Film Review: The Town

Ben Affleck made his directorial debut with 2007's Gone Baby Gone, a wonderfully twisty tale of a Boston kidnapping, punctuated by Amy Ryan's sensational Oscar-nominated performance (she was unjustly beat out by Michael Clayton's Tilda Swinton). Affleck is back behind the camera with The Town, also starring in the lead role; with this gritty action thriller, Affleck has catapulted himself back onto the A-list of the film industry, kick-starting a career that could eventually mirror the auteur work of Clint Eastwood... Yes, he's that good.

The plot follows a intertwined cast of characters through the underworld of Charlestown, a neighborhood in Boston notorious for its insanely high number of bank robberies. Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck) and James Coughlin (Jeremy Renner) lead a team that has been executing bank heists for a long time; when James takes Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall, gorgeous and controlled) hostage after a problematic job, their intricate world starts to fall apart. The supporting cast also notably features Blake Lively as James's sister, and Doug's sometimes lover, Krista, with Jon Hamm as FBI agent Adam Frawley on the hunt for Doug and his crew.

Affleck has found his muse in Boston, featuring beautiful aerial shots of the city, and establishing a singular atmosphere over the entire picture. Affleck also deftly executes his action sequences, specifically a thrilling car chase through Boston's frighteningly narrow streets; a big scene in Fenway Park is almost unbearable taut and terrifying. As a director, Affleck displays incredible skill at building tension between his characters, reeling in the drama tighter and tighter, culminating in a rewarding and effective climax.

Affleck is good in his role, but his talent behind the camera outshines any moment of his in front of the camera. The entire ensemble cast is incredibly strong, and features some brilliant casting choices. Lively's drugged out nymphomaniac shows that the young actress can do much more than her flimsy role on the television show Gossip Girl, even if she's only given a few short scenes to. However, the real star of the film in the acting department is Jeremy Renner (nominated for an Oscar in last year's The Hurt Locker), sparking like bottled lightening. Renner's James Coughlin is wound so tight you'll be tempted to hold your breathe every time he's on screen; the audience has no idea when he'll finally let his raw aggression and rage loose. It's a frightening performance that's impossible to look away from.

The Town is leagues better than Gone Baby Gone, and while there's not one performance that explodes quite like Amy Ryan's work in the latter film, the ensemble in the former is without a weak link. While Gone Baby Gone's conclusion felt a tad forced, The Town always stays true to its tone. No plot point feels awkward. The entire film sizzles. More than anything, Affleck (who also co-wrote the screenplay, based on Chuck Hogan's novel Prince of Thieves) proves he has a big future in Hollywood; he knows when to plant nuggets of humor, moments of humanity, and thrilling action sequences. Instead of producing a stale crime drama that retreads old material, Affleck infuses something new and exciting into his honed archetypes. A-

Quote of the Day

I'm a good person!

-Harry "Boy Who Lived" Stephenson

Stage Review: In The Heights

At the 2008 Tonys, In The Heights won 4 award, capping off the night with Best Musical. The show, about a vibrant Hispanic community in New York's Washington Heights, is still going strong, and recently added American Idol winner Jordin Sparks to the cast as Nina, the one girl who escaped the Heights for college... before dropping out and returning to the 'hood.

The musical was the brain child of Lin-Manuel Miranda, who also originated the role of Usnavi (currently Kyle Beltran). Miranda's passion is evident in every moment, from the vibrant characters to the sense of family imbued in the neighborhood. However, some of the characters fall into easy cliches, and there's a thick layer of predictable cheese lathered on top of the whole thing. When compared to something like Fela!, my favorite show from last year and another "cultural piece" on Broadway (unfortunately closing in January, and currently featuring Patti LaBelle), In The Heights's specific flavor feels a little manufactured, watered down for a standard Broadway audience.

