REVIEW: The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Picture Nominee

Best Adapted Screenplay Nominee

8/10 - Self indulgence is the name of the game

Oh my god this movie is so long. Some movies feel long but you don't mind because it's good. THIS IS SO FUCKING LONG.

The Wolf of Wall Street is Martin Scorsese's adaptation of Jordan Belfort's autobiography, apparently in real time. From his lowly start, to becoming a wealthy stockbroker, to a drug addled criminal mastermind, Belfort's story is gripping. It really is an amazing story, with some amazing story telling.

You'll definitely need camping or survival gear if you want to sit down and watch this film. At a staggering 3 hours, this movie is longer than all The Lord of the Rings and all the The Hobbit movies released so far, save for Return of the King which had an addition 20 minutes of various endings. That's incredible. Literally awe inspiring that someone thinks audiences have that kind of attention span. I honestly don't want to give this movie praise in fear that others will emulate this incredibly bloated version. The most frustrating part was the amount of times I reflected on how unnecessary that scene was to the movie during my first viewing. Stephen King said "To write is human, to edit is divine." and I really view these Peter Jackson-esque overblown movie monsters as being an Icarus-like fall from grace. Not every shot filmed is gold.

Getting past the length, however, leaves a fantastic story. There's something about the "based on a true story" line that gives a movie permission to go wild an know the audience is going to be there with them. The ease of which a movie can exaggerate for the sake of story or aesthetic is problematic sometimes because audiences become desensitized to it. How do you make Leonardo DiCaprio seem humble and broke when audiences are fresh off of seeing him as the titular character in The Great Gatsby? Having a greater grasp on the gravity of the situation gives the audience a different perspective. Theatrics aside, this film is about the characters.

Jonah Hill is incredible and I hope he wins an Oscar for this role. Dicaprio is on point, as usual, carrying the weight of the film. It's hysterically funny at times, and gut wrenching at others. I could continue to write another 1500 words on my thoughts of this film, from the outstanding supporting cast, to the overuse of morally bankrupted characters in movies. This movie leaves me conflicted, so I'll save it for another time.

Frankly I'm on the fence about Wolf, it's better than most films, but not even close to being the best.What do you think?

IMDb - The Wolf of Wall Street (8.5)
Wikipedia - The Wolf of Wall Street
Rotten Tomatoes - The Wolf of Wall Street (77%)
Amazon.ca - The Wolf of Wall Street

REVIEW: Her

Best Picture Nominee

Best Original Screenplay Nominee

9/10 - I sort of wish Joaquin wasn't in this movie. 

Her is drama that explores the budding relationship between introverted and heartbroken Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Pheonix) and his new Operating System (Scarlett Johansson) who calls herself Samantha. It is a romantic story on the surface, but underneath it hides questions about the human condition.

I think it's great, it explores introverted themes of loneliness in a way that few movies can. The idea's are outstanding, and by that I'm not actually referring to the operating system relationship premise. The romantic storyline played out exactly as I assumed it would. The world they created is of course the most fantastical part of this film. There are so many details and characters to immerse the audience in this world. The job Theodore has writing love letters is simply poetic.

On my first watch, I didn't enjoy this movie as much as I was hoping, especially considering the amount of critical acclaim it's received. It is quite long and drawn out. In retrospect it's a better film than I gave it credit for. I actually enjoyed it far more on the second watch. Perhaps its a movie that needs it's concepts to marinate, or maybe I was in a bad mood the first time.

Best picture is a stretch, in my opinion. I'm surprised that it's nominated. On the other hand, Best Original Screenplay is something that it absolutely deserves to win. I love the way this film illustrates Samantha training Theodore how to think, feel, and talk without stating that it's happening. Those are the concepts that should earn an writing Oscar.

IMDb - Her (8.3)
Wikipedia - Her
Rotten Tomatoes - Her (94%)
Amazon.ca - Her

REVIEW: Before Midnight

Best Adapted Screenplay Nominee

8/10 - The one where they fight

Yes it was great, but I have to admit, it didn't have the same thing for me as the first two.

I expect to get skinned alive for stating that review, too. Trust me, I know how good everyone thinks it is.

For those unaware, Before Sunrise came out in 1995, Before Sunset was in 2004. This film, Before Midnight, is the latest and because it's a sequel it is automatically considered an Adapted Screenplay instead of Original due to Academy rules.

The whole concept of movie sequels that are decades apart is something that seems sort of new and interesting. It's happened with Clerks, revisiting the characters 10 years later. Most sequels are intended to cash in on the success, right away. Time isn't the same in their fictional universe. Sometimes sequels are installments of the same story, so this whole idea of character growth in a 10 year time investment is fascinating.

