Director: Bill Condon (Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Dreamgirls, Kinsey, Gods and Monsters)
Writer: Josh Singer
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Stanley Tucci, Laura Linney
Synopsis: A dramatic thriller based on real events that reveals the quest to expose the deceptions and corruptions of power that turned an Internet upstart into the 21st century’s most fiercely debated organization.

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DIRECTION

The Fifth Estate is a sharp looking adaptation of true life events that makes the picture a hot topic of discussion worldwide. Bill Condon is at the helm of this controversial look at Julian Assange and Wikileaks, the organization which infamously leaked top secret documents, videos, and other highly classified information belonging to many of the world’s governments starting back in December of ’06. Bill Condon does his best to guide us along the way, utilizing a controversial screenplay as well as his cast & crew (notably featuring Benedict Cumberbatch as Assange). Condon has already taken home an award this year for his direction of Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part II. That may sound like a good thing, but actually he was recognized as Worst Director at the Razzies. I can’t speak to that because by the time that part of the series had arrived I had already checked out, but I can say that the direction for The Fifth Estate will not net him any Razzie nominations. Condon may not always get the best material to work with, but he manages to do some interesting things here. Not being any more familiar with the material than the average audience member who will go to the theater to see this film, I never felt lost or confused, and that is an accomplishment in direction. Condon uses intertitles very effectively and we truly get a grasp on each location as its own unique aesthetic.

Grade: B

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SCRIPT

Based on material written in two separate books by Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World’s Most Dangerous Website) and David Leigh & Luke Harding (WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange’s War on Secrecy), the screenplay ends up being a near-complete history of Wikileaks. Yes, the Assange character receives the most attention of any character in the script, but it is because he is the founder of Wikileaks as opposed to being a character study on the man himself. The story really reminded me a lot of The Social Network in that we are being shown the foundation of a website in a way that explores not just the “what” but the “why”. Both films feature a dictatorial, egotistical genius at their respective helm, and in both cases helps explain why the websites were so successful. The Assange character mentions that it takes two things to make something successful: a good idea and maximum commitment. The script for The Social Network had both, but The Fifth Estate, I would argue, has neither. There are some good ideas here (such as the fantasy/dream-like representation of the size and scope of the organization) but none seem correctly placed or finished. The lack of commitment to one specific area of the script makes this a paper-thin patty with a huge bun–not enough meat, but lots of breading. The amount of time Singer spends on the relationship between Daniel Berg (Daniel Bruhl) and his significant other was inexcusable and poorly thought out as it seemed like something else just pulled from The Social Network to add drama. What Singer delivers on is an average script which can keep mainstream audiences interested. What he does not deliver is anything more than that. For the cultural importance this story holds, that is not enough.

Grade: C-

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PERFORMANCES

Benedict Cumberbatch is having one heck of a year, and his portrayal of Julian Assange only adds another notch to his belt. His performance as Assange was as flawless as I can imagine him giving under the circumstances of the screenplay, and credit must be given to him for doing his best to give justice to a character of current historical relevancy. Daniel Bruhl was good as Daniel Berg, but he just didn’t get a lot of interesting material to work with. His character in The Edukators was much more interesting, and I really wished I was watching that movie instead of this one for his sake (and mine). Laura Linney and Stanley Tucci played as what felt like two characters pulled straight out of Zero Dark Thirty (they were the middle-aged geopolitical experts pulling strings from Washington) and had to have one of the worst introductory scenes of any major actors I’ve seen in a film this year. The scene features them both stone-faced and is nearly laughably bad and should be lying on the cutting room floor. Overall though, the performance by our two leads makes for a mostly well-acted film.

Grade: B-

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SCORE

The highlight of the film for me, the score created by Carter Burwell was edgy, slick, and again reminded me of the modern feel of The Social Network. This score is not quite up to par with that one, but it is very imaginative. I felt like I was in a Euro dance club at times (which did happen more than once in the film) and that gave me a real feeling as to where this movie took place. It never felt American to me, and I give credit to Burwell for scoring a film in a way that keeps us at a global perspective.

