Dick Tracy

Movie Name: Dick Tracy
Year of Release: 1990

Director: Warren Beatty

Stars: Warren Beatty, Al Pacino, Madonna, Glenne Headly, William Forsythe, Charles Durning, Dustin Hoffman, Charlie Korsmo, Ed O'Ross, Seymour Cassel, James Keane, Mandy Patinkin, Paul Sorvino, Kathy Bates, Dick Van Dyke, Catherine O'Hara, James Caan, Michael J. Pollard, Estelle Parsons

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

"Dick Tracy" was Warren Beatty's third feature film as a director, and came after the well known flop that was Elaine May's "Ishtar". The film is an adaptation of the comic book "Dick Tracy", from Chester Gould, and it was Disney studios' attempt at capitalizing on the comic book genre, after the huge hit that was Tim Burton's "Batman" in 1989. The film follows the attempts from Dick Tracy to end organized crime, specifically the shady rulings and organization dominated by Big Boy Caprice. Caprice is a ruthless despot, who rules with an iron fist, but one who fails at getting rid of Dick Tracy. In order to do so, he ends up using this faceless person, who remains unseen, but who has an agenda behind all these criminal endeavors that touch all the city. Tracy on the other hand, has a suddenly complicated personal life, with the appearance of a small orphaned boy, and his "on the fence" relationship with Tess Trueheart.
There's never been any doubt that Warren Beatty is an intelligent film-maker. "Reds" is a classic from the 80s, and his career as a producer and actor, contains classics that have shaped the history of films since the 1960s. "Dick Tracy" was his attempt at creating a transposition of the comic book strip to the big screen - and for the most part that is succeeded. The film is a stunning achievement of production design (from Richard Sylbert), cinematography (from the stupendous Vittorio Storaro) and costume design (from the award winning Milena Canonero), however as a fully fledged film with characters, it ends up failing. The characters remain flat as the pages they are published on, and while Al Pacino makes his villain entertaining and over the top, Beatty feels miscast as Dick Tracy, while Madonna tries unsuccessfully to be the vamp with a heart. Even if the screenplay feels a bit contrived, the film is nonetheless engaging, thanks to the artistry and superb craftsmanship of all the professionals involved, that make this film a vision to behold. A flawed, yet interesting film worth exploring.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Movie Name: Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Stars: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Redford, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Sebastian Stan, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp, Haley Atwell, Toby Jones, Jenny Agutter, Callan Mulvey, Maximiliano Hernandez

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

Marvel's continuous output of comic book characters continues, this time around with a sequel to Joe Johnston's "Captain America: The First Avenger", which came out in 2011. The directors this time around, are Anthony and Joe Russo, primarily known for their comedy work and for their extensive experience directing TV episodes from a multitude of shows ("Happy Endings" and "Community" to name but a few). The sequel finds Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, adjusting to life in the 21st century, after being defrosted and the adventures that took place in "The Avengers". His peaceful existence is thrown into disarray quickly enough, as he becomes aware that the organization he thought he had destroyed, Hydra, is still very much in existence and with tentacles everywhere. It's up to him with the assistance of the resourceful Black Widow and Nick Fury, to stop the conspiracy and avoid the murder of millions of people.
By now, most of Marvel's features are a result of an impeccably oiled production facility. All films come out with a well structured pace, where the robust budget is quite visible, and where the visual effects are of course state of the art. Where these films always falter, sadly so, is the lack of a perspective that makes them unique, and the result of a directorial vision that is artistic and challenging. These films aim to entertain, no muss and no fuss. The sequel to "Captain America" is no exception to this mode, however it benefits from a smart screenplay, that digs into the paranoia thrillers from the 1970s (Sydney Pollack's "Three Days of the Condor" and Alan J. Pakula's "The Paralax View", spring to mind), to create a sense of unease and general conspiracy that surrounds the central heroes. Other than this, the film feels very standard and by the numbers in terms of character dynamics and development. Action is brought forth, and the sheer scale of the scenes is impressive, to an extent that almost becomes cartoonish. The quality of the visual effects is of course on display, but it's not enough to make this film a high mark for the Marvel Universe. Highlight goes to Robert Redford, for creating a character that is the exact opposite of the ones he created during most of his acting career.

