The Plot: A teenage skateboarder's life begins to fray after he is involved in the accidental death of a security guard.
The Pros: Gus Van Sant's new film is a fine example of great filmmaking. He meditates upon every image, giving us time to take it in and pair our emotions with what we see. The result is a heavily psychological film that succeeds in a very deep way without having to use many words at all. The music is eclectic and surprising, and compliments each shot fascinatingly. The use of young and unknown actors also allows us to step into his world with a more curious mind.
The Cons: Unfortunately, the use of young and unknown actors also creates some moments, although rare, that seem unauthentic and a bit shallow. There are certain points at which the flow of the film is broken for a short while as a result of an actor trying too hard.
The Bottom Line: This is one of Gus Van Sant's best films, lulling you into his cinematographical poetry by utilizing a stimulating soundtrack and wonderful camera techniques. The magic is sometimes broken, however, when one of Van Sant's young actors doesn't produce the emotion required for a specific scene. This, however, is not a frequent occurrance and shouldn't deter anyone from seeing this film. I'll be getting it on DVD as soon as it is released.
The Score: 8.5 / 10
Friday, March 21, 2008
Juno
The Plot: Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, an offbeat young woman makes an unusual decision regarding her unborn child.
The Pros: Ellen Page's performance is magnificent. She allows herself to be swallowed by her character, in turn making the entire film more believable. Michael Cera is also genuinely impressive in his role as a quiet and awkward boy who unintentionally causes Juno's pregnancy. The part could not have been better cast. The indie soundtrack is also very pleasing to the ears and appropriate when placed in the film's context.
The Cons: My major complaint with this film is the inconsistent writing. Despite what the actors try and make of it, there are certain scenes that seem as though they were put together by two entirely different writers. Some lines in these instances become choppy or cheesy.
The Bottom Line: Juno is a wonderful film that suffers from occasionally bad writing decisions. It's great to know, however, that there are two very capable young actors (Page and Cera) who are ready and willing to jump head-first into the script to save the day. And they do a great job. This film succeeds on many levels, and that usually makes up for small writing holes in what is otherwise a well-spirited and lovable trip to the movies.
The Score: 7.5 / 10
The Pros: Ellen Page's performance is magnificent. She allows herself to be swallowed by her character, in turn making the entire film more believable. Michael Cera is also genuinely impressive in his role as a quiet and awkward boy who unintentionally causes Juno's pregnancy. The part could not have been better cast. The indie soundtrack is also very pleasing to the ears and appropriate when placed in the film's context.
The Cons: My major complaint with this film is the inconsistent writing. Despite what the actors try and make of it, there are certain scenes that seem as though they were put together by two entirely different writers. Some lines in these instances become choppy or cheesy.
The Bottom Line: Juno is a wonderful film that suffers from occasionally bad writing decisions. It's great to know, however, that there are two very capable young actors (Page and Cera) who are ready and willing to jump head-first into the script to save the day. And they do a great job. This film succeeds on many levels, and that usually makes up for small writing holes in what is otherwise a well-spirited and lovable trip to the movies.
The Score: 7.5 / 10
There Will Be Blood
The Plot: A story about family, greed, religion, and oil, centered around a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business.
The Pros: There is almost nothing about this film that isn't purely stunning. The cinematography is flawlessly angular and haunting, Johnny Greenwood's soundtrack is avant-garde and beautifully contrasts the images onscreen, and the screenplay builds with steady graduation. Most impressive is the sheer power of Daniel Day-Lewis' performance. Here we see a piece of character work that genuinely seems as though it was summoned from some supernatural force. It is truly one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema.
The Cons: The fact that it can't go on forever. Truly. The flaws are so few and far between that they become almost impossible to identify.
The Bottom Line: There Will Be Blood is a true American masterpiece in every sense of the word. It's one of the best films I've ever seen, and I feel confident in saying that Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the world's finest working directors today. He melds his beautiful writing into a visual and auditory thunderstorm, giving the audience so much to chew on that the film takes at least two viewings to truly appreciate.
The Score: 10 / 10
The Pros: There is almost nothing about this film that isn't purely stunning. The cinematography is flawlessly angular and haunting, Johnny Greenwood's soundtrack is avant-garde and beautifully contrasts the images onscreen, and the screenplay builds with steady graduation. Most impressive is the sheer power of Daniel Day-Lewis' performance. Here we see a piece of character work that genuinely seems as though it was summoned from some supernatural force. It is truly one of the greatest performances in the history of cinema.
The Cons: The fact that it can't go on forever. Truly. The flaws are so few and far between that they become almost impossible to identify.
The Bottom Line: There Will Be Blood is a true American masterpiece in every sense of the word. It's one of the best films I've ever seen, and I feel confident in saying that Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the world's finest working directors today. He melds his beautiful writing into a visual and auditory thunderstorm, giving the audience so much to chew on that the film takes at least two viewings to truly appreciate.
The Score: 10 / 10
A Hiatus....
It appears that I have not been able to review many movies as of late. This is mostly due to the fact that I've been putting most of my effort towards my college career and not towards reviewing films. It recently occurred to me, however, that reviewing films might be what I want to do with my life! So, I can confidently say that I'm going to start reviewing films regularly again. Most of the films I review will be new and upcoming, and some will have already been released. I hope you enjoy the rejuvenation of The Pithy Review!
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