127 Hours

CAST: James Franco; DIRECTOR: Danny Boyle; AUTHOR: Aron Ralston; SCREENPLAY: Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy; PHOTOGRAPHY: Anthony Dod Mantle; MUSIC: A.R. Rahman; GENRE: Thriller; RUNNING TIME: 1 hour and 33 minutes

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: V14

127 Hours is the true and tragic but triumphant story of Aron Ralston, an experienced mountain climber, as powerfully told by Director Danny Boyle and excellently portrayed by the talented actor James Franco. Cocky with self-confidence, twenty seven year old Aron Ralston ventures alone into the Blue John Canyon in Utah, for some climbing and exploring which he does with much exhilaration. Moving around with some familiarity of the territory, he comes across two female hikers Megan (Amber Tamblyn) and Kristi (Kate Mara) who lost their way and he helps them get to their destination. Shortly after, Aron has an accident. He falls down to the bottom of a shaft where a big rock crushes his arm and pins it against a tunnel wall. Unable to free his arm in spite of all his valiant efforts, survival skills and the use of limited tools, he remains trapped within a narrow space for 127 hours, a little more than 5 days from the end of April to the beginning of May 2003. A loner, he left home without telling anyone. He realizes he can die here without anyone knowing where he is. Now, he knows no help is forthcoming. With his camcorder, he does a video of his thoughts and experiences with the hope that whoever finds it may return his body to his parents. Subjected to vagaries of the weather, hunger and thirst, he has dreams and visions. But in spite of his “half-crazed state” he continues his efforts and is determined to live. How does Aron beat the odds? The viewer may be interested in knowing the details.

The film is based on the autobiography of Aron Ralston entitled Between a Rock and a Hard Place which focuses mainly on his particular searing ordeal in the Canyon. Director Boyle has succeeded in transforming a relatively simple survival tale into a singularly intense cinematic experience. He begins with striking, brightly colored visuals and awesome landscape shots to the accompaniment of A.R. Rahman’s throbbing music. These images give us an early insight into the overweening self-worth of the charismatic main character as well as show-off the beautifully photographed vast and rugged setting. In his dynamic storytelling, Boyle successfully captures on the screen the difficulties of the protagonist (as the latter suffers extremes in temperature, dehydration, fatigue, and mental anguish in the face of death) and deftly intertwines these scenes with flashbacks and hallucinations, without much distraction from the storyline. The film builds in intensity (though not in suspense) and has its apex when Aron makes his radical decision and performs the painful procedure on himself in order to live. The scene is unflinching in its realism, stark and graphic. It is difficult to watch and is not for the fainthearted.

James Franco has been known as a support actor in films like the Spider Man franchise but in 127 Hours he has most probably given a career-altering performance. He is on the screen in nearly every frame and often in close-up, so he “carries” the film for more than an hour. His insightful and very good portrayal of his role keeps us interested and engaged all the time. The others in the cast like Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara and Lizzy Caplan do comeo performances creditably.

As mentioned, the film is not for the faint-hearted. Neither is it for the very young. The extreme realism with the violence, gore and self-inflicted pain maybe disturbing for them. But in spite of the negative points, 127 Hours is a life-affirming film. In these days when life is viewed cheap by abortionists and hired killers, a film that champions the value of life is most salutary. This is a story of determination and survival, heroism and courage. When Aron finds himself in the desperate situation when there seems no reason for hope, he does not lose heart; he continues to “fight” it out. He does not give up. He is determined to live. He succeeds but with much pain and sacrifice. He had to give up something in order to have the greater good – his life. We may not be able to do what Aron did, but in other instances when we are faced with a desperate situation in life, we may be reminded of Aron’s predicament. And we remember that the determination to continue trying, even after many failures, maybe rewarded. Or we may be called upon to sacrifice or give up something in order to achieve a greater good. And we might just do that. In a way, he did something heroic: save his life. This film shows or suggests that when one wants to do what is good, often it can be done, even in the face of adversity and difficulty, if one is determined to do it. This film depicts the triumph of the human spirit.