Regardless, every moment in In The Heights is soaked with emotion and heart, something that can be said of very few shows currently running on Broadway. The score is explosive, catchy, and utterly original as the first real hip-hop musical. The choreography, an interesting mesh of urban street and studio contemporary, demonstrates how the show throws together classic musical theatre with its own distinct vision.

Sparks has a lovely, if strained, voice, and her upper register is especially appealing. However, her acting is questionable. She certainly has pipes, but her emotional connection to Nina is awkward and inauthentic; Sparks cycled through a handful of expressions, and often seemed far too young alongside the rest of the cast. Beltran, also making his Broadway debut after originating Usnavi role on tour, is ridiculous talented - he's utterly charming, funny, and hits each emotion perfectly. His vocal parts are also the show's most difficult, hitting a rapping-singing blend; Beltran's execution is pro. Both Sparks and Beltran are at their best during a particularly emotional scene during Act II.

The supporting cast is all over the map - Andréa Burns is utterly hilarious as Daniela, as is Shaun Taylor-Corbett's Sonny and Courtney Reed's Carla; Marcy Harriell makes an unappealing Vanessa, while Clifton Oliver seemed vocally weak as Benny; and finally, Olga Merediz is one of the show's brightest lights, still starring in her Tony-nominated role as Abuela Claudia.

In The Heights could have used an edit or two before hitting Broadway (the first act is too long, and a few songs feel especially weak), but the show works beautifully as a whole. The cast puts their everything out on stage, and the effort shows - the theatre pulsates with nonstop energy. There might not be much going on intellectually during In The Heights, but its crowd-pleasing nature and raw emotion hits. It took me long enough to finally see this show; my only regret is having been introduced to el barrio sooner. B+

Quote of the Day

I'm never on your Quote of the Day, and I'm pissed...

-Abaigeal Reilly

Television Review: Boardwalk Empire

HBO's Boardwalk Empire, a 1920s period piece about gang life in Prohibition-era Atlantic City, premiered last night after months of hype and stellar early reviews. With a pilot directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Terence Winter (of Sopranos fame), the lavish drama series was bound to be a big draw, and the extended pilot episode certainly delivered. This show has success written all over it.

Telling the story of political boss with a mobster agenda, Steve Buscemi plays Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (loosely based on a true character from Atlantic City's rich history, Nucky Johnson). Buscemi, known for his character work in a number of films, has finally hit the jackpot with Thompson, a complex character with numerous facets (and a seemingly rich backstory, involving the death of a wife that seems to haunt Thompson more than he lets on). The other main players are: Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt, using his pouty mug to wonderful results), Thompson's right-hand man, scarred by the war and unsure of his future in Thompson's gang world; Margaret (Kelly Macdonald), a desperate housewife that Thompson, rather mysteriously, shows unending compassion towards; and Van Alden (Michael Shannon, hard and gruff), a Prohibition officer investigating the Thompson's shady business dealings.

The pilot's plot dealt with the beginning moments of Prohibition (celebrated with a huge party of a "funeral," a countdown like New Year's Eve!), and a secret shipment of Canadian alcohol gone awry. One of my biggest problems with the pilot was its level of confusion; along with numerous new names and characters, it was often a difficult to sort out the show's details, and too intricate to hash out in its entirety here. That said, I'm sure the series will bring the important gangsters to the forefront, streamlining the expansive map of Atlantic City that the opening episode introduced. The use of historical characters is a wonderful touch - young Al Capone introducing himself to Darmody was a thrilling moment.

The production values for Boardwalk Empire are impeccable, from the costumes to the set to the music; everything is spot-on in capturing a different time, dripping with exquisite 1920s grit and glamour. The episode's depiction of the decadent, drunk lifestyle faded as the episode continued, beautifully striping down to the horrific gangster power during the Prohibition. Scorsese's work is a wonderful base for the series; his stylistic choices, often slightly overwrought (hello Gangs of New York, which treaded similar territory), are more understated here, yet still undoubtedly the work of Scorsese. Winter's writing is dense while deft, showing his skill at weaving a vast web of characters together in a singular environment.

