Weekly Review -- Terror in the water

The Reef (2010) -- Creature horror has not had much success in recent years, what with other subgenres and franchise reboots taking over. This Andrew Traucki film offers up a wallop of suspense, its story based on a similar 1983 incident. However, it also suffers from the Open Water syndrome, occasionally coming off as a cheap knock-off of the superior film, as well as lapses in logic that are larger than its main villain.

A group of friends, including Luke (Damian Walshe-Howling), his girlfriend Kate (Zoe Naylor) and her brother Matt (Gyton Grantley), take off sailing to Indonesia. After a freak accident, their yacht capsizes, leaving them stranded. Not wanting to wait until the boat sinks, the group decide to swim for land, only to become a delectable menu option for a great white shark that has been trailing them. Who survives? Does anyone?

First, the positives. Writer/director Traucki knows how to build suspense. He uses the infinity of the ocean to the tale's advantage, creating some beautiful sequences that nonetheless show this environment as potentially menacing. Furthermore, he presents the shark as a predator inhabiting its own world, striking  mercilessly to defend its territory and circling the waters as though they were its playground, which they are. The scenes in between the attacks are the most intense ones, since the vastness of the ocean clearly informs us that these people are targets of anything and everything residing in the depths of the mysterious terrain.

Now for the not so great elements. The poster caption touts The Reef as being the most frightening shark film since Jaws. Eh... not so fast. I do not believe that such a work exists, at least not yet, and this film is too plagued by inconsistencies and plot holes to qualify. The group's ignorance is astounding, particularly when we know that they are all native Australians and that none of them are novice travelers. Did the group not know where exactly they would be sailing and diving? Whoever decides that swimming in shark-infested waters is a good idea? How can a Sydney resident not be a good swimmer? How come more sharks are not attracted to the blood? Was there absolutely no weapon that could have been recovered from the yacht? How on Earth do you go sailing anywhere without bringing the best, brightest and latest distress beacon model? The entire love story aspect is not very convincing and does not allow the viewer to invest in it, simply because we do not know much about the characters to begin with. Since the promotional materials were taking this route, I will say that I do not even want to compare The Reef's characterization with what we have in Jaws, because I know which film would lose. The actors are mostly good, but unable to draw out nuances from a barren screenplay. Still, Naylor does manage to imbue Kate with empathy and fighting spirit.

The Reef is an effective horror piece, but also one that frequently lets its true terror get bogged down by trivialities. It is a fun ride and a promising showcase for Traucki, who is on his way to becoming a rather prolific genre filmmaker. Settle in, do not think too much and I guarantee that you will be jumping out of your seat. 

6/10

Weekly Review -- Journey to the rescue

Olympus Has Fallen (2013) -- It has been a long time since we saw a truly entertaining, all-guns-blazing action film. Enter Antoine Fuqua's Olympus Has Fallen, a film that offers not only a dynamic story and an amazing cast, but also a realistic look at terrorism as an inevitable aspect of global existence.

After a car accident claims the life of the First Lady (Ashley Judd), Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is removed from the President's (Aaron Eckhart) security detail and reassigned to the Treasury Department. Soon afterward, Washington is the target of a merciless and well coordinated terrorist attack, one that ends with the North Korean terrorists taking over the White House and holding the President hostage. Incidentally finding himself inside the house as the attack rages on, Banning has to rely on his skills to rescue the President, his former employer and friend, as well as thwart the terrorists' other plans...  

Right off the bat, it needs to be said that the action scenes in Olympus Has Fallen are spectacular. The attack and the shoot-out sequences are incredible to watch, their intensity begging us to wonder about the rapid political changes occurring worldwide. Sure, the violence is brutal, but we have to remember that this type of hypothetical situation would never be unfolding smoothly in real life. I have to praise director Fuqua for not using Matrix-like novelty techniques to present manicured images of bombings and gun fights, particularly in light of the context. Bullets fly, bomber aircraft kill innocents, blood gushes out... this is not and was never meant to be Independence Day. By utilizing realism to the taut script's advantage, Fuqua creates a unique film that, however entertaining, also engages the audience as a debate piece. I also loved Trevor Morris's ominous, rhythmic score, which adds to the suspense and is one of the most effective scores that I have heard in years.

