Much fuss has been made today about photos of Shailene Woodley filming The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and her alleged lack of allure. And, as always on message boards and comment sections of any film website, people were vicious. Comments made were crude, obnoxious and, frankly, sexist. But what I found most amusing about this controversy regarding Shailene Woodley being 'miscast' in TASM2 is that it makes virtually no sense!
For one thing, Shailene Woodley is an extremely talented actress. I had many problems with the previous Amazing Spider-Man film, partially due to my love of the first two Maguire/Raimi films, but one of the best things about it was how well cast it was. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone had terrific chemistry, Sally Field and Martin Sheen were perfect fits for Aunt May and Uncle Parker, Rhys Ifan managed to put in a great performance as the Lizard despite being horribly underdeveloped and Dennis Leary stole the show in a supporting role. And this sequel seems exceedingly well cast as well- when I see that Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, Oscar nominee Paul Giammati and Oscar winner Chris Cooper have joined the same film, how can I not get excited? In my opinion, Woodley is one of the best young actresses of her generation. She went toe-to-toe with a legend like George Clooney in The Descendants and, in my opinion, actually gave the better performance. And, while I haven't seen it, I've heard nothing but good things about her performance in The Spectacular Now, which premiered at Sundance in January and is due for release in August. She's very talented and, I think, will play a great Mary Jane. Any true fan of this series, and of the Spider-Man franchise itself, would be proud to have her be a part of it.
You disagree? That's fine, too each their own. But to insult Woodley's own physical appearance is just ridiculous. For one thing, it's just plain mean and comes off as immature. It's also not a truly legitimate way to criticize a performance. When was the last time you saw a professional critic write in a review "the actress gave an extremely over the top performance.... and she was ugly too." It's not different from when Rex Reed ripped apart Identify Theif, not because of the film itself but because of it's star's weight. Not to mention the fact that this is not a role with any physical requirements. Woodley doesn't have to gain or lose any weight to play the part and she won't have to speak with an accent. The one thing she has to have is red hair, and to get that all you need is some hair dye. Everybody can relax about that: the pictures prove that she does, in fact, have red hair. Finally, consider this: Andrew Garfield has virtually nothing in common with the drawn version of Peter Parker. Garfield, while not necessarily the most muscular actor working today, is a good looking guy. There are no nerdy features about him, while Peter Parker has plenty. Not to mention, the character was modified drastically from his drawn counterpart- Parker now rides on a skateboard, wears hipster glasses, and stands up to his tormentors with snappy comebacks. Why aren't the message boards exploding with raise over that?
It's because the character of Mary Jane, for whatever reason, is a sex symbol. An illustrated sex symbol that no real live woman could ever live up to. Personally, I find that notion to be absolutely disgusting, but it seems to be the mindset of those attacking Woodley. So, to those people, I ask: who would you rather cast? Who is the one actress out their that can possibly live up to the sexiness of a fictional, hand drawn woman. I have an idea: why don't we just print out a life-size cut out of Mary Jane from the comics and have her stand in for Woodley? Or we can use a body pillow? Maybe then people will shut up and stop attacking a 22 year old actress for being "too ugly." (But they probably won't. After all, this is the Internet. The bitching never ends...)
Do I find Woodley attractive? I'm not going to say- I shouldn't have to. It shouldn't matter. I'm not going to judge her performance, the people that cast her, the filmmakers, or the film itself based on whether or not I find her to be pretty. To attack Woodley over her looks does not make you a critic, or a fan of Spider-Man trying to ensure that the series remains true to the source material. All it does is make you an asshole.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
If My Name Was Oscar...
While I love watching the Oscars, and also don't necessarily care if they reward films/actors that I don't particularly deem worthy of being recognized, it's not secret that the Academy can, occasionally, be a bit out of touch or just flat out wrong. So, here is where I set my record straight and show who I would vote for if I was a member of the Academy.
Now, the people I reward may not be the winner tonight and, hell, they might not even be nominated, But if I was in total control of the big show, this is how it'd go. Just four quick notes though:
1) The nominees are in rank order, as in from my second choice (after the winner) to the fifth.
2) I did not see any foreign films this year, unfortunately, so that category is absent.
3) I only saw two documentaries this year and don't really find either of them worthy of the award, so that category is absent as well.
4) I only have a winner, no nominees, for Best Hair & Makeup due to it being an extremely weak field, in my opinion.
