The Adventures of Tin Tin

The Adventures of Tin Tin, a high energy treasure from Steven Spielberg, combines motion capture and 3-D technologies for a surreal yet effective story delivery. Like the books by the Belgian artist Herge' upon which the film is based, the visual point of view shifts and swoops somewhat vertiginously, but always in service of the adventure. The light and space and motion haven't the clunky aspect of animation nor the limitation of live action. Nearly impossible things can happen with ease.

Tin Tin, a young journalist of indeterminate age, no visible human family, and an infinite curiosity, is ably assisted by his equally curious dog Snowy. Tin Tin and Snowy meet a host of characters both devious and delightful, and utilize nearly every form of transport available in the 1940's: motorcycles, fabulous cars, propeller planes, cargo ships, lifeboats, zip lines made from laundry ropes, just to name a few.

Spielberg is wired for detail, and the format and feel of this film give him a canvas for details galore. Unfortunately, John Williams composed the musical score. He is so tedious and unoriginal that he steals from himself, and serves Spielberg's need to interpret action for us all too willingly.

My other minor reservation is the relentless pace, which becomes close to frantic in the second half. Although the action rarely pauses in the books, a reader can look away or close the covers for the night. One begins to weary without a respite, and thus potentially lose appreciation for the many visual puns and plays. Still, despite small concerns, this is an exhilarating and high-spirited ride!

Hugo

Light, time and cinematic magic are gorgeously portrayed in Martin Scorsese' Hugo, a delight in film for all ages. Before the opening titles even appear, we are welcomed to a world of rich texture and continuous transition. A boy with luminous eyes watches from inside a luminous large clock face the motions of the City of Light. This boy, Hugo, resides within the clockworks of a train station in Paris. Worlds within worlds ensue in portrayal, all to magnificent degrees of delight.

The production quality on this film is extraordinary. Although I did not view it in 3-D, I was utterly transfixed and convinced by the reality conveyed and the characters depicted. Asa Butterfield portrays Hugo and Chloe Grace Mortetz plays his friend Isabelle. They are both superb and very well directed. Hugo watches (and takes care of clocks), Isabelle reads and extends his social world. She provides connection, he deepens her observations. They both explore time, narrative and theatrical magic, each in their own manner.

The priggish and prudish Station Inspector, a terrific Sasha Baron Cohen, looms like a shadow of obsessive and heartless time keeping. His injured leg has a malfunctioning leg brace. Thus, he is the ideal monster in a system of potential mechanical magic.

And, at the heart of all this beauty and wonder is Scorsese' deep love of film, the history of film, and the value of film as a story telling and transformative device. After a lifetime of filmmaking, Hugo expresses his dedication and love with a luminous gaze.

The Descendants

In hands of lesser skill, this film that addresses mortality, property, marital infidelity and teenaged rebellion might easily have gone to melodrama or sobbing sodden sap. Instead, director Alexander Payne delivers a poignant, wryly humorous and very non-formulaic story with a fine ensemble of players.

Payne has a film history of allowing his mid-life and adrift men to negotiate the perils of Big Questions (About Schmidt and Sideways) in unpredictable manners. In The Descendants, he again avoids easy Hollywood formula answers, and allows the primary character, Matt King (an excellent George Clooney) to be adrift, sympathetic and deeply credible.

Clooney is amply supported by the girls who play his smart and rebellious daughters Scottie (Amara Miller) and Alexandra (Shailene Woodley). These girls don't play cute. They are feisty and funny and utterly believable. Nick Krause as their necessary stoner sidekick and buddy is quietly excellent and a great addition to the balance of characters. The script and the performances add up hilariously and poignantly without any whiff of sappy excess.

There are some wasted shots and some unnecessary tangents, but it all adds up in the end in a very satisfying manner. Locations are a bit confusing for those of us who know Kauai and the Islands, but no matter. The point is made that even perceived Paradise includes life problems.

The Big Questions are approached with wry humor, minimal melodrama, and no shortage of respect for all characters, even those of questionable morality. The final minutes are all one would hope for in quiet resolution.

Buck

The documentary "Buck" by director Cindy Meehl beautifully depicts the life of Buck Brannaman in his journey from a terrifying childhood to a life of compassion and contribution. Buck has transformed the leaden abuse of his past into the gold of "helping horses with people problems".

The pacing, incredibly lovely cinematography and editing all serve the subject well. "Buck" focuses on the central subject while also introducing the context of historical methods of cruelly "breaking" and training horses. There is much to admire about Buck's approach and lots to mourn otherwise, but the overall effect of this skillful documentary is one of compassionate optimism. We can move from fear to compassion, and we can make a difference for animals and ourselves in this essential choice.