As I mentioned in the beginning, the cast is fantastic. One rarely sees so many popular, respected actors in one film, making every scene a gem. Butler is a terrific action hero, alternating between physicality and vulnerability to depict his character's desire for redemption. Eckhart is the perfect choice to play the President, rooting the character in quiet conviction and deep, human love for his administration and his country. Morgan Freeman radiates authority as the Speaker of the House, while Angela Bassett is a strong, unwavering presence as the Secret Service director. Rick Yune makes for a convincing, multidimensional psycho, and Dylan McDermott is excellent as someone's ally, participating in one of the film's best fights. Finally, as the beleaguered Secretary of Defense, Melissa Leo creates one of the most resilient characters; one of her scenes with Eckhart is especially poignant. The cast does justice to the script and, apart from Fuqua's precision, it is the acting that gives momentum to the story.

Olympus Has Fallen is one of the most exciting films that you will see this year. Far from a typical popcorn blockbuster, it is a new kind of action thriller for the wary, fragile post-9/11 world. Make sure you see it at the multiplex, since it is a true adrenaline ride that should not be experienced in any other way. 

9/10

Trailerblazing -- Star Trek Into Darkness

Star Trek Into Darkness -- May 17, 2013 -- directed by J.J. Abrams -- starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin

I have two words for you -- IMAX 3D. Or is that three words? See, that is what happens when a trailer scrambles your brain with too much awesomeness. I love the way that Abrams rebooted the franchise with the 2009 thrill ride, bringing in new details while paying attention to the classic show. From the moment I saw the sequel teaser, I wanted to see more, simply because this film looks too good. I love the implied shifts in the characters' relationships and look forward to seeing the perfectly chosen cast play them out. Cumberbatch is a fantastic addition and appears to have crafted a truly memorable, charismatic villain, someone who could possibly usurp everything that Kirk believes about himself and the Federation. Once again, the effects look unbelievable. Check out that spaceship crashing! The gravity-defying fights! The cliff dive! I cannot wait to immerse my senses. There are some films made for the IMAX 3D viewing experience and this is certainly one of them. Beam me up, please!

Trailerblazing -- What Maisie Knew

What Maisie Knew -- May 3, 2013 -- directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel -- starring Julianne Moore, Alexander Skarsgård, Steve Coogan, Onata Aprile

This drama looks like one of those human, intimate films that barely anyone makes anymore. The performances form the core of this piece, and they appear to be masterful. I am excited to see that Moore's role is different from anything that the actor has done. She always does an incredible job, but is especially good in raw, poetic stories such as Blindness and The Kids Are All Right, and this part seems to be of the same ilk. Skarsgård has been taking varied parts that are polar opposites from Eric Northman, the "True Blood" character that he is best known for. He was great in the otherwise underwhelming Straw Dogs, so I am looking forward to seeing what he does here. As far as Aprile goes, there is something haunting about her expressions and demeanor, which leads me to believe that this will be a performance to remember. There are not too many films that examine separation or divorce from the children's point of view, and I am interested in seeing how the screenplay handles Maisie's relationship with her parents. Another draw for me is the film's contemporary perspective on Henry James's novel, which provoked quite a stir upon its 1897 release. Having the author's nuance-oriented writing interpreted through 21st century social conventions should be an insightful experience. I cannot wait.   

Remakes that should be

It is an irrefutable fact that some remakes should never have been conceived. The Fog, Black Christmas, Halloween, The Omen... whoever thought of touching them should have left them alone.

On the other hand, there are films like The Thomas Crown Affair or The Last House on the Left that succeed in adding new dimensions to their stories and manage to improve on the originals. What rare gems they are.

But what about great ideas and not-so-great executions? Here is a list of films that are ripe for remakes yet doomed to stay in oblivion, since they justifiably seem to be lacking in popularity.

1. Sliver (1993) -- An attractive professional moves into a luxury condo rise that turns out to be a well of secrets. A great story dissolves into uninspired dialogue, senseless twists and a bland ending in this adaptation of Ira Levin's terrific literary shocker. I actually do have a fondness for this film and like its style, but I will be the first one to admit that it lacks cohesion. For a remake, I have always imagined Naomi Watts as Kay, Hayden Christensen as Zeke and Denzel Washington as Jack. I have also always wanted for the film to remain faithful to its source and for the cinematography to be a LOT darker, as in Stuart Dryburgh's works. For the director, I suggest David Cronenberg. Cronenberg + Levin = cinematic splendor.

