Review: Wild

Image courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Reese Witherspoon gives her best performance in years - perhaps the finest since her Oscar winning turn in "Walk the Line" - in Jean-Marc Vallee's "Wild," which is based on the memoir by Cheryl Strayed. While on the surface, the film may give the appearance of being one of those tales of an individual attempting to survive while aiming to conquer unforgiving mother nature - such as "Into the Wild" or "127 Hours" - but it's also more than that.

In fact, "Wild," which tells its story via a fragmented narrative, is not only a strong character piece, but also an occasionally grueling tale of an addict seeking recovery and the story of a mother-daughter bond. And all of these elements are handled pretty well.

We are introduced to Strayed in the film's most visually harsh sequence as she removes a toenail that she has broken during her 1,000 mile trek across the lonely Pacific Crest Trail. She has undertaken this long walk as a method of rediscovering herself following her failed marriage, which broke up as a result of her reckless drug use and numerous affairs. Strayed is also attempting to move past the death of her beloved mother (Laura Dern, terrific in all the flashback sequences in which she appears), whose demise likely pushed Strayed into drugs and unhappiness.

Other minor characters in the film appear - including Gaby Hoffman in a slightly underdeveloped supporting role as Cheryl's pal Aimee and a handful of random characters Strayed meets during her hike, some of whom are helpful and a few of whom are menacing - but Witherspoon primarily carries the film on her shoulders. It's a very good performance.

While the picture is a little similar to films such as "Eat, Pray, Love" in that it follows a character who takes a journey to reconnect with herself, it's a little more complex. At times, the film is harrowing, especially during flashbacks to Strayed's drug abuse, but also during earlier scenes in which she and her mother struggle to flee from Cheryl's abusive father.

And while Cheryl's primary purpose in walking the trail is to "find herself" again, so to speak, she also learns to reconnect with others. There's a sequence during which she asks for help from a man whose outward appearance is a bit intimidating and, naturally, she is afraid of him at first. There's also a later scene during which she finds herself attracted to a man passing out tickets for a Grateful Dead tribute concert. Neither of these scenes play out exactly as the film sets you up to think they will.

In other words, some might consider taking a walk through nature to "find yourself" as a cliche, but the film does not treat it as such. "Wild" is the type of movie that sneaks up on you in surprising ways. Much like Vallee's previous film, "The Dallas Buyers Club," it follows a complicated individual with whom we might not always sympathize, but it never makes them anything less than compelling subject matter.

Review: Horrible Bosses 2

Image courtesy of Warner Bros.

Since I missed the recent "Dumb and Dumber To," my review for "Horrible Bosses 2" can fill the vacancy for the fall's most obligatory comedy sequel. Yes, the gang - and then some - are all back from the original "Horrible Bosses," although I'm not sure that anything other than that film's $100-plus million gross justifies a second film.

In this one, the everyday schlubs portrayed by Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day have created an invention that will make taking a shower easier. The laziness involved in the invention sort of parallels the lack of originality in producing sequels to comedies of this sort, but I digress. They are contacted by a sleazy father-son team (Christoph Waltz and Chris Pine), who operate a major distributor, for the manufacture of their product and, not surprisingly, get royally ripped off.

As revenge, the trio concocts a scheme to kidnap Pine's character, who eventually joins them in the plot to get back at his old man for various reasons. Naturally, nothing goes as it seems, leading to a few laughs and mostly lots of screaming at the screen to no avail.

The picture includes numerous subplots involving secondary characters from the first movie, namely Kevin Spacey as a former boss and now inmate, Jennifer Aniston as the sex addicted boss from the previous picture and Jaime Foxx as a low-rent criminal, of sorts, who assists the film's three leads for no apparent reason.

There are some uncomfortable attempts to litter the film with what could only be described as un-PC material and it's mostly not that funny, but simply squirm inducing. These sequences include Bateman's character getting roped into lying about his sexual orientation at a sex addicts anonymous meeting, the name of the trio's company, which raises some eyebrows from a black talk show personality, and some stereotypes involving an Asian maid.

Also, the picture ups the ante on its predecessor in terms of filthy conversations revolving around sexuality, such as Aniston's being forced to utter virtually every word imaginable to describe the male sex organ as well as her character's later near-involvement in a foursome with the three male leads. I say all this not to be prudish, but rather to once again point out that just because dialogue is taken to extremely profane levels, it's not necessarily funny. The film's screenwriters should take some lessons from Richard Pryor next time around.

