Her

Her
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Spike Jones [IMDB]

Spike Jones is responsible for Being John Malkovich, which is in my Top 100 Films of All Time. He also cranked out Adaption, which would be a close runner up for that list. Point is, I like the dude, okay? When I saw his first trailer for Her, I was excited to lay my eyes upon the final product. Her and Inside Llewyn Davis were probably the two films I regret not seeing the most before I made my Top Ten of 2013, but I'm a busy man (internet porn) and I can't see everything. Finally Her gets its day in court, WFR court that is.

Synopsis: In the future people use Operating Systems to help them get their act together. Joaquin Phoenix falls in love with his OS... played by the voice of Scarlett Johansson.

Party voice. Do you know what that is? That is when a young lady smokes and drinks, then finds herself out in loud social environments where she has to shout a lot. If these steps are repeated often enough, her voice will start to sound raspy. Scarlett Johansson has party voice. I never really noticed until this movie. Maybe it's because you never see her and that's all you can focus on. Anyways, onto more pressing matters.

Her is effective at painting a very realistic portrait of the future. Sure, the future may not be exactly as it's portrayed in the film, but it's believable enough that you almost forget it's sci-fi. But it is, and a wonderful example of how sci-fi doesn't need epic space battles and CG to sell it. Her has an interesting concept and one that is executed fairly well. Spike Jones' direction is concrete and the pacing of Her was smooth. Phoenix and Johansson were both great, and made on screen chemistry in a unique way. Amy Adams was mediocre, like she is in most films... sorry Amy Adams fans. The film takes some turns towards the end which I think could have been handled differently, but ultimately I was happy with the overall take.

Her is still in theaters and I'd recommend it. Especially if you are familiar with the director's prior work, I think you'll enjoy it.

The Spectacular Now

The Spectacular Now
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: James Ponsoldt [IMDB]

I've been consistently seeing The Spectacular Now popping up in many peoples best of the year lists. It has also garnered a lot of attention in the film festival circuits. I figured... I like a nice indie drama as much as the next guy, why not?

Synopsis: A party bro falls for a nice sweet girl and deals with the pitfalls of exiting high school.

I only wish I could have gotten piss drunk, passed out on a lawn, woken up to, and fallen in love with a girl like Shailene Woodley when I was a senior in high school. Actually, that's not true at all, I was straight edge my senior year and I had a girlfriend, but still... this guy is one lucky bastard.... or is he? See that? That's me throwing a curveball at you, mixing up a little mystery into the pot.

Following the story of Sutter (the protagonist) was amusing and entertaining. The Spectacular Now takes notes from Cameron Crowe and John Hughes, but it has its own spin on the coming of age genre flick, which worked for me. People perceive themselves a certain way in high school, and what you think are, others may not agree with. That aspect and the understanding of what you want out of life are complex things that Spectacular does a great job capitalizing on. Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley's chemistry was solid and I was psyched seeing Kyle Chandler in there... gotta love Coach Taylor.

Above all things, The Spectacular Now felt real to me, that believability makes it worth your time alone. It's not top ten material, but still worth a poke.

Before Midnight

Before Midnight
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Richard Linklater [IMDB]

Back in February I watched and reviewed the two precursors to Before Midnight... which are Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, you can read about them HERE. I love Richard Linklater and those of you that read that review could tell I was a huge fan of both of those films. I knew going into Before Midnight, I was in for a treat... could it be the crème de la crème of the trilogy? Could it make my best of the year list? We'll see.

Synopsis: We drop in, once more, on the lives of Jesse and Celine (Ethan Hawke and Julia Delpy) and find out where the last 10 years has taken them.

Everything that makes the first two films work so well is resurrected in Before Midnight. The characters feel so real and comfortable to you which helps immediately settle you into it. I loved watching where they took the story.... now the couple are older and the love you saw in Sunrise has matured. You see what it's like for them to keep their shit together and to fight with one another. Love isn't easy sometimes, some people can make it work, others cannot... and you'll find out what category these two fall into.

