The Descendants (2011)

One of the titles that keeps appearing this award season is The Descendants, which I knew very little about before I went to see it. I hadn't even seen the trailer or read the plot synopsis. All I knew was that it came with a lot of buzz, particularly surrounding George Clooney's performance, where he is a top contender for the Oscar gold. What I enjoy about going into a movie blind is that I get to be surprised by everything that happens. I get to experience the events as the characters do.

It follows Matt King (George Clooney), a lawyer who lives in Honolulu, whose family owns a 25,000 acres strip of land in Kauai, which is untouched by the public. He is the sole trustee of the piece of land and his family and he need to make a decision as to if they should sell the land and who to because the trust will expire in seven years. But Matt is now going through some personal troubles as his wife is in a boating accident which puts her into a coma.

The film is an exploration of the false notion of perfection. The movie is a tale of heartbreak and broken families, but takes place on a part of the world that is considered by many to be a paradise. Matt King has the illusion of a normal family, a wife and two children, but underneath that there are lies and hurting also. It paints him as a normal man, though he is wealthy, intelligent and handsome. It doesn't take long before the movie shatters our idea of what a dream life is and shows much of it to be a burden rather than a goal. It's about the inescapable fact that all of us are human and will experience pain in our lives. Interesting how a movie about there being no such thing as perfection and success is actually a comedy at heart. I guess it is true that there is a fine line between tragedy and comedy.

Director Alexander Payne has a talent for delving into the deeper emotions of his characters, while still maintaining a relatively light tone in his films. I saw his film About Schmidt a few years ago and wasn't too into it when I thought it was a comedy. However, once I realized that it was a light, yet tragic, character portrait, I began to appreciate it more. The Descendants feels more sure footed, both having a better grip on the emotional pains of Matt King and a firm grasp on the comedy of the situations. He allows for all the characters to have real personalities, no matter how small their part. Certain people are crucial to the movie and may only have one scene, but that doesn't make that one scene of theirs without opportunity to shine as an actor. Matthew Lillard , for example, has a very small role in the movie, but it's the most realistic performance I've seen of his.

George Clooney is as good as they say, and I would call this his best performance I've seen. I thought he was quite good in Up In The Air, but I think in The Descendants he has a greater emotional landscape to work with. We get a chance to see him really perform. I know a lot of people criticize Clooney for never really breaking from his normal persona, but I think that we forget that you don't need to be an outlandish character actor to give strong performances. All we really needed from him in this movie was reality and that's what we got. Not everyone can do what Johnny Depp does, and not everyone should. Though... Clooney certainly did have a twitchy change of face in Burn After Reading, but that's neither here nor there.

Often if characters get stuck with the title of comic relief, that is how you define them and they kind of lose their chance for any sort of depth. This isn't so much the case in The Descendants. We're given a character by the name of Sid, whose very presence at times comes across as a punchline. Thankfully, Payne knows to treat Sid better than that and acknowledge that he is a character too. As we watch the movie, we find that there is more to him than the shallow person that we were quick to judge when he first enters Matt King's life.

I enjoyed The Descendants thoroughly because of how it seems so unambitious, yet achieves so much just by having a good head on its shoulders. It knows how to balance humour and heart and believes that the story is worth telling because it's a human one. And that's where the meat of the story is and why audiences will connect with the movie. Despite the location being exotic and beautiful beyond reality, the people in the movie are grounded and relatable, allowing us to share in Matt King's pain, but also in the moments in between where he and his family connect. And I think that's one of the gifts that film provides for us. They started off as strangers, but by the end I felt like they were friends.

4.5 Stars

The Artist (2011)

If The Artist does just one thing right, it captures the look and feel of a classic silent movie from the 1920's. This is clever on a number of levels because the film takes place at the end of the silent era and explores the changes of cinema at that time. It followed George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), one of the biggest silent film stars in Hollywood. In an encounter with a young actress named Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), he unknowingly starts off acting her career. However, not long after that, a big step in cinema is being made. Movies are becoming talkies. George doesn't believe that this trend with catch on, but Peppy steps up to the challenge and signs up with a studio set on making her a star. Mr. Valentin however leaves the studio and goes to finance his own silent movie, putting everything of his on the line.

