The Tree of Life

Movie Name: The Tree of Life

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Terrence Malick

Stars: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Hunter McCracken, Laramie Eppler, Tye Sheridan, Fiona Shaw, Joanna Going 

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

The enigmatic and always secretive Terrence Malick is back, with a new film that has just won the Palm D'Or at Cannes. The director has thus far been responsible for 5 films, in a career spanning 4 decades. It has been widely known that Malick takes time to shoot and mainly to edit his films. After reading the book from Peter Biskind, "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls", it's easy to understand that Malick is obsessive and detailed in his approach in finding the right tone for a film - "Days of Heaven" for instance,  took two years of editing. "The Tree of Life" is a philosophical contemplation about the meaning of life, about being true to oneself, the meaning of pure love, all seen through the eyes of a family in the suburbs of a north american city in the 50s. Through the eyes of that family, and in particular through the eyes of the elder child, Jack, we come to realize the dichotomies of what life and love are about and how they affect the way we relate to nature and the planet itself.

This is a very ambitious film, simultaneously grandiose and intimate. Terrence Malick paints a broad canvas, utilizing the microcosms of a family to extend his metaphors to the entire human race. Jack, the main character, is torn between the loose and loving upbringing of his mother, and the more disciplined and strict ruling of his father. These contradictions plant seeds of discomfort for his life as an adult, something that influences his relationships. The director approaches this remotely and with some distance - the current life of Jack is never more than a sad glance from Sean Penn, or an arid and void space where he stands. All the characters end up being keys for understanding a deeper meaning of how relationships should function and make sense in the world. Sadly, the characters are never fully explored and though the film tries to go in many directions, and it does reach some points of poignant beauty, it is also borderline simplistic and of questionable taste (particularly some "new age" scenes towards the end of the film). It's a film beautifully shot by Emmanuel Lubezki and very well acted by Brad Pitt. Jessica Chastain is muted throughout the film, as is Sean Penn. An interesting and flawed experience, worth investigating.

Midnight in Paris

Movie Name: Midnight in Paris

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Woody Allen

Stars: Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Kathy Bates, Mimi Kennedy, Kurt Fuller, Nina Arianda, Carla Bruni, Alison Pill, Tom Hiddleston, Corey Stoll, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Adrien de Van, Yves Heck

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

Woody Allen's new film after "You'll Meet a Tall Dark Stranger", follows a new group of characters in a different European city, this time Paris. The film follows the story of Gil, a screenwriter in Hollywood, who is trying to be a writer and who is engaged to Inez, a beautiful but superficial woman. Both are visiting Paris, a city Gil always wanted to move into, but never had a chance. During their stay, Gil and Inez start going their separate paths, Inez with Paul and Carol on cultural strolls (that result in an affair with Paul) and Gil going on a more fantastical journey through time. Each night as the clock indicates midnight, Gil is taken back to the 1920s where he gets to exchange ideas with luminaries such as Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso and Gertrude Stein, to name but a few. These meetings have an impact on Gil's relationship with Inez and ultimately his life.
Woody Allen builds a film that is clearly enamored with the city of Paris and with nostalgia - specifically with the 1920s. The film is an ode to Paris, whereas the characters are a continuation of his usual universe, starting with his alter ego Gil, the screenwriter trying to find his own voice through his writing. There's as usual the muse (personified by the beautiful and lovely Marion Cotillard) and the larger than life characters who in this case are well known icons, such as Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Picasso. The film is simultaneously a reflection on the importance of art and also finding one's true voice as a path to real happiness. It's a dream-like film, not as inspired as the Woody Allen from the 70s/80s/90s, but much better than his latest output. A film worth watching.

Super 8

Movie Name: Super 8

Year of Release: 2011

Director: J. J. Abrams

Stars: Joel Courtney, Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Riley Griffiths, Zach Mills, Ryan Lee, Ron Eldard, Gabriel Basso, Noah Emmerich, Jessica Tuck, Glynn Turman, David Gallagher, Brett Rice

