(dir. Brad Bird)
Sometimes, it's nice to be reminded of the things Hollywood does well. You won't see Ghost Protocol nominated for any Oscars, and no one's going to look back years from now and talk about what an over-/underrated movie it was. The budget is huge, and you can tell. The actors are too busy running around to even think about depth. The script is complicated to the point of absurdity... But there's something to be said for a movie that simply wants to entertain and excite you, and is good enough to actually do it. In short: if you're looking for a fun, fast-paced, exciting action movie, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol is one of the best Hollywood has put out in a long, long time.
No need to relate the story or plot details - really, the plot is just for show anyway. The point of the movie is to go from setpiece to setpiece, making you laugh and grip the edge of your seat along the way. Tom Cruise returns yet again as Ethan Hunt, and while he does nice, convincing work here, I think it may be time for him to retire the role. His first foray into the world of Mission: Impossible was back in 1996, when he was 34. Cruise is now fifty and has portrayed the character in three separate decades... He looks good for his age, but a 50-year-old doesn't need to be hanging from the highest building in the world. If this is his final turn in the role, you could do a lot worse in terms of swan songs.
(dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)
A conundrum. The second half of Biutiful is really quite special: understated, simple, quiet, effective... the first half, though, is slow, cumbersome, and frankly unnecessary. Almost nothing from the first half of the movie has any relevance, other than introducing primary characters and characteristics. And that's really a shame - so much talent is behind this movie, but the story just lacks focus.
The film does give Javier Bardem ample opportunity to show his acting chops, which he excels at as usual, but his character feels undefined. More like a shadow than a person. He is haunted by the past, even by his present, but we have little idea why. He is involved in a number of shady business prospects, and again we're not really sure why. The film suggests that this is his lot in life - this is the best he can do - but we instinctively think otherwise. Some strong moments, but ultimately disappointing.
(dir. Scott Cooper)
Another movie filled with strong moments, but ultimately fails to amount to anything larger.
The ultimate problem is that the story just feels so familiar. About the only interesting thing about this biopic is that it's fictional, but it hits the same notes as any other musician story: a former star has fallen on hard times, has substance abuse problems, and eventually turns his life around and experiences a resurgence in popularity to accompany his newfound serenity. Jeff Bridges is excellent as always, and Maggie Gylenhaal does admirable work as well, but ultimately it comes down to the script: we've seen this all before. Nothing new, and nothing very interesting.
Cinema Paradiso - 3.5/5(dir. Giuseppe Tornatore)
At times, Cinema Paradiso is one of the best movies ever made. At others, it verges on maudlin manipulation.
When the film focuses on little Toto and his budding relationship with a local projectionist and the movies he watches, it's nothing short of amazing. And wisely, this is the bulk of the film. The actors are perfectly cast, and the tone perfectly straddles the line between nostalgia and sentimentality. The two are such a joy to watch, you wish the movie would just abandon its storyline and focus on them...
As he must, though, Toto grows up, and the movie theater he loves closes down. It is during these scenes that I lose interest. They're just too overstated. They lack the magic and vitality of earlier sequences. Lovingly photographed by Blasco Giurato and beautifully scored by the inimitable Ennio Morricone, the film remains watchable and mostly enjoyable during these "grown-up" scenes, they just ultimately feel cloying and disingenuous.
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