Movie Review: The Last King of Scotland

Charming the right people can obscure the harshness of reality, especially when coupled with killing people the charm doesn’t work on. When one brutal leader is overthrown, it is easy to hope the new leader will somehow be better. Sadly, they are oftentimes worse than their predecessors.

The Last King of Scotland follows Nicholas Garrigan—a fictional character very loosely based on Bob Astles—to Uganda after graduating as a doctor. He quickly learns of the coup establishing Idi Amin as the new Ugandan President. Not long after meeting Amin, Garrigan becomes the president’s personal doctor and eventually his closest advisor.

Like many films based on some real events, The Last King of Scotland mixes truth with fiction and does so effectively. Instead of creating cheesy, over-produced characters, the film has the likeable, yet still flawed Dr. Garrigan. Though James McAvoy does fine as Nicholas Garrigan, the film rides on the performance of Forest Whitaker. He makes the brutal Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin, come to life on screen. His murderous brutality combined with a little charm, making him still likeable to the unknowing outsider. It is what makes it plausible that some could have still celebrated such a horrible man. And it is exactly why The Last King of Scotland is a phenomenal film.

The Last King of Scotland is a film about garish brutality with more insinuations than glimpses. However the few glances at the brutality of Amin shown in the film are harsh. Making an example of one of his wives for her betraying him, Amin has her limbs removed and her legs sewn back on as her arms and her arms replacing her legs. If Amin could do that to his wife, one can only imagine what he would do to a political opponent.

Whitaker’s Amin mixes a God complex and a persecution complex, somehow giving him justification for killing anyone and everyone against him. His ability to make Amin equally likeable and detestable is why he received an Oscar Nomination for Best Actor, as well as several other awards including the BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Because it is a movie and Forest Whitaker’s performance is exceptional, it is almost easy to lose sight of the truths behind The Last King of Scotland. The filmmakers were able to hold on to reality by adding some facts over the finals images—images of the real Amin and real Ugandans. Facts about Amin’s regime killing more than 300,000 Ugandans and that he died in exile. And like many films ending similarly, it makes you wonder how you would react in such a situation and if you would try to help or try to pretend it isn’t reality.

Movie Review: Jesus Camp

Jesus Camp is one of the Oscar Nominated documentaries this year. I found it both fascinating and terrifying at the same time. At this point, it is the only nominated documentary I have seen so far, but I can certainly understand why it is a nomination. If it is anything to judge the others buy, the documentaries the past year have been excellent.

The documentary is an exemplary documentary in that there is no commentary from the filmmakers. I have no idea what their stance is on the subject, if they are from an Evangelical Christian background or nonreligious one. It is truly a documentary in the sense that only what is filmed is presented, no agreement or disagreement with what is being shown.

The only disagreement was from an Air America radio host who happened to be a former minister and against the particular type of Christianity being taught at this camp. These clips are probably the only things that didn’t seem to work within the documentary. There wasn’t equal time spent with the radio host, nor much explaining what exactly his views are. The film would have been just as well made and unbiased without them, if not more so. But he is as “intolerant” in his views as the children at the Christian camp are taught to be in theirs, just reversely so.

Jesus Camp documents a camp in North Dakota that children (and some of their families) go to to get closer to God. It is an evangelical Christian camp with guest speakers and a few select children speakers. The documentary focuses on a few children and camp director, their experiences at camp and follows them into their lives away from camp.

What is frightening is that this film is a documentary and these things are real. Don’t get me wrong; I grew up Christian, that isn’t what makes it frightening. But it is the extreme to which the people – the children – are taking their faith. They only listen to Christian music, watch Christian television, and read Christian books. They are taught science has no answers and is stupid. They are forming a bubble around their lives and worldview that can only prove to hurt them later. When they are in their teens and someone offers them a square, will they know enough to reject the offer or will they be so ignorant about life outside their bubble to not know and take it? There is a difference between having a strong faith and denying the existence of anything not a part of that faith.

