Classic Film Review: Good News

Good News (1947)
Directed by: Charles Walters
Based on the play by: Lew Brown et al.
Starring: June Allyson and Peter Lawford

Chances are, if you are looking for a good old-fashioned musical from the 40s and 50s, your first stop would be MGM -- the major studio that produced Singin' in the Rain, The Wizard of Oz, West Side Story, Meet Me in St. Louis and Showboat, among others.

For every Gene Kelly pirouette and Judy Garland solo, there are those lesser-known gems from MGM that would otherwise be completely forgotten if not for specialty channels like TCM. 

And, considering the DVD is next to impossible to track down, TCM may be the only way classic film buffs can view (and own) director Charles Walters' thoroughly enjoyable adaptation of the college-set musical, Good News.

It's a familiar premise, one we've seen in countless musicals and romantic comedies over the decades: A college football captain named Tommy Marlowe (Peter Lawford) falls head-over-heels for the campus' beautiful, wealthy "it" girl, Pat McClellan (Patricia Marshall). When Pat rejects Tommy's advances, he discovers her passion for the French language and vows to become fluent himself in an attempt to woo her. He enlists the help of brainiac Connie Lane (June Allyson), and she sets aside time from her busy schedule to tutor him in French. And then, wouldn't you know it, Connie finds herself smitten with the star athlete. It's your standard tale of (seemingly) unrequited love set to bouncy music, vivid technicolour and show-stopping dance numbers.

All musicals require a suspension of disbelief, arguably even moreso than any other genre. People, often complete strangers, are liable to break out into a perfectly synchronized song and dance routine -- only to resume their everyday activities the moment the song reaches its concluding notes.

However, Good News unintentionally requires its viewers to suspend their disbelief even further with one particular gaping plot hole and a couple of contrived situations that strain plausibility.

The gaping plot hole? Well, that would be the fact that the film claims it's set in the 20s when, in actual fact, all the costumes and hair-styles are very clearly contemporary (i.e. circa 1947). And the plot contrivances? It would be too long-winded to list here but, in a nutshell, Tommy finds himself torn between winning the final football game of the season and proposing to Pat after the victory or losing the game on purpose to win over the affections of the bookish Connie.

Peter Lawford and June Allyson

Regardless of these quibbles, it's hard not enjoy this rousing musical. The songs are surprisingly catchy considering the film has fallen off the radar when people talk about movie musicals. You'll find yourself humming "Lucky in Love" well after the end credits. And, while "The Best Things in Life are Free" is no doubt viewed as the film's romantic highlight, keep an eye out for the amusing exchange between the charming Allyson and Lawford when they duet on "The French Lesson."

In terms of genuine show-stoppers, however, there's only one that comes to mind: "Pass the Peace Pipe", an infectious song-and-dance number led by Joan McCracken (professional dancer and ex-wife of Bob Fosse).

But what it all comes down to in the end is the two charming leads. While Allyson and Lawford both have their detractors, I'm not one of them -- they are both a joy to watch. While they may not have the greatest singing voices they try their darndest to really belt it out. Where they do both excel is in their onscreen presence and overall likeability -- and both are fully capable of burning up the dance floor as they prove in the closing number, "The Varsity Drag."

For pure, unadulterated musical entertainment, Good News proves to be just that.

FINAL GRADE: B+

Movie Review: Amour

Emmanuelle Riva

Amour (2012)
Written & Directed by: Michael Haneke
Starring: Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva

An elderly couple returns from a classical music concert to find that someone had attempted to break into their beautiful apartment while they were away. Little do they know, something far more sinister than some petty thief is about to come along and shatter their comfortable lifestyle.


So begins German-born Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke's quietly devastating portrait of old age and unconditional love.

This French-language gem avoids all the melodrama usually associated with films centred on old age and the loss of a loved one. Anyone who has witnessed the cruel ravages of dementia or Alzheimer's -- or old age, in general -- can attest to the raw authenticity in which Haneke captures the decline of this elderly French couple.

Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) and Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) have been married for more than 50 years. Their past -- and their familiarity with one another as longtime companions -- is slowly revealed to us through the little stories they share with one another and the little affectionate gestures with which they communicate. Whether Anne is flipping through an old photo album, commenting on the beauty of life, or Georges is recounting a film that moved him to tears as a child, their marriage and comfortable companionship is a testament to their love for one another. Despite the passage of time, you can see glimpses of the young lovers they once were.

But then Anne suffers a stroke as a result of a blocked carotid artery and the unsuccessful resulting surgery leads to her eventual rapid decline. Georges struggles to care for his wife, resolutely refusing to hand her off to a nursing home.

Jean-Louis Trintignant

Anne suffers the indignities of aging as gracefully as can be expected under such circumstances. She lightly teases her husband as he hovers next to her bed, watching her read a book -- yet, her voice can be quick to sharpen if she feels he's doting on her too much and infringing on her own capabilities.

To watch Georges grapple with decisions and question his actions is equally as heartbreaking to watch as witnessing Anne's slow deterioration and suffering. It's enough to emotionally shatter even the most cynical viewer.

Haneke, as both screenwriter and director, is at the helm of what is arguably the most realistic portrayal of old age ever captured on film. His assured, confident direction and touching dialogue allows his two lead actors to shine. Riva and Trintignant, both acting legends in their native France, are absolute powerhouses here. Riva is absolutely devastating to watch, while Trintignant's subtly nuanced performance as the struggling spouse is just so full of truth that you can literally feel the gravity of his situation. They are beautiful performances, both.

While the film presents you with things you'll fear later in life, it also provides hope that we'll all experience the same unconditional love and support from a spouse, friend or relative that will guide us through advanced age's crueler moments.

Beneath the tragedy of watching a loved one slip away, Amour is an intimate, powerful look at advanced age -- but it's ultimately, above all, a love story.

FINAL GRADE: A

What my dream Oscars would look like...

We all do it: Compile a list -- in our minds or on paper -- of our favourite films of the year and decide which movies and performances we'd like to see nominated at the Academy Awards.

Overall, 2012 wasn't my favourite year for film (Will any of the 2000's ever be as good as 2007?). However, there were some notable films and beautiful performances -- many of them recognized by the Academy, others sadly overlooked.

Here's how my Oscars would have played out (based on what I've seen)...

Best Picture
Amour
A Royal Affair
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
The Master
Moonrise Kingdom
Zero Dark Thirty

Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson for The Master
Kathryn Bigelow for Zero Dark Thirty
Michael Haneke for Amour
Ang Lee for Life of Pi
Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained
Who I'd choose: Ang Lee

Best Actor
Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln
John Hawkes for The Sessions
Dwight Henry for Beasts of the Southern Wild
Joaquin Phoenix for The Master
Jean-Louis Trintignant for Amour
Who I'd choose: Joaquin Phoenix

Best Actress
Jessica Chastain for Zero Dark Thirty
Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook
Emmanuelle Riva for Amour
Quvenzhane Wallis for Beasts of the Southern Wild 
Rachel Weisz for The Deep Blue Sea
Who I'd choose: Emmanuelle Riva

Best Supporting Actor
Mikkel Boe Folsgaard for A Royal Affair 
Samuel L. Jackson for Django Unchained
Tommy Lee Jones for Lincoln
Philip Seymour Hoffman for The Master
Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained
Who I'd choose: Mikkel Boe Folsgaard

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams for The Master
Sally Field for Lincoln
Kara Hayward for Moonrise Kingdom
Helen Hunt for The Sessions
Isabelle Huppert for Amour
Who I'd choose: Helen Hunt

Movie Review: Zero Dark Thirty

Jessica Chastain

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Kyle Chandler, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Ehle and Jason Clarke

Right from the earliest scenes of her latest political thriller, director Kathryn Bigelow proves  her skill at displaying raw human emotion in even the most heart-pounding sequences.

