Monday, October 8, 2018

THE WEEKLY RECAP: October 1 - 7



Far From Heaven (2002)

Directed by Todd Haynes

* * * ½

The Whitakers embody the very image and spirit of the 1950s family – working husband, housewife, a little girl and boy, a nice suburban home, the works. Everything seems to be in order for them…seems to be. Cathy (Julianne Moore) one night discovers her husband Frank (Dennis Quaid) in an intimate moment with another man. Simultaneously, she is alarmed at the sight of a black stranger in her front yard, only to find out that he is their new gardener – Raymond (Dennis Haysbert) is his name. With her perception of her cozy life steadily altering and her marriage beginning to crumble, Cathy begins to find solace in her blossoming friendship with Raymond, in spite of the racially-fueled chagrin of friends and colleagues.

Todd Hanyes models Far From Heaven in the mold of a ‘50s domestic melodrama – from the photography and lighting to the music, imagine the film in black and white and you’d think you were watching a piece of Golden Era Hollywood (it kind of stuns me that they didn’t go this route). Rather than it being a piece of nostalgic pandering, however, Haynes uses this technique, mirroring the era with its own idealistic image, as a means of truly confronting the domestic truths of the era. It’s a brilliant idea that really pays off, but what really steals the show here are the performances – Maysbert and Moore especially, the latter of which was nominated for an Academy Award.

There are two big issues presented here are domestic turmoil and racism. While they are boldly tackled in Far From Heaven, I can’t help but feel like I was watching two different movies. I don’t know why, it just feels like the two stories seamed together perfectly, and it’s really my biggest problem with the movie. My only other criticism is more of a nitpick, but some of the colors of the lighting is really weird; sometimes the sets bear an out-of-place resemblance to a Joel Schumacher Batman movie (maybe not that overboard, though). I digress, though; Far From Heaven is still an exceptionally solid…not throwback, but retrospect on a bygone era.


Her (2013)

Directed by Spike Jonze

* * * *

Wandering the streets of a near-future Los Angeles, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) finds himself at a lonely stage in life, going through the finalization of a divorce from his life-long sweetheart. While going about his business, he stumbles upon an advertisement for something called OS1, a computer packaged remarkable A.I. console designed to get to know its user on a human-like personal level (sort of a non-pornographic predecessor to Blade Runner 2049’s Joi). The computer dubs itself Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), and becomes an outlet for Theodore’s loneliness. Before too long, though, the two form an intense bond that could be considered a legitimate relationship – if only Samantha were a real person.

I love films with a bittersweet tone. Additionally, I’ve always found loneliness to be a fascinating subject in movies. With that in mind, it should be of no surprise that I enjoyed Her. Actually, scratch that: I absolutely loved this movie, and I’m a little disappointed in myself that it took me this long to getting around to Her. Though set in the future, it’s a future that not only feels palpable, but seems like it’s already here with technology’s endless strides – this is because it never over-indulges in the whole sci-fi future; it is grounded in the world we live in now. It’s portrayal of loneliness is also very well done – yes, it’s an overall sad state to live in, but Her never wallows in the sadness, knowing when to be funny and when to be touching.

Because my first two experiences with Joaquin Phoenix were Gladiator and Signs, I was never too sure about his acting abilities. Lately, however, he has become an incredibly talented and transformative actor – Her is simply another addition to an impressive and dynamic body of work. Scar-Jo is lovely, as always, even when she’s only acting with her voice – the chemistry between these two is absolutely charming. Though this was directed by Spike Jonze, it is surprisingly reserved in its style, which I really appreciated – more opportunity to soak in the substance. I’m not a huge fan of Arcade Fire, but their score deserves it’s Oscar nomination (if only they’d release the score sometime). Not much else to say, at this point: one of the most memorable films of the decade, and I absolutely loved it.


Revolutionary Road (2008)

Directed by Sam Mendes

* * *

April and Frank (Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, respectively) first met, quite casually, at a party – they know right then and there that they are meant for each other. Fast forward: they are married, but it doesn’t take long for their relationship to take a rather sour turn, worsened by their stale lives – April, once an aspiring actress, is now bound to the confines of the housewife lifestyle; Frank now works for a company he vowed to never work for in his life. They set goals from time to time in an effort to better their marriage (planning a move to Paris, in particular), but nothing seems to mask a bitter fact about their lives: they just might not love each other anymore.

It is natural for man to want more and more out of life. I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing, and a case can be made for the benefits of always wanting – when one has everything they can possibly want, what’s next? Revolutionary Road poses this exact question. It wastes no time showing us a couple in turmoil. They seem to have everything they could possibly want, yet they’re always at each other’s throats – perhaps it is because they technically have everything they need. With this in mind, I found this an interesting movie, driven by two incredible performances from DiCaprio and Winslet. I can’t emphasize how terrific they were.

Though this was a good movie, that’s all I can leave it at. Though the production design was solid, perfectly representing its era without overindulging in sets and costumes, it wasn’t particularly interesting on a visual level. The score is generic at best; at worst, it intrudes on scenes in a manipulative manner a few too many times for my taste. The overall structure of the script is incredibly predictable; argument, temporary resolution, quasi-contentment, boiling tension, rinse and repeat. While the drama never becomes eye-rolling, it never really gets much of anywhere. On a side note, there’s Michael Shannon’s character, an insane man who seems to be the inner voice of Frank and April – this is fascinating, but the character is only in two or three scenes. Overall, a good movie, but a one-and-done for me.

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