Noah Review

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

Written by Darren Aronofsky & Ari Handel

With a film based on the bible religion is obviously going to play into many people's reception of the film. While that's not necessarily how I feel things should be it is nonetheless going to be a topic of conversation for many. As such, I feel like I should preface this by saying that I don't consider myself to be a religious person. I have nothing against religion, but it simply doesn't play an important role in my life. That being said, I do not think Noah requires you to follow the religion it is based on in order to enjoy it as a film, and as well I don't believe it should offend you if you do consider yourself to be religious. It is simply an adaptation of a story from the bible, and a very good one at that.

Noah tells the well known story of a man who is told by "The Creator" that the world will be destroyed and that he is responsible for saving the innocent beings, the animals, so that life can have a new chance. Russell Crowe plays the titular lead, and gives an incredibly powerful and intense performance. One really feels the weight of every decision he has to make, and it is easily Crowe's best performance since 2007's 3:10 to Yuma. Also in great form here is Jennifer Connelly, playing Noah's wife, who has a few scenes where she manages to elevate the role above that of being simply a "wife" role, especially in the film's third act. The rest of the performances are strong as well, with Logan Lerman, playing Noah's troubled son, and Ray Winstone, as the antagonist, giving especially strong performances.

When one realizes that Darren Aronofsky made this film they will no doubt be unsurprised that the visuals are amazing. The editing and cinematography are very unique and add to the film's engrossing atmosphere. As well, the score is fantastic. It feels somewhat similar to Clint Mansell's score for Aronofsky's The Fountain, but does differentiate itself, taking on a more epic, biblical feel.

The greatest thing about this film, though, is the fearlessness that went into it. Many people forget that the bible has a lot of really strange and fantastical elements to it, and Aronofsky and co. do not shy away from that even a little bit. The effects used to bring these elements to life are fantastic, and its fascinating to see how much they committed to telling this story in their own way.

This is not a film for everybody, though. As befitting a story from its source material it is an incredibly heavy story. While definitely engrossing and entertaining, many of the story elements, including the main climax, are extremely dark and intense, definitely to a point that will be uncomfortable for many. If you can handle this kind of material, however, Noah will prove to be a fully entertaining spectacle. It's one of the most beautiful films of the past several years, and the performers are all on top of their game.

It is truly mesmerizing that this film actually got made, but I'm glad it did as it is a film that fully commits to the task and scale before it, and doesn't shy away from challenging the viewer. It is also a thoughtful film. It's moral is a powerful one, but it doesn't slam the viewer over the head with it, rather posing a question and allowing them to come to their own conclusion. It is also nice to see a film with a religious basis that is open to the viewer's religion. This film neither attacks christianity nor shoves it down the throats of the audience. Aronofsky (an atheist) is simply telling one of the oldest known stories in the best way he can. Not everybody will like this movie, but I believe its a film that should be seen by everybody who can handle it. And see it while it's in theaters, as it is such a big, visual film that this is the best format in which to see it. A

The Wire Season 2 Review

Created by David Simon

The Wire did something very strange in its second season, it changed the formula. This is rare for a show with self-contained seasons, as they usually try to keep a similar tone in order to keep the fans happy. Instead, showrunner David Simon realized that they needed to make sure that their second season didn't feel like a rehash of the first season, and so they based it around a completely different aspect of criminal investigation in Baltimore.

Season 2 of the wire finds the targets of the police as being corrupt port unions. The drug dealers of season 1 are still around, but their role is far reduced, functioning much more as a side plot and finding themselves with far less screen time. As well, the police system is changed. Many of the same characters are involved here, but to much different degrees. We see some of the more prominent officers of last season very much on the sidelines, while some previously minor characters have become much more prominent. 

As such, the storyline with probably the most screen time is that of the dock workers. This was a real risk as all of these characters are brand new to the second season. This takes a while to get used to. It is hard to lose the character consistency in this season, and as such the early sections of the season feel very strange. They aren't necessarily bad, but it almost feels like an entirely different show at times.