Working again with screenwriter Mark Boal, who penned the script of her Oscar-winning The Hurt Locker, Bigelow has crafted one of the finest cinematic experiences of 2012.

Despite the swirl of controversy over the torture sequences -- an issue that hangs over the film like a wet blanket -- Zero Dark Thirty combines an investigative political thriller with a complex character study.

The film slowly unfurls over a span of 10 years; the length of time the in-depth manhunt for the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden took to reach its conclusion. While the subject is obviously derived from a true story, many will question its accuracy considering the shroud of secrecy that cloaked the government reports. However, although Bigelow and Boal insist they interviewed pivotal figures involved in bin Laden's death, the debate over whether or not the film is entirely based on reality is ultimately irrelevant.

What Bigelow has created is a plausible scenario that has scenes of action, interrogation and government verbal battles that all brim with complex decisions made by people who are neither good nor evil. Nothing is black and white in Zero Dark Thirty and every action can be called into question.

At the centre of the investigation is Maya (Jessica Chastain), a new CIA recruit sent to close in on bin Laden and bring the world's most wanted man to justice. Along the way she is faced with government suits (led by Kyle Chandler as U.S. Embassy chief in Pakistan, Joseph Bradley) who shoot down her theories and suppositions on the whereabouts of bin Laden. Her frustration is palpable at times, but her steely resolve pushes her through to the end.

As played by Chastain, Maya displays a remarkable composure that only falters a few times. Her perseverance and insistence on acquiring intelligence through investigative techniques -- her face displays her open revulsion at torture tactics -- forces others to follow her direction. Chastain gives one of the years best performances, subtly conveying each and every emotion that Maya struggles with -- whether it's the death of a close colleague or her frustration at the lack of support from her higher-ups.

Zero Dark Thirty plays out like a documentary, all of which is told from Maya's point of view. While we do eventually meet the Navy SEAL team that ultimately take down bin Laden, it's all through shadows and night-vision goggles.

Whether or not Zero Dark Thirty walks away from the Oscars as a big winner still remains to be seen, but there's no denying its smart script and note-worthy performances, all of which speaks to various important issues we confront in our news on a daily basis.

FINAL GRADE: A

Movie Review: Life of Pi

Suraj Sharma

Life of P (2012)
Directed by: Ang Lee
Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Adil Hussain and Tabu

"I suppose in the end the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye."

Life of Pi is a visual feast, and the power of oral tradition is alive and well in Ang Lee's masterful Oscar contender.

Based on the novel by Yann Martel, and adapted for the screen by David Magee, Lee has culled together all the difficult narrative threads from the original source and crafted a beautiful film from a novel that was once deemed unfilmable.

Life of Pi opens in Montreal where an older Pi Patel (Irrfan Khan) meets with a young writer (Rafe Spall) interested in hearing his life story. In flashbacks, we are taken back in time to young Pi's youth in India. Born a Hindu, Pi's insatiable desire for knowledge and understanding leads him to take a deep interest in Catholicism and Islam. Armed with a complete faith in all three religions, Pi confronts his father (Adil Hussain), a man of science who rejects tradition and openly embraces a new India. "If you believe in everything, you end up not believing in nothing at all," his father cautions. When a teenage Pi (Suraj Sharma) is forced to leave India along with his family at his father's request, the youth struggles to come to terms with an event that he has no doubt will change his life forever. While packed on a Japanese cargo ship headed for Canada where Pi's father and mother (Tabu) hope to start a new life in Winnipeg, a torrential storm upends the ship, leaving Pi stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with a zebra, hyena, orangutan and a tiger named Richard Parker. Lost at sea for an astonishing 227 days, Pi is forced to reevaluate his earlier notions of fate and the universe as his faith is put to the ultimate test.

Suraj Sharma

The meandering plot could easily have alienated viewers in the hands of a lesser director. Lucky for us, Lee has a knack for making even the quietest moments resonate with an emotional power. Life of Pi stays afloat thanks to lead actor Suraj Sharma, who carries the entire weight of the film on his young shoulders. It's a career-making performance that will undoubtedly put Sharma on the map.