Grade: A

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Final Thoughts:

The Fifth Estate is not a great film. The subject matter makes it interesting, the directing and performances make it watchable, and the cultural relevance Wikileaks holds may allow it to have box office success. But as a film that seems to try to inspire and provoke, it fails miserably. The melodrama and contrived scenes involved in the script had me rolling my eyes more than once, and by the end I felt like I was listening to someone speak his opinion as opposed to feeling motivated and that the governments of the world were scared of my ability to seek out information and share it with others. This is a real shame, as I think the opportunity for a great film was there, and the tools seemed to have been as well. It just didn’t quite work.

Overall Grade: C-

Director: Paul Greengrass
Writers: Billy Ray (screenplay), Richard Phillips (based upon the book “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea”)
Stars: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman

Synopsis: The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years.

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DIRECTION
Love him or hate him, this is arguably Paul Greengrass’ best movie to date. As with all of his movies, you need to get ready to be up close and personal. Greengrass loves having the camera right up in people’s faces but it puts you right into the middle of the action and increases the intensity that this movie brings. And let me tell you, it is intense. It’s not long before the drama starts to unfold and you get the feeling of “uh oh”. How Greengrass gets amazing performances out of unknown actors, and even military personnel who didn’t know they were going to be in a movie, is beyond me. And it’s some of the little things that add up as well. For example, the gun marks left of Tom Hanks’ head after a gun was pressed up against it, just so you know the danger is real. The use of the military was amazing, and while it’s not too in-depth, it’s incredible what they had to do to execute this rescue. Greengrass perhaps took some liberties with some things, but the way he tells this story is incredible and extremely effective.

Grade: A+

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SCRIPT
The story here, like Gravity, is pretty simple on the surface. Four Somali pirates invade a cargo ship, kidnap it’s Captain and try to get back home to negotiate for a lot of money. However, this story is much more complex than that. Outside of the political game that was played off-screen, it’s the relationship dynamics between the pirates and Captain Phillips that bring depth to the story. We learn that these pirates are not working for themselves, but for a Somali gang Lord who is using them to get money and goods for the tribes. And it’s the pressure from these gang leaders that pushes these pirates to the brink which ended up being a huge disaster. The U.S. Navy gets involved and they begin a rescue operation, which ends up being one of the more incredible stories you’ll ever see. As for Captain Phillips, he’s calm at the beginning and is confident when the U.S. Navy shows up. He makes some questionable decisions that really puts his life in danger but at the same time you know he just really wants to get out of there. The dialogue for this script is awesome, believable and ironic at time. Everything flows together seamlessly and it gets intense. You may or may not end up caring for any of these pirates, but in the end it’s all about Captain Phillips and the amazing rescue that ensues.

Grade: A

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PERFORMANCES
This is Tom Hanks best performance in a decade. He’s absolutely incredible as Captain Phillips. He has the accent down, all the mannerisms and brings an emotional depth I haven’t seen from him in awhile. The scene he has at the end is a reminder why he’s an Oscar winner and a beloved actor. While the story from the military side is incredible, this is the Tom Hanks show and he brings it on screen. As for Barkhad Abdi, a first-time actor, let’s just say if he is nominated for supporting roles, I won’t be surprised. For never acting before, him and his Somali friends are amazing and steal the show in their own right. They have a lot of screen time, some back story, and even put them in a light where you may like them on some level. And it’s not just the character writing. The performances make these characters a little likable, a little hatable and bring them to life. There is depth to these performances and for actors who’ve never done this before, they are almost flawless. When you combine that with Tom Hanks, get ready for an amazing boat ride thriller. Also just to note, Greengrass used real military personnel that didn’t know they were going to be in a movie, but you can hardly tell. Just wanted to throw that out there.
Grade: A+

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SCORE
The score here was done by Henry Jackman. Need I say more? Jackman is the Peyton Manning of movie composers. Or maybe that’s Hans Zimmer? If not Manning, he’s the Aaron Rogers of movie composers. He’s always reliable and is incredible with anything he puts his hands too and he doesn’t disappoint here. While not the most memorable of scores by Jackman, it brings an amazing intensity that the movie needed and has some great musical elements. I love Jackman’s use of drums in the action elements to really bring it when needed. There’s some African vibes to some tracks and it’s the type of score that is perfect for this movie.