If fans are patient with this, though, they may find themselves even more satisfied than they could ever expect. This season takes a little longer to really get going than the first did, but it's even more satisfying when it does.  This is not a show where every episode will have an exciting or shocking moment. Many episodes exist simply to put chess pieces in place. However, this patience is payed off, as the final three episodes of this season use every one of these carefully placed pieces to their fullest effects in order to deliver one of the most satisfying final acts ever to grace television. 

I cannot quite say that this season is as good as the first, and I cannot say that it is worse. It is certainly very different, and will likely give viewers, especially the more casual ones, a lot of difficulty in trying to connect to it. However, it still shows the brilliant writing and wonderful acting that the series is known for, and will easily stand up as a perfectly crafted 12 hour film. 

Season Grade: A

Best Episode: Storm Warnings (Episode 10)

Any of the final three episodes could easily be here, but I'm going to go with the one that surprised me most. The Wire is a show built off of delayed satisfaction, and this episode delivers upon that entirely. Storm Warnings takes the season's least interesting character, and in one perfectly directed and performed scene, pays off every second of his screen time, and shows that they knew what they were doing the entire time. This is a show where you really do have to simply trust that the writers know where they're going, and that even if a storyline seems weak, it's possibly going to wind up being the best that television has to offer.

Hannibal Season 1 Review

Created by Bryan Fuller

Based off of the books by Thomas Harris about Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter, Hannibal had a lot to live up to. The Silence of the Lambs, the second book to be adapted from Harris' series, won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The television series takes more from the previous novel, Red Dragon, though, in that it follows FBI profiler Will Graham instead of aspiring agent Clarice Starling. It is also one of the better adaptations of this intellectual property. 

Taking place before Lecter's capture, Season 1 of the series sees Hannibal as a psychiatrist successfully blending into society. Lecter is not the main character of the story however, as he rarely is. Instead, the show is really about Will Graham. Graham (Hugh Dancy) is an instructor at the FBI academy, and he has an innate ability to put himself into the shoes of killers. As such, Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishbourne) decides to use Will's remarkable ability to find several sadistic serial killers that are on the FBI's radar. Fearing for Will's sanity, as his gift involves him imagining himself committing horrible acts, Crawford asks renowned psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) to have regular sessions with Will, making sure the job isn't causing him permanent psychological damage.

First things first, Hannibal is possibly the best looking show this side of AMC. It is truly amazing that this show is on NBC, as the cinematography is so artistically based in a way that is simply not seen on network television. It is also amazing that it is on NBC since it is one of the more disturbing shows currently on tv. Sure CSI and other procedurals have dead bodies in every episode, but not in the way that Hannibal does. Dealing with the most deranged of the deranged, the murders in Hannibal are horrifying, and though we see very few deaths actually occur, the psychological impact of some of these murders is very difficult. At one point in the season I became so disturbed that I had to pause the episode and gather my senses before delving back into the proceedings. 

The show works mostly thanks to the actors. I am truly shocked that Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen have not gotten more acclaim for their work on this show. Dancy fills his Will Graham with such a constant sense of nervous tension that he never seems to be quite stable. Mikkelsen on the other hand had the biggest shoes to fill. Taking over for Anthony Hopkins, it would be easy to simply copy his style, and likely wind up disappointing fans. Instead, Mikkelsen takes advantage of the television format and keeps his Hannibal much more subtle. Here Hannibal hardly ever betrays his emotions, which makes him seem at once normal, and yet with enough malice to make the audience aware of just who he really is. The two actors, despite playing nearly opposite characters, really do share a great chemistry with each other that invigorates the entire series. Fishbourne also delivers a strong performance as Jack Crawford, possibly the most realistically emotional character in the entire series. 

The show falters a bit in its dialogue, however. While Dancy and Mikkelsen always make the most of every line they are given, some of the more secondary actors do not fare as well. Their statements are often either cliche, stupid, or totally unjustified. Every now and then the show will have all of these characters be convinced of something without reason to be. I realize it is for dramatic tension, but I just don't buy that these characters could always come to these conclusions in the way that they do. As well, the character of tabloid reporter Freddie Lounds brings some interesting potential for conflict, but winds up as simply being annoying and unrealistically against the main characters, removing any tension the character otherwise could have instilled.