At the camp, no messages of God’s love are shared. Instead the speakers share messages of politics through a religious avenue – smashing mugs to demonstrate the break of power of evil on our government or duct taping mouths to demonstrate the value of life. The mix of religion and politics makes this film terrifying. Our future generations are growing up being fed this hodge-podge under the guise of Christ and not being taught to think for themselves. It is celebrated to be in a trance and speak in tongues or be so overwhelmed by emotions that children can barely breathe through their tears.

No longer are Christian children taught messages of the Good Samaritan or how faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. No longer is God our shepherd and we his herd. Now children are being raised to be warriors for Christ, part of God’s army. Uncontrollable convulsions, hysterical tears, and speaking in tongues are badges of honor – the proof of one’s faith.

But in showing all of this, Jesus Camp strangely has a tinge of hope about it. Hope that these children will grow up and become more compassionate in their passionate faith. Without saying a word, that is the only hope you can come away from the documentary thinking. We can hope these children give up their desire to be martyrs and instead hope to be beacons of light and hope, helping those in need – like the Christ they worship.

Movie Review: Babel

Babel is the movie I feel the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences selected as filler for this year’s nominations. Nominated for Best Picture, two women up for Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Original Score, and Original Screenplay give it seven nominations. Of those seven I can agree with perhaps one of them even having been considered.

I’m sure most people know the story about the Tower of Babel. How everyone spoke the same language and built a tower and pissed God off thinking they could do better without him. So he showed them by spreading them around and giving them all different languages. I knew Babel was going to have several languages in it. It wouldn’t make sense to give a film that name and have the whole thing in English. But that is the only similarity with the Biblical story.

Babel is similar to Syriana in that there are stories going on in different parts of the globe and does a better job connecting them. But that is as far as my compliments for the film go. The story taking place in Japan added nothing to the film and it wouldn’t have taken anything away to cut it completely. And while Rinko Kikuchi is one of the women up for Supporting Actress, there was absolutely no reason to make the character a deaf-mute -– other than to prolong the movie as it made her scenes take three times as long as they would have otherwise. The Japanese storyline could have been interesting in a stand-alone movie and giving some more details, but it had the smallest connection to the rest of the movie than the other two countries.

I felt the story taking place in the United States was the best of the three countries. Adriana Barraza was nominated for her role and she was really the only good thing about the movie. The audience can guess the two children belong to the Americans in Morocco before they spell it out, but the phone call shows Babel isn’t following any sort of linear timeline. I usually like movies that are disjointed, but there was absolutely no motivation for these stories to be told out of order.

The story in Morocco left me thinking three things. First, that trip must have been pretty expensive so I find it incredibly hard to believe none of the other tourists were doctors. Then I find it difficult to think they wouldn’t want to stay. If someone I was traveling with got shot while our bus was driving along, the last thing I would want to do is pile back on the bus and drive a few more ours. The last thing is the gun; who gives their child a fucking gun and then leaves them?

I left the film wondering what the point was. Is there anything I am supposed to walk away thinking about? Because the only think I am thinking is why the hell did it get seven Oscar nominations?

Movie Review: The Queen

The Queen is another film that has multiple Oscar nominations this year. It is up for Best Actress (Helen Mirren), Costume Design (Consolata Boyle), Director (Stephen Frears), Original Score (Alexandre Desplat), Original Screenplay (Peter Morgan), and Best Picture. Six nominations are more than enough to pique interest for many viewers, that it adds a human side to a figure many know little about is a bonus.

The Queen in question is Queen Elizabeth II and the film follows the British Royals in the days following Princess Diana’s death in a Paris car crash in 1997. The Queen details the struggle to maintain balance in being a very public figure yet a very private individual. It also shows how sometimes protocol needs to be thrown out the window in order to salvage dignity and honor.

The Queen could have easily been portrayed as a gossipy spectacle of a film, but instead showed two sides of the same event: that of the Royal Family and that of the public. Instead of scenes of public grandeur, The Queen told the story through personal vignettes establishing a sense of intimacy. The film also gives just enough details to explain why what may have been an easy choice for the public to demand wouldn’t be so easy for Queen Elizabeth II to provide.

