Trailer Reviews, Week 3

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Sanctum

Okay, so writing these Thursday night, or rather reading Rotten Tomatoes on Thursday before writing these reviews on Thursday night, might not be the best idea.

Rotten tomatoes just ruin everyone's day...

When I learned I was drawing Sanctum this weekend, I was a little pumped. The crew behind this one helped James Cameron develop the 3D cameras he used to such great effect in Avatar, and it looks like there may be some awesome visuals in this one as well. If the 3D doesn't look good here, I really am done with it.

The critics on Rotten Tomatoes assure, me, however, that the lame one-liners and hints of a generic plot shown in the trailers are pretty much all this film's got outside of those visuals. I may like it more than them, but I can't give it any less than three beers in good conscience.

Beer Prediction

I'll hedge even further and give it four. Let's hope that it looks good at least.

The Roommate

Oh my. This one will be fun. They really will try to turn just about anything into a teen slasher flick. Remember the one about the killer cell phones?

Don't worry. Nobody does.

Well, don't count on remembering this one past next week unless they achieve something truly terrible. Judging by the hokey, supremely non-scary premise and horror setups, The Roommate has a chance. Oh, and the trailer appears to be suggesting that you should never let anyone into your life, because they might kill you... so there's that.

Beer Prediction

This one has six-pack written all over it.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

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By: Oberst von Berauscht (A Toast)

A Toast

With their near flawless track record, it should come as no surprise that this is not only a fantastic film, but also Pixar Studio’s finest film to date. I must admit, I had reservations about this one from the earliest trailers and even through the glowing critical reviews that led up to its wide release. After all, how many sequels are as good as the original?

Ok, but for the most part, when sequels are made, they tend to be on the lighter side or cash-in titles for the studio to make more money with fewer ideas.

Toy Story 3 picks up approximately eight years after the last installment. Andy is headed to college, and the toys are boxed up and all but forgotten. In Toy Story 2, you might remember that Woody nobly saved Wheezy Penguin from the bargain box. Wheezy is gone now, and many other toys have suffered the garage sale fate. The toys that are left are the ones that Andy feels nostalgic enough to want to hold onto. Through a series of mistakes, Andy’s mom ends up donating the toys to a local day care center.

And of course…

Pixar pulled out all stops to not only make Toy Story 3 feel fresh, but also to make the more familiar elements of the script fit nicely in the new set pieces. And not only that, but they also make it feel essential; it draws the series to a close that brings all characters full circle. I can honestly say this is one of the rarest gems in a film series, a trilogy which ends on the highest note of the series.

I award this film one beer of fine pour, and exceptional quality.

Note:

I did spot a “Zach Moment”* near the end of the film.

(Spoiler alert)

At the end of the film, where the toys are headed for the incinerator, an awesome way to end the movie would have been a fade to black followed by the face of Woody staring up at the sky blankly as the camera zooms out slowly, to reveal that his eyes are all that remain, and you see the melted corpses of all our heroes in a heap at the bottom of the burn pile.

*A “Zach moment” is a time during a film where the filmmakers missed an opportunity to fuck with the audience’s heads. These moments may or may not enhance the viewers’ enjoyment of said sequence.

Verdict

This may be the best in the series, and that’s saying something.

Winter's Bone (2010)

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By: Henry J. Fromage (3 Beers)

A young woman taking care of her family sets out to find out what happened to her meth-cooking father. Pretty much no hilarity ensues.

A Toast

Even the most quality movies about the poor rural Southern white demographic tend to focus on this sort of thing:

I’m hoping that this doesn’t happen too often, and I have to toast Winter’s Bone for shooting a little higher. While life isn’t exactly puppies and rainbows…

Image via flickr by ::reflecting truth::

Wouldn’t it be nice, though

…a more realistic approach is taken by the director and scriptwriter.

The sets and cinematography are great, putting you right inside the world of rural Missouri.

© 2010 bsphotographs.com

Even if you’d prefer not to be

There’s an artistic sensibility, in particular a dream sequence, that opens up the film in an imaginative sense and attempts to connect with the viewer through more than just straight narrative… so a little more legit than just doing this again:

You got yerself thar a purty mouth.

A final shout-out goes to the cast. Newcomer Jennifer Lawrence blows up the screen, reminding me a lot of Ellen Page in her dramatic roles. John Hawke is great as Teardrop, her drug-addicted uncle rediscovering his morality. Oh, and Patty the Daytime Hooker’s in there as well.