Genre: Mystery, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

J.J. Abrams has made a name for himself as a screenwriter for both TV (he created "Alias" and "Lost") and Features (he wrote Mike Nichols' "Regarding Henry" and Michael Bay's "Armageddon") and more recently as a producer and director. After the huge hit that was the reboot of "Star Trek", Abrams in association with Steven Spielberg (as a producer), wrote the story for "Super 8", which gets a lot of its inspiration from the early Spielberg films (that he both directed and produced, such as "ET" and "Batteries not Included", directed by Matthew Robbins).
"Super 8" follows the story of young Joe Lamb and his group of friends, who live in a small town in Ohio. Joe is distant with his father, particularly since his mother passed away. Joe and his group of friends are trying to finish a small zombie film, when they accidentally witness the derail of a train carrying a very unusual cargo. The army gets called in and all sorts of strange things start happening in the small town. It's up to Joe and his friends to understand what is going on.
J.J. Abrams is an intelligent writer and director, and in this case in particular he uses the fantasy of films, something the children are doing and embracing, to evoke a time that has gone by. The sense of nostalgia is fueled by the union of this group of children, each one suffering their own losses, who come together for the sheer love of film and adventure. The film is very much a mix of Rob Reiner's "Stand By Me', Steven Spielberg's "ET" and Matthew Robbins' "Batteries not Included" - the creature from the outside is menacing, but never really threatening. In the end, everyone wants to be a part of a loving family (much like Spielberg's films). The only problem this film has, is the fact that where Spielberg's films stay true to his core of having family as a guiding light, "Super 8" feels calculated to elicit reactions and the sense of nostalgia of a time that has gone by. It's an entertaining film, made with a calculating perspective and without a sense of wonder.

X-Men: First Class

Movie Name: X-Men: First Class

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, January Jones, Jason Flemyng, Zoe Kravitz, Caleb Landry Jones, Edi Gathegi, Lucas Till, Matt Craven, Glenn Morshower, James Remar, Ray Wise, Alex Gonzalez, Michael Ironside, Jason Teghe, Brendan Fehr, Tony Curran

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only):7

Synopsis:

The "X-Men" universe is back after the disappointing last outings that were "X-Men: The Last Stand" directed by Brett Ratner and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" directed by Gavin Hood, both of which had mediocre results. "X-Men: First Class" comes with a new director and with the association and touch of Bryan Singer, who directed thus far the two best films in that specific universe, namely "X-Men" and "X-Men: United".  The film follows the story of two men, Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr. While Charles is born into a family of wealth, Erik on the other hand, loses his family in the Holocaust and ends up being the target of experimentation at the hands of Stan Shaw, a mutant himself. Twenty years go by and Erik is now chasing the Nazis responsible for the demise of his family, including Shaw. Xavier on his side, is associated with the CIA when his talents are used to identify potential threats from the soviets. These two men join forces, alongside with young mutants to battle the common threat that is Stan Shaw, his Hellfire Club and the looming nuclear holocaust.
Following the success of "Kick Ass", Matthew Vaughn returns to the comic book universe, with some of the most iconic characters of the Marvel Universe. Whereas the last two films of the "X-Men" universe faltered under the mediocre hands of two disappointing directors, Vaughn clearly knows and understands the opportunity he has with these characters. The story cleverly mixes the Cold War tension, with the fear of Nuclear Holocaust and the mutant agenda - ultimately the common thread to all the "X-Men" films has been the lack of tolerance towards those who are different (something that "X-Men:Last Stand" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" completely disregarded). Matthew Vaughn also has fun inserting elements from the classic James Bond films, something that adds an extra layer of sophistication to the film. The cast is uniformly good, from James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Kevin Bacon who makes a perfect villain. A fantastically entertaining film!

Kung Fu Panda 2

Movie Name: Kung Fu Panda 2

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Jennifer Yuh

Stars: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Gary Oldman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong, Michelle Yeoh, Danny McBride, Dennis Haysbert, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Victor Garber

Genre: Action, Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

Following the huge success of "Kung Fu Panda", Dreamworks animation returns with the inevitable sequel. The sequel continues to follow the story of Po and the fantastic five, as their battle a new enemy, this time a peacock by the name of Shen. Shen wants to dominate China using canons that he developed. It's up to Po, to find his inner truth and peace, in order to battle his opponents and return peace to his country and small town.
Jennifer Yuh, has a career developed in the art direction department as a storyboard artist, and that comes across loudly in this film. As the previous film, this one is luscious in terms of the visuals and transitions - the film is incredibly dynamic, with bold colors and perfectly designed. It's a pure visual pleasure to see a film as rich as this one. The story, though nothing new, is also a perfect metaphor for the target crowds: growth comes with inner peace and knowing who you are. A good film worth checking out.