Stephen Frears has a talent for making films displaying the conflicts in the British class system, and what could display it more than the Queen of England, the highest of the British Upper Class, and Tony Blair, the leader of the very Middle Class. Mixing the reactions of Queen Elizabeth with those of the Prime Minister and his cabinet help set the tone of conflict without needing to say it. And that is the biggest strength of The Queen.

The true beauty to the film is the power of understatement. Helen Mirren’s performance of Queen Elizabeth II is through small nuances that show how human she is: she drives her own Range Rover, leads her dogs around, and admires the beauty of the 14-point Stag on her Balmoral grounds. These touches help the audience see the struggle the Queen must have endured between maintaining the stoic tradition she believes in and acknowledging the public’s grief.

However for those who aren’t Anglophiles, The Queen could be quite boring. It is a slower paced character piece with a lot of sweeping silent shots. While the film is beautifully shot, the English countryside may not be enough to win the affections of a large audience. But even those who find themselves bored with the film will not be able to deny Helen Mirren’s performance is spectacular.

Movie Review: The Pursuit of Happyness

I hate alternative spelling. The spelling in the title was enough for me to know I had no desire to see The Pursuit of Happyness, However, since Will Smith received an Oscar Nomination for his performance, I caved in to my better judgment. Let’s just say that as a filmmaker I have already vowed to quit the business if he wins. Fortunately, I seriously doubt he will.

The Pursuit of Happynessis based on the true story of Chris Gardner and his quest to become a stock broker to help provide a better life for his son and avoid shuffling from shelter to shelter. But you can guess all of that from the trailer. Many times films inspired by true stories come across as being more phony than pure fiction, but sometimes it works. Usually it shows someone over coming adversity to find some payoff in the end.

There is no payoff in The Pursuit of Happyness. Well, there are two sentences typed out at the end telling the audience Chris Gardner went on to start his own firm and sell his minority share in a multi-million dollar deal. But it doesn’t actually show any pay out for his hard work. The Pursuit of Happyness starts in a very dark and poor place. Unfortunately, it stays there for two hours. Chris and his family started off in a bad spot and go on to find an even worse place in life.

The biggest problem with The Pursuit of Happyness is it takes far too long for there to be a glimmer of hope, let alone the chance of any follow through. Going into the film, you know he is going to get the job, they simply don’t make movies based on the lives of people who don’t make it. But to have the happy ending come through as text at the end of an emotional diatribe is just as disappointing. Heck, I would have had a hint of ‘happyness’ had he given his son a brand new Captain America in the end, you know as some symbol their life was on the up and up. The end sucked out any life the movie could have potentially had.

The other problem is the voice-over narration. I rarely enjoy movies with a lot of voice-over and find very few do it well. The Pursuit of Happyness has far too much voice-over and little of it adds to the story on any level. It just made me nervous. Not nervous in the sense that the movie was tapping into my emotions, but anxious that the movie was never going to end. Will Smith’s voice-over simply made two hours seem to drag on forever.

This isn’t to say I don’t admire the real Chris Gardner. I find it incredibly admirable that he overcame all that he did and wrote about it. I think it is wonderful his story is used to teach others their dreams are achievable. I just think the film bastardized his story. The Pursuit of Happyness had great potential to be an amazing movie, it simply lacked any follow-through. In fact, simply watch the trailer and see a far better version of the movie.

Movie Review: Notes On A Scandal

Once the Oscar Nominations are announced, I make an effort to see as many of the films as possible. When a film is nominated for multiple awards, I do what I can to see it. This year, Notes On A Scandal is one such film. Nominated for Best Actress (Judi Dench), Supporting Actress (Cate Blanchett), Original Score (Phillip Glass), and Adapted Screenplay (Patrick Marber), Notes On A Scandal is a film worth noting. These nominations aren’t simply to flesh out a lacking list, but are actually deserved.

Displaying sleazy content in a manner that isn’t pedestrian, Notes On A Scandal is a riveting drama showing just how creepy a lonely old lady can be. It is the salacious story of obsessive relationships. Barbara is an older teacher leading a lonely existence. Sheba is the new teacher who proves to be a kindred spirit. Realizing the depth of her feelings for Sheba, Barbara soon discovers she isn’t the only soul to be drawn to Sheba’s luminance. Protecting Sheba’s scandalous secret, Barbara deludes herself into seeing more to their friendship than exists. Which the truth becomes known, Barbara does the only thing she can think to do. And with all the excitement ensuing, she doesn’t change her tune.