"Horrible Bosses 2" is not a bad movie, but just a very mediocre one. Many of the film's jokes fall flat, leaving the talented cast to draw them out to their inevitable conclusions. And despite this being a comedy - a genre that has its own set of rules like any other - I couldn't get my head around the notion that these characters were as dumb as they were supposed to be. This is not, in fact, "Dumb and Dumber," so that these people would be so oblivious to any sort of typical human interaction struck me as unbelievable. Yes, you'll probably see worse comedies this year, but don't mistake that for any kind of endorsement.

Review: The Babadook

Image courtesy of IFC Films.

The past two weeks have seen the release of two of the year's very best horror movies and both of them were made by women. Last week's release was Ana Lily Amirpour's moody black and white Iranian vampire western "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" and this week's selection is Australian Jennifer Kent's debut "The Babadook."

Kent's picture is one of the most thematically rich and outright scary horror movies of recent memory. I wouldn't dare give away its secrets, but suffice it to say it takes the type of story you'd typically find in a horror film and uses it to express something about the fragility of the human condition. And, yeah, it's pretty damn frightening in the process.

At the film's beginning, single mother Amelia (Essie Davis in one of the year's best breakout performances) is struggling to raise her rambunctious son Robbie (Daniel Henshall), who may at first appear as a nightmare child due to his wild behavior, constant screaming and crying and troubles at school, that is, until his mother takes a turn for the worse more than halfway through the movie.

Seven years prior to the film's beginning, Amelia lost her husband in a car accident as he was driving her to the hospital to give birth. She's never quite gotten over it and despite her love for him, Robbie reminds her of her dead husband. His birthday falls on the date of her husband's death, so they hardly ever celebrate it on the actual day.

One day, Amelia finds a children's book titled "Mister Babadook" that she reads to Robbie at night, but halfway through it, she finds it too macabre and tries to close it, despite Robbie's insistence on continuing. The book tells the story of the titular fiend, whom, once you have let him into your home cannot be gotten rid of.

Robbie begins to see the Babadook (which is named after the sound of his knocks on the door, "ba ba dook dook!") and Amelia becomes annoyed, thinking this is more of the child's erratic behavior. And then, she begins to see it as well. Mister Babadook, created through stop motion animation, is a tall figure with a hat, coat, creepy grin and long, sharp fingernails. He floats through the house and scuttles across the ceiling like a large insect.

I won't explain how or why he has come about, but when you figure out exactly who Mister Babadook is, you'll likely agree that it's a pretty bold move for a horror movie. Most films in the genre are merely meant to scare - or, in lesser case scenarios, gross out - viewers with little else in the way of purpose.

But "The Babadook" is a horror movie in the grand tradition of those that attempt a little something more, one which uses the horrors of actual human concerns to stand in for the evil lurking under the bed. It's a pretty creepy picture and one that has more going under its surface than your typical example of the genre.

Review: The Imitation Game

Image courtesy of The Weinstein Company.

"The Imitation Game" should seal the deal for those previously unconvinced by Benedict Cumberbatch's quick rise and cheeky following (the self-titled "Cumberbitches"). As Alan Turing, an eccentric English mathematician who is credited with cracking the Nazis' Enigma code, Cumberbatch brings life and humanity to a man who, on first glance, may strike one as an arrogant, unfriendly prig, despite his genius.

Turing enlisted in Great Britain's war effort due to his knack for code breaking and went on to create a machine known as Christopher that would unscramble Enigma, the Germans' method of morse code during World War II that was thought impossible to crack. In the film, Turing is surrounded by a team of Brits assisting his efforts, including a cad and chess champion named Hugh Alexander (Matthew Goode) and a female code breaker (Keira Knightley), which was virtually unheard of - or, at least, this movie allows us to think so.

The picture is an unabashed crowd pleaser, but I don't mean that in a derogatory sense. It's highly entertaining and filled with strong performances, from the aforementioned leads to Mark Strong's wry head of intelligence and Charles Dance's grouchy commander.

The plotline involving Turing and his team's attempts to crack the code is interlaced with another side story that only slowly reveals itself. It involves an investigation into Turing some years later and the discovery that he is a homosexual - a fact which he does not hide from his pals working with him on Enigma.