To paraphrase Mr. Brannaman: a horse is a mirror, and you may not like what you see. Don't blame the horse! Buck displays a calm, unflappable wisdom sourced in his own journey from personal terror that is inspiring not only for those of us who love horses but for everyone.

Midnight in Paris

Woody Allen delightfully explores literary-themed time travel, as well as his usual art/love/money conflicts, in "Midnight in Paris". The film is reminiscent of several of his best short stories ("The Kugelmass Episode" especially) and his film "The Purple Rose of Cairo" in the seamless transition between times and realities to comedic and romantic effect.

"Midnight in Paris" opens with views of Paris lit like vintage postcards with washed out color and classic tourist locations. The present is dull, the past shines through. We meet Gil Pender (Owen Wilson), a successful Hollywood screenwriter who wants to write novels, and romanticizes Paris in the 1920's. He is engaged to a mercenary and superficial woman, Inez, (Rachel McAdams) who lives to shop. Conflict ensues between glitz and art, pedantic superficiality and authentic experience.

Once Gil stumbles into actual 1920's Paris, the fun really begins. The lighting shifts to a rich, golden quality, and the dialogue takes on a hilariously literary tone. Gil meets Scott and Zelda, Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and a host of creatively inclined characters, all portrayed with humorous brilliance. There is an aside on Djuna Barnes that amuses for those that recall her classic novel "Nightwood". Allen credits his audience with literary historical knowledge, and plays on that awareness with great wit.

Owen Wilson is surprisingly good as the rather lost and deeply romantic Gil. Marion Cotillard is lovely as his 1920's love interest. Kathy Bates is terrific as Gertrude Stein. Adrian Brody does a fabulous and funny Dali. Throughout, the dialogue is both credible and hilarious.

Woody Allen is back in good form with "Midnight in Paris". His portrayal of relationship remains limited, however. Why would a romantic like Gil be involved with a dedicated shopper like Inez? Their relationship rings very falsely, even if it provides a means for Gil to find his way to creative risk. It is all a bit too obvious and predictable.

And the above is a small criticism, really. The film is great fun, a romp through various "golden ages", with an underlying theme of living life fully, with love and art and creative connections.

Born to be Wild (in IMAX 3-D)

As a long time supporter of the Sheldrick Foundation in Kenya, and a proud foster parent of numerous elephant orphans, I was thrilled to see this extraordinary documentary. The film features the work of Dame Sheldrick in rescuing orphaned elephants in Kenya, as well as that of Dr. Mary Birute in Borneo in the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned orangutans.

The 3-D format is a wonderful means of experiencing the elephants and orangutans. And whatever the format, there are many insights into the incredible dedication of the humans involved, the intelligence and complexity of the animals, and the inspiring bonds between animals and humans that results from rescue work.

None of the actions depicted were created or enhanced for the film, according to my neighbor and friend who worked as 2nd cameraman for the project, so the viewer can trust in documentary authenticity.

Seeing this film will hopefully inspire support for the foundations involved. I only wish more was explained about why both elephants and orangutans are so cruelly threatened, and the actions we can all take to affect these sad situations. I also wish the film was longer (a rare criticism from me!) as viewing the orphans has great impact on many levels. Both rescue groups are sufficiently intriguing to merit further film time.

Take a pile of handkerchiefs as the endearing poignancy level is high! Not much cuter or more inspiring of protective instincts than baby elephants and young orangutans! The work of their human protectors and caregivers inspires a new faith in human dedication for animal welfare. With all the bad news we process daily, there is some reassuring news in the success of these admirable rescue organizations.

Never Let Me Go

"Never Let Me Go", based on the brilliantly subtle novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, opens with an understated poignancy that carries through to the film's conclusion. A cohesively monochromatic production design, combined with skillful use of light, deepens the vague untethering from familiar reality.

We are introduced to an English coed boarding school, run by none other than a rather creepy Charlotte Rampling (great casting!), and attended by children who nearly glow with health and eagerness. There is a uniformity in response by the children, and an ignorance on the children's part of the world beyond the school's walls that suggest something is amiss.

All is revealed in layers, nuances, suggested rather than pronounced. The hushed quality of steady revelations furthers the haunting poignancy, as well as a sense of hopelessness and pathos. There is a claustrophobic squeeze of looming mortality. Are these children human? And how is humanity and self-awareness defined by beings who are created for a specific utility?

Casting and performances are superb. Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightly portray a trio of school mates who proceed together into young adulthood. Mulligan's features and expressions ideally suit her character's quiet desperation. Knightly has an admirably angry edge to her beauty rarely seen in her previous work. Garfield, as the only person who expresses rage at his condition directly, yet holds his rage in store, is particularly memorable. The ever incredible Sally Hawkins, as a rebelliously kind teacher, wakes everything up just a necessary bit.