Magnolia

Movie Name: Magnolia
Year of Release: 1999

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Stars: Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, Melora Walters, Melinda Dillon, Alfred Molina, Jason Robards, Jeremy Blackman, Philip Baker Hall, Michael Murphy, Felicity Huffman, Ricky Jay, Michael Bowen

Genre: Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 10

Synopsis:

Paul Thomas Anderson's third feature, which premiered in December of 1999, proved that his previous directorial efforts, "Hard Eight" and "Boogie Nights", were not random successes, but the result of a phenomenal talent. "Magnolia" weaves a mosaic story of intertwined characters, starting with a young boy who's a prodigy, being exploited by his father in a televised talk show. The host of that show, is a soon to be retired popular entertainer, whose daughter has drug related problems. In parallel we witness the day of a new age cult, whose life is turned upside down, when he receives a phone call from a nurse, who's taking care of a dying man, who believes him to be his estranged son. The microcosms of this universe, keeps expanding with surrounding characters, which climax in a cathartic evening for all.
Paul Thomas Anderson creates with "Magnolia" a film that is perfect from all angles. Each character has an arc that creates a tangent with all the others in unexpected ways. The characters have a dimension, they are embodied with depth and resonance, and midway throughout the story, there's an event, that further elevates the sense of unity and connection that permeates the entire film. This feature has moments of sheer cinema pleasure - not just from an aesthetic perspective, but from the belief that film, as an art form, has the power to change someones perspective. The acting is uniformly superb, from Tom Cruise, to Philip Seymour Hoffman and of course, the wondrous Julianne Moore. This is a modern classic, worth watching countless times, and savor the beautiful soundtrack from Aimee Mann. Perfect.

Noah

Movie Name: Noah
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Stars: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, Douglas Booth, Mark Margolis

Genre: Drama, Action, Adventure

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4

Synopsis:

Following the successful "Black Swan", director Darren Aronofsky is back, with his interpretation of the biblical episode, involving Noah and the creation of the Arc. The film follows the story of Noah, and how he is chosen by God to build an Arc to salvage all creatures, since there's a flood of epic proportions being unleashed on Earth, to eradicate all evil and sin.
Darren Aronofsky has always been an interesting film maker, working in independent films for most of his career. "Noah" is his first big budget feature, and tackles a subject matter that on a first glance, is quite different than his other films. The common thread throughout Aronofsky's films, has always been how his main characters struggle within themselves, with their own demons, and how they are their own worst enemies (and create their own downfall). That is something that touches the character of Noah, though the scope and ambition of this film drowns what could have been a film about faith and the feverish pursuit of a vision. The film is beautifully rendered and as usual benefits from the stunning cinematography from Matthew Libatique, however that doesn't salvage it from the lack of existence of real characters with human dimension. The acting is also quite uneven - on one hand Russell Crowe provides gravitas and dimension to his character, but Jennifer Connelly is shrill and inconsistent (her accent changes frequently) and Ray Winstone again creates a villain that is flat and uninteresting (under-written). Aside from the fact the screenplay seems fragmented and incoherent, the film ends up having editing issues with the final part of the plot feeling disjointed from the rest of the narrative. A sadly missed opportunity for the usually brilliant Darren Aronofsky.

Superman Returns

Movie Name: Superman Returns
Year of Release: 2006

Director: Bryan Singer

Stars: Brandon Routh, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Eva Marie Saint, Frank Langella, Parker Posey, Sam Huntington, Kal Penn, David Fabrizio, Tristan Lake Leabu, Ian Roberts, Peta Wilson, Jack Larson, Jeff Truman

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

Tackling the legend of “Superman” was a difficult task for Warner Bros., but in the end, Bryan Singer’s film is more than worth the wait – it’s a mature and accomplished film, that gives time for the characters to exist, instead of being just a muddle of action sets pieced together.

“Superman Returns” has had a difficult time getting to the screen. From the cancelled Tim Burton version with Nicolas Cage, to the choices of directors (like McG and Brett Ratner to name a few), to casting choices, this has been a long gestating film, that finally sees the light of day, and with incredibly accomplished results. 