Hannibal is a very flawed show. It's overarching season plot and several of the episode-specific plots are great, but it has a few episodes, and several moments of dialogue, which definitely feel subpar. The show simply does so much so well that these moments stand out like a sore thumb. As well, I don't feel very good about the fact that this show is on NBC. It seems like a much better fit for FX or AMC or some other channel which is more accepting of violence, as Hannibal could very easily disturb even otherwise desensitized audiences. Still, it is a show that is better than one would expect, and which showed enough promise in its first season that I am very excited to see where it goes from here.

Season Grade: B+

Best Episode: Roti (Episode 11)

The second appearance of Eddie Izzard in the season, and easily featuring the most exciting episode-specific plot, Roti finds the show operating at its highest level. Mixing its stand-alone and slow burn elements together perfectly, this episode satisfies on every account, paying off storylines which had begun earlier and further developing storylines that will play out over the rest of the season.

Weakest Episode: Potage (Episode 3)

This episode suffers the most from characters coming to unrealistic conclusions. It introduces an idea that could bring some intrigue, but by making every character convinced of this idea despite lack of evidence, the episode bends the suspension of disbelief way too far, causing it to shatter. Its really a shame because there are some interesting ideas in this episode, but the writing is way too heavy-handed to allow them to be properly introduced.

The Lego Movie Review

Written and Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

With merchandising alone The Lego Movie could have been made on autopilot and been one of the most successful films in recent years. How refreshing it is to see, then, that not only did they not just rest on their laurels, but the makers of The Lego Movie really put all of their effort into trying to make it a film that could be entertaining and meaningful for all audiences. 

The story of The Lego Movie is that an ordinary lego person named Emmet (Chris Pratt) finds himself accidentally brought into a world of heroes fighting against the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell) who plans to end their world as they know it. Though the story is simple, that is the best thing for this film, as it allows for endless creativity and open-endedness in the details. 

The voice acting is universally great, with each actor forming a fun character. Especially fun are the licensed characters, as the actors are clearly having a great time with their impressions. The original characters, though are perhaps even more special. What they represent for the story is very special, and these are the characters that allow a great emotional connection.

It is this emotional connection that really sets The Lego Movie apart. Many animated films shoehorn a message into their stories, but The Lego Movie's message feels especially ingraned. It is a film about creativity that is brimming with it. The humor alone would make it a good film, but this added undercurrent is what truly makes it a great film.

In the end, this film is another example of how Phil Lord and Christopher Miller can take a property that seems impossible to make good and wring gold from it. Much like in 21 Jump Street, they manage to infuse an otherwise ordinary story with a special bit of flavor that makes their films entertaining and meaningful. The Lego Movie is no exception and though a few of the verbal jokes fall flat, it is a film with constant energy and meaning that truly is meant for viewers of all ages. A-

The Grand Budapest Hotel Review

Written and Directed by Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson is one of those directors whose films can easily be attributed to them within seconds of viewing. His style, consisting of perfect angles, long takes and quirky character beats, is so unique that he has nearly become a brand in and of himself. The Grand Budapest Hotel does nothing to dismiss it, and may in some ways be his most stylized film yet, but it does change the formula in a few ways.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a story within a story within a story. It is the tale of M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) a hotel manager in wartorn Eastern Europe who must contend with a devious plot when an elderly and wealthy mistress of his dies. The story is told from the point of view of Zero (Tony Revolori) a new lobby boy who Gustave finds himself connecting to. The plot is much more complex than that, but to tell more would be confusing and spoiling, as much of the fun of the story is seeing where the plot will go next.

While there is some fun to be had in the plot, it does get hard to follow at some points. Far less straightforward than any of his previous efforts, The Grand Budapest Hotel finds Anderson juggling more characters and plot threads than he has ever worked with before. Though all connected, the sheer number of stories and characters can be overwhelming at times. The other downside is that there are so many characters that none of the actors are truly given enough time to shine, save Ralph Fiennes who reigns in the Anderson-esque tendencies of his character just enough to stand out among the director's other protagonists and find a suitable place for himself to make his mark. 

