Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens Review

5.0 Stars

Thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, the galaxy faces a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order. When a defector named Finn crash-lands on a desert planet, he meets Rey (Daisy Ridley), a tough scavenger whose droid contains a top-secret map. Together, the young duo joins forces with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to make sure the Resistance receives the intelligence concerning the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the last of the Jedi Knights.

I initially gave Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens a 5 star prediction.  I saw it opening weekend and was blown away from start to finish.  There were so many throw back to the original trilogy, the return of our favorite characters, the introduction to new exciting characters, a great story, stunningly perfect visual effects, and music that moves you from start to finish.  But I had to see it a second time because something was bothering me: was I, at all, in even the slightest way, influenced in my enthusiasm for this movie because of how bad Episodes I through III were?  Would this still be the amazing movie I felt it was had I through III been better, or just not been made at all and we went right from Return of the Jedi to The Force Awakens?

So I watched it again.  And it was even better the second time.   I picked up on a few of what movie fans refer to as Easter Eggs in the movie that I missed the first time.  An Easter Egg is an inside joke or a hidden message that is either delivered by a line, a piece of clothing, or a prop that is usually "hiding in plain sight" that you usually don't see right away.  For example, nearly every Pixar movie will have a reference to A113 in it.  A113 was the classroom number for the graphics design students at California's Institute of the Arts.  The Easter Egg can be a reference to nothing related to the movie, as with A113, or it can be a tribute to previous movies, a foreshadowing of something yet to come, or something that can have a double meaning.  The very first line of The Force Awakens is "This will begin to make things right."  This is easily explained as the missing piece of a map to Luke Skywalker's whereabouts and that finding him will help the Rebellion to take down the newly formed dark side faction called the First Order.  But some fans are taking it as a jab at George Lucas and his defiling of Episodes I-III with his over-use of computer graphics.  Regardless of how it was intended, or how you took it, JJ Abrams has brought Star Wars back in a big way.

There are many things reminiscent to the original trilogy in this movie.  Without giving too much away, it starts on a remote desert planet with an orphaned character named Rey who mysteriously is very strong with the force and, so far, inexplicably has a very strong connection to Luke Skywalker.  The New Order has built a planet-sized space station that trumps the Death Star but still has one weak spot much like their old weapon.  The Millennium Falcon is back.  There is a scene in a bar that is much like the Cantina at Mos Eisley.  Rey has an experience with the force much like Luke had on Dagobah with Yoda.  There is so much smart and appropriate humor.  There is action.  There are twists.  There are questions left unanswered making fans already anxious for Episode VIII.  And the special effects were flawless.  The scenes of X-wing Fighters, the Millennium Falcon, the Tie Fighters in aerial battles were breath-taking and so well done.  

My conclusion after seeing The Force Awakens a second time is that this movie not only stands up to its own hype, not only makes you forget about the disappointment of Episodes I-III, but is the perfect continuation of the Star Wars saga after Return of the Jedi.  I've seen it twice and I will definitely own this when it comes out.  But the big question is, when do I buy it?  It will surely come out on its own.  Then there will most likely be a Trilogy available of VII - IX.  And eventually a box set of all nine movies.  I might just wait for all nine.  Who knows, with the success of these new ones, maybe someone will go back through I - VI and "fix" some of the things that were previously "fixed" that many feel were more detrimental than enhancements.  Regardless of when, I know I will own this movie.  And for only the second time in my movie review career, I'm giving a perfect 5.0 rating.  Only Saving Mr. Banks got that rating before.  So, Oscar season is right around the corner, so I'll be focusing on those movies next.  Which one will be on my mind first?  We shall see.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Preview

Thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, the galaxy faces a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order. When a defector named Finn crash-lands on a desert planet, he meets Rey (Daisy Ridley), a tough scavenger whose droid contains a top-secret map. Together, the young duo joins forces with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to make sure the Resistance receives the intelligence concerning the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the last of the Jedi Knights.