"Never Let Me Go" is set in a recent and recognizable past, with an internal twist that wobbles reality's axis. Costumes, set design and cinematography interweave to create a consistent world. The musical score is unfortunately insistent to an annoying degree.

The film succeeds by what is suggested and unsaid, and by the trio of characters' struggle to be dimensional. That is the point, in a way. How do we define ourselves if our purpose in living has been externally set? "Never Let Me Go" is a meditation on mortality, a tone poem of human interaction, all from the realm of sadly believable interference.

Winter's Bone

"Winter's Bone", directed by Debra Granik, is grim, grey and woven of poverty's hard grist. It is also meticulously well made and resonantly powerful in its quiet texture.

Set in present time in the Ozarks (which looks to be a dreary world indeed, lacking, for instance, social services of any sort), "Winter's Bone" is accurately named for the ubiquitous bone-chilling cold that abounds literally and figuratively. Music is used in a refreshingly minimal manner, so that the crunch of frozen leaves underfoot, the sizzle of lard in a pan, the wind in bare-branched trees are audible. No musical guidance, just the sounds of life.

Every nuance of production, from set design to cinematography, is seamless and consistent. Casting and performances are impeccable throughout. Jennifer Lawrence is deeply impressive as Ree, a teenager whose mother is unhinged, father is missing, and possibilities are bleak. She cares for her young siblings, her mother, and her animal family members with a maternal wisdom far beyond her years. She lives in a world of babies and guns, hunger and cold, with intelligence and weary grace.

John Hawkes as her wild-eyed uncle brings an edgy complexity to his role. He's not any kind of hero, but he will have to do for Ree.

Violence is a potential, an underlying tone, more than a predictable plot device. No time is wasted on sentiment, nor energy spent on fairy tales. Moments of tenderness are hushed and unheralded. The best that can happen is preventing the worst from occurring. And as "Winter's Bone" so skillfully depicts, sometimes that's plenty.

The Social Network

When I saw this film, I was not on Facebook, had no interest in Facebook, and continue to be rather low on the technically proficient scale. I knew very little about Mark Zuckerberg, other than a recent profile of him in The New Yorker magazine. I am, of course, intrigued by film, and the means of storytelling that film includes: writing, performance, production details, pacing, sound design, editing, cinematography. And, from that passion and deep interest, I spent the most exciting and riveting 2 hours and 1 minute in a darkened theater watching "The Social Network" than I have spent watching film in ages.

The rhythm, pacing and very smart script coalesce to engage from the very first beat. It's not that the pace is relentless, but that the story is constructed, dialogue spoken and characters revealed in such a skilled manner that my attention never wavered. The sound design and musical choices add enormous texture and intelligent context.

Ironically, Facebook connects people electronically. "The Social Network" conveys the many layers of in person relationship, the complexity of communication, and how loneliness and personal need can drive events.

Jesse Eisenberg, as Zuckerberg, is incredible. His face and body register myriad emotions, subtexts, confusions and comprehensions, sometimes all at once. And the supporting cast, especially Andrew Garfield, equals his excellence. Having just seen Garfield in "Never Let Me Go", I am in awe of his range.

There is not a wasted shot nor a moment in excess. Cinematography, set design, lighting, casting are all top notch. The film is nothing short of exhilarating! Although I did join Facebook, I left the film longing to converse, live time and in person, about "The Social Network". See it and discuss!

The King's Speech

The title of this film, "The King's Speech", refers not only to the wartime speeches of King George VI, but also to his manner of speaking. The king, affectionately called Bertie by his family and one friend, had a crippling stammer, resolved only through his work with an Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue.

"The King's Speech" teeters on the edge of the maudlin, and barely skirts sentimentality, succeeding primarily through the sharp performances of Colin Firth (Bertie) and Geoffrey Rush (Logue). They both skillfully transcend script and description, and are especially fine one on one. Helena Bonham Carter is well cast and wonderful as Queen Elizabeth, later to be known as the dough-girl Queen Mum. Guy Pearce portrays the lily-livered and pointless King Edward with just the right degree of mindless arrogance. Timothy Spall as Churchill is a fun bit of caricature, and Derek Jacobi as the Archbishop of Canterbury seems like Claudius in a bishop's frock.

The screenplay by David Seigler is a balance of poignant moments and humorous relief, although all could have gone far worse in less capable performance hands. Production details are flawless, and the direction by Tom Hooper is sure-handed if not remarkable.