The pilot could have used more time to flesh out its characters; the show's action-thriller opening minutes, before flashing back with a "three days earlier" title card, was a slight misstep, starting with action instead of the show's richly detailed characters. Still, this could also just be HBO's penchant for a flashy opening sequence, drawing in viewers so they'll stick around for the talky, intricate character drama that follows (speaking of which, Boardwalk Empire was incredibly light on nudity for an HBO premiere...).

Boardwalk Empire brings to mind previous period work from HBO (Deadwood, Carnivale). It also seems to be in direct competition with AMC's Mad Men. HBO infamously passed up on the critical darling, and now HBO is going to war with its own meticulously crafted period piece; we'll see how the Academy responds at the Emmy awards next year. However, having Boardwalk Empire in the time slot right before Mad Men actually served as a disservice to the former; last night, Mad Men's wonderful episode balanced nuanced characters, dark humor, and raw emotion... demonstrating (once again) why it is the greatest show currently on television.

Regardless, the comparison at this point in the game is be unfair; Mad Men's characters are playing off of three full seasons of background and history. Boardwalk Empire certainly needs time to establish itself, and the premiere episode built wonderful groundwork for a show that could easily reach the creative heights of Mad Men. For now, I am definitely a fan. I will definitely be tuning in next week. The possibilities for this gem are endless; if nurtured correctly, this could be classic HBO television gold. A-

Quote of the Day

I never thought I'd be asking Cher to hold my meat purse.

-Lady Gaga, at the VMAs

Quote of the Day

I thought Amir's was, like... a nail salon? They should do eyebrow threading.

-Ross Ramone, on a Morningside falafel restaurant

Quote of the Day

Omg this whole time I thought Daniel Craig was Daniel Radcliffe holy shittt

-Danielle Robin, in a text message

Film Review: The American

The American emulates European filmmaking, and almost feels ripped straight from the film industry of 1960s Italy, maybe France. George Clooney plays Jack (or is it Edward?), the titular American residing in a medieval Italian village. He's given a job to construct a gun for the mysterious Mathilde (Thekla Reuten, the best part of the film); during his stay, he also meets the beautiful prostitute Clara (Violante Placido).

To say more would ruin the film's deliberately structured plot, as not much actually happens in The American. Director Anton Corbijn, famed photographer and director of 2007's Control, has put a deliberate spin on what could have been a big spy thriller - this is an existential piece, a look at a man struggling with his place in the world. Sure, a spy or hitman with a conscious is nothing new, but Corbijn's careful execution elevates The American above cliched retread.

The film's opening sequence kick-starts the action, perfectly blurring Jack's morality (followed by a spectacularly designed opening credits sequence). One of the greatest things about The American is that it always feels like a larger spy movie that has been zeroed in. There is so much happening on the periphery of Jack's life and on this single job, things never fully explained to the audience; this gives Jack's journey a focused feel, like Corbijn has zoomed in on the elements of the story that intrigue him the most. George Clooney is stripped of his charm, subdued to an almost stoic level; Clooney, not one of my favorite actors, works wonderfully here, barely letting his emotions ripple across his face through most of the film.

While Clooney's take on Jack is an interesting turn for the actor, the film itself ends up too cold and rigid to become something truly remarkable. The pace of the film crawls along like a snail; in his adherence to European filmmaking, Corbijn has made a film that keeps the viewer at arm's length for far too long. Masterful European thrillers, such as Micahel Haneke's Caché, trick the audience such that the film moves at such a measured pace, and with such cold deliberation, that you're completely unprepared when the film suddenly slaps you across the face.

The American lacks such a punch. However, the film's final act is perfectly executed, finally letting the film's tension unravel; however, the film spends far too long churning the action instead of building in preparation for the finale. The final act puts together the pieces, finally elevating the film, giving meaning to its detailed focus. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, and every single shot drips with European elegance. The film's parting shot is breathtaking, in both style and content; it draws upon a motif built throughout the film, an understated metaphor that grows beautifully.

