Author Archive for Lij

Lars and the Real Girl

Published
by
Lij
on May 22, 2008
in Comedy, Drama, Feel Good, Loneliness and Social Commentary
. 1 Comment

It’s about time I finally saw Lars and the Real Girl, a movie that has long since reigned on top of many of my friends’ movie lists from last year. And these aren’t just anybody’s lists — these are the lists of my friends who LOVE movies. My friends whose taste in movies I actually value.

If you haven’t heard the premise of Lars, it’s this: lonely, lonely Lars (Ryan Gosling) orders a real doll (see: super-realistic sex doll, subject of this documentary) online, but he doesn’t order it for sex. He orders it because he needs a companion. In his mind, Bianca the Real Doll is just that — real. He presents her to his family (Paul Schneider and Emily Mortimer) as a former missionary who speaks little English and uses a wheelchair.

Of course this freaks out his brother and sister-in-law, but based on the advice of the local therapist (Patricia Clarkson), they decide to indulge Lars’s delusion in hopes that he won’t need it forever.

You know how some movies are described as “heartwarming”? And oftentimes what the critic really means is syrupy-sweet fluff? This movie is definitely heartwarming, but there is nothing cheesy about it. It’s a great story, full of sweet and compelling characters. Lars may be painfully shy, but he’s likable at the very beginning and only becomes more so as he comes out of his shell.

Lars and the Real Girl shows how a group of people come together to support someone going through a rough time. Lars and Bianca are embraced by his family, by the town, and even by the girl who has a crush on him, played by the super-cute Kelli Garner.

Ryan Gosling is always incredible, and it was fun to see him return to playing a good guy that’s not a caricature, like he was in The Notebook. (Sorry, Notebook lovers. I liked the movie, too, but you have to admit that his character was a bit, well, unrealistic.)

The women in the film — Garner, Clarkson, and Mortimer — all do well. These are the women in Lars’s life, aside from Bianca, and he brings out different emotions in all of them. Garner is young and infatuated with Lars, accepting of his delusion but hoping that he’ll change. Clarkson, the therapist and physician, wants to help Lars not just because she is a good person, but because he brings to her mind the losses that she has suffered in her life. You get the idea that she understands his loneliness, even though she’s got the social graces to appear more normal. Mortimer, his sister-in-law, has some of the most powerful scenes in the movie. She’s the one who sacrifices the most to help Lars.

I’m really beginning to enjoy Paul Schneider, who I originally noticed in the similarly titled All the Real Girls. (Now that’s a sad movie, if you’re looking for one.) I haven’t seen him for some time, but now he’s getting a bunch more roles, including The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Elizabethtown. I hope to see him in more. He’s interesting on the screen and memorable.

Lars and the Real Girl belongs on my friends’ Top 10 lists. I think it’s going on mine, too.

Rating: ★★★★½

The Other Boleyn Girl

Published
by
Lij
on March 28, 2008
in Based on a true story, British, Drama, England, History, Romance and Royalty
. 0 Comments

Ask people what they know about Henry VIII, and you’ll hear one thing: he killed his wives.

People more interested in history will also tell you about his divorce of his first wife, his splitting with the Catholic church, and his major impact on world history because of those two splits, but most people at least know that Henry VIII killed his wives.

In The Other Boleyn Girl, starring Scarlett Johansson as Mary Boleyn and Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn, director Justin Chadwick attempts to explore the earlier parts of Henry’s reign. This is before Jane Seymour, before his second and third Catherines, and before he’d begun beheading people because things weren’t going his way.

Eric Bana plays the king, and he does well. Johansson plays the kindhearted Mary Boleyn well, while Portman is at once endearing and conniving. You want to like her because she is strong and unwilling to be trampled, but she’s also self-centered and self-serving. Her fate, though, is still tragic, and her final monologue is excellent.

The story follows Mary and Anne as they are ordered through their lives by the men around them — their father, their uncle, their husbands, and more. It’s upsetting to see them traded as commodities, which is basically how the men in their lives see them. Even Henry VIII, who is either in love with or infatuated by each of them from time to time, is shown as loving them only because they are what he can or cannot have.

Mary is the first sister to become the mistress of the king, who is being driven to desperation by his wife’s inability to give him a male heir. Anne only becomes the mistress of the king later, after she manipulates her way into a better place. This works for and against her.

I liked that the film didn’t try to hard to make you love or hate any of the characters. It did well to show them as human enough that you care for them, but it also showed that they were flawed. Some more than others.

