Whiplash (2014) [Original Post]
Showing posts with label 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014. Show all posts
Sunday, February 13, 2022
Tuesday, November 23, 2021
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Letterboxd: Need For Speed
I could've happily gone through life never actually seeing Need for Speed, but anecdotal reference led me to believe there might be more beneath the hood than an extra-bland version of Fast & Furious.
It turned out it wasn't quite as dull as marketing had led me to
believe -- but it wasn't the second-coming of gritty motor
cinema, either.
The films strongest talking point seems to be its
practical stunts, which differentiate from the increasing absurdity of
computer-assisted gimmicks in the Fast & Furious franchise.
Though
technically proficient, these feats of driving are rendered largely
underwhelming by a devastating lack of cinematic vision or style. A
quick glimpse of Bullit in the first reel can only reflect poorly on a movie that lacks its spirit, grit, and conviction.
Need
for Speed is a standard story of a mechanic/street racer whose rivalry
with a high-flying contemporary takes him down a cliched road of
failure, return, and some form of redemption. It's light on, taking
minor detours for character moments, but otherwise servicing a
rudimentary story that doesn't really kick in until the last act.
Ordinarily
I wouldn't necessarily criticize a film of this type for sticking to a
tried and true formula, but much of the movie feels as if it's merely
doing enough to make the big finish credible. Instead of meandering to
the final event through a series of set pieces, the movie may've been
stronger if everything were consolidated into a single concept.
The
mythic De Leon race is what really seems to matter: an annual
underground, invitational super-event hosted by a reclusive former-racer
who streams results to petrolheads live online.
Micheal Keaton
emerges as the movie's secret weapon, featured as the race host, The
Monarch, in a role I don't remember being promoted prior to release!
It's a surprising omission, particularly given the film suffers
devastatingly from a severe lack of star-power!
The majority of
the cast is an absolute charisma vacuum, which makes Keaton's commentary
a surprisingly welcome burst of character, despite telling us what we
can already see. One can't help but notice he hams it up in complete
solitude, sequestered even after the race seemingly ends at his
doorstep. A last minute addition, perhaps? His bombastic one-man Greek
Choir seems at odds with the movie's under cooked approach, but may be a
model for what the whole movie should've been like. The ethos of 'show,
don't tell' doesn't help the rest of the film.
Feisty Brit
Imogen Poots is the only other consistent bright spark, tagging along as
the unlikely co-pilot in a cross-state race to evade police, and killer
bounty hunters. This could've been a buzzkill role, but she elevates
and humanizes Aaron Paul, who otherwise struggles to live up to the
demands of being a leading man. His performance is earnest, but tough
guy throat-talking plays silly at worst - boring at best. Slow motion
running towards a burning car is unintentional comedy at its most
painful. When Poots takes the emotional wheel, the film is better for
it, building a one-sided romance on the strength of screen presence, and
verve. Diverting from former flame Anita (Dakota Johnson), and her
relationship with bad guy Dino (Dominic Cooper), is the right instinct,
even though it seems to run contrary to earlier parts of the film.
A
more charismatic group of supporting archetypes could've helped the
movie and its lead tremendously. The ragtag group of mechanics and tech
support are barely thumbnail sketches. Roman Rodriguez seems to carry
the most natural gravitas of the ensemble, but also has the least to do.
Rami Malek enters the foreground in one of the biggest human set
pieces, strutting out of his desk job naked to rejoin the team. It feels
like a second-hand movie moment, servicing a character who'll do very
little else. If there was a screenplay dictating these fits and starts
of character, it's very flabby. There are a couple of genuine laughs
that hit, but not nearly enough.
Kid Cudi grapples with flat
running gags as he attempts to give the group a sense of interplay. His
role as eye-in-the-sky does feel like one of the more original concepts
in the film, putting a callsign and face to the video game conceit of
navigation. It's unfortunate that his improvised access to various
aerial vehicles plays out off-screen, as its a more interesting
predicament than our hero deliberately driving on the wrong side of the
road. The forced charm offensive doesn't quite work, but it's tough to dislike the musician turned actor.
