Film Review -- To Catch a Thief

Another of Hitchcock's most famous thrillers stars Carey Grant and Grace Kelly. John Robie (Stewart) is a reformed jewel thief living in the French Riviera. When a series of robberies in the area are executed using his former methods, Robie must set out to catch the real thief and prove his innocence. Helping him is one of "The Cat's" possible targets, the beautiful and intriguing Frances Stevens (Kelly), a young and curious American craving an adventure. The film was surprisingly less suspenseful than I thought it was going to be. There were some very predictable parts, and at times Hitchcock's signature long takes dragged on to the point of practically boring. It is, nevertheless, decent entertainment, and even when Hitchcock isn't at his best, he is still pretty good. This film, unfortunately, wasn't terribly memorable, and didn't particularly stand out to me.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B

Film Review -- Vertigo

Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller stars James Stewart and Kim Novak. Scottie Ferguson (Stewart) is a retired detective in San Francisco who is called on by his old friend, Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore), to investigate the strange behavior of his much-younger wife, Madeleine (Novak), whom Elster believes is being possessed by the spirit of her great-grandmother. As Scottie begins to spend time with Madeleine, he finds himself falling in love with her. Slowly, secrets begin to unravel, and the chance of finding out the truth keeps slipping away from Scottie because of his one major setback: suffering from acrophobia, or extreme fear of heights. This film is considered to be one of the best films of all time, having recently surpassed Citizen Kane to sit atop the rankings of several different lists. I, however, was somewhat disappointed and underwhelmed. The film excels at being suspenseful, due mostly in part to Hitchcock's long, tense takes. The plot is also pretty ingenious. What bothered me, though, is that there are certain details in the film that went past the point of believability, and it is, at points, quite sexist. It is overall a fine film, but by no means did I find Vertigo deserving of any best-of-all-time honor. 

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B+

2013 Spirit Awards Nominees

The prestigious Independent Spirit Awards celebrate the amazing work of independent filmmakers. Below are this year's nominees:

Best Feature
‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’
‘Bernie’
‘Keep the Lights On’
‘Moonrise Kingdom’
‘Silver Linings Playbook’

Best Director
Wes Anderson, ‘Moonrise Kingdom’
Julia Loktev, ‘The Loneliest Planet’
David O. Russell, ‘Silver Linings Playbook’
Ira Sachs, ‘Keep the Lights On’
Benh Zeitlin, ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’

Best Screenplay
Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, ‘Moonrise Kingdom’
Zoe Kazan, ‘Ruby Sparks
Martin McDonagh, ‘Seven Psychopaths’
David O. Russell, ‘Silver Linings Playbook’
Ira Sachs, ‘Keep the Lights On’

Best Female Lead
Linda Cardellini, ‘Return’
Emayatzy Corinealdi, ‘Middle of Nowhere’
Jennifer Lawrence, ‘Silver Linings Playbook’
Quvenzhané Wallis, ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, ‘Smashed’

Best Male Lead
Jack Black, ‘Bernie’
Bradley Cooper, ‘Silver Linings Playbook’
John Hawkes, ‘The Sessions’
Thure Lindhardt, ‘Keep the Lights On’
Matthew McConaughey, ‘Killer Joe’
Wendell Pierce, ‘Four’

Best Supporting Female
Rosemarie DeWitt, ‘Your Sister's Sister’
Ann Dowd, ‘Compliance’
Helen Hunt, ‘The Sessions’
Brit Marling, ‘Sound of My Voice’
Lorraine Toussaint, ‘Middle of Nowhere’

Best Supporting Male
Matthew McConaughey, ‘Magic Mike’
David Oyelowo, ‘Middle of Nowhere’
Michael Pena, ‘End of Watch’
Sam Rockwell, ‘Seven Psychopaths’
Bruce Willis, ‘Moonrise Kingdom’

Best First Feature
‘Fill the Void’
‘Gimme the Loot’
‘Safety Not Guaranteed’
‘Sound of My Voice’
‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’

IT'S AWARDS SEASON!!!

As the end of November rolls around, the best films of the year slowly start to trickle into the theatres, and that can only mean one thing: Awards Season has officially begun. I don't know about you, but this time of year, my family practically lives in the movie theatre (I don't know how that'll work out in Brazil, though. Here's hoping!). I'll be posting, in addition to reviews, the nominees and winners of the major awards. The Holidays are the best time to be a film fan, so hopefully you all enjoy another end-of-the-year of fantastic films!

