"I'm a lover, I'm a fighter, I'm a UDT Navy Seal Diver" - LONE SURVIVOR

Lone Survivor
2013 - 121 minutes - Action/Biography/Drama
Director: Peter Berg
Country: United States
IMDB: 7.9
Metacritic: 60
RT: 74%

EpicEnthusiast's Rating: C

Watch this movie if you enjoy:

• military films 

• films based on true stories 

• action/gunfights 

• Mark Wahlberg 

Avoid this movie if you dislike: 

• military films 

• blood/violence 

• dramatization 

• tragic stories 

Peter Berg's Lone Survivor tells the incredible true story of Marcus Luttrell and his team of Navy Seals who get caught behind enemy lines in Afghanistan in 2005. Their mission to kill a notorious Taliban leader takes a turn for the worse when they cross paths with three civilians on a mountainside overlooking their target's location. Their decision regarding what to do with those civilians leads to a massive firefight, and changes the course of Luttrell's life forever. 

Ben Foster as Matt 'Axe' Axelson 

From a production standpoint, Lone Survivor is by no means perfect, but is made well enough. The opening shot consists of Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg) narrating over an image of himself being stretchered to an army base hospital. This opening takes a bit of the drama out of the film because we already know he survives; however, it does set the tone for an ultimately tragic ending. We get a decent amount of background from Luttrell's team (Taylor Kitsch as Michael Murphy, Emile Hirsch as Danny Dietz and Ben Foster as Matt 'Axe' Axelson) - it's just enough to make us care about them, but again, not nearly as effective as it normally would be because we all know how they're going to end up. In fact, a different title for the film wouldn't have been such a bad idea, because it would have added a certain shock value for people like me that weren't familiar with Luttrell's book or mission. But all in all, the opening third of the film was its strongest portion, and when the time comes, you're ready to suit up and head up into the mountains with the team. 

Disappointingly, like the fate of the Seals, Lone Survivor takes a turn for the worse when the action begins. It's not that the firefight sequences weren't well done; quite the opposite actually. Berg delivers fast paced, rugged, and for the most part very realistic scenes that definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. They're bloody and bruising, and they back up the film's two Oscar nominations for sound mixing and sound editing. Unfortunately, they also get weighed down by some unnecessary dramatic cliches. 

The team of Navy Seals

Some of these cliches come from Berg's script (co-written by Luttrell and Patrick Robinson). While fighting, the soldiers were often uttering words of patriotism or brotherhood that just seemed forced and out of place. For instance, at one point Axelson was aiming his weapon at an enemy, and with no one else around him says: "You can die for your country; I'm gonna live for mine." A line like this surely looks great on paper, but is it really something that would be said aloud during a hectic gun battle? Even for the most ruthless of warriors like the Seals, it just didn't seem natural. It was as if Berg attempted to implement little nuggets of dramatic dialogue to display just how brave the men were. Especially in a story like this, actions speak louder than words ever could. 

To quote Keith Uhlich of Time Out New York: 

"Berg may be adhering to the basic facts, but his movie's childish machismo is a disgrace to all involved." 

While Uhlich's take is a bit much, I can't help but agree that there was a certain "proud American macho man" feel that was simply overkill. There were also cliched slow motion deaths, and some unrealistic reactions to wounds and overall fatal situations. The men's bravery and camaraderie was utterly clear already, and the fact that Berg felt the need to dramatize the story even more was frustrating. 

Emile Hirsch in Lone Survivor

All that being said, the acting in Lone Survivor was excellent. Kitsch, Hirsch and Foster all did splendid jobs as members of the ill-fated team, and Wahlberg dominated the screen as the lead man. Again, I point the finger at Berg and the screenwriters for the misplaced dialogue, and give the actors the benefit of the doubt when it comes to this common issue. As far as I'm concerned, the script held them back, and kept the film from blossoming to its full potential. 

Overall, Lone Survivor is worth seeing, but is certainly flawed. It's a pulse pounding action thriller that tells an amazing true story, but tries too hard to overstate an already clear example of bravery and heroism. It's well-acted and well-made, but dampened by a sometimes immature script. In the end, Marcuss Luttrell and the men that lost their lives deserve a better film. 