On May 25, 1977, George Lucas unveiled to the world a ground-breaking movie that would span generations and revolutionize movie-making.  That movie, of course, was Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV).  He had to create new special effects to even come close to the amazing things that were happening in his mind.  For the first time ever, a film had a musical score accompanying the entire movie.  While no one was quite sure what to expect when they lined up to see the movie, or even what they just saw when the final credits rolled, most were confident they just witnessed history in the making.  Star Wars went on to win 7 of its 10 Oscar nominations and quickly passed Jaws as the highest grossing film of all-time.  The success of Star Wars continued with The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and Return of the Jedi in 1983.  

It would be 16 years before Episode I would be released, the first of a trilogy of movies that were set just years before A New Hope.  I remember waiting in line anxiously with other Star Wars fans opening night for Episode I: The Phantom Menace; I remember the cheers from the audience as the familiar drum roll and opening score echoed in the theatre before the iconic yellow lettering against the black space backdrop scrolled up the screen; and I also remember how the excitement turned to disappointment less than half an hour into the movie.  While computer animation and technology had advanced light years since the original trilogy, it still wasn't perfect for what Lucas envisioned.  Lucas seemed to think it was good enough and went overboard with his use of computer graphics, something fans were given a clue might happen with his questionable edits of Episodes IV - VI.  Scenes including Greedo shooting at Han first in the Cantina at Mos Eisley, Han stepping on Jabba the Hutt's tail, and an extended musical performance at Jabba's Palace are just a few of the additions that left fans wondering what Lucas was thinking.

One of fans' biggest complaints was a Gungan named Jar Jar Binks introduced in Episode I.  He was designed to be a clumsy entertaining character, but he was annoying and disruptive.  What bothered me the most was that he was a computer animation.  And as good of an animation he was, he was still clearly an animation and it took you out of the story and reminded you that it was all fake.  There were scenes of Jar Jar flipping through the air into the water, Qui Gon catching his tongue, his tongue getting stuck in a podracer; scenes that only served the purpose of showing off how far computer animation has come, but they were more of a reminder that the technology wasn't so good that it could be undetectable.  At the end of Episode I, the Gungans have an epic battle with an army of battle droids, not unlike the Ewok battle against the Storm Troopers on Endor in Return of the Jedi.  When an Ewok died, you felt bad.  When a Trooper died, you cheered.  However, in the battle between the Gungans and Droids ensued, I found myself not caring either way because they were all clearly computer animations.  As annoying as Jar Jar was, I would have found him exponentially more tolerable if it was a man in a costume.  

Lucas continued to disappoint his fans with Episode II: Attack of the Clones.  The message seemed to hit home with Lucas and many felt he made a significant effort to right many of the wrongs with his final installment of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith; however, the debate among Star Wars fans as to which trilogy was the better was overwhelmingly one-sided, unlike those who debate who made the better Batman: Michael Keaton or Christian Bale.  While arguments can be made for both Dark Knights, there is no question for any Star Wars fan which trilogy is clearly superior in every way.

And that's why fans are so excited, myself included, for the release of Episode VII: The Force Awakens.  If you've never seen any of the previous six movies and heard nothing about them, watching the trailer for Ep VII would probably make no sense at all.  There is no plot, there is no context.  There are soldiers in white and black suits of plastic armor.  There are people fighting with glowing swords.  And there are futuristic looking ships flying through the sky.  That's really it.  But for Star Wars fans, the previews say it all: Star Wars is back after ten years, and it looks awesome.  

The Walt Disney Company bought the rights to make the movies and hired JJ Abrams to direct them.  Abrams is an accomplished director but fans are most excited because of the work he has done with the recent Star Trek films.  No, I'm not comparing Star Wars to Star Trek.  Everyone knows that's a cardinal sin to confuse or equate the two.  But seeing what Abrams has done with the latest Treks, gives an insight as to where he would be going with Star Wars.  You can tell already from the brief previews that Abrams shows the restraint in using computer animation that Lucas completely lost his grip on in the Prequels.  You also see familiar faces like the Wookie Chewbacca and the soundrel Han Solo.  