Beer 2

On the flip side, performances are pretty much all that keeps the film afloat. The story isn’t as interesting as it thinks it is, and the novelty of the setting and situation only take you so far. So, if you can’t get any enjoyment out of watching good acting, this might not be your cup of tea.

Beer 3

This beer goes to the fact that this sort of film has been done before, and better. The setting of the story is original enough, but I can’t help but think of films such as last year’s amazing Ballast or anything Rahmid Bahrani’s done who’ve used the same techniques and style and received one tenth of the recognition thatWinter’s Bone is getting. Good news for the exposure for this type of film, but a bit of a shame for its forerunners.

© 2010 dreamstime.com

A crying shame.

Verdict

Hopefully this one opens up doors for similar filmmakers, and it’s worth a watch for Jennifer Lawrence’s star-making performance alone.

The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008)

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By: Oberst von Berauscht (Two Beers)

A Toast

Finally, a mainstream action movie made by South-Koreans, filmed in the deserts of China and paying tribute to a Western made in the deserts of Spain by an Italian film studio and starring Americans.

And with that, you have The Good, the Bad, the Weird, an unlikely film from an unlikely source, but don’t think for a moment that this is pure novelty. Filmmaker Kim Ji-Woon set out to make a Western and that he accomplishes very well.

In the midst of a train robbery during the 1930s, Yoon Tae-goo (actor Song Kang-Ho) stumbles on a map that promises a fantastic treasure. Unfortunately, the map is also wanted by killer Park Chang-yi (Lee Byung-hun), countless other bandits, and even the Japanese Army. In pursuit also is Park Du-Won (Jung Woo-Sung), a relentless bounty hunter. These characters shoot, stab, and hammer their way through the wastelands of occupied Manchuria towards their ultimate goal.

What makes this film work is the filmmaker’s choice of cast, whose chemistry with each other gels very well. This creates an even blend of action, drama, and comedy. The special effects stay away from CGI for the most part, making creative use of practical explosions, clever production design, and well-placed camera angles to make the film feel bigger and more expensive than it actually was to make.

The film’s biggest action set piece is a high-stakes chase through the desert, where horses, trucks, and motorcycles weave through the surroundings, all while steel rain from nearby artillery kicks up dust all around. CGI has its place in film; it is used quite well to accomplish things that are impossible with practical effects, but it should not be used as a crutch.

The story is well written, with plot twists and turns that you’d never expect, which works to set this film apart from its namesake just enough to make it its own. The mood is set by music that effectively captures the East meets West nature of the proceedings.

Beer Two

Setting the film back from being a single beer is the sometimes confusing camera angles. During the more spectacular action sequences it can be difficult to tell what is happening. This is probably because, unlike a high budget Hollywood action film, they couldn’t afford to film shots from multiple angles to see what worked best. Ultimately this feels almost like a nitpick, as the confusing moments are brief; however, these scenes stand out so much from the otherwise impeccable cinematography, and therefore merit another beer.

Verdict

Very good, not that weird, and not at all bad.

The Pat Tillman Story (2010)

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By: Henry J. Fromage (A Toast)

The family of Pat Tillman, former football star and Army Ranger, try to separate truth from fiction and find out what happened to their son.

A Toast

There will be no further beers for this film, although you may want to drink a few more to deal with the deep sadness and smothering outrage of the story.

Probably not the healthiest habit

In short, and as you may remember, former NFL star safety Pat Tillman turned down a multi-million dollar contract not once but twice to enlist and fight in Iraq and Afghanistan as a member of the elite U.S. Army Rangers. When he was killed he was lauded as a hero who gave his life to save his unit. This would have satisfied most families. His preferred the truth.

Not to be messed with.

Director Amir Bar-Lev’s technique is impeccable, reminding me of master documentarian Errol Morris in his use of atmospheric music and lingering face shots to capture the utmost emotion and impact from each interview. He also does a virtuoso job of research, gathering a stunning amount of information and getting interviews that should have been nearly impossible. He uses all of this to build a case like John Grisham against a government and media system more willing to exploit the propaganda potential of Tillman’s death than reveal what really happened.

The result is a powerful indictment against a political and media environment that makes this sort of situation possible, a fascinating examination of the mindset of the common soldier, and a profile of a truly conscientious and complex man.

Verdict

Watch it. It’s an essential story that too few have learned the truth about.