Shaolin

CAST: Andy Lau, Jacky Chan, Fan Bingbing, Nicholas Tse; DIRECTOR: Benny Chan; SCREENPLAY: Allan Yuen; DISTRIBUTOR: Cinestar; GENRE: Action/Drama; LOCATION: China; RUNNING TIME: 130 minutes

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 3.5
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

Set in China at a time when feuding warlords are expanding their territories in neighboring lands, young and arrogant general Huo Chieh (Andy Lau) desecrates a Shaolin temple as he kills a wounded enemy who has sought refuge with the monks. But betrayal of a trusted soldier will turn his fate, losing his power and family in the process. He ends up seeking refuge in the very same Shaolin temple he desecrated. Left with nothing, he realizes the mistakes of his past and decides to dedicate himself through living the way of the monks. Eventually he learns to let go of his anger and follow the righteous path. However, civil unrest and people’s suffering will force him and the monks to take a fiery stand against the evil warlords and the soldiers who betrayed him.

Although Shaolin works on a rather time-tested story template of an arrogant man fallen from grace finding redemption in a different way of life, still, the film has its universal charm that has worked effectively in its totality. The movie is packaged as an action genre but it turns out that it’s more dramatic than action-filled. The highlights of the film are not really the action scenes but the dramatic ones when characters pour out their emotions. This is quite unusual for a kung-fu film but it fits quite well and has given the film a different turn. Andy Lau delivers the part in multi-faceted levels of action and drama. Jacky Chan underplays the character as support but his mere screen presence and brand of humor is as always a delight to the audience. The relatively unknown supporting characters deliver well and each is able to make an impact. The fight and chase scenes are spectacular though sometimes a bit toned-down. The coherent and solid storytelling elevates the kung-fu genre into a film that is worth taking seriously.

Amidst the violence and some level of gore, Shaolin advocates more than anything else, universal values of love, sacrifice, forgiveness, peace, humility and courage through the ways of the monks. The realization of Huo that greed for power leads to destruction is a timely message now that wealth and power are on top of people’s priorities. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and this is what happened to Huo. His karma has taken away all he’s got but he is able to find renewal through sincere repentance. He takes full responsibility for what his soldiers have become. This is such a rare trait of a remarkable leader. Even in the middle of the war, peace can still reign for as long as there is goodness in man’s heart. The evil may destroy everything but still hope springs eternal for those who follow the path to righteousness. Though in context, Shaolin inevitably shows graphic violence, and that may influence the vulnerable minds of the very young, so CINEMA recommends the film to be appropriate to viewers 14 years old and above.

Exorcismus

CAST: Doug Bradley, Sophie Vavasseur, Richard Felix, Stephen Bellington; DIRECTOR: Manuel Carballo; SCREENWRITER: David Munoz; GENRE: Horror; LOCATION: Spain

BRIEF FILM SYNOPSIS

Emma Evans is having problems and strange occurrences around the home. Turns out she is possessed Her family calls in a troubled priest with a troubled past who has to exorcise this demon from Emma. (www.deadderickreviews.com/blog)

Technical Assessment: 1.5
Moral Assessment: 1.5
CINEMA Rating: Not for public showing

Yogi Bear

CAST: Anna Faris, Justin Timberlake, Dan Aykroyd, T.J. Miller,Nathan Corddry, Tom Cavanagh, Andrew Daly, Dean Knowsley; DIRECTOR: Eric Brevig; WRITER: Brad Copeland, Joshua Sternin; GENRE: Animation, Family; RUNNING TIME: 82 min.

SYNOPSIS: Jellystone Park has been losing business, so greedy Mayor Brown decides to shut it down and sell the land. That means families will no longer be able to experience the natural beauty of the outdoors -- and, even worse, Yogi and Boo Boo will be tossed out of the only home they've ever known. Faced with his biggest challenge ever, Yogi must prove that he really is "smarter than the average bear" as he and Boo Boo join forces with their old nemesis Ranger Smith to find a way to save Jellystone Park from closing forever.

Technical Assessment: 3.5
Moral Assessment: 4
CINEMA Rating: PG 13 (For viewers aged 13 and below with parental guidance)

Season of Witch

CAST: Nicolas Cage (Behmen), Ron Perlman (Felson), Stephen Campbell Moore (Debelzaq), Claire Foy (The Girl), Robbie Sheehan (Kaylan), Kevin Rees (Dying Monk); DIRECTOR: Dominic Sena; SCREENWRITER: Bragi F. Schut; GENRE: Mystery & Suspense; DISTRIBUTOR: Relativity Media; LOCATION: Europe; RUNNING TIME: 95 minutes

SYNOPSIS: The church elders, convinced that a girl accused of being a witch is responsible for the devastation, command the two to transport the strange girl to a remote monastery where monks will perform an ancient ritual to rid the land of her curse. They embark on a harrowing, action-filled journey that will test their strength and courage as they discover the girl's dark secret and find themselves battling a terrifyingly powerful force that will determine the fate of the world.