-EE

Lone Survivor Trailer:

"Ever Want To Be Someone Else?" - BEING JOHN MALKOVICH

BEING JOHN MALKOVICH
1999 - 112 minutes - Fantasy/Comedy
Director: Spike Jonze
Country: United States
IMDB: 7.8
Metacritic: 90
RT: 93%

CinemaChagrin's Rating: A

Watch this movie if you enjoy:

• Comic fantasies
• Unique and witty screenplays
• Totally meta films
• John Malkovich

Avoid this movie if you dislike:

• Contemporary fantasies
• Unconventional storytelling
• John Malkovich
• John Malkovich

(some mild spoilers below)

I must admit, the first time I saw Being John Malkovich, I didn't know exactly what to make of it. Well acted, directed, and written, for sure, but I just couldn't wrap my head around the thing. A second viewing completely altered my perspective. Not only is the film excellent from a technical standpoint, it remains perhaps the most original and creative film of the 1990s. 

It is an impossible task to summarize succinctly the plot of BJM, but it goes something like this: Craig Schwartz (John Cusack), a down-on-his luck puppeteer, gets a day job at the insistence of his wife, Lotte (Cameron Diaz). While on the job as a file-puller on the mysterious 7 1/2 floor of a Manhattan office building, Schwartz discovers a tiny door behind a filing cabinet. He crawls inside to discover that the door is actually a portal to the head of John Malkovich (played by himself). After 15 minutes in Malkovich's head, seeing through his eyes, Schwartz gets dumped out onto the side of the New Jersey turnpike. After telling one of his co-workers, Maxine, about the experience, the two decide to set up shop selling trips in Malkovich's head for $200 a pop. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Lotte (Cameron Diaz) and Craig (John Cusack) Schwartz

BJM functions on so many different levels. As a fantasy, the universe it establishes is enthralling (plus, Carter Burwell's dreamlike musical score helps a lot with setting the mood). As a comedy, it is absolutely hilarious, though typically not in a completely laugh-out-loud way (it also gets much, much funnier upon repeated viewings). The film raises insightful questions about self-identity, narcissism,  and human sexuality. Finally, it is super meta (self-aware), featuring cameos from several big-name actors and of course John Malkovich himself. It's difficult to imagine any other actor filling the role, as Malkovich is well-known enough to be recognizable, but not a superstar who would overshadow the entire film. Malkovich's stage and theater background also become relevant to the plot, as he becomes a puppet in a play larger than himself. (After reading the script for the first time, he reportedly asked the writer, Charlie Kaufman, why the film couldn't be called "Being Tom Cruise." Kaufman argued adamantly that he would never rewrite the screenplay with another actor to serve as the central figure.) 

Craig on the side of the NJ turnpike after his first Malkovich experience

Speaking of Charlie Kaufman, one cannot help but marvel at the creativity and originality of his screenplays. They are truly unlike anything else in Hollywood today. In addition to BJM, Kaufman has written perhaps the most inventive book adaptation ever put to screen, Adaptation, as well as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a very unconventional love story. His irreverent and smart writing style in BJM ensures that the audience can never quite predict where the story is headed. So many exciting and unexpected twists and turns fill the plot, but it never becomes overwhelming. Dialogue between characters is both hilarious and appropriately crazy for the fantasy world the film creates.

An excellent screenplay alone does not a movie make, however. In his first feature film, Spike Jonze proved a competent and creative director. His camerawork manages to keep up with all the zany craziness of the plot, and does so in very satisfying ways. The viewpoints from inside Malkovich's head immerse the viewer in the film, as we are allowed to see the action both from within and outside him. Fortunately, Jonze does not rely on fancy editing and rapid cuts, unlike many directors who got their start in music videos.

