of the future hanging over Harry in the café, and a pretty girl bound to rouse the most stubborn of pubescent hormones. And how well these two compliment each other! The girl gives Harry her number, and stares at him almost as to say it’s time to take this to another level. Soon after, Dumbledore pours cold water on the whoa-what-is-happening-here scene by dragging him away to begin the chain of events that make the crux of the series’ ending.
This brings me to Jim Broadbent, who plays Horace Slughorn. Finally, a character that I imagined while reading a book comes to life so splendidly. All the quirks, all the uneasy twitches, the magpie like tendencies and all the airs of a man who doesn’t know himself what his next step is. The scene where he describes Lily’s fishbowl is itself award worthy. It’s a perfect casting choice too, and in my opinion his best role since that riot of a movie, Hot Fuzz.
Among all the other supporting characters, the only one that really stands out is Tom Felton. He gets considerable screen time to show his acting prowess, and to his credit pulls it all off decently, though you do get the feeling that he was trying too hard in some places. It fits well with the other performances though. Helena Bonham Carter is menacing, but she honestly needs more screen time, she is such an amazing performer! Robbie Coltrane and the other usual suspects (David Thewlis et al.,) also get very little screen time, and are mostly present to move the story along.
There is one other performance that catches your attention, that of Jessie Cave, who plays the perfect I’m-in-love teenager as Lavender Brown. She is one to watch out for. On the other hand, Bonnie Wright is given the chance to shine as Ginny Weasley in all the passion-laced sequences in the movie, but she is strictly average.
Emma Watson and Rupert Grint get better and better with each movie. The latter as Ron Weasley is so perfect by this point that he is almost in danger of falling to a Seinfeld-like curse, but fans of the movie won’t complain. Emma Watson is grace personified, but she is usually the best actor of the three in all movies, so it’s not a surprise. I’m really interested in her future work, if she continues acting, that is, but for now, we are lucky to watch a budding future star. In my opinion, two forms of acting take center stage in good movies; acting the role, and living the role. Experts have different opinions on what is tougher, but Emma Watson for now, lives as Hermione Granger in all the movies, so she is doing her part to bring an amount of acting class to the lead roles of this franchise.
Michael Gambon as Dumbledore towers in his screen presence as usual, but then he is a professional, and carries himself well through Dumbledore’s swansong. I did get the feeling that he was a little indifferent in some scenes, but nothing major to complain about. I’m really interested now in his screen time in the final installment, especially with the forthcoming backstory. Alan Rickman is Severus Snape, so it is no surprise that does what he’s supposed to do and takes a bow. (He snickers more loudly than ever in this movie, if that’s even possible!)
Finally, Daniel Radcliffe. He is trying hard, honestly, I can see that (and he surprisingly gets easily through all the scenes where he is supposed to be intoxicated or drugged 
I wonder…) But the tough part here is that it’s now too late in the series to finally show some acting skills. Those who know my opinions of the earlier movies will tell you how much I rant about his acting ruining many of the best scenes. He looks like Harry Potter, yes, he probably talks like him too, and all the girls can go on and on about how good he looks, but the fact remains that he is an average actor; and has a long way to go before being a good one. One thing I appreciate about Radcliffe though, is how much he tries to grow out of the mould. His performance in Equus was well-received and he has tried his hand out in other places too, so he is at least taking steps forward, which is a good thing.
The music here is standard Harry Potter fare. The script lags a little, but not too much to ruin the movie (though the complaint about it being a bit too long is valid) The biggest strength of the movie though is its cinematography. The lighting effects and the camera choices are absolutely inspired (the cave sequence and the pensieve scenes being the best), and are definitely Oscar-worthy.
Final verdict: Very good, and better than the others; but only almost as good as Prisoner of Azkaban, which is still the best of the six.
★★★
Oracular Spectacular (★★★½)
Let’s take a look at the following story. You’re born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. You go to school to Wesleyan University in Connecticut. You start meeting people and doing things college kids do, slowly finding that one kindred spirit with whom you hang out the most, share most of your musical/other interests, indulge in a bit of recreational tripping, and one fine day, say those five hilarious words…
We should start a band.
We’ve all been there. Only, Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser (Say those names fast!) had no other choice, in their own words, they tried everything in school, and a music major was the only thing that suited them. They hit upon the idea of making music professionally, after (wait for it…) playing the theme music to the Ghostbusters non-stop in their dorm, while hosting one of their (many) hippie nude parties.
If you’re wondering which part of that story sounds legitimate, it’s all true. And if I told you that this background would lead to an album that redefines psychedelic music for the new age, with generous touches of electro-glam pop/rock and subtle hints of 60s melancholy, 70s progressive influences and 80s synth/dance gleanings, would you be shocked? What if I told you that there are lyrics too, audacious and brilliant, mind warping but thoughtful, reminding us of The Rolling Stones (blasphemy!) but also of those established in this genre (if there is such a thing), The Flaming Lips and of Montreal?
