True Grit
By Emma Hawes
Staff Writer
One of the most anticipating remakes of the decade was the 1969 film, “True Grit.” Even though Joel and Ethan Cohen had directed Academy Award-winning films such as “No Country for Old Men” and “Fargo,” the media emphasized great pressure on directing the classic western. The Coen Brothers’ reasoning for the remake was to restore the humor that was originally displayed in Charles Portis’ 1968 novel. They wanted to focus on Mattie’s own story while she was looking back as a 39-year-old woman. By reviving the script, the Coen brothers uplifted the plot of the movie by giving the movie more of a personal story. The cinematography showed an excellent mixture of a classic western with more action. The ending of the new “True Grit” is quite different from the 1969 film.
Based in 1877, 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) seeks justice by hiring Marshall Reuben “Rooster” J. Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to find her father’s killer, Tom Chaney. Mattie becomes even more determined to find her father’s killer after a Texas Ranger, La Beouf (Matt Damon), is searching for Chaney as well, seeking justice for a Texas Senator. When Ross embarks on her journey with Cogburn, she finds out that Cogburn and La Beouf have teamed up to find Chaney. Ross proves her grit by going along with Cogburn and La Beouf even though both refuse to have her accompany them.
John Wayne and Glen Campbell held remarkable roles in the original that could be claimed as irreplaceable. It was a complete shock to recognize Damon with his scraggly appearance, smoking a pipe on the porch of the boarding house. The costumes looked more authentic in the remake. One must admit that Matt Damon played his character with enthusiasm, as was seen when he displayed a menacing fear after he got off his horse to punish Mattie for disobeying him in the controversial spanking scene. The portrayal was rather intriguing, since Matt Damon admitted in a recent interview that he did not spank his own children.
It was not a surprise that the Coen Brothers teamed up with Jeff Bridges, who appeared in their film “The Big Lewbowski.” Bridges gave more of an appearance of a drunk by slurring his words in the courthouse. With the script’s rearrangement, it seemed to change Cogburn’s appearance as a tough cowboy. Overall, Bridge’s performance still held Wayne’s classic witty, comments.
Hailee Steinfeld’s performance as Mattie Ross was brilliant. She made a complete turnaround from her first acting role as a bubbly pre-teen girl on the K-Mart “Bling-itude” commercial. Throughout the film, Steinfeld always proved that she had “true grit,” especially in her emotional appeal to Cogburn that she was ready to seek justice for her family while rolling his cigarette in the courthouse. Finally, it is great to see a young actress who is completely committed to her role.
At the end of the month when the Academy Award nominations are announced, one should expect “True Grit” to have several nominations.
Inception
By Kaitlyn Byrne
Staff Writer
2010 saw a year of blockbuster hits — such as “Toy Story 3,” “The Book of Eli” and “Iron Man 2” — and overly-hyped disappointments — such as “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Last Airbender” and “Clash of the Titans.”
Although several movies left a lasting impression with viewers this year (whether the impression was one of approval or letdown), no movie left its viewers as mind-boggled, enraptured and completely baffled as “Inception.”
Steve Persall, movie critic for St. Petersburg Times, said, “Anyone claiming to understand everything that happens in Inception after one viewing is either lying or Christopher Nolan.”
Persall could not have been more accurate. Writer and director Christopher Nolan created a world in which dream invasions are possible, resulting in a complex labyrinth that challenges viewers to keep up with the brain-busting premise of three levels of consciousness, each one opening the door to the next. Viewers become enveloped in the multi-layered plot as one event seamlessly connects to another.
“Inception’s” dream jumping can become so complex that the characters face the danger of becoming permanently lost in a state of limbo in which one cannot tell dreams from reality—much like the feeling viewers experience after the closing scene.
The general consensus is that “Inception” is truly a brainy joy-ride, one that will leave viewers spellbound and at the edge of their seats, possibly with a headache but still more than willing to watch it again to fully grasp the complexities of Nolan’s dream world.
Associated Press said, “In its sheer enormity, it is every inch a blockbuster, but in the good sense of the word: with awesomeness, ambition and scope. The cinematography, production design, effects, editing and everything down the line are all superb. But unlike so many summer movies assigned that tag, “Inception” is no mindless thrill ride. It will make you work, but that’s part of what is so thrilling about it.”
In a time when Hollywood often seems to underestimate viewers’ cerebral capabilities, “Inception” is a film that rewards intellect and proves Hollywood still has some clever inspiration left. It is a pleasant surprise to find a director who makes us work, occasionally even struggle, to keep up with the outpour of his imagination. Nolan manages to keep full comprehension just out of viewers’ reach but still within view, leaving the audience to work on figuring out the puzzle.
The Fighter
By Julia Pendley
News Editor
Okay, I’ll admit the only reason I wanted to see this movie was because Christian Bale is in it. I have been in love with him since I first saw him in “Batman Begins” in 2005. For those who want to see this movie simply because of how Bale looks, I would highly discourage that.