I've never given a 5.0 star prediction before, but I'm going all out and anticipating that this will live up to all the hype that Episode I was supposed to deliver while reminding fans of the joy and wonder they felt when they first watched the Original Trilogy.  I believe Episode VII: The Force Awakens will be the film that has audiences cheering from the moment the lights in the theatre dim to the final notes of the closing credits.  Will this live up to the hype and my anticipation?  Or will it be just a great sequel?  Or worse, will it be a disappointment?  We shall see.

Bridge of Spies Review

3.5 Stars

Set in the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, Bridge of Spies is based on the true story of New York lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks) who is called upon by the CIA to try to negotiate a prisoner trade.  The Americans have a prisoner Rudolf Abel who is a convicted Soviet spy that they are willing to exchange for the release of pilot Francis Gary Powers who was shot down and captured while spying on the Soviets.  The reason why Donovan would be the logical choice for the assignment: he defended the Soviet Abel in court.

This is the fourth collaboration between Hanks and director Stephen Spielberg.  Previously, the two worked on Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal and Saving Private Ryan.  Spielberg won Best Director and Best Picture Oscars and Hanks won Best Actor for Saving Private Ryan and all the early speculation says these two are front-runners for another sweep when it comes to handing out trophies.

Well, I predicted 4.5 stars based on previous collaborations between Hanks and Spielberg.  I knocked it down a full star, not because I didn't enjoy the movie, not because I thought Hanks didn't perform well, but because I was underwhelmed and it's one of those "once is enough" kind of movies. It was an interesting story, well told, but it tended to drag and Hanks was Hanks.  What I mean by that is he was absolutely brilliant, but he was himself.  In Saving Mr. Banks, I didn't see Tom Hanks, I saw Walt Disney.  In Captain Phillips, I saw the Captain of a captive ship.  In Bridge of Spies, I saw Hanks as James Donovan.  He was great, but he was himself.  Now, Mark Rylance (who played the Russian Spy Rudolf Abel) was absolutely endearing and entertaining and completely deserves an Oscar Nomination for Best Supporting Actor.  However, if he doesn't get one, don't be surprised if he's not upset.  If you ask him why, he'll simply ask you in return, "Would it help?"  You'll get it when you see the movie, which I recommend renting or waiting until it's on TV, but I doubt it will make it to my home collection.  So, what movie will be on my mind next?  We shall see.

Bridge of Spies Preview

Set in the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, Bridge of Spies is based on the true story of New York lawyer James Donovan (Tom Hanks) who is called upon by the CIA to try to negotiate a prisoner trade.  The Americans have a prisoner Rudolf Abel who is a convicted Soviet spy that they are willing to exchange for the release of pilot Francis Gary Powers who was shot down and captured while spying on the Soviets.  The reason why Donovan would be the logical choice for the assignment: he defended the Soviet Abel in court.

This is the fourth collaboration between Hanks and director Stephen Spielberg.  Previously, the two worked on Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal and Saving Private Ryan.  Spielberg won Best Director and Best Picture Oscars and Hanks won Best Actor for Saving Private Ryan and all the early speculation says these two are front-runners for another sweep when it comes to handing out trophies.

While there does not appear to be a lot of action in the movie, the performances alone look to be riveting and entrancing to hold audiences captive throughout.  Hanks was most recently snubbed by the Oscars for his roles in both Saving Mr. Banks where he played Walt Disney in the story of Mary Poppins, and in Captain Phillips as he bravely surrendered himself to Somali pirates.  Matthew McConaughey won Best Actor for his role in Dallas Buyers' Club.  I'm not disagreeing with who won, but most everyone felt it wrong that Hanks did not even get nominated for either role.  I don't think that will be a problem this year.  I'm predicted another Oscar-worthy performance from Hanks and another Oscar-worthy film from Spielberg and am predicting 4.5 stars.  Am I right?  We shall see.

Birdman Preview

Birdman or (The Unexpected Vitrue of Ignorance) was the 2014 Academy Award Winner for Best Picture of the Year.  In fact, it was nominated for 9 awards and won 3.  Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Emma Stone were all nominated for their performances.  Unfortunately, I was not able to see this one in the theatres before the Oscars; however, based on the movies I saw and the previews of the nominees, this was my pick for Best Picture, so I have high hopes.