Grade: A

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Captain Phillips is one of the most amazing films of the year so far and is driven by incredible performances from Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi. The story, while maybe not 100% accurate, is still amazing, intense and one that you’ll love to see. The military rescue is unbelievable and the execution is almost hard to believe. It’s like this story played out in a way that was meant to be a movie script. And the movie was very good.

Overall Grade: A+

Release Date: 2013
Director: Nicole Holofcener
Writer: Nicole Holofcener
Stars: Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld) and James Gandolfini (The Sopranos)

Synopsis: A divorced woman who decides to pursue the man she’s interested in learns he’s her new friend’s ex-husband.

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DIRECTION

Coming into Enough Said, I had never heard of Nicole Holofcener. The director of only a pair of films in the last decade (Please Give and Friends with Money), she is likely to be more familiar with TV fanatics for directing episodes of Sex and the City, Six Feet Under, and one of my favorite comedies of the last few years, Parks & Recreation. With that said, it makes perfect sense that Holofcener is taking two of the most well-known television stars of the last 20 years and making an unpredictable little rom-com. The direction is sometimes very much like television, but with a larger budget and a more fleshed-out script, one can understand why TV is often ranked above feature-length films nowadays. While nothing Oscar-worthy as far as direction goes, Holofcener takes the best bits of what she has learned from television and alongside a brilliant cast & crew delivers a near-flawless film.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT

I feel that the screenplay is the best part of Enough Said, and I have to believe Holofcener has a bright future in screenwriting if she chooses to go in that direction. There are so many great lines in the movie and even though we spend just 93 minutes with this cast, they feel more like characters we know as opposed to characters we are getting to know. Part of this could be because of the familiar faces in the film, but I am one to believe that generally a screenplay has more to do with how we perceive characters than anything else. Perhaps Holofcener’s TV experience helped here too, since writing TV usually deals with a pre-set character lot. The dialogue between Eva and Albert is witty, clever, mature, and smart. All of the teenagers in the film have realistic characters to play, too. Each character and story arc gets individual attention and never feel just thrown together to tell one major story like a lot of rom-coms exist for. This does play like a “quirky love story”, but this is so fresh right now. It’s the kind of rom-com that both men and women can go to and enjoy–a breath of fresh air for guys who love to hate Nicholas Sparks adaptations and proof that there are great rom-coms for the ladies to remind those same guys of later. This is a win-win script and one of my favorites of the year.

Grade: A+

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PERFORMANCES

Perhaps Holofcener wrote these characters specifically for Louis-Dreyfus and Gandolfini, because they definitely seem right for their respective roles. Not only is this a great performance by Louis-Dreyfus, but the most I have ever enjoyed Gandolfini. It’s such a shame that we won’t continue to see him in these mature kinds of roles. Albert sort of reminds me of John Goodman’s Dan Conner from Roseanne. Not just in the lines he has to deliver, but how he behaves and the body language that he uses. Of course that comparison ends with Dan, as Eva is nothing like Roseanne. Julia Louis-Dreyfus ages with perfection and so does her craft. For me, she has gone from a supporting character to a lead character and this is a perfect example of how she can anchor a film. The supporting cast is filled with great performances as well (specifically Toni Collette and Catherine Keener), but what I will never forget is how great our couple was here, and how it seemed more like reality than a movie. What better can we say about an on-screen couple?