The Hangover Part II

Movie Name: The Hangover Part II

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Todd Phillips

Stars: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, Justin Bartha, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Tambor, Jamie Chung, Mason Lee, Sasha Barrese

Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 3

Synopsis:

After the disappointing "Due Date", director Todd Phillips returns, and like that effort, this is another film that delivers a lot less laughs than the original. The film follows the same group of friends from the original "The Hangover": Phil, the schoolteacher wanting to lead a wilder life, Stu, the dentist who is getting married after the crazy times in Las Vegas and Alan, the odd and socially awkward one who lives with his parents. Stu is getting married in Thailand, and they all decide to have a night of relaxation before the wedding - the following morning all of them wake up in Bangkok, with no recollection of what occurred the night before and missing Teddy, the younger brother of the future wife of Stu. They all panic and decide to trace what happened the night before.
"The Hangover Part II" is basically a remake of the first film, with a different location. The action has been transferred to Thailand, and there are some inserts of crude humor that are unexpected, but sadly, the humor is largely missing. What the original film had going for it, were the unexpected situations and the premise of this group of people tracking their own steps: these ordinary men turned out to be complete fish out of water in Las Vegas, and from that came the comedy. The sequel tries to capture that sense in Thailand, but it never feels original or in the case of a comedy, funny. All the actors try their best to bring some life to the film, particularly the always funny Ed Helms, but that's not enough. The film needed some originality and some bite, which simply isn't there. Avoidable.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Movie Name: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Rob Marshall

Stars: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane, Kevin McNally, Sam Claflin, Astride Berges-Frisbey, Richard Griffiths, Stephen Graham, Damian O'Hare, Keith Richards

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:

The new "Pirates of the Caribbean" marks a depart in the hugely successful franchise: for the first time there's a plot that actually makes sense as opposed to gratuitous special effects that serve absolutely no purpose. The film introduces Captain Jack Sparrow in a situation where he has to save a friend from being hanged - Jack flees a possible capture, but ends up having to go with the malefic Blackbeard in pursuit of the famed Fountain of Youth. There are of course adversaries on his track, namely his old enemy Captain Barbossa and the Spanish Armada. It's up to Jack, this time with the help of an old love interest, Angelica, to outcome his enemies and get back to his old ship, the Black Pearl.
Rob Marshall, a director mostly known for his musicals (he has directed both the academy award winning "Chicago" and more recently "Nine"), has wisely chosen, to let the characters be the main driving point for the film. Whereas both "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" from Gore Verbinski, were hugely successful, the films were in itself mediocre, with plots that went nowhere, where the special effects overly compensated for an absolute lack of direction. Marshall creates an adventure film that owes and breathes from Michael Curtiz's  "Captain Blood": a film that is an action-adventure with humor and over the top characters. Johnny Depp continues to reign as Jack Sparrow. The character has become like a second skin for him, and he has plenty of fun with it. Penelope Cruz is as usual beautiful and intense, and Ian McShane and Geoffrey Rush are fantastic. This is a good entertaining film worth checking out.

Bridesmaids

Movie Name: Bridesmaids

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Paul Feig

Stars: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Jon Hamm, Melissa McCarthy, Jill Clayburgh, Matt Lucas, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Chris O'Dowd, Rebel Wilson, Ben Falcone

Genre: Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

The new comedy produced by Judd Apatow, comes courtesy of the screenplay written by the wonderful Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, with Wiig also playing the lead role. The film follows the story of Annie and Lilian, best friends since both were children. Lilian gets engaged and asks Annie to be her bridesmaid, which Annie accepts, though her life is unraveling, with a bad job, bad housing situation and bad relationship. When Annie meets the remaining bridesmaids, she sparks immediately with Helen, the super competitive and super superficial new friend of Lilian. Through the arrangements for the wedding, from the choice of the bridesmaids gowns, to the bachelorette party, things always take a twist for the wrong turn, till Annie finally snaps, with unknown consequences for her relationship with Lilian.
The raunchy comedy from Paul Feig, who is also known for his acting work and directing episodes for TV Shows such as "The Office" and "Weeds", follows the path of a group of women trying to celebrate a marriage/wedding, but also tries to probe a bit deeper into to the bonds of friendship between such a disparate group. Kristen Wiig wrote a story that is filled with hilarious situations, mostly coming from the awkward times her character, Annie, just seem to find herself in. Annie tries to be so happy for everyone, though her life is a complete mess. There's a sadness at times in Annie, that really gives insight to the character and that makes her not just a uni-dimensional joke, but a person going through some hardship and real fears. The film does fall prey to some inevitable cliches, but the acting from Wiig and Melissa McCarthy make this a film definitely worth checking out.

