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Category: Reviews

  • The Top 14 Films of 2014

    The Top 14 Films of 2014

    Just over a year ago I wrote a blog entitled “The Top 13 Films of 2013,” praising the year for its quantity of entertaining, well crafted, and sometimes even superb, movies. That post ended with the sentiment that it would not be likely for 2014 to feature such an array of high-quality work.

    Well, that’ll teach me to be a pessimist, because 2014 came, went and brought with it even more fantastic cinema than 2013. So without further ado, let’s dive into my picks for the 14 best films of 2014.

    14. TUSK

    Starting the list off with an animal-like roar is Tusk!

    Tusk comes from the mind of writer/director/editor Kevin Smith, aka the guy who makes those talky comedies with lots of low brow jokes (as well as the very flawed but very intriguing Red State) and is colloquially known as that movie where Justin Long gets turned into a human walrus.

    If that sounds like a goofy-as-hell premise for a film, that’s because it is. And Tusk is well aware of it. It never loses its grasp on the inherent ridiculousness of the plot, and it sure delivers on that ridiculousness, but what makes Tusk most surprising, is that it also finds time for actual, effective drama.

    It’s like Smith set out to make a goofy B-movie but couldn’t help letting real characters and genuine human emotions seep in along the way.

    I can’t in good conscience recommend this movie to everyone. In fact, it’s safe to say that plenty of people will outright hate it. If you can appreciate a movie with a bizzarro concept and are a fan of cult horror movies, definitely give this a chance.

    It might not be perfect, but Tusk is far better than a movie about a human walrus suit should have the right to be.

    13. DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

    In 2013 I complained about a lack of quality blockbusters, and 2014 almost felt like a direct response to that complaint. It was an embarrassment of riches in the blockbuster genre. Though striking films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Edge of Tomorrow, and Guardians of the Galaxy didn’t quite make this list, one of the ones that particularly stood out was Matt Reeve’s Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.

    This is a intense, stressful movie that keeps your gut twisted for the entirety of the running time. It’s obviously notable for the amazing CGI, and equally amazing performances by its mo-cap clad actors, but Dawn is too smart a film to rely purely on digital trickery.

    Its well-developed characters and razor-on-a-string tension are what make Dawn of the Planet of the Apes one of 2014’s best films.

    Speaking of tension…

    12. BLUE RUIN

    I’m a big fan of genre pieces. Especially when that genre is revenge thrillers. Pull one off and you’ll have me grinning. Pull it off while also doing something fresh, and that grin will be miles wide.

    Blue Ruin is a simple revenge thriller about a man who is out for, well… revenge. The most self-evident twist is that it features a protagonist who is immensely under qualified to be in this type of movie. He is not an action hero. He screws up. A lot. And it hurts.

    Blue Ruin is shot flawlessly by writer/director Jeremy Saulnier, and if nothing else, should be mandatory viewing for all filmmakers. Why? Because the visuals and storytelling create a unique harmony. There is not a single shot wasted.

    11. THE TWO FACES OF JANUARY

    The Two Faces of January has the feel of a small, intimate Hitchcock thriller. This is certainly not a movie that reinvents any wheels, rather, it just spins them in the smoothest way you could hope for. It’s a movie that revolves entirely around three characters, portrayed by Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst and Oscar Isaac.

    Mortensen and Isaac are incredible. Seriously, both of their performances are as good if not better than anyone nominated for Best Actor in this year’s ceremonies. Dunst also does a great job, but unfortunately the script never allows her character to be as fully realized as the two male leads.

    Nevertheless, The Two Faces of January is a powerful and engaging thriller that knows exactly what it wants to be, and hits its target perfectly.

    Fun aside… Viggo Mortensen gives the most convincing portrayal of being drunk I have ever seen on screen.

    10. A MOST WANTED MAN

    Anyone who has seen Philip Seymour Hoffman’s work knows how talented an actor he was, but I will say that he is as good in A Most Wanted Man as he is in his finest films.

    Aside from the fantastic cast, A Most Wanted Man is a beautifully shot movie with a tense script that keeps the twists and turns coming, but not at the expense of some wonderfully realized characters. This movie asks tough questions and doesn’t necessarily provide answers.

    It’s a spy thriller that must not be missed by fans of the genre, and as added incentive, it features a heart-in-throat ending I’ve not seen in years.

    9. BIRDMAN

    The freshly crowned Best Picture winner might just be one of the most original and intoxicating movies I’ve ever seen. Birdman is audacious filmmaking. It’s risky to the point of being a disaster begging to happen. So it’s a good thing writer/director Alejandro Iñárritu and his team pull it off like a magic trick.

    Not every single beat works, but when it’s firing on all cylinders, Birdman is impossible to take your eyes off of. And it’s not just a technical marvel, though it certainly is that–the performances from the entire cast are flawless. The writing is snappy. The music is… wow! But it’s the characters that make me want to watch it again and again.

    Months after seeing it, I’m still thinking about the scenes between Emma Stone and Edward Norton on that New York City rooftop.

    8. WILD

    On the surface, a movie about hiking sounds pretty, well… boring. But as The Lord of the Rings taught us, a movie that, on a surface level, is about getting from point A to point B, can be so much more when done right. And Wild sure does it right.

    The movie’s success starts with the brilliant screenplay by Nick Hornby and extends to the subtle but effective direction of Jean-Marc Vallée, but ultimately Wild lives or dies on Reese Witherspoon’s performance.

    And what a performance it is. She is riveting as Cheryl Strayed, and through an unconventional use of flashbacks and sound design, Wild manages to put you into her head in a manner I haven’t quite seen done on film before.

    7. NIGHTCRAWLER

    Nightcrawler presses a lot of my buttons. Dark, socially awkward protagonist, check. Interesting career subculture, check. Economic storytelling, check. As much a social commentary as it is a character study, Nightcrawler is most notable for Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance. As it should be—he steals the shows.

    But he’s supported by a versatile cast, a tight script, and an absorbing soundtrack. This movie doesn’t waste any time. It moves at a pace reflective of its protagonist’s frenzied state of mind, and as such, is immersive and engaging from first frame to last.

    If you’re a fan of movies like Taxi Driver, The King of Comedy or Drive, then Nightcrawler is your movie.

    6. FOXCATCHER

    I’ll be honest, the first time I saw this movie, I left the theater with a resounding “Eh.” I certainly enjoyed the film and thought it was well directed and exquisitely acted, but something just wasn’t sitting right. I felt detached from the events I had seen unfold… cold… at a distance.

    And then I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

    Honestly, for at least two weeks, there wasn’t a day when Foxcatcher didn’t enter my brain. So much so that I was compelled to go see it again. And then it clicked.