In terms of visuals, however, The Grand Budapest Hotel may be Wes Anderson's most impressive film yet. The hotel is wonderfully conceived, its startling pink standing out amongst the rest of its environment. From a production design standpoint, this film is a highlight of this year, as the locations are constantly entertaining and beautiful at the same time. They do not exist in our real world, but then Wes Anderson's films do not exist in the real world anyway. They inhabit their own universe, and The Grand Budapest Hotel is a visual standout even among the rest of his filmography.

In the end, there is quite a bit to enjoy about this film. It retains the same intriguing style that marks the rest of Anderson's career, and the visuals, as well as Ralph Fiennes' performance, make it a standout. However, the film does tackle a bit more than it can handle, storywise. It feels very rushed in pace, and could have benefitted from some simplification. As well, some of Anderson's fans may be turned off by the darkness of his films. He has never shied away from tackling serious moments in his movies before, but he has never dealt with the level of peril and violence that he plays with here. Though some will enjoy this change to his usual methods, it never quite meshes with the otherwise bright and colorful tone of the rest of the film. Still, that is likely intentional and it manages to keep these moments shocking. 

Whether or not you like The Grand Budapest Hotel probably hinges upon your feelings about Wes Anderson's films in general. If you are a fan of his work, you will probably enjoy every second of this film. If you find his style annoying, then this film will not change your mind. What is for sure is that this film was made with love and care and a clear vision, for better or for worse. B

True Detective Season 1 review

Created by Nic Pizzolatto

True Detective ended its groundbreaking first season on Sunday night. Much like the rest of the show, this season finale bucked expectations, and still managed to deliver an intelligent and satisfying hour of television.

Stepping back a bit to the beginning of the season, True Detective was an experiment in some ways. Set up more to be a series of miniseries, rather than an actual tv series, with each season telling the story of a different group of characters. Viewers went into this show knowing that, in terms of the characters of Rust Cohle and Marty Hart, these eight episodes were it. Add onto it the fact that the entire series had only one writer and one director and True Detective felt more like an 8-hour movie than a tv series.

True Detective's first season tells the story of a murder investigation. The victim, Dora Lange, was a young girl whose body was found posed in a field, covered in and surrounded by satanic markings. Two detectives, Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Marty Hart (Woody Harrelson) recall the story of their investigation 17 years later, as well as revealing their own personal demons that they have had to overcome.

Throughout its entire 8-episode run True Detective made it apparent that it was something more than the rest of what is on television nowadays. There was a little extra care put into all aspects of the process than we are used to seeing. The writing had no wasted moments. The directing kept a creepy and unnerving tone constantly high, and the cinematography and editing were all operating at heightened levels.

One cannot talk about this show, though, without mentioning the performances. On that front, the big story to talk about here is Matthew McConaughey. As buzz was building for McConaughey's inevitable Oscar win for Dallas Buyers Club, it was also becoming incredibly apparent that he was going to win this years Emmy for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Movie. He infuses the character of Rust with a very unique, but very real, set of demons which eat away at the character. He is a character just as real as, although totally unlike, any other, and though much of that goes to the brilliant dialogue and writing, McConaughey is so committed to the role that his brilliance cannot be denied.

Harrelson turns in a very strong performance as well. Marty Hart is just as deeply flawed a character as Rust is, but he is also a more "normal" character. As such, it is inevitable that Rust will wind up being the more interesting character, no matter how great a job Harrelson does portraying Hart. This is such a two-man show, however, that there is really only one other performance of note to speak about, at least without spoiling the whole thing. Michelle Monaghan, playing Marty's wife, Maggie, does a good job with a somewhat underwritten role. This is simply a result of the series being almost exclusively about Hart and Cohle, and in the end her character only truly exists in reference to those two.