Bryan Singer, more known for his “Usual Suspects” and “X-Men” films, builds with “Superman Returns” a more than fitting companion to the early Superman films, directed by Richard Donner and Richard Lester – we’ll skip “Superman 3” and “”Superman 4 – The Quest for Peace”, which is the same assumption that Bryan Singer has done.

“Superman Returns” starts by introducing us to the current whereabouts of the title character. The film picks up where the first two had stopped. Superman has been gone for five years, in a quest to discover whatever the remains are of his home planet – Krypton. Upon his return to Earth, he finds out that Lois Lane has moved on with her life, and is now together with Perry White’s nephew, Richard, and has a small boy. He also learns that his nemesis, LexLuthor has been released from jail since Superman failed to show up in court and sustain the accusations that Luthor was charged with. Lex Luthor in the meantime has managed to get a hold of Krypton’s technology and plans to create chaos and destruction.

As can be noticed by this summary, “Superman Returns” updates all the elements that the films from Richard Donner and Richard Lester introduced in 1978 and 1980. However Bryan Singer, not only remains faithful to the spirit  of those films, but he surpasses that initiative by creating a film that is visually stunning and that has a maturity and rhythm unlike any other comic book adaptation so far (the only one that compare to it, is what Sam Raimi has done with “Spiderman”). The script allows time for Superman/Clark Kent to try to adjust himself to the life he once had on Earth, and how that has definitely changed. He is still the alien in the midst of a new reality, dominated by fear (terrorism, war), and he still stands for the good values – universally (and no longer just the “American way”). The film also allows for the dynamics between the main characters to come forth – Lois, Clark and Richard form an interesting love triangle, which for a change does not have a buffoon in one of it’s sides. It would be easy to make James Marsden’s Richard an unpleasant character, however the filmmakers went in a totally different direction, and in doing so, managed to explore the dynamics of the relationships between these people. The action sets that Bryan Singer has choreographed in this film are quite stunning – the special effects are present to enrich the story, and not be the focus of the film. From the plane crash, to the sinking of the yacht, all the sets are incredibly well done and they serve a dramatic purpose to the story. And as far as flying is concerned, Superman has never flown so incredibly realistically. 

As for the actors, Brandon Routh turns out to be a great casting choice for Superman. From his looks, to his voice and presence, he’s just perfect in the part.  The same can be said for Kevin Spacey’s Lex Luthor. Spacey usually excels playing disturbed characters (“Swimming with Sharks”, “Seven”, “The Usual Suspects”), and in this case, he does a terrific job. Kate Bosworth’s Lois Lane turns out to be quite different from the spunkiness that Margot Kidder had. She’s far too young to be believable in that role, and her character doesn’t come across as strong as it should. Still she manages to imbue her character with a fragility that makes sense in the story. All the other actors create small but memorable parts, from Eva Marie Saint to Parker Posey’s funny Kitty Kowalski.

All the team that Bryan Singer has gathered – his usual collaborators on his previous films – manage to create with Superman Returns, a great action film, which unlike some of the latest comic book adaptations, doesn’t try to sell a bunch of action-sets as a whole film – the core here are the relationships and the meaning of family in the midst of a new reality. 

Enemy

Movie Name: Enemy
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Melanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, Isabella Rossellini