Thor

Movie Name: Thor

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Stars:Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Clark Gregg, Idris Elba, Colm Feore, Ray Stevenson, Jaimie Alexander, Josh Dallas, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner

Genre: Action, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:

Kenneth Branagh has made a career of making interesting choices, both as an actor and as a director. His directorial debut, "Henry V", garnered fantastic reviews and award nominations, but since then, his output has been irregular: he has directed both the really good "Hamlet" and the really bad "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein", to name but a few. "Thor" adapts the Marvel Comics character, introducing the multiple dimensions/parallel universes that exist, namely Asgard and Earth. Thor and Loki are both sons of Odin, the ruler of Asgard - Thor the oldest is the one, chosen to rule after his father steps down, but he is a young man ruled by arrogance, impetuous and with a lack of consideration for others. One of his outbursts threats the peace of Asgard, upon which Odin sends him to Earth in order for him to learn the value of courage, humbleness and kindness. On Earth, Thor meets Jane Foster, an astrophysicist who teaches him the meaning of humanity, while Loki in Asgard prepares a macabre plan.
Kenneth Branagh had with Thor a lot of material to work with. The character has existed for years and the plethora of stories is immense. However, the screenplay opts to introduce the character on Earth and in Asgard, and how both realities exist simultaneously. The main problem with the direction of Branagh, is how he populates the story with cliches that are predictable and add nothing new to the storyline. And of course, as usual in all his films, he overdoes everything, from the soundtrack to the production design - the film almost crosses the line between an interesting aesthetic and kitsch. The actors try their best to do what they can with the meager material. Chris Hemsworth personifies the strong and muscular hero with a great energy, but his transition from arrogant to humble never really makes much sense. Natalie Portman has nothing much to do, the same can be said for Stellan Skarsgard and most of the supporting actors in the film. Tom Hidleston as the villainous Loki, tries to give the film some gravitas, but he's never really menacing, nor convincing. The film ends up living from the fantastic special effects, sadly that is not enough to recommend it.

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Win Win

Movie Name: Win Win

Year of Release: 2011

Director: Thomas McCarthy

Stars: Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Burt Young, Melanie Lynskey, Alex Schaffer, Margo Martindale, David W. Thompson

Genre: Drama, Comedy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:

Thomas McCarthy is one of those rare actor/director cases, where his directorial efforts have all produced very interesting and accomplished films. McCarthy usually plays supporting roles in big budget films, such as Roland Emmerich's "2012", but in his directorial career, from his debut with "The Station Agent", through "The Visitor" and now "Win Win", he has always showed a rare insight and deft perception to showcase the life and interactions of people, not cardboard characters.
Win Win follows the life of Mike Flaherty, a small town lawyer who is struggling to make ends meet since he has very few clients. Mike also has a side activity as a wrestling coach, but much to his dismay, his team isn't doing so well. When one of his clients has to be placed in the care of the state, Mike sees that as an opportunity to make some extra money for himself. When his client's grandson shows up at his doorstep, a series of events starts to unravel, which will change Mike's and his small circle of friends and family lives forever.
Thomas McCarthy knows how to examine and probe the microcosms of life and of the relationships of everyday people. Mike Flaherty is simply trying to stay afloat and maintain the happiness and stability of his family. The film smartly interplays the humor and drama of every day life, something that adds an extra layer to the film, and makes all the characters the more engaging. Paul Giamatti is fantastic as always, creating a man who is struggling and almost overwhelmed by the difficulties of life, but who tries to do the right thing for the people he loves. The supporting actors are equally great, from Amy Ryan, Bobby Cannavale, Jeffrey Tambor, Melanie Lynskey and the young Alex Schaffer. A very good film worth seeing.

