Movie Review -- Tenet

 

  Man, has it really been six months since my last movie review? It's been a while, hasn't it? Time sure does fly. I wish I could have all this lost time back. If only I could go back... Go back... Time... Christopher Nolan. Yeah, today's movie is Nolan's latest, Tenet, a film in which the infamously metaphysical, space-bending director goes all in and finally makes a straight-up time-travel film. So is it any good? Let's find out.

  Tenet is about an unnamed secret agent who, after a botched hostage rescue mission, is recruited into a secret organization called Tenet. The Protagonist is tasked with leading an investigation into objects and weapons whose temporal disposition has become “inverted” – i.e. they move backwards through time. By tracing these objects' origins he hopes to avert a worldwide catastrophe. This is a great idea for a film; we get loads of twisted action scenes with cars speeding backwards, bullets flying back into guns, people having awkward fights with inverted people. There's also occasionally the same scene shown from different points of view simultaneously depending on which characters are inverted or not. And this is in addition to the frequent cutaways of concurrent scenes that Christopher Nolan films are notorious for. This all makes for a mind-bending and cerebral plot that can be kind of hard to understand if you're not paying the utmost attention. But if you're into non-linear storytelling, Tenet is right up your alley. Its two-and-a-half hours goes by rather briskly.

  Bringing this plot to life is a talented cast which, in true Christopher Nolan fashion, sees the return of some familiar faces from the director's previous works. Back from Dunkirk is Kenneth Branagh as the intimidating Andrei Sator. (Michael Caine also lends a mandatory, albeit brief, appearance.) The other actor that really shines in Tenet is Elizabeth Debicki as Kat, Sator's estranged wife who's desperate to free their son from his criminal clutches. Robert Pattinson looks right at home as the unflappable and dependable agent Neil. The only disappointment in the casting lies with John David Washington as the Protagonist. There's a line early on in the film where one character tells him that their conversation has to be to-the-point and without any small talk. Apparently Washington obeyed this line like the word of God because his character is more-or-less a blank slate, largely devoid of personality.

  The production values on Tenet are on par with what you'd expect from a Nolan film. The compositions and cinematography – combined with the backwards-moving events – make this film a real treat for the eyes and will leave you wondering just how much of this stuff was done in-camera. Knowing the director the answer is probably all of it! While Tenet is one of the best-looking Nolan films out there, the film's sound design is more of a mixed bag. The pulse-pounding score from Ludwig Goransson fits well with its hair-rising horns and electronic compositions. However the sound mixing needed some more work; the sound effects and (sometimes) the music is too loud, making it hard to make out dialogue during action scenes. At first I wanted to chalk it up to the fact that I saw this movie in a really loud IMAX theatre, but I've heard other critics are making similar complaints.

  Overall, Tenet is a visually stunning, daringly fanciful sci-fi action flick with some flaws. The main character isn't all that memorable and the plot verges on confusing. But I will say that if you want to see time-travel done differently this one is well worth checking out. Time well spent.

Grade:

Movie Review Repost -- Interstellar (2014)

Hey, folks. It's been a while since I've done a repost of a previously reviewed film (sorry, 'bout dat. I've been busy lately.) and today I'm highlighting a film I can't believe I haven't shared with you yet. This is Interstellar, one of the best movies I've ever reviewed. Has it really been four and a half years already? I remember this film being fascinating when I first saw it and upon repeat viewings it has lost its lustre at all. I have briefly mentioned Interstellar in other articles such as my 2018 Year in Review (just last month) and the Top 20 Best Films I've Ever Seen (November 2016) but now I'm finally uploading my original review from 2014 for your enjoyment. Thanks for reading.

  To infinity... and even further!! It seems fitting that this film would be playing at the Galaxy theatre! Hahaha... sorry. Let's just review this thing.