So, check out who I'd vote for and let me know if you agree or not:
BEST PICTURE: Check out my Top 10 of 2012
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE: Joaquin Pheonix, The Master
Is it normal to root against your pick for the best actor of the year? Yes, Phoenix is an incredibly pretentious actor and I don't believe that somebody should win an award that they don't put any value into. But, regardless of politics, I think it's clear that Phoenix gave not only the best performance of the year but also one of the best performances in years. Phoenix's transformation into this character is terrifying yet fascinating. He's put everything- his heart, his soul and even his body- into this performance and watching him is unlike anything I've seen in a film in a long time. To me, picking Phoenix was a no brainer.
The other nominees: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln; John Hawkes, The Sessions; Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables; Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
In Silver Linings Playbook, Jennifer Lawrence is given a rather difficult task. She must show a full range of emotions. She's got to be dramatic, hilarious, sexy, abrasive, rude and depressed, all of which she captures perfectly, proving that she is one of the most talented young women working in Hollywood today, and is interested in much more challenging roles than many of her peers. From the moment she appears, Lawrence dominates the screen and steals the film- a difficult task to do in a movie with a cast as impressive as Silver Linings Playbook. Lawrence's performance in Silver Linings Playbook is one that we'll be talking about for years to come.
The other nominees: Helen Hunt, The Sessions; Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty; Anne Dowd, Compliance; Keira Knightley, Anna Karenina
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Best Supporting Actor was a stacked category this year and I changed my pick for this year almost a dozen times. But, after lots of consideration, I feel safe in saying that Philip Seymour Hoffman is the most deserving of the title. Hoffman is one of the finest actors working today, and he constantly transforms into different characters. In The Master he, essentially, plays two parts- the charismatic leader of a cult, and a fragile, insecure man who constantly fears that his followers will catch on to his rouse. It's an incredible performance.
The other nominees: Tom Hanks, Cloud Atlas; Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained; Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower; Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
It's the role that had Oscar buzz from the moment we heard Hathaway sing that first note in the trailer dating back to June. Hathaway's Fantine is the most memorable thing about the musical epic, despite only appearing in a small portion of it. In one long shot, Hathaway sings a beautiful and devastating song. It's one of the most powerful sequences of the year, and a career defining performance for an actress with an already impressive resumé and many more years of work to come. Often Oscar bait performances come off as overblown. Not this time. Believe the hype- Hathaway deserves the award that she is, inevitably, going to win.
The other nominees: Brit Marling, Sound of My Voice; Amy Adams, The Master; Jennifer Ehle, Zero Dark Thirty; Samantha Barks, Les Miserables
BEST DIRECTOR: Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
In my humble opinion, a director is only worthy of being called the Best Director of the Year when he or she has created a film that feels distinct and makes us realize that nobody else could have crafted it like they did. As if Bigelow didn't already earn herself a spot in cinema history, Zero Dark Thirty is a depiction of one of the most significant events of the past decade and her film will be a reference both for this generation and generations to come, much like how All The President's Men did for Watergate. On top of that, it's just an all around well made film, one overflowing with intensity and suspense. In her first film following her historic win at the Academy Awards, Bigelow doesn't just live up to the standard she set for herself: she surpasses it.
The other nominees: Andy & Lana Wachoswki and Tom Twyker, Cloud Atlas; Ang Lee, Life of Pi; Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master; Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom
After the jump, my picks for everything from screenplay to special effects to original score...
Now, the people I reward may not be the winner tonight and, hell, they might not even be nominated, But if I was in total control of the big show, this is how it'd go. Just four quick notes though:
1) The nominees are in rank order, as in from my second choice (after the winner) to the fifth.
2) I did not see any foreign films this year, unfortunately, so that category is absent.
3) I only saw two documentaries this year and don't really find either of them worthy of the award, so that category is absent as well.
4) I only have a winner, no nominees, for Best Hair & Makeup due to it being an extremely weak field, in my opinion.