    This is a difficult film. It’s subtle. It raises many more questions than it answers. But it’s riveting. Like Two Faces of January, it is essentially a three-character movie but the characters are so well-defined and so realistic that it makes you uncomfortable.

    Mark Ruffalo, in particular, kills it. He gives what is easily one of the most human performances ever captured on film, and as much as I love J.K. Simmons, Ruffalo should have walked away with the Oscar.

    5. INHERENT VICE

    Inherent Vice is a movie so overstuffed with plot, it’s practically leaking from the edge of the frame, and yet, the plot really isn’t the point at all. The point is… well, frankly, I’m not sure what the point is. I’m not even sure if there is a point. But that’s just what makes Inherent Vice so much damn fun.

    This movie is goofy, it’s wild, it’s unpredictable, and features one hell of a dynamic protagonist. Joaquin Phoenix slays it as Doc Sportello, and brings a humanity and vulnerability to the character that becomes the heart of the movie.

    This isn’t Paul Thomas Anderson trying to change cinema, this is him having a blast making a movie. And though, as with Tusk, I can’t say this is for everyone, if you lock into what this movie is trying to do you are going to love the ride.

    4. GONE GIRL

    Ah yes, the worst date movie of all time. Gone Girl continues 2014’s trend of spectacular thrillers, and outdoes them all. On the surface, David Fincher has created an extremely well-made genre piece, but dig beneath that surface and you’ll find a world of rich, complex characters that demand revisiting.

    Though their choice of material and visual style is quite different, Fincher reminds me most of Stanley Kubrick. Both men are extraordinarily talented, knowledgeable filmmakers who frequently get labeled only as visual stylists, when in fact they are equally successful at drawing out compelling work from their actors.

    They are also both perfectionists, and that perfectionism is all over Gone Girl. Every frame of this movie is a gorgeous sight to behold—even the gruesome ones. If you haven’t seen this movie yet, then I hope its various twists haven’t been spoiled for you. But even if they have, see it anyway. It’s worth it.

    3. X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST

    X-Men: Days of Future Past has absolutely no right to work as well as it does. But here we are. This is summer entertainment at the highest caliber. It is the best of the X-Men films, one of the best comic book movies ever, and one of the best sci-fi/action films I’ve seen in years.

    What’s truly remarkable about Days of Future Past is how many things it does so well. It’s a time travel movie, it’s a post-apocalyptic movie, it’s a 70s thriller, and it exceeds in all three categories.

    It effortlessly balances a large cast of characters across two different time periods, and unlike more recent superhero films, it features a climax that is actually about those characters and not just a CGI city being blown to smithereens.

    2. WHIPLASH

    Oh, man. Ooooohhh, man. Now this is a movie. Whiplash is a firestorm. It is a relentless, razor’s edge horror film disguised as a music drama. If you’ve avoided this movie because “eh, drumming, who cares,” then you are doing yourself a major disservice.

    Yes, drumming is at the center of this film. But Whiplash is oh so much more than that. It’s a movie about drive, about greatness. About how far a person will go to achieve that greatness.

    I won’t say any more about this movie other than that it is amazing, and unlike some other ones on this list, I would unflinchingly recommend it to anyone. This is just an incredible piece of cinema.

    1. FRANK

    Another movie about music! It’s funny, both Whiplash and Frank explore very similar ideas about the struggle to achieve greatness and what it does to a person, but they both do it through totally different approaches.

    Whereas Whiplash feels like a horror film, Frank feels like… well… like Frank, its titular character. This is a weird, screwball comedy that occasionally dips into some real dark and heavy territory. It follows Jon, an amateur musician who joins an experimental band and struggles mightily to live up to their level of creativity.

    Without revealing where the story goes, Frank manages to send Jon on an almost Walter-White-like path, testing our allegiance to him throughout the narrative. This is a fascinating movie that takes risks, that’s not quite like anything else you’ve ever seen before.

    I can’t guarantee this movie will work for everyone (partially, it will depend on your taste in music), but for those whom it does hit home? It’s going to hit hard.

    Frank is on Netflix Instant as of this post, so give it a shot.

    In fact, all of these movies are either already available or about to be available on home media. So shell out the few bucks to rent them and see what 2014 had to offer.

    Also, these may be 14 fantastic movies, but so many other memorable candidates were released throughout the last year–I’m still trying to catch up myself–that it would be a shame if all we watched were movies deemed worthy by awards shows.

    There’s simply too much good cinema out there for that. So go out and watch some.

  • The Oscars – An Exercise in Predictability

    ellenoscarsgroupselfieAs I’m sure you’re aware, last night was another extravagant Oscar night in that little city known as L.A. Celebrities walked the red carpet. Entertainment reporters provided riveting commentary on dresses, dresses and more dresses. Jennifer Lawrence once again proved that she’s high in the running for “Most Down to Earth A-Lister”. All of it: standard, predictable Academy Awards fare. And if you followed along with Oscar predictions in the slightest over the last few weeks—the predictability did not end there.

    Nearly every major award went exactly to whom most of the world predicted. Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto both won for their work on Dallas Buyer’s Club, of course. Cate Blanchett took it home for Blue Jasmine, of course. Lupita Nyong’o did the same for 12 Years a Slave, which as anticipated ended up snagging the big prize —Best Picture—as well as Best Adapted Screenplay for John Ridley.

    Though it didn’t take the coveted Best Picture prize, the night’s big winner was the sci-fi thrill-ride Gravity, which accumulated 7 statues when it was all said and done, including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón. Yet, even that was no big surprise—indeed, most prediction lists had Cuarón as front runner. By the time midnight rolled around and the show had reached its finale, there was not a gasp to be heard. No outrage over the best picture winner. No crying that a director got robbed. There was just… nothing. The Oscars came, they went, and that was that.

    To be clear, I’m not demanding that the Oscars suddenly start being scandalous for the sake of scandal. I certainly wouldn’t want it to become an LA-themed episode of “The Jersey Shore”. But most years there is at least something to keep tensions high. Something to keep anticipation flowing. People at the edge of their seats. This year, it was all by the numbers.

    And though I think all of the winners deserve their prizes, it’s a shame that such an extraordinary year in movies had such a dull ceremony to celebrate it.

    Unlike some previous Oscar nights, the blame does not lie in the hands of the host. From her opening monologue right up till the end, Ellen was easily a highlight of the show. Her lively, wit-drenched attitude helped keep the audience entertained while we went from one needless, overdrawn musical performance to another. Seriously. This was ridiculous. I didn’t watch the Grammy’s, but after last night, I might as well have.

    There were a grand total of six musical performances last night. Six! For a ceremony that’s supposed to be about movies, that’s about five too many. Even the beautiful memorial for Hollywood’s deceased (which I was very happy to see included Roger Ebert) was tagged on by a totally unnecessary 4 minutes of Bette Midler singing “Wind Beneath My Wings”.

