The Way Way Back

Do you want to see a movie with a main character that never makes a decision for himself until the very end? Do you want to see a movie that dives into the subject of teenage angst and then sits there forever without ever offering any way out? Then this movie is for you.

“The Way Way Back” tells the story of Duncan (Liam James), a very shy 14 year-old boy who is about to spend his entire summer vacation with his mother, her oppressive boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s daughter. As he sits in the reversed seat in the back of the car on the way to the lake, the entire movie is presented to you within the first five minutes. Trent (Steve Carell), the boyfriend, tells Duncan that he would rate him as a three out of ten. Duncan shrugs. That’s basically the rest of the movie. 

Duncan is someone who’s only reaction to something is to shrug and walk away. I can understand teenagers are sad, troubled, and misunderstood little human beings, and that can make an interesting character, but only if they choose to fight, survive and learn something.

Duncan spends his time riding his bike around the lake, until eventually he finds a small water park and ventures inside. As he walks around, he bumps into a couple people and they automatically want to become his friend, for no reason other than he’s currently standing in front of them. He forms relationships with the founder of the park, Owen (Sam Rockwell), Caitlin (Maya Rudolph), Roddy (Nat Faxon), and a couple other do-gooders who happen to work there. Owen in particular guides him through the park, and the rest of the summer, as he tries to instill some confidence and passion in the young man. He gives him a job at the park, encourages him to take risks, stand up for himself, and become the man he wants to be. Duncan just gives half smiles, and shrugs.

Besides Duncan, most of the characters in this movie are actually well thought out. I enjoyed watching Owen fight for his interests as living as a grown man-child, and yet wrestle with the necessity to handle issues as an adult. It was refreshing to see Steve Carell play the “bad guy” instead of the goofy hero.  A lot of this movie could have been so good if only the main character actually made a decision for himself. Liam James absolutely nailed that sad and depressed teenager look, but it’s just so boring to watch for almost two hours.  There are a couple characters in here that are actually worth telling a story about, but an introverted, sulky, teenager isn’t one of them.

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Mud

“Mud” proves, once again, that a great story has so much more value than a big budget. This movie is simply, all about love. Love can be deceptive, challenging, courageous, and it can bring out the best, or worst in people. At the core of this movie, it portrays a realistic version of love in many forms as we follow Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and his friend, Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), cross the line between boyhood and manhood.

Ellis and Neckbone discover the hideout of their dreams on an island in the middle of a river when they find a small boat stuck in a tree. Little did they know that an outlaw, Mud, (Matthew McConaughey) is currently residing in said boat, as he waits for the love of his life to run away with him. They quickly make a deal that if they help Mud get the boat seaworthy, down from the tree and into the water, the boys will get Mud’s gun. It doesn’t sound like a fair trade, but to two thirteen year-old boys, a gun of their own isn’t something they can say no to. As Mud begins to use Ellis and Neckbone to communicate with his love, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), Ellis soon hears all about how madly in love they are, and from there, every decision for Ellis is based on the fact that he knows Mud and Juniper are in love and they deserve the love that lasts. 

As they gather materials, and run around town for Mud, Ellis begins to see Mud as a leader as his own personal life begins to unravel. His parents are talking about divorce, and his new girlfriend isn’t shaping up to be as great as he hoped for. Mud is willing to give him the guidance he has been looking for in love.  Everyone else in his life is struggling with love in some way, so Ellis begins to cling to this stranger and fight for the idea of perfect love. At the same time, Juniper doesn’t look to be as faithful or trustworthy as Mud made her out to be. Are they really in love or not? Questions begin to surface, lies begin to unfold, and Ellis discovers that the love he envisioned may not exist. Love doesn’t always conquer all. 

Matthew McConaughey is perfect in this movie. I never really was a big fan of his, but just respected his work. Recently though, he has made a conscious decision to star in smaller movies that will challenge him as an actor and that has definitely paid off. In “Mud,” he plays a dreamer, a hopeless romantic, searching for the love and connection he once had when he was young. I believed every moment, every sentence, and every emotion that he had. I believe the same of Tye Sheridan. He is such a gifted young actor, I am so excited to see where he goes in his career. He first arrived on screen in “The Tree of Life,” and ever since then has had a steady stream of roles. Tye is the one of the most gifted young actors I have ever seen, and this movie is worth a watch just because of him. 

Another one of my favorite things about this movie is how realistic they depict love. Just to name a few, they interpret love that once was and now forgotten, teenage love, love between friends, brotherly love, second chance love, and sacrificial love. At the same time, they handled the dialogue, sets/locations, cinematography, characters, in a beautiful and respectful way. They stay true to the story they wanted to tell and didn’t find themselves getting sidetracked on useless exposition or backstory. This movie is long, but it is well worth the time. With an exciting ending that left me literally on the edge of my seat, very strong characters, and a unique love story, I would strongly suggest seeing this movie.  