Despite it's chilly exterior, The American works because it trusts its audience: there are no flashbacks to spell out important moments, no expository dialogue to close up loose ends, no movement in the orchestration (unobtrusive and wonderful work by Herbert Grönemeyer) that screams how important a single line of dialogue is; there is a pivotal statement that spins the film and its characters, but Corbijn doesn't give it any added attention. Ultimately, this is a movie about a man, not a spy, and it's bound to be extremely polarizing. The American is almost unbearable slow in parts, but the film rewards the viewer's attention, as its cold, emotionally restrained focus unfolds a man's inner turmoil before your eyes. B

Quote of the Day

James Franco is the new Kevin Bacon - he's in everything!
-Mama Smith

Top Ten: Oscar Season 2010

At the end of every summer, I compile a list of the ten movies I'm most excited to see through the close of 2010, more affectionately known as Oscar season. This list used to be posted as a Facebook note, and was one of my biggest inspirations for finally creating a blog. Oscar season is undoubtedly my favorite time to be in a movie theater. It's electrifying. The title of each film below acts as a link to a trailer; imbedding ten YouTube videos in this post would make things a little too... lengthy. Even for me.

10. Tron: Legacy (December 17th) - Disney's original Tron was released in 1982; while it flopped at the box office, it became a cult phenomenon, praised for its revolutionary look. Now, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), the original Tron protagonist, has disappeared, leaving his son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) behind. When Sam uncovers a message at an old arcade, a message only his father could send, Sam is sucked into the video game world that has held his father captive for 20 years. While big budget action flicks are usually saved for the summer, it look as though Disney has created a dazzling world with sleek CGI and stunning visuals; need another reason to get excited? Daft Punk is providing an original soundtrack.

9. 127 Hours (November 5th) - Director Danny Boyle's last effort was the belle of the ball at the Academy Awards two years ago; he follows up Slumdog Millionaire with this extraordinary true story of Aron Ralson (James Franco), a mountain climber who cut off his arm to free himself from a fallen boulder in 2003; the title refers to the amount of time Ralson spent trapped. Boyle loves to dabble in different genres, and 127 Hours will be a big shift from the decadence of Slumdog. Still, the trailer features some absolutely breathtaking landscape shots of mountainous Utah.

8. Morning Glory (November 12th) - Rachel McAdams is one of my favorite young talents in Hollywood, and it looks like she's found a winning role in Morning Glory, written by Aline Brosh McKenna, famous for The Devil Wears Prada. McKenna has returned to a young woman thrown into a strange work environment; here, Becky Fuller (McAdams) becomes the head of a struggling morning show, casting a curmudgeonly evening newsman (Harrison Ford) to replace the hole next to the show's famous host (Diane Keaton). Just like with The Devil Wears Prada, this looks like a chick flick that's still very aware of its heart, and of its brain.

7. Hereafter (October 22nd) - Clint Eastwood returns to his directorial duties for this high-concept romance-thriller piece. The film deals with three separate storylines, each grappling with morality and tragedy. The film stars Matt Damon, Bryce Dallas Howard, Cecile de France, and twins Frank and George McLaren; the structure is Bable-esque, stretching across the globe with each vignette. Eastwood has even said that the film is tough to explain. However, Eastwood seems to really push himself as a director here, and the results are bound to be enthralling.

6. Love and Other Drugs (November 24th) - Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway team up again (they last starred together in Brokeback Mountain) in this film based on the memoir Hard Sell, about a playboy pharmaceutical salesman (Gyllenhaal) from the '90s, caught up in the Viagra craze while finally finding himself falling in love (with Hathaway). The film looks to lampoon the pharmaceutical company, possibly giving the movie's central romance a satirical edge reminiscent of Thank You For Smoking. Also, Hathaway has been receiving some serious early Oscar buzz for her performance. Gyllenhaal and Hathaway have boundless chemistry, and the two are bound to shine regardless of the film's final quality.

