Monday, April 15, 2013

'42' and 'To the Wonder'

On the one hand, Terrence Malick's "To the Wonder" is not among the elusive auteur's best films. It certainly pales in comparison to "The Tree of Life," the director's 2011 film of towering ambition that marked, in my opinion, a career high.

On the other hand, Malick's latest is still more than worth a look. As always, the picture is filled with stunning imagery and thematic resonance.

"To the Wonder" is, hands down, the most experimental work in the filmmaker's ouvre, relying almost completely on voice over narration and visuals that tell a fragmented story.

All in all, it's a very good film - just not on par with Malick's finest films.

I also caught Brian Helgeland's "42," which is a solid bio picture of baseball legend Jackie Robinson. It's just not the Robinson drama for which you may have been waiting.

For years, Spike Lee and Robert Redford tinkered with their own Jackie Robinson projects, but neither came to fruition. It's likely that their films might have delved a little deeper than "42," which often relies on cliche.

However, Chadwick Boseman makes a fine JR and the picture has more than its share of worthwhile elements.

Here are my Patch reviews.

This coming weekend, I'll catch "Oblivion," which features the single-most overplayed trailer of the past decade, if you ask me. Also, I'll see Rob Zombie's "The Lords of Salem."


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