And so what begins as a crackling wartime thriller eventually morphs into a very sad story of how a brilliant man who played a significant role in Great Britain's fight against Nazism is rewarded with ostracization by his own country.

And while Cumberbatch does a fine job portraying Turing as the snippy mathematician who doesn't believe his fellow code breakers can keep up with him, he takes it to a whole other level in the film's final scenes as Turing faces melancholy prospects after having been arrested for indecency and realizing that his heroic wartime efforts will likely never meet the light of day (they do, in fact, but some 50 years later).

"The Imitation Game" is the type of film that could be labeled as "Oscar bait" (World War II? Check. Eccentric Historical Figure? Check. British Lead Actor? Check.),  but it does not deserve the negative connotation that typically comes with that phrase. It's an exciting, very well written and acted and ultimately tragic story of a brilliant man who likely saved many lives who was given less than a hero's welcome by his own country.

Review: Force Majeure

Image courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

Those who enjoy a bit of acidity in their comedy will not want to miss out on Ruben Ostlund's acerbically, hilariously on-point "Force Majeure," which breaks down male-female relations so bleakly - yet accurately - that it could make for the month's most uncomfortable date. But in the best of ways.

The picture follows a Swedish family of four - workaholic father who can't break away from his cell phone, frustrated wife and occasionally raucous, young son and daughter - during a particularly disastrous trip to a French ski resort.

All is going reasonably well until the family, sitting at an outdoor deck restaurant below a massive mountain, spot an avalanche heading their way. They panic as it appears that the snow slide will reach them (when, in fact, they are merely covered by a blast of snowy air and dust) and Tomas (Johannes Kuhnke), in a moment of fright, grabs his cell and flees, leaving wife Ebba (Lisa Loven Kongsli) and his kids to fend for themselves.

The incident - which reminds me of a similar sequence of impulsive male behavior gone wrong in Julia Loktev's 2011 film "The Loneliest Planet" - goes unmentioned until the couple's friends Mats (Kristoger Hivju) and Fanny (Fanni Metelius) show up and it manages to make their way into their dinner conversation, which becomes increasingly uncomfortable.

Then, in the film's funniest scene, that awkward conversation drags over into Mats and Fanny's relationship as they bicker amongst themselves in their own room later that night. Hardly anyone in the theater where I saw the film could prevent themselves from snickering during their discussion in the dark.

What's so unnerving - and hilariously so - is how Ostlund near perfectly captures the way that men and women argue, rationalize their own behavior and ultimately snap. Ebba appears more angry at Tomas for the fact that his version of events doesn't quite gel with hers (he claims to not remember leaving them there, that is, until she reminds him that the entire incident was filmed on his cell phone) than his having fled his family. He continues to deny doing that of which he is accused, although it's clear to anyone watching that he's attempting to convince himself.

And the film culminates with a sequence of equal peril during which the tables are turned, but only just slightly enough that you have to pay attention to watch how the various characters - all four of the adults, at least - act.

"Force Majeure" is a clever and frequently very funny movie, but it also works as a dour view of a relationship unravelling. The film takes its time to deliver its punchlines and ideas, but those with patience will be amply rewarded. It's the type of movie that will likely make for great conversation - and possibly - heated argument. You've been warned.

Review: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part I

Image courtesy of Lionsgate.

Make no mistake about it, "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part I" is a place holder - that is, for the finale, which Lionsgate has stretched into two films for maximum profits - but it's a good one. The film's success rides mostly on the shoulders of Jennifer Lawrence, who brings more life and acting ability to the role of a blockbuster heroine than any franchise movie typically calls for. Her Katniss Everdeen has more personality than your typical action movie hero and it's largely due to Lawrence, who is, not surprisingly, currently the actress with the largest box office draw.

There's a fair amount of plot and exposition in "Mockingjay, Part I," so I'll try to keep it at a minimum. Suffice it to say, Katniss is fairly shell shocked after participating in her second Hunger Games and struggling to overcome her experiences in an underground bunker provided by the rebellion.

Plutarch Heavensbee (the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, always an asset) is attempting to convince the rebellion's leader, Alma Coin (Julianne Moore, bringing the necessary gravitas), to use Katniss as a figurehead for the movement and inspire the districts to rise up against the Capitol and the sinister President Snow (Donald Sutherland).