    Stuff like this really made the show drag on way past its welcome—much more than usual, anyway. I ask you: Do we really need to see U2 perform at the Oscars?

    This apparent need to draw things out was a running theme throughout the ceremony, with even some of the night’s best moments—such as Ellen buying pizza for the guests—staying just a little bit longer than they should have.

    As much as I might sound like a grumpy old man, it wasn’t all bad. No, there were definitely moments that reminded me of why watching the Oscars has been a part of my life since I can recall.

    There were some beautiful acceptance speeches, especially by Cate Blanchett and Jared Leto. Though my personal favorite was the wife/husband duo of Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez accepting their award for Best Original Song via rhyme. If you missed it, go watch the clip on YouTube right now. Though I’m sure even if you missed the broadcast, you probably heard the cumulative “Aaaaawwwwwww” that emerged from living rooms worldwide.

    But what was the ultimate highlight? It would have to be Bill Murray’s brief and impromptu tribute to his deceased collaborator, Harold Ramis. Murray threw in Ramis’s name while presenting the nominations for Best Cinematography, garnering much deserved applause for the late, great filmmaker. Bill even had the respect to apologize afterwards for going off-prompter. What a class act that guy is.

    Oh, and although just a few paragraphs ago I complained about the needless musical performance, I thoroughly enjoy both Karen O singing “The Moon Song” and Pink’s rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as a tribute to one of my all time favorite films, The Wizard of Oz.

    So, yes, last night’s Oscars had its moments. Some beautiful, some hilarious, some heartbreaking. But overall? I can’t imagine anyone will remember the ceremony in a month or two. There was just nothing exciting about it. It just was a thing, and now that thing is over. All of the winners deserved their trophies, yes (I was particularly happy to see Spike Jonze win Best Original Screenplay for Her), and Ellen did a great job as the host. But if the Oscars want to stay relevant a decade from now? They’re certainly going to have to spice things up.

    My suggestion? Simple. Stop dragging the damn thing out.

    I’m not a sports guy, so the Oscars are about as close as I get to having a Super Bowl, and yet I still think they’re way too long. In a world that moves as fast as ours, with dwindling attention spans and a gazillian distractions at every turn, there is simply no need for the Oscars to be a 3-and-a-half hour event. Cut out all the fluff (cough, six musical performances, cough) and make it a quick two hour show that doesn’t waste our time.

    Maybe that sounds blasphemous coming from a movie buff, but it is precisely my love of movies that leads me to take this stand. A year full of such incredible film deserves a celebration that measures up. All writers known the idiom “kill your darlings”, and nowhere will you find more darlings in need of a quick and painless death than at the Oscars.

    What are your thoughts? Did any of the winners surprise or downright outrage you? Are the Oscars really needlessly long, or am I just a grumpy old man trapped in a younger man’s body?

  • The Right Song, The Right Movie

    piano&script06_fixed_v1.1I love all forms of art: visual art, music, performance, storytelling, etc. Movies are great because they combine so many of them. Among the best examples of this is the use of the perfect song in a film—the right song coming together with the right image. The combination creates moments that resonate with us. They make us think about the images the movie showed us anytime we hear the song. In fact, a very strong argument could be made that these are the most cinematic moments in movies.

    There’s far too many to choose from, but let’s break down just a few memorable moments, and attempt to examine closely why it is they work so well.

    GOODFELLAS – “Atlantis” by Donovan

    Here, I could just write “the entire movie” and move on. Martin Scorsese’s always been a director famous for the brilliant use of soundtracks in his movies. Goodfellas is perhaps the finest example of that. From Tony Bennett’s “Rags to Riches” launching us into the world of the gangster, the famous dead-body montage set to the outro of “Layla”, to the schizophrenic medley of classic rock and blues hits that take us through the paranoid, unbelievably fast moving life of a coked-out Henry Hill. The music reflects the emotional and mental state of the characters throughout all these sections of the story, and that’s why it’s so effective.

    Goodfellas is filled to the brim with amazing uses of popular songs, but perhaps my favorite is the scene in which Billy Batts is brutally beaten within an inch of his life, set to Donovan’s peaceful, beautiful hippie anthem “Atlantis”.

    At first, the song is very much in the background, almost unnoticeable on a first viewing. Donovan’s poetry (no singing here) over mellow chords comes in as Billy Batts and Jimmy (Robert DeNiro) are having a seemingly friendly chat at a bar. Tommy (Joe Pesci) enters the bar, the look on his face (and the fact that he was just insulted by Batts in the previous scene) telling us that some heavy stuff is about to go down.

    The calm, gentle music makes this quick rise in tension even more unbearable. Then… as Batts notices Pesci behind him, and DeNiro grabs a hold of his neck, a powerful drum fill takes us into the chorus. The music then gets bumped up in the mix, and the combination of its serene, catchy melody with the brutal beating we’re witnessing is shocking and horrifying—as the director intends it to be. Above all, though, it’s unforgettable.

    The cherry on top comes towards the end of the scene. The music dips down a little as Pesci looks over to Ray Liotta and says “I didn’t wanna get blood on your floor,” then it picks up again as we cut from his reaction—stunned and made all the more powerful by the music’s increase in volume.

    SPIDER-MAN 2 – “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” by B.J. Thompson

    You rarely hear pop songs in superhero movies, and if this scene is any indication of how well the combo can work, it’s a shame. To set the scene up for those of you who might not be familiar with Spider-Man 2 (and if you’re not, shame on you!), the film is all about Peter Parker’s struggle to balance his personal life (his desires) with his job as Spider-Man (his responsibility). About halfway though the movie, he gets fed up and decides he’s not going to be Spider-Man anymore. So much so that he throws his costume in the trash! Gasp! Fade to black.

    From the darkness… the most beautiful ukulele chords, followed by the sun shining brightly at us. Then, right as the vocals come in, Peter walks into frame. Smiling. Blissful. Relaxed. The first time we’ve seen him be this way in the entire film. I really do consider this to be an almost magical sequence in the film. “Raindrops Keep Fallin” has been used in a number of movies (Forrest Gump, Clerks II), but never so perfectly as it’s used here.

    The lyrics, all about a person who has decided to be happy, even if raindrops keep falling on his head, fit so well with Peter’s state of mind during this portion of the movie, it’s scary. I almost feel like I don’t need to explain any further. Just watch the scene, and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.

    This is true movie magic. It’s as if the song was recorded specifically to be used over this scene. I honestly can’t even begin to think of another song that would have fit better.