I think this movie connected with me in a way that I didn't really understand until after a little bit of reflection. The movie's theme is "out with the old, in with the new." George is a loveable protagonist, even if his ego is a bit too large for his own good. Big changes are intimidating, especially for those who are the best at what they do currently, and the idea of becoming obsolete can be unbearable to many. The audience knows that talking picture will forever change cinema because it's common place now, but George wants to fight it. I think a lot of people will at least understand where he is coming from. He sees what he does as a timeless art form, while others see it as archaic. Isn't it interesting how the style of this film is novelty to the point where there is Oscar buzz over Dujardin's performance? Dujardin is validating his character's opinion by showing the world that it takes skill to perform in that way, now that it is no longer common place. The Artist is strangely self fulfilling.

Back on the subject of how I connected with the movie, I feel that, while The Artist is about a very specific time in cinema's history, the conflict that George is going through is very universal and just as relevant today. For example, I worked as a projectionist at a movie theatre. Cinemas are going through a big change right now as most of them have switched over the digital projectors replacing the classic 35mm film projectors. Essentially, I lost my job to this advancement in technology. Of course, this comes with its own problems, but I might write an article about that subject some day soon. The point is that I could understand Valentin's fear and reluctance toward change. And I doubt I'm the only one.

Strangely enough, The Artist deals with some heavy issues and I didn't even think about it all that much until later. I was just along for the ride while the film was playing. It deals with rejection, divorce, alcoholism, depression, and issues along those lines, but it doesn't feel very heavy. It mostly maintains a very light tone and keeps a good sense of humour throughout. It's not that it comes across as false, nor does it understate the severity of the problems; it just allows the style to carry the movie through the darker territory. That's a fine line to walk and the movie dances joyfully on it.

I might need to watch it again. I liked it, but I'm not sure if I loved it. I certainly believe that The Artist is a clever and fun movie with a lot of heart. It really feels like a love letter to the silent era of cinema and the stars of that time. It's the exact movie that it intended to be and it accomplishes a lot. What more should I ask it to be?

4 sour grapes

Hope & Social - Sleep Sound (2011)

Sometimes in life, by chance you stumble upon something really great. One day on Bandcamp.com, I was browsing through albums by genre, probably the difficult to define genre of “alternative,” when I stumbled upon this record. I think I was caught by its beautiful cover art. I clicked and then I listened and I knew that this was quality work and from that moment on I was a Hope & Social fan. I was actually planning on reviewing this months ago, but then I moved and forgot about it for a time. But I have now remembered and I wish to share my enthusiasm for this record for anyone who is willing to read.

Sleep Sound is their third full length album and probably their most fully realized. It's a diverse, but very consistent collection of songs. Their music is a clever blend of a few genres, merging gospel, ska, folk, and rock'n'roll. It all comes together so naturally that it feels like a style of their very own. I honestly can't think of a band with a sound similar to them. Though, as far as ambition and quality of work goes, I could see them fitting nicely in with Canada's own Arts & Crafts record label. Though Hope & Social are actually from Leeds, England, showing that there is a promising independent music scene on the other side of the Atlantic also.

Every song has a bit of a different personality, some are fun and win you over with their upbeat charm. Others feel much more personal and restrained. Though, what works is that every song comes across as very genuine. They're clearly labours of love and mean a lot to the Hope & Social. It's just old fashioned good, honest song writing and that's something that makes it easy to connect to. Their music emotes very strongly, but not in a typical way. A lot of the time when we think of emotional music, we associate it with sadness, but this album covers a greater range than that. We hear moments that are joyful, sombre, passionate, and contemplative. No songs drain me though. Even through the slower pieces, I feel encouraged and inspired.

What sets Sleep Sound apart from their previous albums is the increased richness of their sound, this time with an added brass section, which was sparsely used in their second album April. This time it's a much more pronounced sound, adding a lot of character to the tunes. One of my favourite sounds in the world is an appropriately placed trumpet and there are a few of those moments in this album. Most of the time they still are at heart a rock band and they never feel like they're straying too far from their genre, which is fortunately very flexible.

My love for this album grows each time I listen to it, every song connecting with me and leaving a lasting impression. My favourites? “Rolling Sideways” is great fun and has a great piano track. “Cotton Wool” sets a great emotional landscape, giving a sense of longing and distance. It's quite beautiful. It's followed by “Them Rolling Boys” which is a more edgy track, and certainly one of the strongest as it has the most satisfying progression and rocks the hardest throughout. The final track “Fast Train” is another terrific track, that feels like it's taking me on a long journey, leaving me wanting more. I guess I'll have to wait until their next album though.

What is encouraging is that Hope & Social are a band that seem comfortable in their own skin. Their music is strong and confident and they give the listener the choice of how much they want to pay for it. Not only with the digital copy, but the physical ones as well. You can download it for free or the disc is available for simply the cost of producing it and shipping. All they ask is that you pay them what you feel the album is worth, which is a difficult thing for a musician to ask, particularly when they pour so much work into their art. I would encourage you to give Sleep Sound a listen and if you share my enthusiasm, why not support the music?