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

2013 was a good year for Denis Villeneuve. In parallel with his bigger budget feature, "Prisoners", he also premiered "Enemy", a decidedly more experimental and offbeat feature that has now reached the screens. The film follows the story of Adam Bell, a history teacher, who lives a seemingly normal life - he goes from school to his home, has a relationship with a beautiful young woman and gets phone calls from his mom every now and then. One evening while watching a film, Adam notices that a supporting actor in the feature looks exactly like him. He successfully finds out who the actor is and where he lives - and much to his surprise and shock verifies that the actor is his exact double. The double, named Anthony, has a pregnant wife, and his relationship with her has been stressed with the shadow of infidelity. The relationships between these doubles start spiraling out of control, when they seemingly stop understanding where one's life ends and the other begins.
"Enemy" is based on a book by Jose Saramago, named "The Double". The story of the doubles who meet and who are enthralled by each other's lives while death looms by, has been transposed by Denis Villeneuve superbly. The black spiders that dominate the film, represent the shadow of death over these relationships and over these doubles. The film questions if Adam and Anthony are indeed the same person, with one being a representation of the other's guilt (the unfaithful husband). Denis Villeneuve manages to create a sense of unease throughout most of the film, with a great cinematography and soundtrack contributing to the sense of discomfort that keeps escalating. Jake Gyllenhaal is fantastic as the dual central character - Adam the meeker of the pair, and Anthony the ego driven counterpart. An awesome film worth discovering.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Movie Name: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Year of Release: 2014

Director: Wes Anderson

Stars: Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Mathieu Amalric, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Keitel, Jude Law, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Jason Schwartzman, Lea Seydoux, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, Owen Wilson, Tony Revolori, Bob Balaban, Fisher Stevens

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

Following the critical acclaim of "Moonrise Kingdom", Wes Anderson's new opus is a further exploration of his universe, filled with his traditional quirks and irreverence, all time capsuled perfectly in a period of time that no longer exists. The film follows the story of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. Monsieur Gustave is a playboy, who romances much older women. When one of them dies, and leaves him a renowned painting, he and his trusted aid go in pursuit of that inheritance.
Wes Anderson has created a style that is very much his own, and this film is a perfect example of all that his career has progressively built up. There's the retro setting and environment, the attention to detail, the large sprawling cast, which brings to life characters that are clearly archetypes, and the sense of humor and irony that permeates all of his stories. Where some of his previous films, such as "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" and "The Darjeeling Limited" attempted to build a bridge with a certain sense of reality (and his unifying sense of family), his latest endeavors, are definitely highly stylized films, ones that feature a very elaborate microcosms where each piece and element is clearly placed and designed to achieve a certain style and emotion. The film looks impeccable, and the cast is phenomenal, in particular the fantastic Ralph Fiennes. The film is deliciously assembled, but at the end, I couldn't help but wonder - will the director do something beyond this style in his next efforts?

Poltergeist

Movie Name: Poltergeist
Year of Release: 1982

Director: Tobe Hooper

Stars: Jobeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Beatrice Straight, Dominique Dunne, Oliver Robbins, Heather O'Rourke, Michael McManus, Richard Lawson, Zelda Rubinstein, James Karen

Genre: Horror

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8

Synopsis:

"Poltergeist" premiered on June of 1982, showcasing a different side to writer/producer Steven Spielberg's universe, one populated with some dark entities. The film followed the story of the Freeling family, who suddenly starts experiencing strange and unexplainable events in their house. Things escalate further, until these entities attack their household, and one of the family members goes missing. The family resorts to professional researchers to help in understanding the occurrences and hopefully bring some peace to their lives.
By the time "Poltergeist" premiered on the screens, writer/producer Steven Spielberg was already widely known as one of the most talented film makers in Hollywood. He was coming of a string of hits that included "Jaws", "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark". 1982 of course would see the release of the indelible "ET", but also the darker "Poltergeist", which would mark one of the first in a series of increasing prolific producing projects that would keep Spielberg occupied during the 80s (which included for instance, Joe Dante's "Gremlins", Matthew Robbins' "Batteries not Included" and Robert Zemeckis' "Back to the Future"). The film retains all of Spielberg's traditional focus: the family unit in a dire situation, with love and unity overcoming the hurdles and obstacles. However "Poltergeist" made these obstacles colossal, since they were supernatural and evil. These entities menacing the family, were also attacking innocence itself, personified in the film by the young Carol Anne (something that William Friedkin had already explored with his take on William Peter Blatty's "Exorcist"). The film ended up being more of a vision of it's writer and producer, than of the director, cult celebrated director Tobe Hooper, who at the time was still widely known for his low budget "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (whose career sadly never attained the promise it's debut showcased). The film successfully builds a sense of domesticity and peaceful existence, which is totally put into disarray with the strange events. The special effects though a bit dated by today's standards, still help create the tone of menace and wonder that dominates the film, as does the wonderful score from Jerry Goldsmith. A film always worth watching and coming back to.