    DJANGO UNCHAINED – “Freedom” by Anthony Hamilton and Elayna Boynton

    Like Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino is a filmmaker known for the exceptional use of popular music in his films. Pulp Fiction practically invites the audience to dance at certain points. Even though his last two movies have been period pieces (this and Inglourious Basterds), Tarantino doesn’t let that be a boundary. While neither Django nor Basterds are filled with pop music the way Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs and Jackie Brown are, he still does use it, and to shockingly effective degrees.

    Take this scene: Django asks a slave on a plantation if she’s seen the Brittle brothers—his former owners, and the men he is looking for. She points one of them out to Django, he takes out one of those old-style retractable telescopes, and observes. As he spots him, the song’s rhythmic drums and tribal-style background vocals kick in.

    We cut to a flashback. The Brittle brothers. Tying Django’s wife, ready to whip her. Django pleads to spare her. The music is quite loud here, but the focus remains on Django’s desperate begging, and Broomhilda’s resilient face, getting ready for what she knows is coming.

    The song continues, loud and powerful, as we cut from Django and Broomhilda getting ready to escape, to Broomhilda about to be punished and Django pleading. Then… the whip cracks. Broomhilda’s gut wrenching scream fades into the chorus, now louder and more booming than ever.

    It’s horrifying. It literally sends goosebumps up my arm every time I watch the movie. This is a hard, hard scene to watch. The music’s loud, unrelenting bass line underlines the horror of this, and is one of the main reasons why this scene is not only so tough to watch, but also so gripping.

    As I said at the beginning of this post, there are COUNTLESS other examples of great songs used to great effects in great movies. What are some of your favorites?

  • 8 Movies That Prove Digital Can Look (Practically) as Good as Film

    Digital-vs-Film_v1.0Oh, this here, folks, is a fun one. Film vs. Digital is one of those debates that movie fans just cannot seem to stop having. If you’re not familiar with the difference, basically it boils down to this. Film means literally shooting footage on rolls of film (traditionally 35mm), and it’s the way movies have been shot for decades. It provides a beautiful, warm image that many consider to be cinema. But it also has its drawbacks.

    Digital, on the other hand, is usually more cost effective, allows you to shoot to your heart’s content, and, unlike film, isn’t vulnerable to physical damage. Unless you smash your camera with a hammer, I guess.

    For many, film’s inconveniences are plenty worth putting up with for the finished product. They swear that digital can never look as beautiful as film, or (if they’re of the more radical nature) that it’s ruining cinema all together. Personally, I happen to lean more on the film side of the argument. I think well shot film is stunning and I love the alive feeling it gives an image, with its grain and little imperfections.

    BUT. There are also plenty of movies shot on digital that I think look miles better than the majority of “film films” out there. In the hands of a talented cinematographer, digital filmmaking can look absolutely glorious—and achieve effects that film can’t.

    So, in the spirit of playing devil’s advocate, I decided to create a list (in no particular order) of movies shot on digital that do just that. If you’re a die hard fanatic of “film films” and think anything else is just a rip-off, hopefully this can make you see the enemy in a kinder light.

    Hugo – This really could be the start and end of the argument. If digital is good enough for Martin Scorsese, then it’s damn well good enough for you. Hugo looks like a storybook brought to life. Crisp, vivid and breathtaking. I haven’t gotten a chance to see it in 3D, and though I don’t usually like 3D, I have a feeling in this case, it might really add to the experience.

    Sin City – With Sin City, Robert Rodriguez managed to bring a comic book world to life like no one ever had, or has since. A perfect example of using digital filmmaking together with stellar visual effects to create a unique style that is unlike anything else out there.

    Gravity – If you didn’t get to experience this movie in theaters, then I’m sorry. As pretty much any review will tell you, Gravity is a visceral experience that ties the audience into the seat of a roller coaster and refuses to slow down. The beautiful imagery, combined with basically flawless CGI, creates a thrill ride that is one of the quickest 90 minutes I’ve ever had in a movie theater.

    Red State – Okay, so I know you’re thinking that all of the previous movies were special effects driven pictures which would of course work better with digital. Well, calm down, cowboy. Cause here’s Red State. Kevin Smith’s $4 million horror flick creeps up on you and forces your eyes wide open. The sharp, almost clinical look of the digital photography gives the movie an unsettling feel that resonates in the audience’s mind from first frame to last. To put it simply: film would have been too pretty for Red State.

    Collateral – Michael Mann can do amazing things with very little. It’d be hard to find a better example of that then Collateral . What’s essentially a basic, almost clichéd, noir story is made into a thrilling, personal narrative about people and the city of Los Angeles. Mann’s digital filmmaking gives the movie an extremely realistic, almost documentary-like look; a major reason why it works so well.

    The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – I could have just easily put The Social Network or Zodiac here, but there’s something magical about The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’s bleakness. From the pitch black apartments to the paper white Swedish snow, there’s intensity and suspense almost every frame. It’s hard to describe, but it’s immediately sensed while watching the movie. It’s an effect digital filmmaking helps achieve.

    Drive – Drive feels like a dream. A strange, violent dream with pulsating dance beats and lush, absorbing colors. It’s a testament to the power of visual storytelling, and the beautiful cinematography has a lot to do with that. When I found out that Drive was shot digitally, I was shocked. I couldn’t believe colors that deep, that rich, could be achieved with anything short of the highest quality film camera. Drive is proof that they can.

    Skyfall – Roger Deakins is one of the most talented people to ever hold a camera. That’s about all that needs to be said. Legendary filmmakers from the Coen brothers to Sam Mendes have called on him time and time again to give their movies that exquisite visual touch. Deakins’s work on Skyfall doesn’t reestablish, it only confirms his well deserved reputation as the master of the camera. Every single shot in the movie is a gorgeous painting, worthy of hanging in a museum. And you need look no further to find as compelling an argument for digital filmmaking.

  • The Top 13 Films of 2013

    movietheater01Movie lovers, rejoice. Great storytelling is still alive, well, and kicking like an over-caffeinated donkey. 2013 seemed like it was going to be a year film buffs would remember almost from the start. By the time it was over, there was no doubt about it.

    Before we start the list (arranged in descending order for the most dramatic umfh), I feel obligated to say that this is all only my opinion. Film is subjective, and what I found amazing, riveting and engaging, someone else might find boring, predictable and just plain stupid.

    That said: one of the best things about movies is the discussions they open up. So, if you strongly disagree about some of my choices (or would just like to share your opinion, whatever it may be), I urge you to leave a reply below and start a dialogue.

    Finally, I did not get a chance to see some of this year’s most acclaimed movies — namely 12 Years a Slave and Nebraska — so it’s very possible I missed out on some real gold.

    With all that out of the way, let’s get on to my picks for 2013’s best films.