5 Stars

Puss In Boots (2011)

The Shrek movies have their fans and will forever be a landmark for Dreamworks Animation. Not only was the first film start off their 3D animation business, but it's also been their most profitable franchise. I, however, am not a big Shrek fan. In fact, I feel that the first Shrek movie was one of the single most overrated films of the last decade. The only one of the series I thoroughly enjoyed was the second film, and much of that was because of a certain feline character who stole the show. I must not have been the only one to see that this was one of the stronger characters of the series because finally, after the Shrek movies have been (hopefully) put to rest, Puss In Boots has been given his own feature film.

The story takes place before Puss meets Shrek and they become companions. Puss (Antonio Banderas) is an outlaw with a bounty on his head and he learns of some magic beans in the hands of two dangerous criminals named Jack and Jill. Puss has been after magic beans for half of his life and doesn't believe they exist, though he is compelled to track the beans down anyway. He is met by another cat burglar (get it?) who is also after the beans and their competition gives them away and they both fail. After tracking the other burglar, he learns it is the notorious (and beautiful) thief Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) who is teamed up with an old friend Humpty Alexander Dumpty (Zach Galafianakis), who Puss had a falling out with after being betrayed by the greedy egg. Now, they're teamed back together to seek the magic beans that will grow a magic beanstalk leading them to a castle with endless riches.

Wow, that plot wound up being a real challenge to summarize. It's really quite a strange jumble of fairy tales, not unlike Shrek. I'm actually impressed that they managed to make it fairly intelligible and easy enough to follow that kids shouldn't have trouble keeping up. Though, I have to confess that I have some complaints about a plot twist in the third act of the film which I felt didn't quite work with the story. That being said, I see why they did it, I just think it should have played out differently. I can't really elaborate because I don't want to spoil the movie.

Puss In Boots is not a Shrek film and the only shared character is the title role. More importantly, it feels very much like a different kind of movie. Shrek was a fairy tale spoof. Puss In Boots is an adventure film, set in the same world where various mother goose characters all coexist... not always peacefully. It is often funny, but not always hilarious and I believe that is intentional. Puss is a funny character but the story isn't about gags. It's about relationships, betrayal, and redemption. Well, when I put the big words there, it sounds a little deeper than it is.

But let's be honest here, Puss was the optimum choice for a feature length spin off. I can't think of any other character from Shrek who would work as well. Would you watch a Donkey movie? You might? I don't think I would. Puss has a more dexterous form, making it easier to build a story for him. His past was a mystery, but much was implied. If anything, I can't help but feel that Shrek was holding him back. I think for the most part he was just following Shrek and Donkey around and occasionally he would have a chance to shine and do something cute and impressive. Puss In Boots has a fast paced story with so much energy and action. In fact, I sort of feel that this still isn't the best possible Puss In Boots movie that could have been made around this character. And I also wonder what would happen is some company actually wants to do an adaptation of the real Puss In Boots story. This film is not that.

I especially recommend Puss In Boots to people who love cats. Cats are a never ending source of amusement to many people (myself included) and there are many visual gags and character traits that Puss has that should be entertaining. Sometimes these jokes are very subtle, sometimes they are not. I'm glad that the film makers had a sense of humour, but were not talking down to their young audience. Adults will find some jokes for them and may also be swept away by the action. Whatever the case, I think most will find something to like in this film.

3.5 Stars

Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)

When Nothing Like The Holidays came out a few years ago, I was quite interested in seeing it. I hadn't had the chance until just a few days ago, but I knew I'd get around to it eventually. It seems that in recent years Christmas movies have gotten to be very commercial. Often it's about crazy shopping or competitive neighbours putting up lights or some outlandish story involving Santa Claus. I think that these days we don't seem to make many Christmas classics and that's because I can't help but feel that there is a real human element missing in the holiday film genre. So, when I saw this trailer, I felt that it promised to fulfil exactly what was missing.

It follows a Puerto Rican family in Chicago. All of the grown up kids have come home for Christmas and have brought their stories home with them. Jesse (Freddy Rodriguez) has just come back after 3 years serving in Iraq. Mauricio (John Leguizamo) has a workaholic wife. Roxanna (Vanessa Ferlito) is a struggling actress in Hollywood. But they're all together under one roof again and able to enjoy the company of each other and their parents. However, their mother Anna (Elizabeth Peña) announces over dinner that she is going to divorce their father Edy (Alfred Molina). Guess that ruins Christmas, right?