MGMT (They started calling themselves The Management, but now go by ‘Em ‘Gee ‘Em ‘Tee) is a band for the new age dreamer, waiting for a hook in the form of music that redefines the norm. In the aptly titled Time to Pretend, the duo dreams of castles in the air (or sandcastles in the air near the beach, as Andrew mentions in an interview) but also reminisces about their origins. The almost-alive electronic background and the intense drumming only live to serve the epic ideas that the duo has (with reality checks galore). That this single reached the top of the charts is no surprise.
The vocals in Weekend Wars and The Youth remind us of a young Mick Jagger, and the production quality in the acoustics is definitely an answer to the question of what if the Stones tried to make some electronic pop.
One of the biggest hits of this album though, is Electric Feel, rated the biggest underground college song of 2008. One can see why that is, as it instantly transports you to a club setting, with a whole three-chord electro-funk feeling that makes you just want to hit the dance floor.
Kids is a personal favorite of mine, with an underlying meaning that can be interpreted as ranging from an anthem for a newer age to a reference to kids who were never loved. The repeating riff is definitely something that will run in your head, and this is one song that will be played for a long time to come.
4th Dimensional Transition is the song that makes me think that Syd Barrett has come back to life as Andrew Vanwyngarden. It makes perfect sense, the lost looks, being constantly high, but at the same time producing psychedelic music at insane beats per minute, with at-the-brim nonsensical lyrics that on closer look reveal something else. The early 70s Gibson L5S sound is evident throughout; this song is just unbelievably good.
Pieces of What is an acoustic piece (no pun intended) that to me is a decent intermediate song to the the upcoming Of Moons, Birds and Monsters that shows the full versatility of the duo. This is an out-and-out progressive rock song, with a face-melting solo to boot, but with a laid-back feel throughout. Definitely a concert staple.
The Handshake acts as sort of a folk song for the space age, if you were at a campfire around a star (or are just tripping nuts). Future Reflections starts out with an intensity expected of a final blow, but settles down to a much quieter, chilled feel; nothing short of what is expected from a duo that doesn’t really take things seriously, and apparently wants to retire after two years in the business (sic).
This album is a sonic spectacle, with a production quality expected of Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips’ producer), and with so much diversity that it will not die anytime soon. It should be played by anyone that is tired of all the wannabe new age music that is thrown at us by record companies too afraid to take a chance. I’m happy that these two artists, just plain having fun throughout the album, were given this kind of a record deal; it is a sign of good things to come.
Oracular Spectacular gives me faith in the music business, and hope that creativity is not dead, nay, it is pretty much alive and up in smoke. But since the expectations will now be insane, I will refrain from giving the album a full rating; it is very bass-heavy (one of the few chinks if I want to be picky) and also, there is (much) better music (if possible) to be made in the future.
★★★½
Into The Wild (★★★★)
And I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong, to measure yourself at least once, to find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions, facing blind, deaf stone alone, with nothing to help you but your own hands and your own head…
The story of Christopher Johnson McCandless (1968 – 1992) is one of extreme tragedy, honest bravery, and most of all, a disdain for materialistic ideologies. He is folklore now. A physically fit boy in his early 20s, troubled by his childhood and his youth, wants to realize his innermost adventures. Coupled with a contempt for the empty joys of life, he decides to emulate his heroes in solidarity from the books he reads (including not surprisingly, Thoreau) by undertaking a voyage into the Alaskan wilderness. As his character (played so exceptionally by Emile Hirsch) puts it in the movie, he wants to be an extremist, an aesthetic voyager, whose home is the road.
I won’t tell you how his story went, for those of you who did not read the book by Jon Krakauer, or did not watch this movie. All I can say is that it deserves to be known, spread by word of mouth, understood and taken in. We’ve all been there one time or another. Telling each other that we want to run away from it all, just live alone, and contemplate. The trouble is we are so bound to everything and everyone around us that the very thought of going more than a week alone is a matter of discomfort. We need to get back to civilization sooner or later, for that’s how our genes have developed.
Sean Penn, Oscar winner this year for his portrayal of Harvey Milk, also proves his directing skills in this movie, but I think dealing with a story like this is natural to a man who is known for choosing movies that deal with emotionally charged characters (if you also count his stoner dude in Fast Times at Ridgemont High as emotionally charged, at some level, he was ) One of the best scenes in this movie is when McCandless has lunch with his family after graduation (and he mentions his lack of interest in Things, things, things…), and the shots include the eyes of his parents and his sister, watching him closely, in judgment of his every moment and every thought. The viewer is forced to empathize with the character and wonder when he will run away. So perfectly done, and Penn does not compromise on any shot, any lighting choice or any camera angle for even the smallest moments like this.
The movie is very well-paced for a biographical work, and the thoughts of the protagonist flying through the screen was a nice touch. The story is carried forward by the narration of Jena Malone (who plays Carine, his sister), and it is done with a kind of care and honesty I have not seen since Edward Furlong in American History X. Her work in this movie is very under-rated. The emotion that her brother is running away, and the helplessness that she knows it would happen all along was so vibrantly shown in every word of hers throughout the movie. It provides a perfect window into the world outside of McCandless’.