    13. SPRING BREAKERS

    This was one of the first movies I saw this year, and boy, did it make an impression. Unrelenting, hypnotizing and unforgettable. Like many great works of art, Spring Breakers takes a decisive moral stand. It presents the world of spring break for everything that it is – a nightmare flimsily disguised as a fantasy.

    Also, say what you will about James Franco, but his performance here is one that absolutely glues your eyes to the screen and dares you to look away. It’s a peculiar role, and one many actors would be too afraid to tackle. But he does so with a fierceness that is incredible to watch.

    12. THE WAY, WAY BACK

    Movies about angsty teenagers are a dime a dozen, so it’s always a real treat when one comes along that manages to defy expectations. This certainly does that. Just as much about the adults as it is about the teens, The Way, Way Back is funny, heartbreaking and ultimately uplifting. It’s a feel-good movie the way feel-good movies should be done.

    Special props to Sam Rockwell (who is always a joy to watch) and Steve Carell, who branches off and plays someone unlike anyone else he’s ever played — a genuine jerk.

    11. MUD

    The fact that a movie this good didn’t even crack the top 10 tells you a whole lot about film in 2013. Like writer/director Jeff Nichols’ previous work Take Shelter, this is a deliberately paced character study with a unique down-on-the-bayou feel.

    As fantastic as Matthew McConaughey is (and boy, did he have a run of quality performances this year), the real star of the show is Tye Sheridan, the young actor who basically carries the movie on his shoulders. I can’t wait to see what he does next.

    10. AMERICAN HUSTLE

    Let me get this out of the way: This is a flawed film. HOWEVER — and this is a big however — if you gave me Blu-ray copies of every movie on this list, I’d probably pop in American Hustle more often than any of them.

    It’s a blast from start to finish, a treat for both your eyes and ears, and one of the most enjoyable movie going experiences I’ve had all year (twice). In particular, I want to point out the opening scene which is simply Christian Bale (who in my opinion gives the performance of the year here) putting on a hair piece. It’s so simple, yet so effective in telling you everything you need to know about the character. Brilliant storytelling, and a whole heap of fun, even if the entire package is slightly uneven.

    9. BLUE JASMINE

    Man, Cate Blanchett really killed it here. We all know she’s going to win the Oscar, and damn right, if you ask me. She’s impossible to take your eyes off of. I’ve heard a lot of people say this is a return to form for Woody Allen. I can’t speak to that, as I’ve only seen half a handful of his movies, but for a movie that is essentially people in rooms talking for an hour and a half, this is a blast.

    You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll thank your lucky stars your life isn’t as dysfunctional.

    8. THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

    As great as so many movies were in 2013, one genre seemed to disappoint: the blockbuster. I’m sure many of you will disagree, but personally, I found practically every big-budget extravaganza disappointing. In particular, Thor: The Dark World, The Great Gatsby and especially Star Trek Into Darkness.

    So by the time The Hunger Games: Catching Fire rolled around, I had lost a lot of faith in big-budget/special effect pictures. And then I watched it. Holy crap.

    This is top-tier filmmaking from first frame to last. I won’t say much more about it, in case you haven’t seen it yet, except SEE IT. The first Hunger Games was a really solid teen action-drama, but this transcends the genre. It’s The Dark Knight of teen sci-fi/action movies. If you still can, definitely try to see it on the big screen.

    7. KILL YOUR DARLINGS

    This was yet another surprise. I saw this for one reason: Dane DeHaan. He is someone I consider to be amongst the finest actors working today, especially for his age. And while I certainly got a great DeHaan performance, I also got a whole lot more.

    This is a dark, engrossing film that pulls no punches and makes no apologies. If you enjoy films that deal with the darker side of youth, and explore interesting subcultures, this is for you. Check it out. Really great editing in this, too.

    6. DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

    Now we’re really talking. This is one of the finest character arcs I’ve seen in a very long time. Most great actors give an award worthy performance once every few years – this year alone, Matthew McConaughey gave three (we’ll get to the third). He’s unbelievable in this, as is Jared Leto, who transforms himself in the role of a pre-op transgender woman.

    Those two performance are worth the price of admission alone, but Dallas Buyers Club also has an incredibly tight, smart script that’s only made better by Jean-Marc Vallée’s confident direction.

    5. HER

    Romantic movies aren’t usually my thing. Sure, there’s plenty I do like, but for the most part, I find them to be very typical and not particularly interesting. Spike Jonez’s Her almost seems like a response to that complaint.

    The film follows genre tropes more closely than you might expect, but it does something utterly fresh and unique with them. Perhaps what I enjoyed most was the subtle sci-fi setting, which while a major part of the film, never overbears the characters, as it does in so many other sci-fi movies.

    Though a few moments might not land as well as intended, this film is really something special.

    4. MONSTERS UNIVERSITY

    Prequels are hard to get right. Actually, I take that back. Prequels are almost impossible to get right. After all, movies are all about change — characters going through arcs — and by definition, a prequel means we will be seeing characters that have yet to go through the change that drew us to them in the first place.

    The result is usually sloppy, unnecessary and most of all not nearly as interesting as the previous movies. But somehow, Pixar pulled it off.

    Monsters University has no right to be as good as it is. Yet, it is. It really, really is. It stands shoulder to shoulder with almost any of Pixar’s best, and like them, it is a spectacular achievement – made all the more so when you think about how much of a train wreck it could have been.

    3. INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS

    Like Monsters University, Inside Llewyn Davis is a movie that shouldn’t work. It has no real plot, its protagonist doesn’t really change at all by the end, and yet… it is never once dull, never once pointless, and never for a moment not compelling. Indeed, it is the exact opposite.

    If Coen brothers’ humor is your thing, you’ll probably find this a melancholy, but hilarious movie. If it’s not, you’ll probably be depressed for days. Either way, you’ll likely find yourself sucked into the cold world of the early 60s New York folk scene.

    And if you wanna talk about Oscar snubs, few things fit the bill better than Oscar Isaac not getting nominated for his performance here.

    2. THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

    Once again, Martin Scorsese shows all the kids how it’s done. The legendary filmmaker may be 71 years old, but here he has crafted a film more full of unrelenting life and energy than anything even remotely comparable by his much younger peers. This is Goodfellas for the 21st century.

    The fast pace, almost constant voice over and subject matter certainly makes this a spiritual successor to both Goodfellas and Casino, but thanks to an entirely different cast, scriptwriter and cinematographer, it manages to stand on its own.

    Like in those films, Scorsese takes a strong moral stand while also presenting these characters with absolute honesty. The Wolf of Wall Street is not for the faint of heart, but if you can handle it, this is a movie that will entertain you like crazy, then make you hate yourself for being so entertained in the first place. It’s riveting stuff that will stay with you long after the credit rolls.