The Wind Rises

Movie Name: The Wind Rises
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Martin Short, Stanley Tucci, Mandy Patinkin, Mae Whitman, Werner Herzog, Jennifer Grey, William H. Macy, Darren Criss

Genre: Animation, Biography, Drama

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9

Synopsis:

"The Wind Rises" was announced as the last film of director Hayao Miyazaki, who announced his retirement shortly after the film came out. The film follows the true story of aeronautical engineer Jiro Horikoshi, the man who designed Japanese fighter planes. We accompany the life of Jiro since his poor childhood, through his education in Tokyo, and  the hardship that followed a devastating earthquake in 1923. Jiro is an idealistic and a dreamer, a man who is deeply immersed in his passion for flying and creating airplanes. He falls in love with a young woman who sadly has a terminal illness, but both struggle to maintain their relationship.
Hayao Miyazaki has always been a unique film-maker - his films have always immersed the viewer in the relationship between Man and Nature. There has always been a magical and surreal element to his stories, but they have always been rooted in the concerns of how Man relates to his environment, and how careless and dangerous the ambition of humanity can doom their own destiny. My personal first encounter with Hayao Miyazaki's work, was with one of first projects,  the series "Future Boy Conan". That iconic show, already set forth all of his themes, that kept showing up throughout his more recent and well known endeavors, namely "Castle in the Sky", "Princess Mononoke", "Spirited Away" and "Howl's Moving Castle". "The Wind Rises" is, of all of his features, the one that is more anchored in reality, but it is nonetheless a poetic vision of someones' desire and ambition to fly, and how that dream can be corrupted and tainted for uses that are destructive and belligerent. The film is visually stunning, as is the case with all of the director's features. A beautiful film not to be missed.

Robocop

Movie Name: Robocop
Year of Release: 2014

Director: José Padilha

Stars: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Abbie Cornish, Samuel L. Jackson, Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K. Williams, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Jennifer Ehle, Jay Baruchel, Aimee Garcia, Douglas Urbanski, John Paul Ruttan, Patrick Garrow, K.C. Collins

Genre: Action, Crime, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6

Synopsis:

27 years after the original "Robocop", Brazilian director José Padilha makes his english language feature debut with a remake, that updates the visual effects, but maintains some of the spirit that defined the original film. The story focuses on detective Alex Murphy, a family man who is on the verge of unmasking some corruption within the Detroit police department. In parallel with his investigations, the film also focuses on Omnicorp, a large corporation (with a charismatic chairman by the name of Raymond Sellars), that is trying desperately to get robots as part of every day life in America, but see themselves unable to due to legislation. Due to a failed murder attempt, Alex Murphy finds himself as part of a new program that Omnicorp has: a machine-human hybrid, a robot-cop, that patrols and battles crime without ambivalence.
Director José Padilha has made a name for himself with the successful films "Tropa de Elite" ("Elite Squad"), and he brings a degree of intensity combined with a documentary tone, to the new version of "Robocop". The narrative of the film is somewhat similar to the original, though it lacks the rawness and visceral impact that Paul Verhoeven's film had, though it does aim for and creates a sense of political satire with the insertion of Samuel L. Jackson's character. The film ends up feeling almost too sanitized when compared to the extreme violence that dominated the original feature - it also tries to incorporate a sense of family dynamics into a story that doesn't allow for that to be successfully flushed out. "Robocop" features a fantastic cast, particularly Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Jackie Earle Haley and the always underrated Jennifer Ehle, who lift the story beyond the trivial. A medium effort still worth checking out.

Best films of 2013

2013 was an uneven year for films. On one hand there was an absurd amount of sequels, all of which with varying qualitative results. Interestingly enough though, the independent production was very strong, allowing for really great titles to reach wider audiences. It was also a great year for established authors to return to the screens with interesting and daring features. The year presented us with very good films from the likes of Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh and Guillermo Del Toro. Below is the list of my ten favorite and best films from 2013.