Nothing Like The Holidays seems like the kind of movie that meant a lot to the people who were making it. And I imagine that it will connect with some people and not as much with others. I could relate to it because I come from a bigger family and can understand the difficulties with getting people together for Christmas and the joy that comes with having family under the same roof. 

The movie boasts an excellent cast. Check out this list: Luis Guzmán, Alfred Molina, John Leguizamo, Jay Hernandez, Melonie Diaz, and that girl from Death Proof. It's a great collection of Latin American actors who deserve roles with a little bit of meat to them. And they get that in Nothing Like The Holidays. Most characters have a story arc and internal conflict and they all have great chemistry with one another, shooting fast dialogue as if they were actually family. If the movie has one thing going for it, it has to the the performances.

The script is mostly good. As I said, the dialogue is strong. It has enough comedy and drama to feel like real interactions between siblings. The characters are well rounded and complex, and I easily got a sense of what kind of person they are without clunky exposition. There was a good amount of development in that aspect of the script. There were, however, a few issues in the story department. There might be just a few too many subplots. I appreciate wanting to take time with all of the characters, but it might have been stronger if they kept the development in the immediate family because it starts to feel a bit forced when there are some lesser characters with stories that seem a bit tacked on. There isn't enough time to focus on all of those plots, so their resolution seems meaningless. The film tries so hard to balance all these stories; they're lucky they didn't all topple.

I also can't shake the feeling that the ending was a bit rushed. There was a lot that needed to be resolved, and while it all was technically, I don't believe I felt the necessary satisfaction that could have come from it. All it needed as a bit more time and focus on some of the right things. I don't think that I can elaborate too much more than that, because I wouldn't want to ruin it for you.

Christmas doesn't play that much into the story. It serves as a backdrop to the events as well as the most logical reason for all of the characters to converge together. This is good. It allows for a real story that doesn't revolve around holiday contrivances. No shopping. No Santa. Just real human interaction at a time where family is the focus. Nothing Like The Holidays is enjoyable, fun and emotional, but it never reaches the cohesive whole that might have elevated it to becoming a holiday classic. Most of the ingredients were there, but something went wrong with the stuffing.

3.5 Stars

Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto (2011)

Coldplay are a band that seem to stimulate a whole array of different reactions. Some people love them ever so dearly, while others despise them greatly. What can't be disputed is their popularity and their ability to sell records for a good decade now. Me? Well, I never hate them, but I've certainly had mixed reactions to their work. I believe them to be a band capable of so much and I continue to respect their choices to change up the vision of each album, so not to repeat themselves too often. This adventurous nature has elicited a number of responses from me, but their last effort Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends brought out a very positive one. Coldplay were trying new things along side guru producer Brian Eno, exploring a very earthy tone to the album. It was rock mixed with world music, electronica and even some orchestral arrangements. It was a great album and possibly the best from the band (though I am also quite attached to A Rush of Blood to the Head).

So, this wandering has lead Coldplay in a very different direction for their latest effort Mylo Xyloto. Perhaps it was because they knew that they couldn't repeat what they achieved with Viva La Vida that they took their music in a drastically different direction. Gone is the raw earthiness and in comes... shiny shine. I can't fault them too much for their work here. It's very clear that they knew exactly what kind of album it was based entirely on the cover art. The contrast between the cover art of their last album and this one is similar to the change in music.

What I've been leading up to saying is that Mylo Xyloto is a disappointment to me, but I don't know if I hold it against Coldplay too much. That's part of the process of taking risks with your art form. Someone out there is not going to like it. Although, the album is in an awkward space where it does touch on some new ground for the band, but feels extremely safe. Yes, they've changed, but they sound like their focusing on making songs that are accessible and marketable. Not a bad thing per se, but it's all so over produced and glossy that it's hard to find the emotional core of the music. In essence, they've made their first pop record which will appeal to some and alienate others. This is disappointing to me because Coldplay were one of the last good mainstream rock acts making music.

The album isn't a complete waste of time, in fact I wouldn't say that there is a “bad song” on it. If you look at it as a pop record and not a Coldplay album then it's actually above average in quality. But I do notice a lack of stand out tracks within; most of them are just pretty good or not bad. And it seems clear that they were aware of which ones were the stronger songs because they have been released as singles. I actually quite like their song “Charlie Brown” which has been on repeat in my head all day. I have similar feelings about “Hurts Like Heaven” and “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.” Though, my favorite song from the album is “Major Minus” which actually feels like a rock song, and also I see no indicator that it will become a single. Though, I do at times get a U2 vibe from the song, as if guitarist Jonny Buckland was channelling The Edge like he did several times on 2005's X&Y.