Meanwhile, Katniss' pal Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) is being used by the Capitol as a propaganda tool, urging Katniss and the rebels not to start a war via television. Katniss, on the other hand, is filmed engaging in battle and rallying the troops in the rebellion's own propaganda films, a task about which she has mixed feelings. And speaking of mixed feelings - Katniss must juggle two suitors, the captured Peeta (who is mostly seen here on screens being interviewed) and Gale (Liam Hemsworth), her friend from back home.

One of the film's more intriguing elements is its portrayal of image making (in this case, propaganda films, which can be a stand-in in for television, film, the news, you name it) as a tool for winning hearts and minds. "Mockingjay, Part I" is not only a big budget action movie, but it also explores the way we interact with media and the obvious benefits and dangers involved.

And yet, the film is mostly a build-up to what is likely to be a clash between Snow's Capitol and the rebels led by Coin and Katniss. This picture is sprinkled with a few such scenes, involving a rebellion in a forest and the bombing of a dam. For a film with only moderate sprinkles of violence, "Mockingjay, Part I" is fairly fast paced and exciting.

But what it all adds up to remains to be seen with next year's "Mockingjay, Part II." Although I still contend that the first "Hunger Games" is the best of the lot, this has been a pretty successful Hollywood franchise that has left many of its ilk in the dust - cinematically, thematically and narratively.

And although she had already been nominated for an Academy Award prior to the release of the first "Hunger Games" movie, this has been a star-making role for Lawrence. However, as the series goes on, I think it's the filmmakers and studio who may owe her a debt of gratitude - she carries these movies.

Review: A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

Image courtesy of Kino Lorber.

Ana Lily Amirpour's debut "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" may take on the tired genre of the vampire film and its style may be reminiscent of early David Lynch and Jim Jarmusch films, but it's still a unique creation all its own.

The film has become known as the "Iranian vampire western" in the same way that "Brokeback Mountain" was the "gay cowboy movie." The western element is questionable, although the filmmaker fills the soundtrack with music that might have sounded at home in a Sergio Leone picture, but it's the horror genre that Amirpour is clearly turning on its head here and one could argue that the film is not only the first picture about bloodsuckers to be set in the Middle East, but is also the first feminist vampire movie in some time.

Set in a fictional ghost town known as Bad City (the film is in Farsi, although the movie was shot in California), the story follows two threads that eventually merge. The first involves a young man named Arash (Arash Marandi), who is overly protective of his car and cat and has a father (Marshall Manesh) who is hooked on heroin.

The picture's second thread follows a young woman known only as The Girl (Sheila Vand, in what has to be a break-out performance), who happens to be a vampire and spends most of her evenings strolling the streets of the fictional Bad City decked out in a black chador and stalking prey. Most of The Girl's victims happen to be men - and mostly sinister ones, at that.

There are plenty of bad men to be found in Bad City. Not only is there Arash's drug addict father, who mistreats a prostitute whom The Girl later befriends, but there is also the horrible pimp/drug dealer whom Arash's father owes money, leading to Arash losing his beloved car early in the film as a means of payment. There's also a nosy young boy who comes into contact with both Arash and The Girl and much like the film's male protagonist, he loses his mode of transportation - a skateboard, which The Girl then uses to eerily float through the night, her chador flowing out behind her.

If what I'm describing to you sounds strange, that's because it is - but in the best way. The film, which was shot in black and white, has an early 1990s feel to it and Amirpour fills the movie with unforgettable images of rolling clouds, The Girl rolling on her skateboard along a wall with her back to the camera, a man dancing in a Ronald Reagan mask, a drag queen dancing in the morning sunlight and a wonderful final shot involving Arash, his car, The Girl and the cat.

Some might argue that style wins out slightly over substance in "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" and this wouldn't exactly be an unfair argument. But the picture obviously takes risks. Amirpour's female characters enjoy more freedom in the film than they might in Iran, but it's because they struggle for their liberation, mostly against unsympathetic male characters, Arash excluded. And the film includes images - nudity and drug use, for example - you'd be very unlikely to see in an Iranian movie (and I'm certainly not knocking Iranian cinema, which has has given us some of the richest films of recent years).

"A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" is a very good film - and an experience, if you know what I mean. Although it is stylistically similar to several American indie classics, it has a flow and a personality of its own. It's a moody reinvention of the vampire genre that could be a real cinematic discovery to those who are willing to give themselves over to its dreamy story of complicated relationships, cool cars, wicked men and empowered women.