2. Random Hearts (1999) -- I have always liked this idea. Spouses of plane crash victims discover that their better halves were having an affair, right before falling in love head over heels themselves. Intriguing, right? Unfortunately, the bare bones story is the only good thing about this melodramatic mess. The screenplay, based on a novel by Warren Adler, succeeds in making the perpetually engaging Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas seem confused at best. They probably cannot for the life of them figure out how they waded into this pool of romance cliches and insipid lines. "Are you a democrat?" Ugh. Someone should do it again, with much more attention to the characterizations and the writing in general. I suggest Sam Mendes, a virtuoso at setting up relationships and letting them unfold.

3. Dreamcatcher (2003) -- Lawrence Kasdan was the director. Timothy Olyphant, Thomas Jane, Damian "Homeland" Lewis and Morgan Freeman were only some of the actors in the talented cast. You could not go wrong with Stephen King's novel about four telepathic friends encountering an alien invasion... but the whole thing did. I am guessing the film's vision was lost somewhere between the fifteenth and umpteenth writer hired to re-write and dissect and blow up the screenplay. It seems that no one was able to decide whether they were remaking The Thing or doing a bargain basement version of Independence Day. In the end, we have a bit of sci-fi here, a splatter of horror there, drama throughout and a bad film all around. I truly wish they could remake the narrative, with exactly the same cast and a new script. Please let me suggest Gareth Edwards for the job.

4. The Avengers (1998) -- Seriously, what happened with this one? Once again, the disjointed screenplay comes to mind. It was supposed to be a slightly campy, slightly trippy flick about two British agents preventing a mad scientist from neutralizing the world. Still, all I can remember is something about teddy bear assassins and doppelgängers... and I cannot believe I just wrote that. Another thing I cannot believe is the caliber of actors that ended up in this trashy, Candyland-style chaos. Uma Thurman? Ralph Fiennes? Sean Connery? And just check out the supporting cast: Jim Broadbent, Eddie Izzard, Fiona Shaw. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, which does not mean that the classic TV series should not get another chance at cinematic glory. Maybe Joss Whedon should give it a go? Oh wait...

5. Original Sin (2001) -- How on Earth do you go wrong with Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie in the same film? What was meant to be a sultry story about a businessman marrying a secretive temptress turned into a big screen version of a primetime soap. These were extremely unlikeable characters, drawn up in a script that was aware of the leads' allure and tried too hard to sex the proceedings up. This tale of deception was in dire need of subtlety, as well as better chemistry. Adrian Lyne comes to mind for a new version. And the hot duo? That will take more reflection on my part and I might come back with a suggestion or two.

6. The Haunting (1999) -- I have never seen the 1963 original about a ghostly mansion interfering with a research study, but the remake dissolves into a CGI mess soon after it starts. The only good things here are the gorgeous set design and Catherine Zeta Jones's playful performance. A new version would be interesting, as long as there was a director who truly cared about ambiance and a cast with -- again -- better chemistry. I am thinking Roman Polanski as director and Carl Ellsworth as screenwriter.

7. Turbulence (1997) -- On some level, I like this film, even with its flimsy dialogue and plot holes. I have always thought that it should have been more popular; alas, it was not to be. This ride involving a flight attendant fighting a serial killer crashed and burned upon arrival. With sharper dialogue and more mind games between the two leads, you could really have something. How about David Koepp or Daniel Pyne writing and Len Wiseman directing?

8. The Covenant (2006) -- There are not too many decent genre pieces about male witches. In fact, I can barely think of any. This film about four teenagers dealing with secrets of their ancestry does not break that cycle. We get bad directing and writing all around, and the cast trying to wangle a good line here and there. The thing is, combining some elements from this film -- namely the story, set design and locations -- with a truly frightening screenplay could produce a very unique horror film. While you are at it, please leave out the whole hip teen element as well. Breck Eisner, who gave us the timely and ominous remake of The Crazies, comes to mind as the right director for this job.

9. Jade (1995) -- Ever since Basic Instinct redefined the thriller genre, there has been a slew of steamy femme fatale films taking over cinemas, including some authored by Joe Eszterhas himself. This film offers up some interesting characters and good twists, with a story of a businessman's murder that gets linked to a sex ring. Unfortunately, it tries so damn hard to be another Basic Instinct that it fails to nurture its own narrative. Still, let us give it some slack. According to Eszterhas's autobiography, the script was re-written so many times that he did not even want his name to be on the credits. Maybe the original draft can serve as the blueprint for a remake?

