It's generally considered pretty bad form for a critic to get emotionally invested in something they are critiquing; and even worse form to write an entire review whilst still under the emotional influence of said article. Still, I've never been one for rules and dammit if I'm not going to try to convey just how indescribably amazing this movie is.
You've heard the hype. If you haven't, then you've been living under the biggest rock yet to grace this technologically advanced floating lump of earth and water. As with any hype, there is always a fear that The Avengers could never live up to the massive hype surrounding it. But fear not, The Avengers not only lives up to the hype, but blows the hype out of the water, into the atmosphere and Hulk Smashes it to the ground. It is truly impossible to generate enough hype to match the splendor of The Avengers.
For those of you somehow not aware of what's happening here, The Avengers is the culmination of Marvel Studios attempt to bring comic book cross-media continuity to the big screen. Starting all the way back with Iron Man 1, then continuing through The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Iron Man 2 and Captain America, Marvel has been slowly weaving their films together into a concrete universe. Loki (Tom Hiddleston), the disgraced sun of Odin and brother to Thor, has returned to Earth with a massive and unstable power and the intent to unleash an unstoppable army onto the Earth. Desperate, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, in the role that was based on him in the first place) pulls together any and all heroes under SHIELD's purview. This includes the reclusive Dr Banner (Mark Ruffalo, replacing Edward Norton), the thawed out Captain America (Chris Evans) and the narcissistic, ego-maniacal Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr, playing the role for the third time). Thor (Chris Hemsworth) himself even eventually joins the fray and it's a race against time as the heroes must put their differences and egos aside to unite in the Earth's defense. Over simplified as it is, The Avengers is much more than its deceptively simple premise thanks, mostly, to three important things. Joss Whedon (Firefly, Serenity, Buffy) has not only provided an extraordinary screenplay, but once again proves his directional chops are criminally under-appreciated. But a fantastic script and direction wouldn't mean a damn without the actors to back it up, and thankfully The Avengers deliver on all fronts. Both Chrises and Robert deliver even stronger performances than they have previously, and Mark Ruffalo owns Banner more than even Edward Norton could. Tom is having way too much fun as Loki and his personality elevates him well beyond stock-standard villain territory. Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye is really the only missed opportunity here, with his character mostly left to the sidelines or support roles. And yes, there is much more to Scarlett's Black Widow than that leather or 'dat ass' this time around; Whedon gives her plenty of room to flex her acting as well as her legs.
The Avengers true wonder comes from the way Whedon manages to work in all his little quirks and have them not feel out of place. He truly understands these characters; their flaws and their humanity. His wonderful moments of comedy never feel unnecessary or forced, but a natural progression of events from a deep understanding of who and what he is writing for. This especially shines through with both The Hulk and Captain America. Whedon provides the best understanding of The Hulk so far as an unrestrained, brutal force, like throwing a hand grenade into a sandpit. Some of the best moments of comedy come from the Hulk being the Hulk. And Captain America provides an interesting change for Whedon, a step outside his usual flawed, complex characters and a chance to write a straight man, and he handles it divinely. It's a tribute to everyone involved that this film manages to feel like a natural continuation of not one, but five different movies.
In weaker hands, The Avengers could have easily fallen apart. There's always so much going on, so many characters, so many sideplots, but at no time does it feel like too much. Whedon keeps a steady hand on everything, letting the pace build slowly until it erupts into a stunning final act. It succeeds not only as a standalone movie, but as a movie teeming with the fan service this kind of cross-continuity stories were invented for - Hero on Hero, cross film cameos and references, hints at further stories and developments. I challenge anyone not to leave this film feeling something incredible. I'm calling it, right now, nothing this year, comic book movie or otherwise, is going to surpass this film. Go, see it, now.
Seriously.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Melancholia Review
Few names in the cinematic world stir up as much fear and controversy as that of Lars von Trier. Personally I am a huge fan and have never bought into the claims of racism, misogyny or any of the other terms people love to throw at him. There are few directors with as recognizable a style as von Trier, nor few with a powerful enough drive and vision to create what he has, from the minimalist Dogville and Manderlay, to the more recent (and most controversial) Anti-Christ, few can deny the power of von Trier's vision. And so he returns this year with Melancholia, a human drama disguised as a disaster movie.
The film opens with a stunning series of slow motion shots that sum up the themes and motives of the movie to come, all set to a beautiful excerpt from Wagner's Tristan and Isolde (which also happens to be the only piece of music used in the film, repeated at important intervals, a surprisingly stark and effective choice). Afterwards, it continues in two parts, named after the primary protagonists, Justine and Claire.
Justine (Kirsten Dunst) is getting married and intends to celebrate the wedding at her sister Claire's (Charlotte Gainsbourg) estate. The reception is paid for by John (Kiefer Sutherland), Claire's overly-rich amateur-astrologist husband. Throughout the night, Justine sinks further and further into depression, tearing not only her family, but her work and even her marriage apart. After sleeping with a stranger on her wedding night, her husband leaves the wedding in disgrace. Upon riding in the morning, the sisters notice a single start has vanished from the night sky.