Those of you who want to watch a good movie and see great performances, this is, without a doubt, a movie you should not miss. Between Bale branching out to play a crack addict and Amy Adams portraying a trashy and pushy bartender, it takes those two actors into a whole new level of talent. Even though these are both characters so far out of the actors’ usual realm, they both do an amazing performance.
Beyond the superb acting, the storyline and plot keep you on the edge of your seat, anticipating the next obstacle Mickey Ward, portrayed by Mark Wahlberg, will have to overcome.
Based on a true story, the movie conveys one man’s struggle with an overpowering family.
Black Swan
By Hannah Rogers
Asst. News Editor
I saw “Black Swan” weeks ago and cannot stop puzzling over the film — not because of controversy or Oscar possibilities, but because of director Darren Aronofsky’s ability to immerse the viewer in the world of the ballet dancer Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman).
Nina, a soft-spoken perfectionist, lands the dual role of the Swan Queen in her ballet company’s reimagining of “Swan Lake.” As the Swan Queen, Nina must embody the personality of the white swan, the perfect and innocent princess, and the black swan, a passionate seductress. Though Nina is able to portray the white swan perfectly, she is unable to completely lose herself in its doppelgänger. As she struggles with the double identity of her character, Nina begins to be haunted by disturbing images of the black swan and her understudy Lily (Mila Kunis).
As the movie unfolds and long after the screen fades to black, it challenges the audience to ponder what is real and what is imaginary. The pacing and small details build the tension on screen into frightening images. But even though the movie can be classified as a psychological thriller, it is more than typical. The clever allusions to the original story of “Swan Lake” — dual identities, the exploration of freedom and passion.
Tangled
By Hannah Rogers
Asst. News Editor
“Tangled,” Disney’s landmark 50th animated movie, manages to use both wit and emotional resonance to retell the fairy tale of Rapunzel memorably.
Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) was stolen from her parents as a baby because of her magic hair’s power to heal by the evil Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy), who wants to remain young forever. In hopes to one day call their daughter home, the king and queen release floating lanterns into the sky every year on Rapunzel’s birthday. As the young girl grows up believing she is Gothel’s child, she watches the lanterns for 17 years before finally deciding to journey to see them in person on her 18th birthday. Enlisting the notorious thief Flynn Ryder (Zachary Levi) as her guide to the lanterns, Rapunzel leaves her tower and Gothel behind in hopes of fulfilling her dream.
Those nostalgic to the Disney fairy tale franchise will see recognizable elements — music, romance and adventure — in “Tangled.” However, the film delves into the more serious issues of emotional abuse and missing children than most of its predecessors have. Mother Gothel may be one of the most complex villainesses in Disney history because of her complex relationship to Rapunzel. While “Tangled” has a dark undertone, the clever humor and the relationship between Flynn and Rapunzel balance the more serious topics.
The animation itself is beautiful; everything from the sunlight scattered on the grass to Rapunzel’s hair are detailed and, at times, almost lifelike.
The artistry, combined with the emotional depth of the story, make “Tangled” more than just another animated film.
Worst Movie: The Tourist
By Claire Faccini
Staff Writer
“The Tourist,” which was released Dec. 10, 2010, was a highly anticipated, suspenseful film that left audiences displeased. Starring Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie, average movie goers and even devoted media buffs knew it would be hard to go wrong with this talented duo.
However, mediocrity in the film industry reached an all-time high when it hit the big screen. Although Jolie is stunningly beautiful and Depp famous for his usually great theatrical performances, both actors were unexciting, and at some points, almost painful to watch. It left people disappointed because the trailer showed these two remarkable actors in a beautiful Venetian setting with a plot that seemed intense and exhilarating.
An American math teacher, Depp, travels to Italy to do a little bit of soul searching and heart mending. He meets Jolie, a former lover of one of the most wanted men in Italy and possibly the only link to finding her fugitive former lover.
The trailer deceptively led audiences to believe this would be one of the best movies of the year. However, once the movie actually aired, crowds realized the plot was a straight line, predictable and impractical, one that was okay at best, but the fact that it was so anticipated and such a letdown makes it the worst movie of 2010.
Mark Demetrius, a film critic and long-standing columnist for Rolling Stone, said, “The beautiful scenery and glamorous lead actors can’t make up for the increasingly absurd plot or flat performances.” This amplifies the point that the director, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, did not seem to grasp the concept that throwing two great actors together under a terrible story line cannot make the movie a masterpiece.
Claudia Puig, a writer for USA Todayagrees, with Demetrius because her reviews said “The Tourist” was, “… tedious, sluggishly directed and terribly written. Dialogue is beyond stilted, as if badly translated from another language.”
“The Tourist” had the potential to be great. The storyline could be a bit more complex, and the script could be more intense and less comedic in some areas. The acting was surprisingly dreadful, but that could be contributed to the script. Also, the chemistry between Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp was nearly non-existent. Some believe it was an okay film and that it may be a little too much to say it was the worst of the year, but because it was such an epic dissatisfaction, it gained this title.
