SPOTLIGHTS
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| Wild Things, Dynamite, Flying Females, and MJ... |
| Posted by Chad Webb on 11.10.2009 |
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Michael Jackson's This Is It - If you ask me, this was exactly what it needed to be. Kenny Ortega focuses on the music, the dancing, and the stage presence of Jackson instead of delving into his personal life, which was beaten to death by the media. I'm also glad he never addresses the death because I did not pay a ticket to see a funeral. This was a celebration and tribute to his music and what he gave the world. This is a standard and fairly straightforward concert movie, and that's what I enjoyed about it. If people label it merely a “Making of”, I’d agree, and say that can still be fascinating. It's not the first film to take this approach, and it won't be the last. Considering how this man was dragged through the mud in the media for so many years, it is a good thing it stuck to the music. I mean, we've heard so much about him, his quirks, and his death that if you paid a ticket wanting to hear about that stuff, then you should have flipped on the TV during all those endless weeks of coverage. I feel that veering off into other areas of his life would have distracted us from the importance of his music and infused a more depressing mood. It would have been too morbid. It also would have opened up a can of worms, which I feel would have been tough to control.
Here we have a performer who is not frail, sickly, or on his last leg. Here we have a man who is filled with energy, passion, and a strong heart for putting on the best possible show for his fans. I don't think this should serve as a surprise. If it does, then the media fooled you like they did many others. You do not get to be the "King of Pop" by being an idiot. Michael Jackson is revealed to be a perfectionist that was highly intelligent when it concerned his shows and his music. I think we saw a lot in watching him work behind the scenes, and as a result, many memorable moments were formed. My favorite two were the "Smooth Criminal" opening sequence with Rita Hayworth and Humphrey Bogart, which was very cool. Jackson and Ortega were prepared to use a lot of neat videos for the concert that would have made the live experience fabulous. The other moment I cherished was watching Jackson sing "I'll be There" from his Jackson 5 days, and profess his love to his parents and brothers. That was a touching moment and the fact that he was ready to sing songs from that era is wonderful. The interviews of the crew members gushing over working with him were fine and well placed, and I think This Is It leaves you with the best image of Jackson, standing in the spotlight soaking in the admiration from his fans.
Many critics who were not enthused have made statements like "Fans will love this, and non fans will see this as a dress rehearsal for bad songs." Duh. Way to state the obvious. Why would non-fans want to see this anyway? It makes no sense. The only things I think would have helped this is what made the previous concert films great which is a full arena of fans. It would have been terrific if Ortega had interviews with Jackson I guess, but it's hard to criticize the film for that because he...you know, he died. So it is impossible to have a Tyson like portrait. If we had seen interviews with others discussing his personal life and so forth it would have ended up being precisely what we all bitched about in the media, which is another gossip rag about a misunderstood individual. As it stands, this will be remembered as a superb document to Jackson's talent, the fact that he could still go right up until the end, and the fact that 10 years from now, no one will care about anything except the music because that is ageless. The rumors and theories will fade away. Final Rating = 8.5/10.0
Amelia - One of the reasons Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator worked so well is because we left the theater really feeling as if we got to know Howard Hughes. It had style, but it was also about character. In Amelia, Director Mira Nair chooses style over substance and the result is that this film does not make the same wise decisions that Scorsese and company did. This biopic is way too cautious and basically sticks to the cold hard facts, which may work for some people, but it struck me as the Wikipedia version of the Amelia Earhart story. Hillary Swank gives a solid performance as the titular figure. I say solid, but not Oscar worthy for sure. She is good, and possesses Amelia’s looks and passion for flying adeptly. I would even say Swank brings the little depth to the person that exists in the movie. Nair is more interested in beaches and breathtaking vistas, or close-ups of sensitive touches on the ear lobe and so forth. Richard Gere is George Putnam and Ewan McGregor is Gene Vidal, and both are fine, but are not given enough meat to sink their teeth into. Gere is probably the better of the two because Amelia was married to him, and also pulled most of the strings in her career. The costumes, set decoration, art direction, etc. were all spectacular, but in focusing on that side of the filmmaking, Nair missed what counts. This skims over the most important and potentially engaging facets of Amelia’s life. For instance: her status during the Depression, her recklessness, and how some viewed her more as a celebrity than a pilot. These are referenced, but it does not go beyond mere mentioning. I know a fair amount about Amelia Earhart, and one of the goals of a biopic is to teach the viewer something. This fails to do that, and as a matter of fact, the Unsolved Mysteries special on her was more educational and riveting, but then again, that had Robert Stack. Nair elects to start with her final flight and visit her life via flashbacks, which was unnecessary. You also have black & white news footage laced in reminiscent to the way they handled it in The Babe with John Goodman. This aim here seems to be conveying a dreamlike quality to her life instead of delving under the surface, and that left me very disappointed. I felt as if I didn’t need to really see this movie at all. I have most of the same questions about her that I did before paying for the ticket. The biggest thing for me was the ending, and how they dealt with it. We all know she’s dead, but how did she die? I hated the way it was done here, regardless of some cool photos of the real Amelia, which only highlight Swank’s performance. Hollywoodland was not a perfect film, but it took a chance at showing us all the theories on how George Reeves died. Amelia took no risks, and had no extra flair to speak of, which makes it plain and forgettable. Final Rating = 5.0/10.0