  Interstellar displays all the trademarks of a typical Christopher Nolan film: familiar cast/collaborators, a long run time, a huge budget, and a plot that is heavily based in both philosophy and metaphysical puzzles. A science fiction film that takes place in the near future (presumably, no dates are ever given), Interstellar is set in a world of privatized education, a drastically reduced government, and virtually no militaries. Sounds like paradise, right? Nope, because the now-largely-agrarian world is ravaged by a huge blight causing dust storms everywhere. A former NASA pilot, Cooper (McConaughey) is recruited to lead a mission to make contact with expeditions that have already landed on far away planets in order to gauge their habitability so that humanity can leave Earth. I'll try not to spoil the rest for you; it's a real melon-scratcher of a plot. And don't even think about asking me about the validity of the sciency stuff in this; I'm sure that Stephen Hawking fella can enlighten you. But while I'm pretty sure that artistic licence overtakes accuracy in the film's last twenty minutes, it doesn't diminish the film's enjoyability and I think it makes for a very strong ending. Even though the film is nearly three hours long, it certainly doesn't feel too long; I guess you could say that viewers will experience time dilation of their own! This is helped by the fact that Interstellar jettisons the unnecessary debates that plagued some other Nolan films (Dark Knight trilogy, anyone?). The story handily manages to be both thought-provoking and tear-jerking at times.

  Interstellar's acting is out of this world. The whole cast – especially McConaughey and Jessica Chastain – does a phenomenal job with only a few exceptions: Michael Caine's occasional unintelligible mumbling and Matt Damon's sometimes stiff dialogue.

  As for the production, it's the same high standards that you'd expect from a Christopher Nolan movie. The special effects – both practical and CG – are spot-on. Interstellar also has a powerful soundtrack that will seldom leave you wanting – although there's one scene in particular that might have benefited from the silly Star Trek fight music. Seriously though, it's one of the best soundtracks I've heard in a while.

  But as with all movies, Interstellar has a few puzzling oversights. We're not given very many details about what Earth is like in the future. The same can be said of the other planets that are explored in this film; they're about as creative as Star Wars planets (spoiler alert: Kamino, Tatooine, and Hoth appear in this movie). Also NASA comes off as a rather shady organization here with all the lying and double-crossing going on. And yet for such an important top-secret institution they sure do have lousy security.

  No matter. Interstellar is still a fantastic adventure from start to finish. It's a splendid-looking and -sounding spectacle that has decent drama and yet doesn't bore you with the interminable discussions that people often criticize Nolan films for. Offering lots in the way of science, fantasy, and surrealism, Interstellar is a very worthwhile experience.

Rating: four and a half stars out of five.

Movie Review -- Dunkirk

   A blockbuster WWII movie whose story has nothing to do with the USA? A Christopher Nolan movie that isn't two and a half hours long? A WWII movie about the Allies losing a battle? Well, colour me interested. This is Dunkirk, a war film about the miraculous evacuation of British and French troops across the English Channel during the late stages of the disastrous Battle of France.

   One thing to know about Dunkirk is that it tells three different (fictional) stories with differing durations which don't always take place at the same time. The first, The Mole, follows Tommy, a British trooper trying to find a way off the beach. The second, The Sea, is about civilian yachtsmen who sail out to assist in the evacuation. And the third story concerns Spitfire pilots flying across the channel to provide air cover for the soldiers on the beach. In typical Nolan fashion, time is structurally warped from scene to scene to create a story that is still cohesive. Only at the film's climax do the three stories converge.

   Comparable to war movies like Black Hawk Down (2001), Dunkirk is one of those war films whose primary focus is on the current moment, eschewing the philosophical themes typically found throughout Nolan's filmography. There's not much backstory – or even much dialogue at all in some scenes – and the story's emotional weight is carried by what's not said, like frightened soldiers turning their heads to the sky or a shell-shocked trooper crouched alone atop a capsized vessel. This means that the action is put on the forefront, making Dunkirk a very intense, though not remarkably violent, movie.

   The tradeoff to this focus on spectacle is that less emphasis is placed on characterization. The characters aren't uninteresting, but you will struggle to remember their names. There's even a couple characters I had trouble telling apart! The acting is pretty good throughout, though I'd say the best performances belong to Mark Rylance as Mr. Dawson the mariner and Cillian Murphy as the Shivering Soldier.

   As mentioned earlier, Dunkirk's visuals take centre stage. That suits this movie just fine, especially when you've got a director shooting in IMAX and 70mm film, with breathtaking shots, exquisitely detailed sets, props, and costumes, and extensive use of practical effects. In addition to being a sight to behold, Dunkirk is also an audio marvel. The sound design gives each weight to each bullet fired and each rumbling explosion. The score by Hans Zimmer also goes a long way to adding to the film's tension, just as with 2008's The Dark Knight.