Linklater steers Before Midnight in a perfect direction, an honest direction and one that seemed pretty authentic. My wife said "I feel like a lot of the stuff they are telling each other would have already come up and some point in their relationship." While she may be right, maybe she's wrong, either way the dialogue worked for me and I bought what they were selling.

Obviously, watching the other two films in this trilogy is an absolute must... so go get all of them and enjoy the ride.

Singin' in the Rain

Singin' in the Rain
(1952)
Directors: Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen

I was positive (but not certain, so it doesn't count) that I had seen Singin' in the Rain before getting into it tonight, but after watching it, I definitely had not. I'm not a huge musical guy, but I'm open minded and will always give a movie a chance.

Synopsis: A famous silent movie actor has to learn how to adapt to the talkies... what are talkies you ask? Look it up.

Singin' in the Rain fun and light, definitely an engaging musical starring highly competent entertainers. I liked the film over all and thought it was one of the best musicals I have seen (that's not saying much.) The "Make Em Laugh" montage by the sidekick guy was really awkward but the "Gotta Dance/Broadway Rhythm " number was incredibly awesome, especially the lights and stage set ups. Considering the timeframe in which this came to fruition, it's no surprise why it was so influential. Oh yeah... almost forgot... this scene gets the film an extra Arnold... I loved it. 

Behind the Candelabra

Behind the Candelabra
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Steven Soderbergh [IMDB]

I love HBO. They have cranked out Game of Thrones, The Wire, and tons of other great content and there are no signs of them slowing down. I saw the trailer for their newest movie, Behind the Candelabra and knew I was in for a good movie. Soderbergh directing, Matt Damon, Michael Douglas, and HBO... all ingredients for success... this better not suck.

Synopsis: A bio-pic of sorts, following the interesting 6 year romance between Liberace and his much younger lover.

First off, the casting of this movie is perfect. Everyone does such an outstanding job and besides Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, there are some other cool cameos like Scott Bakula, Rob Lowe, and Dan Aykroyd. I didn't know much about Liberace and I found the subject matter really intriguing, especially their tumultuous relationship. Soderbergh's direction is great once again and this definitely feels like one of his films, which is awesome being that it's a made for TV movie.

The story is a little one sided, being that it's adapted from the lover's book, it would have been fun to see how Liberace would have recalled it... obviously that's not an option. Still, Behind the Candelabra offers a unique movie going experience and is available to watch right now on HBO. Get it.

The Twilight Saga

No movie franchise out there gets more hatred than the Twilight Saga. I know, as a cinephile, one is meant to automatically despise these films... but why? Sure, I've heard the reasons, but when it comes down to it I can't say shit... you know why? I haven't seen these fucking movies. Nothing annoys me more than someone who is so steadfastly against a film they have no experience watching. In my opinion, you have no opinion on Twilight unless you've sat down and watched them. So, I decided to strap in and form my own opinion on these films. Let's see if they're really as bad as people think they are.

Twilight

(2008) [Trailer]

Director: Catherine Hardwicke [IMDB]

Synopsis: Bella goes to stay with her dad in a small Washington town where she starts to fall for a young vampire named Edward.

My first impression of this film is that... it's not that bad. Before watching it I was expecting this to be the worst piece of shit I've ever seen and it's no where near close to that (Catwoman). The acting is spotty at times and the story has a few plot holes, but nothing too damaging to the whole ride. I thought Twilight was an entertaining story and it unfolds at a respectable pace. 

The color correction in Twilight is definitely noticeable, everything is very saturated and seems unreal. The effects they used whenever someone runs super fast looked awful and almost humorous at times.   

I can see why people think this is a movie for teenage girls, but it isn't nearly as bad as the wrap it gets.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

(2009) [Trailer]

Director: Chris Weitz [IMDB]

Synopsis: Jacob, who's more of an afterthought in the first movie, is now thrust into the spotlight as he falls in love with Bella after Edward takes off on her... ahhh young love.