Where the Wild Things Are - Reviews for this film seem to be polarized. Some are very passionate, while others were turned off. First I will say any talk of "honoring" the book is silly because the book is 338 words long. Being faithful is not an issue. This picture did nothing for me. I was surprised because I never expected to leave with that reaction. I've glanced at quite a few reviews, and many make mention of who the target audience is, and that you need to look beneath the surface to grasp things. Honestly, I do not think the target demographic is young kids. I think it is fans of the book, but that is another story. The insinuation that there is more here than what we see on the surface is ridiculous. Nothing happens in this movie. Let's call it what it is: A bunch of kids playing around. The "wild things" are "kids" just like Max, and that should not be a shock. Furthermore, there was no connection with Max, or any of the other characters for that matter. I wanted to feel for Max by the time he was with the "wild things", and I didn't. He's a regular kid, but I hadn't yet formed a bond with him. The most important factor though is the story. Yes, this film has a lot of imagination, and yes a few sequences looked great, but I'll say again, nothing happens. Sometimes, not having a point can work with sharp dialogue and minor sub-plots, but in this case, Max messes around with the "wild things" and goes home. This is Director Spike Jonze's first film since 2002. He is known for his visually impressive efforts, and initially this is eye-opening, but it doesn't change much from the tans and browns. It was too bland, and I expected more. Leonard Maltin said "They focus on atmosphere and emotion", which is half true. The atmosphere is definitely the concern, but the reach doesn't extend much farther. One criticism I had upon viewing the trailer was the voice cast, but in truth, I got used to that quick. You recognize James Gandolfini's voice, and a few others, but they disappear into the bizarre costumes quickly. And let's say you've seen this and disagree with my points. The final one in my mind is irrefutable, which is that the film drags, and seems dull. They have taken super short book and made it into a 1 hour and 45 minute film. Max Records, Catherine Keener, and Mark Ruffalo do fine in terms of acting. Records has no trouble acting like a kid, but it was Spike Jonze's job to make us respect him, and I do not think he succeeded. Some might say this has a Dark Crystal vibe in terms of creepiness, but that movie had a coherent story. I sincerely believe that they want this to be a hit with kids instead of adults. This was a major disappointment for me, and it is receiving a lot of awards buzz, and if it is nominated for Best Picture, it will be the most boring movie since The English Patient. Final Rating = 5.5/10.0
Black Dynamite - This is not the first spoof of the blaxploitation genre. Other films have tried to do it in various ways. I didn't care for Undercover Brother, and I certainly didn't care for Pootie Tang, but I absolutely loved this movie. A Serious Man tackled Jewish humor, and now this focuses on black humor, which was an odd two-week comedy transition, but both are hysterical. Michael Jai White co-wrote the screenplay, and stars as the titular character. His career has been a series of ups and downs with B-movies, television, and the occasional mainstream film. This will be one of his most popular roles. I'm going to try and not spoil too much of the film because I really want everyone to experience it for themselves. It does help if you've seen a few blaxploitation movies to pick up on some of the more subtle jokes. I could not stop laughing. This blends satirical comedy with action, while at the same time, leaving you with a feeling that makes you want to see more blaxploitation films. The costumes from Ruth E. Carter, the production design from Denise Pizzini, and the set decoration from Antonia Nunez are so faithful to the spirit of thos cheesy films it’s like jumping in a time machine. The grainy picture, rough staging, and accurate music from Adrian Younge help too. If it seems like the film is making a mistake, it does so intentionally, which is a key thing to remember when watching this. It has some of the best names for characters in quite some time with Cream Corn, Tasty Freeze, and Sweet Blackmeat to name a few. To be honest, if I tried to explain some of the funny sequences, I wouldn't do them justice, so I won't. Many people have said this wouldn't have been made without Tarantino's Grind House, but I disagree with that. Plus, this is different. It contains every racial slur you can think of, some neat cameos, and even an animated sequence. This was directed by Scott Sanders, and it is not his first film, but he does an outstanding job taking blending nostalgia with entertainment. The camera movements, the gritty style, and the editing are all just right for this movie. Do yourself a favor and see this. Final Rating = 9.0/10.0
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