Recognizing the release of Lawless, September's Poll Question of the month revolved around rising star Tom Hardy. The question asked, "Which Tom Hardy film is your favorite"? The votes have been tallied and in a hard fought battle Christopher Nolan's Inception reigned supreme. Inception managed to lead the way with only 33% of the total votes. Nolan's 2012 summer blockbuster The Dark Knight Rises finished in a close second with 26% of all votes. Other films receiving votes were Lawless, Warrior and Bronson which all tied with 13%.
Paying tribute to Ben Affleck's October release Argo, be sure to vote for this month's poll question which is located in the upper right hand corner of the website. October's question asks, "How would you rate Ben Affleck as a director"?
Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp team up yet again for The Long Ranger, which is scheduled to reach theatres in 2013. With the newly released trailer, we get to see Armie Hammer as The Long Ranger and Depp as his loyal Native American companion Tonto. With the trailer we get to see Depp in what is sure to be another unforgettable role. Enjoy the trailer for The Long Ranger below.
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Ides of March) and Amy Adams (The Fighter)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood)
U.S. Release: September 21st, 2012 (Rated R)
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 138 minutes
Make no mistake about it, Paul Thomas Anderson is lauded by many purists of cinema as one of the greatest living directors. Although he has never taken home a Golden Statue from the Academy, he's been regularly recognized with screenplay nominations for past works such as Boogie Nights, Magnolia and There Will Be Blood. What's most magnificent about the filmography of Anderson is his inadvertent methods of storytelling and character building through the course of precise dialogue and articulate acting. Paul Thomas Anderson challenges the audience and asks them to look deeper into themselves to fully grasp his work. And with the accomplished director's latest effort, The Master, he sustains his typical trend of expressing his purpose through enigmatic and complex art forms.
Freddie Quell (played by Phoenix) is a post WWII naval veteran with an unclear future. Freddie's battle scars and parental abandonment have reinforced his animalistic lifestyle which thrives on sexual desires and unruly alcoholic concoctions which he mixes so well. But when his poisonous liquor sets him on the run from a cabbage farm he's been working at, the young drifter finds his way onto a yacht in the San Francisco Bay. On this yacht Freddie meets its captain, Lancaster Dodd (played by Hoffman), a charismatic man who claims to be "a writer, a doctor, a nuclear physicist and a theoretical philosopher". But Dodd continues to add that, "above all, I am a man, a hopelessly inquisitive man, just like you". Consumed by Dodd's aura and methods, Freddie becomes a loyal pawn for Dodd and his wife Peggy's (played by Adams) religious/existential movement called "The Cause".
Sluggish but never boring, Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master is a tantalizing character study that utilizes its entirety to pose questions rather than answer them. To its unfortunate discredit, the film shies away from developing any strong semblance of a plot and reverts its focal point to the psychology of Freddie and Dodd. The pair share a multitude of scenes that are nothing shy of absolute genius. Throughout their constant verbal and sometimes combative encounters, we see Phoenix and Hoffman team up for the kinds of scenes that lend their hands en route to Oscar winning performances. Phoenix portrays such an intriguing and perplexing character, it's a shame that Anderson doesn't create more of an extensive platform to let Freddie expand. By reducing The Master to an almost obsessive examination of the father/son or master/protege relationship with no other plan of action, we're subjected to nothing more than a vague and hollow shell of ideas. Also, it's worthwhile to point out that these relationships are by no means new material to Anderson. The director has used them as valuable subplot in past works like Boogie Nights (i.e between Burt Reynolds and Mark Wahlberg) and There Will Be Blood (i.e. Daniel Day Lewis and his son). In the aforementioned films, the relationships serve meaningful purposes such as adding dimensions to the characters and creating depth to the features. Yet with The Master, Anderson explores this notion through and through without ever complementing the story in any other facet. Now, we're left to only imagine how much an improved and progressive plot would have benefited Phoenix, Hoffman and the entire crop of gifted cast members.
While being as respectful as I can to an icon such as Paul Thomas Anderson, it goes without saying that The Master holds an enormous amount of cinematic value. The cinematography is top notch and Anderson's Malick-like artistic sense is second to none. The Master is a beautifully shot film with some of the greatest acting ever displayed, these and many other notable technical achievements only reiterate the brilliance of its legendary director. And as far as the screenplay goes, Anderson's words spawn so much fire and intensity in the impressive exchanges between Freddie and Dodd. Their co-dependence is often maddening but so perfectly fitted for one another. Freddie, as "an animal" and a drifter searching for acceptance and open arms. While on the other end there's Dodd, a self proclaimed leader desperately seeking a loyal follower to resurrect. As their uncontrollable need for one another continuously leads to doubt and resistance on both ends, we're always left recalling Dodd's words, "If you figure out a way to live without a master, any master, be sure to let the rest of us know, for you would be the first in the history of the world". Dialogue such as this only illustrates how transcendent of a writer and director Paul Thomas Anderson has become.