5. Blue Valentine (December 31st) - After twelve years of production hell, this romance, about a young couple falling in and out of love over six years, became a indie superstar at Sundance last year, created an intense bidding war for distribution rights, and began strong Oscar chatter for stars Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling. While there's only a short clip online, with no official trailer, the film has been lauded by critics along the festival circuit for the movie's unflinching portrayal of a passionate and volatile relationship. Blue Valentine might just give The Kids Are Alright a run for its money as the little-indie-that-could...

4. Black Swan (December 1st) - Movie blogs exploded when early snippets of Darren Aronofsky's script for this psychological thriller circulated online. Natalie Portman plays an ambitious ballerina, struggling to win the lead in a production of Swan Lake. When a new dancer arrives at her studio (Mila Kunis), a dangerous relationship begins between the two women. As the competition heats up, their structured world of ballet begins to fall apart. Aronofsky is know to either hit big (Requiem for a Dream) or miss big (The Fountain), but everything points to Black Swan becoming a visually stunning work of art with simmering eroticism.

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (November 19th) - Does this film need an introduction? Director Richard Yates has truly hit his stride helming the Harry Potter series (he's been on board since Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), and the trailer for the first half of the final installment looks promising. The cold menace felt throughout the final novel drips throughout the film's trailer; the entire gang is back, and they look poised to truly deliver with Harry Potter's final appearance.

2. Never Let Me Go (September 15th) - Based on Kazuo Ishiguro's 2005 novel, this fantastic piece of character-driven drama deserves a solid screen adaptation. The story follows Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Ruth (Keira Knightley), and Tommy (Andrew Garfield), who spend their childhoods at a boarding school in the English countryside. However, their lives hold many secrets, and their introduction to the real world proves shocking; don't let anyone ruin the narrative and emotional twists. The production for Never Let Me Go looks appropriately lush, and the actors are all brilliantly cast (even if Keira is too pretty to play Ruth...). If this adaptation is anywhere near as strong as the source material, this is certainly a must-see.

1. The Social Network (October 1st) - When plans were first announced for a film about the birth of Facebook, I was incredibly skeptical; the idea seemed odd, and ultimately unnecessary. But then... the trailer was released. Using a haunting and brilliant cover of Radiohead's Creep (Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails is scoring the picture), the trailer is magnificent. David Fincher, one of my favorite directors, is a master at sprawling and atmospheric tales about regular people; his touch is all over The Social Network, and I truly believe that the man could make gold out of anything. Aided with a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin, Fincher looks to have created a film that truly captures a generation. Sure, not everything in the film is based on the factual events behind Mark Zuckerberg's story, but when has that mattered? The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield (who is also in Never Let Me Go, and was recently cast as the new Spider-Man), and Justin Timberlake. Early screenings of the film have been returned with unbelievable reviews. This is the film to see this fall.

On The Radar
-Ben Affleck surprised with his directorial debut in Gone Baby Gone; he's at it again (and starring this time!) with The Town (September 17th)

-James Franco stars as the poet Allen Ginsberg in Howl (September 24th)

-Hilary Swank has Oscar buzz for Conviction (October 15th)

-The minds behind The Hangover are back with Due Date (November 5th)

-Naomi Watts and Sean Penn are together again (after 21 Grams) with the story of CIA agent Valerie Plame in Fair Game (November 5th)

-Two big directors find themselves in old locales - Sophia Coppola revisits a hotel with Somewhere (December 22nd), and the Coen Brothers are out West again in True Grit (December 25th)

-French director Julian Schnabel follows up The Diving Bell and the Butterfly with Miral (December 3rd)

-Two heralded British imports are on the horizon - Another Year (December 31st) and The King's Speech (November 24th)