Monthly Archives: February 2014

Movie Review: The Croods

Posted on February 21, 2014 | Leave a comment

The CroodsTitle: “The Croods”

Directors: Kirk De Micco, Chris Sanders

Writers: Chris Sanders, Kirk De Micco, John Cleese

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone

My Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

A caveman who is afraid of everything and tries to instill the same fear in his family and has to pick up and move when the cave and the surrounding land they live in is about to be destroyed by an active volcano.

Or, at least, I think that’s what’s going on. We’re never really shown what’s happening and why the area is blowing up around them. Often in movies like this, the audience will be given an omniscient view of what’s happening even if the characters don’t see it. I can sort of understand the choice to get the audience to be as ignorant as the characters to put the audience in their shoes, but it just doesn’t work here, and more leaves the audience scratching their heads.

The characters are simplistic and two-dimensional (for a computer-animated movie). They all become rather annoying after a short while, and it becomes tooth-grinding to make it to the end of the movie with them. Even the characters we are supposed to like, such as the heroic Guy (voiced by Ryan Reynolds) or the rebellious daughter Eep (voiced by Emma Stone) get irritating after a while.

The plot is simplistic with an obvious and completely unsurprising conclusion. There are few surprises throughout and the overall lesson the audience is supposed to take away from the movie is whacked over the audience’s head from the first frame. There are a few minor laughs here and there, but for the most part, it will leave most adult viewers groaning.

Notice how I point out adult viewers specifically. This movie is probably okay for kids. It’s actually relatively harmless when it comes to child-friendly material, although not without parental supervision due to “perilous situations.” Unfortunately, it doesn’t leave much for grown-ups, who, as I mentioned, while likely find the film somewhere between annoying and boring.

“The Croods” earns 1.5 out of 5 stars.

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Movie Review: The Act of Killing

Posted on February 18, 2014 | Leave a comment

The Act of KillingTitle: “The Act of Killing”

Director: Joshua Oppenheimer

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

If there’s one documentary that will stick with you, it’s “The Act of Killing.” In 1965, the military coup occurred in Indonesia. A purge began, resulting in the mass murder of accused Communists, ethnic Chinese, and others deemed unfit for the “New Order” of now President Suharto. This film follows Anwar Congo, a gangster and founding father of a paramilitary group, as he makes a film where he recreates some of the killings he took part in, but in the style of westerns, gangster films, and the like. Congo claims that he is not remorseful for his actions, but as the filming progresses, the imagery becomes more surreal and nightmarish as Congo begins to come to terms with his actions nearly fifty years before.

This film is haunting, plain and simple. To start, seeing the way these gangsters play around as they lightheartedly reenact their kills (at least in the beginning) is disturbing. As the imagery becomes more nightmarish, it begins to turn into more of a horror film.

It’s also fascinating as the film takes a brief look into Indonesian political life. It’s little wonder that Indonesia is often perceived as being one of the most corrupt nations on Earth. The corrupt in a basic parliamentary election is bald-faced and quite direct, as the candidates are expected to downright “buy” votes. Shakedowns are common-place as well, and we see this happen with no shame. It’s so common that it’s become a part of everyday life.

This film is not easy to watch. It’s troubling. It’s disturbing. But it sticks with you, both for its subject and its courage in confronting what has been called one of the worst mass murders of the 20th century, a mass murder for which there has never been any prosecutions. It’s definitely worth a watch, but be warned that it’s not for the faint of heart, especially when you remember that this is a documentary and not a horror film.

“The Act of Killing” earns 4.5 out of 5 stars.

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Movie Review: 20 Feet from Stardom

Posted on February 7, 2014 | Leave a comment

20 Feet from StardomTitle: “20 Feet from Stardom”

Director: Morgan Neville

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

When you listen to a piece of pop music, we often hear the vocals, drums, guitar, etc. However, an integral part of the musical experience are the backup singers. But who are they?

“20 Feet from Stardom” attempts to answer this question. Following the lives of several of the most popular backup singers, including Darlene Love, Judith Hill, and Táta Vega, among many others, this film chronicles their careers as backup singers and their attempts, in some cases, to have successful careers as lead singers.

It’s a fascinating look into an aspect of music that many of us probably don’t think much about consciously, although we recognize it when it’s pointed out. Profiling these singers and the famous songs they’ve worked on, it makes you say, “Hey, I remember that part!”

