Genre: Action / Satire
A good film must always start with a smart screenplay, for the screenplay establishes the backbone onto which all the appendages of filmcraft are later embodied. Jurassic World, the fourth (for those counting) installment in the Jurassic film franchise, surprisingly had backbone — and much else to its credit.
Writer and director Colin Trevorrow and writers Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Derek Connolly wield the core artifice of the beloved franchise, not like a paintbrush by which to illustrate audience members' both light and dark dreams as the original franchise writers Crichton and Koepp did, but rather like a lance with which to sharply skewer the boil of inflating consumerism ironically coaxing on this already classic franchise. Indeed, the plot's structure is governed and seasoned throughout to smack the hand that reaches for what it offers with its own other. At every major plot point, the vital juices that like sugars the standard contemporary Summer blockbuster audience craves in epic battle sequences, jaw-dropping CGI, nightmarish thrills, romantic attractions (including especially lusts), and even familial bond trials are served up only to quickly thereafter be bathed in an acid wash of sardonicism, hyperbole, grotesqueness, or (in the best instances) irony. The audience is pummeled and jabbed while on the edge of its seat — no, because it is on the edge of its seat — and at times even fervently reminded that "more" is in poor taste. Of course, this essential element in the film is carefully coded, lest the audience be like the protagonist in Kubrick's (1972) A Clockwork Orange all too aware of and consequently upset by its violent attempted recondition. However, cloaks can only disguise figures to a certain extent; to a viewer who notices the inanity in the theme park guest who in the midst of an aerial attack chooses to save not just one but two cocktails from his outdoor table before running for cover, everything is apparent — and relieving, relieving of that one's expectations of the film have non-negotiable parameters into which everything must neatly fit to achieve maximal effect.
A key feature of the film, like any other film, is in the characters whose lives it follows. In a traditional Summer film, the stock characters representing ardor, bravery, comedy, or demonry are brought out, basically to wave at the audience and then retire flatly to the sofa in the back room. In this film, stock characters representing such traits emerge clearly but, like radioactive materials, then slowly decay over the course of the film, to reveal a thorough twist on the identities of the players. Nick Robinson's Zach presents as essentially a anthropomorphized penis, an adolescent entirely ruled by his sexual cravings (and sullen otherwise), but later resolves his storyline not with a heart-pounding kiss at the climax of action in the movie's final third — no, for we have already had such a kiss, diegetically commented on for a opening tone-setting element of satire, in the first few minutes of the film — nor even with the platonic bond-making chastity of fraternity — no again, for it is precisely this Spielberg-esque boyish wonder that obviously persistently entangles not only him but also nearly everyone else in play — but rather with a filial adherence to an older role model or "strong father figure", whose own virility by the way is so thoroughgoing that his romantic interest is bound notably to wearing high heels throughout the entire film for conceptual balance!
To say nothing of the Visual Effects, Sound Editing, or Sound Mixing — which were all stunning in their own rights — I must say simply that Mr. Pratt has perfected the definitive impression of a younger Clint Eastwood — both remarkable and horrifying in its own special way.
So, though of course this fourth installment into the Jurassic franchise had none of the novelty of its origin nor the untrammeled verve of its other predecessors, it has in its favor a sizable wry eye on its audience and for that alone I would say:
Grade: B/B-, a true modern fairy tale with a dash of something tastefully new. (Action porn seekers, look elsewhere.)
