My latest article for the The Austinot is about the amazing Abbie Evans and her battle with EB, a degenerative skin disorder. It’s not often I get to dive a little deeper with my pieces, so check this out for instant inspiration.
The Imitation Game (2014)
And The Nominees for Best Actor in A Motion Picture Are…
Benedict Cumberbatch and his team team of code crackers pour over the Enigma Machine in The Imitation Game (image: http://www.morapowah.com)
Benedict Cumberbatch. If a presenter in this year’s Academy Awards doesn’t announce his name at least once, a riot may break out. Pitchforks, flaming Molotov cocktails and copies of the BBC Sherlock Holmes on DVD will be thrown at the stage. More than one fan will scream, “KHAAAANNN.”
And I’ll be right along with them. Built off the back of his powerful portrayal of English mathematician Alan Turing, The Imitation Game is a frightening yet engaging look into the world scientific espionage. If biopics are a fast track to the Oscars, expect this one to scream towards the podium with an Acme rocket on its back.
The film tracks the major plot points from the life of Alan Turing, an English mathematician tasked by the British government to crack Germany’s Enigma code during World War 2. The film not only goes through the process of breaking the unbreakable, it looks into who Turing was as a person: cold, confident and haunted by a deeply personal secret.
As I’ve previously raved, Benedict Cumberbatch’s portrayal of Turing is by far my favorite male performance of the year thus far. Whether he’s stonewalling a British general or breaking down emotionally, Cumberbatch is an actor in full command of his craft. As a single-minded genius, he’s good at alienating his fellow code crackers but even when he’s at his most prickly, Turing somehow remains a sympathetic character. A well rounded character buoyed by a fantastic performance.
Like a great athlete, he also makes everyone around him better. The rest of the cast hits every pitch that comes their way. Keira Knightley backbones a strong, charismatic female lead, Matthew Goode lends charisma to his role as Turning’s co-worker and Mark Strong is downright terrifying as the MI6 agent who secretly runs the show.
Alan Turning with his favorite co-worker, his code breaking computer. (image: blackbearpictures.com)
The cast, while memorable, have screenwriter Graham Moore to thank for spinning them gold. The script is exceptional, full of sharp dialogue and clever ways to tell the deceptively complex story. Retelling historical stories can fall into PBS documentary zone but Moore avoids this by peppering the screenplay with an even helping of humor, drama and strong character building.
Director Morten Tyldum pulls everything together with an expert hand. With even pacing using traditional techniques, Tyldum pulls tension and great performances from his cast. The cinematography reminded me of 2012’s The King’s Speech. Simple and straightforward yet highly effective.
The story, however, is anything but easy. As the layers of Turing’s story unfold, themes are constantly bubbling to the surface. What starts as a simple “quest for the answer” becomes full out espionage with tons of twists and turns. At times, the second half war games between MI6 and the code crackers gets a bit jumbled and rushed but the film never loses focus.
The Imitation Game also does a great job of doling out the story in a series of time jumps. While the constant year reminders are a bit clunky, the intrigue it adds to the story is worth it. And when Turing’s personal life is brought into focus halfway through, the film jumps to another level.
In a world where filmmakers try their best to be too cool, too dark or too “filmy”, it’s nice to see a movie that feels a bit old school. With great tension, a fine script and a knockout performance by Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game is a fascinating and engrossing portrait of an unlikely World War 2 hero.
Score: 9 out of 10
Talking Collaboration with Bill
The fine folks at Colab Cooperative asked me some questions about workplace collaboration and I blabbed about ideas and bee hives. Click the very true comic below to read the rest of the interview!
Foxcatcher (2014)
A Minor Disappointment
Channing Tatum stands bewildered at Steve Carell’s wrestling advice in Foxcatcher. (image: fandango.com)
Director Bennett Miller has done extraordinary things. He made 2011’s excellent Moneyball. He directed the Oscar nominated Capote (a film that should have won Best Picture, but we won’t get into that). Even his 1998 documentary The Cruise about a New York City tour guide was released to rave reviews. He’s a technical marvel, a director adept at wrangling great performances from A List actors.
His latest film, Foxcatcher, is no exception. Pulling outstanding work from the much maligned Channing Tatum and Office alum Steve Carell, Miller’s tale of an unraveling millionaire should be among my favorite of the year. Sadly, due to its plodding pace and non-existent characterization, it might not even crack my Top 10. A solid film that falls a few notches short of amazing.
Carell plays the real life John du Pont, son and heir to the du Pont family fortune. Blessed with limitless means and no talent with which to use them, du Pont decides to invest in the wrestling career of Olympic gold medalist Mark Shultz (Channing Tatum). The two develop a father / son relationship but when Mark’s brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo) gets added to the mix, tensions mount. John refuses to be second best.
The main attraction is Steve Carell’s remarkable work as the eccentric du Pont. While he doesn’t completely disappear into the role, he embodies the frailties and dangers of being a 60 year old spoiled rich kid. His knack for holding onto tense moments with stillness and control makes every scene brim with uncomfortable moments. It’s a daring and difficult role that he absolutely nails.
Steve Carell does not approve of Channing Tatum’s blonde highlights. (image: bostonglobe.com)
The objects of du Pont’s creepy obsession with American wrestling are the Shultz brothers. Tatum’s turn as Mark is full of relentless drive while Ruffalo plays Dave with kindness and an unyielding sense of brotherly love. It’s great to see Tatum prove himself as a versatile actor and further shed his Twilight years.
Bennett captures everything with an icy, stoic eye. While his movies tend to run on the “colder” side, Foxcatcher is absolutely frigid. Despite a reel’s worth of wonderful shots, very little is done to flesh out the characters beyond their story points. With a real life tale full of fascinating people, more attention should have been paid to who they are as opposed to what they did. Tatum could have been more than a driven athlete, Ruffalo could have been more than a doting brother and Carell could have been more than a rich guy with mommy issues.
The result is a tragically missed opportunity. If the characters were more interesting, I wouldn’t have minded Bennett’s slow direction but as it sits, the deliberate pacing becomes tedious and almost boring. This is even more apparent at the film’s conclusion. If you know the real life ending of the Shultz / du Point saga, there won’t be much punch to the final ten minutes.
I always side with actors and with a trio of outstanding performances, Foxcatcher is still a film worth watching. It saddens me to label it as a very minor disappointment. While not fleshing out the characters is the film’s cardinal sin, the overall themes of obsession and self worth are firmly intact. A thin movie full of fine acting, Foxcatcher is a slow yet solid real life story. It just could have been so much more.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
Wild (2014)
Natural and Personal Splendor
Reese Witherspoon treks the California wilderness in Wild. (image: http://www.film.com)
Everyone has their lowest moment. Points in our history where we’ve lied, stole or cheated. Made a mess of things. Regardless of magnitude, we all carry a little bit of shame. We also deal with them in a thousand different ways. The latest film from Oscar nominated director Jean-Marc Vallee (Dallas Buyer’s Club) examines the true story of one woman’s quest to atone via trek through the California wilderness. With deft direction and an award worthy turn by Reese Witherspoon, Wild is a sure fire Best Picture contender.
Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) has had a rough life. Saddled with a past of prostitution and drug use, she decides to trek California’s thousand mile long Pacific Coast Trail without any hiking or wilderness experience. What starts as a way to get away from it all turns into a journey of self discovery, perseverance and healing.
With stunning shots of the California wilderness and intimate scenes of personal growth, Vallee takes Dallas Buyer’s Club’s comparatively stale direction and amps it up by a factor of three. His biggest success is the development of Cheryl as a character. By exposing bits of her back story in the midst of her incredible journey, Vallee paints her as a wounded warrior, not a back-stabbing cheat. She’s easy to stand behind despite her life mistakes.
No, there isn’t much variety in released screenshots of Wild. Enjoy! (image: theweek.com)
As the star of the show, Witherspoon absolutely nails the energy of our trail worn hero. Tough yet vulnerable, Witherspoon plays the complex role with an unexpected confidence. Whether she’s fording a river in sandals or trying to sleep in the midst of forest noise, she perfectly straddles the line between physical and personal struggle. We feel for her past but never see her as a victim. A very tough balance pulled off with unseen skill.
My favorite performance, however, comes from the exceptional Laura Dern as Cheryl’s mother. With her boundless enthusiasm in the midst of tough circumstances, Dern steals every scene she’s in. My favorite moment is when she explains her positive outlook to her teenage daughter. While her face shows the strain of an alcoholic husband and tight expenses, her heart remains golden. It’s one of my favorite moments of 2014. If she’s not on a Best Supporting Actress ballot come February, I just may stage a riot.
The entire emotional vibe is presented through a fantastic screenplay written by Nick Hornby (An Education). Adding a mix of sharp dialogue and natural humor to the drama, Hornby highlights the theme of personal repentance without beating us over the head with it. Nature is also used as a character, making Cheryl’s mostly solo journey feel like it’s being taken with an unreliable friend.
All of this is done without a hint of Lifetime movie cheese. Where Dallas Buyer’s Club finished on the preachy and predictable side, Wild keeps things honest and bare. Every happy ending or revelation is earned by our lead.
Stories about personal demons are common in the film making world. By using the power of nature as a metaphor for cleaning out the emotional closet, Vallee has created a film of strength and beauty. The true story of Cheryl’s road to recovery is a startling one done justice by bold direction, deft writing and a fantastic turn by an unappreciated actress. A completely satisfying trek through personal forgiveness.
Score: 9 out of 10
The Theory of Everything (2014)
A Familiar Journey Worth Taking Again
Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne share a smile in The Theory of Everything (image: focusfeaturesmedia.com)
Every film going season seems to bring a new biopic along with it. Last year we had Saving Mr. Banks. The year before that, The Iron Lady. The year before that, Moneyball. An endless source of critical acclaim and controversy, biopics are a quick road to nomination-ville for everybody involved. This year’s high profile entry into the genre is The Theory of Everything, a sharp yet familiar feeling examination into the life and accomplishments of Stephen Hawking. While it feels oddly similar to a certain Best Picture winning movie about a flawed genius, a standout performance by Eddie Redmayne separates it just enough to warrant a watch.
Redmayne (Les Miserables, My Week With Marilyn) plays the brilliant physicist Stephen Hawking. Starting with his days as a bright eyed Cambridge student, Theory unflinchingly tracks Hawking’s physical challenges and personal triumphs. In the lead, Redmayne is exceptional as both the young and old scientist. Nailing both the physical limitations and spirit of Hawking, Redmayne disappears into the character. What could have been a simple impersonation becomes deeper and more authentic in Redmayne’s skilled hands.
While they’re no Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connolly from A Beautiful Mind (yes, that’s the other genius movie), Redmayne connects beautifully with co-star Felicity Jones (Like Crazy). As his devoted wife and caregiver, Jones’ conflict between duty and freedom is the emotional drive of an interesting character. Even in the twisting third act, she’s a solid anchor for Redmayne to work against.
Eddie Redmayne fully embodies the spirit of an exceptional genius. (image: collider.com)
Trouble is, this is all familiar territory. Basically Ron Howard’s Oscar winner without the schizophrenia, Theory feels like a re-hash. Director James Marsh (Man on Wire) peppers the film with cinematic flourishes and the occasional incredible shot, but the overall vibe feels fifteen years old. While there’s literally nothing the screenwriter could have done to avoid this (hence it not killing the overall score) watching it made me feel like it was 2001 all over again.
That doesn’t stop Theory from being a very well-crafted movie. The script is lively, engaging and does a nice job of giving our characters room to work. The cinematography features some standout shots and the overall direction is tightly focused on Hawking’s struggles and successes. Punches aren’t pulled either, especially when the uncomfortable subject of his separation is handled. It all feels honest and true to the real events.
Simply put, The Theory of Everything is a movie worth seeing. With a pair of sensational performances, a dynamite script and a tough to watch yet touching story, Everything earns its Oscar buzz. We may have been down this road before but stories of exceptional people doing exceptional things never grow stale. A lovely bit of December cinema.
Score: 8 out of 10
Top Local Stores for Last Minute Gifts Under $37
It’s been a big release day for Mr. Tucker! A new Austinot article has hit the site. Need a last minute gift in the ATX? Give this article a look!
Whiplash (2014)
My latest review courtesy of the Revolt Daily crew is near and dear to my heart. Drums and percussion. An intense thrill ride, Whiplash is a tough to watch yet exhilarating view into musical perfection. Read it up!
Trail of Lights 2014 Preview – The Austinot
The holidays are here and what better way to celebrate than taking a stroll through a blanket of lights. Click Santa-Saurus to give it a read!
Sex, Drugs and Cubicles – What I Learned From the Music Business
A new story of mine has made it into print! Michael Gilligan from Fake Chapter Records put together this compilation of odd vignettes from the music industry and I was able to contribute my short story “Yes, Music is Hard” to the book. I also helped edit it, so if you see blatant errors, it’s probably half my fault. Click the pic below to buy the book!
(Book cover pending. For now, here’s a picture of Mr. Ming being adorable.)
thesurrealityproject 