So, check out who I'd vote for and let me know if you agree or not:
BEST PICTURE: Check out my Top 10 of 2012
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE: Joaquin Pheonix, The Master
The other nominees: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln; John Hawkes, The Sessions; Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables; Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
The other nominees: Helen Hunt, The Sessions; Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty; Anne Dowd, Compliance; Keira Knightley, Anna Karenina
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
The other nominees: Tom Hanks, Cloud Atlas; Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained; Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower; Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
The other nominees: Brit Marling, Sound of My Voice; Amy Adams, The Master; Jennifer Ehle, Zero Dark Thirty; Samantha Barks, Les Miserables
BEST DIRECTOR: Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
The other nominees: Andy & Lana Wachoswki and Tom Twyker, Cloud Atlas; Ang Lee, Life of Pi; Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master; Wes Anderson, Moonrise Kingdom
After the jump, my picks for everything from screenplay to special effects to original score...
Last year, I had 11 films eligible for my top 10 list so picking one out of the bunch to leave off was incredibly easy to do. This year, I had 19 films fighting for slots. That six film difference shows just how stellar this year has been for film. Choosing ten films to put on this list was a challenging job, and even though these ten films are technically ordered in a way that suggests one is better than the others, they are all so close in terms of quality that I find now, more than ever, the ranking of films to be arbitrary. This is the fourth top 10 list I've ever made and I would say it was, by far, the hardest list to make and one where I would wholeheartedly recommend every film on it to anybody I know. And tonight, on Oscar night, as we prepare to name the "Best" films of the year, I feel positive in saying that, regardless of what comes out on top, many of the major films this year are worth celebrating. 2012 was a terrific year for film and I only hope that 2013 can supply just as many, if not more, great times at the movies. But before we get to the Top 10 list, a few pointers:
I could not see the following films and, thus, they will not be included on my Top 10 list:
*Killing Them Softly *Rust & Bone *The Intouchables *Amour
Amour, Rust & Bone and The Intouchables never came to a theater near me, unfortunately, while Killing Them Softly was out of theaters long before I had the chance to check it out. I guess that's what having an F Cinemascore will do to you!
Amour, Rust & Bone and The Intouchables never came to a theater near me, unfortunately, while Killing Them Softly was out of theaters long before I had the chance to check it out. I guess that's what having an F Cinemascore will do to you!
HONORABLE MENTIONS
(in alphabetical order)
Anna Karenina*The Avengers *The Cabin in the Woods *Compliance *Django Unchained *Life of Pi
*Looper *Skyfall *Ted
Anna Karenina is an elegant film that will certainly polarize audiences, but it swept me away. The Avengers is one of the best action films in years thanks, primarily, to the solid script by Joss Whedon. Speaking of Whedon, his screenplay for The Cabin in the Woods (co-written by director Drew Goddard) made for one of the most original and unpredictable films of the year, and one of the best horror films of the past decade. Compliance is a stunning and controversial film from relative newcomer Craig Zobel. Django Unchained showcased a more mature Tarantino, infusing thought provoking ideas with his typically great dialogue and off-the-wall action. Life of Pi is a visually stunning and intelligent meditation on religion. Looper is an original science fiction thriller that asks tough questions and pacts an emotional sucker punch. Skyfall does for 007 what 2009's Star Trek did for the Enterprise. And, finally, Ted is the funniest comedy of the year, and a film that doesn't forget to mix some sweetness in with the raunch. All nine of these films are worthy of placement on a Top 10 list, yet they just barely missed the cut. That's a testament to how remarkable this year truly was.
So, without further ado, here is my Top 10 Films of 2012...
*Looper *Skyfall *Ted
Anna Karenina is an elegant film that will certainly polarize audiences, but it swept me away. The Avengers is one of the best action films in years thanks, primarily, to the solid script by Joss Whedon. Speaking of Whedon, his screenplay for The Cabin in the Woods (co-written by director Drew Goddard) made for one of the most original and unpredictable films of the year, and one of the best horror films of the past decade. Compliance is a stunning and controversial film from relative newcomer Craig Zobel. Django Unchained showcased a more mature Tarantino, infusing thought provoking ideas with his typically great dialogue and off-the-wall action. Life of Pi is a visually stunning and intelligent meditation on religion. Looper is an original science fiction thriller that asks tough questions and pacts an emotional sucker punch. Skyfall does for 007 what 2009's Star Trek did for the Enterprise. And, finally, Ted is the funniest comedy of the year, and a film that doesn't forget to mix some sweetness in with the raunch. All nine of these films are worthy of placement on a Top 10 list, yet they just barely missed the cut. That's a testament to how remarkable this year truly was.