   And that's Dunkirk, a gripping war film with stellar production value and the outstanding directing that Christopher Nolan is known for. Is it one of the best war films ever made as some critics are suggesting? It's tough to say since there are so many different types of war movies. I'd say that at least for the combat-action subgenre of war films this is one of the best in quite a long time. So you oughtta watch it.

Grade:

Top 20 Best Movies I've Ever Seen - Part 1

I love writing about movies, both from a critical and a personal perspective. Reviewing movies is a fun and engaging way to talk about and appraise both our culture's artistic expression and the worthiness of the various methods by which we entertain ourselves. There are some movies that do both those jobs so conspicuously well, that I think they are worth a mention. And so for the next two weeks or so I'm counting down the Top 20 Best Movies I've Ever Seen. The rules are simple, these films need to have been theatrically released and I need to have seen them. And just so you know, I'm going to try to judge this list as objectively as I can. So don't go thinking that this is the list of my top 20 favourite movies. That one will probably come later some time.

Honourable Mentions: Koyaanisqatsi (1982), Seven (1995), Der Untergang (2005), Sicario (2015)

20. A Christmas Carol (AKA Scrooge)(1951)

Ah, Christmas movies... Who doesn't love to kick back and watch a good X-mas flick every December? And this timeless gem is one I watch every year. Even though it may seem archaic by today's movie making standards, that only seems to add to the overall “old-ness” of the film's setting. The tone perfectly – albeit somewhat retroactively – complements the story and theme of this very much Industrial Era film. I remember reading the book A Christmas Carol in elementary school and upon rewatching this film afterwards, I saw just how faithful it was to Charles Dickens's original tale. And I believe the few changes that were made in the film were for the better. The scoring is classic, and it enhances the mood quite nicely. I find this most evident in the scenes depicting the Cratchit family. They'll get you right in the feelies, they will. And lastly, who could forget the fantastic performance of Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge? In all the iterations I've seen of this story, no one pulls off the transition from bitter, grumpy old man to jovial good guy better than Mr. Sim. If there's any one film that can brighten your cold winter day and put you in the Christmas spirit, then this is it, my friends.

19. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

I remember in my grade 7 drama class my teacher showed us this film, instructing us to pay extra attention to the acting, the choreography, the drama, and the story-telling. It was the first time I recall ever watching a movie with a critical eye. And Master and Commander was a fine film to learn from. Aside from being an engaging and epic thrill with edge-of-your-seat action scenes, it has some exceptional production design and interesting characters. I love how the movie balances its focused portrayal of Napoleonic naval warfare and the relationships between characters: in particular, Russel Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend Dr. Stephen Maturin played by Paul Bettany. It's one of those films that achieves the perfect balance between story, action, and characterization. Huzzah!

18. The Revenant (2015)

Alejandro Inarritu's two most recent films – Birdman (2014) and The Revenant – have found widespread mainstream success. While the two aren't all that different in style, I believe that the Revenant is the superior of the two. This one has a more interesting setting and is just all-round more entertaining. I enjoy a good western every now and then and the Revenant has got to be the most visceral yet also the most beautiful of the ones I've seen. Each shot looks like a work of art. I've already written a review on this movie, so the only thing different I can say is try watching this movie alone some time. Take in the atmosphere, the spectacle. It's quite an experience.

17. Casino Royale (2006)

No, not the one with Woody Allen. This is the one with Texas Hold 'Em, son. If you're familiar with my blog then you probably already know that Casino Royale is my preferred Bond film. In fact I'd list it as a strong candidate for best action movie of this generation. It successfully mixes an intense, gritty (yet coherently edited, thank you) feel with the patented wit and style that Bond films are known for. I particularly love how the tone is set with the stylish opening scene and the brilliant opening credits set to hard rock music. The smart dialogue and shining performances – from the likes of Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench, and Mads Mikkelsen – will pretty much obligate you to rewatch it again and again.

16. Interstellar (2014)

Christopher Nolan has made some pretty remarkable films over the past decade an a half, but this one must be his most fascinating. How can you not love a science fiction movie that takes itself so seriously, tries very hard to be scientifically plausible, and yet sets up fantastic new worlds to explore and dire problems to solve? This type of expressive imagination is the very stuff that movies were invented for, as early as 1902's La Voyage dans la Lune. Interstellar is one of those films in which everything seems to come together perfectly: the commendable acting, the seamless special effects, masterful directing, and of course the amazing Hans Zimmer soundtrack. By the time it's over, you may be surprised to find out that it's almost three hours long. Partly because it eschews most of the long philosophical debates of other Nolan films, and partly because it's so cool, Interstellar's viewers will experience a bit of time dilation themselves.