    PS: Though he’s only in the film for the first 20 or so minutes, Matthew McConaughey hits his third home run of the year here. Well done, Matthew. Now leave some work for the rest of Hollywood.

    1. THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES

    I went to the theatre to see this movie early in 2013, knowing next to nothing about it. By the time the lights came up, I knew I had witnessed something really special. This isn’t just the best film of the year. This is the best film of the last several years. Walking out of the theatre, I knew there was hardly any chance I would see a movie this good by the time 2013 ended. While The Wolf of Wall Street made me doubt that, in the end, I had to give it up to Pines.

    To me, this is nothing short of a modern American masterpiece. It features career defining performances from all the leads — especially Eva Mendes and Bradley Cooper – and is the quickest 2 hours and 20 minutes you’ll have at the movies this side of The Dark Knight.

    It’s the kind of movie that won’t do the math for you. It forces you to think, to put the dots together in your head, and it refuses to succumb to your expectations. A lot of people will be turned off by some of the directions this movie goes in, but all that means is that this is a movie that takes real risks. And oh lord, is it refreshing to see that.

    From the acting, to the gorgeous cinematography, haunting score, and razor sharp editing, The Place Beyond the Pines is indeed a cinematic masterpiece.

    Also, although this is predominately an actor’s movie, I don’t consider it an overstatement to say it features the finest chase scene I have ever seen.

    If you haven’t checked this movie out yet… do it.

    The chances we’ll get a year so full to the brim with great movies is rare, but let’s just be grateful we got this one, eh?

    What were some of your favorites from 2013?

  • Why the Writing of Breaking Bad is So Good

    Before we start, I have one word for you: SPOILERS.

    There. Let’s begin.

    Every screenwriter, aspiring or otherwise, knows the immense surge of inspiration that can come after watching a great film. It’s jet fuel. It propels us to keep working, to keep striving to make our own storytelling measure up. A great piece of filmmaking can be a better lesson than the most acclaimed college course on the planet. Which leads me to Breaking Bad.

    Breaking Bad isn’t just television. It’s filmmaking of the highest possible caliber. For screenwriters, it’s a goldmine (or money-stuffed barrel) of lessons on great storytelling. Though, if you’re only paying attention to the finished product, you might get a whole set of lessons that are, well, frankly… wrong.

    I’m not gonna lie, I’m a little worried that right now, somewhere, screenwriters and Hollywood execs are shouting “Make it darker!” Or perhaps, “Give it more ‘holy crap’ moments!”

    Yes, Breaking Bad is a very successful series (though it’s important to remember that it wasn’t for the majority of its life on the air). Yes, Breaking Bad is dark. Yes, Breaking Bad is chalk full of “holy crap” moments. But that’s not why it’s good.

    What makes it good, at least in this humble writer’s opinion, is the absolute honesty with which Vince Gilligan and his writing staff treat their characters and the world they inhabit.

    The Breaking Bad writers don’t shove those “holy crap” moments into the middle of the story just to get a rise out of the audience. They carefully earn every one. A guy opening his door and getting shot is dramatic, absolutely. But when the character who opens his door is Gale — perhaps as innocent as a meth-cook can be — and the character who shoots him is Jesse — someone totally aversive to murder – the drama is a hundred fold.

    Drama that good only lies at the end of a long road. One covered with too much coffee, tears and heads banged against keyboard. But there’s really good drama at the end!

    The first step on said road is to ask: “Where is the character’s head at?” It’s something the Breaking Bad writers refer to constantly as the starting point for their discussions. What does each character want at that very moment? What do they fear? What are they willing to do to get what they want? Just as importantly, what are they NOT willing to do?

    When these questions are answered, a character is formed. Then, telling the story becomes a matter of asking: “What would this character do in this situation?” If you’re honest, you get good drama. Breaking Bad writers often talk about having great ideas for scenes or story beats that would fall by the wayside, simply because that’s not where the characters wanted to go.

    A favorite example of mine is Drew Sharp, the boy on the motorbike whom Todd shoots dead. About halfway through “breaking” (meaning, plotting out the story beat by beat) the first eight episodes of Season 5, the writers had a general idea for where the series was going. The plan was for Walt to retire and Jesse to take over as Albuquerque’s new kingpin. Then Todd shot Drew Sharp.

    From that moment on, everything changed. The writers knew there was just no way Jesse would let that slide. There was just no way he would stay in the meth business. So he quit. The writers didn’t lock themselves into their original plan, they let the characters lead the way.

    I was curious if Todd was a character created out of necessity – aka, someone to shoot Drew Sharp – so I asked Breaking Bad writer and producer Thomas Schnauz. The answer was no: Todd came first, and Drew Sharp was a pretty last minute addition. Who knows what the writers’ original plan for Todd was, but it just goes to show their willingness to throw away their plans and let the story come naturally.

    Breaking Episodes – How Breaking Bad writers organize rock solid scenes.

    Famous amongst fans of the Breaking Bad writers are the index card filled cork boards. When breaking each episode, the writers would work together to plan out every single beat of the story in extensive detail. They would write out beats on 3×5 index cards and pin them to a cork board. All together, an episode would average somewhere around 60-65 cards. That’s a lot of plot, and a lot of detail. But it ensures that every episode has a rock solid structure, then, when an individual writer goes off to work on an episode’s script, they get to “do a little jazz”, as writer Peter Gould puts it.

    Each writer creates the dialogue, embellishes the scenes and puts their unique stamp on their individual episodes. They get to do this with confidence, because they know most of the heavy lifting has already been done by the group. But the work and time put into that heavy lifting cannot be ignored. Especially when the writers write themselves into a corner, something which, let’s be honest, they tend to do with frequency.

    Midway through Season 3, Walt and Jesse are trapped in the RV with Hank looming outside like a hungry shark. It’s a moment that pins the audience to the edge of their couches and makes them wonder “Just how are Walt and Jesse going to get out of this?”

    Well, believe it or not, the writers had to ask themselves the same thing.

    They often reference this moment as an example of just how painful the writing process can be. It took hours upon hours of thinking, of talking and coming up with plenty of bad ideas until a Breaking Bad worthy solution was thought up: A fake phone call to Hank telling him something horrible had happened to Marie.

    Made for some damn good drama, didn’t it?

    I came upon a similar roadblock recently while working on a screenplay. Well into the climactic scene, my protagonist was ready to unleash her master plan and defeat the bad guy. Ta-da! The sun shines high and everyone cheers. Feel good film of the year. Then something dawned on me (I like to call it logic), and I realized that there was no way the bad guy wouldn’t anticipate the protagonist’s plan. So he did, and he turned it on its head.

    And I had no idea what she was going to do.