So, without further ado, here is my Top 10 Films of 2012...
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Place Your Bets: My Final Oscar Predictions
It's almost Oscar night, and what an Oscar night it will be. This has been one of the most unpredictable award seasons in ages and thus, it's an incredibly difficult year to make predictions. So, while I feel confident enough to post these predictions and make them my final bets, I also feel quite safe in admitting that I could be entirely wrong on a number of these categories. But, I'm hoping for the best.
I won't spend too much time analyzing my choices, as I've already done quite a bit of that prior to the nomination announcements. But, I'll still give you my thoughts. You can also check out my Top 10 of 2012 and my personal picks for this award season, for which I will name my personal choices for wins as well as nominees, on Oscar night, February 24th. Until then, here are my predictions:
Best Picture: Argo
Analysis: An easy pick to make at this time, as Argo has swept just about every major award show this year. Choosing something else would be a mistake. There could be an upset I suppose, but I think it'd be a mistake to bet against this movie.
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Analysis: Again, an easy pick. None of the other nominees have anywhere near the momentum that DDL has.
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Analysis: With the Zero Dark Thirty buzz dying down, it seems like Lawrence is the clear front runner, especially with the Academy's obvious love for the film, its sudden surge at the box office, the Weinsteins, and the fact that it's only real competition is Emmanuelle Riva, who has only a slight change in my opinion.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Analysis: A category with no real front runner, it seems like Tommy Lee Jones lost much of his buzz and I can't see the Academy giving Waltz a win for a Tarantino film so quickly after winning for Basterds, especially as his post win career hasn't exactly been stellar. De Niro's a legend making what's essentially a comeback in SLP and with the Weinsteins behind him, anything could happen.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Anne Hatahway, Les Miserables
Analysis: The easiest category to predict.
Best Achievement in Directing: David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Analysis: The risk? Huge. But hear me out: there is no front runner, Spielberg has already won twice, and I truly believe that Silver Linings Playbook is the film we'd be predicting for the win if it wasn't for Argo. This is the category I'm most expecting to be incorrect with, but there is no front runner in this category. A shot in the dark, but I'm taking it.
Best Original Screenplay: Amour
Analysis: The Academy clearly loved Amour and if it's going to win something other than Best Foreign Language Film, it's going to be for screenplay. The only film I can see beating it is Django Unchained, but I'm gonna give Amour the slight edge.
Best Adapted Screenplay: Argo
Analysis: In my opinion, Argo doesn't deserve this award at all but I really can't see another film beating it.
Best Cinematography: Skyfall
Analysis: It's between this and Life of Pi, but Skyfall got the ASC award and the fact that Deakins has been nominated for nine other films and hasn't won has to mean something, right?
Best Production Design: Les Miserables
Analysis: A hard category to predict, and I strongly considered going with Anna Karenina, but Les Miserables feels like a more "Oscar friendly" pick.
Best Film Editing: Argo
Analysis: This one seems like a lock to me. Honestly, I can't imagine another film winning.
Best Sound Editing: Life of Pi
Analysis: Life of Pi reminds me quite a bit of Hugo, which took home this award last year. That's really all my reasoning for this impossible to predict category.
Best Sound Mixing: Les Miserables
Analysis: Musicals tend to win this category, so I felt like going with a musical would be a smart idea.
Best Original Song: "Skyfall" by Adele
Analysis: And yet another award show will praise Adele. Go for that EGOT, girl.
Best Original Score: Life of Pi
Analysis: Many Oscar sites are pegging this score for the win and considering I didn't really care about any of the scores nominated (really, Academy, leaving off Beasts of the Southern Wild and Cloud Atlas was a bit of a mistake) this seems like a safe bet.
Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi
Analysis: At this point, I'd consider it almost guaranteed.
Best Costume Design: Anna Karenina
Analysis: When it comes to costume design, the Academy loves period pieces and Anna Karenina's costumes are extravagant and perfect for Oscar love.
Best Hair & Makeup: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Analysis: Because out of all the films nominated, it's makeup is the most noticeable.
Best Documentary Feature: Searching for Sugar Man
Analysis: I was caught between choosing this or How to Survive a Plague, but there seems to be more appreciation for Sugar Man, so I went with it.
Best Foreign Language Film: Amour
Analysis: I mean, it's pretty obvious.