15 June 2015
Review: Jurassic World
22 February 2015
The SpyGlasses Full: Official Winners (2014)
The following are my official winners for the year in film 2014:
| Best Film |
| The Grand Budapest Hotel Mr. Turner Song of the Sea Whiplash Under the Skin |
| Best Director |
| Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel Damien Chazelle, Whiplash Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman Lasse Hallström, The Hundred-Foot Journey |
| Best Actor |
| Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler Michael Keaton, Birdman Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner |
| Best Actress |
| Jennifer Aniston, Cake Essie Davis, The Babadook Julianne Moore, Still Alice Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl Reese Witherspoon, Wild |
| Best Supporting Actor |
| Ed Norton, Birdman [tie] Henry G. Sanders, Selma J. K. Simmons, Whiplash [tie] |
Best Supporting Actress
Adriana Barraza, Cake
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Lesley Manville, Mr. Turner
Rene Russo, Nightcrawler
Best Art Direction
Simon Bowles & Liz Griffiths, Pride
Suzie Davies & Charlotte Watts, Mr. Turner
Dennis Gassner & Anna Pinnock, Into the Woods
Adrien Merigeau, Song of the Sea
Adam Stockhausen & Anna Pinnock, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Cinematography
Daniel Landin, Under the Skin
Tomm Moore, Song of the Sea
Dick Pope, Mr. Turner [Honorable Mention]
Robert D. Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Lukasz Zal & Ryszard Lenczewski, Ida
Best Costuming
Colleen Atwood, Into the Woods
Bob Buck, Lesley Burkes-Harding, & Ann Maskrey; The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Jacqueline Durran, Mr. Turner
Charlotte Walter, Pride
Best Make-Up
Christine Blundell, Mr. Turner
Frances Hannon, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Paul Gooch & David White, Maleficent
Peter King, Into the Woods
Best Visual Effects
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Guardians of the Galaxy
Interstellar
Into the Woods
Under the Skin
Best Original Score
Bruno Coulais & Kila, Song of the Sea
Alexandre Desplat; The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game
Justin Hurwitz, Whiplash
Mica Levi, Under the Skin
Hans Zimmer, Interstellar
Best Original Song
"Everything Is Awesome" by Jo Li, The Lego Movie
"Song of the Sea" by Lisa Hannigan, Song of the Sea
Best Sound Editing
Jason Canovas, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Will Files & Douglas Murray, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Wayne Lemmer & Christopher Scarabosio, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alan Murray & Bub Asman, American Sniper
Best Sound Mixing
Christopher Boyes & Lora Hirschburg, Guardians of the Galaxy
Johnnie Burn, Under the Skin
Michael Keller & Mike Prestwood Smith, Into the Woods
Gregg Landaker & Gary Rizzo, Interstellar Craig Mann & Ben Wilkins, Whiplash
Best Editing
Kirk Baxter, Gone Girl
Tom Cross, Whiplash
John Gilroy, Nightcrawler
William Goldenberg, The Imitation Game
Paul Watts, Under the Skin
Best Screenplay (Original)
Will Collins, Song of the Sea
Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Mike Leigh, Mr. Turner
Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, The Lego Movie
Best Screenplay (Adapted)
Walter Campbell & Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Nick Hornby, Wild
James Lapine, Into the Woods
Best Animated Film (Feature-Length)
The Lego Movie
Song of the Sea
Best Animated Film (Short)
The Bigger Picture
Feast
A Single Life
Best Documentary Film (Feature-Length or Short)
Finding Vivian Maier
Best Foreign-Language Film (Live-Action or Animated, Feature-Length or Short)
---
14 January 2015
The SpyGlasses Full: Official Nominations (2014)
The following are my official nominations for the year in film 2014. As expected, I have not had the chance to see every film that ought to be considered in contention this year, so certain films such as Fury and A Most Violent Year may yet tweak these nominations in certain categories. With that said and without further ado:
| Best Film |
| The Grand Budapest Hotel Mr. Turner Song of the Sea Whiplash Under the Skin |
| Best Director |
| Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel Damien Chazelle, Whiplash Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman Lasse Hallström, The Hundred-Foot Journey |
| Best Actor |
| Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler Michael Keaton, Birdman Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner |
| Best Actress |
| Jennifer Aniston, Cake Essie Davis, The Babadook Julianne Moore, Still Alice Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl Reese Witherspoon, Wild |
| Best Supporting Actor |
| Ed Norton, Birdman Henry G. Sanders, Selma J. K. Simmons, Whiplash |
| Best Supporting Actress |
| Adriana Barraza, Cake Laura Dern, Wild Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game Lesley Manville, Mr. Turner Rene Russo, Nightcrawler |
| Best Art Direction |