Film Review -- Trouble with the Curve

This 2012 dramedy stars Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake, and John Goodman. Gus Lobel (Eastwood) is one of the most lauded baseball scouts of his time, but old age begins to affect his competence. With the imminent possibility of retirement looming, he sets out on one more desperate road trip to North Carolina to observe possible Draft pick Bo Gentry (Joe Massingill) -- along with his daugter, Mickey (Adams), who's sent by Pete (Goodman), Gus's longtime friend and boss, to keep an eye on Gus's health. While there, they run into Johnny Flanagan (Timberlake), a scout for the Red Sox who was once drafted by Gus. Over the course of the week, the strained father-and-daughter relationship is tested even further, as a big promotion starts slipping away from Mickey, and even with deteriorating health, Gus refuses to confront their tumultuous past. The film is unbelievably predictable; every possible cliché you could think of is in it. However, fans will very much enjoy watching a story, if nothing else, about the beautiful game of baseball, and that's what saved the film for me in the end. Amy Adams is also charming as usual. So, my advice regarding this film would be: don't bother to see it in theaters, but go ahead and rent it, as long as you're a baseball fan.

Should you see it: It Depends
Grade: C+

Film Review -- Skyfall

The latest 007 installment is directed by Sam Mendes and stars Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, and Javier Bardem. James Bond's (Craig) latest challenge is more personal than usual. When MI6 comes under attack, Bond discovers that the mastermind is a figure from M's (Dench) past. As he sets out to find the terrorist, his loyalty to M is tested, and his future in the British Secret Service remains in serious question. I will admit that I have only seen the Craig Bond films, but this one is the one I enjoyed the most out of the three. It is by no means a cinematic masterpiece, but in terms of an action blockbuster, it is sufficiently clever and well-crafted. It is perhaps a tad too long; while the film has some pretty intense action sequences (especially the final one), it can drag on at times. It might also occasionally stretch believability, but that is to be expected from a film like this. However, these little discrepancies can be forgiven from a film that has a lot to live up to delivers great entertainment. In all, Skyfall is a solid, smart adventure.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B+

Film Review -- Argo

This Ben Affleck-directed thriller, based on a true story, stars Affleck, Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, and Victor Garber. In Iran on November 4, 1979, a group of revolutionaries invades the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in protest of the U.S. providing exile to the dying, recently deposed Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, whom the revolutionaries wanted back in Iran to be tried and executed. They successfully take hostage fifty-two Americans, but six employees working at the adjacent consulate -- Robert Anders (Tate Donovan), Mark Lijek (Christopher Denham), Cora Lijek (Clea DuVall), Henry L. Schatz (Rory Cochrane), Joe Stafford (Scoot McNairy), and Kathy Stafford (Kerry Bishé) -- escape before the takeover and are taken in by the Canadian Ambassador to Iran, Ken Taylor (Garber). Sixty-nine days pass, and exfiltration expert Tony Mendez (Affleck) is contacted by his supervisor in the CIA, Jack O'Donnell (Cranston) about smuggling the escapees out of Iran before the revolutionaries discover that six people are missing from the embassy. Calling it the "best bad idea" that they come up with, Mendez and O'Donnell decide to have the six pose as a film crew for the fictional sci-fi film Argo, looking at filming locations in Iran and getting them out with fake Canadian passports. They contact Oscar-winning makeup artist John Chambers (Goodman), and mega-producer Lester Siegel (Arkin) to take part in the charade so that the cover-up seems legitimate. They agree, and soon the four are racing against the clock to save six lives during one of the U.S.'s worst diplomatic crises. What struck me the most about the film is that it is an entirely true story, yet it seems so unbelievable that something like this could happen, and not that long ago. I also commend Affleck and screenwriter Chris Terrio for taking a story where the outcome is widely known, or easy to find out, and still manage to make an extremely tense film; I was practically shaking in my seat. The acting is superb, and the pacing is great; there are even some humorous moments to break the tension. It is rated R for language only, and I appreciated the film's minimal violence and graphic images, for it kept the focus solely on the mission, and the psychological state of the characters. Argo is easily the best film of 2012 so far, and it will be a tall task for any film to surpass it. The Best Picture Oscar is Argo's to lose. 

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: A

Film Review -- The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This teen drama stars Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller. Written and directed by the author of the cult-classic novel of the same name, Stephen Chbosky, Perks tells the story of Charlie (Lerman), a sweet but introverted high school freshman who had a tumultuous childhood. Almost accidentally, he makes friends with outcast seniors and step-siblings Sam (Watson) and Patrick (Miller).  The film then takes the audience through the significant events of the school year, sporadically narrated by Charlie when writing letters to an imaginary "friend." We see hook-ups, break-ups, friendships forming and dissolving and forming again, family strength being tested, and many other significant moments that help shape Charlie and take him from boyhood to adulthood. Even so, certain incidents from his past inhibit him from fully developing and expressing his emotions, particularly as he falls in love with Sam. The film is sad but poignant, and although about a boy's very specific situation, there is something in there for everyone to relate to. The three leads are wonderful, with an equally terrific supporting cast that includes Paul Rudd, Nina Dobrev, and Mae Whitman. In a year (a few years, really), that has seen way too many vampires and werewolves, Perks is an incredibly refreshing and touching teen film that moviegoers of all ages can enjoy.

Should you see it: Yes
Grade: B+