Review: Gravity

Despite what you may have heard, director Alfonso Cuaron has not reinvented motion pictures and has not forever changed the way movies will be made.  What he has done is crafted a film in Gravity that is visually stunning, utilizing 3D technology in a way that is legitimately a part of the narrative, rather than as a gimmick to charge you six dollars.  So if you are one of those people who shy away from 3D because you think it wil, hurt your eyes or you don’t like the way you look in those plastic glasses, you are going to want to put those reservations aside and go see this movie because Cuaron has put together a solid film.

The plot of the film finds Astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) and Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) on a routine spacewalk.  Kowalski is on his final mission before retirement, while Stone is on her first mission and in the middle of performing some technical alterations to a satellite when a storm of debris rains down on them.  The resulting damage proves critical and leaves the two scrambling to survive the perils of space.

Having seen the film, the single most important thought that I can convey is that it’s probably not nearly as fun without 3D technology.  That’s not to say it’s all about the 3D, but this is a movie that relies on the physical space and its effect on the senses.  And because this movie was shot for 3D (as opposed to a post-production conversion), it utilizes the technology to fully immerse you in the experience.  Those visuals and the clever use of sound bring to life the cold vastness that is space.

But like any good film, Gravity does not rely on visuals alone.  Cuaron uses isolationism and claustrophobia to craft a taut tense movie, which is ironic because the events are set against the infinite backdrop that is space.  And like many other narratives that place their protagonists at the edge of the abyss, the film delves into issues such as hope, faith, and love.  In this regard, it is not unique, but entertaining nonetheless.

It cannot be overstated how vital the work of every actor is in this movie, especially when it features just two.  Sure Ed Harris has a minor vocal presence as the voice of Mission Control and Paul Sharma and Amy Warren flash briefly onscreen as other astronauts on the mission.  But really, nearly every single frame of this film is dedicated to the performances of Bullock and/or Clooney.

From the moment you hear Clooney snap off some cagey banter in his typical breezy delivery it is immediately apparent that he is on his game.  It helps that the role doesn’t demand that he  do anything that resides outside his range.  Rather, the script calls for the veteran actor to play an incarnation of himself – and allows for the kind of dry wit upon which his reputation has been built.   It all plays into this character of Matt Kowalski, a seasoned astronaut enjoying his last few moments in the proverbial sun.

As for Bullock, she is not exactly a slouch in this film either, though I think there are some issues with how her character is portrayed.  At the outset, Bullock does a good job of crafting this new to space astronaut – more research oriented than field-tested.  It plays into her ability to convey self-repression and apprehension.  But as the events of the film ramp up and the challenges crescendo, there is a fundamental shift in Bullock’s Doctor Stone, and while it is completely by design, it also causes some inconsistencies in her performance.  So while she is not completely to blame, the combination of Cuaron’s script and her acting makes disbelief increasingly difficult to suspend.

As for the science of the film, is it always spot on and completely plausible?  Of course not, because it’s a movie designed to entertain, not educate.  And to this end, Cuaron manages to craft a film that engages you and makes you feel invested in the characters to such an extent that you’re willing to overlook the details that can at times leave you scratching your head.  And that he layers this manner of storytelling with a rich audio and visual experience makes the film all the better.

Again, Gravity is not a film that will revolutionize the movie industry.  And contrary to the usual knee jerk reaction by most media outlets, it’s not going to sweep all the Oscar categories.  What Gravity is, is an entertaining movie that offers the kind of experience that should coax you to leave the comforts of your home to see it on the big screen.  Sure, it’s going to cost you a few extra bucks, but you won’t be thinking about that as you exit the cinema.  What more can you ask for?

Standout Performance:  George Clooney.  His performances have included more than a few misses recently, but this one plants a check firmly in the hit category.

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Review: The Descendants

When George Clooney is focused on being an actor/entertainer, his movies tend to be very good.  And when he is more interested in pushing other agendas (i.e. political), those films tend to be bland, didactic, and not nearly as intelligent as some knights of the keyboard would have you believe.  But then again, I tend to be skeptical when those who hardly reside in the real world step down from the mountaintop to lecture us common folk on how we should view our real world problems (see also, Sean Penn).  And so Clooney’s career has metamorphosed from obscure mediocre television actor to grounded and gracious television and film A-lister, to self-important pseudo intellectual sensationalist.  But that doesn’t mean the man can’t still participate in a good movie every now and then, and that is precisely what The Descendants is – a good movie.

I know I am really late on this film, but like I mentioned before, Clooney’s films are very hit or miss for me so I am almost never in a rush to see the latest from Stacy Keibler’s lesser half.  Fortunately, this one earns him a checkmark in the plus column as it is a compelling story featuring strong acting, good directing, and nice cinematography.  The plot of the movie finds Clooney’s Matt King juggling the imminent death of his comatose wife, her recently discovered marital indiscretion, his disconnect with his two rapidly maturing daughters, and an impending real estate deal that will greatly affect the local economy in Hawaii.  Clearly, the man has a lot on his plate.