The rest of the supporting cast. Marcia Gay Harden as the mother is flawless as usual (but then again, just as Penn, these roles are natural to her, Mystic River being a case in point). William Hurt as the father is touching, and one of the best scenes in the movie is delivered by him towards the end. He is accustomed to roles with very little screen time, and is no stranger to stealing every moment he is a part of (The mob boss in A History of Violence). Catherine Keener as an aging hippie with relationship troubles, and a thirst for life’s joys provides a counter-point to McCandless’ youthful exuberance. Vince Vaughn and Kristen Stewart have small roles where they light up the screen as well. I can’t stop waxing eloquent here, but the casting in this movie is just that perfect.
I have to obviously mention Hal Holbrook, who plays the very (very) old Mr. Franz, a man who has lost everything in life, and is shown that age is just a mental state and a physical barrier by McCandless. His screen time in the whole movie runs probably about 10-15 minutes. But the viewer is kept on the edge of their seat every second, with a constant smile on their face, knowing that they will one day be him, and that regrets are only meant to be realized. It is not a surprise to me that he was nominated for a supporting actor Oscar that year (the oldest person ever to be nominated), and he would have definitely taken it if not for Javier Bardem’s career-defining, and earth shattering performance in No Country for Old Men.
That brings me to the biggest point I wanted to make. It is a travesty that this movie was released in the same year as No Country for Old Men and There will be Blood, two of the biggest monsters over the last decade in terms of sheer film-making brilliance. At one level, that this movie was well-received by critics shows that it was able to stand up to these two on its own, but at a different level, it definitely affected its sales, and it is a great shame that when people talk about the best movies of 2007 in the future, it might not be mentioned.
In any case, I have deferred from mentioning the actual protagonist of the film until now. I can talk and talk about Emile Hirsch’s performance in this movie and it would still not do it any amount of justice. As Roger Ebert put it in his own review, it was more than acting, it was living, which is so hard to do. Some of the scenes that caught my attention (I’m guessing this was the sort of script given to him)
1. McCandless is holding an apple, eating it, having a conversation with it, and launches a monologue on how it is one of the greatest apples he has ever eaten, calling it the apple of his eye.
2. McCandless looks at animals in the wild with great joy and with a poignant touch with nature, and ironically, when McCandless walks through the streets of LA at night, he looks at the people on the street with fear.
3. McCandless is thin, skeletal and almost dying. He is standing next to his magic bus, waiting for game to hunt. A bear approaches him, McCandless is terrified, but the bear walks away. He realizes he reeks of death, and understands that he is trapped in the wild with the wild disowning him.
Hirsch delivers these scenes with such perfection that it is hard to believe that he himself was not McCandless. He also put in a lot of effort into the movie, losing a great deal of weight to show his descent into weakness. Every line is delivered with strong will, with a sub-conscious respect for the actual man, and it is amazing for a young actor to show so much maturity. It helps that he had such a great supporting cast, and an experienced man in the film business directing him. But he is by himself in most of the scenes, and that says a lot. His performances in Lords of Dogtown, and the critically panned Speed Racer were also well-reviewed, but to carry a movie of this magnitude on his still amateur shoulders shows that this is an actor to look out for.
The music in the film is apt, and Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) provides the rebellious tone in all the songs that come across at exactly the right moments.
The script is very well-written too, and Jon Krakauer is mentioned as creative support in the movie. I’m currently reading Krakauer’s Into Thin Air (a must-read, again) which is what prompted me to watch this movie, but his love for all things wild and solitary comes across in all his words, and a disdain for obedience and a love for individual resistance is also shown at every step. There is an interesting anecdote I came across recently. After many people criticized McCandless’ approach (no maps, venturing along with no common sense) as arrogant and stupid, Krakauer pointed out a raw human desire to explore a blank spot in the map, but in this case, he wanted the world as a blank spot with no map.
Alexander Supertramp, Christopher McCandless. Whether you choose to call the man by any of these names, it is important to realize what he represents. In one sense, he is a manifestation of our innermost desire to break away and be at peace with oneself, but in another, he is a warning to those who want to fanatically believe that the world is disowning them. There are two quotes in the movie, at war with one another, but one representing a belief and another representing a realization:
The principle of raw joy is not from human relationships, it is everything and anything that we can experience.
Happiness is only real when shared.
Decide what you believe in, then watch the movie and think again.
I definitely recommend this movie. Not being generous in my first review, but because it is probably a generation defining piece of work:
★★★★
Roadplan
The plan as of now is a 4 star system for both movies and albums (I will not review singles or music videos on their own, though I might, if something really catches my eye)
I will rate movies based on cinematic quality, character development, technical mastery and mass appeal.
I will rate albums based on musical ingenuity, instrumental creativity, lyrical (if present) mastery and it’s audible effect on the listener (i.e., does it have catchy tunes, or does it make you think, will you have the songs running in your head, or will you play them out in the car or on your laptop for a long time?)
On the first of every month, I will rate a random movie and an album that I liked from the past, otherwise, this blog is limited to newer and current reviews.
I might take requests
Coming up (as soon as possible, and depending on how long my simulations run in the lab!):
A review of Into the Wild by Sean Penn, based on the Jon Krakauer book of the same name; and a review of MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular (something I’ve wanted to do for a long time)
suveshpratapa
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