The end of the year is here. While catching up on things I missed this year, I remembered Nightcrawler, Dan Gilroy's 2014 neo-noire love letter to "Stringers" i.e. people who video crime scenes and sell the footage to TV stations. This movie was lauded as one of the best of last year. Unfortunately, Nightcrawler failed to live up to the hype.
While I'm no stranger to the hype machine and it's shortcomings, for the movie to have a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and for it to end up in 29 reviewers top movie lists of the year, I expected more. While the performances are stellar and the writing a cut above the usual rut that we're used to by now, the film doesn't reach the peaks that other movies in it's league manage. To give you an idea, Full Metal Jacket and The Silence of the Lambs also hold 95% ratings. On any given day, I would rather watch those films.
That's not to say Nightcrawler is bad, it's good, but it's just that; good. It's a film that you can watch and not feel like you wasted your money and your time, but it's not a landmark in cinema. While it's clear that a hell of a lot of work was put into researching Stringers and their tactics, Nightcrawler falls prey to modern film-making. The pacing is off. The film will spend 30 minutes on a single week, and then skip forward two months only to explain how the main character gets a faster car in order to progress the story.
Let's focus on the story. Lou Bloom is a thief looking for a career. He "doesn't have what you would call a formal education" and he learns about business tactics by reading articles online. To the film's credit, his constant regurgitation of things he clearly read about is well implemented, and this is one of the few places where the film shows true promise.
Lou then sees two stringers film a crash and decides that this is what he wants to make a career out of. After buying a piece of shit camcorder and a police radio he finds himself at a crime scene where he films a near-death man. He manages to get a close shot and takes it to a station to sell it. The news director loves it and becomes almost like a mentor to him. Okay, now I'm all for Lou to be good at filming, If films have taught us anything, it's that when the main character does something we would not be able to, that's a free suspension of disbelief. Remember this point. It comes in later.
After one night, Lou then decides to hire an assistant. Rick, a down on his luck 20-something who's homeless and has next to no experience applies and gets the job because - um... because Lou's eccentric and has a scheme! Rick is essentially just a vehicle for Lou so we can see how crazy he is.
Together they film more and more crimes until 2 months later they're driving a mother-fucking Dodge Challenger. Let me get something straight, the Dodge Challenger SRT that Lou drives costs $47,000. You imagine that Lou would have to pay cash due to his past, so he amassed that amount in 2 months.The only way my disbelief is still suspended is because it's hanged itself from the ceiling.
Anyways, Lou encounters some competition from another Stringer who's been in the game longer then he has. He can only afford two shitty news vans *ahem* and Lou misses one crime because he chose not to join up with him. Not 5 minutes later, we see the Stringer in a car accident. Now I'm all for coincidence, but come on. Lou is allowed to be adept at filming, but when he's essentially playing on God mode, we stop relating and it becomes like actually watching a car wreck. We just want to see what happens next, without actually caring about the people involved.
The film ends with a climactic car chase that feels more out of place than your uncles funny shirt at a funeral. Again, credit where credit is due, that scene was better shot than the movie would build you up to expect, and it will have you on the edge of your seat.
Lou
What the fuck. He reminds me of Nicholas Cage in the Ghostrider movies. He's weird, but not justifiably or relatably so. He just does different things and is clearly a sociopath. While I don't need a saint as my protagonist, I need someone I can relate to. Lou is the opposite of that. He essentially murders his partner, blackmails a woman into sleeping with him; repeatedly and he withholds information about wanted criminals just to get his shot. Look at Walter White, he did worse things, but we knew why he did and we saw what led him to do so. It was more than just a paycheck for him. Lou never develops past that point. What I feel obligated to point out though, is Jake Gyllenhaal's performance. Regardless of the material he was given, he was an inspiration. I have a feeling he'll be popping up much more prominently in the coming years.
I stress again, Nightcrawler is far from a bad film. It's just not nearly as good as people have been saying. Watch it if only to know for yourself, but don't expect to be blown away.
Short Term 12 is the best movie I've seen this year. It came out in 2013 to critical praise and commercial... acknowledgement.The film is about a group home and the people who work there. It's one of those films that transcends its setting; with scenes being so good that you forget about whatever else is going on in the overarching story (see: Whiplash for another good example of that).