This installment was a little lack luster in my opinion. It feels similar to the first chapter aesthetically, but the story is pretty boring. It's basically Kristin Stewart trying to figure out who she loves and it starts to get boring fast. Halfway through I was ready for New Moon to wrap up, but no.... it keeps going and going and takes forever to finish. In terms of traditional story telling, New Moon completely veers off course. There's no real interesting exposition, no climax, and no resolution. It's a bit of a wet noodle and gets a failing grade at the school of WFR.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
(2010) [Trailer]
Director: David Slade [IMDB]

Synopsis: Bella has to choose between the two boys and everyone braces for a conflict with a rogue group of young vampires.

Eclipse comes back with a much easier story to digest and I'd say it's the strongest of the series so far, but not by a lot. The lead up and execution of the battle gives you something to look forward too, it also breaks up the romance which is what the last movie needed.

Jacob is always shirtless in Eclipse and it's hilarious. Why? I mean I know the guy is ripped but seriously it starts to become really ridiculous. His wolf pack doesn't wear shirts, I'm assuming because they turn into wolves and don't want to ruin a good shirt, but what about their cut off jean shorts?

 

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1

(2011) [Trailer]

Director: Bill Condon [IMDB]

Synopsis: Bella and Edward tie the knot... finally. After their honeymoon Bella finds out she's preggers... but things don't go according to plan.

This film was overly stale and a yawn-fest. It, like New Moon, doesn't go anywhere interesting. The first half of Part 1 is basically Bella and Edward getting married and going on a honeymoon. Sure, they finally bone and for many people invested heavily into their romance it was probably a big deal... I could have cared less honestly. It's slightly better than New Moon because it doesn't feel as long, but that's about it. 

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 

(2011) [Trailer]

Director: Bill Condon [IMDB]

Synopsis: Bella and Edward finally have their child and in order to deliver it... spoiler... Bella finally turns and becomes a vampire.

First things first... the CG baby. What in the actual fuck... they couldn't find a normal baby? They had to CG a baby face? It's creepy as shit and extremely distracting.

This slice of Twilight injects a ton of new characters without giving you any real knowledge of who they are or why they are important... only that they're there to help the Cullens battle against the Volturi (the vampires who run shit.) The lead up to the final battle is alright, but the outcome of the fight is a little lame. Jacob becomes a glorified babysitter, guess he got the short end of the stick. Part 2 wraps up the saga in a decent way, but still left me feeling a little underwhelmed.

The Twilight Saga is ok. Nothing great. Nothing offensive... well maybe a few little things. Overall I wasn't too bent out of shape running through these films. I can say the Transformers Trilogy (Saga) was way more shitty than Twilight. Fucking Michael Bay.

The African Queen

The African Queen
(1951) [Trailer]
Director: John Huston [IMDB]

This review is a long time coming. I picked this up on blu-ray awhile back and have been meaning to get to it. I've reviewed a few John Huston films on here before and they are always a hit, so I was definitely excited to sit down with this classic.

Synopsis: Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn slowly start to  gain feelings for one another as they set course down river on the African Queen to do battle against a German river boat during WWI.

John Huston is an extremely entertaining director. All his films I've seen thus far are always jam packed with excitement and interest. The African Queen is no different. It feels timeless and solid, taking no time to unfold.

One of the greatest strengths of this film is its location. The scenes of the river flowing through Africa really look incredible in 1080p and the blu-ray is a must for any real collector.

Bogart and Hepburn's chemistry works in a weird way. At first she has a prudish vibe to her and acts like his boss. Slowly that fades and wonderment of the African river takes her over, making her drop her facade. I think it's then that Bogart sees the real person before him that he falls for. It all plays out so smoothly and locks you in.

I'm a fan of this title and like all the Huston film's I've seen, it has huge rewatch potential.

The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music
(1965) [Trailer]
Director: Robert Wise [IMDB]

The Sound of Music is considered a classic and many say it's one of the greatest musicals of all time. While I had vague memories of watching it as a child, I figured I'd buy the newly restored blu-ray and see if it holds up... that and my wife wanted it.

Synopsis: A nun leaves the church and helps raise the family of an Austrian naval captain.