For as much as I appreciated Anderson's The Master, I found an almost equal amount of displeasure in its lack of a necessary plot. There's plenty of mastery depicted throughout the entire feature, yet the film's failure to develop a proper story will inevitably alienate audiences and diminish its Best Picture chances. And while I find The Master to be a less impressive piece of work than most of Anderson's earlier offerings, cinephiles and critics alike will surely give high praise to the film. However, I would recommend the average moviegoer to look elsewhere.
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (50/50), Bruce Willis (Hudson Hawk) and Emily Blunt (The Adjustment Bureau)
Director: Rian Johnson (Brick)
U.S. Release: September 28th, 2012 (Rated R)
Genre: Action/Sci-Fi
Runtime: 118 minutes
It's impossible to believe that it's been seven years since director Rian Johnson and a young budding star named Joseph Gordon-Levitt teamed up for the tightly drawn high school noir flick Brick. As a first time writer and director on a major motion picture, Brick introduced us to the creative possibilities of the obviously talented Rian Johnson. Over half a decade later, the tag team of Johnson and Gordon-Levitt have gone and raised the bar even higher with their newly released sci-fi action thriller, Looper.
In 2044 time traveled hasn't been invented yet, but in 30 years from then, it will be. And although time travel quickly becomes outlawed in the future, crime organizations still find a way to send their targets back in time to have them eliminated by Loopers like Joe (played by Gordon-Levitt). Loopers are paid very well and live a glorious life in a rather desolate futuristic world. But there's one major rule for Loopers though, never let your target escape. Joe's been a loyal assassin and followed the golden rule his entire career, until the day he discovers that his target is his future self (played by Willis).
Rian Johnson's third directorial effort, Looper, is a meticulously crafted and beautifully original sci-fi adventure that proves there's still plenty of creativity floating around Hollywood. As both the writer and director on the film, Johnson conjures up one of the most believable futuristic worlds in sci-fi history. He welcomes us to a 2044 familiar enough to keep the experience authentic, but different enough to serve as an appropriate platform for the story. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Looper is Johnson's unparalleled ability to constantly progress the film's plot. By continually planting the most subtle of seeds throughout the movie, Johnson gives his masterpiece the open-ended potential to go just about anywhere ... which he does. The writer/director clearly had visions of grandeur when he began tackling the concept of Looper. Attempting to address a complex scientific notion such as time travel requires detailed precision and some extremely ambitious ideas. But rather than devoting its entirety to explain time travel, the phenomena merely serves as a backdrop to a much larger and more important examination of the feature's main characters. Clearly Johnson can rest assured knowing that Looper hurdles over every obstacle on its path to becoming an instant sci-fi classic. Thanks, in large part, to an imaginative and taut script that leaves almost no loose ends, Looper manages to finds itself among the elite films of 2012.
For as excellent and clever as the story is, Looper still lands short of perfection. One obvious flaw lies in the surprising amount of screen time given to Noah Segan's character Kid Blue. Overused and unimpressive, Segan finds himself dominating screen time all while the audience waits patiently for the film to progress. More so a complaint about the character than Segan's individual performance, Looper would have been better served without the inclination to give so much attention to such a pointless character. And for as much of a Joseph Gordon-Levitt fan as I am, he and Willis both demonstrate that they're not quite at the level of some of Hollywood's greats. While the pair's performances are by no means detracting from the film, there are a few occasional moments where they leave a little to be desired. However, these minor blemishes aren't nearly enough to call into questions the apparent success of Looper.
Rarely are we handed an epic sci-fi journey with as much originality and ingenuity as Rian Johnson's Looper. Massively entertaining from start to finish, Looper's success hinges on its innovative script and many of its strong supporting cast members such as Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels. But perhaps the most extraordinary aspect of the film resides in its final moments. With a hair-rising finale that's sure to impress, Looper concludes in grand fashion. As arguably one of 2012's best achievements, I highly recommend getting out to a theatre near you to catch Looper.
As it's quickly becoming a recurring theme in my life, Christmas will come early again this year. After having the opportunity to catch some of 2011's premier films such as Best Picture winner The Artist, The Descendants and My Week with Marilyn at last year's Philadelphia Film Festival, I couldn't wait for the announcement of this year's lineup. Well the wait has officially ended (click here for a full list of films playing at the 21st annual Philadelphia Film Festival). Here's a preview of what's in store for this year's festival which will take over the City of Brotherly Love from October 18th to 28th. Tickets go on sale to the general public for all movies in about a week and any other information can be found online at Filmadelphia.org.
OPENING NIGHT FILM
Kicking off the festivities on Thursday night (October 18th) will be this year's Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Winner Silver Linings Playbook starring Bradley Cooper and up-and-comer Jennifer Lawrence. Filmed locally and directed by Oscar Nominee David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook follows Pat (played by Cooper), a former teacher who's forced to move back in with his parents after a stint in a mental institution. While attempting to get his life back in order, Pat gets sidetracked when he meets Tiffany (played by Lawrence), a mysterious girl with problems of her own. While Silver Linings Playbook isn't scheduled to hit theatres until Thanksgiving, you can see this highly regarded gem a month in advance at this year's festival.
