Bringing Art To Kola

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MOVIE REVIEW: SALT

Although not in the same league as the Bourne Identity, Salt has the same espionage/superhero atmosphere that made the movie so appealing. Suspension of disbelief is needed for both, but for Salt, you really have to park your brain at the door. Not such a bad thing. But what Salt lacks in coherence it makes up in sheer force. You might not know why Salt is doing what she’s doing, but you know while you’re watching that Jolie knows. Australian director Phillip Noyce (Dead Calm, The Bone Collector, Patriot Games) and the very impressive and always beautiful, Angelina Jolie, make a very entertaining, fast moving spy thriller that’s over before you know it. And for all of Jolie’s fame and over exposure, she can still be convincing and she can still deliver a kick-ass performance. That’s always the question…right? Can we forget she is Angelina Jolie; married to Brad Pitt, mother of six kids, ex-wife of Billy Bob Thornton, Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, heavily tattooed and John Voight’s daughter. To her credit, you can.

The film evokes one of Russia’s most famous urban legends. Several movies and a bunch of 1960s TV shows revealed that the Russians found American citizens with Russian ties, trained them at secret spy camps and planted them in the U.S. as deep cover sleeper agents that could be utilized when the time was right to bring down the United States. Two of my favorites from this genre are the old Charles Bronson, Telefon (1977), and the Kevin Costner-Gene Hackman thriller No Way Out (1987).

Written by Kurt Wimmer, Jolie stars as one of the CIA’s top field agents, Evelyn Salt. Her career is thrown into turmoil when a Russian defector Orlov (Daniel Olbrychski), walks into CIA headquarters and claims that a Russian double agent is about to assassinate the Russian president when he visits the United States. That agent is Evelyn Salt. Salt doesn’t stick around to be locked up until the matter of her loyalty is straightened out. She escapes in an awesome sequence at CIA headquarters that Mission Impossible man Ethan Hunt would envy, followed by a dynamic combination foot, car, truck, and motorcycle chase in Washington, DC. Her chief pursuers are her CIA boss who believes she has been framed; Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber) and the counterterrorism agent Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who cannot afford to believe anything until he has concrete evidence. I’ll say no more. Go see it. It’s good fun; not rocket science but who cares.

p.s. The term “suspension of disbelief” was coined by poet and philosopher Samuel Taylor in 1817. It describes the need to believe a premise which you would never accept in the real world. In genres such as fantasy and science fiction, things happen in the story which you would not believe if they were presented as fact. In more real-world genres such as action movies, the action routinely goes beyond the boundaries of what you think could really happen. In order to enjoy such a story, the audience engages in this phenomenon. It is a semi-conscious decision in which you put aside your disbelief and accept the premise as being real for the duration of the story.

Movie Review: INCEPTION (with a little Twilight, Predators, The A Team and The Kids Are All Right)

In case you were wondering where I’ve been, let me explain: It’s not that I have been staying home, avoiding the movie theater, it’s that I have been incredibly uninspired. From the time I reviewed Toy Story 3 (which I loved), I have seen: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Predators, The A Team and The Kids Are All Right. I could not bring myself to review any of them. I'm a busy woman and none seemed worth the effort. The Kids Are All Right was alright but what can I say, I was not inspired and if I'm not...I'm not. Luckily for me, this is all just for fun.

Obviously, there is a world full of people who love the Twilight movies. I enjoyed the first but the last 2 were so insipid, I could not wait for them to end. I don’t get it. I loved the books. They are hot and steamy and play into some of my favorite subjects: love, longing and vampires. I am totally captivated by the notion of vampires. Ever since I was a young girl, many many years ago, when I saw Béla Lugosi (Dracula) sink his teeth into Helen Chandlers’ neck, I was sold and perhaps, a little tainted. But the Twilight movie series somehow manages to circumvent what the books seem to capture; all the lust and longing, insecurities and competitiveness of adolescents. OK....maybe it's got the competitive thing down.

Predators (staring Adrian Brody) was well acted but a big mess of a movie that has no point and goes nowhere. Although many have tried (Predator 2, Alien vs Predator – Requiem and now this), movie makers have not been able to replicate the campy yet truly scary, 1987 production of Predator. Directed by John McTiernan and written by Jim and John Thomas, the film had the advantage of being unique as well as having Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role. How do you top that? A bit of trivia: The original Predator starred Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura. Both went on to become state Governors. Who would have guessed that when the movie came out? Nobody!

The A Team is a movie you couldn't care less about. You never get involved with any of the characters so you never care about what they are doing. It’s actually amazing because there is plenty going on. Some of the dialogue is unintelligible. If I was interested, I would have wanted subtitles even though it's in English - I think.

OK, on to Inception, the latest and very exceptional movie from director Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight), repeatedly screws with you even while it is telling you exactly what is going on. Exposition, often the sign of a weak screenplay, works here and is actually a welcome relief in what would have otherwise been a story too complicated to follow. Nolan, who also wrote the film, has come up with this incredibly fascinating idea: A team of dream infiltrators are able to enter a person’s subconscious to not only steal ideas, but possibly plant one. Because most of the film’s action takes place in dreams, visually, anything is possible. This gives Nolan free range. He has created a visual masterpiece that is also remarkably intelligent and clever.

Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays Cobb, leader of the dream raiders, is so talented you never question the plausibility of what is going on. He is always capable of bringing you right into a movie, no matter how farfetched – a gift any actor would die for. His team, which includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer) an ingenious casting choice, has had some pretty wild adventures, running around in people’s brains looking for an idea that somebody has paid them to steal. Much to their surprise, one of their proposed victims, Saito (the always great but who has now reached new heights of greatness, Ken Watanabe) has actually set them up to see if they are any good.

When Saito is satisfied with what he sees, he hires the team to enter the dreams of Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy – Red Eye, 28 Days Later), his corporate rival with the intent of planting an idea in his head that could topple Fischer’s business empire, and consequently, Saito’s competition. Cobb hires a whiz kid architect, Ariadne (Ellen Page), to help design a multi-tiered dream world that will enable the team to implant an idea deep in the recesses of Fischer’s mind. Cobb and company don’t just go into Fischer’s subconscious, they go three layers deep. They find themselves running around inside a dream within a dream within a dream.

At this point in the evolution of cinema, Nolan is blessed in that the special effects he can employ are synched up masterfully with his outrageous imagination. When Cobb walks Ariadne through a dream, explaining the physics of the subconscious, city streets fold upwards and on top of one another in jaw-dropping fashion. When Levitt’s character finds himself in hand-to-hand combat within a dream, he must do so in a weightless atmosphere because he’s flying through the air in a van shooting off a bridge in his sleeping state—or one of his sleeping states, because his body is actually sleeping in a dream. Oh brother, my head hurts.

Cobb is haunted by the memories of his wife, Mal, (the amazing Marion Cotillard, Academy Award winner for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie En Rose), who has a way of showing up in the dream world and wreaking continuous havoc. The Cobb and Mal sub plot is infinitely clever and brings tremendous heart to this film.

DiCaprio anchors all of the insanity with a performance that is skillfully grounded and moving. He gets to play an action hero, as Nolan presents sequences that have an almost James Bond/Ethan Hunt-like twist to them. He also gets to play a tragic-romantic figure in his scenes with Cotillard, scenes that contain high-octane emotional strength. He’s an acting marvel for the second time this year (first was Shutter Island).

The supporting cast, including Page and Gordon-Levitt, who performed a lot of his own stunts, are just too good. Also along for the ride are Tom Barringer (who is almost unrecognizable due to the aging process:) and Michael Caine as the man who has taught Cobb all he knows about dreamscapes. Lukas Haas as Cobb’s original dream architect is a character who possibly plays an even bigger part after he physically exits the film.

Inception sounds insane, and it is. But at its core it is simply a good old-fashion heist movie This is one of those puzzle films that’s hard to follow at times, a twisted tale that works. It’s unbelievable to me that Nolan had the brainpower to dream this up. His imagination seemingly has no boundaries. See it and see it in a movie theater. The special effects, and there are many, will loose their impact on a TV screen. Do not see this movie if you are: tired, fighting with your significant other, pre-occupied, drunk or hung-over. You won't get it. Plenty of people walked out of the theater saying "WTF". But if you really pay attention, you will have a lot of fun and be very amazed when you "wake up" at the end.

p.s. The song played to wake the sleeping/dreaming characters in the movie is Edith Piaf’s, "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" ("No Regrets"), one of the many songs Marion Cotillard brilliantly lip syncs in La Vie En Rose. A movie, by the way, not to be missed.

Movie Review: TOY STORY 3

Fantastic! What makes Toy Story 3 so incredible is how this Pixar animated movie elicits so much emotion from the audience. After all, it’s only a cartoon. But for those of us who grew up with Bambi (1942), Walt Disney’s animated feature film written by Perce Pearce and Felix Stalton, we know firsthand, the power of really good storytelling. I’m sure I’m not the only one with vivid memories of Bambi’s mother getting gunned down by hunters. I cried for weeks. Toy Story 3 is not quite in the same league as Bambi but it is good and even adults will find themselves cheering for Woody and his group of toy-friends and cringing at the sinister strawberry scented bear, Lots-O’-Huggin’, voiced by Ned Beatty. And everybody will be scared of the big, stalking, talking baby doll that can turn its head all the way around – creepy.

Toy Story 3, like its predecessors, is a tale almost too preposterous and worse, too sappy, to be taken seriously but this is Pixar’s gift; to take a farfetched premise (think Monsters Inc., Cars and Up) and make it believable, engrossing and captivating. Think of all the movies, with all the bells and whistles, that cannot capture its audience (the new Wolfman, Sherlock Holmes, and The Lovely Bones, to name a few).