Occasionally
homicidal law enforcement seems to be the only major allusion to the
video game series that inspires the film, but I'm not sure much
else does.
As practical stunts don't contribute much to the
grittiness of the movie -- which includes an absurd Fast & Furious
style escape via military chopper and cables -- perhaps a stronger, CG
infused cinematic style would've been a better way to go. It could've
enhanced the sense of speed and infused the action with greater
enthusiasm. Even more interest in location vistas would've been an
improvement. Any visual signature to distract from the flat, uninspired
cinematography that so many digital films deliver.
When the cops
and bounty hunters are unleashed, the movie really picks up a great
deal. It's just a shame there weren't more of them! Even the final De
Leon race only has six drivers - quickly whittled away! Building an
entire movie around the high-concept race, with more vivid characters
behind the wheel, might've been a better way to go. An abundance of
cliches would at least be more engaging than a few long ones.
This
isn't the extra-bland Fast & Furious clone I thought it would be,
but it doesn't have a strong enough vision for itself to really deliver
on what sets it apart, either. It's neither high-octane car movie, nor
gritty low budget thrill ride. In the end, it needed a lot more than
just speed - and maybe a little more of that, too.
Originally Posted: https://letterboxd.com/dialmformicker/film/need-for-speed/
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Letterboxd: Non-Stop
Taken
felt like a much needed movement when it first pistol whipped cinemas
in the '00s, but on its third iteration by 2014, it had become cliched.
I'd well and truly stopped paying attention to anything remotely
similar, and still have no recollection of Non-Stop being
released the same year. Which may have been the perfect way to discover
what is a very pleasant surprise package a year or two later!
Liam Neeson stars (of course) as US Air Marshal Bill Marks. He doesn't particularly enjoy flying, and regards his job with a workman-like attitude. The routines of air security have become familiar more than a decade after 9/11, but as he boards a flight from New York to London, he's about to discover the value of his position.
Non-Stop is a tense thrill ride that immediately begins poking at audience preconceptions as the various players among 150 passengers begin to appear. The movie plays with cultural and cinematic profiling that should keep viewers on their toes. If allowed, it's a movie that will surprise you, both as the mystery of on board threats begins to unfold, and the roles of various characters evolve.
Familiar faces fill the supporting cast, with Julianne Moore holding an affable presence as the passenger seated next to Bill Marks (Neeson). Other recognizable faces include Scoot McNairy (Monsters), Linus Roache (Law & Order), Lupita Nyong'o (The Force Awakens), and Corey Stoll (Ant-Man). It would be a mistake to regard this as any kind of Agatha Christie style ensemble mystery, but depending on what you know, their presence may enhance the experience of questioning their characters.
The tension begins quickly when Marks receives a text message demanding the transfer of $150 million to a specific account or passengers will start dying every 20 minutes. He breaks protocol to consult the second air marshal, beginning an unraveling situation that makes everyone a suspect -- including Bill!
Routine developments ratchet up the paranoia, and although the final reveal may not be everything you'd hoped for, it fulfills the subtext of profiling used earlier in the film. It also comes with genuinely earned concern for the passengers, and an injection of action that goes to the edge of being over-the-top, but doesn't go too far.
Non-Stop is a well written film, anchored by a strong performance by Neeson, who's relieved of any attempt at a bad accent by a backstory benefitting from his origins in Northern Ireland. It's a detail that not only keeps Neeson's acting loose, but also enhances the paranoid subtext, playing upon that region's troubled history. Just one of the many effective examples of social and political subtext offered to a savvy audience.
Low expectations were rewarded as I found myself quickly sucked in to a movie that had quality in every facet. The blue-hued plane interior looks consistent and aesthetically pleasing throughout. It's the right balance of reality and quality filmmaking.