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Sherlock

After persistent demands from my little sister that I watch this show, I finally gave in, and five minutes into the first episode I knew I had stumbled onto something special. Special enough to elicit my attention for the next nine hours (two seasons). After those nine hours, I decided, or deduced, that "Sherlock" was the best television show that I have ever seen. To be honest, the BBC has never ever interested me in the least bit. I just don't get British humor. I never did. I have plenty of friends that watch their shows, and I have given them a fair shot. Some shows are okay, but most of them, I can't stand. "Sherlock," on the other hand, is a brilliantly crafted show that I can't get enough of. Maybe there's more to the BBC than misunderstood humor after all. Way to go BBC. You win.

My favorite part of this show has to be the casting. Benedict Cumberbatch completely owns this character. He successfully creates his own sense of who Sherlock is, and births an incredibly intelligent, observant, socially inept character. Martin Freeman doesn't play the classic John Watson that we are used to seeing as "Sherlock's sidekick," but instead plays John, Sherlock's only friend. He actually rarely offers insight into the cases that Sherlock can't already deduce himself, but is there instead for Sherlock himself. He keeps Sherlock on task by guiding him through the social norms, and sometimes interpreting his brilliance for others around. Both of these characters and names are so familiar to the audience already that we have grown accustomed to how they should speak, and act, but Benedict and Martin surely did not get that memo. They have, without a doubt, created something entirely unique, within this series. I loved watching the two of them grow together. In the beginning, like any relationship, there is miscommunication, frustration, second guessing, and mystery. John and Sherlock are not immune to this. They mature as a couple, not like that (they ensure you), of friends who depend on each other. Many times in life or death scenarios. Throughout the two seasons, these two fight again and again, but are always drawn back together as their relationship goes through the ebb and flow of life.

Normally television shows have an overall lower standard of production they set themselves at compared to that of most feature films. They don't have the budget, or the time to create something as complex as a feature film. "Sherlock," again, side steps this normality and holds itself at the highest level possible. They respected themselves and the audience with being able to handle complex issues and information. Everything was specifically designed to be something that Sherlock himself would be entertained by.

Much of the success of "Sherlock" has to go to the writers. Without the flawless modernization of the books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this show would not be as entertaining. They have seamlessly taken the characters out of their original time period and placed them in a world filled with computers, cell phones, televisions, etc. While being in the modern world helps Sherlock at times, he still relies, just as he should, on using the science of deduction. He uses his greatest strength above everything else: his wit. With this mentality, the writers have respected, and protected, the soul of the characters. One of the reasons I love this show so much is because it uses wit and intelligence as its driving force. It's not the sex, or violence, or special effects, it's the intelligent story.

The success of this program shows for itself the work of artistry it took to create this production. It pulls you in and won't let you go until you are dying for more. To everyone who worked on this in any capacity, job well done. This is truly a work of art.

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House of Cards

"Choosing money over power is a mistake almost everyone makes. Money is the big mansion in Sarasota that starts falling apart after ten years. Power is that old stone building that stands for centuries. I cannot respect someone who does not see the difference." - Francis Underwood

Be warned, as soon as you start the pilot episode, you will be hooked. This show has some of the most compelling and interesting characters I have ever seen on a television show. Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) is our "tragic hero" that we love, or hate, to watch as he deceptively destroys everything in his path. At the base of this show, it's all about the power in politics. I have never enjoyed the world of politics before because it normally bores me and I can't find a single person to cheer for. When most of America feels this way, it is actually fun to cheer for someone who is up front and honest about his unorthodox strategies. Frank's only value is his power to manipulate other people. It is astounding how little he gets done on his very own. He uses people left and right to spread ideas and thoughts throughout the government. One of my favorite lines that sums up his character is: "the best thing I like about human beings is that they stack so neatly."

Francis Underwood is a man all about power. He has calculated his every advance into Congress and has his sights set on the Presidency. He is cunningly supported by his wife, Claire Underwood (Robin Wright), and his trusted chief of staff, Doug Stamper (Michael Kelly). As Francis moves in and out of the closest circles within the oval office and congressional courts, he plants seeds of blackmail, misguided advice, lies, half-truths, prostitutes, drugs, affairs, and suicides in his wake. He will literally stop at nothing to obtain what he deems to be the highest calling in life: power.

With thirteen episodes to tell a story, the producers weren't shy about spreading the love to other characters. We get to know Claire Underwood through her very own career in humanitarian work and her working/loving relationship Francis. A young female reporter, Zoe Barnes (Kate Mara), is another critical character that could end up being Francis' best ally or worst enemy. Peter Russo (Corey Stoll) is a troubled politician from Pennsylvania who Francis blackmails in order to buy his votes and later guides him to run for governor. Many more characters come and go within this series, and somehow all end up being played one way or another by Francis.

One of the greatest tricks used in this series is how they use the fourth wall. Francis will momentarily pause, or turn from reality and discuss something with the audience. Whether he means to use that time to explain his plans for the next five episodes/minutes, show off his power over others by interpreting their next move, or just show us his annoyance of others when they say or do something slightly idiotic, it's always entertaining. By connecting with the audience in a one-on-one dynamic, you can choose to admire his passion, power, and intelligence, or hate his cunning, sly, and deceitful actions. When Francis says "I've worked too hard to get in arms reach of the prize only to have my hand cut off before I seize it," you either agree with him, or you just want to watch him fall back down. It's completely up to the audience whether or not they will cheer or scorn him. An audience rooting for him will want to watch him walk over people episode after episode. While an audience that chooses to hate him, will want to watch and see that there are still people that defy and overpower him anyway. Either way, audiences are left wanting to know what happens next.

You should give this show a shot. If you haven't already heard of it, or seen it, prepare yourself for an addiction. Once you start, it's an incredible ride.

Just as another example of who Francis is, here are a couple of my favorite quotes he has said:

"...and then he asked if I have no faith in God. I said you have it wrong. God has no faith in us."

"I pray to myself... for myself."

"That's how you devour a whale. One bite at a time."

And my all time favorite:

"I love that woman. I love her more than sharks love blood."

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Elysium

Neill Blomkamp is truly one of my favorite directors now because he doesn't cater to what the studios or trends tell him. He tells his story, his way. He follows his instinct. He won't back down to business executives when they start trying to guide his movie. He makes sure that he retains complete creative control. In Elysium, you can easily tell that this has Neill's creative stamp all over it.

This movie was pure entertainment. There weren't any hidden agendas or forced ideals shoved down my throat, it was just a fun movie. Sure there are ideas in this movie that should spark a conversation about how we are living in this world today and how that might affect our future, but I didn't feel like I had just watched Wall-e and was left feeling terrible about shopping at Walmart or sitting on my butt for longer than two hours. They simply presented a world with a problem, and then characters who decide to take action. That's what a movie is supposed to be! It's not always supposed to have a hidden agenda. It's okay to enjoy a movie simply because it's entertaining.

I only say that because the one thing that I hear people tripping over is that they keep comparing it movie to District 9, Neill's directorial debut. District 9 was an amazing surprise that came out of nowhere that garnered critical and financial success, along with a couple Oscar nominations. It didn't have an enormous budget, big name actors, or any big studios watching over them. But what really made that movie special was it's uniqueness. It was like capturing lightning in a bottle. A movie of that caliber, on that budget, and with a first time director, rarely ever happens. When people walked into the theater to see Elysium, they were already setting their sights on another District 9. I myself am at fault with this. I loved District 9, and I was hoping for something of that nature. What we got instead was a very expensive, explosive, entertaining movie, just without the poetry and heart that we were expecting.

With a budget of $100,000,000 ($70,000,000 more than what he had on District 9), I was surprised at how well they used the special effects. They were smart by only using it when it was absolutely necessary. The establishing shots, wide expanses, explosions, gore, etc were mostly CG, but they didn't rely on the availability of it to tell their story. They used practical effects and in camera techniques that made the believability of their world much stronger. Real sets, and props were used instead of dropping a green screen behind actors. This is something that I have to applaud Neill for because in today's day and age where CG is used for almost everything, using practical effects and actually going out and shooting something is brave. It always looks better to me and I love the fact that the money didn't get in the way of his style of storytelling.

One element in particular that I really enjoyed was the production design. The weapons, Elysium, and the exo-skeleton that Matt Damon and Sharlto Copley (who was awesome in this movie by the way) wore were spectacular. Neill has such a great eye for design that it gives his films a very unique perspective on the future. He doesn't just give them shape, he gives them special purpose. These aren't just toys or props, they are turned into story telling elements. The design of the robotics, ships, buildings, tattoos, weaponry, were all new. Some had a historical and classical base to them, but they were all twisted and given a new life through Neil's vision.

Obviously there are strong social elements and principles in this movie, that can't be ignored. Neill presents a social structure that is physically divided between the rich and the poor. The Earth has grown overpopulated and those in the upperclass of society have chosen to live in an eternal orbit of the Earth on the space station, Elysium. For those who live on Elysium, they want for nothing. Everything is taken care of, and you will never be hurt, sick, hungry, or in danger. Life is perfect. Life on Earth is the exact opposite. The split between those who have, and who have not, could not be seen in any easier way. It's even clearly stated at the very beginning of the movie just in case there is any way you missed it (which really wasn't necessary). What makes this issue special for Neill is that he has experienced this type of social rift personally as a young boy growing up in South Africa. I think one of the reasons he wanted to tell this story was to make people start asking questions about the social and economic structure of our world today.

