Winter Flicks - movie reviews

Syriana
Many words come to mind after viewing Syriana: thought-provoking, challenging, competent, scary, long. This flick is the second collaboration of Section Eight Films (George Clooney & Steven Soderburgh) with writer Stephen Gaghan. And like the previous effort (Traffic) this film is a series of intertwined stories that eventually move together. This time the threads revolve around the petroleum industry - primarily U.S. interests in the Middle East - and the film takes no effort to hide its disdain for the U.S. position.

In fact, the film soundly places responsibility for a number of issues at the American doorstep. It is no surprise then that staunch Democrats such as Clooney, Damon, Cooper, and Hurt are found in this story and the audience is rewarded by their talent and commitment. However, it appears that the production team made an error in letting Gaghan direct his script this time. Whereas Traffic was captivating in all respects, Syriana has trouble gaining momentum and drags more than it should. Overall, the film is a worthy (and timely) feature but its presentation is suited more to home viewing than hours in the theatre and I expect it will do much greater business on DVD.

The Family Stone
Sometimes I see a movie because it's full of people I don't mind on screen. Stone is that kind of film (with some people - Wilson, McAdams - I actually LOVE onscreen). After facing a rocky road of release dates, this Family finds a perfect mid-December opening for its holiday story. However, it is only the calibre of the cast and some fine performances (Wilson, McAdams, SJP) that position this flick a notch above any Hallmark channel film of the week. The creation of real family moments and the portrait of dysfunction that is all to natural (and recognizable!) makes this film a worthy one. Also, a thread of finding "the one" is stitched throughout the proceedings. Built upon the notion that knowing your soulmate only comes from knowing yourself, the children of the Family Stone fight to know. Overall, the ending is too perfectly resolved. But for holiday fare it seems silly to complain about the neat wrapping on a decent package.

Aeon Flux
Flux is flashy and stylish. It has a definite "look" that is solidly imagined and carried throughout the picture. Whether or not you agree with this look will impact your enjoyment. The anime foundation allows for an illustrative falseness to be present in the film's direction and some scenes are obvious translations from drawings. The film offers a minor narrative preamble but for the most part doesn't explain the action. It throws you into an established world and demands that the audience accept some of its contrivances and futuristic inventions. Although the story is improbable it is never ludicrus. In fact, the film eventually probes many of the same questions about "humanity" that this summer's The Island presented and gives stronger responses. Charlize is impeccable eye candy and ably supported by B-talents Martin Czokas and Jonny Lee Miller (both handsome men who will likely have audiences asking "where have I seen him before?). Essentially, Flux is escapist and captivating fluff. If you can check your linear brain at the door your lateral side is going to love it.

Walk the Line
It's hard to walk out of Line and not think Oscar. The film is crafted almost entirely with awards in mind. And, musical biopics have always done good things for the actors in them (Angela Bassett - What's Love Got to Do With It, Jamie Foxx - Ray). What is most distracting about Line is how similar it feels to last year's Ray. Apparently both Charles and Cash lived incredibly similar lives! Or, at least the two icons shared enough hardship moments upon which to build a dramatic feature!

As well, Line opens with a jumpy episodic feel and true movie-goers will see its plot points coming WAY too early. But most of this is pushed aside for the performances. As the movie deals primarily with the tale of securing and the power of having a soul mate, it is in the leads that the film comes to life. There are not enough words to describe the talent, chemistry, and transformation of Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix in this film. Both do all the singing and bring June Carter and Johnny Cash to amazing life before your eyes. So, although you may feel you've watched this tale of woe before, you will be captivated anyway.

Pride & Prejudice
There are two types of audience members for P&P:
1-mad followers of the book/mini-seris out to see the latest version
2-never read/seen it newbies who think Keira Knightley is cute OR thought Love Actually was really good.

This adaptation is made for the second group and clearly reveals that there is only ONE Mr. Darcy. P&P is passable, quaint and hits most of the marks. But it is too rom-com-conventional in its pacing, humour and realization. It feels like a sitcom playing Jane Austin dressup rather than an observation of manners and, therefore is unsatisfying. As well, the secondary characters are so poorly drawn that it becomes obvious that the mini-series treatment may be the only just method. Still, Knightly shines and the film uses some quirky tricks to portray her dilemma with self and love. Macfadyan as Darcy is saddled with a haircut one would not wish on an enemy let alone a romantic lead and his portrayal is more morose than haughty. In fact, he fails to achieve much steaminess in his early scenes until the very end when a march across the moor at dawn is used as the bonbon to satisfy the audience's romantic sweet tooth. With strong adaptations such as Emma and Sense & Sensibility to draw from, it's sad to see P&P in Mansfield Park territory. If it wasn't for Keira's performance there would be little to be proud about in this one. But, having seen the "classic", I may be a tad prejudice.