So what works best about this movie is Clooney and his ability to shed his celebrity baggage and immerse himself into a role that runs counter to everything that people tend to admire about him.  His Matt King is a conflicted man running short on both confidence and bravado, seemingly lost and vulnerable on many fronts both personally and professionally.  Though the plot of the film is highly layered and very unique, the sense of self-doubt and the tormenting search for answers that Clooney’s King endures is a profoundly universal experience and that is what is so engaging about this movie.  Reinforcing this inner struggle is the Hawaiian Islands as a backdrop as the confines of this geographical region heightens the sense of isolationism that permeates King’s life.

One of the other challenges to this film is the importance of Patrice Hastie as Elizabeth King.  Since her entire body of work in this movie involves lying motionless in a hospital bed, it is left to the supporting players to lend a voice to her character and create depth.  Robert Forster, Rob Huebel, Mary Birdsong, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard, and Nick Krause perform admirably in this capacity and add color to Clooney’s struggles through the portrayal of their own respective coping mechanisms.  As for Shailene Woodley (Alexandra King), she is perfectly cast as Clooney’s petulant and defiant teen so much so that you wonder whether the seams between performance and reality actually exist.  Hers is the right character to act as the sidekick for Matt King on this emotional journey and their relationship acts as one of the key elements of catharsis.

Now having the seen the film, I have to admit that I am not sure it is worthy of all the platitudes lavished upon it during last year’s awards season.  Don’t get me wrong.  Writer/Director Alexander Payne has put together a well-executed film that is constantly tugging at your emotions and sensibilities.  But I think the film is just that; a good (not great) movie that tells a very personal story, with solid direction, and some very strong acting.  None of this is a bad thing, but in some ways I think the critical masses convinced themselves that they were seeing something in this film that wasn’t necessarily there - as I believe was the case with Clooney’s last critically acclaimed movie – Up in the Air.  Still, if you have not seen this one, I would definitely recommend renting it since well-executed films have been in short supply as of late.  This one may not be a game changer, but you will most definitely find yourself engaged and invested.

Standout Performance: George Clooney.  I am partial to his work in Ocean’s Eleven and in O Brother, Where Art Though? but he does a very good job of disappearing into this role.

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Review: The Ides of March

With a cast that includes Paul Giamatti, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, George Clooney, and current it-boy Ryan Gosling, it isn’t hard to figure out why the buzz for Clooney’s latest directorial effort was so positive.  But I have to go against the grain here and echo what Shakespeare (or not if you believe the nonsense in Emmerich’s forthcoming film) once wrote in Julius Caesar,  “beware the Ides of March.”  It may be the result of expectations, but I walked out of the film feeling completely unimpressed by the dumbing down of political machinations that may occur on the campaign trail.  The most egregious mistake Clooney makes as writer and director is that his film finishes with the message that politics leave its participants cynical and jaded – not exactly an earth-shattering revelation - when in fact it should start with this as a premise and then build out a compelling story.

In a lot of ways, the movie plays out like the Bill Clinton pseudo-biopic “Primary Colors” minus the camp, humor, and overacting.  In its place you get a robust helping of George Clooney’s much publicized political ideologies and as you watch him on screen you can’t help but feel like he is playing out his fantasy of running for office.   As for Gosling, he wilts as the lead of the film and firmly cements himself in the same category as Chris Evans and Ryan Reynolds as actors who excel at playing sharp-witted characters in comedic settings, but come off as drab and pedestrian in roles that demand more gravitas.  Case in point: can one believe that Gosling is a sharp political consultant jousting with grizzled veterans Giamatti and Hoffman?  Maybe.  But the important question is…should one even care?  The resounding answer is no.

Not even an ensemble littered with actors recognized by the Academy can save this film from becoming utterly mundane.  For the most part, all the players are solid within the context of what the source materials ask them to do – which is bring their respective B-games.  As you watch these fantastic actors spend far too little time onscreen as mere foils to advance Gosling’s plotline, one can’t help but wonder if the film would have been significantly better had the proceedings centered on someone else.  Surely the blend of paranoia and narcissism that marks Hoffman’s character could have made for a more riveting narrative, or watching Tomei’s journalist meddle and scour for the next headline could have made for better theater.  Ultimately though we are left to watch the least accomplished individual of the principle cast play the least compelling individual of the principle characters.  And that is where the film fails its audience.

This is not a film to be seen in the cinema, but it works as a midweek rental.  You’ll watch it; be moderately entertained for about half of the film, and when it is over shrug your shoulders, turn out the lights, and go to sleep all the while wondering if you missed something in the proceedings that made this film better.  This is probably the last Gosling movie I’ll watch for a while which is no easy fete since he has opted for Nicolas Cage cash grab and take on every film that comes across his plate.  

Notable Performance: Phillip Seymour Hoffman delivers a genuine performance and stands out in limited screen time.

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