That being said there was something about the first half of this film that didn't sell me. I loved the romantic Greek setting, I loved the complex relationship Jesse has with his son. But there was something about the heavy handed discussion of insecurities within relationships, then the forced setup of them having a hotel room to return to. It really struck a wrong note for me. I have no doubt that for most people this is nitpicky and unimportant, and I agree. It just took away from some of the enjoyment of the movies for me, it took away some of the spontaneity.

The rest of the film another beautiful installment to a beautiful series. "The fight" is as raw and memorable and vulnerable as the other two but in a new way. This is the first time we've seen this couple as a couple. The long conversations are often a deathblow for other movies, come across as intellectual experiences and are still enjoyable. The second half is so intense, I was enraptured.

If you've seen the other two, it's a no-brainer to see this one. If you haven't do yourself the favor of seeing Before Sunrise as soon as possible.

IMDb - Before Midnight (8.1)
Wikipedia - Before Midnight
Rotten Tomatoes - Before Midnight (98%)
Amazon.ca - Before Midnight

REVIEW: Gravity

Best Picture Nominee

10/10 - An Action Movie Masterpiece

What's to say about Gravity that hasn't already been said? It's a one of a kind journey with a fantastic director and cast, special effects that are shockingly real. It's probably the most gripping and engaging action movie to have been released in years.

Gravity is the story of an astronaut, Ryan Stone played by Sandra Bullock, who attempts to survive in space after a nearby satellite explodes, while on her first mission to space.

This film reminds me of a science fiction version of Cast Away, the struggle for one persons survival against insurmountable odds. Tom had Wilson, and Sandy has Clooney. Unlike Cast Away, however, the predictable nature of the tidal wave of destruction that will orbit the Earth makes this rather unbelievable for some people. It's one thing to cross an ocean, but to cross the atmosphere was too much for people. I disagree with that sentiment, because there were no superhero moves made. She didn't hop motorcycle into a helicopter, she found a way to survive. That's what movies should be about, the strength of will.

I think the best compliment I could give this movie is that there have been lots of 3D films, and lots of films about space exploration, but after 15 minutes, you will have forgotten that Gravity was filmed back here on Earth.

IMDb - Gravity (8.2)
Wikipedia - Gravity
Rotten Tomatoes - Gravity (97%)
Amazon.ca - Gravity

REVIEW: Philomena

Best Adapted Screenplay Nominee

9/10 - Philomania is a movie I would like to see

Perhaps it's the business of naming movies. American Hustle sounds sleek and sexy, and made lots at the box office. Philomena is an uncommon name and I have no idea what it's supposed to mean or be about. I'm not ashamed to admit, if it hadn't been an 'awards movie' then I never would have watched it.

For the ignorant, like me, Philomena tells the story of an old woman, the titular character, played by the always astounding Dame Judi Dench who has spent 50-year search for her son. A writer, played by Steve Coogan becomes involved, trying to write a story about her experiences having her son at an Irish convent, and her inability to find information about her child who was adopted against her will.

This is absolutely an Oscar-worthy movie, but likely won't win anything, because typically comedies are never credited as much as they should. There are some moments that made me cry from laughter. Although it deals with some heavy issues, it never becomes preachy or self-righteous. This is a character story, and the two leads portray carefully crafted people who are so deeply flawed and still charmingly real.

It's a gripping movie to watch. Never did I anticipate where the story was taking me. There are moments that feel like plot devices, and I think there are many who will interpret an attacking message by the end of it. I wasn't one of those people, because it felt to me that both the characters and the film tried to separate the teachings of religion with those who make choices on behalf of religious institutions. Particularly with an Irish setting, this can be dangerous territory, but I think its best to view movies like this as a character piece, not a political statement.

The script was adapted by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope from the book about the real life Philomena, written by Martin Sixsmith.  Few movies have the kind of power that Philomena does. It's truly worth your time.

IMDb - Philomena (7.8)
Wikipedia - Philomena
Rotten Tomatoes - Philomena (92%)
Amazon.ca - Philomena

86th Annual Academy Awards Rundown

The Oscars are coming up, and like every good movie buff, I'm going to try to watch all the Best Picture nominees, as well as the Best Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay nominees. I've already watched a few of these so hopefully a quickie review will be soon to follow. 

Best Picture 

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

Her

Nebraska

Philomena

12 Years a Slave

The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Adapted Screenplay 

Before Midnight (Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke)

Captain Phillips (Billy Ray)

Philomena (Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope)

12 Years a Slave (John Ridley)

The Wolf of Wall Street (Terence Winter)

Best Original Screenplay 

American Hustle (Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell)

Blue Jasmine (Woody Allen)

Dallas Buyers Club (Craig Borten, Melisa Wallack)

Her (Spike Jonze)

Nebraska (Bob Nelson)