You may remember my review of Les Mis a few months back and think I hate musicals... that is not the case... I just hated that musical. Truth be told, I'm just not really into that genre, but it doesn't mean I'm not willing to give one a chance. The Sound of Music is a decent film and fairly entertaining. The tunes are all pretty memorable, as was evident when my wife sang along to each of them. It's also a nice romance that throws in a little danger in towards the end.

The transfer to blu-ray looks insane. The hills were alive with more than music... they were alive with 1080p.

More Hitchcock: Rebecca, Notorious, Strangers on a Train, Dial M for Murder.

If you follow my musings here at the Williams Film Review, you may know that I recently crushed an insane Hitchcock marathon. 14 titles, the most of any film marathon I've done on here and you know I love a marathon. At the end of that review I said something about Hitchcock being one of the greatest of all time and that I was going to pick up more titles to review.... so here you go.

Rebecca

(1940) [Trailer]

Director: Alfred Hitchcock [IMDB]

Synopsis: A wealthy Englishman remarries a young bride who's having a hard time filling the shoes of his deceased wife.

This films does a fantastic job of taking you in one direction then throwing you for a loop. You know how people say M Night Salami always has a twist in his movies, well Hitch did it first and did it better (not that I hate M Night.) I love how the film opens with the dark, yet hypnotic, recalling of a dream.

I really liked watching this and it holds up exceptionally well for it's age.

Notorious

(1946) [Trailer]

Director: Alfred Hitchcock [IMDB]

Synopsis: A young "party girl" whose father is charged with being a traitor, breaks rank and helps the government spy on some german's down in Rio.

I really enjoyed Ingrid Bergman in this film. She's someone whose situation is a bit sticky and I started to feel myself empathize with her. Nowadays girls are loose and easy, no one gives a shit. Back in the 40's, if you drank and had a few different relationships, you're a slut... jeez.

Anyways the film, it's good. Nothing monumental, but still a really interesting watch. Claude Rains is up in there too... love Claude Rains... love em'.

   

Strangers on a Train

(1951) [Trailer]

Director: Alfred Hitchcock [IMDB]

Synopsis: Robert Walker plays a crazed rich kid who tries to lure Farley Granger into a plan to kill both his father and Farley's wife.

If this film were made today you could cast Kevin Spacey as Robert Walker's character and Keanu Reeves could play Farley Granger's character and you'd have about the same outcome in terms of performance. There's a lot of really cool scenes in this film... some note worthy moments are: the view of the murder from the reflection on the glasses, this scene, and the merry go round scene at the end. Farley Granger is pretty bad at times and brought the film down a little for me, but other than that it's a pretty entertaining ride.

Dial M for Murder

(1954) [Trailer]

Director: Alfred Hitchcock [IMDB]

Synopsis: A wealthy women still has feelings for her old flame, when her husband finds out he concocts a plan to murder her.

This film is so precise and thorough. There's a lot of work that goes into planning the perfect murder and for those of you who think you've got yours mapped out, you should probably watch this film first. It's a great deductive piece and Hitchcock presents it in a highly entertaining way. All the players were great and pretty believable in their roles.

It's not a perfect film, but pretty close and definitely worth a poke if you're into CSI and shit like that.

Casablanca

Casablanca
(1942) [Trailer]
Director: Michael Curtiz [IMDB]

Casablanca is a pretty classic film and par the course for any film fan to check out at some point in their life. I rather enjoyed Casablanca the first time I saw it, but now I have the 70th anniversary edition on blu-ray, so it's going to be even better.

Synopsis: Two old lovers are thrusted back into each others lives as they try to figure out how to make it out of Casablanca during WWII.

Casablanca is a fantastic movie and extremely watchable. It's is a film about love and transformation. At no moment during it's run time was I thinking to myself, I wish this thing would hurry along. The cast are all aces. You got Humphrey Bogart, who is the man of all men... definitely one cool guy. Ingrid Bergman, who looks fantastic and throws out such a dramatic performance. Also my boy Claude Rains is up in there and he has a pretty bitchin' stache... love Claude Rains... love em'.