Notes On A Scandal is certainly a character driven film. Judi Dench is so aptly able to conceal her creepiness that it isn’t inconceivable to think of people falling prey to her wits. She performs a memorable role, reeling the audience in so they desire to see to what lengths this obsessed stalker appearing a good friend is willing to go. Judi Dench proves herself a gifted actress and deserves the Oscar for Best Actress if ever anyone has. Cate Blanchett displays a sort of effervescent vulnerability that draws attention like the most fragile yet awe-inspiring flower. I certainly cannot imagine anyone disagreeing with her pulling off a win at the Oscars as well.

Acting aside, many other aspects of the film deserve mention. Patrick Marber, and his screenplay adaptation of Zoe Heller’s novel, accomplished what many try and few are able to do: Voice-over narration. Many times voice-over comes across as distracting and fail to really add to the film. However, Marber was able to write Barbara’s narration in such a way to allow a glimpse into the thoughts of Barbara in a way that further developed her character instead of distracting from it. I tend to hate films with a lot of voice-over and find it ruins an otherwise decent film. To write such delectable introspection in the form of voice-over is a rare talent and Marber should be proud of his accomplishment.

Notes On A Scandal is a disturbing drama that should be on everyone’s Must See list.

Movie Review: The Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada isn’t the world’s best movie, but it is certainly entertaining. As always, the book is better than the big screen translation, but Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci give us our money’s worth.

The storyline is similar to that of the new hit show Ugly Betty, where a young girl becomes the unlikely assistant to one of fashion’s biggest magazine editors, Miranda Priestly. Where Ugly Betty makes the girl a dodgy choice in appearance, Anne Hathaway’s looks never make her unseemly. The film's biggest problem is everyone at the magazine criticizes her for her appearance, while she’s just as tiny and attractive as they are. She simply lacks a sense of fashion. And that’s where Stanley Tucci comes in. His Nigel helps Hathaway’s Andy learn to appreciate her job while giving her a leg up on finding out what style really is.

Emily Blunt plays Miranda’s first assistant, the sort of bitchy one that has a false sense of entitlement, especially when it comes to Andy Sachs. Emily has been around working her way up the ladder and dresses the part of a powerful fashion icon, but she seems to be overlooked. Unfortunately, Andy proves her worth and quickly climbs past Emily on the ladder to success. But what is the cost of success?

The answer seems to be the biggest point to the movie as Andy neglects her family and friends to the point of losing the ones she loves. As she advances in her career, she begins to notice that who she needs to become to stay on that path isn’t who she is, nor who she wants to be. I personally had a problem with how rude Andy’s friends were over her dedication to her job. I understand the need for balance between one’s professional and private lives, but I think this point was pressed to the point of being extreme. If I found out someone even considered skipping a pivotal moment in their career over a birthday party, I’d be upset. Moments like that are one in a million, birthdays are every year and can be celebrated at any time.

Beyond the jabs at Andy’s appearance as being too fat and her friends feeling neglected because she has a job, I really did enjoy The Devil Wears Prada. The acting is spot on and brings to life a script that could have easily gone dull in a heartbeat. Meryl Streep is a ruthless Miranda Priestly with comic timing to envy. Anne Hathaway is as adorable as ever, really nailing the naivety of Andy Sachs. But the supporting roles of Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci really give the film life.

Realistically, The Devil Wears Prada is the movie lovechild of Ugly Betty and Sex and the City. It has the bitchy and sexy edge of Sex and the City with the innocent charm of Ugly Betty.

Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine is the tale of a seemingly functional dysfunctional family as they drive to California for the Little Miss Sunshine pageant. Olive Hoover (Abigail Breslin) has qualified to enter Little Miss Sunshine and practices daily with her coach, who happens to be her heroin-snorting, obscenity-yelling grandpa (Alan Arkin). Her mother Sheryl (Toni Collette) promises to get Olive to Redondo Beach, California even though Olive’s wannabe motivational speaker father Richard (Greg Kinnear) claims they cannot afford the trip. Olive’s brother Dwayne (Paul Dano), who has taken a vow of silence until he joins the Air Force Academy, and Uncle Frank (Steve Carell), who needs constant supervision due to a recent suicide attempt, are forced to tag along on this makeshift family vacation.

I could tell you about all of their misadventures along the way, but it isn’t necessary. You should see the movie to know what they are. What I will tell you is Little Miss Sunshine is all sorts of wonderful.

The sets aren’t beautifully amazing locations, but simplistically perfect. The Hoover home is a simple one in Albuquerque. Instead of using the standard Southwestern style, the art department has chosen to go with a simple monotone palette. The set is there, but it is definitely in the background because even the knick-knacks fall into the beige-yellow color scheme of the home. Choosing this helps the clutter exist, yet still feel simple. It emphasizes the financial situation of the family without screaming and beating you over the head with it. The hotel has different color schemes for each room and looks exactly like those cheesy motels in Anywhere, USA, where the bedspread and curtains match and clash all at the same time.

A lot of times, independent features have the soundtracks you notice most and that holds true for Little Miss Sunshine. With Garden State, it was the CD you had to buy. With Little Miss Sunshine, it is the soundtrack that perfectly matches the expressions and body language of the characters. These aren’t simply tunes that sound cool or a score that happens to work. The music matches every other aspect of the film, from the colors and lighting to the tone of the scene. Little Miss Sunshine doesn’t have a soundtrack that distracts from the film, but one that is one role of many working together in the movie.

While the characters alone might seem a bit overdone in independent cinema, the casting was perfect, allowing for the actors to really bring their roles to life. The first scene with the entire family together is an example of how well the actors work, not only for their individual roles, but also as a collective cast. They are around the dinner table and their dysfunctionality as a family is exposed by showing the random intricacies of each character. A simple glance or shrug accompanied with the right tone of voice makes this family unit believable. They aren’t the hokey, cheesed-out, everyone gets along, dream family. But they are far from the over-the-top, dramarama, unbelievable, everyone hates each other a little too much family either. There is the right amount of camaraderie and disgust to make the Hoovers a realistic American family.

While a little unlikely, this ensemble cast really pulls it off. Greg Kinnear may take his “Nine Steps To Success” a little too seriously, telling his daughter, “Don’t apologize. It’s a sign of weakness,” or his suicidal brother-in-law, “Sarcasm is the refuge of losers.” But he finds vulnerability in humanity that might allow for loss to actually make you a winner. Toni Collette is the mother who has a strong desire to protect and keep her family together, all the while harboring a little resentment toward them as well. And man, can she look angry! Alan Arkin is the crazy grandpa who either had too many life experiences or not enough and so gives some unique advice to his family. Abigail Breslin (yes, she is thecute little girl who stole the show in Signs) is naively adorable but not without dignity, which is hard for a 7-year-old who wants to be a beauty queen.

Two actors outshine the rest, perhaps because their characters are the most alienated. Paul Dano doesn’t say a single word for most of the movie. Once he does start talking, he still doesn’t say much. But then, his eyes are so expressive he doesn’t need to. He nails what it is to be a teenage boy with contempt for his family and longing so much to get away. But Dano isn’t a downer. No, he is a very, very funny young actor.

Steve Carell, however, stands out above the rest – and not just because he is dressed in pristine white clothing. In his first serious role, Carell is leaps and bounds away from his role as Andy in The 40 Year Old Virgin. I would argue he is also leaps and bounds better. While I have enjoyed some of his previous work, I would never have said I was a Steve Carell fan. I was completely blown away. There are certainly moments when the same sarcastic humor comes out (like when he gets some free advice from his brother-in-law), but his subdued melancholy is above and beyond what was expected.

Little Miss Sunshine isn’t some feel good movie that will tickle you pink. I mean, people die and dreams are crushed, for goodness sake. Little Miss Sunshine is a quirky comedy about a quirky family, full of ups and downs, and will still tickle you, just maybe not pink.