    At that point, I wanted to shut my laptop off, go get lunch and convince myself the solution would come easier after some heavy procrastination. Then I remembered Hank outside the RV, and I realized that if I didn’t have any clue how the protagonist was going to get out of her plight, chances are the audience wouldn’t either.

    So I kept working. There was a lot of staring at the screen, a lot of start and stop writing, and so much thinking I ought to have paid tuition. The bad ideas came first. And man, oh, man, was there a lot of them. But finally, after what felt like three days in the desert, I came up with a solution. The scene – and as a result, the screenplay – is ten times better because of it.

    What allowed me to make it better is the inspiration I’ve derived from the Breaking Bad writers. The lessons countless hours of watching the show and closely analyzing it have taught me. Chief amongst which is: HONESTY.

    There’s an index card with “Where’s Walt’s head at?” taped on the wall next to my desk. It’s a constant reminder to always stay true to my characters. I must look at the thing a thousand times a day, and every time, it fills me with inspiration and an immediate self awareness if what I’m currently working on isn’t treating the characters with honesty.

    So, next time you’re writing a script and you feel the biting urge to make it darker, just because Breaking Bad is dark AND good, stop. Take your hands off the keyboard, put the pencil down (yes, I know there’s at least one of you still left) and remind yourself that Breaking Bad isn’t good because it’s dark. It’s good because it’s honest.

    —–

    PS: For anyone interested in studying the craft behind Breaking Bad further, I cannot recommend the “Breaking Bad Insider Podcast” more highly. Hosted by Kelley Dixon, one of the show’s editors, and Vince Gilligan himself, the podcast discusses every episode from Season 2 till the finale in glorious, extensive detail. Guests such as other writers, directors, cast and crew members are always present, and the amount of insight one can get about the making of the show is simply unmatched. Do yourself a favor and start listening.

    Also, most of the Breaking Bad writers are on Twitter. In particular, Thomas Schnauz and Moira Walley-Beckett are quite active and will often take the time to answer questions. As is the writers’ assistant, Gordon Smith, who provides a different view of the process.

  • Books are Books, Movies are Movies, and Now the Twain Shall Meet

    Life of Pi vs. Life of Pi
    Life of Pi Book vs. Film Adaptation

    I know what you’re thinking. Ho-hum, another books vs. movies debate. But don’t stop reading yet! This is not a debate. I love books. And I live movies (no, that’s not a typo.) And I’m tired of people pitting the two against each other.

    Think about it. Both books and movies demand a significant amount of effort in bringing them to life. Both are mentally stimulating and emotionally engaging. I was only ten years old when I read Life of Pi. In case you haven’t heard of Life of Pi yet, it’s a story about a teenage boy who loses his family, loses his home and finds himself stranded at sea with only a ravenous tiger for company. But when I tried explaining the story with my best friend at the time, she scoffed and said “I can’t even imagine that.”

    But that’s exactly the point.

    So many of the world’s stories are about worlds and times that most people consider to be beyond the realm of human imagination. Books deemed “unfilmable” by book and movie lovers alike. The Hobbit. Harry Potter. Game of Thrones. The magic realism that characterizes Pi’s story – and Harry’s, and Frodo’s, and Tony Stark’s – sets them apart from stories closer to home. But it is the “unfilmable” and “unimaginable” nature of these stories that make them the stories most worthy of being imagined. Brought to life.

    And what better way to do that than through film?

    Book lovers insist that the movie can never be the same as the book, but does it have to be the same? If the movie was meant to be the same as the book, it wouldn’t be a movie. For me, the point of a movie adaptation is to re-imagine the story of the book without overwhelming it. I grew up with Harry Potter, and reading Life of Pi changed my life forever. And the film versions of those books didn’t match up with the little movies I’d already made in my had while reading them.

    But this little film I already made in my head while reading the book Life of Pi is one of those rare examples of a movie whose 3D visuals don’t overwhelm its storytelling but enhance it. It’s about that flawless balance between world and visual, capturing the complexities of a character’s world and the the viewer’s mental world.

    That said, even if the screenplay is amazing and the visuals are flawless, much of the audience’s decision about whether or not they like the film relies on their own emotions. Their own story. Having read the books for all the adaptations I’ve watched, I never walked into a movie thinking it would make me feel anything new. But each and every time, it did. And that’s what makes me believe in film as the book’s friend rather than its enemy. It’s the only medium that has the power to take an existing experience, reshape it and make it visceral in the way no other medium can.

  • Coalition of the Willing: Inspired Work, Inspiring Work

    I have a complicated relationship with film.

    For the most part, I love it. I love that it can inspire, empower and liberate people. As a medium, it is limitless – it can tell stories previously untold, tap emotions previously untapped and explore parts of the world previously unexplored.

    But here’s my problem: commercial film rarely ever does.

    Yes, Ryan Gosling is stunning. And so is Emma Stone. Alright, I get it.

    But why are we making a movie about it? That part, I don’t get.

    With all the fandoms, poster boys, Jennifer, and plotless excuses for movies popping up everywhere, I can’t help but feel disillusioned by film. But every once in a while, a movie comes along to remind me that Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone haven’t completely taken over. On one of my many afternoons spent idly browsing Vimeo for inspiration, I stumbled upon a film by Knife Party that reinstated my faith in the wonders of the medium.

    Coalition of the Willing, is, as the title suggests, the collective brainchild of a brilliant coalition. The film addresses an issue burning with actuality (pun intended!) – the issue of global warming. And yet…there are no pie charts, bar graphs or visuals of receding ice caps viewed from outer space.

    That’s the beautiful thing about this film. It succeeds not despite but because of the lack of statistics and infographics in its storytelling. Because when you really think about it, global warming isn’t an issue that’s as far away and distant as the statistics and satellite images often used to represent it.

    It’s personal. It’s a choice.

    Throughout the film, the visuals follow man and mankind. Our evolution, our changing times, our history, our politics, our sociology. Visually, it is absolutely stunning. I felt myself being increasingly drawn into the world of the film – our world – and it wasn’t difficult to understand why the movie walked away with the Best Short Award at the 2012 San Francisco Green Film Festival.

    The stunning animation and smooth flow of the film transports the viewer back in time, employing the memorable image of a ’50s businessman turning into a hippie to chronicle the radical individualism of the ’60s. As the colours get brighter and the backdrops increasingly complex, the individualism fades into consumerism and the whole movement eventually culminates in a lack of regard for the world around us. The status quo.

    Although humanity took a turn for the worse, the film isn’t pessimistic about it. Not in the least. There is a palpable vibrance in its visuals, a quirky hopefulness in its scoring and an awareness of the power of individual efforts. It connects the past with the present, muses about the many changes that humanity has undergone, and, above all, provides hope for the future. Its look, feel and message work together to do what film fundamentally ought to do: awaken and stimulate the minds absorbing it. The film brings the concept of coalition to life and itself stands a testament to the wonders achievable through creative minds coming together.