There are a few really memorable scenes (the sing off at Ricks) and a lot of quotable lines ("Here's looking at you kid".) I'd say if you're a film buff and haven't seen this, you should do so. Or don't, go on living in your sheltered little world you've built for yourself, you jerk.

A Richard Linklater Block: Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Waking Life.

I consider myself a big fan of Richard Linklater. There are a few titles I haven't seen of his that I'm going to review right now and then one film (Dazed and Confused) that's a rewatch... although I haven't seen it since high school... so we'll see how it holds up.

Dazed and Confused
(1993) [Trailer]
Director: Richard Linklater [IMDB]

Synopsis: Ride along for the last day of high school in a small Texas town in the 1970's.

This movie is the best. It's so easy to sit back and watch. It unfolds at a nice pace and everyone seems very natural in it. There's no big story arc, but instead, a lot of little ones that seem to keep you interested enough not to really care if it doesn't go out with some huge bang. Matthew McConaughey is so perfectly cast and this is still one of the funniest scenes out there.

Even though I reviewed this first (keeping things in chronological order), it was actually the last of these flicks I watched. One fact that's glaringly obvious about Rich is... the man can write one hell of a film and can direct one hell of a film. He is definitely one of my favorites out there in the game.

Before Sunrise
(1995) [Trailer]
Director: Richard Linklater [IMDB]

Synopsis: Two people meet on a train and hit it off. They decide to spend the evening walking around Vienna and getting to know one another.

Before Sunrise came highly recommend by my good buddy and I trust his opinion on film more than any other... so I knew I was in for a treat. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are amazing in this. Their chemistry seems so genuine and you can feel their desire for one another grow as the movie progresses. The writing in Before Sunrise is probably its greatest strength, all the dialogue seems so believable and real.

Some stand out moments for me were... when Ethan runs back to Julie on the train and talks her into getting off with him, the poem written and recited by the nicely dressed vagrant, and the scene where they pretend to call their friends and tell them about why they're not home yet.

Another steller attribute of this film is its ending. It's perfect. It could have went south so easily, but instead, Linklater decided to take it in a direction that's not predictable and leaves the viewer questioning the future of the couple.

If you're in the mood for love, this is the film for you. Okay, I know that sounded corny... but seriously, this is a great romance that unfold beautifully and is extremely easy to follow. Highly recommended.

Before Sunset
(2001) [Trailer]
Director: Richard Linklater [IMDB]

Synopsis: The sequel to Before Sunrise.... you now find out what happened to the two love birds?

For me, Before Sunset is more of the same, but in a good way. The spark between Ethan and Julie still seems fresh and interesting. The roadblocks now set up in each of their lives throw a nice curveball into the situation.

The ending of Before Sunset is a little more abrupt than its predecessor, but still has the same effect. It leaves things open to interpretation and gives you the ability to form your own conclusion. I really enjoy that indirect style of storytelling.

I am extremely excited to check out the third installment to this franchise coming out later this year, it should be very promising.

Waking Life
(2001) [Trailer]
Director: Richard Linklater [IMDB]

Synopsis: A man travels through a series of dreams.

I loved this film. It's complex, beautiful and thought provoking. It's also extremely philosophical, posing lots of theories and questions on the viewer. That said, it's not for everyone... like my wife... she hated it. If you're looking for some kind of narrative, you'll be highly disappointed. Visually this film is a knock out. It uses the whole rotoscoping technique that Linklater pioneered, but does it on a very basic level at times, which makes the movie look like slices of artwork that should be hanging on your living room wall.

There were a few stand out scenes for me...
1.The man lighting himself on fire and the lead up to it.
2. I liked the nod to Slacker with Alex Jones driving around screaming into a bullhorn/megaphone.
3. The old man who posed the question "Which is the most universal human characteristic - fear or laziness?"
4. The Ukulele guy and his song/speech.
5. It was also cool to see Ethan and Julie's characters from Before Sunset/Sunrise make a cameo.

I actually feel like I need to rewatch this again, there was so much to digest, good thing I just ordered the blu-ray.