I want to talk about everything that happens in this film, but I guarantee you haven't seen it, so I'll write a spoiler free section at the top here and for those of you who managed to find a way to see it, scroll to the bottom for my spoiler filled section.
Spoiler-Free
Okay so you haven't seen it, I'll forgive you for now. If you've stumbled here by accident wanting to see me vent my sexual frustration, sorry but you'll have to wait for next week. If you're here because you consider yourself a cinephile (it means you like movies, get that thought out of your head you sick pedophile), then make yourself a cup of coffee, pause whatever music you have in the background, and listen the fuck up.
Fuck clichés. Short Term 12 is an experience. A film is something you know you're watching, at any point you can take a step back and say "this isn't real". With Short Term 12, the writing, and especially the acting (oh my god the acting!) keep you engrossed to the point where you can't step back; even though you'll want to, because this film is more depressing than a litter of HIV-positive puppies being thrown off a bridge by a holocaust survivor.
I haven't even mentioned who's in this fucking thing. Brie Larson plays Grace; the supervisor of the home and our main character. She was the chick Jonah Hill pedophilically kissed in 21 Jump Street. She fucking kills it. There's secondary scenes that have nothing to do with the group home at all, and she manages to make us care about them almost more than anything else. Her relationship with John Gallagher Jr is also so sincerely written and acted out that you imagine they were together during filming (they were not). John Gallagher hasn't been in anything significant besides a few episodes of Law n Order, but I imagine his agent got busier after this. He plays Mason, the most every-man man to ever grace a screen. He's not boring mind you, he just doesn't have that otherworldly wit or clumsy charm that every other male in cinema seems to overflow with. He's just a dude. He tells funny stories and has a rocking beard. Their relationship serves as the B-story to the goings-on in the home but as I said, it's so brilliantly pulled off that you start to care more about them than you do the kids; which totally makes you a terrible person.
There are other caretakers, but they're mostly pushed to the side so lets talk about the residents of Short Term 12 (the home, not the movie). The big story that gets pushed is the newcomer Jayden, but we'll get to that. The story of Marcus, a 17 year old who is about to leave the home is fucking gut punching. He's older, and although it's never outright said, they imply that he's seen more of the outside world than the younger kids. The first half of the film focusses on him turning 18 and "graduating" the home. Without spoiling anything, you get shown what he feels about it and why he has a much more depressing disposition on life than anyone else there. It will make you thankful for what you have; and that's all I'll say about that.
Next up is Jayden. A newcomer to the home who thankfully doesn't serve as the clueless protagonist who provides the audience with exposition. I watched the film about a week ago, so I can't for sure remember, but Short Term 12 isn't her first home, and it's brilliant to see her accustom to the environment so quickly; even though it's pretty depressing on second thought. She has great chemistry with Grace and without spoiling anything, their story arc is more than satisfying (even if it is a TINY bit unbelievable).
The interesting thing about the film is that while there is a build-up and a climax, it never feels like a conventional story. Things just happen, and the film ends. Jayden's story arc is used for the climax of the film, but it only affects Grace. It's a nice way of breaking convention while still feeling like it had a place in the film.
This film doesn't hold back, while you won't see any of the horrific stuff these kids have been through, they make sure you know about it and that you feel it. It's one thing for a comedy to be good at making you laugh or a sad film to make you cry, but the mark of good writing comes when a film can make you do both. Granted the film is more about the crying and the humour is framed within the dark reality the rest presides in, but it's there at the right times. The best scenes of the film (minus the Grace and Mason scenes) are when the film is most dark or when it's most upbeat. Not to say the rest is filler, but a gut punch will always be the most memorable part of a story; physically or figuratively. I feel like I'm rambling now. Go watch the film. If you struggle to find it or are too lazy, maybe I'll lend you my copy if I like you.
Now onto the spoilers. DO NOT READ FURTHER UNLESS YOU'VE SEEN THE FILM
I'M SERIOUS
STOP BEING A DICK
OKAY FINE
SPOILERS AHEAD
First off, how fucking awesome was that right? I don't want to just have a spoiler-filled version of the last section. Instead, I want to talk about some scenes and characters that frankly, deserve to be talked about.
Lets start off with Marcus and Mason. That rap.