  • The Hobbit: An Expected Review

    When I was a little kid, my father collected me, my little brother and sister, and a huge silver Casio tape-playing boom box, and set us all down around the fireplace. He turned the overhead light out and an orange glow from the fire cast itself onto the carpet, illuminating the tape deck.

    “What we’re about to listen to is a very special story,” he said. “I read this story a long time ago, and I enjoyed it so much I want to share it with you kids. If it gets too scary we’ll turn it off.” We all looked at each other and he hit the play button.

    Listening to The Hobbit in the dark around this light is one of my favorite memories. The recording was produced by The Mind’s Eye, and was a full production, complete with multiple talented voices, an extensive sound effects library, and an impressively orchestrated score. The recording originally aired in 1979 on NPR Radio, and it had finally made its way to three children listening by a hearth, the dog asleep in the corner.

    I loved this story, specifically this telling of it, so much so that in middle school I stole it out of my father’s closet and would play each tape to put me to sleep, every night. When the series ended I just started the 6 hour adventure from the beginning again. This continued for an embarrassingly long time, to the point that even today I can anticipate most lines and recite many of them. You must understand: for some reason, maybe the fact of how my journey with Bilbo started in our family room, I was a little obsessed with Tolkien and his world of Middle-Earth

    In 2000, I went to a movie. I don’t remember what movie–it doesn’t matter. What mattered was the trailer. It was a teaser, and it opened with a New Zealand hill top covered in dry grass, black rock, and mountains in the background. Epically adventurous music began, and up over the hill came a tall bearded man in a pointed grey hat and cloak carrying a wooden staff. At this point I was too excited to sit still, because I thought, oh wow, the next thing to come over the hill is going to be 13 dwarves and a hobbit and I’m going to go nuts. When the pointy eared elf walk over next I thought, that dwarf looks unusually high. Then came a character who could ONLY be a dwarf, followed by some obvious hobbits, and then some other tall people I couldn’t place. If you can’t tell, I had not read Lord of the Rings, but I knew of it. Though I was looking forward to the film no doubt, I was crushed it wasn’t The Hobbit.

    Fast forward through movies of Fellowship and Two Towers, and I’m a true LOTR fan. When the release day for Return of the King arrived I thought it was the end of the age of Middle-Earth, a three year movie-viewing journey. I waited in line with other enthusiast friends opening day and took it in, taking a mental picture in my mind. It was a special day, a great day, and a sad day all at once. It was worth the wait, heck, the wait enhanced it, but knowing it was over was tough to stomach.

    After its successes, we learned Hobbit was being talked about, and that was a giddy feeling. Then I caught wind of Peter Jackson’s awful relationship with New Line Cinema, and how it might jeopardize him directing, which sounded sacrilegious and a big blow to a well-defined series. Then there was the notion it might not have the same actors, or even be done at all. Years went by with nothing but rumors and hope (whispers of a nameless fear?). When it was evident Jackson was back on board, and when casting finally started, and when filming actually began, each stage brought this feeling of relief. I was there, and now would go back again.

    Only this time I would go back to an unknown sight. 48 frames per second. Twice the frames for double the clarity. You see, 3D is an issue for some. Fortunately I don’t get 3D sick, but I do heavily notice, with the fields being arranged the way they need to be for stereoscopic filmmaking, the picture taking a big hit in crispness and brightness. It is the nature of the beast, and the price for 3D. Jackson announced his belief that 48fps would be a better way to view the film. With this high frame rate (look for “HFR” in the marquee at the theater) we were going to break from that ever traditional and cinematic 24fps we’ve come to know, love, and get used to. The reaction from Comic-Con couldn’t be more deafening. I read in the news the crowd was nervous, hyper, then outraged at the clip they were shown, and how it looked more like a soap opera on TV than a throwback to the Shire.

    Whatever. At least they’re making it, I thought.

    I tried to avoid the screenshots, the behind-the-scenes clips online, and the eventually released trailers, but I failed miserably and was unable to help myself. All the while knowing this story I have waited 9, no 12, no 22 years for, was going to be told in a revolutionary new format. Pioneering new territory is thrilling, and as a filmmaker, I am always grateful to ride the wave of the new, scary as it may be. With the release of digital video, then DSLRs, then FCPX, the end of manufactured film cameras and the slow decay of celluloid overall, I’ve been privy to some fascinating, industry-changing events. I must be honest, though: as we got closer and closer to December 14th, I legitimately became nervous about this new frame rate, and worried it would spoil something near and dear. All I had to go on was that its Peter Jackson we’re talking about. Middle-Earth is his baby after J.R.R., and I just need to trust he wants to do the film justice.

    This evening, I again found myself in a line for another adventure. Joined by my brother Sam, who picked up tickets the day before, we arrive an hour early to already find a line of 50 people. When we got through we had to wait in another line outside the theater doors. When finally we were loosed, we found some seats in the exact middle, and settled in immovably.

    This was indeed the experience I wanted. The HFR version is different, and will look slightly strange to those not expecting it, but it truly does fade away. I plan on seeing it again in the other formats to compare, but as far as content I couldn’t be happier. I won’t spoil anything for those who haven’t seen it or who don’t know the story (what are you waiting for?), but take it from a very critical filmmaker and an even more critical fan that this movie is definitely worth seeing.

    My advice is to know what version you are walking into. There are a least 5 different versions: IMAX 3D, RealD 3D (RealD is a different 3D technology than IMAX), RealD 3D HFR (48fps), IMAX 3D HFR (48fps), and 2D Digital. For the most familiar cinematic look, your best bet is probably the 2D digital, but I want to verify this before committing to that claim.

    I’ve heard multiple complaints about too much CGI, but we all saw that coming. Personally, I too prefer great robotics and puppetry done right (Jurassic Park anyone?), but to get here at all was an elating experience in itself. I give the movie an A, mostly because I felt the Goblin King needed some major advice and reconsideration in the 3D modeling department, but moreover because I don’t think anything can really top what’s in the mind.

    It is absolutely a must-see this winter, though, and I hope you enjoy An Unexpected Journey as much as I did. It has rekindled the same magic I felt at the beginning of the LOTR run, where you had to wait a whole year before you could continue the quest, but the pay off was practically tactile. That feeling that I thought was a one-time occurrence is now present again, and it is this weird sensation of reliving the greatness of the LOTR span, but with a new, unseen yet equally epic set of films. And while it brought me back to all these memories, it mostly put me right back where I started, right next to that fire so many years ago. It was warm, and invited me right in.