10. Hollow Man (2000) -- The notion of invisibility has amazing cinematic potential, not fulfilled in this tale of an egotistical scientist getting lost in his invention. It is too bad that this film suffers from a tacky, jumbled script and some horribly cheesy one-liners. A remake would be intriguing if, instead of sensationalizing the concept, it paid more attention to the principal character's psychological degeneration and the role that the invisibility serum might play in today's world. I see Rodrigo Cortés taking over this task.

What do you think? Are there any films that you believe deserve another opportunity to dazzle? Please feel free to comment, share, add and discuss.

Weekly Review -- Mind over matter

Silver Linings Playbook (2012) -- The subject of mental illness has frequently been exploited in cinema as a prime example of the Other. It has been analyzed as a psychological issue, it has been examined as an emotional issue, but rare are the instances where it is presented as a human issue. Never has the topic been presented as a mere quirk, an offbeat part of everyday life, and this is where the lovely Silver Linings Playbook comes in.

After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat (Bradley Cooper) moves in with his parents and starts on a quest to win back his ex-wife. When he meets enigmatic widow Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), Pat is intrigued, but also wary of any changes and acutely mindful of his obsessions. Soon, his world transforms in ways no one could have predicted...  

The greatest strength of Silver Linings Playbook is in the way that it seamlessly shifts from drama to comedy to romance. Adapted from Matthew Quick's novel, director David O. Russell's screenplay does not shy away from exploring the full implications of Pat's bipolar disorder and the effect that it has on his family and friends, but does so with a sense of self-deprecation and humor. It sets the characters on a path of knowledge, a path of evolution from hurt to healing and from blame to forgiveness. Everyone in the piece is a damaged soul. While Pat is struggling with an illness, his father (Robert De Niro) has his own OCD problems and his mother (Jacki Weaver) has had to learn to deal with her husband and her son in a lighthearted manner. Every character has a long way to go in order to get to the point of self-acceptance; naturally, no one is able to do it alone and Russell examines these connections as being vital as breath. Pat needs his parents' unconditional love as much as his father needs him and his mother. Tiffany needs Pat to make her feel cherished as much as he needs her to spin his life out of control. No man -- or woman -- is an island and we all need help sometimes. We all grow, nothing is constant and one can never tell what might be waiting around the corner. For all you know, it might well be a dance competition... one can never be sure. Russell plays with the notion of adventure infusing mundane existence and the idea of stepping out of one's comfort zone to find ourselves again. In the end, he comes to the conclusion that reaching out and engaging one's curiosity is the answer. What is life if not a journey?

The centerpiece of the film is the unconventional love story between two people whose experiences threaten to knock them down, but not out. It is safe to say that the film would have been DOA without chemistry between the leads, but never fear -- Cooper and Lawrence have it in spades. Cooper shows considerable dramatic flair, alternating between Pat's mood swings and his newfound zest for life. His resolute positivity can only be matched by his utter lack of awareness when it comes to Tiffany's intentions. He does not notice that his happiness is right in front of him, asking him to dance and laugh and live, and it is this cluelessness that provides the film with moments of gravity. The breakout star, though, is Jennifer Lawrence. Lawrence portrays Tiffany as a woman who decided to duct tape her broken heart and keep going after her husband's death, despite some bad choices that she has made since. In her performance, we find need without clinginess, heartache without a wall of tears and experience that goes beyond the resources expected for the actor's age. Subtle in her choices, Lawrence is a beautiful performer and the only cast member whose role is hers alone. While I can see some other actors playing the other roles, I am not able to imagine anyone else playing Tiffany and I can say without a shred of doubt that this lady deserved the little golden man she received last Sunday.

The rest of the performances are also praiseworthy, although not quite as distinct as the two principal portrayals. De Niro is the fantastic De Niro -- emotionally involved as a father who blames himself for his son's problems and tries to bond with him the only way he knows how, through his beloved football. Weaver is impressive as Pat's long-suffering mother and Chris Tucker is a revelation as a patient Pat befriends during his hospital stay. The cast works great as an ensemble, contributing greatly to the narrative's themes of connection and exploration.

Moving and funny, Silver Linings Playbook is one of those films that captivate the audience and do not let go. In an era when so many films get cranked out for the sake of profit, here comes a simple yet complex tale of relationships, woes and pure happiness. Feel free not to dose. Just enjoy it.  

10/10