Eve though I did enjoy this movie, there were a couple things that kept distracting me. One of them was Jodie Foster. Jodie is a fantastic actress, but for some reason they gave her a French accent. If you're going to do an accent, you'd better make sure your actress can do it, and then do it all over again in ADR. Most of her lines were so distracting, I was wondering the entire time why they didn't just case a French actress who could actually speak French! The ending was another problem I had. The entire time we're following Matt Damon serve no other purpose besides to better himself. Which is completely alright for a main character to do, as long as they learn something along the way, right? But right in the middle, they introduce another character that we assume he should start caring for. Does he do it? Nope. Not until the last fifteen minutes of the movie, does he start caring about saving others. I may have missed it, but I don't believe Matt's character had much of a story arc at all. It was all about saving himself and how he could do it the quickest. He really didn't care how it happened, he just wanted to survive. The ending threw me for a loop when all of a sudden they made his character have a change of heart. At that point I felt like I had just spent two hours with a character that I somewhat enjoyed, and then they flipped him over and made him something else. It was like they tied a nice pink ribbon over the end of the story when all it needed was honesty.

Overall, I would recommend seeing Elysium. It was a very entertaining movie that definitely belongs in the collection once it comes out on Blu-ray. If you have a problem with gore, or really poor ADR, you might want to skip this one then.

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Zero Dark Thirty

Lives are lost every day for an incredible amount of reasons. Death can be quick and silent, or it can drag on for years and years. It can be because of old age, or sickness, accidents, or even weather. In this case, lives were lost because it was someone's job.

Imagine having a job with the sole responsibility, the sole purpose, to kill a single man. To take the life of a human being. Someone who was a father, and a husband. A person who was loved by friends and family. A soul that my Christ died for. A man, who's name is Osama Bin Laden.

It was Maya's job for an entire decade to hunt down the man responsible for killing thousands of innocent American lives on September 11, 2001. Maya (Jessica Chastain), a young and seemingly inexperienced CIA operative, is put out in the the middle of a war zone to try and connect thousands of tiny pieces of information in order to track down "one of the disappeared ones." It quickly begins to look like an impossible mission. No one is talking. No progress is made. People are still getting killed, bombs are still going off and Maya isn't any closer to finding her target.

Years go by. Friends leave and friends die. People are tortured, a new president is elected, more bombs detonate, and Maya continues. With nothing going her way, she continues to slowly take step after step towards the front door of bin Laden. Once she finally think's she's there, they finally have the option to pull the trigger.

So far he had just been a face in a photograph. The face of the enemy. Then it becomes a game of odds. With very little to work off of, they jump at the idea that they actually found their target. For an entire decade he could have been regarded as a myth with the how little factual evidence there was to prove his location/existence. Now they have a possible location. What do they do with that? What if he really is there? Has Osama bin Laden really been found? Only one way to find out. Send in the Seals.

After a spectacular suspenseful raid on the home, all of their questions and concerns are confirmed. The decade long mission, accomplished. They have killed the face of terrorism.

The man they hunted for so long, is now dead. After looking at a face for a decade only in picture form, you lose sense of the real person. Then to see that face for the first time in a body bag with blood splattered over it, and it's eyes staring up at you, what must that feel like? How can you look into a man's face that you killed? Without ever placing her hand on a gun, Maya killed him. She ended his life. That fact finally hits her in the end. This was her job. She had even stated earlier, this mission was her "reason for being on this earth." Killing him, was her reason for being here. How the heck are you supposed to cope with that?

During the raid you see children and women at bin Laden's home. Could it be possible for people to actually love this man? Could it be possible that he has a family? We see him for the first time as an ordinary man. It is so polar opposite to how we have been raised to see him. When we see his face we are supposed to feel a prick of hatred. Maya had never actually seen him until his body was lying in front of her. Her mission, her purpose for being on this earth, is now complete. What does she do? She cries. She does not cry out of happiness or exhaustion, but what I believe to be as grief. For ten years her only focus was this mission. A mission to kill this man.

Kathryn Bigelow directs a very talented cast that delivers again and again by tackling a deeper issue than just killing a target. The story presented here doesn't get distracted by the hunt itself, but stays true to how Maya's character evolves through the hunt. Killing seems so easy when it's just a target and you're far away pushing a button, but to look in the eye of someone you just killed takes courage I do not have. They didn't make this movie just to cheer for Americans and brag about how they killed the "bad guy," but instead to show us what our thirst for revenge looks like.

We celebrated the death of this man as a country, and the one person who organized, directed, and lead the team that actually shot him in the forehead, cries. What does that say about us?

As I was leaving the theater, I could only think of saying thank you to Kathryn Bigelow and her incredible team for holding up the mirror to me and asking me, "why did you want to watch this movie?"

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