The Great Gatsby (PG-13): A Visualized Novel

     

     When I first heard about writer/director Luhrman's return to film; I was actually pretty excited; his visual thrills and his mixing of modern pop culture and period drama made Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge two of the most aesthetically memorable films ever. However,  Many people reasonably questioned his ability to bring F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby; one of the biggest novels of all time to the big screen. The book put more of an emphasis on character drama and conflicts in society than artistic grandeur. Having just seen it, I can honestly say that his direction was as much of a success as it was a problem.

     The film centers around Nick Carroway (Played by Toby Macguire of Spiderman and Brothers), a former writer, telling the story of how he met the infamous Jay Gatsby (Played by Leonardo DiCaprio- see below); a small town man who turned his life of low income and misery into a wealthy life of parties and liquor. Throughout the film, Nick gets caught in the middle of a series of scandals including his married cousin Daisy (Played by Carrey Mulligan of An Education) and Gatsby's secret romance. What follows is a slew of chaotic events that could destroy everyone and everything including Nick, who didn't want any part of it.        

     As one can imagine, this film about the roaring 20's contains a lot of drama, betrayal, lust and intensity. All of these elements ad more are expressed through the film's use of colorful sets and costumes as well as its refreshing use of modern music from artists like Jay-Z and Lana Del Rey. All of these qualities really enhance the story and Luhrman's vision of the classic tale is quite admirable. From the sleek custom cars to the sparkling flapper outfits, there is always something gorgeous to grab your attention.

     As expected from a Baz Luhrman film, the cinematography is flawless as well. The use of fabric to symbolize happiness and the wide shots of people eating, partying and enjoying themselves added a lot to the film and honestly, it all looked incredible.

     On the other hand, I did have a problem with this high emphasis on visuals. The party scenes and set pieces do their job, but sometimes they keep going on longer than they should, leaving less time for character development. For example, the character Myrtle (played by Isla Fisher) is show to be very important by the film's end, but we hardly see her on screen or get a real sense of who she is. 

     I didn't really care for the dialogue half the time either. For the most part it was tolerable, but at some points it seemed rambling and a bit unrealistic. I'm not really sure if this is just my problem though; I'm personally a fan of crisp, realistic dialogue and don't really like scenes of lengthy explanation. It may not bother you but it was a bit of an issue for me.

     As for the performances, Leonardo DiCaprio and Carrey Mulligan steal the show. Both actors give a real, almost method portrayal of their characters and never hesitate. DiCaprio has been trying for years to win an Oscar and while such an award is not necessary to leave a legacy, he has a bright future if he continues his career with performances like this.

     So would I recommend this film? Well in my opinion it was pretty decent, but as with Luhrman's Moulin Rouge, I feel like this movie is a love-it-or-hate-it experience. One thing that is for certain is that people who don't like surreal "artsy" visuals or modern music will be annoyed by the movie. It's been a while since I've read the book, so I'm not sure how faithful it is, but I still recommend fans of the novel to check it out and make their own judgement.

Jack The Giant Slayer (PG-13): Fee Fi Family Faire

    

Rating: 3.5/5
   
     It's pretty much a guarantee that if you grew up with fairy tales, you would certainly know the story of Jack and The Beanstalk. I know I have; when I was a kid, this story was everywhere. I saw it played out by Mickey Mouse in the "Fun and Fancy Free," by Snoopy in "The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show," and by Bugs Bunny in "Jack Wabbit and The Beanstalk." The tale is a timeless child's fantasy story, and for that alone, this movie mostly succeeds.

    After the opening credits, the film opens with an introduction of our two main characters: Jack (played by Nicholas Hoult -see below-, fresh off his role in last month's "Warm Bodies") and princess Isabelle (played by Elanor Tomlinson). Just like in the original fairy tale, Jack is a poor farm hand who is tricked into trading valuable livestock (in this movie it's a horse rather than a cow) for supposed "magic beans." Princess Isabelle, however is pretty much the textbook definition of a Disney princess. Her mother is dead, her father is an over-protective king who wants her to marry someone she doesn't like, she's tired of her boring life in the palace and dreams of adventure. When I first came across this character, I immediately planned on chastising   her as extremely cliched in this review. However, once I began watching this in the context of a kids movie, I found this to be much more tolerable. Though in a 2013-released film, it still feels kind of dated.

     If you're watching this expecting another "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" will be disappointed. This movie is pretty family-friendly overall and has a light hearted attitude throughout. Despite this film's hefty body count, the characters consistently joke around and get themselves into shenanigans. It could very well be irritating to those expecting a more mature fantasy based on the rating and advertising, as it does admittedly feel too silly at times. However, as a family film, the combination of violence and silliness makes it somewhat a fusion of the family films of the 80's and 90's respectively.