The Wolf of Wall Street

Director: Martin Scorsese

Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, Joanna Lumley, Cristin Milioti, Shea Whigham, Christine Ebersole, P.J. Byrne, Ethan Suplee, Henry Zebrowski, Jake Hoffman, Stephanie Kurtzuba

Her

Director: Spike Jonze

Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Chris Pratt, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Kai Chen, Brian Cox

La Vie D'Adele

Director: Abdellatif Kechiche

Stars: Adele Exarchopoulos, Lea Seydoux, Salim Kechiouche, Aurelien Recoing, Catherine Salee, Benjamin Siksou, Mona Walravens, Alma Jodorowsky

Mud

Director: Jeff Nichols

Stars: Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard, Sarah Paulson, Michael Shannon, Ray McKinnon, Paul Sparks, Joe Don Baker, Bonnie Sturdivant, Johnny Cheek

Trance

Director: Danny Boyle

Stars: James McAvoy, Vincent Cassel, Rosario Dawson, Danny Sapani, Matt Cross, Mark Poltimore, Wahab Sheikh, Tuppence Middleton

Short Term 12

Director: Destin Cretton

Stars: Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr, Kaitlyn Dever, Stephanie Beatriz, Rami Malek, Keith Stanfield, Frantz Turner, Melora Walters, Alex Calloway

12 Years a Slave

Director: Steve McQueen

Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Paulson, Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Lupita Nyong'o, Paul Giamatti, Bryan Batt, Scoot McNairy, Adepero Oduye, J.D. Evermore, Alfre Woodard, Garret Dillahunt, Rob Steinberg, Taran Killam

Gravity

Director: Alfonso Cuaron

Stars: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney

Inside Llewyn Davis

Director: Joel and Ethan Coen

Stars: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Ethan Phillips, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake, Adam Driver, Robin Bartlett, Max Casella, Stark Sands, F. Murray Abraham, Garrett Hedlund, Alex Karpovsky

Blue Jasmine

Director: Woody Allen

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins, Andrew Dice Clay, Bobby Cannavale, Peter Sarsgaard, Louis C.K., Michael Stuhlbarg, Alden Ehrenreich, Max Casella, Tammy Blanchard, Annie McNamara

Special highlights also go to the following films: Guillermo Del Toro's inventive and visually stunning "Pacific Rim", Wong Kar Wai's "The Grandmaster", James Ponsoldt's "The Spectacular Now", Shane Black's surprisingly solid "Iron Man 3" and Sarah Polley's "Stories we Tell".

Her

Movie Name: Her
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Spike Jonze

Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Chris Pratt, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Kai Chen, Brian Cox

Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9

Synopsis:

Director Spike Jonze is back after his adaptation of "Where the Wild Things Are", from 2009. "Her" is his first original screenplay, which takes place in the near future and focuses on the story of Theodore Twombly, a gifted and sensitive writer. Theodore is going through a breakup/divorce, and is having difficulties coping with his loneliness and relating to others. Theodore decides to buy a new operating system for his computer, one that learns and adapts to reality (an artificial intelligence one). This OS, aptly named Samantha, starts learning more about Theodore, and slowly an amorous relationship builds between these two seemingly different personas.
"Her" is a delicate and nuanced film that touches on many of the topics that are relevant to today's lives and relationships. The film ponders the way technology impacts our lives and how we as individuals relate to each other, in terms of communication and in terms of emotions. Theodore, the main focus of the story, is an every day man, sensitive and caring, going through the process of dissolving a relationship, and much to his sadness, realizes that technology may be a good partner, until he realizes that the emotional resonance simply isn't there. For all that technology potentiates, human contact and emotional warmth and presence, are still eminently humane. The film is beautifully shot by Hoyte Van Hoytema, and has a phenomenal cast, starting with the stupendous Joaquin Phoenix, the always great Amy Adams, and featuring a striking performance from Scarlett Johansson, as the voice of Samantha. This is a beautifully rendered film, one that is prescient of times to come, that is simultaneously tender, caring and humorous. Worth watching!