Hanna

Movie Name: Hanna
Year of Release: 2011
Director: Joe Wright
Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana, Tom Hollander, Olivia Williams, Jason Flemyng, Jessica Barden, Aldo Maland
Genre: Action, Thriller, Mystery
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
Following the little seen "The Soloist" with Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx, Joe Wright changes gears and direction with "Hanna", which can be considered his first action film. The film follows the story of young Hanna, who has been raised in an isolated cabin in the icy areas of Finland, by her father Erik. Erik is a rogue agent who has been training Hanna to be as resourceful and capable as him, in all matters of combat and general capabilities as far as military intelligence goes. Hanna longs to find out more about the world, but she knows she has a formidable foe to tackle: Marissa Viegler, the agent responsible for the death of her mother.  Hanna sets out to the world with Marissa on her tail, to the final confontration where Hanna finally knows more about who she is.
Joe Wright is an interesting director with a unique aesthetic and capable of great performances from his casts, which is the case with Hanna. However where the film again falters is in the screenplay. There are scenes that exist and prolong themselves needlessly, which add nothing to uncover the main characters, who remain till the end very thinly expanded (namely Marissa and Eric). Hanna goes through the process of understanding the menaces of the world, but above all, she tries to understand who she is and where she comes from. Joe Wright oscillates between wanting to explore the evolution of a young girl to womanhood and the concept of the ruthless killer that she can be (as if she's a young Nikita). In the end the film doesn't opt for any of those directions, trying to be a hybrid, that never is really solid enough to make the film as compelling as it could have been. Saoirse Ronan and Cate Blanchett are both fantastic and make the film worth watching, though sadly this could have been a much better film.

Insidious

Movie Name: Insidious
Year of Release: 2011
Director: James Wan
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, Lyn Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Ty Simpkins, Andrew Astor, Corbett Tuck, Joseph Bishara
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Fantasy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:
James Wan has made a name for himself directing suspense and horror films, namely "Saw" (which started the franchise that spawned 7 films) and "Death Sentence". "Insidious" is his new collaboration with actor/screenwriter Leigh Whannell, who also wrote "Saw" and Oren Peli, who was the director of the hugely successful film "Paranormal Activity".
The film follows the Lambert family as they settle in a new house. Josh and Renai have three children, Dalton being the eldest and the one prone to investigate and get into trouble. Following a small accident in the house, Dalton becomes unconscious and all the medical exams can't seem to figure out what is wrong with him. While taking care of the young child, Renai starts noticing and hearing voices around the house, figures that appear and disappear, scaring her senseless. After their decisions prove worthless, Josh and Renai decide to ask for the help of Elise Rainier, a psychic who they believe can provide the answers they are looking for.
James Wan creates with "Insidious" a smart and suspenseful film, that lives from suggestion and the environment that slowly is created, as opposed to gore and piles of dead bodies. He manages to create a feeling of unease, that slowly showcases the nuclear family being attacked from a supernatural menace. The fact that the main target is a child, makes the film even scarier, as it represents the innocence of a young child being destroyed. The film does have it's weaker moments when Wan decides to bring his ghosts to life, but overall the film is genuinely scary with moments of tension that keep escalating.
The actors are uniformly good, with highlights going to Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne and the always great Barbara  Hershey. Worth watching.

Source Code

Movie name: Source Code
Year of release: 2011
Director: Duncan Jones
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright, Michael Arden, Russell Peters, Cas Anvar, Craig Thomas
Genre: Action, Mystery, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7

Synopsis:
After his debut with "Moon", director Duncan Jones again impresses with his follow up film, "Source Code", a science-fiction film where the lines of what is real and parallel existences are blurry. The film follows the story of Colter Stevens, a young soldier who finds himself in the body of a man he does not know. His mission is to identify the bomber of a train who is directed towards Chicago. Stevens is confused and unaware of what to do, until Goodwin, his army liaison, explains the details of the mission: the Source Code allows him to experience the final 8 minutes of the life of someone. He can take inhabit that person's life and try to find out who is the catalyst for all the destruction. What follows is Stevens' desperate attempt to save everyone, including in particular Christina, whom he meets on the train.
The film intelligently mixes a story which is vaguely reminiscent of Philip K. Dick with elements of conspiracy theory with a hero who doesn't really know what's going on and to whom the ending is a surprise (very much like the end surprise of M. Night Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense"). The film also has the touch of Harold Ramis' "Groundhog Day", with the hero forced to relive the same event until he fulfils his mission, but in this case, the mission is a tragic one. Duncan Jones keeps the film continuously interesting and doesn't anchor it in elaborate special effects: everything we see is filtered through the actors, in particular Jake Gyllenhaal, who does a very good job portraying Colter Stevens. His confusion and despair keep propelling him towards the truth and by the end, his sense of peace is also his liberation. Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga have good performances in a film that is extremely well done and paced. Worth watching.