     The rest of the characters are decently developed, including the sinister Lord Roderick (played by Stanley Tucci) and the noble knight Elmont (played by Ewan McGreggor). No character was given that much development, which I actually didn't really mind. I knew enough about each character, and in a fast-paced fairy tale like this, keeping the plot moving and interesting were the most important aspects.

     The giants were pretty interesting too. In a way, they reminded me of the trolls in last year's "The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey," as they are excessively gross, uncivilized and high-tempered. I'm certain that kids will get a laugh out of their flatulent, booger-eating ways. I was initially concerned that this film would just portray them as unstoppable villains with no personality. Instead, the film fleshes them out a bit and gives them a motive for their actions. I certainly wouldn't mind a prequel film giving more meat to their hatred for mankind.

     The cast gives their all, especially Nicholas Hoult. Here he brings to Jack the same charm and timidity he gave to R in "Warm Bodies." I feel that he he has the capability and likability to carry a movie as the lead role, and I look forward to his future endeavors next year.

     "Jack The Giant Slayer" will reasonably divide critics and audiences, but if I had kids, I would have no problem taking them to see this. It's a fun little adventure that kids and open-minded adults will get a kick out of.

Warm Bodies (PG-13): Beauty & the Beast...& Zombies (Review)

Score: 4/5

     Ah yes, I remember when this movie was first announced all the way back in 2011. People cried fowl at the thought of a zombie romance movie and many even went so far as to call it "Twilight with Zombies." Even I was a bit skeptical. However, as more was revealed about the film, I began to gain quite a bit of interest. Having seen it, I am happy to say that "Warm Bodies" exceeded my initial expectations, and the result is a sweet, often funny romantic comedy.


     Based on the book of the same name (written by Isaac Marion), "Warm Bodies" tells the story of a young zombie, later named "R" (played very enthusiastically by Nicholas Hoult) stuck in a mental purgatory. R spends his life wandering around a post-apocalyptic world with only his thoughts and other zombies who can barely speak to keep him company. In a witty and well-delivered opening narration, he explains that he can barely remember what life used to be like before the apocalypse. He can't remember what caused it, what his life was like, who his parents were, or even his own name (though he does believe it starts with an R).


     It is in this opening scene when we get a true sense of what R's life is like. His often humorous narration of this scenario keeps the tone of the film somewhat upbeat, even though his situation of being alone with only his thoughts is truly tragic. I could instantly relate to his feeling of loneliness, as who doesn't feel lonely sometimes. Loneliness truly does feel like you're dead and alone with your own thoughts, so perhaps the whole zombie element of the plot was one big metaphor for unwanted solitude.


     When the zombies develop enough symptoms, they become gruesome skeleton-like creatures called "bonies" (see below). These creatures, unlike zombies, will kill anything with a heartbeat without feeling any sort of remorse about it. The bonies most likely represent people who have given up on love and live the rest of their lives in despair.



     Everything changes when R and a few other zombies search for human flesh to eat. They come across a hideout with survivors and attack. With little memory of the old world, R instantly falls in love with a survivor named Julie (Played by Theresa Palmer). Immediately afterwards, R inadvertently eats the brain of her boyfriend, Perry (played by Dave Franco). The only way that R can relive memories of the old world is by eating peoples' brains and thereby consuming their memories. By eating Perry's brain, he learns Julie's name and uses that to start developing a trust with her.


     This is the only aspect I felt was a bit weak. The fact that the zombies in this film can consume memories is a rather interesting story element, though it doesn't really come into play through most of the film. It mainly exists to develop R's sense of guilt for killing Julie's boyfriend, which is important to the story, but I personally felt it could have been used to a greater effect. Perhaps R could find out who he used to be by consuming the brains of people who knew him. Oh well, it's not really that big of a problem here, and it's not something that bothered me while watching it.


     After helping her escape the attack, R and Julie bond together. R tries his hardest to act human and gradually forms a friendship with Julie.The scenes of R and Julie are honestly sweet without being to saccarine. R comes across as a likable hero victimized by his zombie-condition and Julie, while occasionally bratty, learns to accept him.


     Throughout the rest of the film, R's relationship with Julie will grow stronger, and this is revealed to help cure his zombie condition. It's a rather sweet statement on how love is the best cure for loneliness. But as the climax approaches, the plot thickens. R's exposure to love makes him a target for the bonies. Will R cure his condition? Will Julie discover that R killed her boyfriend? Will the bonies consume our heroes? For a romantic comedy, this is quite a lot of conflict.


     I suggest to anybody who hates romantic comedies to give this movie a shot; as it is proof that the genre can be done well. And if you like romantic-comedies, this one is hands-down a must-see. "Warm Bodies" is a classic tale of beauty and the beast...& zombies. It's a unique film excellently adapted by acclaimed screenwriter Johnathan Levine and led by a stellar performance by Nicholas Hoult. It's absolutely my pick for the best non-Oscar movie in theaters right now.