Rating: ★★★½☆

There Will Be Blood

Published
by
Lij
on March 1, 2008
in Audio Review, Drama, Dysfunctional, Family, History, Horror, Religion and Social Commentary
. 2 Comments

There Will Be Blood is Paul Thomas Anderson’s first movie in the five years since Punch-Drunk Love. He’s my favorite director, and a big part of the reason is because of how often he breaks the basic rules of filmmaking, all with great purpose.

Recently, some friends and I sat down to do an audio review of the film. We talked about all of the things we loved about the movie, the questions that arise while viewing it, and the greatness of everyone involved, from Daniel Day-Lewis to PT himself.

There Will Be Blood audio review

Rating: ★★★★★

Atonement

Published
by
Lij
on January 24, 2008
in Based on a novel, Drama, Romance, WWII and War
. 0 Comments

Atonement is a beautiful film, full of stunning imagery and moments of musical intensity. I see why it recently won Best Picture-Drama at the Golden Globes — it is intense, what a movie critic would probably call “sweeping,” dramatic, heartbreaking, remorseful, and unusual.

The “sweeping” intensity comes from the fact that the film doesn’t spend a lot of time telling you how the characters got from one place to another. The first act takes place entirely over one afternoon and evening, and while it gives you a bit of backstory here and there, you’re pretty much right in the moment. The viewer almost feels the ungodly heat of summer in that act, as the characters try to stay cool. The plot goes back and forth in time a lot, giving you different perspectives on certain events. It’s jolting the first time it happens, but it is done masterfully and becomes a natural part of the flow.

The film is dramatic because it covers such monumental events in these characters’ lives. It shows how little decisions and misunderstandings can lead to life-changing situations. Young Briony, who could perhaps be called the main character, misunderstands and misreads so many moments that she literally destroys the lives of the people she loves, including her sister Cecilia (Keira Knightley, who is amazingly not mouth-gapingly irritating in this movie!) and childhood crush Robbie Turner, played by James MacAvoy, whose roles are getting more and more interesting.

Eventually, Young Briony grows up and is played both by Ramola Garai and Vanessa Redgrave, all three of them dwelling on the same part of Briony’s character: her guilt and how she comes to terms with it. (Yes, how she atones for it.)

The movie is certainly heartbreaking, but the rationale behind that claim is for the viewer to understand. I’m going to guess that many viewers will disagree on where the real tragedy is found in Atonement: in Cecilia, in Robbie, in their relationship, in the war, in Briony’s guilt, or in the moment early on when Robbie accidentally passes his dirty note to Cecila through a nosy Briony, causing the whole thing to change from innocent confusion to less innocent anger.

I would definitely recommend Atonement, and based on the recommendations of my good friends, I’m going to get the book and read it just as soon as I can.

Shortbus

Published
by
Lij
on December 9, 2007
in Drama, Independent, Multiple story line, Romance and Sexuality
. 0 Comments

Not many people I know would enjoy Shortbus, but I did. It was an interesting story with fascinating, memorable characters. The backstory behind the movie is also really interesting. I’ve been a fan of John Cameron Mitchell’s since I saw Hedwig and the Angry Inch in a Sevilla movie theater in 2002. Shortbus was his next directorial project, and I am impressed by his honesty as a filmmaker.

I loved the music and the heart of this movie. It’s the story of several men and women who are trying to figure out life, love, and sex. One woman, a sex therapist, has never had an orgasm. She befriends a couple of her patients, who lead her to Shortbus, a club for the “gifted and challenged.” There she begins a journey towards self-discovery, not just sexually, but emotionally, too. The people she befriends are also trying to make it through their lives.

Most people I know aren’t going to enjoy this movie because it’s absolutely full of sex. Not your average movie sex, either. The actors for this film were picked because they were willing to have sex on camera.

I would’ve found it a bit over-the-top if I didn’t know about John Cameron Mitchell’s intention of creating an American movie that features sex in a positive way, instead of in the European tradition of showing it as a negative thing. He also wanted to distinguish between sex in film as art and pornography.

It’s not for everyone, but I certainly think highly of the characters, the story, and Mitchell’s directing.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Published
by
Lij
on July 21, 2007
in Adventure, Based on a book, Based on a novel, England, Family, Fantasy and Sequel
. 1 Comment

There’s nothing I can say that hasn’t already been said about Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix, which came out more than a week ago. I only saw it last night, shortly after re-reading the book. The last time I read it was when I bought it at Heathrow Airport in the summer of 2003, after my sister’s wedding in Nepal. I had planned on buying the paperback when it came out, but as soon as I saw the book in the airport bookstore, I had to have it.

