2013: The Year in Cinematic Review

'Tis the season to look back and review the year.  I've managed to see quite a few films in theaters: 19 to be precise, 21 if you count that I saw both Monsters University and Frozen twice in theaters.  Since I didn't start this blog until after the summer blockbuster season, I thought it might be fun to give mini reviews of all the previous movies I've seen in 2013.  So here goes:

• The Impossible
• This is one of those incredible films I don't ever feel the need to see again.  It's about a family's struggle to survive and reunite after being caught in the 2004 tsunami that devastated Thailand and many other places.  It was an excellent film.  It was also very emotional and heart wrenching.
• Les Miserables
• Wolverine and Catwoman can sing!  No really, Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway are outstanding in the roles of Jean Valjean and Fantine.  And while I know that not everyone agrees, I even liked Russell Crowe as Javert.  I thought this was a terrific adaptation.  But I'm glad that whenever I watch it at home I can completely skip the "Master of the House" segment.  If I could somehow delete it from the disc, I would.
• Oz: The Great and Powerful
• Sadly, this film was neither great nor powerful.  But it was kinda fun and it had its good moments.  I enjoyed it overall and the various nods it gave to The Wizard of Oz while at the same time creating its own world.
• Iron Man 3
• While it may not quite recapture the brilliance of the first movie, our third solo outing with Tony Stark is a lot better and a lot more fun than the second one.  I thought the film did a good job unfolding its plot and villains.  It kept me guessing.  And while not perfect, it had nice helpings of both humor and heart ... and a whole lot of action.
• Epic
• Epic has some beautiful animation, but it falls far, far short of its title.  It's a nice, albeit kind of bland, little movie.
• Star Trek Into Darkness
• I loved this movie!  Benedict Cumberbatch is brilliant.  He manages to be terrifying and yet still somehow sympathetic.  The action is non-stop and the visuals are astounding.  Like its predecessor, the film is also very humorous.  Sure the film has a few gaping plot holes.  But I'm willing to overlook them because the movie is just plain fun.
• Man of Steel
• I'm not much of a Superman fan.  I prefer Batman.  But making Superman a bit more like Batman may not have been the best route.  I liked the movie overall.  But it got a bit heavy.  Perhaps this is DC's way of distancing themselves from the Marvel Universe and its witty humor.  The visuals were great.  And the origin story was well told.  It was neat to see so much of Krypton.  And I liked Henry Cavill and Amy Adams in their roles.  The gaping plot holes were a bit much though.  I'm cautiously excited for the next installment. 
• Monsters University
• No, it isn't as good as Monsters Inc.  But Monsters University is still very fun and very funny. And it managed to have a good amount of heart as well as a theme and resolution you don't see a lot in films.
• The Lone Ranger
• The only good thing about The Lone Ranger is the climax, which incorporates the classic William Tell Overture theme and some incredible set pieces and stunts.  The rest of the film is a schizophrenic mess that sloppily tries to balance humor and some very dark story elements.
• Despicable Me 2
• Yes, the minions and Agnes are cute and funny.  Gru and his secret agent partner/love interest Lucy were at times clever and witty.  Other than that ... meh.
• Planes
• Planes is basically just a rehash of Cars, minus all the heart, wit, and character development that actually made Cars likable.

Well, all the other movies I've seen this year have full blog entries.  Or at least they will.  I only just saw The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.  So out with 2013 and in with 2014.

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Saving Mr. Banks

Credible Credits

Year: 2013

Director: John Lee Hancock

Starring: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Annie Rose Buckley, and Paul Giamatti

Tagline: Where her book ended, their story began.
Synopsis: Walt Disney pulls out all the stops to get author P. L. Travers to sign over the rights to make Mary Poppins come to life on film.

Review

It is not an enviable task to create a film when everyone already knows how it is going to end.  The trick is to create a memorable journey that keeps the audience engaged along the way.  Saving Mr. Banks does just that.

The film pits Walt Disney's charm against P. L. Travers' cantankerousness.  From the get go, we learn that Travers doesn't want her books to be Hollywoodized.  She doesn't want it to be a musical, there is to be no animation, and Dick Van Dyke has to go.  Clearly Walt "wins" in the end.  But there is much more to the film than just artistic headbutting.  Saving Mr. Banks interweaves two stories, both centered around Travers (who is brilliantly portrayed by Emma Thompson).  Story one is about Travers' youth in Australia and her loving yet flawed father.  Story two is about the pre-production rigmarole Disney, Travers, and the other creative minds went through.  The two narratives weave in and out beautifully.  Story one gives depth and meaning to story two as the audience comes to understand not only why Mary Poppins and the Banks family mean so much to Travers, but why Travers is the way she is.

The acting in Saving Mr. Banks is terrific and helps to keep the clearly sentimental film from crossing over into the realm of sugary schmaltz.  Paul Giamatti has a fun role as Travers' amiable chauffeur while she is in L.A.  Tom Hanks does a good job as Walt Disney, full of charm and charisma.  Although the whole time I just felt like I was watching Tom Hanks with a mustache.  The film belongs to Emma Thompson though.  She is critical, harsh, stubborn, and cantankerous, with a sardonic wit that flows throughout the film.  Yet she still manages to be vulnerable and ultimately endearing, albeit in a prickly sort of way.  Also excellent was Colin Farrell as Travers' father.  He is entrancing one minute, tormented the next, and believable throughout.

As you might expect from a Disney movie about the making of a Disney movie, Saving Mr. Banks is full of humor, heart, and music.  The score is dotted with snippets of music from Mary Poppins as the Sherman Brothers (the composers) present things to Travers for her judgement.  The songs are there for more than just enjoyment, however.  The film deftly uses them to tell its own story.  "Feed the Birds," one of Walt Disney's favorite songs, is played when Disney is feeling particularly discouraged.  And without giving anything away, let me just say that "Fidelity Fiduciary Bank" and "Let's Go Fly a Kite" are masterfully woven into the story line.

At the heart of the film is a theme of fatherhood.  Throughout the story are fathers, some more flawed than others, endeavoring to do right by their children.  Walt Disney is trying to keep the promise he made to his daughters.  P. L. Travers' father is doing his best while battling his own personal demons.  And as the stories unfold, the audience comes to understand why Mr. Banks needs to be saved.  He must be saved for his own sake, but also for the sake of the children ... all the children.

The film is not without its flaws.  The story has more than a spoonful of sugar to it and is perhaps more Disneyfied than realistic.  If it doesn't quite fulfill all one's expectations, it is not for lack of effort.  Still, I felt it didn't quite reach the level of magic it was trying to sell.  But it came close.  And though the outcome was assured, it was a fun journey to take.

Quotable Quotes

• "No, no, no, no, no! 'Responstible' is not a word!"  "We made it up."  "Well, un-make it up." -- P. L. Travers and Richard Sherman
• "To be proper British, it should be 'Let Us Go and Fly a Kite' ... [tries singing it that way]  Maybe I'll let that one pass." -- P. L. Travers (approx.)
• "Don't you want to finish the story?" -- Walt Disney

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Merry Christmas

There's no movie review here, just a Christmas message:

Christmas is a season of hope.  We hope it snows; we hope the roads stay dry.  We hope the lines at the mall aren’t too long, that we can find a parking space, that what we want is on sale.  We hope the carolers and choirs sing in tune.  We hope the dinner turns out all right.  We hope we like the gifts we receive and that the gifts we give are appreciated.  We hope people (and ourselves) will be a little kinder, a little more generous, a little merrier.  We hope Charlie Brown’s friends enjoy his scraggly tree and that the misfit toys find homes.  We hope Scrooge will mend his ways and the Grinch’s heart will grow.  We hope for many things.  But at this Christmas season, may we remember that the truest hope is in Christ, “which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God” (Ether 12:4).

Merry Christmas!

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Frozen (Reprise)

So I saw Frozen again today and I felt like I ought to give my second thoughts on it.  First off, I still really enjoy the movie and indeed enjoyed it even more this time.  The music and visuals are still fantastic.

In my previous analysis, however, I felt the pacing was off.  I didn't feel that as much this time around.  Granted, this time I knew what was going to happen.  So that may have some bearing on it and I'm not necessarily discrediting my first reaction to the film.  But the scene I particularly made mention of in the previous spoiler section didn't feel nearly as rushed as I had remembered.  I'm not entirely sure what made the difference.  And I'm still not sure the scene was as polished as it could have been.  Something still felt a little lacking.  But it was a good scene, and better than I initially gave it credit for.

Even though I like it even more now, I still think Frozen has a few (generally forgivable) flaws.  But if any of you felt I was too harsh on it, I wanted to offer this second look.  Movies may not change, but sometimes they deserve second chances, if only because we change.

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Frozen

Credible Credits

Year: 2013

Director: Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee

Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, and Josh Gad

Tagline: N/A
Synopsis: When Queen Elsa traps the kingdom of Arendelle in an eternal winter, Princess Anna must find a way to save not only her home and people, but also her sister.

Review

Ah, Disney.  It's good to see you returning to the style that you do so well: the musical fairy tale adaptation.  Frozen is Disney at its best.  It's breathtakingly beautiful, delightfully humorous, and earnestly heartfelt.

The animation is superb.  I wish real-life snow and ice were always as beautiful as they are in the film.  There's a gorgeous richness to all the scenery that makes Arendelle feel both parts real and magical.  And it is almost mesmerizing to watch as Elsa, the Snow Queen, unleashes her power.  In one particularly stunning scene she starts to fully understand just what she is capable of and creates an entire palace made of ice.  But the ice and snow aren't simply beautiful.  The film utilizes them in such a way that they help reveal Elsa's character.  Each time her powers are used, the ice reflects her mood, whether it be excited, scared, or frustrated.

Speaking of character, it is the characters that really make the film wonderful.  Anna is almost unflappably optimistic, and the film plays off that in different ways.  Elsa, as I mentioned, is very much like the snow and ice she can create.  Sometimes she can seem simply cold.  But there is an intricate beauty to her.  And the way the two sisters interact is what really ties the story together.  Kristoff and Hans round out the main characters nicely.  Which brings me to Olaf, the snowman.  When I saw the teaser trailer with him losing his carrot nose and him and Sven the reindeer battling it out to retrieve it, I was a bit leery.  He was cute in the short, but he seemed like he would get very annoying over the course of an entire film.  I was totally wrong.  Josh Gad, who voices Olaf, is perfect.  Despite being a snowman, his voice has an endearing warmth to it.  It doesn't hurt that Olaf gets some wonderfully witty lines and a terrific song of his own.

And speaking of music, the soundtrack and score for Frozen are catchy and beautiful.  Olaf's song is very clever.  And Kristoff gets a fun little song that tells a lot about his character.  That's what's so great about the best Disney musicals.  The music isn't just thrown in to add a number.  It furthers the story or the character development or both.  My favorite song in the film is Elsa's as she's harnessing her powers and building her ice palace.  The visuals and the music work in harmony (pun intended) to create a dramatic scene that might otherwise fall flat.

I really did love Frozen and I look forward to seeing it again and owning it.  That said, the film is not without its flaws.  The chief problem, I felt, was pacing.  The film just felt rushed at times.  Instead of being able to savor moments, we were hurried on to the next sequence.  I wanted a little more time to enjoy the breathtaking scenery or to understand the characters and what made them tick.  And I don't feel like we got that.  And while Frozen is a very, very good film and ranks among some of Disney's best, I think that pacing problem keeps it from being truly great.  It's terrific.  But it's not quite the same caliber as The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast.  And the sad thing is, it came so close.

Despite its imperfections, Frozen is well worth seeing.  And as soon as it is available it will join the ranks of Disney films that line my DVD/Blu-ray shelves.

*** Spoiler Section ***
I'll admit it, upon seeing the trailer, the posters, and the way the story was unfolding, I was totally expecting Hans to be a good guy who ended up marrying Elsa.  Not so much.  Hans has got to be one of the most intriguing villains in recent memory just because he does such a believable job at being the typical Prince Charming.  He's handing out blankets during the eternal winter for crying out loud.  The only giveaway I can think of was his being the youngest of 12 brothers.  That did set off a little red flag, but I disregarded it.  I was totally expecting a moment like Enchanted, where he kisses Anna but nothing happens because they are now in love with different people.  Again, not so much.  Talk about a villain with a heart of ice.  Considering he was willing to let Anna die and prepared to kill Elsa, he sure got off light.  Disney villains don't usually fare so well.  Honestly, simply sending him off in chains felt a little weak to me.

In terms of what I said about pacing, the main moment that I felt was rushed was the climax.  There were other moments, but that was the most important.  Anna has just sacrificed herself for Elsa's sake.  She was prepared to die, either from the sword or her frozen heart.  That's a pretty powerful moment.  But it felt far too rushed from that point to when she starts to thaw.  Elsa needed more of a moment.  She needed time to grieve.  Her sister's an ice sculpture because of her.  She needs to feel that.

Moreover, we as the audience needed time to settle.  We needed a few seconds to truly process what Anna just did and what Elsa is now feeling.  There needed to be a moment where we as an audience could wonder, is Anna really gone?  Yes, it's a Disney movie and we already know the answer.  But still.  Both Beauty and the Beast and WALL-E have similar moments, moments where you start to wonder if the hero is lost.  In both films, we get a moment with Belle and with EVE as they mourn.  There is a tremendous power in those moments.  They're part of why those two movies rank in my top 5 films.  I wish Frozen had been brave enough to take that moment, to let the characters and the audience grieve.

I don't think I'm just being a nitpicking former film student.  That moment was a powerful chance for the audience to empathize.  Instead we get near-instant gratification.  That's a bothersome trade-off.

Still, the things that Frozen did right outweigh what it could have done better.  I heartily enjoyed the movie and look forward to seeing it again and again.

Quotable Quotes

• "Some people are worth melting for ... just maybe not right this second." -- Olaf the Snowman
• "You're gorgeous.  Wait, what?" -- Anna
• "Somebody's gotta tell him." -- Kristoff
• "Oh, look at that.  I've been impaled." -- Olaf the Snowman

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The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Credible Credits

Year: 2013

Director: Francis Lawrence

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, and Woody Harrelson

Tagline: Remember Who the Enemy Is
Synopsis: With rebellion percolating in the Districts, President Snow declares the Quarter Quell, where past victors -- including Katniss and Peeta -- must compete against each other.

Review

I suppose I should start once again with the disclaimer that I haven't read the books.  That said, perhaps the highest compliment I can pay Catching Fire is that it didn't feel like an adaptation.  It just felt like a continuation of the previous movie (which did feel like an adaptation and I had to ask a friend to explain a few details that made no sense).  Anyway, the point is, I went into the movie not knowing what to expect or how things would end.

The movie was fantastic.  It was stronger in just about every way than the previous film (and I liked the previous film).  There was a lot more depth to this one.  I felt like we got to know and understand the characters a lot better.  We got to truly see the toll the previous Hunger Games has taken on Katniss.  And despite being a very lengthy film, it was well paced.  I felt involved and on the edge of my seat the entire time, wondering how things would pan out.

Catching Fire is very much about cost.  So many of the characters -- both major and minor -- are beginning to see the world as it really is.  While on the Victor's Tour, Haymitch tells Katniss and Peeta they are supposed to be distractions from the real problems.  But they aren't successful at being distractions.  Instead they have become symbols of hope.  People have discovered that the Capitol is not invulnerable.  But since the Capitol is still strong, any resistance, any rebellion is quickly and brutally crushed.  Yet character after character demonstrates their willingness to risk, and if needs be pay, the cost for what they believe in.  I can't say anything more here without creating spoilers.

Overall the film was fantastic.  Days later I'm still mulling over things that were said or done.  The visuals were outstanding and the soundtrack was perfect as well.  I look forward to the next installment.

*** Spoiler Section ***
It seemed clear fairly early on that at least some of the tributes had decided to not play "the game" and were instead primarily interested in preserving Katniss and/or Peeta as symbols of hope and rebellion.  I actually started getting a little frustrated with Katniss for not catching on.  Character after character, from the old man in District 11 to Cinna to Mags to Johanna, showed that they understood what was really at stake and that certain things were worth dying for.  It was clear Cinna was going to die as soon as the dress transformed (which was awesome, by the way).  He knew what he was doing and what message he was sending.  He must have known there would be repercussions.  But Katniss, she's still myopically trying to play the game and survive.

I suppose this isn't so much a qualm with the film as the story itself.  Maybe I'm just used to a different type of hero.  I read somewhere that a hero is not one who wins the prize, a hero is one who pays the price.  President Snow is right, Katniss is still only focused on her own survival and the survival of those closest to her.  She fails to see any bigger picture.  Even Prim seemed to understand that there were things more important than mere survival.  At least to Katniss' credit she was willing to sacrifice herself for Peeta.

Quotable Quotes

• "Any last advice?"  "Stay alive." -- Katniss and Haymitch
• "Tick tock." -- Wiress
• "So it's you and a syringe against the Capitol?  See, this is why no one lets you make the plans."  -- Haymitch

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Babette's Feast

Credible Credits

Year: 1987

Director: Gabriel Axel

Starring: Stephane Audran, Bodil Kjer, Birgitte Federspiel, and Jarl Kulle

Tagline: N/A
Synopsis: Babette, a political refugee and former chef, comes to live with two spinster sisters to serve as their housekeeper and cook.

Review

No, this isn't playing at a theatre near you.  It isn't at the Redbox down the street.  It may not even be at your local library.  You've probably never even heard of Babette's Feast (or Babettes Gaestebud, its original Danish title).  If I hadn't been a film student I probably would never have heard of it either.  And my life would have been a little emptier.

I was introduced to Babette's Feast in a class called Transcendence: Religion and Film.  In this context, "transcendence" is the ability to lift a person above their current state.  It is not about whether a film is overtly religious, but whether a film is spiritual.  Allow me to use some previously reviewed films as examples.  The Saratov Approach is an overtly religious film that also succeeds at being spiritual.  Gravity, on the other hand, is not religious, but is still spiritual.  Babette's Feast, like Saratov, is both.

I fear I will not be able to do the beauty of this story justice.  The power lies in the telling, not the retelling.  Nor do I expect most of those of you who may read this to hunt down this film and watch it.  It's a slow film, quiet and thoughtful.  It is a feast to be savored, not a meal to be hurried.  And it's in Danish and French with subtitles.  So I recognize it isn't a film for everyone.  But it is beautiful nonetheless.  It didn't win the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film for nothing.

The basic story is that Filippa and Martine are the daughters of an austere Danish minister in a small, isolated village.  In their youth, both women chose to sacrifice opportunities for very different lives in order to remain with their father and their church.  Years later, after their father has passed away, the two sisters continue in their quiet lives helping the poor in the village and leading what's left of their father's congregation.  Then one storm-tossed day Babette arrives at their doorstep.  She is a political refugee from France.  Her husband and sons have been killed.  She has nothing.  But the letter of introduction she brings from a mutual acquaintance says she "can cook."  So the sisters take her in as their housekeeper and cook.

For years, Babette serves the sisters humbly and faithfully.  She becomes a blessing in their lives and thus allows them to bless the lives of others.  Plus everybody eats a little better too.  But then the unexpected occurs: Babette wins a lottery and 10,000 francs (roughly an upper middle class yearly salary).  To show her appreciation for the sisters' generosity over the years, Babette offers to cook them a French dinner to celebrate the 100th anniversary of their father's birth.  The puritanical sisters warily accept.

What Babette offers is not simply a meal, in part because she is not simply a cook.  Babette is a chef, an artist.  She prepares the meal not only with the finest ingredients, but with all her talent, her skill, her gratitude, her love, and her joy.  The result is miraculous.  It's not water-to-wine miraculous, more hard-hearts-become-soft miraculous.  In a previous scene, the little congregation was seen bickering and quarreling and generally being anything but unified.  Yet this feast brings them together, and not just around the dinner table.

If the body and spirit make up the soul of a person, then both the body and the spirit must be fed for the soul to be truly nourished.  Babette's feast feeds both.  It's kind of like the ultimate Thanksgiving dinner.  The word "sacrament" means taking part in a sacred offering.  In that limited sense, Babette's feast is a sacrament, and it reminds the little congregation of the true Sacrament.  As their stomachs fill, so do their hearts.  Grudges are forsaken.  Grievances are forgotten.  Gratitude is found and unity is reforged.  The miracle is not in the feast, just as it is not in the bread and water/wine.  The miracle is in the love and sacrifice the food and drink symbolize.

*** Spoiler Section ***
It is not until all the guests are gone that the full nature of Babette's gift and sacrifice is discovered.  After all her hard work, Babette looks tired but satisfied.  She splashes her face with ice water and enjoys a glass of wine for herself.  The sisters join her to offer their compliments and their gratitude.  Babette then reveals that she was once the head chef at a prestigious Parisian restaurant.  She then quietly goes about collecting the dishes.

Feeling that this confirms their sad suspicions, the sisters ask when she will return to Paris.  Babette answers that she is not returning to Paris ... for she has no money.  She spent the entire 10,000 francs on the dinner, noting that was the cost for dinner for 12 at the restaurant where she was chef.  The sisters are stunned, to say the least.  Babette goes on to explain that it was not simply a gesture of gratitude; it was a chance for her to offer her utmost best as an artist.  It was a chance for her to use her God-given talent to bless the lives of those she loves.  She says simply that when she cooked, it made people happy.  What more could an artist ask or hope for?

Quotable Quotes

• "An artist is never poor." -- Babette
• "Throughout the world sounds one long cry from the heart of the artist: Give me the chance to do my very best." -- Babette
• "In Paradise you will be the great artist that God meant you to be.  Ah, how you will delight the angels!" -- Achille Papin to Filippa and later Filippa to Babette

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