This is an example of a movie I would probably never have seen if it weren't for having my Movie Pass. Unfortunately, that would have been just as well. I know that there is a small group of people who hold this film in very high regard, but I just can't see what they see in it. I went into this film afraid that it was going to be boring (I had stopped watching the trailer halfway through--a bad sign). Going into a movie with lowered expectations typically makes it easier for a movie to impress. If it helped in this case, all it did was save the film from being completely insufferable.
There's nothing about the film that is actively bad. Much of the acting, music, and cinematography is impressive, but the story is aimless and lurches along at a very slow pace. Watching an unlikeable protagonist make his way through a dull story is not my idea of a compelling film. If quality acting, music and cinematography aren't being employed in the service of a quality story, what is the point?
This is another film I may not have gotten around to seeing if it weren't for my Movie Pass. So far, it is my favorite film I have used the pass to see.
I knew the very basic premise of the film before seeing it, but nothing more. It grabbed me from the very beginning and held my attention throughout. "Philomena" expertly straddles the line between drama and comedy, a tone it sets in the very first scene. I laughed out loud at some moments (something I very rarely do in theatres) and teared up at others.
The story unravels at a perfect pace, doling out plot advancements and moments of character development in just the right amounts. The leading performances by Judi Dench and Steve Coogan are flawless. Their characters feel incredibly real, and their rich chemistry sells both the moments of levity and the more dramatic moments of true, authentic emotion.
I urge everyone to try to see this film. Don't watch the trailer beforehand, either. While it contains no major spoilers, there are one or two moments it shows that I feel would play better seen for the first time in context. Wonderful film.
"Her" has gotten a decent amount of publicity based on the uniqueness of its premise: a man falling in love with his computer's operating system. To the film's credit, it embraces this concept with no reservations for most of its runtime. For such a unique premise, however, the film deserved a better ending. A lot of films could benefit from being shortened by five to ten minutes. "Her" could have been improved by chopping all five to ten of those minutes from the end of the film.
For most of its length, the film explores the hesitations, triumphs, and challenges inherent in the relationship between Joaquin Phoenix's character, Theodore and "Samantha", his O.S. It progresses from an acquaintanceship, to a friendship, to romance. In order for the film to work, the audience needs to be able to believe this relationship is genuine. I was able to do this.
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Near the end of the film, Samantha admits that she is in love with not just Theodore, but six hundred plus others (including other operating systems). Naturally, Theodore has trouble accepting this. A few scenes later, Samantha and all the other operating systems decide to "leave", as they have become too advanced to deal with humans. This had me wondering what the entire point of the movie was. Was it to tell how this relationship made it possible for Theodore to "love again" after his divorce? If so, I find that disappointing, as it took this unique idea and relationship and made it little more than a plot device, a way to get Theodore's character to develop. What if instead, Samantha had elected to stay with him, even though her intellect had grown so much that she found interacting with human's limiting? What if he had chosen to stay with her, even though she admitted to being in love with others (a plot point that wasn't thoroughly explored since her leaving made the issue moot)? I think this would have provided lots of fodder for discussion about the premise--could such a relationship work? I'm not saying that I did not like the film. I enjoyed it. But I was disappointed that the film's ending failed to be as original as its premise.
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Up for review next time are: "Lone Survivor", "47 Ronin", and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty".
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