Grade: A+

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SCORE

With an original score from experienced rom-com composer Marcelo Zarvos, Enough Said feels just right but never too over-the-top with those typical cozy, cuddly feelings. While it is nothing to write home about, it is appropriate and along with the other included musical tracks, Enough Said is well done in the music department. Tip: sit through the credits for a great Eels song called “I Like The Way This is Going”.

Grade: B

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Final Thoughts:

Enough Said managed to make me laugh, smile, and nearly tear up at times. James Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus make for a great ride into the sunset for the former actor, and this will be one of the hidden gems from the year. It’s a shame more films like this don’t get wide releases when we can afford Twilight or The Hunger Games (which I do like) a screen in every theater in America.  Then again, how many adults go to the movies these days, right? Well, if more things like this were made and promoted widely, the rom-com date night wouldn’t seem so boring in the 21st century.

Overall Grade: 

A+

Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Writers: Alfonso Cuarón, Jonás Cuarón
Stars: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris

Synopsis: A medical engineer and an astronaut work together to survive after an accident leaves them adrift in space.

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DIRECTION
The first thing to know about Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity, is that it’s not just a visual spectacle, but it’s an interesting character piece as well. However, it’s the visual style here that places this movie among some of the best we’ve ever seen. It’s the best 3D movie since Avatar and you can tell he’s been working on this for years. Many shots specifically rely on the 3D effect to give you the trill ride Cuarón is looking for and it’s incredibly effective. The aesthetic is the best I’ve ever seen for a space movie and is one of the more realistic one’s you’ll encounter to date. You really feel like you’re in space floating around and experiencing something you never have before. The camera almost operates as it’s floating around too. It circles often, turns in various ways and it very specific to show you depth and the different ranges of space. The visuals of earth and the sun are absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. This is easily the best visual effects in quite some time and easily the best of 2013. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.

Grade: A+

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SCRIPT
The story is pretty simple on the surface. Ryan Stone, Sandra Bullock, is a medical engineer and is teamed up with astronaut Matt Kowalski, George Clooney, who are working on a new project up in space in lower Earth orbit when disaster strikes. It’s a simple survivor story right? Wrong. They both become adrift in space and now have to team up to survive and figure out how to get back home. Throughout the struggle, we find out that Stone has some bad heartache and is still learning to grieve and let go of her pain. Yet, Kowalski, is a fun-loving guy looking to break some space records but ultimately knows what to do in order to survive. Once you start digging beneath the surface, Gravity speaks to amazing concepts of struggle and the fight to survive. This is especially difficult when you don’t have anything to live for, but when you find that reason, it’s not about just getting by but living each moment like it’s your last. Sure, some parts of the script rely on coincidences and luck, but those moments are forgivable and small in the big picture of things.

Grade: A-

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PERFORMANCES
Sandra Bullock can be hit or miss, depending on who you ask, but in Gravity, she’s a homerun. Regardless of what you think about Bullock, she does drama well and as a character who is traumatized in life and now the situation she faces, Bullock shines. Her character has depth and she brings a lot of emotion to her which is incredibly effective. You fall for her character and the struggle that she’s in, both as a person and the situation. To me, this is Sandra Bullock’s best role she’s ever done. George Clooney has less screen time than expected but is also very good. He’s the jokster, fun-loving astronaut that has a lot of stories to tell. He’s also smart and comes across very engaging. Clooney doesn’t have as much to do but is really good for what his character calls for. And you have to love the Ed Harris cameo. He was amazing in Apollo 13 as the NASA commander and is back in Houston as the voice that communicates back to our struggling astronauts.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
This is by far Steven Price’s best score. He was great in The World’s End, but his score not only is effective here but it’s a critical piece to the film. This movie calls for emotion and is a huge spectacle and Price’s score reflects that beautifully. He uses a lot of strings mixed with digital music and even some voice work. It’s a good listen outside of the film and is perfect for what this film needed.

Grade: A+

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Gravity is a movie you want to see in 3D. In fact, go to the biggest IMAX 3D screen you can find. The visuals are absolutely stunning and gives you the best 3D thrill ride you’ve seen in a long time. The performances shine and you feel like you’re a part of the action in space. If you want to know what it’s like in space without ever going there, watch this movie. It’s absolutely incredible.