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 3
CINEMA Rating: V 14 (Viewers aged14 and above)

Gulliver's Travel

CAST: Jack Black, Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Billy Connelly,Amanda Peet, Catherine Tate, James Corden, Olly Alexander; DIRECTOR: Rob Letterman; WRITER: Jonathan Swift
GENRE: Comedy, Action/Adventure; RUNNING TIME: 85 min.

SYNOPSIS: In a contemporary re-imagining of the classic tale, Gulliver, a big-talking mailroom clerk who, after he's mistakenly assigned a travel piece on the Bermuda Triangle, suddenly finds himself a giant among men when he washes ashore on the hidden island of Lilliput, home to a population of very tiny people. At first enslaved by the diminutive and industrious Liliputians, and later declared their hero; Gulliver comes to learn that it's how big you are on the inside that counts. MRQE

Simple assessment"
Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: PG 13

Love and other Drugs

CAST: Anne Hathaway, Jake Gyllenhaal, Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria,Judy Greer, Brenna Roth, Gabriel Macht, Jaimie Alexander,George Segal, Katheryn Winnick; DIRECTOR: Edward Zwick; WRITER: Marshall Herskovitz, Charles Randolph; GENRE: Drama; RUNNING TIME: 113 min.

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 2
CINEMA Rating: V 18 (For viewers 18 and above)

Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a first-class jerk who lost his job as audio equipment salesman when he slept with the boss’ girlfriend. ) Next he works as a pharmaceutical salesman from Ohio with ambitions of hitting the big market in Chicago. If he must flirt with receptionists at doctor’s offices to push his drugs (which include Viagra), he will, and then do more—or worse. He has polished the art of flirting to a high buff, and women fall for his tricks, leading him to feel that he can have any woman he wants. Which is what happens, actually. Except when he meets 26-year-old Maggie Murdoch (Anne Hathaway) who enchants him with her loverly but noncommittal brand of intimacy. Maggie has a reason for not wanting deeper involvement, but she keeps it a secret: she is on the early stages of Parkinson’s disease and shuts herself off from serious relationship as her defense mechanisms. But the two who begin a casual affair grow into wanting a more serious and maybe permanent relationship. Is it love? Or is it simply an addiction for Jamie and morphine for Maggie?

Directed by Edward Zwick, Love and Other Drugs is based on the book “Hard Sell: the Evolution of a Viagra Salesman” by Jamie Reidy. Written by Charles Randolph, Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz for this 20thCentury Fox production, the movie is a cross between a romantic comedy and drama. The genre apparently shifts halfway through the 112-minute film, parallel with the development of the Jamie-Maggie relationship from devil-may-care encounters to careful considerations of an uncertain future. The fast paced story is backed by snappy dialogue and crisp cinematography. Gyllenhaal and Hathaway, who played a couple inBrokeback Mountain, deliver a totally different performance here that demonstrates the level of chemistry they may actually possess, or can manage for the camera.

Love and Other Drugs may be viewed in many ways, depending on which side of the morality fence you’re on. Some people may see its positive message—that commitment is more important than casual sex—but others would say it makes casual sex more enticing than commitment. That’s the conflict in the movie—and the director’s or the writers’ intentions notwithstanding, the movie leaves its resolution to the viewer. It seems convinced about its positive message but it also titillates the viewer first with voyeuristic and vicarious experiences of almost unbridled fornication before it attempts to be heard. In effect it’s saying that true lovedoes come, but only after indulging yourself in false lovemaking. Try telling a child to want yoghurt as the ultimate health food, but don’t give it to him unless he finishes his chocolate cake first. And to the adult it says, “Don’t neglect your vitamins, but first take Viagra.” If only for this movie, CINEMA should create a new rating: PG 18—for mature viewers with parental guidance.