The other primary strength of the series is its tone. The entire proceedings secrete darkness at every possible opportunity. The one exception to this is in the more sexual scenes of the show. Some of them feel much lighter, as if they belong in an entirely different program. While this does sometimes feel more like HBO's influence than the writer's, it still functions as a subjective realism, with these moments being the one respite from darkness for the characters. As such, I cannot truly call it a complaint (and depending on one's viewpoint it could very easily be seen as a benefit. HBO has certainly used it to bring people into the show.)

In the end, True Detective is an absolutely impressive new show. Its consistency and gutsiness are nearly unrivaled, and it makes the best use of actors at the top of their game. While it's sad that the story of these characters is over (That is not a spoiler of any kind, it is well known that True Detective functions more as a miniseries than a series) the makers of this program have earned the trust that the next True Detective will feature an equally great set of characters in another engrossing story

Season Grade: A

Best Episode: Who Goes There? (Episode 4)
This was a hard decision to make. Episodes 5 and 8 could just as easily have been here. In the end, though, the show has such a consistent quality that one sequence could put an episode ahead, which is what happened here. "Who Goes There?" is already a fascinating episode, possibly the darkest point of the series, this is the episode where things truly start falling apart for the characters. Harrelson is given a lot to do here, and this is probably his best hour of the series. In the end, though, what puts this episode at the top is the truly exciting final sequence, which earns every bit of buzz it has received.

Academy Award Predictions

BEST PICTURE'
When the nominees were first announced American Hustle seemed like the one to beat. Backlash started immediately, though, and showed the general opinion that the film was not of high enough quality to earn the award. Though the same passion that got it 10 nominations could still propel it to a win, it currently rests in a distant third while 12 Years a Slave and Gravity fight each other for the win. Slave is the more important and Oscary film, as well as having won the most precursors, but the preferential voting system, in which #2 and #3 votes do have some level of importance, could spell an upset where Gravity takes it. I'll say Slave's feeling of importance gets it the gold, but Gravity is definitely nipping at it's heels

Will Win: 12 Years a Slave
Could Win: Gravity, American Hustle

BEST DIRECTOR
This one's a bit clearer to call. Alfonso Cuaron is almost certainly going to win for his visually splendid work on Gravity. McQueen's only chance is an overwhelming amount of secret support for 12 Years, which I suspect does not exist. Cuaron's got it.

Will win: Alfonso Cuaron-Gravity
Could Win: Steve McQueen-12 Years a Slave

BEST ACTOR
Before True Detective I'd have said Matthew McConaughey was a frontrunner. Now I'll say he's a lock. While other roles don't have a direct impact on the Oscars they do affect the amount of good will that an actor or director has, and True Detective's brilliance, largely due to McConaughey's layered performance, has solidified the strong general feeling about the actor. In another year DiCaprio or Ejiofor could have taken this trophy for their own, but this is McConaughey's year.

Will Win: Matthew McConaughey-Dallas Buyers Club
Could Win: Leonardo DiCaprio-The Wolf of Wall Street, Chiwetel Ejiofor-12 Years a Slave

BEST ACTRESS
Yeah, this one was pretty much decided back in the summer.

Will Win: Cate Blanchett-Blue Jasmine

 BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Another lock. Leto simply took hold of the race in this category early and never let anybody get even close.

Will Win: Jared Leto-Dallas Buyers Club

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
The most competitive of the acting races. Lawrence has a lot of good will in the industry and even people who disliked American Hustle found her performance to be entertaining. While entertaining can certainly win Oscars, in a contest it will lose to heartbreaking every time. As such, Lupita Nyong'o's emotional performance as Patsy in 12 Years a Slave is more likely to take this award away. Add onto this the fact that Lawrence just won an Oscar last year and even this most competitive acting category is looking pretty clear.

Will Win: Lupita Nyong'o-12 Years a Slave
Could Win: Jennifer Lawrence-American Hustle

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
This is possibly American Hustle's best chance to win an award, as heavyweights 12 Years a Slave and Gravity are not up against it. However, much of the criticism of the film is centered around the screenplay. Her, meanwhile, seems to be in the vein of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, being a quirky drama-comedy with a unique and original plot. Midnight in Paris, Juno and Little Miss Sunshine are also examples. Hustle could very easily win if people want to award it somewhere, but Her seems like a better fit for the category.