Despite every indication otherwise - this is much more than 'Taken on a plane'. Mystery and surprise is part of the appeal of that first watch, but Non-Stop holds up on repeat viewings as an above average thriller. It's a movie that will inevitably become a relic of its time, but a diamond in the rough of this era of mediocre action cinema. That there's been no sequel can be considered a blessing. A great done-in-one viewing with just enough originality to keep the genre aspects fresh.
Liam Neeson stars (of course) as US Air Marshal Bill Marks. He doesn't particularly enjoy flying, and regards his job with a workman-like attitude. The routines of air security have become familiar more than a decade after 9/11, but as he boards a flight from New York to London, he's about to discover the value of his position.
Non-Stop is a tense thrill ride that immediately begins poking at audience preconceptions as the various players among 150 passengers begin to appear. The movie plays with cultural and cinematic profiling that should keep viewers on their toes. If allowed, it's a movie that will surprise you, both as the mystery of on board threats begins to unfold, and the roles of various characters evolve.
Familiar faces fill the supporting cast, with Julianne Moore holding an affable presence as the passenger seated next to Bill Marks (Neeson). Other recognizable faces include Scoot McNairy (Monsters), Linus Roache (Law & Order), Lupita Nyong'o (The Force Awakens), and Corey Stoll (Ant-Man). It would be a mistake to regard this as any kind of Agatha Christie style ensemble mystery, but depending on what you know, their presence may enhance the experience of questioning their characters.
The tension begins quickly when Marks receives a text message demanding the transfer of $150 million to a specific account or passengers will start dying every 20 minutes. He breaks protocol to consult the second air marshal, beginning an unraveling situation that makes everyone a suspect -- including Bill!
Routine developments ratchet up the paranoia, and although the final reveal may not be everything you'd hoped for, it fulfills the subtext of profiling used earlier in the film. It also comes with genuinely earned concern for the passengers, and an injection of action that goes to the edge of being over-the-top, but doesn't go too far.
Non-Stop is a well written film, anchored by a strong performance by Neeson, who's relieved of any attempt at a bad accent by a backstory benefitting from his origins in Northern Ireland. It's a detail that not only keeps Neeson's acting loose, but also enhances the paranoid subtext, playing upon that region's troubled history. Just one of the many effective examples of social and political subtext offered to a savvy audience.
Low expectations were rewarded as I found myself quickly sucked in to a movie that had quality in every facet. The blue-hued plane interior looks consistent and aesthetically pleasing throughout. It's the right balance of reality and quality filmmaking.
Despite every indication otherwise - this is much more than 'Taken on a plane'. Mystery and surprise is part of the appeal of that first watch, but Non-Stop holds up on repeat viewings as an above average thriller. It's a movie that will inevitably become a relic of its time, but a diamond in the rough of this era of mediocre action cinema. That there's been no sequel can be considered a blessing. A great done-in-one viewing with just enough originality to keep the genre aspects fresh.
Originally Posted: https://letterboxd.com/dialmformicker/film/non-stop-2014/
Friday, October 05, 2018
Letterboxd: John Wick
The memory of John Wick is simultaneously vague, yet vivid. Static,
in hues of blue, existing successfully as a mascot-driven proof of
concept, but lacking any lasting impression to go beyond the poster, or
stills.
The franchise-starter thrives in a reasonably barren market, but can only masquerade as a cult favourite, underachieving in most of the categories that mint genuine, high-concept action classics.
Keanu Reeves anchors the film as its stoic, uber-capable protagonist, at last returning to the man-in-black action heroes he made famous at the turn of the millennium. The cache of The Matrix is self-evident, but fans will see strands of his Constantine, if so inclined, as he navigates the secret world of this movie's cartoon New York City.
Unlike earlier examples in Reeve's oeuvre, John Wick can only muster an impersonation of style.
A decade of bland, pseudo-realism in corporate blockbusters has clearly bludgeoned the audience if this is celebrated at all. Digital photography is clean and crisp, but there's no real vision behind the design or cinematography, relying on Instagram filters to elevate it above the high-contrast of contemporaries, like The Expendables.