Goddamn. Talk about execution meets intention. Without needing a lengthy exposition dump where one character would explain things that they already know to each other, we know everything about this kid, and it's way more than we bargained for. Behind all the fucks and the bitches, there's a story here. A sad story of an abused kid who had to sling drugs before he hit puberty. You can tell he acknowledges his mother but he rejects to accept her as such. It's subtle storytelling,one of my personal favourite things to see. On top of the story, towards the end where he says "I'm stronger than you", it shows that he's ready to move on. He wants to put it behind him and function normally in society. It also lets us in on Mason and Marcus' relationship. Marcus acknowledges that Mason is an authority when he comments on the amount of cusses in the rap, but we see that they see each other in a more friendly way when Mason waves it off. The end is even stunning to Mason who (in the audiences words) doesn't know what to say. Even through all the shit he's seen, Mason has nothing to say that will comfort him or re-assure him. I imagine it's how any of us would react in the same situation. In two minutes, the movie tells us more than five minutes of conversation ever could, and it's a solid rap to boot.
Next up, Grace and Marcus.
There isn't a specific scene I want to talk about here, just their chemistry. It's evident that while Marcus doesn't see Grace as a friend like he does with Mason, the fact that she doesn't immediately give him up about the weed shows that she understands him and that they have common ground. While Mason seems to represent Marcus' youth, Grace is his age, forcing him to mature and come to terms with his life. The fact that he's older than his house mates does contribute to their bond, but you can tell that Grace has had her fair share of less than favourable decisions, and this helps her relate to Marcus. The reason I bring this up is that none of this is explicitly told to the audience. It's done in ways that would make sense in real life. Someone who used to smoke weed would be more inclined to talk to a pot-user rather than just ratting him out immediately. With all that being said though, she still understands that she's responsible for him, and something tells me should would be less inclined to let him spew out a rap filled with swear words. Again, none of this is said, and it's what makes this movie so goddamn interesting. You can speculate about the characters on your own, There aren't any questions left unanswered, just believable characters that you can talk about like they're people you know.
Let's talk about Jayden and to an extent, Grace.
It's obvious that a decent amount of work went into developing Jayden's character. Even before she is seen on screen, she's talked about for a solid three minutes of screen time. The movie doesn't fuck you around, it wants you to care about this character. To be honest, I didn't cling to her arc like I did everyone else's, but as a character she is just as believable as everyone else. She's introduced in a way that you think she'll be this stuck up bitch that eventually will come to terms with her situation, and for the most part that's what happens. It's the way that it's handled is what makes her an interesting character. Having her throw a tantrum is a brilliant way of conveying her realisation of what's happening to her. We saw Sammy have a fit, and that showed us how people act in this home, so by having her do the same thing, we see not only that she's going through turmoil but that she's slowly becoming a member of the home. Her bond with Grace isn't exactly engaging, but is still easily believable. Based on how Grace reacts to finding out that Jayden was abused, we get the feeling that she's never encountered someone like this before, and it motivates her even more to help this kid.
The payoff may have been a bit on the nose, but it's clearly done in order to inject some levity into an overly depressing movie. After being taken on such an emotional ride, I can let a slightly forced happy ending slide.
Mason and Grace. The best, most boring love story ever
It's weird that their scenes together were the most engaging in the film. I've seen love in movies before, bad love told well and good love told bad, but it's rare that we see normal love told normally. There's no speeches in airports, no boombox outside the window. It's just love, and it's fucking beautiful. I really want to talk about the scene above in particular. We don't need to know how long they've been dating or how they met, the movie tells us how it is now. It's not overly exaggerated love like we see in rom coms, it's what love is like for us. There's the funny, but there's also the heartfelt. Mason tells Grace that she's the weirdest most beautiful girl he's ever met, often that kind of line is used when the guy is trying to woo the girl, but here, it's Grace testing him. She wants to know if he'll stick around when he finds out she's pregnant.
As much as Grace is our main character and we're supposed to root for her, she is flawed. She's too scared to tell Mason she's pregnant and it's unclear whether he knows she was abused. When they start kissing and he sticks his hand up her skirt, she freaks out and hits him. She can't deal with what's happened to her and it puts a strain on the relationship. This is after we see such a touching and heart-warming segment that makes us believe that these two are happy. Love!