Closing Night Film
Closing the festival this year will be Robert Zemeckis' Flight starring Denzel Washington. After an airline pilot (played by Washington) miraculously saves a flight from crashing, an investigation into the malfunction discovers something troubling about the hero. It's been announced that Forrest Gump director Robert Zemeckis will be in attendance for the closing night's events. Flight isn't set to arrive in theatres until November 2nd, so this is one you'll definitely want to take advantage of seeing.
Other Notable Selections
While Silver Linings Playbook and Flight are two excellent features scheduled at this year's festival, there's plenty of other big time pictures to get excited about. For example the much anticipated Cloud Atlas will be playing, as well as Quartet, Stand Up Guys, Shadow Dancer, and the Audience Award Winner at this year's Sundance Film Festival The Sessions (pictured below)
If you happen to be a big fan of documentaries, there will be plenty of interesting subject matter floating around the festival as well. Two of the most highly regarded documentaries selected for this year's festival are Ken Burns' own The Central Park Five and emotionally moving Brooklyn Castle. Brooklyn Castle tells the remarkable true story of the nation's number one ranked Junior High chess team which continues to dominate the sport, despite the surprising fact that 65% of its students live below the poverty line.
The 21st annual Philadelphia Film Festival is, once again, shaping up to be an unforgettable event. Don't find yourself on the outside looking in, visit Filmadelphia.org and figure out how to get the most out of the experience. I look forward to the 11 day affair and giving you frequent updates throughout, so stay tuned.
Starring: Logan Lerman (3:10 to Yuma), Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin) and Emma Watson (Harry Potter)
Director: Stephen Chbosky
U.S. Release: September 21st, 2012 (Rated PG-13)
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 103 minutes
All throughout Hollywood and the indie film scene the phrase "passion project" gets thrown around on a regular basis. Perhaps no one better exemplifies its true meaning than novelist Stephen Chbosky. The Pennsylvanian born writer had his first novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, published by MTV books in 1999. A decade later Chbosky decided to go against standard screenwriter protocol as the author began to adapt his own novel into a screenplay. And if that wasn't enough of a commitment to the project, Chbosky was even able to sign on as the film's director. Pouring all of his blood, sweat and tears into this movie, Chbosky will finally see his "baby", The Perks of Being a Wallflower, reach theatres everywhere on Friday.
Set in western Pennsylvania during the 1990s, The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows an incoming freshman named Charlie (played by Lerman) whose best friend commits suicide before the start of a new school year. Friendless and unable to adapt, Charlie senses a long arduous road ahead of himself. That is, until he befriends a pair of step-sibling seniors named Patrick (played by Miller) and Sam (played by Watson). Together they welcome Charlie into their circle of outcast friends and give him a platform to new experiences, all while he tries to make sense of life and growing up.
Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a fresh and innovative take on the often frequented "coming of age" genre. Passion-filled and sincere, the film benefits from a well written script and some excellent and youthful onscreen talent. First and foremost, Logan Lerman proves to be the perfect casting decision for the movie's main character, Charlie. The gifted young actor plays the role to perfection, knowing exactly when to turn it up a notch and when to dial it down. But despite all of Lerman's high praise, the true star of the feature is Ezra Miller. Miller absolutely dazzles as Patrick, an eccentric openly-homosexual senior at school. We've clearly seen Ezra Miller's talents on display before, as the widely skilled star managed to make my list of 2011's Most Underrated Performances for his exceptional work in the vastly under-seen psychological thriller We Need to Talk About Kevin. With this performance, however, I expect Miller to finally reach the masses and open up everyone's eyes to his masterful abilities. The third leg of the trio is Emma Watson, who seemingly feels over-matched by the brilliant work of her colleagues. Although Watson is clearly the weak link, she holds her own by never deterring from the film at all. Demonstrating a superb amount of youthful talent, The Perks of Being a Wallflower flourishes because of its prolific young cast and Chbosky's surprisingly strong direction.
As is usually the case, The Perks of Being a Wallflower fails to go from start to finish unscathed. While the feature clearly has a fresh and modern vibe, it still ends up feeling like a multitude of revisited ideas. The film stays mostly systematic to the typical "coming of age" formula. Yet, through well crafted situations and adequately timed humor, The Perks of Being a Wallflower manages to break through every mundane barrier and stand firmly as a source of creative originality. In addition to playing to a specific theme, the film finds faults in its rather abrupt and unforeseen finale. Coming completely out of left field, the latter stages of the picture offer a shocking revelation that seems to take away from the entire story in that exact moment. While I'm sure that the book serves as a justified stage for the big reveal, Chbosky should have either gradually eased it in or done without the saddening surprise. Either way, The Perks of Being a Wallflower battles through its tiny deficiencies and leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
Never lacking and always staying upbeat to keep the audience entertained, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a strong introduction to what hopes to be a fantastic finale of 2012 cinematic releases. Tackling some deeply emotional topics, the film will certainly represent a viable outlet for future generations to cling on to. Hitting theatres everywhere on Friday September 21st, you won't be disappointed with your investment in The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