Keaton plays the title role of Riggan Thomsan who was made famous 20 years ago for his portrayal of a comic book superhero Birdman.  After making three movies with the character, Thomsan only became known as Birdman and it took over his life.  In a post-mid-life crisis, Thomsan attempts to establish himself as a true artist and separate himself from the Birdman character by writing, directing and starring in a Broadway show that he co-produced with his best friend Jake (Zach Galifianakis).  Thomsan stakes his reputation and his money in the project and will do anything to make sure it goes well.  And it goes anything but well.

The preview shows Thomsan battling the Birdman persona both internally and externally.  He seems to be haunted by an inner demon that won't let it go; and, try as he might to ignore the voice inside, he has every critic, friend, family member and fan doubting him and keeping the comic book character alive.  It looks sad, funny, tragic, hilarious, deep, and original.  Some of the special effects in the preview that show us we will get to see acted out in real life what is going on in Thomsan's unstable head look to be spectacular and way over the top in a very good way.  Each actor looks to give a performance well-deserving of their Oscar nominations.  I am truly excited to see Birdman.  I expect it will make it to my home collection and I'm giving this a 4.0 star prediction, maybe even 4.5.  Am I right?  We shall see.

Boyhood Review

1.5 Stars

 

Director Richard Linklater's 12 year project has concluded in the Oscar-nominated film Boyhood.  Linklater has previously directed A Scanner Darkly, The Bad News Bears, School of Rock, Before Sunrise and Dazed and Confused.  This is Linklater's first time being nominated for Best Picture and Best Director; it's his 3rd time being nominated for Best Writing.  His previous 2 nominations were for Before Midnight and Before Sunset, which he co-wrote with Ethan Hawke who has also starred in many of his films.  Hawke also stars in Boyhood as Mason's father.  His performance has also earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination.  This is Hawke's 2nd acting Oscar nomination.  He was previously nominated for his role in Training Day.  Though neither Hawke nor Linklater have won an Oscar, Boyhood did earn the Golden Globe award for Best Director.  In fact, Boyhood has been nominated for 6 Academy Awards.  Patricia Arquette has been nominated for her performance as Mason's mother, and the film is also in the running for Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing.  

Boyhood is the literal coming-of-age story about a boy named Mason (Ellar Coltrane) as he grows from a 6 year old boy into an 18 year old man.  The reason I say literal is because Linklater filmed Coltrane, Arquette and Hawke for days at a time over the 12 year period.  We are allowed to witness Mason and his family not only go through things a normal growing boy would experience (love, divorce, step-parents, sibling rivalry, birthdays, graduations), but we also get to actually watch the family grow and age in this unique cinematic accomplishment.

After watching the preview, I was hoping that the "12 years in the making" thing wasn't just a gimmick and that there was actually a movie worth all the hype waiting behind the title.  I didn't go in with high hopes and only predicted 3.0 stars, but I was honestly disappointed.   Boyhood is nominated for Best Writing, but it felt at times like a re-run of Saved By The Bell or an after school special.   The dialogue didn't feel real.  It felt forced and staged like a high school play.  The film is also nominated for Best Editing, but I found it difficult at times to keep track of time passing throughout the movie.  There didn't seem to be any consistency as to when time passed or how much time has passed.  And it often took a minute to realize time has passed and then to have to figure out who the new characters are. Boyhood is over 2 and a half hours long, but I could have done with about an hour less of this movie that bored me for most of it.  I'm giving it 1.5 stars as being barely worth renting and definitely not being a movie I would ever own.  I give kudos to Linklater for the ambitious project, but Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas took over 3 years to make with only filming seconds a day due to meticulous and innovative stop-motion animation.  Burton's film is still gaining new fans over 20 years later and is now both a Christmas and Halloween classic.  I don't think the gimmick of Boyhood will sustain it for long.  So, what movie will be on my mind next?  We shall see.