Best Animated Film: Wreck-it-Ralph
Analysis: Truthfully, I could see Brave winning it but my gut is telling me to stick with Ralph. Fingers crossed!
Best Animated Short: Paper Man
Analysis: True story: I saw this when I saw Wreck-it-Ralph and preferred it to Ralph. And, also, I'm going off other people's predictions and everyone seems to be backing this one.
Best Documentary Short: Open Heart
Analysis: Because Golden Derby told me to.
Best Live Action Short: Curfew
Analysis: See above.
And there you have it, folks! My official Oscar predictions. Follow me on Twitter to catch my live tweeting on Oscar night as we see how right (or horribly wrong) I am. And don't forget to check out my Top 10 of 2012 and my personal wins for the year in the afternoon on February 24th!
I won't spend too much time analyzing my choices, as I've already done quite a bit of that prior to the nomination announcements. But, I'll still give you my thoughts. You can also check out my Top 10 of 2012 and my personal picks for this award season, for which I will name my personal choices for wins as well as nominees, on Oscar night, February 24th. Until then, here are my predictions:
Best Picture: Argo
Analysis: An easy pick to make at this time, as Argo has swept just about every major award show this year. Choosing something else would be a mistake. There could be an upset I suppose, but I think it'd be a mistake to bet against this movie.
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Analysis: Again, an easy pick. None of the other nominees have anywhere near the momentum that DDL has.
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Analysis: With the Zero Dark Thirty buzz dying down, it seems like Lawrence is the clear front runner, especially with the Academy's obvious love for the film, its sudden surge at the box office, the Weinsteins, and the fact that it's only real competition is Emmanuelle Riva, who has only a slight change in my opinion.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook
Analysis: A category with no real front runner, it seems like Tommy Lee Jones lost much of his buzz and I can't see the Academy giving Waltz a win for a Tarantino film so quickly after winning for Basterds, especially as his post win career hasn't exactly been stellar. De Niro's a legend making what's essentially a comeback in SLP and with the Weinsteins behind him, anything could happen.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Anne Hatahway, Les Miserables
Analysis: The easiest category to predict.
Best Achievement in Directing: David O. Russell, Silver Linings Playbook
Analysis: The risk? Huge. But hear me out: there is no front runner, Spielberg has already won twice, and I truly believe that Silver Linings Playbook is the film we'd be predicting for the win if it wasn't for Argo. This is the category I'm most expecting to be incorrect with, but there is no front runner in this category. A shot in the dark, but I'm taking it.
Best Original Screenplay: Amour
Analysis: The Academy clearly loved Amour and if it's going to win something other than Best Foreign Language Film, it's going to be for screenplay. The only film I can see beating it is Django Unchained, but I'm gonna give Amour the slight edge.
Best Adapted Screenplay: Argo
Analysis: In my opinion, Argo doesn't deserve this award at all but I really can't see another film beating it.
Best Cinematography: Skyfall
Analysis: It's between this and Life of Pi, but Skyfall got the ASC award and the fact that Deakins has been nominated for nine other films and hasn't won has to mean something, right?
Best Production Design: Les Miserables
Analysis: A hard category to predict, and I strongly considered going with Anna Karenina, but Les Miserables feels like a more "Oscar friendly" pick.
Best Film Editing: Argo
Analysis: This one seems like a lock to me. Honestly, I can't imagine another film winning.
Best Sound Editing: Life of Pi
Analysis: Life of Pi reminds me quite a bit of Hugo, which took home this award last year. That's really all my reasoning for this impossible to predict category.
Best Sound Mixing: Les Miserables
Analysis: Musicals tend to win this category, so I felt like going with a musical would be a smart idea.
Best Original Song: "Skyfall" by Adele
Analysis: And yet another award show will praise Adele. Go for that EGOT, girl.
Best Original Score: Life of Pi
Analysis: Many Oscar sites are pegging this score for the win and considering I didn't really care about any of the scores nominated (really, Academy, leaving off Beasts of the Southern Wild and Cloud Atlas was a bit of a mistake) this seems like a safe bet.
Best Visual Effects: Life of Pi
Analysis: At this point, I'd consider it almost guaranteed.
Best Costume Design: Anna Karenina
Analysis: When it comes to costume design, the Academy loves period pieces and Anna Karenina's costumes are extravagant and perfect for Oscar love.