The Green Hornet

CAST: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz; Edward James Olmos, David Harbour, Tom Wilkinson, Edward Furlong, Chad Coleman, Robert Clotworthy; DIRECTOR: Michael Gondry; WRITER: Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen, Fran Striker, George W. Trendle; SCREENPLAY: Seth Rogen; PRODUCER / DISTRIBUTOR: Columbia Pictures; GENRE: Action/ Adventure; RUNNING TIME: 108 minutes

Technical Assessment: 3
Moral Assessment: 2
CINEMA Rating: For viewers 14 and above

Having to deal with the loss of his mother at a young age and with a father (who owns a journalism empire who doesn’t seem to have time for him), Britt Reid (Seth Rogers) grows up into becoming an irresponsible, directionless man who parties all night with alcohol and different women. But when his father suddenly dies mysteriously because of a bee sting, Britt finds himself overwhelmed inheriting the family newspaper business and living up to his father’s legacy, thus, turning him all the more into a useless bum. Then he finds rescue with his father’s brilliant mechanic Kato (Jay Chou) who knows martial arts as well. After the two have a night of encounter with criminals, Britt gets an idea of how they could further help resolve criminality in their area by becoming masked vigilantes themselves. Their actions later blow up into proportions that attract the attention of hard core underworld boss Chudnofsky (Christoph Watz).

The Green Hornet is a deconstruction of the usual superhero audiences see on screen. This time around, the main superhero seems to be less competent and hardly dependent on a sidekick that he takes for granted. Britt Reid as the Green Hornet is just as flawed and weak as any other man. This is quite an interesting premise to begin a story with, however, something is still missing in the whole gamut of exploring the dynamics of hero/anti-hero characters in the film. Although there are some hilarious and comic moments in the movie, some parts still lack the supposed wit it tries to convey. Rogers is solid as the Green Hornet while Chou still needs a bit of a push to register strong screen presence. Their contrasting characteristics works well as a tandem at times, but sometimes, it falls flat. Camera works, editing and direction are imaginative but some fight and chase scenes seem to lack coherence. As a whole, The Green Hornet still delivers a certain level of entertainment value and does not really disappoint, only that it can still do better than what it is.

What do audiences really get out of an anti-stereotypical super hero? Well, it makes them realize and appreciate even more that human weakness can possibly be turned into strength. Although his past is not a justification, Reid’s character could well be a wake-up call to parents to nurture their children even more. Time and again, the family remains to be most crucial in bringing up useful citizens of the land. The Green Hornet says it is never too late for anyone to start over. However, looking at the film closely, such intention is not quite coherent with its plotlines as a whole. Reid wants the Green Hornet and his sidekick to be heroes while appearing as villains but they kill people (although yes, criminals) without remorse. They took the law in their own hands through executing criminals via extra-judicial means. There’s no way that this can ever be right. This might also be rooted in the fact that Reid’s intention of becoming a vigilante-hero is fuelled by his anger towards his father. Although such intention is later on purified, still, their end does not justify their means. How could Green Hornet and his sidekick be really heroes if they cause unnecessary destruction, thus, hurting and killing lives in the process? The way Reid manipulated the press for his own agenda is also disturbing. Some scenes of suggestive sex, violence and gore, although a necessity to portray the underworld, might leave a lasting impression on the vulnerable minds of a young audience, so CINEMA finds the movie unfit for viewers below 14 years old.

Hereafter

CAST: Matt Damon, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jay Mohr, Richard Kind, Cécile De France, Lyndsey Marshal, Mylène Jampanoï, Steve Schirripa, Marthe Keller, Niamh Cusack; DIRECTOR: Clint Eastwood; WRITER: Peter Morgan; GENRE: Suspense/Thriller; RUNNING TIME: 129 min.


Technical: 4
Moral: 3
Rating: V 14 (14 years old and above)

An illness in the childhood of George Lonegan (Matt Damon) gave him the ability to communicate with the recently departed. Becoming a celebrated psychic, he realizes he cannot ever enjoy a normal life if it is spent connecting with the dead. He hides from the public by working in a warehouse in San Francisco, but somehow is found by people needing to communicate with their dear departed or to simply understand death. One of them is a French television reporter Marie LeLay (Cecile De France) who, on a holiday with her producer-lover (Thierry Neuvic), goes through a near-death experience that changes her life. Another is a widower who is distraught over his wife’s sudden death. Then there is also a young boy Marcus (Frankie McLaren) who cannot get over losing his beloved twin brother Jason (George McLaren). It seems George cannot escape his mysterious ability which people say is a gift but which he sees as a curse.