The same thing happened in 2005, when I saw Book Six (Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince) in a bookstore in Lourdes, France.

Then, the same thing happened today — the release date of the final book — when I was at the mall running an errand. There it was, staring me down, and I was forced (forced!) to buy Book 7, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows.

I like Harry Potter a lot. I think that JK Rowling is a creative genius. I would love to have even an ounce of her creativity and ingenuity for myself.

I guess I’m telling you all of this because unless the movie just sucked, I was going to love it. This is a biased, unfair review, because I LOVE Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix. I love the storylines, the character conflicts, the absolute perfect portrayal of what it’s like to be 15. I love the book so much, and that meant that I could only love the movie. Oh, and I love Sirius Black.

The best moment of the whole movie, I think, was when Harry confessed to his godfather Sirius, “I’m angry all the time.” The darkness of the story lets us know that a major part of this anger comes from the connection between the Dark Lord Voldemort and Harry himself, but the honesty of the story tells us something else: it’s also because he’s 15, and when you’re 15, you have little control over your emotions.

Sure, the director of Movie #5, David Yates, tried to cram a whole lot more than he should have into the movie. But how could he not? Also, he does a great job of knowing what to leave out: Hagrid’s story of living with the giants, the emotional saga of Harry’s banishment from Quidditch, the lengthiness of Dumbledore’s eventual conversation with his favorite student about the history of the prophecy in question.

Yates also knew what was essential: the relationship between Harry and Sirius, first of all, and then Harry’s emotional state. We’ve seen Harry abused and defeated through four books/movies, despite his victories. In the fifth chapter, it’s finally taking its toll. He’s tired, and he’s unsure of himself.

And that’s what Yates does so well to capture. He understands that exhaustion and that weakness, and he shows it to us plainly and honestly. The movie definitely has flaws, but despite them, it’s a really, really good story.

The Illusionist

Published
by
Lij
on September 15, 2006
in Based on a book, Based on a novel, Conspiracy, Drama, England, Independent, Mystery, Romance, Thriller and Twist
. 0 Comments

When we went to see The Illusionist the other night, I couldn’t remember if it was the movie with Christian Bale or the movie with Edward Norton. I didn’t know until a preview for The Prestige came on, and I thought, “Oh, that’s the movie with Christian Bale. I must be seeing the one with Edward Norton.”

The Illusionist is the story of Eisenheim (Ed Norton), who is, obviously, and illusionist. From childhood, he was in love with the beautiful heiress, Sophie (Jessica Beil), who reciprocated his love. They were eventually separated by her family, and Eisenheim left to travel the world and discover the secrets of illusion.

Fifteen years later, he returns to Vienna, where Sophie is engaged to the crown prince. They meet and their love is rediscovered, but this does not sit well with Police Inspector Uhl (the always wonderful Paul Giamatti), who is always trying to figure out how Eisenheim does his illusions.

The love story isn’t entirely convincing, and the plot is a bit obvious, but this is still an entertaining movie. It’s one part magic story, one part murder mystery, and one part love story.

I liked it.

I Love Your Work

Published
by
Lij
on August 1, 2006
in Drama and Neo Noir
. 0 Comments

I first heard about I Love Your Work in 2003, when it was released but never accessible. The other day, when I came across it at Blockbuster, I had to rent it.

The movie is a convoluted story about Gray Evans, a movie star, and his movie star wife, Mia. Gray is played by Giovanni Ribisi, who is always interesting to watch, if nothing else. He’s a really good actor. Mia is played by Franka Potente from Run, Lola, Run and The Bourne Identity and The Princess and the Warrior, all quality movies.

Gray and Mia have only been married for a year, and their marriage is a bit tumultuous. They’re highstrung individuals with a lot of fans and a lot on the line. I believed that they loved each other in the film, but neither character was very good at acting out that love.

Gray is on the verge of a nervous breakdown from the very beginning of the film onward. He is paranoid that he’s being stalked, worries about what people think of him, and is constantly trying to avoid the public eye. He hates being a movie star. As much as he hates attention, he ends up befriending a fan, played by Joshua Jackson. Something about Jackson’s character John intrigues Gray, as if John’s normality could equal normality for Gray himself. Over time, Gray begins to live out his paranoia by stalking John and John’s girlfriend, who bears a striking resemblance to a woman that Gray can’t stop fantasizing about.

It’s difficult to tell the difference between the present, the past, and the future in I Love Your Work. Writer/director Adam Goldberg has an interesting idea with this film, but doesn’t execute it all that well. What’s supposed to be mysterious ends up being confusing, and what’s supposed to feel fresh and new ends up feeling a bit stale.