Although everyone voicing this movie is perfect, no one quite reaches the ranks of Michael Keaton as the Ken doll; the metrosexual, hung-up on fashion, who falls head-over-heels for Barbie. Oh yes, it is love at first sight and he woos her by asking her to move in to his ‘dream house’.

Most important, the plot allows characters to gradually come to terms with the film's overreaching themes of friendship and loss, taking us right along with them on every step of that poignant journey and bringing our heroes (and the franchise) full circle. Most impressive, the movie ends with a surprisingly moving last act that will leave you in tears.

The story and animation are so good, you will love the movie whether you see it in 3D or not. In today’s world of virtual reality-like 3D, Toy Story 3 is technologically, minor league. See it with your family and friends and stay for the credits as you get a glimpse of what life is like for all the toys at Sunnyside Daycare with the new toys in charge – priceless!

Movie Review: The Karate Kid

The first question everyone will ask: “Is the remake of The Karate Kid as good as the original?” The answer is definitely “no” but it is entertaining and will hold the interest of most kids. The second question: “How could they have made this movie as good as the first?” The answer is easy; cut the running time down by 20 minutes to tighten it up- the original is 20 minutes shorter, get rid of the 2 or 3 unnecessary scenes and reshoot the one weak scene (I won’t tell you which scene it is). Then the movie will come close to reaching the ranks of the first; still a favorite, replayed, rented and re-rented 26 years after its release. That’s not going to happen with this one.

Jaden Smith (son of Will and Jada) is very impressive as Dre Parker, a 12 year old boy, transplanted from Detroit to Beijing because of his mom’s (Taraji Henson) job. Jaden commands the screen better than you might imagine and there’s no doubt, he really mastered some serious martial art skills (if you stick around the theater to watch the credits you’ll see some photos of his training). But the real star (other than the breathtaking shots of the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China – I’m sure the Chinese Department of Tourism is thrilled!) is Dre’s nemesis, Cheng, played to perfection by newcomer, Zhenwei Wan; a young Chinese actor with no real acting experience. Amazing. The blonde haired, Johnny Lawrence, played the part in the original. Wang is so believable that you will question the photo you see during the credits of the 2 laughing and having fun on the set. Acting is very tough business and there is nothing tougher then playing a villain. All the Chinese actors are fabulous. Dre’s love interest and concert violinist, Meiying (Wenwen Han) is beautiful and talented and you will love watching her dance to Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face”. Another nice touch is the demonstration of a unique and seldom seen type of Traditional Chinese Medicine called Fire Cupping – interesting.

Jackie Chan is Mr. Han, the new Mr. Miyagi and is much better than I expected as the Kung Fu master and spiritual advisor to Dre. He’s good because he’s content to play into his diminished (though still remarkable) physical capabilities rather than attempt to disguise them. Though predictable, on a modest but legitimate level, the movie works. I’m a big fan of kids movies that promote the notion of facing your fears. How to Train Your Dragon is a better movie conveying this important message but The Karate Kid is good fun for kids and in true Rocky style, will get everybody on their feet cheering for the underdog.

Warning: Parents, be prepared for your kids to come out of the movie theater and immediately start practicing their Kung Fu moves. Move out of the way because there will be no stopping them!

FOR "MISSION TO HAITI" click 'April 2010' in Blog Archive

Movie Review: SPLICE

If you have ever wondered what a creature would look like if you combined the DNA of an insect, bird, reptile, and human, you don’t have to wonder anymore. Splice, the Canadian movie directed by Vincenzo Natali (he directed the sci-fi nightmare, Cube) has done it for us. Natali, along with first time screenwriter Antoinette Terry Bryant, wrote an exceptionally ballsy, strange and very disturbing (although not entirely original) story about two biochemists, Clive and Elsa, played by Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley, so caught up in the “could we” they neglect to consider the “should we”. Lab partners and lovers; they have used gene-splicing to create interspecies hybrids. Their first successful endeavor produces Ginger and Fred, a pair of amorphous creatures that look like slugs that have been exposed to nuclear fall-out. They are used to produce medication that ensures the health of cattle.

Using CGI technology and the beautiful French actress, Delphine Chaneac; the special effects by Howard Berger that create Dren, the monster, are absolutely seamless. She is beautiful and very scary at the same time. Those legs! Strong performances by Chaneac and Polley (Dawn of the Dead) make this movie watchable. Ultimately, it is a cautionary tale as old as the science-fiction movie genre, but it goes places I’m fairly convinced, American audiences are not quite ready for. We’ll see what happens over the next couple of weeks.

Although some might say Splice is a cross between Species, Alien and Rosemary's Baby; it would be remiss not to put Parenthood in the mix. The movie does not need a big screen (although all science fiction/horror movies work better in a dark movie theater); you can wait for this one to come out On Demand. It clocks in at just under 2 hours but it doesn’t feel it. If you can tolerate the subject matter, it will hold your interest and I promise, you will not be bored. And for those of you who are considering bringing the kids, a heads up; there are 2 pretty explicit sex scenes (and they’re not between Elsa and Clive). Whoa!