Schwartz and his coworker Maxine (Catherine Keener)

Though the film's standout element is the screenplay itself, all the actors in BJM are at the top of their game. John Cusack plays the obsessive puppeteer Craig Schwartz with surprising sympathy, despite the nature of the character. Catherine Keener as Maxine is pitch-perfect as the antithesis of Schwartz in every way possible (she nabbed her first Oscar nomination for the performance). Orson Bean's performance as the CEO of Lestercorp is absolutely hilarious, a delight to watch. Finally, Cameron Diaz serves as the heart and soul of the movie as Craig's wife, Lotte. Practically unrecognizable under a frizzy wig, Diaz's naive and loving Lotte is the most sympathetic character in the film. After seeing her excellent acting skills in BJM, I am somewhat saddened that Diaz seems to have acted mostly in mediocre films since (with the notable exceptions of Shrek and Gangs of New York). 

The entrance to Malkovich

Of course there is one actor I haven't mentioned yet, an actor whose name happens to appear in the title of the film. John Malkovich delivers an astounding performance. He not only plays himself, but also the role of a puppet under the control of others. As the linchpin that holds the film together, Malkovich is an absolute joy to watch. Playing an actor being forced to act, he traverses all ends of the emotional spectrum with surprising physical intensity. The fact that the Academy passed up Malkovich for a Best Supporting Actor nomination for the likes of Haley Joel Osment is infuriating to me. And don't even get me started on the fact that The Sixth Sense was nominated for Best Picture and BJM wasn't. In the wise words of the late Roger Ebert: 

"Either Being John Malkovich gets nominated for Best Picture, or the members of the Academy need portals into their brains."

Well said, Roger. Apparently they do. BJM is easily the most creative film of the 1990s. It may not be the most expansive or impressive film of the decade, but in terms of sheer originality, I have yet to see any film that rivals it. It's definitely not for everyone - if you have trouble accepting fantastical premises for films set in the real world or prefer more conventional storytelling, then I would steer clear - but if you appreciate zany films that make you sit back and ponder, "What the hell did I just watch?", then you'll love it. Supremely enjoyable, infinitely re-watchable, and never dull, I highly recommend Being John Malkovich.

-CC

P.S. I think the trailer for the film spoils way too much, so here is my favorite track from the score to the film. I think Carter Burwell is an underrated film composer.

Compensating for Something? - THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
2013 - 180 minutes - Biography/Comedy/Crime
Director: Martin Scorsese 
Country: United States
IMDB: 8.7
Metacritic: 75
RT: 75%

EpicEnthusiast's Rating: 9/10

Watch this movie if you enjoy:

• crime comedies 

• stories (loosely here) based on actual events

• Martin Scorsese 

• Leonardo DiCaprio 

Avoid this movie if you dislike: 

• profanity

• drug use

• graphic nudity/sexual content

• long films (three hours) 

(a couple very minor spoilers below)

Heeeeeeeee's baaaaaaaacckk. 

The Wolf of Wall Street marks director Martin Scorsese's first crime drama since his best director-winning The Departed in 2006, and his mastery of the genre is totally reiterated. Leonardo DiCaprio is back as his lead man for the fifth time, (Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island) and Scorsese's quintessential black comedy and narrated storytelling is as strong as ever. 

In this film, DiCaprio plays the role of Jordan Belfort, one of the most infamous stock brokers of the 1990's. At just 22 years of age he got his first job as a broker and fell in love with the crazed world of Wall Street. He learns the ropes, develops an effective selling strategy, and finds his niche, only to be forced into a sleazy job selling penny stocks in Long Island when his firm goes under. He takes that office by storm, and eventually starts his own firm, called Stratton Oakmont, with Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill). Cue the success, money, women, drugs, sex, and law breaking, and let the games begin. 

Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort

Like many of Scorsese's crime sagas, The Wolf of Wall Street is driven by very strong acting. DiCaprio leads a great cast, and gives yet another dynamite performance as his voice over moves the story smoothly along. This role was similar to his in The Aviator, in that he had to balance a roller coaster of emotions while portraying the money hungry, drug-addicted, and sex-crazed Belfort. The depiction of Belfort (and the film as a whole) was intentionally over-the-top, and Dicaprio did a superb job. Is it enough to earn him his long-awaited Oscar? I don't think so, but that's partially due to the stiff competition this year. Among others, I think Bruce Dern in Nebraska, Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave, and Christian Bale in American Hustle will have something to say about the best actor award, but DiCaprio should at least receive a nomination. 