The second, Claire, takes place an indeterminate time later. Justine has sunk into an almost catatonic depression and is unable to function, so she returns to live at her sister's estate. Meanwhile, a mysterious planet has appeared from behind the sun and is on course towards Earth. This part juxtaposes Claire's descent into fear and insanity with Justine's calm acceptance of the end, creating an interesting argument over who really is sane.
It's hard to talk about what Melancholia, the film, and Melancholia, the planet, represent without ruining things for the viewer. This is a very personal movie and will mean something different to every person who watches it. Some will hate it, there is no doubt. It's slow-paced, surrealistic nature is bound to lose the more casual viewers, though it is far less disturbing or even controversial than any of the director's previous works. There's almost no sex or nudity; hell, there's barely even any language. At its heart though, Melancholia owes a lot to its stars, especially Kirsten, showing again her incredible acting chops that so many people tend to forget about, especially those that first saw her in Spiderman and were remiss enough no to hunt down her earlier works, such as the incredible Elizabethtown. The script, will well-written, could easily have been lifeless, overly-intellectual and self-indulgent almost to the point of masturbation were it not for the subtleties of the performers. Kirsten's depression is a quite one, shown by long periods of silence and slow movements, not by dramatic outbursts or endless drama. Claire's anxiety burns slow, too, so that when it finally boils over it's all the more powerful. Keifer is given the somewhat unlikable role of the voice of science/arrogant rich bastard, but he again proves that he's not just Jack Bauer. Alexander Skarsgaard, Stellan Skarsgaard and John Hurt also shine in the prospective roles, though both John (as Justine and Claire's father) and Alexander (as Justine's husband) are rather underused.
To truly appreciate Melancholia, you have to forget about the planet, or at least think of it as a metaphor. A disaster movie, this is not. The ending of the world is simply the catalyst to create drama in a surreal and extreme situation, not unlike Requiem for a Dream's overly extreme portrayal of drug use. It recalls a similarity with this year's Tree of Life, which explores some similar themes and is also a fantastic movie. It is true that not everyone will enjoy this, but I implore you to ignore the Lars von Trier stigma and go in with an open heart and mind. There is much to discover at the end of all things.
The film opens with a stunning series of slow motion shots that sum up the themes and motives of the movie to come, all set to a beautiful excerpt from Wagner's Tristan and Isolde (which also happens to be the only piece of music used in the film, repeated at important intervals, a surprisingly stark and effective choice). Afterwards, it continues in two parts, named after the primary protagonists, Justine and Claire.
Justine (Kirsten Dunst) is getting married and intends to celebrate the wedding at her sister Claire's (Charlotte Gainsbourg) estate. The reception is paid for by John (Kiefer Sutherland), Claire's overly-rich amateur-astrologist husband. Throughout the night, Justine sinks further and further into depression, tearing not only her family, but her work and even her marriage apart. After sleeping with a stranger on her wedding night, her husband leaves the wedding in disgrace. Upon riding in the morning, the sisters notice a single start has vanished from the night sky.
The second, Claire, takes place an indeterminate time later. Justine has sunk into an almost catatonic depression and is unable to function, so she returns to live at her sister's estate. Meanwhile, a mysterious planet has appeared from behind the sun and is on course towards Earth. This part juxtaposes Claire's descent into fear and insanity with Justine's calm acceptance of the end, creating an interesting argument over who really is sane.
It's hard to talk about what Melancholia, the film, and Melancholia, the planet, represent without ruining things for the viewer. This is a very personal movie and will mean something different to every person who watches it. Some will hate it, there is no doubt. It's slow-paced, surrealistic nature is bound to lose the more casual viewers, though it is far less disturbing or even controversial than any of the director's previous works. There's almost no sex or nudity; hell, there's barely even any language. At its heart though, Melancholia owes a lot to its stars, especially Kirsten, showing again her incredible acting chops that so many people tend to forget about, especially those that first saw her in Spiderman and were remiss enough no to hunt down her earlier works, such as the incredible Elizabethtown. The script, will well-written, could easily have been lifeless, overly-intellectual and self-indulgent almost to the point of masturbation were it not for the subtleties of the performers. Kirsten's depression is a quite one, shown by long periods of silence and slow movements, not by dramatic outbursts or endless drama. Claire's anxiety burns slow, too, so that when it finally boils over it's all the more powerful. Keifer is given the somewhat unlikable role of the voice of science/arrogant rich bastard, but he again proves that he's not just Jack Bauer. Alexander Skarsgaard, Stellan Skarsgaard and John Hurt also shine in the prospective roles, though both John (as Justine and Claire's father) and Alexander (as Justine's husband) are rather underused.
To truly appreciate Melancholia, you have to forget about the planet, or at least think of it as a metaphor. A disaster movie, this is not. The ending of the world is simply the catalyst to create drama in a surreal and extreme situation, not unlike Requiem for a Dream's overly extreme portrayal of drug use. It recalls a similarity with this year's Tree of Life, which explores some similar themes and is also a fantastic movie. It is true that not everyone will enjoy this, but I implore you to ignore the Lars von Trier stigma and go in with an open heart and mind. There is much to discover at the end of all things.
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