Who knew that watching a teen boy grapple with religion, contemplate the meaning of life and bond with a vicious tiger could result in one of the finest film experiences of 2012?

Life of Pi is a fable, a film that revels in the art of storytelling. Through a combination of Magee's deft adaptation of a complex novel and Lee's lush visuals, Life of Pi is the kind of spectacle that proves even big-budget films with blockbuster-level CGI can be a thought-provoking work of art at it's very core.

FINAL GRADE: A 

Movie Review: Django Unchained

Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx

Django Unchained (2012)
Written and Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Christoph Waltz, Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson

Revenge is a dish best served cold and, when it comes to revenge, no one doles it out quite like Quentin Tarantino.

In recent years, Tarantino has endowed his central characters with ample opportunities to get even in instances where they have been painfully wronged -- whether it's The Bride exacting revenge on the man who tried to kill her or a group of Basterds on the hunt for Nazis.

Tarantino, with his almost unnatural ability to understand the plight of those who were once downtrodden and his evident love for the world of cinema, has crafted his maturest film to date with Django Unchained.

Riding high on the coattails of the much-lauded Inglorious Basterds (2009), Tarantino's latest blood-soaked  tale sets its sights on the years leading up to the American Civil War. When we first meet a chained Django (Jamie Foxx) he's a recently purchased slave who is unexpectedly freed by a personable German bounty hunter by the name of Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Schultz makes plain his motivation to a thoroughly stunned Django -- he's on the hunt for Django's previous owners and requires his help in pointing out their faces in a crowd. However, as with all Tarantino films, the opening 40 minutes merely scratches the surface of the plot.

The real draw is in Django's search for his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), now under the ownership of the brutal Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) -- a man so villainous that he forces slaves to battle one another to the death in what he calls "mandingo fighting."

Schultz and Django devise a way to work their way into Calvin's good graces, earning a place at his dinner table under the guise of slave traders wanting to offer him money for some of his "mandingo" fighters.

With a nearly three-hour run-time, Django is on par with Tarantino's previous films with regards to longevity and plot twists. However, those coming into Django expecting the usual clever, dialogue-heavy flair that has become the director's staple will be surprised that such extended scenes of jabber are lacking this time around. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. And that's not to say that Tarantino's dialogue has lost its bite. As amusing and scathing as Tarantino's conversations can be, Django involves far more character development and explosive (not to mention extremely violent) action sequences.

Leonardo DiCaprio

And while Tarantino, as writer-director, is a draw in his own right, his bang-on casting choices are always guaranteed to pack the threatres.

As the titular anti-hero, Foxx has the right intensity -- his anger on slow-burn, brimming just beneath the surface before it erupts in spectacular fashion. It's undeniable that Foxx fits comfortably in Tarantino's universe. While Django is less showy than some of Tarantino's previous creations, Foxx excels in the role with a quiet, subtle and touching performance.

However, it's Waltz as Dr. King Schultz, DiCaprio as the vicious Calvin Candie and Samuel L. Jackson as Candie's loyal house slave, Stephen, that all vie with each other to steal the show. In a smaller supporting role, Jackson gives arguably his best performance in years. As Calvin, DiCaprio is genuinely terrifying, shattering any remaining comparisons he may still encounter with his earlier roles in Titanic or Romeo + Juliet. He's all fire and brimstone and some of his best exchanges occur alongside the equally wonderful Jackson.

But it's Waltz, once again, who nearly steals the film right out from under his co-stars. As he did with Basterds, Waltz savours Tarantino's dialogue, using his unique cadences to give his director's words even more meaning and intensity. He's so suited for Tarantino's hyper, ultra-violent homages that the two will undoubtedly continue to work together for years down the road. His Schultz is the perfect mentor to Django and, part of why the film excels, is because of their palpable chemistry.