If you’ve ever seen a perfectly braided hairdo, you will note that its beauty depends on balance, as the hair is divided into three equal parts which are made to criss-cross over one another to form a perfect braid. That is the image Hereafter evokes, with its three separate tales involving death somehow skillfully woven until they are revealed to be part of one whole story that bears a powerful message about death. The master weaver here is Clint Eastwood, getting even better as a director at age 80. The plot is seamless and the treatment of the subject of communicating with the dead handled with discretion, prudence, and—again—balance. No mushiness, no fear-inducing special effects, no notions that make death larger than life while plumbing the depths of feelings and thoughts that haunt people who have been confronted with death. Nothing more, or less, may be asked of Damon’s acting; watching him the viewer does not see the actor but the character, a gifted man who refuses to buckle under the weight of his gift. Technically at least, Hereafter deserves an Oscar.

The three main characters consulting the psychic do not know one another. They are separated by space, their circumstances in life cocoon them from the rest of the world, and yet their individual world share a gloom that every man in their situation must inevitably face. It is a gloom that a person must learn to grapple with by himself to understand and accept, but in time the gloom gives way to light. Hereafter is a film that can make you think about your own mortality, even as you try to understand other people’s loss by it. There is something to be learned, too, from the psychic’s attitude towards his unusual ability. In the film, the psychic’s feet are firmly anchored to the ground—while he cannot question that he has an unusual ability, he is not awed by it nor overwhelmed by people adulation of him. Hereafter presents a sensible view that may be good for viewers to adopt, particularly in our culture where such abilities are all too quickly accepted as “powers” and “gifts” that put the psychic several notches above the average man.

The Tourist

CAST: Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany, Rufus Sewell,Timothy Dalton, Ralf Moeller, Raoul Bova, Steven Berkoff,Clément Sibony, Igor Jijikine; DIRECTOR: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck; WRITER: Julian Fellowes, Christopher McQuarrie, Jeffrey Nachmanoff; GENRE: Drama, Suspense/Thriller; RUNNING TIME: 103 min.

Technical: 3.5
Moral: 2.5
CINEMA Rating: Age 14 and above

Pursued by Scotland Yard, Englishman Alexander Pearce is in hiding, having stolen 740 million dollars from an English gangster in the past. Interpol and a few Italian cops on the corrupt side are tailing Pearce’s girlfriend Elise Ward (Angelina Jolie) in the hope of pinning the fraudster down. Pearce sends Elise a note instructing her to take a train to Venice, pick up a passenger who matches his weight and height proportions, and take the stranger with her to her hotel room to fool the agents into thinking he is Pearce after changing his face through plastic surgery. Once the decoy is arrested, Pearce and Elise can escape their pursuers to be together. On the train, Elise finds and picks up Frank Tupello (Johnny Depp), an American math teacher from Wisconsin holidaying in Europe to nurse a broken heart, who easily falls into the trap. Elise engages Frank in a passionate kiss by the window, knowing she is the under constant surveillance by the agents, thus setting off a chase to get the wrong guy. Elise leaves the sleeping Frank the following morning, but Frank, bewitched by Elise, is determined to find her while running for his dear life.

The Tourist is the kind of movie you may want to see twice to get right, yet two viewings won’t guarantee you certainty that you indeed have it right. Credit that to the implausible plot and the great acting especially of Depp and Jolie that will have the viewer believing the story is really what it seems. The major twist towards the end might make you come to your own conclusions, but not quite so. Hold it, put your thinking mechanism on auto pilot, and just enjoy the suspenseful fluff. Take the train ride for free; explore the side streets and have a splash on the canals of Venice in a boat with an elegant Jolie at the wheel; check in at the plush Danieli (and note how Americans are an amusement on that part of the globe); dare to chase the barefooted Depp traipsing the rooftops in his pajamas—after all The Tourist is technically superb, from the cinematography to costumes. (Yes, drool over la Jolie’s gowns which she displays to best advantage as she sashays through life as though the world’s admiration is her birth right. It might as well be). It’s an entertaining remake of a 2005 French movie, Anthony Zimmer, with more comic touches added by the new writers Florian Henckel von Donnersmark andChristopher Macquarrie. If at the end you feel you’ve been had, blame the clever direction of von Donnersmark who won the Oscar and universal fame for his first feature film The Lives of Others. The Tourist is but his second; imagine what the next would be.

The theme, the war among thugs and fraudsters killing and getting killed over money may be serious, but because of its light treatment it might not be worthwhile to discuss the morality, immorality or amorality the movie displays. Suffice it to say that stealing is bad, even if it’s stealing from a bad man; killing is bad, even if you’re killing your inefficient employee. And what of returning the money stolen? Is that good? Reality check: why would a thief do that? But it happens in The Tourist. Nobody says it’s a true story.—By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS