Cosmopolis (2012)

When it’s over, Robert Pattinson’s character, billionaire Eric Packer, is highly concerned that his prostate is asymmetrical, and the journey to try and discover just exactly what that means begins, amongst other bizarre things. Here is another strange film from Writer/Director David Cronenberg, and “strange” doesn’t quite begin to explain how I perceive this film. I am pretty much confused throughout the film, and bored at times. It’s dreamlike style of dialogue and visual direction lulls me into a “sleep with one eye open” state. I have not read the book by Don DeLillo, but maybe if I had before going into this film, I might have gaged a better understanding of the events. The film takes place in one day in a custom designed limo traveling through the streets of Manhattan. Eric is on his way to get a haircut, but is constantly interrupted by individuals who pull him into somewhere deep within himself, that he does not completely understand. The film, like Eric, is detached and unfeeling, which is delivered through the speedy monotone dialogue, which sound like gibberish, since they do not mean anything, or at least, anything I can relate to in the film. The only thing I get from the dialogue is a sense of “I’m not sure what I’m talking about or what I want to do with myself” attitude, which could be exactly what Cronenberg is trying to convey as displayed in a scene where Eric shoots his hand, so he can understand and feel pain. Eric represents the filthy rich, the people who have done everything and have everything, and don’t know what else to do with themselves, because they are numb, oblivious to all that’s around them. For example, there is one scene where the limo drives through a riot. The limo is jumped on and spray painted, but Eric does not notice or acknowledge the violence outside the vehicle. The ending is a question mark, leaving the viewer to decide what happens, and I feel this is a poor ending to a very unrewarding journey. At least, let me have the satisfaction of seeing what happens. I do not recommend this film, unless you are a die-hard Cronenberg fan and crazy-in-love for Pattinson, but be warned, you will find no elements of Twilight's Edward in this film. Pattinson is completely transformed.   

My rating: 1.5 out of 5

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

When it’s over, I liked this film, but didn't love it. After Pat (Bradley Cooper) is released from a mental institution to the custody of his parents (Jacki Weaver and Robert De Niro), he is determined to win back his wife, Nikki (Brea Bee), who has issued a restraining order against him. Things get complicated when he enlists the help of a woman named Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), who has emotional problems of her own. The film brought awareness and understanding to an issue I knew little about, which in turn, made me hungry to know more. Humor was the key element, but the film never felt like a comedy. The humor was subtle and throughout, serving as an effective tool in peeling away the stigma commonly associated with mental disorders. I really liked the dance competition element of the story. It was funny as well as poignant. It cleansed Pat and Tiffany in a way they never expected and brought the two flawed individuals together in a deserving way. Most people agree this film was about mental illness, but I believe this film was really about inner struggle and relationships. Viewers could easily relate to such factors as wanting to better themselves, as Pat did as he constantly reached for his silver linings; or feeling “alive” and “in the moment” like Tiffany, felt while coping with her own inadequacies; or never giving up on their child, like Pat’s parents. You don’t have to have a mental illness to be engaged in this film. Although, I think viewers who do have mental illness or know of someone who has mental illness can relate with greater intensity to the characters. Instead of seeing Pat as a man with mental problems, I saw him as a man with challenges, who struggled to co-exist with his difficulties. Isn’t that what we all try to do everyday of our lives? Cooper won me over, not by his looks, but by his talent. He pulled me into the life of a man who wore a garbage bag when he ran in order to lose weight. Lawrence was solid, as usual, and I completely forgot she was Ree from Winter’s Bone or Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games. As much as I liked Lawrence, I don’t think her performance was Oscar worthy. She was very good, but not WOW. The major downside of the film, for me, was the yelling and arguing onscreen (mostly between Pat and his parents), which derailed my viewing pleasure. There was something about all that bickering that simply turned me off. Luckily, most of it took place in the first half of the film, making the second half, the true winner.  

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Infernal Affairs (2002)

When it’s over, Hong Kong cinema at its best.  Andy Lau and Tony Leung come together to play opposing characters, and they are simply mesmerizing in a film about a mole in the police department and an undercover cop in a Chinese Triad.  Lau is Inspector Lau King Ming, the cold calculating lawman, and Leung is Chan Ying Wang, the tormented agent who is in way too deep. The film stays focused on these two men as they play cat and mouse and try to discover one another. A simple plot with deep ramifications. Not your run of the mill cop and robber film.  This is a police thriller that doesn’t use lavish gunplay, overblown explosions, intense car chases, or cheesy buddy cop dialogue to sell its worth. The film builds tension with each scene, not through action, but through emotionally charged leading characters. The script is tight, and the acting is right on. I can get into the minds of Lau and Chan. I can feel their inner struggle as they fight to survive in their surroundings. The violence is very specific and is only shown to make a statement. I can see Martin Scorseces’ interest in this film, as it is the basis for the USA remake, The Departed (2006).

My rating: 4 out of 5

Star Trek: Into Darkness (3D - 2013)

When it’s over, I’m a Trekkie at heart, or some may argue the term is “Trekker.” Either way, I’m fascinated with Star Trek, and Into Darkness is a fun ride into outer space and even better, in 3D. The USS Enterprise is sent to Kronos, the Klingon home world, to capture a fugitive responsible for killing innocent lives. The film introduces the viewers to Earth’s adversary, the Klingons, and a human villain named Khan (first seen in Star Trek: the Wrath of Khan -1982), played by British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who is well cast as the calculating, indestructible, and genetically altered man. The Enterprise crew returns for this sequel, and the performances are solid, picking up exactly where they left off in 2009, almost seamless. The film is bigger and more lavish in scope, but the story is somewhat lacking. Lots of physical action and CGI, but a displacement of human stories. The 2009 Star Trek took great care to introduce the crew and develop them parallel to the Romulan storyline. Into Darkness takes these characters, but doesn’t build on them. I don’t feel I know Kirk (Chris Pine) better, because he has not evolved. His selfless act in the end seems too sudden, and there’s no buildup to that behavior. Scotty (Simon Pegg) gets his share of screen time, but what about Chekov (Anton Yelchin) and Sulu (John Cho), who get decent screen time, but none of which move the characters forward. McCoy (Karl Urban) remains unchanged, linear. His comments add humor and falls in line with his character, but become boring. There has to be more to McCoy, and I feel he is completely underused in the film. I don’t like what they have done to Uhura’s (Zoe Saldana) character, making her seem childish in her relationship with Spock (Zachary Quinto). However, I do like how the film takes Spock and Uhura’s relationship to the next level. And this brings me to Spock. I think Spock’s journey/story is the best executed, thanks to Quinto’s  spot on “logical” portrayal. In his relationship with Kirk and Uhura, I see him struggling with his human side, and how he eventually uses it to his advantage. That kind of character development is the stuff of Star Trek. Trekkies will enjoy the film, while non-Trekkers will not be easily sold on the franchise.

My rating: 3.5 out of 5

Gangster Squad (2013)

When it’s over, big names, but no big bang. Sgt. John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) is determined to put Los Angeles mob boss, Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn), out of business with the help of a secret team of police officers. The film was inspired by true events and takes place in 1949. Even in color, it had a film noir feel to it, contributed in part by the set design and costumes, plus all the attributes that make noir so distinctive, including crime, justice, revenge, reluctant hero, and femme fatale. There are only two main female characters – Connie O’Mara (Mireilli Enos) and Grace Faraday (Emma Stone). Connie was my favorite character from the film. She was John's rock, and her support and spunk brought the best out of her husband. I wished the film had included more scenes with her. Grace was a weak character and could have been cut out. Without her, the story would still move forward, because there was no record of this woman being in Mickey's life. She was an added love interest, the female diversion to a male dominated film. I guess the filmmakers wanted to reproduce the chemistry success of Crazy Stupid Love between Stone and Ryan Gosling, but unfortunately, the relationship here was a fizz. I thought Gosling was wrongly cast as  Sgt. Jerry Wooters. I couldn’t get into his character. His soft spoken voice didn’t go with his macho persona. Also, he was completely overshadowed by Brolin's strong presence. The film moved fast, too fast for me to grow any attachment to the characters, and this was where the film suffered. Gangster films are generally about characters, about getting into the mind of the good guys and the bad guys. I needed to see how these characters form and evolve based on their circumstances. Gangster Squad doesn't have the right combination of scenes to draw me into the characters’ lives, thus making me indifferent to them. I would have liked to see some scenes that showed the men’s life outside of the squad, such as family, recreation, fears, mistakes, etc. The squad was handpicked for their skills, so some backstory to these men's lives would have made them more identifiable. The scenes don't have to be long. A few minutes each for supporting characters, added here and there would have sufficed. Remove Grace, and those extra minutes would become available. For example, during an intro of a character, there could be a quick cut to a scene that showed them in a scene in the past, then, cut back to the present. A lot of directors, including Quentin Tarantino, use this technique, and it's an effective way to offer viewers a glimpse of the character's past, which is so relevant in the present.

My rating: 2.5 out of 5