Also thoroughly impressive was Jonah Hill as Donnie Azoff. I must admit I was skeptical of Hill coming in, primarily because of seemingly insincere comedic films. But to be fair, I've yet to see Moneyball, where he's supposed to be very strong in a supporting role. Here, his comedic background was far from concealed, but he held up very well in a few serious scenes. He also put forth some fantastic quotations: 

Jonah Hill as Donnie Azoff 

"You show me a pay stub for $72,000, I quit my job right now and work for you."

"Hey Paulie, what's up? No, everything's fine. Hey listen, I quit!"

 "What are these sides, they cure cancer?!?!" (Max Belfort)
"The sides did cure cancer there, that's the problem, that's why they were so expensive." 


The cast also featured a number of interesting cameo appearances; three of which were directors. Rob Reiner (This is Spinal Tap, Stand by Me, The Princess Bride) played Jordan's father Max Belfort, Jon Favreau (Elf, Iron Man, Iron Man 2) played Manny Riskin, a financial agent, and Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Where the Wild Things Are) played Dwayne, an associate in Belfort's firm. Reiner, who has acted in over 60 films, was the strongest of the three in his first major role in over a decade. He had the impossible job of attempting to control his son Jordan and all the antics at the firm. Jon Bernthal, best known for his role as Shane on The Walking Dead, was very convincing as the drug-dealing muscle man Brad, and Margot Robbie coupled her astonishing physical appearance with some strong acting chops as Naomi Belfort. Not to mention a hilarious scene or two with Matthew McConaughey as Mark Hanna. The acting very much stood out, and was film's most redeeming quality. 

That being said, great acting alone doesn't make a great movie. Another staple of Scorsese pictures is his fluid and compelling technique of storytelling. The above-mentioned narration from DiCaprio is one of a few different styles he used to move the story along in The Wolf of Wall Street. In a plot jam-packed with relationships, it was important to distinguish which ones were meaningful and which ones weren't. For instance, it was clear from the beginning that Belfort's first wife Teresea Petrillo didn't mean a whole lot to him, and so we fittingly didn't see much of her. There were a couple scenes early in the film, and one emotional scene when she finally catches him in the act with another woman, but Scorsese made sure that the audience saw much more of Naomi, the wife that Belfort really cared about. With her, a number of different highs and lows were put on screen. We saw the first time they met, their wedding, Belfort gifting her a yacht with her name on it, their compassion, their hatred, and everything in between. Like all the relationships in the film, emphasis was placed exactly where it was needed. Scorsese's variation of quick, punchy clips and drawn out, oftentimes painful scenes was essential to the story flow. 

Naomi denying access to Jordan 

This was also true of regular plot development. The three hour length of The Wolf of Wall Street is one of the the aspects of the film that has gotten some flak (certainly second to the very vulgar content.) While I think Scorsese's longtime editor Thelma Schoonmaker did her typical fantastic job, I can definitely see where some of the criticism is coming from. The story was filled characters and they needed a considerable amount of time to develop, but I can't deny that it could have been trimmed a bit. In particular, there was a sequence on the yacht where Jordan and Donnie were attempting to sail to Monaco with their wives and got caught in a tsunami-like storm. The captain warned them of the rough waters beforehand, and the whole shipwreck and rescue thing just seemed very out of place, and irrelevant to the plot. The unneeded scenes were small in number though, and the 180 minutes really flew by for me. Scorsese used a handful of action-packed montages to speed things up, and the original cut was over four hours, so it could have been much longer. 

To conclude, The Wolf of Wall Street will someday be considered another classic from Martin Scorsese. It's very different in tone from his other crime sagas like Goodfellas, Casino, and The Departed, but it's every bit as entertaining. The characterization is top notch, the acting is award worthy, and the production is everything you'd expect from one of the legends of cinema. If you can handle the profanity and sometimes graphic content, it'll be the most fun you've had at the theater in a while. 

-EE


As of January 9th, 2013, The Wolf of Wall Street is in theaters everywhere. Here's the trailer: