GRADE: A

It has taken me far too long to finally see this Award Season Juggernaut. After being nominated for Best Picture for the 84th Academy Awards and winning at the Golden Globes, I made it my mission to see The Artist ASAP. While I had my own reservations because of the old school nature this film embodies, those we dashed by the brillance put forth in this homage to the ‘Golden Age’ of Hollywood Cinema. For anyone that considers themselves a film connoisseur or film fanatic, The Artist should be a must see added to your list.

For all the buzz surrounding The Artist, most of it that I’ve heard has surrounded the male lead Jean Dujardin. He plays George Valentin, a seasoned silent film star on top of the movie game, and very aware of this fact. His ego is so magnificent, his pride dictates his personality. He loves the limelight brought on by his success, but soon the film industry moves toward talking pictures making George a relic in the business. Because he is kicked aside for the fresh talent in talking pictures, George is destroyed as he’s no longer loved, cherished, or worshipped by the studios and their audiences.

The budding actress Peppy Miller, played by the enchanting Bérénice Bejo, has always looked up to George and pities his declining career. She tries to pull him out the nose dive, but it proves difficult with George’s pride and self loathing getting in the way of his happiness. The chemistry between this pair is apparent from their initial encounter, and continuously builds until the poetic ending. The final scene was by far my favorite of the whole picture. I also should note that in black and white, both of these stars’ faces radiate on screen. It almost felt as if this pair was born to play these roles — they perfectly fit the mold of the stars back in the primitive days of Hollywood.

The supporting cast is filled with talented Hollywood figures like John Goodman, James Cromwell, and Penolope Anne Miller. Then add an adorable dog, who is smarter than most in the film, acting as George’s right hand man, the euphoria increases ten fold. The piece of this film that really carried it from scene to scene and set the emotion within them all is the award winning soundtrack composed by Ludovic Bource.

My only gripe with The Artist has everything to do with my own personal preference for a movie with talking characters. I personally have a hard time enjoying any film made before 1980, and even flicks in the 80′s are a stretch for me. I love the movies of today with their perfected sound and visuals — they transport me into characters’ lives and other worlds much more readily than the movies of the past. Of course I respect the films that paved the way for today’s cinema, but that doesn’t mean I have to watch them, because I usually do not enjoy them. Sue me.

While The Artist is brilliant in so many ways – cinematography, acting, the beautiful score, the crisp black and white images, the story — I could never sit down and watch this silent film over and over. I could almost feel myself going crazy without spoken word for so long, and while constantly listening to my own inner dialogue during the film. I like my actors to speak and be heard during a film. I don’t think anything should be taken away from the silent effort, because making a unique film like this these days is bold and should be commended. It just isn’t my cup of tea — and look at how much I still loved it, a testament to the greatness that is The Artist.

Overall, this film is garnering national attention and getting a wider release for good reason — more people need to see The Artist. You definitely have to be of a certain type to appreciate this film — a Michael Bay purist does not fit said type — but even those not in love with old school cinema or silent films can gaze in wonderment while watching Dujardin and Bejo at their finest.

What Should You Do? See The Artist so you too can understand why it’s nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards this month.

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthewdeery

GRADE: B-

The premise of this film is self explanatory considering the title. Man on a Ledge is the latest Sam Worthington flick, which also stars Jamie Bell, Edward Burns, Elizabeth Banks, Anthony Mackie, and Ed Harris. Worthington plays Nick Cassidy, a man, who is essentially on a ledge for the majority of the film. This is the quintessential example of a popcorn flick, a film that is purely entertaining, full of cheap thrills, and devoid of real emotion. It isn’t a narrative that progresses rationally, and some of the characters and many of the situations are over the top. But like I said, it’s a mindless popcorn flick akin to many Summer blockbusters.

Nick Cassidy resides on a ledge because he is trying to prove he did not steal a gigantic diamond from Ed Harris’ character David Englander. The ledge is a ploy, a distraction from the real heist at hand — Nick’s brother Joey (Bell), and his girlfriend are hard at work trying to break into Englander’s vault to recover the diamond while Nick is on the ledge. As these films go, not all goes according to plan.

Man on a Ledge spends most of the time playing the ‘realism’ card, pretending that an event like this is not a far cry from reality. But early on I realized this film was diving head first into a fabricated fantasy full of stupid gimmicks. The fantasy aspect is most apparent from the inclusion of Genesis Rodriguez, the extremely attractive Latina woman playing the girlfriend and co-conspirator of Joey Cassidy. The relationship between this couple is not only laughable it’s so forced, but the two actually succumb to arguing while breaking into the highly secure vault — the consequences of getting caught, and what’s at stake (proving the innocence of Nick) are seemingly ignored by the couple as they waste time with trivial bickering.

Rodriguez’s purpose in the film isn’t to add dimension to the story (she isn’t fit to be a thief anyway), it’s to act as eye candy to fit into the Hollywood formula for success — sexy women stripping down to their bra and panties equals more dollars. The striptease happens in the guarded vault as she changes into a sleek stealth outfit, again wasting more precious time, instead of simply wearing the thief body suit underneath her street clothes. While every guy in the audience no doubt was drooling watching this would-be lingerie model showing off her goodies, this just showed me how forced some pieces of this film were. These aren’t the only pieces within that were a stretch, but those are the easiest to literate without spoiling too much. Because late in the film, Man on a Ledge really starts to push the capacity for unbelievability.

Overall, Man on a Ledge was fun to watch, but nothing I’d recommend anyone buy for their DVD/Blu-Ray collection. Worthington and the rest of the commendable cast do justice to the oftentimes hokie script, but even they couldn’t keep me from rolling my eyes every so often. The set up was enticing, the action was fast paced and exciting, and the payoff was not awful. Some of the shots staged by director Asger Leth were remarkable and brought the audience into the point of view of the man standing on the ledge — any filmmaker or film nut will appreciate most of Leth’s work. Man on a Ledge felt like an unpolished product — in more capable hands, this film could have been great.

What Should You Do? It’s worth the price of a matinee admission, but Man on a Ledge fits the January release profile — it isn’t a must see.

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthewdeery

GRADE: B++

Joe Carnahan has crafted a fine film that should not be considered a typical January release by any means. In fact, Carnahan recently told press that the only reason The Grey released on January 27th is because they were delayed in post-production by some effects shots. The studio has already agreed to re-release it in late 2012 for an Oscars push. While I think it will be a huge stretch for The Grey to earn Academy Award recognition beyond the great performance by Liam Neeson, that’s quite inspiring and should evoke confidence in potential audiences. Otherwise, the movie is quite a ride and really does keep you on the edge of your seat, unlike 99% of movies that use that pull quote from corrupt journalists.

The trailers are pretty inaccurate, as they project a mindless “I’m gonna fuck up some wolves” movie. Now, while a few wolves do get what’s coming to them, it’s way beyond a mindless film. It’s also nothing like most of Carnahan’s chaotic previous work (although I love Smokin’ Aces). Instead, The Grey explores the idea of pack leadership. There is the actual wolfpack and the predictability of their nature. But the film uses the wolves to accent the way the human characters evolve throughout the film. Like most movies, this one goes through a traditional genre-specific story arc. Survivors huddle and search for a way out. A leader emerges, but some don’t think he is fit to lead. People start dying. The leader stays strong and the doubters convert. But the path isn’t quite as direct as most films and it zig-zags through the tradition of survival films leaving it more unpredictable.

Unpredictability is really what makes The Grey work so well. There are quite a few jump scares in the film that keep you on the edge of your seat. And I can usually predict those moments coming, so I don’t scream like a little girl, but I legitimately jumped out of my seat at least twice. If the movie had delved into an endless barrage of scare tactics, it would have likely failed. Instead, they just keep your heart rate up throughout movie that is already so intense that you’ll likely burn a few calories just watching it.

It’s hard to imagine it without Liam Neeson as the lead – originally Bradley Cooper was cast as the lead, but dropped out. It’s nothing new for Neeson, but his schtick is not tired yet. What’s truly amazing is that he’s almost 60 years old and still completely believable as an ass-kicking, no-bullshit-taking scruffy nerfherder. He fills out the character in a way that makes his personal issues come to life and the raspy, grungy take on the leader-type is a pleasant escape from the typical movie character. There’s a kind of intensity to Neeson that oozes from him even when he isn’t grunting or yelling at people. You can get behind a guy like this. And that’s crucial considering the other characters in the film are ex-convicts and tough-as-nails assholes who need to at some point get behind Neeson – literally and figuratively.

While this is Neeson’s film in many ways, it’s clear that Joe Carnahan had a vision and executed it wonderfully. If you are unaware, he actually brought the crew into the wilderness to film it authentically, with sub-zero temperatures and real elements impacting production. You can tell. The same way that Into the Wild felt real by the tactics Sean Penn used to film it, The Grey works in that realm as well. But it’s not your typical Carnahan film. It’s like a more hardcore version of The Edge or Alive (referenced in the film). It’s more like something we’d see from Neil Marshall (The Descent) than Joe Carnahan. One can only hope that he made The A-Team to get a studio to let him make a movie like this.

If Neeson is the star and Carnahan is the mad genius, the wolves are the icing on the cake. Few animals have been depicting quite as menacingly as the wolves in The Grey. It’s a more realized version of the wolf in 300, fitted with glowing eyes and a rabid snarl. Moreover, their aggressiveness is bound to the idea that they are only acting out of instinct as opposed to some poorly-written premise like rabies or some crap. These guys just crash landed in wolf territory and there’s no getting around it – they are fucked. It feels good to know that when you watch a movie – there’s no nuclear weapon to disarm with 3 seconds left or riddle to solve in order to catch the killer. The wolves are always there, somehow, somewhere, they are lurking in the shadows and the tension is heightened for it. More importantly, these mere mortal men have no way to really defend themselves, no matter how many clever weapon creations Neeson can come up with. And that concept runs through the entire film. It gives the environment and the wolves more than just teeth and drool. As does the idea that they are emotionally reminiscent of the group of plane crash survivors.

There are moments in The Grey in which the characters get philosophical. It’s a relatively quiet movie, but it has a lot to say. There are scenes dedicated to religion, survival instincts, leadership, family and love. Each one seems essential. I still want to see them get mauled by wolves, but I feel like the time in between wasn’t wasted on pointless crap. Most movies spend far too much time trying to flesh out characters only to kill them later. Instead, they need to focus on giving the characters something to say. Something universal. Something lasting. Because I don’t need to remember who this man was when he dies. Once he is dead, he’s out. That’s what I love about this movie. They don’t really know each other well enough to cry for hours over the latest dead body. They aren’t necessarily full-fledged characters, but rather ideas embodied by actions and short speeches. The only character we need to truly “know” is Neeson’s and we get plenty of that.

On top of everything, the ending makes it all worth it. It makes the trailer worth it and the whole journey worth it. While I’m sure many audience members will be disappointed, it left me with the same bittersweet sensation that Inception gave me. You want to see more, but you know it’s better in your head. If you absolutely have to know more, though, stay through the end credits. But I warn you, it kind of puts a damper on the gut-punch ending.

When you look at the movie times in January and February, it is hard to find motivation to hit the theater. As the Oscar bait late 2011 releases wind down, utter crap comes in. You may enjoy a movie or two, but they don’t stick with you. They are filler movies. The Grey is not. When it re-releases in late 2012, you’ll remember it fondly and you’ll recall the flurry of emotions it evoked from you during the coldest months of the year.

What Should You Do? See this movie or Liam Neeson and a pack of wolves will rip you to shreds.

GRADE: C

Haywire is exactly what you would think stemming from the previews; elite super solider-esque persona who gets double crossed and must fight back against a system that possesses a lot of firepower. Despite having a run-of-the-mill premise, this is far from the typical action flick. It’s unique from the mindless action genre because it features the distintive talents of Steven Soderbergh’s less serious storytelling and slow paced cuts, as well as his favor for an upbeat jazzy Ocean’s 11-type soundtrack (which I felt was totally off). Don’t get me wrong, Haywire has a lot of great ass kicking and action scenes within, but that unfortunately is where my praise stops.

First, I’ll start off with Gina Carano. She really is, ‘all that is man’ but in a more feminine way. She can beat up on the stronger men in Haywire, pull off all the stunts required of her, and still look good while doing it. But the thing is, this is Carano’s first experience as an actress — her first endeavors were American Gladiators and MMA fighting. She isn’t necessarily a bad actress, and was believable in her ‘tough guy’ role. But she does not have the star power to carry a film like this. Here she is asked to shoulder the load with little spoken word — she must drive this character with a strong but quiet hardened presence. This is a task that Ryan Gosling was up to in Drive, and George Clooney in The American. I just rattled off two of the game’s best, so carrying a film like in this manner is no easy task. Carano just didn’t have the screen presence that captivated my attention and kept me glued to her character.

It was obvious Carano would not be great with a dialogue laden script, so the lack of spoken word worked to an advantage. But without the moxie to flourish as a non-speaking character, her lack of speaking can leave the audience in the dark. I get that she has that hardened impermeable exterior, but almost every character written needs vulnerabilities or traits that shine through fortified walls. Humanity is briefly toyed with after ‘someone close’ dies, but it’s a feeble attempt.

The script even references a former relationship between Carano’s character Mallory and Kenneth (McGregor), a past that isn’t developed in the slightest despite the characters interacting quite a bit. Not only that, but after getting a heavy dose of this callous female character why would the audience ever think Mallory is even capable of an intimate relationship with this vague character Kenneth? The script can proclaim whatever it wants attempting to create rounded characters or backstory, however, that doesn’t mean it fits together or works.

With Carano playing alongside this dynamite cast like Michael Fassbender, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas and Ewan McGregor (Bill Paxton and Channing Tatum also star), these leading men sometimes stole the ‘thunder’ from the leading lady. One could argue surrounding the inexperienced Carano with a star studded cast will help hold her up — but these supporting characters are so infrequently on screen, their presence is disjointed. This is especially true when Carano crosses paths with a young teen and narrates her whole story to him as if he will play some importance in the end, as if he will be the one to tell her side of the story — then he disappears. Paxton comes in at the end, Fassbender has a brief appearance, and McGregor has no chemistry with Carano. None of these additions help Mallory feel more whole.

Even the sound design and lighting were less than remarkable. A few times I noticed glare off character’s faces from a non-diagetic light (a light that isn’t natural within the scene) which is a very big no-no in production. The sound design, especially from the combative standpoint, was underwhelming. The fight scenes were often shot from a distance, keeping the audience at arm’s length from the action. I did not like this choice in shooting style, nor did I like how the sound fx resembled this distance approach.

I do like how Soderberg chose not to use a blitzkrieg of cuts — which is common in this genre — to piece together the action. The longer cuts made the fighting feel organic and more realistic. However, as stated above, the overuse of medium and wide shots made me feel as if I wasn’t ‘involved’ with the action going on. I was kept at an arm’s length. I also did not get a good feel for the environment in which the characters were in, another demerit for Soderberg as director. Oftentimes he failed to establish the space that his characters occupied — this is more bothersome than destructive.

Another huge problem I had with this film is the lack of tension. The audience is left without the expectations for what’s to come. Scenes progress with poor transitions putting Carano in a new places and situations exacting revenge on another who crossed her — this is on full display in a final scene with Ewan McGregor. The film also featured a fairly simplistic narrative to start, but then it got muddled at the end with new unnecessary layers being revealed all via exposition. In fact, almost the entire story and character relationships are exposition.

Overall, I liked Carano in the role — she fit the character and is excellent in the action pieces, but her lack of experience makes it hard to carry the load as a silent assassin. I love how Soderberg didn’t spend the film sexualizing a character who clearly lacks feminine qualities. On the downside, Soderberg doesn’t seem to take the film as seriously with his direction and music choices as Lem Dobbs did writing the resolute script. Dobbs’ effort is also flawed — too much exposition, not enough establishment of a concise story, or the characters and their relationships.

What Should You Do? I won’t recommend anyone stay away from Haywire, but I didn’t personally find it worthwhile aside from the great hand to hand combat sequences.

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthewdeery

GRADE: F

Yes, I went there. A pun review title. And trust me, that’s still less cheesy than Red Tails. You know how they say January is the dumping ground for bad movies? Red Tails reinforces that, and it’s unfortunate because the story of the Tuskegee Airmen deserves so much. If it didn’t take itself so seriously, maybe it could have been less embarrassing.

Before we get into the problems with Red Tails, it should be noted that much of the blame is being placed on George Lucas. While I don’t mind that, since he did personally finance the film and was even rumored to conduct re-shoots after expressing disappointment in some scenes, it’s not entirely accurate. Television director Anthony Hemingway sat in the director’s chair for this production, and while it oozes George Lucas schlock, we can’t forget that Hemingway is still the director. But it’s more fun blaming Lucas, so why not? Plus, he is the one representing this film across the press circuit, so he basically labeled himself as the man responsible. Whatever the case may be, the film is a disaster.

The cast of Red Tails is in an unfortunate position. It must be an honor to be cast in a film that highlights one of the most uplifting stories in black history. Who wouldn’t want to be in this film? And the ensemble is essentially a who’s who of young black actors in Hollywood, many of which the mainstream audiences will not recognize. But the film lacks any real character development and the dialogue throughout is riddled with cliche time-wasting material that simply fills the void between dogfights. It raises the question of why certain scenes exist – especially the side-narrative of one pilot’s love affair with an Italian beauty that inexplicably reminds me of Anakin’s sand speech. And nearly every scene in this romance has poorly executed green screen work, but let’s get into that later.

The narrative is just so weak that the characters ironically become lost in the fighting. And while the pilots would like nothing more than to be considered equal to the rest of the American fighters, I doubt they want to be as one-dimensional. Their only depth exists in a single quirk within each character – one has a drinking problem, one is a hot head, one talks funny, one “just wants to fly,” one chews their pipe funny and one likes music.  And of course, while each person in the real 332nd likely had a quirk, they surely had more to them than just that.

But George Lucas hasn’t been promoting this as a character-driven film. He has gone around on talk shows and magazine interviews labeling it as “made for 13-year-old boys” and “corny” and non-flattering anecdotes. I’m sorry, but this is not the subject matter to do that with. And the fact that this movie is being labeled as “made-for-TV” quality is an insult to the greatly superior made-for-HBO film The Tuskegee Airmen. There’s no need to compare Red Tails to anything. It’s just a bad movie. And this isn’t the actors’ faults – they try their best. It isn’t history’s fault – this is a fantastic story. It comes down to the decision to make this a CGI-heavy history lesson.

A problem I have with this film as a history lesson is that it never once left the theater of war. It never once showed the stateside Americans who might be inspired by these actions. It never once showed a news reel playing in America showcasing the actions of these brave men that disproved the stereotype that black men don’t have what it takes to fight in the war. The movie ends just before we would even get a chance to see that. And I feel that is just as important as what actually happened. But that’s beside the point, it’s just a gripe I have and doesn’t help or hurt the argument that this movie is terrible.

The editing is the best example of why Red Tails is more like Red Fails [*zing*]. Scenes are abandoned before they even seem complete. You’ll be in the middle of a conversation, and out of nowhere the scene does a quick fa

The most confusing aspect of all is that one of the industry’s leaders in visual effects made a film that looks like a video game. In many cases, the chaos of the dogfights comes across as exciting and relentless. There is even a moment in which I did pump my fist and say, “HOO-RAH!” You’ll know it when you see it (if you punish yourself by actually seeing this movie). But for every mid-air dogfight, there are a dozen unnecessary green screen moments. It’s as if they shot the entire thing on a stage. Every vista is clearly CGI and if you look through any doorway, you’ll see just how fake it looks. And the edging around characters who are standing in front of doorways or windows is so soft that it’s obviously fake. The worst violation of realism is seen in the final scene in which I would argue 90% of the actual actors are computer generated. It’s abysmal. It looks like a video game and begs the question, how much did George Lucas actually change in this thing?

Cougar in Top Gun

One scene in Red Tails is good. It is a scene from Top Gun re-purposed for this story. And I really don’t care to even call it a spoiler because you should stay home and watch The Tuskegee Airmen anyway. Ray ‘Junior’ Gannon is injured in an aerial battle and team leader Marty ‘Easy’ Julian escorts Junior back to base. Junior has been almost completely blinded and is flying with this problem. As you can imagine, the entire scene plays out identical to the escort that Maverick gives Cougar. And yet, the awful music composed for Red Tails makes it inferior to the scene in Top Gun.

I have to give credit to one aspect of the film that succeeded in my opinion. The sound design was exceptional. Skywalker Sound actually took this movie seriously and the mix is stunning, especially during the aerial battles. And when the Germans enter the battle with new planes in the final act, your ears will have multiple orgasms. But even then, I couldn’t help but hear the sound of Copy/Paste shortcut keys being pressed from the podrace in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. It’s a good scene to pull from though, so I gave them a break.

The real Tuskeegee Airmen

Much like the Transformers movies, Red Tails is an overwrought CGI-experience disguised as a narrative, but this one commits the mortal flaw of also trying to be a history lesson, which it really isn’t at all. And I enjoy the Transformers movies. I can only imagine that over time, we’ll make fun of Red Tails and that’s truly unfortunate, considering how hard the real men behind this inspiring story sacrificed their lives to inspire a nation and protect fellow Americans. And you can’t even make the argument that “at least their story made it to the big screen” because The Tuskegee Airmen was and still is a great film and did just fine on HBO.

What Should You Do? Rent or buy The Tuskegee Airmen and sit comfortably in the comfort of your own home. Red Tails is an embarrassment and the only reason I don’t want it to fail miserably at the box office is because it could be a terrible nail in the coffin for the future of African-American ensemble cinema.

GRADE: A-

In our screening of The Flowers of War, a female audience member broke down into hysterical tears complete with sobbing and moaning. I had never heard a vocal reaction like that in a theater and it is one as unforgettable as the terrible events that transpired on screen. And the woman was well within her rights to do so, as the epic war film from China depicts some of man’s most detestable actions and rarely hides such details, though there is the occasional comedic relief thanks to (sometimes) drunk Christian Bale.

A brief look into the history of this film’s focus, the “Nanking Massacre,” will tell you just what kind of terrors this film explores. Rape and murder are around every corner. While this is not the only movie currently in theaters that depicts graphic rape scenes (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), it is surely the most difficult to watch. While watching the film, I couldn’t help but try to understand why it was presented so directly. I kept going back to the culture of Chinese cinema. I’m no expert on foreign markets, but it’s clear at times that The Flowers of War is not a film made for Hollywood’s typical audience. It isn’t a blockbuster designed from the very beginning as a showcase for the next hot star and explosive entertainment with no true ramifications for the actions on screen. We are told in the beginning that the events are based on a true story, and what follows is disturbingly unbelievable. It would still be hard to swallow even as fiction, but the reality of these events makes it all the more difficult.

This direct depiction of the atrocities seems to be troubling many of the audience members. The film is receiving unfavorable reviews, mostly calling it overly melodramatic and excessive. Yet, it seems like these critics are missing the point. It’s as if they are comparing it to regular Hollywood fanfare, which it most definitely is not. It’s a passionate, no-holds-barred telling of historical events. And the fact that it comes from China tells me one thing – they made it their way. And if you watch anything from Asian culture, especially footage of Asian people crying, you will instantly understand that Eastern culture is much more theatrical in their emotion than Western culture. This translates directly onto the big screen with The Flowers of War. Throughout the film, the numerous women that make up most of the main characters are crying hysterically, as a group. The group crying comes off as silly and overdone at times, but you need to remind yourself that this is how things happen in reality. And while this is a chinese film, much of the dialogue is spoken in English thanks to the American main character. When it needs subtitles, they tend to move too quickly, which is unfortunate, but I never felt like I was behind on the story.

Many are unaware of this film’s existence, let alone its plot. It is apparently based on stories that have over time combined myth with truth, so it is naturally theatrical. While much of the movie is filled with horrendous acts of violence towards women , it rewards your patience with an emotional finale that is overflowing with heroism. And while Christian Bale’s performance is astounding, his character is rather routine. He plays John Miller, a drunken looney of an American who is in China as a mortician. He is reckless and aloof, but over time his character predictably has a change of heart and becomes a hero. While Bale brings his typical transformative abilities to the character, the real stars of the film are the women, particularly the enigmatic and mesmerizing Yu Mo (Ni Ni). The gentle exterior and rugged interior of the women in Flowers of War is inspiring and engaging.

But this film is a raging epic. It exists entirely in the middle of Nanking’s occupation and every corner is riddled with invading Japanese that are so violent and filled with rage that they may as well be in 28 Days Later. But the horrors of this story exist in a film so beautifully shot that it would be a shame if it didn’t get worldwide recognition. Every shot is composed and lit with such attention to detail that it could stand up against any of the Best Cinematography nominations of this year, though its foreign status seems to forbid that competition. I challenge you to find a war film in the last decade shot as well as The Flowers of War.

But the one thing many will walk away from this film thinking is how disgusting and vile the actions seen in it are. It is hard to watch and makes even the toughest moviegoer uncomfortable. There was plenty of squirming and hiding in our theater, and what seemed to be a few walkouts as well. Add the hysterically sobbing woman in that mix and you’ve got quite the emotional theater. This is a film you truly need to be prepared emotionally to see. But it’s one that reminds me that cinema is the world’s best medium for telling stories. This one in particular needs to be on the big screen, not a book and not a set of pictures. It needs the dramatic violin work of Qigang Chen’s score and the emotional performances of experienced actors. And it gets just that. It’s a graceful film even when it showcases horrible things.

What Should You Do? If you enjoy cinematic films of grandeur and historical tales, this is an absolute must. Prepare for extremely graphic material and violent war scenes, but the trailer is a pretty accurate depiction of the scale of this film. Make a night of this one.

GRADE: A+

After seeing The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo twice now, I walked out of both showings determined that Rooney Mara is my new hero. Her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander is the definition of a character the audience cannot take their eyes off of. Beneath the barely recognizable exterior, Mara brings new levels to an intelligent yet insane character. On the outside her appearance would push most away — but after getting to know Lisbeth for two hours I was captivated by her every move. The hype surrounding this film is justified in every regard. Mara alone makes it worth its weight in gold, but she is just one piece of the perfectly crafted puzzle.

I will start by giving my background with the series since many know it so intimately. I became aware of it all when the Swedish movies were coming out, but never found time to read the books or watch the foreign versions. Then, the series really hit my radar when word of an American remake hit the web. I was shocked to see an American version coming in 2011 when the Swedish version dropped in 2009.

Before I found time to sit down to watch the Noomi Rapace take or read the books, I got word that my favorite director David Fincher would be taking the series on. At that point I made a conscious decision to wait and see his interpretation first. Fincher is my boy and I wanted to see his film with no expectations and no previous version to compare to his. I wanted to do it the other way, compare the Swedish film to Fincher’s, and I’m glad I did.

With no background knowledge on this series, I left The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo blown away. I could not believe how far this film descended into darkness. It had some extremely graphic material, scenes so hard to watch, that a lady in front of me got up and left. Each scene that was hard to swallow had a distinct purpose however — these pieces acted as motivation for the troubled characters, especially Lisbeth.

After seeing the Fincher take twice, I finally sat down to watch the Swedish original — there is a reason Fincher and screenwriter Steven Zaillian remade this film so quickly. They saw the raw product and knew they could make a better one. Mission accomplished. Fincher’s version is better in every facet. Even Mara outshines Noomi Rapace’s work as Lisbeth. I’ll save breaking down why the 2011 version is superior than the 2009 version for another post.

I’ll start my praise by saying that Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara are at the top of their game, and their developing chemistry throughout the film is fun to watch. The tag team is set to solve the mystery, and both play off the others’ strengths. She is a gifted researcher, and he has the leadership and oversight to lead them towards solving the case. The award committees would be crazy not to include Mara among the list of Best Actress nominees, and similar consideration should be given to Craig — though I doubt he will get any. Another actor deserving an entire paragraph of compliments for playing an extremely deceptive character is Stellan Skarsgård.

The foremost reason the film was a raging success was the brilliant work of David Fincher directing and Steven Zaillian adapting the screenplay. With a series that is already so well known, it is obviously difficult to create something that stands out with some originality — Zaillian especially had his work cut out for him. Both put their own unique stamp on the film. Fincher is truly an expert in his craft — this is proven by the way he unravels the narrative in his films, the nuances he uses within the scene to divulge character secrets, the depth of the dark colors within the frame in his films, and especially the tension he weaves throughout his thrillers to keep the audience on edge.

One distinct difference I noticed in the two The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo films is the occurrence of events, and even the addition of some. I felt all the changes made the 2011 film an improved effort — especially the dialogue which oftentimes perfectly expressed character emotions as well as my own. Jumping off the comparison wagon, Zaillian set a fast pace fairly early, building new intrigue as he slowly unveiled new details and plot points. He did an excellent job establishing the characters and their relationships to one another — considering the size of the Vangard family, that is no cakewalk.

Another huge plus in this film is the work of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The pair worked with Fincher on the 2010 hit The Social Network, and brought home Oscar gold for their efforts. Why wouldn’t Fincher re-team with the duo? Their work perfectly accentuates Fincher’s dark images and the even darker storyline. Their soundtrack isn’t something many would listen to on their iPod, but when the music is coupled with the images it’s like a perfectly synchronized dancing couple.

Overall, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was much better than I could have ever dreamed. Despite all the praise I’d heard about the series, I never thought it could be this good. I’ve spent the last weeks thinking about this film and mulling over Mara and her dynamic performance. I’ve also been telling anyone who will listen to get out and see it — Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol should not be winning the box office.

Fincher is one of the best filmmakers in the game today, and the people he puts around him in production rival his expertise, and this shows in the final product. A yearning to learn more about the characters and to solve the mystery rarely allow this 2+ hour thriller to release its grasp on your interest.

What Should You Do? If you can stomach two meaningful graphic scenes within the whole, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo deserves your money at the theater.

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthewdeery

GRADE: B+

Cameron Crowe brought all his regular ingredients to the table with his latest film, We Bought A Zoo. It’s got the traditional Crowe inspirational dialogue, excellent music choices and commercial appeal of most of his work. Put simply, it’s a movie that seems impossible to hate – although cynics will still find a reason. The theaters are full of options this holiday season, but We Bought A Zoo is about as close to a guarantee family-friendly experience as you can get.

I could care less that it’s been a decade since Crowe made anything memorable. If we had to wait this long for a movie as moving and heartfelt as We Bought A Zoo, I think it was worth the wait. It’s a tear-jerker that will leave you smiling at the end – there aren’t many like that.

In short, the movie is about Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) and his family as they attempt to start over after the loss of his wife. In search of a new home, Benjamin is inspired by the feel of a certain house that has an extra special backyard – a zoo desperately in need of new leadership. Of course, Benjamin is the perfect man for the job and he dives in and forces his family to fall in love with it as well.

Matt Damon headlines the film and there are plenty of moments in which he shines all alone in his character’s personal pain and loneliness. While Damon finally reminds us that he can still showcase emotion, the supporting cast really makes this film feel like an ensemble, even though it’s not. Even Scarlett Johansson’s hordes of haters will likely find her character endearing. Angus Macfayden as Peter MacCready is a hilarious drunk with a personal vendetta against the stereotypically villainous zoo inspector Walter Ferris (John Michael Higgins).

Hello, gorgeous.

Unfortunately, Higgins was the film’s weakest point. While I giggled when he turned around, knowing he’s a hilarious character actor, his character was essentially a copy of Steve Buscemi’s Clint Fitzer in I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. I imagine the hardships of running a zoo would have been just as compelling without a force-fed time sensitive plot device.

Another aspect of We Bought A Zoo that was eye-roll inducing has to be the ridiculous product placement. I understand that real families use real things, but it got a bit absurd at one point. There is a scene in which Matt Damon tries to remember his wife, but it’s too hard hard for him to bear. So he sits there, with his MacBook Air opens and waiting, circling the mouse icon around the iPhoto icon on his desktop. Once he clicks it we get a 5 minute demo of how to use iPhoto. While it’s understandable that this would happen in reality, it wasn’t shot or edited in a way that felt genuine. It took me out of a scene that should have been one of the more compelling in the film. The movie is littered with blatant product moments, including an entire scene in Home Depot and frequent mentions of the store.

But don’t give up on this movie. It’s far too inspirational and moving to skip. It’s what a Christmas movie should be – not anal rape or sex addiction. The family dynamic is genuine and modern. The youngest daughter, Rosie Mee (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), is arguably the cutest living thing to grace the screen all year. She serves as Benjamin’s ray of sunshine and innocence. On the other side is Dylan (Colin Ford), who is fueled with adolescent frustration and a negligence for change. He wants nothing to do with Benjamin’s new adventure until his classic teenage turning point strikes in the form of the quirky zoo girl, Lily (Elle Fanning). Together, they represent the real American family in the shadows of a tragic event searching for a new identity.

While The Descendants dealt with the recovery period after a personal loss with more drama and grief, We Bought A Zoo changes the pace with gusto and authenticity accented by a beautiful score from Jónsi, of whom Cameron Crowe tweeted to me once that he had longed to work with. It was a great collaboration, only rivaled by cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto’s warm and inviting look. The sun shines in nearly every scene and the colors remind you that hope is always on the horizon.

If you want a family drama with enough humor and inspiration to leave you happy, this is your best bet. And frankly, what more do you really want out of a movie? A few tears, a few laughs and a few lovable characters are all it takes to get me in the theater. We Bought A Zoo accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, even if it may have sold its soul to a few corporations to get there.

What Should You Do? Bring your whole family to the movie. It’s a great way to celebrate life during this holiday season and it may just inspire you all to improve your own lives. Also, if you have anybody in your family that says, “Whatever” a lot, drag them to this movie by any means necessary – you’ll know why.

GRADE: C+

How to start this review? The real reason I paid $16.50 to see this film on the true IMAX screen at the Minnesota Zoo was not to watch Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol. No offense Tom Cruise. Even before this film started I was completely satisfied, because The Dark Knight Rises prologue left me in awe — I was literally holding my breath I was so enchanted watching the menacing Bane.

Anyway, Tom Cruise’s latest is an amusing action flick, but considering the brilliance of watching Tom Hardy as Bane for about seven minutes, I was let down by the film after that opening. Don’t get me wrong, the action in M:I – Ghost Protocol on the 70 mm (a normal film reel is 35mm) IMAX reel was captivating and worth the money — but this film is over two hours long, and at that length the marathon of action pieces is exhausting.

This fourth installment picks up with Ethan Hunt and the IMF being wrongfully blamed for the bombing of the Kremlin. The President initiates Ghost Protocol which disbands the IMF. Ethan gathers a team of rogue agents to prove the innocence of the IMF and to reveal the true perpetrator of the bombing. The team is made up of Jane (Paula Patton), Brandt (Jeremy Renner), and the returning computer genius/comic relief, Benji (Simon Pegg). The above par chemistry of this team acts as an adhesive, and their newly formed bond hold together the film throughout the bombardment of action.

The film was directed by Brad Bird, who is most well known in the animation world for directing The Iron Giant and Pixar’s The Incredibles. Before M:I – Ghost Protocol, many were skeptical about letting this animation aficionado take charge of a live action series, especially one as well known as Mission: Impossible. Now, there should be no doubt in the film community whether or not this guy is cut to direct big budget live action films. His vision pushes the action to another level. Seeing Ethan Hunt hanging off the side of the world’s tallest building in true IMAX left me gripping my seat to prevent free fall — that scene was by far the most intense in the film. Unfortunately it came halfway through, leaving the rest of the progression feeling unmatched. I also have to take a second to give MAD props to Tom Cruise for really hanging off the side of the skyscraper 130 stories up. The stunts he executed in this sequence will cause any movie fan’s jaw to drop.

Overall, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is a fun, fast paced, action heavy piece worth the time of adrenaline junkies. Any movie goer wanting to sit in the theater to vegetate on perfectly staged action pieces should not miss this — I do strongly recommend you view it on the IMAX, because the action on that big of a screen is exhilarating. What made the action tiring is how long, overdrawn and over-dramatized each piece was — factor that into how many action pieces there were, that’s what I call overkill.

Another demerit is the lack of depth or anything compelling except for the story setting up the next action sequence. While this could be on purpose — it’s a fun action flick — by the end I found myself wanting more than just action. The villain is forgettable — especially trying to live up to Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s work on Mission: Impossible 3 — and spends too much time in the shadows, not on the audience’s radar. When the film was reaching a chaotic climax, the action had already worn me out and I just wanted it to be over. While I loved most of the action and respect the fun take on the serious genre — action spy thriller — it’s hard for me to ingest over two hours of a film that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

What Should You Do? See it on the IMAX for The Dark Knight Rises prologue. Oh yeah, and because the action of Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is perfectly presented on a 70 mm screen. If you aren’t an action junkie, or you aren’t willing to shell out the extra dough for IMAX, definitely skip it.

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @matthewdeery

GRADE: A-

War Horse is a sprawling epic. It balances big events with personal moments. It’s the Steven Spielberg that many of us grew up admiring. In fact, you can sense that his past work has influenced every chapter of his latest war drama. You can tell that Spielberg approached this movie with the confidence of a man who’s been there before. He has captured the terror of the front lines and he has manufactured the family drama that haunts many of his characters. And yet, while it comes across as cliche and predictable, War Horse feels new and passionate. Put simply, it brought me to tears three times.

To digress for a moment, I hate going to these kinds of movies at press screenings. While I respect my press colleagues, they seem to be void of any kind of emotional output, and it’s disturbing – borderline distracting. When we see a comedy, I tend to laugh. That’s usually what people do at comedies. Even the bad ones get a few chuckles here and there. Yet, I look to my left and right and nobody cracks even a smirk. The same goes for emotional dramas, like War Horse. And it got to a point where I was infuriated that my colleagues were refusing to give in to the magic of cinema, because that’s precisely what this movie is. And if you can’t appreciate that, let alone shed a little tear when a helpless animal is struggling on screen, well then, I kindly say, get the hell out.

My point is simple. There is one scene in particular during the two and a half hour runtime of War Horse that had me completely hysterical. I’m proud of this for two reasons. One – a real man knows how to cry. Two – the scene is one of insurmountable power, grace and misery blended into an overflowing bowl of emotion and inspiration. In my opinion, it is one of the most moving scenes in recent memory. And in true Spielberg fashion, it is instantly followed up with 10-15 minutes of humor and unpredictable inspiration. And while the movie takes place during World War I, it sends a message that should be heard loud and clear in today’s political climate.

Gushing aside, this is not a perfect film. The first act is sluggish and the editing shows. Scenes feel rushed. Emotions seem forced. It didn’t bode well for the rest of the movie. But once it made its way off the Narracott ranch, the film took flight. By the end, the effort spent in the first act seems worth it. As expected, it comes full circle and those opening moments do get full, predictable, clichéd redemption. The narrative is so traditional that many will be one step ahead of it in terms of plot development. But the strength of War Horse is that you are never really prepared for the humor or the drama that comes with it.

Jeremy Irvine is strong as the bookend of this ensemble picture. As a newcomer, he holds his own against the titular horse under Spielberg’s leadership – no small task for a debut. Mind you, he gives us plenty of Spielberg Face moments. Tom Hiddleston’s role is brief, but raises the bar with a compelling chapter of elegance under fire. but it’s Niels Arestrup as the grandfather in a sequence that is at once charming and later heart-breaking. As far as the humans go, he steals the show. But as expected, the animals take all the glory in this movie. Joey, as the “war horse” is (poorly) named, doesn’t provide us the same emotional cues that a dog might, but the tasks Spielberg calls for in this film are taxing to say the least, and the horses on screen perform beautifully.

While the performances are strong and the emotions run high, the real star of War Horse is John Williams. When Spielberg and Williams get together, magic happens. It’s a staple in Hollywood now. Those two are like marshmallows and sweet potatoes. Trust me. It’s really good. And Williams’ score is breathtakingly grand. Like any great composer, he overwhelms the audience with music that accents the scene and tugs on your own (heart)strings. As if we needed any more help, he gives us all the cue for laughter or tears. Accompanied by the cinematography of Janusz Kaminski, this trio really can’t fail. Oh wait, they made Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Well, everything but that. It should be noted that the very last scene is bursting with color in a surprising and unusual way that may turn off some audiences. It’s likely an homage to the play from which this movie is inspired. Remind yourself of that before calling it “too fake.”

Overall, War Horse is unsurprising. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a Steven Spielberg-John Williams-Janusz Kaminski collaboration. It’s beautiful. It’s epic. It’s historical. It’s memorable. With all the options available this holiday season, it’s hard to decide which movie you should see. If you choose War Horse, you’ll be happy you did. Don’t let yourself miss this one. We’ve been waiting far too long for this return to form for Steven Spielberg to let it pass.

What Do You Think? Does War Horse Seem Like A Movie For You?