| Simon Bowles & Liz Griffiths, Pride Suzie Davies & Charlotte Watts, Mr. Turner Dennis Gassner & Anna Pinnock, Into the Woods Adrien Merigeau, Song of the Sea Adam Stockhausen & Anna Pinnock, The Grand Budapest Hotel |
| Best Cinematography |
| Daniel Landin, Under the Skin
Tomm Moore, Song of the Sea Dick Pope, Mr. Turner Robert D. Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel Lukasz Zal & Ryszard Lenczewski, Ida |
| Best Costuming |
| Colleen Atwood, Into the Woods Bob Buck, Lesley Burkes-Harding, & Ann Maskrey; The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel Jacqueline Durran, Mr. Turner Charlotte Walter, Pride |
| Best Make-Up |
| Christine Blundell, Mr. Turner Frances Hannon, The Grand Budapest Hotel Paul Gooch & David White, Maleficent Peter King, Into the Woods |
| Best Visual Effects |
| Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Guardians of the Galaxy Interstellar Into the Woods Under the Skin |
| Best Original Score |
| Bruno Coulais & Kila, Song of the Sea Alexandre Desplat; The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game Justin Hurwitz, Whiplash Mica Levi, Under the Skin Hans Zimmer, Interstellar |
| Best Original Song |
| "Everything Is Awesome" by Jo Li, The Lego Movie "Song of the Sea" by Lisa Hannigan, Song of the Sea |
| Best Sound Editing |
| Jason Canovas, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Will Files & Douglas Murray, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Wayne Lemmer & Christopher Scarabosio, The Grand Budapest Hotel Alan Murray & Bub Asman, American Sniper |
| Best Sound Mixing |
| Christopher Boyes & Lora Hirschburg, Guardians of the Galaxy Johnnie Burn, Under the Skin Michael Keller & Mike Prestwood Smith, Into the Woods Gregg Landaker & Gary Rizzo, Interstellar Craig Mann & Ben Wilkins, Whiplash |
| Best Editing |
| Kirk Baxter, Gone Girl Tom Cross, Whiplash John Gilroy, Nightcrawler William Goldenberg, The Imitation Game Paul Watts, Under the Skin |
| Best Screenplay (Original) |
| Will Collins, Song of the Sea Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel Richard Linklater, Boyhood Mike Leigh, Mr. Turner Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, The Lego Movie |
| Best Screenplay (Adapted) |
| Walter Campbell & Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin Damien Chazelle, Whiplash Nick Hornby, Wild James Lapine, Into the Woods |
| Best Animated Film (Feature-Length) |
| The Lego Movie Song of the Sea |
| Best Animated Film (Short) |
| The Bigger Picture Feast A Single Life |
| Best Documentary Film (Feature-Length or Short) |
| Finding Vivian Maier |
| Best Foreign-Language Film (Live-Action or Animated, Feature-Length or Short) |
| --- |
Review: Into the Woods
Into the Woods, Mr. Sondheim's most fecund piece, was not meanly adapted for the screen, but in being put there certainly expended some of its most precious resource, in his music and words. While Mr. Marshall's quavering hand managed to coax in a few fine moments, they composed the minority amidst a series of blanched others. Mr. Depp's one song, "Hello, Little Girl", and the princes' duet, "Agony" — both challenging, comedic, and lusty songs — were stripped of their verve, joke after pun lost on the audience, whose members at least in my company did not laugh there (or in many other places where they should). No, rather, the material felt a bit dull escaping those three actors' lips. Now, partially this fault is the actors'; Mr. Depp especially ought know better than to subdue himself entirely, when the song calls for more than the final burst of want. However, ultimately one must lay this fault at the feet of the director, for it is his and no one's else, the charge of bringing his actors to that point where the story is well told and its meaning well expressed.
Ms. Kendrick alone, revealing her Broadway training, managed to feel her way through the songs with independent intuition — though, it must be said, Ms. Streep's natural talent did guide her cleanly through most of her numbers. A similar appendum may be offered for Mr. Corden, whom this blog has not rightly seen since The History Boys (2006) and who has his own Broadway accolade to his credit.
The heart of the piece, however, beat erratically in the insufficiently wised Ms. Blunt, a striving but ultimately shortfalling Baker's Wife. Though to her credit her performance was better than I had expected it to be, it still ultimately left me wanting that thinness but cleverness of mind and feeling which, say, Tony Award winner Joanna Gleason had breathed into the role in its début; for Ms. Blunt too let jokes fall flat and emotions generally run off track when she wasn't paying well enough attention to the path before her.
Though I confess I was not raving, "Out of the woods! Let me out of the woods!", by film's end I was relieved to find that no more time remained for Mr. Marshall to risk fumbling.
Grade: B/B-, beautiful to see at times but choppy like the sea throughout.
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