Django is a whole new venture for Tarantino; more mature, violent and controversial than any of his previous films. But there's no denying that this auteur still has the goods and his work packs a punch few other American directors can get away with -- or would even risk trying.

Once again Tarantino goes big and delivers -- his critics be damned.

FINAL GRADE: A

Movie Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Martin Freeman

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellan, Richard Armitage and Andy Serkis

I reviewed this film for Next Projection.

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit". So goes one of the most recognizable openings in English literature. Back in 1937, when J.R.R. Tolkien first put pen to paper to create his sprawling fantasy universe, little did he know that it would spawn one of the biggest film franchises of all time.

Now, 11 years after first introducing audiences to his interpretation of Tolkien's world with The Lord of the Rings, director Peter Jackson returns to helm the prequel to his epic trilogy.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a solid and enjoyable outing, albeit one that struggles to recreate the magic of the original trilogy. Those films -- like catching lightning in a bottle -- were a pop culture phenom that captured the imagination of filmgoers from around the globe for three years. And, with his assured direction, Jackson makes The Hobbit work, for the most part.

Set 60 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings, we first meet Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) leading a solitary life in his small burrow in The Shire. When the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellan) appears requesting that he join him on an adventure, Bilbo is hesitant -- and rightfully so. Gandalf wants Bilbo to act as a burglar for a group of 13 dwarves fighting to reclaim their home, the kingdom of Erebor. Hobbits, being fleet of foot, are able to move about sight unseen, sound unheard -- making young Bilbo the ideal candidate for such a dangerous venture.

Having faced a ruthless invasion at the hands of the fearsome dragon Smaug, the dwarves were run out of their kingdom and left homeless. While Smaug lords over Erebor and the dwarf treasure, a plot is set in motion to reclaim their territory by any means necessary. Although riddled with anxiety, Bilbo agrees to leave his idyllic settings for unchartered terrain with a band of bloodthirsty, yet charmingly brash, dwarves.

Freeman is a natural fit for the lead role. He instills Bilbo with a nervous charisma that is as amusing as it is moving. Riding in on the coattails of the immensely popular BBC series, Sherlock, Freeman's fanbase will undoubtedly grow exponentially thanks to his spot-on characterization of one of literature's most popular heroes.

Returning in the role of Gandalf, McKellan manages to make his wise wizard feel younger and more spry than he appeared in The Lord of the Rings. He gives a thoughtful performance with a character he's already perfected.

Ian McKellan

Considering Jackson's knack for coming across talented actors who are not yet household names, the supporting cast are all top notch. It's not only a pleasure to watch the return of Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Hugo Weaving as Elrond and a never-better Andy Serkis as Gollum, but the new faces are a delight as well. Richard Armitage as dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield, in particular, is a standout.

Adept at capturing even the tiniest details of Middle Earth, it seems only natural that Jackson would return after original director Guillermo del Toro bowed out due to scheduling conflicts. For the sake of continuity and the overall look and feel, it's fitting that Jackson complete all six films himself. However, the decision to stretch a tiny children's book into three feature films is being called into question.

By the time all the expository information is laid out in the first two acts of An Unexpected Journey, the material has started to stretch a little thin. The meandering plot will likely keep true Tolkien devotees satisfied but may alienate general audiences. The film gains some traction in the third act when much of the action focuses on Gollum and then the epic battle between dwarves and orcs -- but by then the film is nearly over.

However, for all its spectacle and excellent performances, An Unexpected Journey is gaining a fair bit of buzz for the medium in which Jackson chose to film his trilogy.

Jackson made the controversial decision to film his latest Middle Earth outing with a high projection rate of 48 frames per second, which adds up to about twice the normal speed. It's akin to watching the clarity of a high-definition TV show. It will astound as many viewers as it will anger and disappoint. While there are those who will gripe about the 48 frames, there's no denying the often glorious effect it has on specific scenes in the film.

An Unexpected Journey is an enjoyable piece of cinema and you'll be happy that you've returned to Middle Earth -- even if it isn't quite as magical as the first time around.

FINAL GRADE: B+