Boyhood Preview

Director Richard Linklater's 12 year project has concluded in the Oscar-nominated film Boyhood.  Linklater has previously directed A Scanner Darkly, The Bad News Bears, School of Rock, Before Sunrise and Dazed and Confused.  This is Linklater's first time being nominated for Best Picture and Best Director; it's his 3rd time being nominated for Best Writing.  His previous 2 nominations were for Before Midnight and Before Sunset, which he co-wrote with Ethan Hawke who has also starred in many of his films.  Hawke also stars in Boyhood as Mason's father.  His performance has also earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination.  This is Hawke's 2nd acting Oscar nomination.  He was previously nominated for his role in Training Day.  Though neither Hawke nor Linklater have won an Oscar, Boyhood did earn the Golden Globe award for Best Director.  In fact, Boyhood has been nominated for 6 Academy Awards.  Patricia Arquette has been nominated for her performance as Mason's mother, and the film is also in the running for Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing.  

Boyhood is the literal coming-of-age story about a boy named Mason (Ellar Coltrane) as he grows from a 6 year old boy into an 18 year old man.  The reason I say literal is because Linklater filmed Coltrane, Arquette and Hawke for days at a time over the 12 year period.  We are allowed to witness Mason and his family not only go through things a normal growing boy would experience (love, divorce, step-parents, sibling rivalry, birthdays, graduations), but we also get to actually watch the family grow and age in this unique cinematic accomplishment.

There have been "coming-of-age" movies since they first started making movies.  It's not a new idea.  But usually it's about a teen or a pre-teen and what they go through in school, or with a love interest, or a family drama.  But these movies usually just limit themselves to a day in the life, or maybe a year.   It's about losing a bit of innocence or naivety, it's about having to grow up in a sense when solid, beautiful, vibrant colors all of a sudden have darker hues to them.  We've also seen movies that have spanned periods of time.  Mr. Holland's Opus spans 30 years, but their son is played by 3 different actors throughout the movie.  The Butler spans about 60 years, but uses different actors and lots of special effects make-up to achieve aging.  This is the first movie to cover this large of a time period using all the same actors to portray the same main characters throughout.  That being said, that's really all that looks unique about Boyhood.  It looks like it will have moments that make you laugh, make you sad, and make you reminisce, but all of the good ones do that as well.  I'm hoping the "12 years in the making" thing isn't just a gimmick and that there is actually a movie worth all the hype and nominations waiting behind the title.  I'm not going in with high hopes.  I'm predicting 3.0 stars.  I think it will be enjoyable.  I think it will be something I'd watch again when it's on TV, but nothing about the preview makes me immediately think this will be a movie I own in my home collection.  Am I right?  We shall see.

The Grand Budapest Hotel Review

3.0 Stars

 

The Grand Budapest Hotel is the latest creation from comedic genius Wes Anderson.  Anderson is also responsible for giving us the quirky and brilliantly written Moonrise Kingdom, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Rushmore.  Anderson is up for 3 Oscars this year for The Grand Budapest Hotel: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Writing.  Anderson was nominated for Best Writing for Moonrise Kingdom, Best Animated Feature Film for Fantastic Mr. Fox and for Best Writing for The Royal Tenenbaums, though he has yet to win an Oscar.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is the story of a famous concierge named M. Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes) at a luxurious hotel in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka and takes place between the first and second World Wars.  It is also the story of his protege Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), the Lobby Boy who eventually took over the hotel.

Anderson has assembled some of his band of merry men that you would see in many of his films: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman.  And, like many of his films, some of Hollywood's best talent have come out to take part in the merriment: F. Murray Abraham, Ralph Fiennes, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum and Edward Norton to name a few.  Another common trait of an Anderson masterpiece is to take what would normally be a dramatic topic and turn it on it's head with some smart and well-written comedy.  He's already tackled grief, loss, abandonment, sibling rivalry and other hard-hitting themes.  In The Grand Budapest Hotel, he adds murder to the list.

The preview is a very accurate representation of what you get in the full movie.  Even if you didn't see the preview, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect if you have seen any other Wes Anderson movie.  The dialogue is fantastic.  The settings are gorgeous.  The characters are ridiculous but somehow believable.  The story is actually about the Lobby Boy Zero (Tony Revolori and F. Murray Abraham) who comes to own The Grand Budapest Hotel and how he was mentored by the best concierge in the business, M. Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes).  Gustave is the most accommodating concierge around, especially to older, blonde, wealthy women who return regularly for his . . . services, to put it delicately.  One of his regulars was murdered and Gustave is their primary suspect.  This movie has everything: it's a love story, it's a murder mystery, it's a prison escape, and it's hilarious.  However, I'm giving it 3.0 stars.  I thought it worth the money in the theatres.  I'll probably watch it again when it's on TV, but it most likely won't make it to my home collection and I don't see this winning Best Picture.  Perhaps for Best Original Screenplay, but not Best Picture.  So, what Oscar-nominated movie will be on my mind next?  We shall see.

Grand Budapest Hotel Preview

The Grand Budapest Hotel is the latest creation from comedic genius Wes Anderson.  Anderson is also responsible for giving us the quirky and brilliantly written Moonrise Kingdom, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Rushmore.  Anderson is up for 3 Oscars this year for The Grand Budapest Hotel: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Writing.  Anderson was nominated for Best Writing for Moonrise Kingdom, Best Animated Feature Film for Fantastic Mr. Fox and for Best Writing for The Royal Tenenbaums, though he has yet to win an Oscar.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is the story of a famous concierge named M. Gustave H (Ralph Fiennes) at a luxurious hotel in the fictional Republic of Zubrowka and takes place between the first and second World Wars.  It is also the story of his protege Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori), the Lobby Boy who eventually took over the hotel.

Anderson has assembled some of his band of merry men that you would see in many of his films: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman.  And, like many of his films, some of Hollywood's best talent have come out to take part in the merriment: F. Murray Abraham, Ralph Fiennes, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum and Edward Norton to name a few.  Another common trait of an Anderson masterpiece is to take what would normally be a dramatic topic and turn it on it's head with some smart and well-written comedy.  He's already tackled grief, loss, abandonment, sibling rivalry and other hard-hitting themes.  In The Grand Budapest Hotel, he adds murder to the list.

The preview is quick-witted and fast-paced as one would expect of Wes Anderson.  We are immediately introduced to Zero (the Lobby Boy in Training), M. Gustave H (the most accommodating concierge ever), The Grand Budapest Hotel (the finest hotel around that serves as the setting for the story), and that Gustave is being accused of murdering one of his guests.  It looks like another wonderfully and irreverently raucously riotous film in the repertoire of Anderson.  I've enjoyed all of his films, so I have no doubt I'll enjoy this one.  I'm predicting 4.0 stars: I'll think it well worth the price of admission and it has a good likelihood of making it to my home collection.  Am I right?  We shall see.

American Sniper Review

3.5 Stars

 

Bradley Cooper stars as Chris Kyle in the biographical movie American Sniper directed by Clint Eastwood based on the autobiography written by Kyle who has the title of deadliest sniper in American history.  This is the 5th movie directed by Eastwood that has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture of the year.  He has won for Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby.  But this isn't like those movies.  This movie is based on Kyle's autobiographical account of his experiences in the war in Iraq following the 9/11 attacks against the United States.  Like Lone Survivor, Zero Dark Thirty, The Hurt Locker, and The Green Zone, this movie has to do with the United States' ongoing war in the Middle East.  Unlike those other movies, American Sniper is steeped with hot controversy over whether Kyle should be regarded as a hero or a monster.

Although Eastwood has said the film "wasn't political in nature", that hasn't stopped major politicians, the media and Hollywood from speaking out about American Sniper.  Political Comedian Bill Maher criticized the movie on his talk show saying "The Hurt Locker made $17 million because it's a little ambiguous and thoughtful."  He criticizes American Sniper as "lacking nuance."  Author Bret Stephens questioned whether Maher had actually seen the film and was surprised that was his impression.  Stephens felt the movie "treats what veterans and soldiers go through in a way that was subtle." On the same episode, Howard Dean commented that American Tea Partiers are angry and that's who is going to see this movie.  His comments grew criticism as well, most notably from actor Gary Sinise who felt the former governor was making "stupid blanket statements."

 

After watching the movie, I would have to agree with Stephens and wonder if Maher actually watched the movie before making his snarky, condescending comments about American Sniper.  It seemed he was confusing the man Chris Kyle with the movie which was based on Kyle's autobiography.  I agree with Stephens as well that this movie had more to do with the effects of the war on Kyle and his family and friends than it was a war movie.  There was nothing about this film that glorified war or made Kyle a hero.  It was sad to see Kyle become more and more obsessed with fulfilling his patriotic duty by returning to Iraq.  It was gut-wrenching to see him change and what his wife and children had to endure both without him home, and especially when he was home.

This is Bradley Cooper's third year in a row being nominated for an Oscar for his acting performance.  Though he did not win for American Hustle or Silver Linings Playbook, it's pretty clear why he was nominated this year.  Cooper gave another wonderful performance, but for me personally, one of the things I love about the best actors out there is their ability to make me forget that there's an actor playing a role.  They are so good at their portrayal of the character, I don't see the actor at all, but rather the character in the story.  And that's why I don't believe Cooper will win this year.  As much as I enjoyed the movie and his performance, I saw Cooper's portrayal of Kyle throughout the movie and not just Kyle.  I predicted 4 stars for American Sniper, but I'm going to lower it to 3.5.  I thought it was good, very good in the theatre. I might watch it again when it comes to DVD, but it probably won't be in my home collection. So, what movie is going to be on my mind next?  I'll give you a hint: it's an Oscar nomination.

American Sniper Preview

It's Oscar time again which means the race is on for me to see as many Oscar nominated movies that I can fit in before Sunday February 22nd.  The films nominated for Best Picture this year are American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Selma, The Theory of Everything, and Whiplash.  I'll be starting with American Sniper.

Bradley Cooper stars as Chris Kyle in the biographical movie American Sniper directed by Clint Eastwood based on the autobiography written by Kyle who has the title of deadliest sniper in American history.  This is the 5th movie directed by Eastwood that has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture of the year.  He has won for Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby.  But this isn't like those movies.  This movie is based on Kyle's autobiographical account of his experiences in the war in Iraq following the 9/11 attacks against the United States.  Like Lone Survivor, Zero Dark Thirty, The Hurt Locker, and The Green Zone, this movie has to do with the United States' ongoing war in the Middle East.  Unlike those other movies, American Sniper is steeped with hot controversy over whether Kyle should be regarded as a hero or a monster.

Although Eastwood has said the film "wasn't political in nature", that hasn't stopped major politicians, the media and Hollywood from speaking out about American Sniper.  Political Comedian Bill Maher criticized the movie on his talk show saying "The Hurt Locker made $17 million because it's a little ambiguous and thoughtful."  He criticizes American Sniper as "lacking nuance."  Author Bret Stephens questioned whether Maher had actually seen the film and was surprised that was his impression.  Stephens felt the movie "treats what veterans and soldiers go through in a way that was subtle." On the same episode, Howard Dean commented that American Tea Partiers are angry and that's who is going to see this movie.  His comments grew criticism as well, most notably from actor Gary Sinise who felt the former governor was making "stupid blanket statements."

This is Bradley Cooper's third year in a row being nominated for an Oscar for his acting performance.  Though he did not win for American Hustle or Silver Linings Playbook, judging by the preview, it's pretty clear why he was nominated this year.  From the preview, I don't quite understand why there is so much controversy as it appears to be one man's account of his experiences fighting in Iraq.  I'm sure I'll figure that part out when I watch the movie.  I'll also see if the brief glimpses we get at what looks like a gritty and powerful performance from Cooper sustains for the whole film.  I'm predicting 4 stars: it will be worth the money and has a good chance of making it to my home DVD collection.  Am I right?  We shall see.