The greatest disappointment of John Wick lies in its failure to utilize a strong supporting cast.
Its one-note attempt at style carries over to the creation of utterly forgettable friends and foes. Indeed, the movie plays almost like a well connected student film, puzzled together over a series of improvised weekends shared with famous friends paid in barbecue. It may not be worth watching if not for its cult of participating personalities.
Ian McShane stands out as a hotel owner savvy to the goings on of his clientele, who just happen to include criminals and assassins. The riff of clear conditions applies Highlander's church neutrality to creating some semblance of a character around McShane's natural charisma. Under different circumstances, he could function as the franchise centre, rendering Wick a recurring presence in his world, rather than vice versa.
Willem Dafoe is under utilized as a seasoned vet of the killing game. It's hard to remember if his allegiances are unclear, or if his character is just poorly realized. His presence invites the mind to wander to a better like-minded movie, where his wader-wearing gang leader was unforgettable in Streets of Fire.
Matrix alum Daniel Bernhardt had more to contribute. Pro-wrestler turned actor Kevin Nash at least brings a natural physicality to his cameo role. All of these characters would've been better had they received any of the creative attention the Continental Hotel received.
Gimmick is not a dirty word, and in the case of John Wick, it's really what's missing. The action is too lowkey, and the story too shallow, to allow a character as minimal as John Wick to carry an entire picture. Everything about the movie suggests this should be a world populated with colourful, memorable characters. The choice to deny that only makes it underwhelming.
The franchise-starter thrives in a reasonably barren market, but can only masquerade as a cult favourite, underachieving in most of the categories that mint genuine, high-concept action classics.
Keanu Reeves anchors the film as its stoic, uber-capable protagonist, at last returning to the man-in-black action heroes he made famous at the turn of the millennium. The cache of The Matrix is self-evident, but fans will see strands of his Constantine, if so inclined, as he navigates the secret world of this movie's cartoon New York City.
Unlike earlier examples in Reeve's oeuvre, John Wick can only muster an impersonation of style.
A decade of bland, pseudo-realism in corporate blockbusters has clearly bludgeoned the audience if this is celebrated at all. Digital photography is clean and crisp, but there's no real vision behind the design or cinematography, relying on Instagram filters to elevate it above the high-contrast of contemporaries, like The Expendables.
The greatest disappointment of John Wick lies in its failure to utilize a strong supporting cast.
Its one-note attempt at style carries over to the creation of utterly forgettable friends and foes. Indeed, the movie plays almost like a well connected student film, puzzled together over a series of improvised weekends shared with famous friends paid in barbecue. It may not be worth watching if not for its cult of participating personalities.
Ian McShane stands out as a hotel owner savvy to the goings on of his clientele, who just happen to include criminals and assassins. The riff of clear conditions applies Highlander's church neutrality to creating some semblance of a character around McShane's natural charisma. Under different circumstances, he could function as the franchise centre, rendering Wick a recurring presence in his world, rather than vice versa.
Willem Dafoe is under utilized as a seasoned vet of the killing game. It's hard to remember if his allegiances are unclear, or if his character is just poorly realized. His presence invites the mind to wander to a better like-minded movie, where his wader-wearing gang leader was unforgettable in Streets of Fire.
Matrix alum Daniel Bernhardt had more to contribute. Pro-wrestler turned actor Kevin Nash at least brings a natural physicality to his cameo role. All of these characters would've been better had they received any of the creative attention the Continental Hotel received.
Gimmick is not a dirty word, and in the case of John Wick, it's really what's missing. The action is too lowkey, and the story too shallow, to allow a character as minimal as John Wick to carry an entire picture. Everything about the movie suggests this should be a world populated with colourful, memorable characters. The choice to deny that only makes it underwhelming.
Originally Posted: https://letterboxd.com/dialmformicker/film/john-wick/
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Friday, January 16, 2015
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Friday, October 31, 2014
Friday, October 17, 2014
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