This film is highly entertaining, but isn’t quite the feel good documentary that last year’s “Searching for Sugar Man” was, a film to which this one will draw obvious comparisons. The reason I don’t say it’s feel good is that, while entertaining, it is also frustrating when they show how several of these clearly talented artist tried to make it as lead singers and fell flat on their faces. It’s hopeful but frustrating at the same time. The film’s editing also leaves a bit to be desired, jumping between viewpoints or following different personalities without warning, and feeling like you’re in a bumper car getting smacked back and forth at times.

At the same time, “20 Feet from Stardom” shines a spotlight on talent that should be more highly recognized, and as such gives them the recognition they deserve, even if just for 90 minutes.

“20 Feet from Stardom” earns 3.5 out of 5 stars.

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Movie Review: Cutie and the Boxer

Posted on February 7, 2014 | Leave a comment

Cutie and the BoxerTitle: “Cutie and the Boxer”

Director: Zachary Heinzerling

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Ushio Shinohara is an avant-garde artist who met his wife, Noriko, in 1969 in New York City. An artist in her own right, she put her career on hold to support her husband. However, after 40 years, as Ushio continues to struggle with his own career with his boxing paintings (where he uses makeshift boxing gloves covered in paint that he then uses to punch a large canvas), Noriko is finding her own creative voice again through a series of drawings called “Cutie and Bullie” that depict their own contentious relationship, and is being recognized for it.

This is actually a very sweet movie. It depicts the struggles, both personal and financial, of a lifelong artist and the toll it takes on his family. After struggling with alcoholism and depression, Ushio still hangs in there through the love and support of Noriko, who sacrifices everything for her love for Ushio. This sacrifice is not without complaint, though, and she does hold some resentment for having to stop her own art career for the sake of her husband.

However, what makes this movie so sweet is that, despite the arguing and complaining and resentment, it’s obvious that the two still love each other deeply, and one probably wouldn’t know what to do without the other. Opposites really do attract.

It’s a very touching story and the audience feels sympathy for both of them. We feel sorry for Ushio because of his struggle to create a legacy and be recognized, and we feel sorry for Noriko for having to put up with Ushio for so long, living in poverty and supporting him. Yet they don’t ask us to feel sorry for them. They’re simply telling their story and don’t really feel sorry for themselves. They recognize that this is what they chose, that this is what they need to do. The editing could use a little more work, as it sometimes feels jumpy and unsteady, but ultimately, the audience will feel that they spent their time watching this documentary well.

“Cutie and the Boxer” earns 4 out of 5 star.

“Cutie and the Boxer” is available to watch through Netflix as of this writing.

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Movie Review: Dirty Wars

Posted on February 6, 2014 | Leave a comment

Dirty WarsTitle: “Dirty Wars”

Director: Rick Rowley

Writers: David Riker, Jeremy Scahill

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Jeremy Schahill is an investigative journalist with The Nation. “Dirty Wars” is based on his book of the same name where he investigates the secret “kill list” and a hidden military group conduct America’s secret killings in the war on terror.

Okay, so that synopsis sounds a bit over-dramatic. And it kind of is. The film is told and edited in such a way as to make it more of a spy-thriller than a documentary. Seriously, the movie portrays Scahill more like a superhero, James-Bond-style spy than a journalist.

Secondly, a lot of what’s shown in this movie isn’t that secret. If you’ve paid any attention to the news over the last few years, and if you’re seeing this movie you probably have, then none of this is going to come as a surprise to you. I think the producers misread their audience with this one. From the existence of JSOC to the “kill list” of assassination targets, none of this is really that revelatory.

If you’re unfamiliar with the subject, it might be more interesting, although I also wouldn’t recommend this film as an introduction to its subjects. It’s told in such a dramatic style that it will likely scare the crap out of unfamiliar viewers.

That’s not to say it’s bad. It does remind us of an important political subject as well as tells its story fairly well. But the drama is sometimes over the top and, in my opinion, can actually detract from the movie’s message. “Dirty Wars” is okay, but again, it doesn’t really tell us anything that we don’t already know.

“Dirty Wars” earns 3 out of 5 stars.

“Dirty Wars” is available to view at the time of this writing through Netflix.

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