15. The Departed (2006)

For this entry I could simply recite the lyrics to King Missile's “Martin Scorsese”, but he really does make such excellent movies. In the Departed, you'll find a great crime thriller in which the tension just builds unrelentingly as the plot thickens again and again. Featuring first-rate performances from pretty much every one of the ensemble cast members (Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jack Nicholson just to name a few), this film has the type of drama that you really care about without a doubt for any of the characters' intentions or motivations. As Scorsese himself has said, “This is the first movie I've done with a plot.” And that ending! The movie has a triple-twist ending in rapid succession, one that you won't see coming but will surely leave you satisfied. So get watchin'.

14. Das Leben der Anderen (AKA The Lives of Others) (2006)

I first saw Das Leben der Anderen in my Soviet Union history class a few years ago. I thought it was cool. For those of you who don't know, The Lives of Others is about a Stasi agent in 1984 who runs a surveillance operation on a suspected dissident playwright who increasingly makes the agent second guess his political and moral beliefs. Unlike most spy movies which are all about action and suspense, this one sticks to realism and is more focused on drama, making it a unique entry in the spy genre of films. Its gripping opening scene alone is enough to get you hooked for the next two hours. The historical accuracy of the film's setting and organizations is quite stunning, even going so far as to use real-life locations such as the former Stasi headquarters building. The Lives of Others also boasts terrific acting, a powerful visual style, brief moments of dark humour, clever subtlety (plot-wise), and one of the greatest and most touching endings to any movie I've ever seen. If you haven't heard of it, I would highly recommend checking it out.

13. No Country For Old Men (2007)

It seems that people love to sing the praises of the Coen Brothers' films, but for me they seem to be hit and miss. I liked The Big Lebowski (1998), but Hail, Caesar (2015) didn't do it and I just didn't get Fargo (1996). But No Country for Old Men is a film that I immediately understood. A modern neo-western thriller set in Texas in 1980, the film is loaded with deep themes typically found in most other Coen Brothers flicks. The narration, conspicuous absence of music, and impressive cinematography all work together to establish a powerful mood which is bleak and foreboding. Combine this with the standout performances of Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem and you've got an endlessly watchable gem of a film.

12. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

And here we have a Stanley Kubrick classic, one of my favourite films ever: Full Metal Jacket. What can I say about this film that hasn't already been said? It's a Vietnam War film in the style of both a drama and a black satire with loads of irony. It's comparable to Kubrick's earlier work, Dr. Stangelove (1964), but much more harsh and violent. In this film he explores the psychological effects of militarism and warfare on the individual. Full Metal Jacket depicts warfare as a grotesque machine infused with sexual frustration and child-like naivete, ultimately making it insane, much like some of its participants as portrayed here by Vincent D'Onofrio. The film's other performances are excellent, especially Lee Ermey as the foul-mouthed GySgt Hartman. It may not be the most original war movie ever made, but it sure looks pretty with Kubrick's trademark direction and it has by far the most gripping boot camp scenes of any war movie.

11. Zodiac (2007)

David Fincher is my favourite director. He has made a bunch of great movies, but if I had to pick just one as his very best it would be Zodiac. It's the first of his films that really feels complete, where his methods and style have fully matured (digital cameras, practical lighting, etc.). This is evident when you compare the film to Fincher's first serial killer movie Seven (1995), which is still really good by the way. Here Fincher uses his distinctive visual style to emphasize both the paranoia and anxiety that gripped the San Francisco bay area during the Zodiac Killer's reign of terror and also to portray the passing of time as the case frustratingly drags on and on. I actually have read the book this movie is based on and from what I recall this film is extremely faithful to its source material. It sticks to the real-life facts and accounts, even those that contradicted each other, the main source of frustration to our main characters played handily by Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., and Jake Gyllenhaal. Lastly, Zodiac's display of highly detailed set design and seamless CG backgrounds make for an extremely accurate and convincing period drama. Overall, Zodiac is a film whose tone and subject matter perfectly matches its director's artistic sensibilities. A true masterpiece.

Stay tuned next week for the top 10!