While the song writing is tight and the production is slicker than ever, I think the main problem with the album is the lack of heart. What made their early, and now seemingly simple albums, Parachutes and especially A Rush of Blood to the Head work so well for me was that there was a raw connectivity between the band and listener. Coldplay had a gift that brought them into the mainstream without all of the glamour and shine that Mylo Xyloto relies on. They were a band that spoke to their audience and it's a shame that some of that is lost now. That makes many of the slower tracks on the album uninteresting, which wasn't always an issue before.

That being said, Mylo Xyloto does at least feel like a cohesive album that is on a clear path. Many of the tracks link together and it seems like a complete work from start to finish. One has to admire how sure footed their going in this new direction. Even if it's the wrong direction, they have a cool confidence about it all that is kind of charming. What is reassuring is that Coldplay are a band who are willing to keep trying new things. I wasn't the biggest X&Y fan, but when they brought out Viva La Vida, my faith in them had returned. I can only hope that we'll hear another leap where they can mix this confidence with a bit more adventure.

3 Stars

Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem (2003)

Daft Punk's Discovery was a remarkable album, but even before its completion, the duo were interested in making a companion film for it. In 2000 they approached their childhood hero and acclaimed Anime animator Leiji Matsumoto to make a musical science fiction film to the music of their album. He must have liked their story and ambition because production began that October and finally finished in 2003. Interstella 5555 has no dialogue and minimal sound effects, playing entirely as a visual companion to Discovery.

It starts with a large concert on another planet with a dazzling pop band playing “One More Time.” The crowd loves them, but so does someone else. A spaceship just entered the system and is monitoring their concert. It sends troops down to capture the pop group and take them away to have their memories wiped and their appearance changed so that they look human. He called them The Crescendolls. Their home planet is not without a rescue plan as they contact a hero, Captain Shep, with a guitar space ship who is a big fan of the band, particularly of their female bass player. He follows their captors to the planet Earth, where an evil mastermind takes the band and song “One More Time” up the charts... for evil!

The footage of this film was used as the music videos for the singles released from this album. At the time, I wasn't aware that there was a whole film made (or being made) and just thought that having a couple of Anime videos with a connecting story line was a fun idea. I was excited to learn that it was in fact a feature film, which left me more satisfied given that the music videos left it very incomplete. So, essentially this film is an album length music video, but I do feel that it works as a piece of cinema also.

One has to respect the ambition of the project; to tell a story without the aid of dialogue. It's a chance for animators to explore film as an entirely visual medium. And it succeeds at this. The story is very clear and often scenes match the tone of the music that it's playing along to. I hadn't seen the movie until a few years after I knew the album so it was interesting hearing it with a completely different context than I was used to. They allowed the mood of the music to be part of the story telling process. It never felt like the visuals and the audio were separate entities and didn't belong together. It was essential for the movie to work at all.

In a sense, it is an animated silent movie. It actually fits some of the criteria of the old silent films. A lot of the action is exaggerated as it delves into melodrama on many occasions. The characters are also very large and full of personality, with the exception of the main band who don't seem to possess particularly memorable character traits... which is strange because the film revolves around them. Many others, you can tell what kind of character they are simply by looking at them. They are designed to look evil, or caring, or heroic and often it works quite well.

Visually, the Interstella 5555 is great. The animation is beautiful and there are some amazing space sequences which would be great to have seen on the big screen. I don't believe that the movie ever got a theatrical release, which is understandable as I don't see it having an appeal to anyone beyond animation enthusiasts or Daft Punk fans.

Though the restrictions of the film are what define it and make it stand out, at times they really do feel like restrictions. The story often unfolds at a healthy pace, but at times you can sense that sequences end too soon or go on too long depending on the song it is attached to. For example, the song “Too Long” again proves to be just as its title promises. The conclusion of the movie overstays its welcome and you can sense that they weren't sure what else to do. So, they resort to recapping the entire movie, which is a complete waste of time and insulting to anyone who already watched it. I really don't like it when movies do that, but this time I can at least understand the motive behind it.

You really get the sense when watching Interstella 5555 that it really meant a lot to the people who made it. For Daft Punk, it was a dream come true. I'm glad that it was made and can be shared with their fans. I just like the concept of the film and am glad that I bought it. It's great to see a project like this. It's something a little different for someone who wants unconventional story telling paired with awesome music.

3.5 Stars