Will Win: Her
Could Win: American Hustle

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Best Picture frontrunners usually win screenplay, even beating more screenplay-ish films. As such betting against 12 Years a Slave in this category would be a mistake. It is an important frontrunner that isn't facing any of its largest rivals for the top award. It's got it.

Will Win: 12 Years a Slave
Could Win: Philomena

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Yeah, don't expect Frozen to lose.

Will Win: Frozen

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Many of the more well known foreign films were not even nominated here. As such, the winner is a bit up in the air. Any of the top 3 contenders could walk away with it, but the general consensus seems to be that The Great Beauty is the frontrunner.

Will Win: The Great Beauty
Could Win: The Hunt, The Broken Circle Breakdown

BEST DOCUMENTARY
It's never a bad idea to go with the most important film of the bunch, which is why The Square could take it, however films about the arts do well also, suggesting 20 Feet From Stardom. I am predicting The Act of Killing since it seems to combine both aspects.

Will Win: The Act of Kiling
Could Win: 20 Feet From Stardom, The Square

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Lacking a truly revolutionary score, this year's nominees are actually somewhat disappointing. Gravity will probably win due to a lack of strong competition. Sure, Her and Philomena are respected films with interesting scores, but Gravity's score is the most unique and should walk away with the award.

Will Win: Gravity
Could Win: Her, PHilomena

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Let it Go" is incredibly close to being a lock. As it is "Ordinary Love" is another song that feels like it could be a winner. This is one of the least predictable categories, which is why I have trouble considering anything to be a lock, but betting against "Let it Go" would still be a bad idea.

Will Win: Let it Go-Frozen
Could Win: Ordinary Love-Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

BEST FILM EDITING
The rule here is that the Best Picture frontrunner wins, unless there is a solid thriller nominated. If there is a solid thriller that is also a Best Picture nominee, then that's your winner. This year both Gravity and Captain Phillips fill that spot. Phillips won the ACE award, but Gravity is more of a BP frontrunner, and is thus slightly more likely to take the win.

Will Win: Gravity
Could Win: Captain Phillips, American Hustle, 12 Years a Slave

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Nothings spoiling this one.

Will Win: Gravity

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
At first glance Gatsby seems to have the more "in your face" PD. However, Production Design is different than costume design, and will occasionally go for more subtle work from a generally more well received film, such as Lincoln winning over Anna Karenina last year. As such, I believe that Best Picture frontrunner 12 Years a Slave will take this award home, due to the poor reception that the Great Gatsby received.

Will Win: 12 Years a Slave
Could Win: The Great Gatsby, Gravity

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
In this category, meanwhile, the gaudier the better. American Hustle could win if the voters just want to give it something, but I believe that Gatsby's colorful and plentiful design will manage to win this category without much difficulty.

Will Win: The Great Gatsby
Could Win: American Hustle, 12 Years a Slave

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Possibly the least predictable category, this one will still likely go to Dallas Buyers Club due to its relative quality as a film. Bad Grandpa's makeup is a little more noticeable, though, so it could win for that, but I doubt many of the older voters will pick it.

Will Win: Dallas Buyers CLub
Could Win: Jackass Presents Bad Grandpa

BEST SOUND MIXING
Gravity is at once an action movie and a prestige picture, meaning that its chances to win this award are tenfold. Inside Llewyn Davis is music based, which does well here, but the film did not seem to have much support. As such Gravity will take it easily

Will Win: Gravity

BEST SOUND EDITING
Gravity will take this one without much competition.

Will Win: Gravity

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Probably the most locked up category of the year. Gravity's is a visual feast for the eyes, a Best Picture nominee and a 3D blockbuster. It's the perfect film to win this award, and the fact that its effects are so ground-breaking means that it's certainly going to win this trophy, no matter what happens in the other categories.

Will Win: Gravity

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT

Will Win: The Voorman Problem

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

Will Win: Get a Horse

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

Will Win: The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life