I liked watching the film, but I don’t think I really understood it. It takes a lot for me to call a movie “weird,” but this one fits the bill.

Everything Is Illuminated

Published
by
Lij
on March 27, 2006
in Based on a book, Based on a novel, Comedy, Directorial Debut, Drama, Holocaust, Judaism and Road Trip
. 0 Comments

A few weeks ago, I read Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel, Everything Is Illuminated. The book is made up of three sections: letters from Alex Perchov to the character Jonathan Safran Foer, Alex Perchov’s recounting of his days as Jonathan’s translator, and the novel that Jonathan Safran Foer is writing about the town of Trachimbrod in Ukraine.

The three sections are very different from one another. The Trachimbrod story has hints of the supernatural that blends with the surrealism of this vibrant community. The letters from Alex (the hilarious translator who is “not so premium” with English) are revealing and heartbreaking, giving insight to all of the characters, including Alex himself, Jonathan, Alex’s grandfather, and the people in Jonathan’s novel. The events of Alex and Jonathan’s journey through Ukraine are at once incredibly entertaining and terribly, terribly upsetting.

This weekend, I watched Everything Is Illuminated, the film version, which stars Elijah Wood and Eugune Hutz. It was directed by Leiv Schreiber, who attempted to capture some of the mystery of Foer’s book. He directed Wood and Hutz quite well, and I felt that they did an amazing job of portraying Jonathan and Alex.

The movie follows Jonathan (”Jonfen,” Alex calls him) as he travels to Ukraine in hopes of finding Augustine, the woman who may or may not have saved his grandfather, Safran, from the Nazis. Alex is his translator, Alex’s grandfather is the driver, and Sammy Davis, Jr, Jr is the tourism company’s “Officious Seeing Eye Bitch.” They three men and the dog travel throughout the countryside of Ukraine, searching for the town of Trachimbrod. They are almost entirely unsuccesful, until they find an old woman who seems to have the answers.

I don’t often compare books and movies, because I think it’s a silly thing to do. Books are not movies. Movies are not books. That said, I will draw some parallels between the book and movie versions of this story.

The ending of the movie is quite different from that of the book, and while I don’t think it is quite as succesful, I am happy that the filmmakers were flexible. I do wish that we could have gotten a hint of the storylines of Jonathan’s grandfather’s life or the lives of the past inhabitants of Trachimbrod, but the focus of this film was on Jonathan’s search.

I do recommend the movie, as it is really funny and quite moving, but I would recommend the book even more. The book will bewilder you and overwhelm you in the best ways possible. I would say that Everything Is Illuminated is one of the best books I have read in years, especially in fiction.

Go read it and find out why.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Published
by
Lij
on November 20, 2005
in Adventure, Based on a book, Based on a novel, Coming of age, England, Family, Fantasy, Mystery and Sequel
. 2 Comments

I am a Harry Potter fan, and that should be stated from the very start. I love the books and really enjoy the movies, so that is my bias.

I remembered about halfway through Goblet of Fire that other than the ending chapters, this was my least favorite of the books. It’s a great book, but compared to the others, it’s the weakest. I think the same could be said of the movie.

I enjoyed the movie because it was fun, entertaining, and suspenseful enough, but I didn’t like it as an adaptation. I didn’t feel that it really entered the world of Harry Potter and Hogwarts and wizards — and that is exactly what makes the books and movies so great. Usually, you get to embrace the entire existence of these people, but not so in The Goblet of Fire.

Still, I’d definitely recommend seeing the movie, as it’s a great story. Everybody is doing a good job in their roles, even though we hardly got to see half of them in this film. I think Daniel Radcliffe is still doing well as Harry, Emma Watson may be slightly annoying, but she’s still cute, and Rupert Grint is turning out to be my favorite of the three. The kid who plays Neville Longbottom is turning out to be a lot less dorky than they thought he would be, and I bet they’re having to dorkify him before each day’s shoot.

Ralph Fiennes is definitely the best part of the movie. His Voldemort is way better than Gary Oldman’s Sirius Black, that’s for sure. He’s super scary, and if I were Daniel Radcliffe, I’d be terrified of him, even if he was joking around like in this picture here. That big smile Daniel’s got on his face? He’s really thinking, “He’s going to kill me… somebody help me!” I know that’s what he’s really thinking. I know it.

Because Ralph Fiennes does not mess around.

Anyway… to sum up:

  • Good movie.
  • Good cast.
  • Kind of long.
  • Took out too much of the story. (Even to a minimalist like me.)
  • Book/Movie 5 will be better, I’m sure of it.