Best Hair & Makeup: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Analysis: Because out of all the films nominated, it's makeup is the most noticeable.
Best Documentary Feature: Searching for Sugar Man
Analysis: I was caught between choosing this or How to Survive a Plague, but there seems to be more appreciation for Sugar Man, so I went with it.
Best Foreign Language Film: Amour
Analysis: I mean, it's pretty obvious.
Best Animated Film: Wreck-it-Ralph
Analysis: Truthfully, I could see Brave winning it but my gut is telling me to stick with Ralph. Fingers crossed!
Best Animated Short: Paper Man
Analysis: True story: I saw this when I saw Wreck-it-Ralph and preferred it to Ralph. And, also, I'm going off other people's predictions and everyone seems to be backing this one.
Best Documentary Short: Open Heart
Analysis: Because Golden Derby told me to.
Best Live Action Short: Curfew
Analysis: See above.
And there you have it, folks! My official Oscar predictions. Follow me on Twitter to catch my live tweeting on Oscar night as we see how right (or horribly wrong) I am. And don't forget to check out my Top 10 of 2012 and my personal wins for the year in the afternoon on February 24th!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Mama- How Many Times Will They Open That Damn Closet?
**NOTE: This review is long delayed and I haven't posted much of anything lately due to the hectic nature of my personal life as my second semester of school has started. I'll be keeping up with my writing now that things have settled down**
The short film of which Andres Muschietti's Mama is based is only about three minutes long and is quite scary. We don't know much about the titular Mama or the young girls she's terrorizing, but we don't need to. The tension is built almost immediately, and the scares just keep coming. It's not surprising that a horror enthusiast like Guillermo del Toro would want to give this young director a feature budget. And while Andres Muschietti certainly has talent, it would appear adapting his three minute short film into a 100 minute film was not the right vehicle to showcase his talent. By throwing in a convoluted back story and stock characters to expand it's runtime, the terrifying nature of the short is all but lost. What we're left with is a film that certainly has style, but still only about three minutes of actual scares. For the remaining 97 minutes, nothing new is brought to the cinematic table.
Unsurprisingly, many of del Toro's trademarks are clearly visible in his protege's film. The film opens with a cryptic "Once upon a time..." being scribbled onto the screen, and a fairy tale motif is clearly noticeable amidst the horror, not unlike a number of del Toro's own movies. That's not to suggest that Mama should be held to the high standard we've come to expect an experienced filmmaker like del Toro, but it does seem to suggest that filmgoers are in for something unique with Mama. Something that's a bit different from your run of the mill horror movie. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
From it's opening sequence to it's surprisingly off-putting finale, Mama fails to overcome the cliches that many of it's fellow horror films have fallen victim to over the years. As obnoxious as they may be, the screaming hordes of teenagers that flock to see these films on opening nights have a point. Why does Jessica Chastain insist on opening the closet after hearing a strange noise or seeing something creepy out of the corner of her eyes? Why do characters constantly make excuses for unusual behavior around them? Why do they always call out "Hello?" when they hear something sinister stirring in the kitchen? These cliches have elicited cat calls from audiences for decades now, and it takes a good director to avoid them, and an even better one to use them to play with our expectations (see James Wan's Insidious for an example of that). Muschietti has yet to figure out how to startle audiences without resorting to these age old tricks, and the film suffers for that. Because, let's face it, we can only watch so many pretty actresses cluelessly examine a mysterious closet.
But, the truth is, I've enjoyed films like Mama before. Sure, they might not be high art but every once in a while it's fun to check out a by-the-numbers horror flick and just have fun. Mama is not a fun movie, however. It's a film that becomes bogged down in a story that's overly complicated yet all-too familiar. From the moment we meet Chastain's Annabel her story arc becomes clear. She sits at the toilet, pregnancy test in hand with a look of fear on her face. When she reacts happily to a negative result, it becomes clear: by the end of this story, Annabel will learn the value of being a mother. And the film reminds us of this arc at every chance they get: every time Annabel discusses how little she wants to be a mom, which is quite often, the audiences are forced to role their eyes and wait for the next scene where she'll show signs of becoming a more loving, selfless person. Complicating this played out story, however, is the overly complicated origin of the titular villainess. What made the character of Mama so sinister in the three minute short is that we knew nothing about her. She was just a floating, fearsome creature. I get the sense that Muschietti didn't know much about Mama either though, as her character's backstory never fits in organically with the story and doesn't run smoothly at all. As viewers slowly figure out more about her, they start to care less and less about the characters, their safety, and the film itself.