Overall Grade: A+

Director: Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn
Writers: John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Erica Rivinoja
Stars: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte, James Caan, Andy Samberg

Synopsis: Flint Lockwood now works at The Live Corp Company for his idol Chester V. But he’s forced to leave his post when he learns that his most infamous machine is still operational and is churning out menacing food-animal hybrids.

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DIRECTION
Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn knew exactly who they were preaching too in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. Not all animated films are built solely for kids, but this is definitely one of those movies. It’s cheesy, in all kinds of pun-y ways, goofy and is going for a kid’s laugh on every scene. The visuals are good and sometimes pretty funny. Cameron and Pearn’s biggest misses is the story, which doesn’t live up to the first one. Everything else is right in line with the first film. Overall though, it’s a film adults may not have as much fun with but your kid’s will love it.

Grade: B+

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SCRIPT
The story literally picks up right after the end of the first film. And I mean literally. We see the final scene of the first Cloudy and the story picks up from there. We find out that Flint Lockwood has an inventor idol, Chester V. and his The Live Corp Company, who has been tasked with the clean up of the island. The infamous food making machine is still alive and making menacing food animals that are destroying the island and trying to swim to the mainland. Lockwood is eventually tasked with going back to the island to destroy his machine once and for all. Every cliche you can think of is here and it lacks the kind of heart that made the first film so likable. Now, this movie does have heart and it takes a turn toward the third act that’s pretty good and says something about your friends’ and what they should mean to you. It also says something about having compassion towards things you may judge at a first glance which I though was done well too. But at some point it just becomes complacent with a cheesy, over-the-top story and relies heavily on puns to make it entertaining.

Grade: B-

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PERFORMANCES
The performances are much like the first one and they don’t give anything new. Bill Hader does a good job of playing Flint once a gain and brings the kind of voice to this character that was fun in the first film. Anna Faris is good as well and even brings a little depth later on in the film. Andy Samberg once again plays the annoying friend who likes to dress up in a chicken soon and Terry Crews plays the tough guy cop who won’t cry. I will say Kristen Schaal plays an ape in this film that eventually has a bigger role and delivers a good performance. She was good here. Given the script, these guys made the film funnny and did what was needed here.

Grade: B+

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SCORE
The music here is far from the best of the year for an animated film but it does deliver on some fronts. Mark Mothersbaugh’s score is okay but mostly forgettable as the soundtrack music cloud’s, all pun-intended, the score. The soundtrack music isn’t the greatest either but does add a nice variety that brings some good touches to the film.

Grade: B

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FINAL THOUGHTS
As an animated film, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 will bring lots of laughs for kids. They hardly wrote this with parents or adults in mind but it still works in many ways. It’s very cliche-driven and the story lacks big time compared to the first film, but it does have some good moments in the third act of the film. I wouldn’t waste money on this in 3D either. If you like food pun though, it’s the one for you.

Overall Grade: B

Release Date: 2012
Director: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Writer: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Looper, (500) Days of Summer), Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation, The Avengers, The Prestige), Julianne Moore (Magnolia, The Big Lebowski, Children of Men, Crazy Stupid Love), Tony Danza (Crash, Who’s The Boss?, Taxi, Angels in the Outfield), Brie Larson (21 Jump Street, The Spectacular Now, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World)

Synopsis: A New Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find happiness and intimacy with his potential true love.