As I've said multiple times, you need to see this movie. For someone who sees movies for their artistic value, it's an example of all the positive of movies we keep talking about. For someone who thinks that the Transformers movies are the best you've ever seen, hopefully it can set you on the right track.
Next week we'll be looking at either Whiplash or Prisoners. I'll decide eventually.
I watch a lot of movies. Like really, a lot. There should be a legal limit on my Netflix account. I like to think I have the experience to know when a movie is worth watching, so here are 9 good ones. Not necessarily the best movies ever made, but in my opinion, these are the ones that everyone should watch, ESPECIALLY if you want to get into film in any way at all.
BTW: These are in no particular order. You should watch all of them, as they're equally important.
Her
I just finished watching Her. Again. Fuck man, it's impossible to describe this movie without sounding like a fucking psycho, or giving the plot away. To (extremely) summarise it, a man falls in love with someone... unconventional. It's easily the best movie of 2013 and I guarantee that not enough people have watched it. If you can find it, keep an open mind and watch it. Trust me, it will stick with you LONG after you're finished watching, as it did for me. Why you should see it:
The most unconventional love story in film. And quite possibly the best ever told.
Mr Nobody
Another one that will have you thinking about it afterwards. Mr Nobody is about... well everything really. Think of it as a collection of love stories starring Jared Leto, which is never a bad thing. You will definitely want to watch it again, as it deals with some complex shit. The beauty in Mr Nobody is that even though you may not know what's going on in the story as a whole, each individual scene will have you completely invested. Why you should watch it:
If Jared Leto isn't enough for you, it also has Dianne Kruger, whom I may or may not be in love with.
Reservoir Dogs
Everyone knows about Pulp Fiction. But a small amount of people are as aware of its socially awkward, super violent older brother. Tarantino's first film ever, Reservoir Dogs is a storytelling masterpiece. From the opening monologue about Like a Virgin, to a fake story told within a fake story, Reservoir Dogs is crucial viewing for anyone who thinks themselves a writer. Why you should watch it:
A crime film with the best soundtrack in the genre. You'll be humming the credits song long after the film has ended.
Clerks
We've all worked in customer service jobs. And they've all sucked. Clerks is a collection of the best and worst things we deal with when dealing with people. Sure the movie is made up of people standing around and talking, but the dialogue is so good that you don't even care. It's a statement that anyone in their early 20's working a job they hate can get behind. Why you should watch it:
The Star Wars monologue may be my favourite scene in any movie ever.
Chasing Amy
I'll try keep this under 200 words, because there's a lot I can say about this movie. Basically, a guy falls in love with a lesbian. If that alone doesn't get you hopeful for where the movie goes, then you have some problems. The writing in this movie is exceptional, even if you've never had a similar experience, you'll still be on on board with the subject matter. It's love in a way that you've never seen before, but it's handled in a way that everyone can relate to. Why you should watch it:
It will help you understand the not so great parts about love.
500 Days of Summer
Finally, someone made a rom-com for dudes. 500 Days of Summer is what I hope all movies in this genre will eventually be like. This movie not only shows love, but it explains and examines it. At times, it can even feel like a documentary, because it's so relatable. It's also genuinely funny, which helps. Why you should watch it:
ZOEY DESCHUNEL!
Shaun of the Dead
If you have an inner nerd, watching this movie will make him (or her) wet themselves. It's a zombie movie done right, and it's a comedy done even better. Everything is so offbeat and weird that you can't help but like this movie. From the references to the running jokes, its always nice to see a well put together movie that isn't trying to take your money *cough* Transformers *cough*
Why you should watch it:
You'll have one liners with your friends for weeks.
Trainspotting
No holds barred. This movie is a fucked up portrayal of what happens when you get addicted to drugs. Some of the shit in this movie will have you even eyeing your Panado with suspicion. Above all this though, Trainspotting still manages to squeeze some comedy in, to great affect. Sure, not much can pull a movie back from (SPOILER ALERT) a dead baby, but Trainspotting finds it and runs with it.
Why you should watch it:
More realistic than the Wolf of Wall Street when it comes to hard drugs, which is something everyone needs to see.
Dear Zachary
I really can't say much about this one. Just watch this movie.
Why you should watch it:
Because I'll give you ten bucks if you don't tear up at the end.