Music with an Impact - 2013

2013 saw the release of some truly stunning albums from a diversified array of artists. It also allowed for newcomers to come forth and share their interesting musical universes with a bigger audience. Overall, 2013 was a fantastic year for music. Below are my favorite albums released in 2013.

Bonobo - The North Borders
Moderat - II
Washed Out - Paracosm
Cut Copy - Free Your Mind
Baths - Obsidian
Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest
Arcade Fire - Reflektor
Jon Hopkins - Immunity
Lapalux - Nostalchic
Ochre - National Ignition

The Wolf of Wall Street

Movie Name: The Wolf of Wall Street
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Martin Scorsese

Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau, Jean Dujardin, Joanna Lumley, Cristin Milioti, Shea Whigham, Christine Ebersole, P.J. Byrne, Ethan Suplee, Henry Zebrowski, Jake Hoffman, Stephanie Kurtzuba

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Biography

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9

Synopsis:

Following the beautiful "Hugo", Martin Scorsese is back, with a dark comedy detailing the greedy and moral corruption of stockbrokers on Wall Street in the late 1980s. The film follows the true story of Jordan Belfort, a young ambitious stockbroker who at 22 is launched into the high finance world in Wall Street. After the collapse of the market, Jordan loses his job, and decides to start his own firm, with some less than reputable tactics he gained knowledge of. Alongside him is his friend Donnie Azoff, and they both soon start expanding their operations and the number of people working for them. In parallel with the business growth, the lavish parties, drug usage and general insanity keeps escalating, until the FBI starts investigating their practices.
"The Wolf of Wall Street" is one of the more visceral and funny comedies that is part of Martin Scorsese's body of work. The film does not try to endorse the corruption of morals nor the criminal behaviors on display - it functions more like a snapshot of a certain time in a specific segment of society. In a way, this film is a portrait of the 80s in the vein of Tom Wolfe's "The Bonfire of the Vanities", but in a more excessive way, for all the extreme behaviors that it displays. The egocentric, hedonistic behaviors of the characters, mixed with this sense of urgency and simultaneously of being unpunished, creates in this microcosms of relationships, a distorted sense of reality. The film succeeds in creating a bubble of luxury and corruption, that slowly destroys everything it touches. The acting is uniformly fantastic, but the show belongs to Leonardo DiCaprio, who is sensational in every single frame. The cinematography from Rodrigo Prieto is beautiful, as is the eclectic soundtrack. A fantastic film worth watching!

47 Ronin

Movie Name: 47 Ronin
Year of Release: 2013

Director: Carl Rinsch

Stars: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ko Shibasaki, Rinko Kikuchi, Tadanobu Asano, Min Tanaka, Jin Akanishi

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5

Synopsis:

Carl Rinsch's debut feature, "47 Ronin" comes a year after it's original date of release and surrounded by news of additional reshoots and editorial control struggles between the studio and the director. The film follows the story of Kai, a young boy who is found by a Master Samurai in Japan. Kai is of a mixed race and is believed to possess supernatural powers, so he's raised as an outcast (except for the daughter of his Master who loves him). When his Master is killed through treachery of a rival lord, Kai now an adult, is sold to slavery, whereas all the Samurai from that clan are declared Ronin (samurais without a master). It's up to these men to avenge the honor of their Master and restore the peaceful life their village had.
"47 Ronin" is a well known (and true story) in Japan, and has in fact been tackled before by other directors. Carl Rinsch, who made his name with commercials (for Nexus for instance), works with a script that combines the more authentic attempt at capturing the samurai traditions and code of honor, with the more fantastical elements of the supernatural. This hybrid take on the story aims to create a more entertaining and palatable experience for audiences who are not familiar with certain cultural references. However the main issue with the film, ends up being the script itself, which fails to create much depth for any of the characters, including the central love couple of Kai and Mika. The actors try their best to bring these cliches to life, but there's only so much they can effectively create from such limited material. Visually the film is stunning, with fantastic work from production designer Jan Roelfs (who worked on Sally Potter's "Orlando" for instance), the beautiful cinematography from John Mathieson (who has worked extensively with Ridley Scott) and impressive visual effects. The film has nonetheless a fair entertaining momentum to it, despite the flaws.