"The King's Speech" frames history from a speech impediment and its resolution. What it poses is that the world's balance in 1939 hung by a thread of not only royal succession but royal expression. The film's balance thrives from the performances that give it life, and the simple but credible notion that even royals need friends.

True Grit

I have really had it with the Coen brothers' biblically themed tongue in cheek cruelty. And with "True Grit", they have added nauseating horse and mule abuse to the Old Testament in the Wild West stew. Does a mule being beaten with a broom and a pointed stick and a horse being stabbed by a knife advance the narrative in any constructive way? Depiction of violence to animals is inexcusable and pointless, as well as disturbing and offensive.

Oh yeah, yeah, Roger Deakins' cinematography is reliably sepia, a sort of over-designed period lighting exercise. The dialogue is terrific. The formality of speech contrasts the generally rampant misbehavior. "My mother is indecisive and hobbled by grief" is a line we are unlikely to hear anywhere but on screen. And the person speaking this wants to hunt down and kill someone.

Jeff Bridges gives a far better performance with a single eye than his phoned in old drunk in "Crazy Heart". Hailee Steinfeld effectively holds the center of the film with only momentary wobbles. Everyone else is well cast and just dandy.

But who cares about the Coens' obsession with biblical retribution? Did this story need retelling with additional cruelty?

More like true shit than true grit. Seeing this is likely to give me nightmares for months. The Humane Societies need to rise up in protest and dunk the Coens into a rushing and chilly river of biblical proportions.

Another Year

Mike Leigh's films consistently examine the complexities of relationships, character and class consciousness with credibility born of his unique rehearsal and writing techniques. The inexplicably uneven distribution of happiness and sorrow once again becomes a theme in "Another Year".

Tom and Gerri (excellent Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen) are a middle aged couple who enjoy a hard won good life. They garden through the seasons, cook lovely meals, love their good-natured son, and welcome friends to their lives who are not so very happy at all. Tom is an urban geologist, Gerri a social worker. They both dig for deeper information.

Mary (Lesley Manville, in a rather frighteningly brave performance) is so relentlessly self-pitying that she is quite predatory. Ken (a very touching and sad Peter Wight) is also starkly lost, but less directly manipulative than Mary in his sad neediness.

The authentic timing and delivery of dialogue informs every scene, some of which stop just a hair short of grueling. Leigh allows time for feeling to flicker across faces, some wooden, some lively, and for mixed motivations to suggest themselves, and individual vulnerabilities and defenses to show. As in real life, nothing is simplified into formula. The pains and pleasures of family, both chosen and biological, are in sometimes raw display.

The performances, production design and cinematography are consistently superb. Leigh alternates between domestic views, both expansive and claustrophobic, to reveal the dynamics of relationship and identity. Light infuses every scene according to the season of life and botanical growth. The seasonal theme borders a bit close to the literal.

Again, as in "Happy Go Lucky", Leigh stages a painful rejection in the enforced intimacy of a car. I even wondered if it was the same little red car! Savings for production costs!

Sometimes the contrasts are a bit severe in "Another Year". Mary is so dreary and sad and unlikeable, and Katie (Karina Fernandez), the potential daughter in law, is so unfailingly upbeat that some vague incredulity creeps in. Still, there is a tenderness in "Another Year", an accommodation of sadness and isolation in the midst of subtly smug domestic joy that enriches the film in unexpected and lingering thematic tones.

You may not be cheered (Mike Leigh is rarely really cheery), but you will be deeply informed about people engaged in the struggle for choice, happiness and connection in the quiet adventures of mortal life.

Made in Dagenham

England, 1968. Teased hair, rock and roll, overly constructed bras, Mary Quant hot pants, and the fight for equal pay and rights for women in industry.

"Made in Dagenham", directed by Nigel Cole, is an emotionally satisfying and quietly inspiring film about the battle against gender discrimination and the expansion of the labor movement to include women. The excellent Sally Hawkins plays Rita O'Grady, an unlikely heroine, with heart and grit. Bob Hoskins is an ideal casting choice as her supportive mentor in the battle. Daniel Mays is terrific as Rita's mildly conflicted husband, Eddie. And Miranda Richardson as the Secretary of Labor is superbly fiery.

The entire cast has a lively and credible balance, supported by a great script. The film veers dangerously close to melodrama in depiction of domestic strife, but is saved by a thread with quality performances and sure handed direction.

"Made in Dagenham" is particularly timely in our current economic challenges with labor unions assaulted by Big Business, the media and societal fears.

See it and cheer for the protection of women and men who make life as we know it possible in the First World, and for the protection of collective bargaining as an aspect of a functioning democracy.