To suggest that Mama is a truly terrible film is wrong. It's not a good film, but in a genre where there is just so much crap you need to find a way to stand out and this movie never does. The cinematography is beautiful at times and there are one or two moments that hunt at Muschietti's talents, but the film devoids itself of scares by relying on by the numbers tricks and a story we've all seen before. Considering the talents of everyone involved, and the fact that del Toro put his name in front of it, we should expect more. Hopefully next time, Muschietti will bring his A-game.
OVERALL GRADE: C-
The short film of which Andres Muschietti's Mama is based is only about three minutes long and is quite scary. We don't know much about the titular Mama or the young girls she's terrorizing, but we don't need to. The tension is built almost immediately, and the scares just keep coming. It's not surprising that a horror enthusiast like Guillermo del Toro would want to give this young director a feature budget. And while Andres Muschietti certainly has talent, it would appear adapting his three minute short film into a 100 minute film was not the right vehicle to showcase his talent. By throwing in a convoluted back story and stock characters to expand it's runtime, the terrifying nature of the short is all but lost. What we're left with is a film that certainly has style, but still only about three minutes of actual scares. For the remaining 97 minutes, nothing new is brought to the cinematic table.
Unsurprisingly, many of del Toro's trademarks are clearly visible in his protege's film. The film opens with a cryptic "Once upon a time..." being scribbled onto the screen, and a fairy tale motif is clearly noticeable amidst the horror, not unlike a number of del Toro's own movies. That's not to suggest that Mama should be held to the high standard we've come to expect an experienced filmmaker like del Toro, but it does seem to suggest that filmgoers are in for something unique with Mama. Something that's a bit different from your run of the mill horror movie. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
From it's opening sequence to it's surprisingly off-putting finale, Mama fails to overcome the cliches that many of it's fellow horror films have fallen victim to over the years. As obnoxious as they may be, the screaming hordes of teenagers that flock to see these films on opening nights have a point. Why does Jessica Chastain insist on opening the closet after hearing a strange noise or seeing something creepy out of the corner of her eyes? Why do characters constantly make excuses for unusual behavior around them? Why do they always call out "Hello?" when they hear something sinister stirring in the kitchen? These cliches have elicited cat calls from audiences for decades now, and it takes a good director to avoid them, and an even better one to use them to play with our expectations (see James Wan's Insidious for an example of that). Muschietti has yet to figure out how to startle audiences without resorting to these age old tricks, and the film suffers for that. Because, let's face it, we can only watch so many pretty actresses cluelessly examine a mysterious closet.
But, the truth is, I've enjoyed films like Mama before. Sure, they might not be high art but every once in a while it's fun to check out a by-the-numbers horror flick and just have fun. Mama is not a fun movie, however. It's a film that becomes bogged down in a story that's overly complicated yet all-too familiar. From the moment we meet Chastain's Annabel her story arc becomes clear. She sits at the toilet, pregnancy test in hand with a look of fear on her face. When she reacts happily to a negative result, it becomes clear: by the end of this story, Annabel will learn the value of being a mother. And the film reminds us of this arc at every chance they get: every time Annabel discusses how little she wants to be a mom, which is quite often, the audiences are forced to role their eyes and wait for the next scene where she'll show signs of becoming a more loving, selfless person. Complicating this played out story, however, is the overly complicated origin of the titular villainess. What made the character of Mama so sinister in the three minute short is that we knew nothing about her. She was just a floating, fearsome creature. I get the sense that Muschietti didn't know much about Mama either though, as her character's backstory never fits in organically with the story and doesn't run smoothly at all. As viewers slowly figure out more about her, they start to care less and less about the characters, their safety, and the film itself.
To suggest that Mama is a truly terrible film is wrong. It's not a good film, but in a genre where there is just so much crap you need to find a way to stand out and this movie never does. The cinematography is beautiful at times and there are one or two moments that hunt at Muschietti's talents, but the film devoids itself of scares by relying on by the numbers tricks and a story we've all seen before. Considering the talents of everyone involved, and the fact that del Toro put his name in front of it, we should expect more. Hopefully next time, Muschietti will bring his A-game.
OVERALL GRADE: C-
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)