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DIRECTION

The feature-length directorial debut of one of America’s favorite young Hollywood stars is calculated, intelligent, and will spark a slew of  different conversations from moviegoers and critics alike. For myself, I had been looking forward to this movie all year, and had high hopes for it. Not only do I love a good social commentary, but since Lost in Translation, I’ve thought Scarlett Johansson is one of the more underrated Hollywood actresses and have wished for her to get more challenging, interesting roles. Her beauty overshadows her talent, and she is written off much too quickly by pundits. Unlike earlier this year with my disappointment in Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring, my lofty expectations were not just fulfilled, but built upon. This movie opens up with some shots that immediately tells the viewer to take note of the cultural commentary which this story is about to embark upon. A similar opening this year came from Spring Breakers, although Don Jon is much more softcore and subtle. I’d say that’s a good comparison of Gordon-Levitt and Harmony Korine, too. They both share their experiences in life in vastly different ways, but are able to connect with engaged viewers who are prepared for a satire and can relate to the world he works in. The way Gordon-Levitt directs this film shows he’s been paying very close attention to the talent which has surrounded him during his impressive yet young career. His choices are modern, memorable, and sometimes even innovative. This is a guy who understands American culture beyond the hills of Hollywood. This is a guy who connects with his audience. This is a guy who we have watched grow into his own, and if Don Jon is a preview of what is ahead for him, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is not only going to maintain his place in front of the camera, but behind it as well.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT

The story follows Jon, a guy in his late twenties who we might mistake for a cast member of MTV’s Jersey Shore. Fulfilling the “bro’ lifestyle by working out, hitting the clubs, and “smashing”, Jon sees women as little more than a piece of meat. As the dust settles from our introduction to Jon, we realize there is more to him than we expect. His addiction to pornography is as faithful as his addiction to the confession box after every Sunday Mass. His family life is interesting, and the people he’s surrounded by genuinely care about him (all except for his girls, of course). Gordon-Levitt wrote a script that feels current, if not futuristic. It shows the problems of young America through a brutally honest and refreshing lens–what we expect of each other, how we choose partners, and how selfish we can be. He provides caricatures that unfold into people we can identify with, even if we hate to admit it sometimes. This movie isn’t just about porn addiction or stereotypes, but it’s about family dynamics and generational differences. The most impressive thing about this script, though, was Esther (Julianne Moore). This character is not only enormously innovative and surprising, but also integral to the movie’s themes and ideas. The exploration of what millennials want in terms of a partner is tantalizing and after the movie, my date and I had a 2 hour conversation about us–the millennials. This script does what any great movie can do–it entertains, it provokes, and it moves the cultural conversation forward. This is a groundbreaking piece of screenwriting and I can’t wait to see what Gordon-Levitt has up his sleeve next.

Grade: A+

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PERFORMANCES

Joseph-Gordon Levitt completes the hat trick with his performance as Jon (which you know enough about already if you’re still reading). Scarlett Johansson is a consistent, confident, and well-versed actress who flexes her muscle as Barbara, the primary love interest of Jon. When watching Scarlett in this movie, keep in mind what roles she has done in the past and you will gain a clear appreciation of how much skill and range she possesses. Her accent in this film is so enjoyable, and Barbara’s vapid personality traits in some areas of life represent exactly what people might stereotype Scarlett as (so she knows exactly how to act them out). Tony Danza’s performance as Jon Sr. recalls memories of the surprisingly good performance given by Robert DeNiro in Silver Linings Playbook. Here we have a veteran actor who is normally cast as men similar to his role on late-eighties sitcom Who’s The Boss?. Here, he proves he has not lost a step even if his age does show physically. Julianne Moore’s performance might not seem as impressive as the character she is given but at the same time her presence itself in the film lends a great deal of credibility to the theme that Gordon-Levitt focuses on.

Grade: A+

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SCORE

The score/soundtrack to the film was nothing amazing but it did feel current, fresh, hip, and not overbearing. A memorable sing-along featured in the trailer occurs at a perfect time in the film, and even if this strength is the only thing you remember about the musical selections here, that’s not a bad thing.

Grade: B

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Final Thoughts:

Don Jon ranks among my favorite films of 2013 because I am around the same age as Jon and I do face similar challenges. With that said, this is a great piece of work and I believe most audiences around the country will admire its honesty if nothing else. Also, if you don’t discuss this one afterward, it won’t be because you aren’t left with anything to talk about.

Overall Grade: A+