LeapBackBlog 2013 Film Awards – Part 5: Films

Film in 2013 was fantastic. We saw tons of wonderful performances, powerfully emotional dramas, hysterical comedies, gripping thrillers, big and entertaining blockbusters, and grand technical achievements. This year was particularly difficult in narrowing down my choices for my favorite films, performances, directors, and technical accomplishments. For example, I loved Amy Acker in Much Ado About Nothing and Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis, but neither quite made the list, and the same can be said for David O. Russell’s wonderful directing in American Hustle or Hoyte Van Hoytema’s sublime cinematography in Her (both just missing out on the list, when they would have made it in most other years). And, there are a number of good films that did not make the list either (and a few I have not yet seen). As it stands, the LeapBackBlog Film Awards are made up, through difficult deliberation, of the films that entertained me and grabbed me as something special, the performances that engaged me, and the craftsmanship that delighted me. These are my favorites of 2013.

Part 1: Technical Achievements

Part 2: Supporting Performances

Part 3: Directors

Part 4: Leading Performances

American Hustle

2013 was filled with many great performances and films, leaving so many overlooked. American Hustle, however, is not one of the overlooked films and its highly entertaining and wonderful performances have run the table, garnering an Oscar nomination in every acting category (and four performances among my favorite 20), which is only fitting, as it is a film completely built upon its great and eccentric performances (as well as nostalgically festive costumes and production design). Yet, David O. Russell’s film does not get lost in all the big performances and showy aesthetics. At its core, it is still a character driven narrative with strong, well-developed characters that the audience invests in. American Hustle is a lot of fun, and is one of the better con man films in recent memory.

Fruitvale Station

Fruitvale Station tells the true story of Oscar Grant, a young black man recently released from prison who is desperately trying to put his life back together and provide for his family (be a good husband to his soon-to-be wife and father to is young daughter). However, his life is tragically taken on New Year’s Eve 2008 when he is accidently gunned down by police during an incident on the BART train from San Francisco to Oakland. Making his feature debut, writer-director Ryan Coogler creates a very emotionally impactful film by showcasing the man that Grant was, his strengths and weaknesses. The audience can see themselves in the man through his hopes, dreams, and fears. Thus, when the climactic scene arrives, it is devastating, and maybe for a moment viewers feel (to some degree) the helplessness that those less fortunate (deemed inferior in society due to economic means, race, or often both) feel constantly (in a system designed to keep them forever marred in poverty and crime with no real viable escape). If nothing else, the film creates a connection between Grant and every viewer (regardless of their background), putting them in his place. It is a powerful experience – one that hopefully leads to people treating each other with a bit more kindness and respect. In a year of many strong indie character dramas, Fruitvale Station is one of the best and most involving.

Gravity

3D is in most cases a worthless feature, tacked on after the fact to garner high ticket prices while actually making the film-watching experience worse (and yet people still pay for it in droves…it makes no sense). That is not the case at all with Gravity. Alfonso Cuaron (a harsh critic of 3D) uses the technology to create a completely immersive experience, capturing the imagination and to some extent giving viewers a taste of a ‘real’ Space adventure (when really none of us will ever get to go experience Space first hand). Gravity proves that 3D can be a fantastic cinematic tool (if used properly), while shaming its use in 99% of other films. There is no other film as deserving of the price of admission in 2013, as this is a film that demands it be seen on the largest screen possible (while the rest of these top ten films can be enjoyed equally at home). It is a thrilling spectacle that also happens to feature strong performances and resonates emotionally. In most years, it would be the clear cut film of the year. It is just an incredible cinematic achievement.

her

Love in the modern age turns out to be a lot like love in any other age; it is about connection. Spike Jonze’s film Her is about connection and also the lack of connection we face culturally at present (and possibly to a greater extent in the future). The film takes place in the near future and is about Theodore Twombly, a man struggling with melancholia in the wake of his wife splitting from him. He craves connection but fears being hurt again. Thus, a relationship with his new hyper intelligent self-aware OS Samantha seems safe. Yet, Theodore finds himself falling hard for Samantha, while at the same time frustrated by the limitations of the relationship now that it has become deeply emotional. Jonze creates a completely believable relationship between Theodore and Samantha that plays out in a manner that feels truthful to our own experiences. It is as such a film that is incredibly relatable, and also somewhat a warning. We are so dependent on technology that we seem to put it in the place of human activities that we need as people to create true connection. We are isolating ourselves in the name of being social through technology. Her is a touching and kind of sad romantic narrative that is not afraid to be optimistic about the future as well.

Inside Llewyn Davis

There are many kinds of musicals. Filmgoers seem to be most accustomed to the kind in which characters break into song to express the emotions they hold inside them without it feeling out of place in the world of the narrative (My Fair Lady, for example). Inside Llewyn Davis too is in a way this kind of musical, though most would not regard it as one at first. The Coen Brothers’ film is about Llewyn Davis, a struggling folk musician as he toils away trying to make a career out of his music (while being a bit of a bastard). Davis is very gruff on the outside, with a short temper and seemingly a cold heart. But, when he plays his music (and there are multiple musical performances in the film), the audience sees his true soul, which is filled with guarded emotional sadness (primarily from the loss of his musical partner and a bad relationship with his father). It is also through Davis’s music that we see that beauty exists in a word that is otherwise faded and cold. In this way, Inside Llewyn Davis is indeed a musical – a very, very good one.

Rush

Who knew that Ron Howard (a filmmaker I have dismissed often in the past and probably will again in the future) would make a film that would be among my ten favorite, especially in such a competitively deep year as 2013. But that speaks to the quality of Rush, Howard’s Formula-1 drama focusing on the great rivalry and friendship between James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Rush is a fantastic sports drama (probably one of the five best in cinema history), built upon the excitement and danger of car racing at its highest level. And yet, it is an even better character drama, as Howard explores both Hunt and Lauda: what motivates them to be the best. Suffice it to say, Rush is my favorite Ron Howard film – a film that is very well acted, wonderfully shot, and even directed with skill.

Short Term 12

Character dramas that are utterly moving and completely engrossing are a rare breed, films that resonate so deeply that we as viewers find ourselves fully invested and connected to the characters. Short Term 12 is one such film. Built upon one of 2013’s most incredible performances by Brie Larson, this gravely overlooked film is about Grace, a supervisor at a facility for wayward youths while they await placement in a foster home. Grace devotes herself fully to helping these kids, while trying to contain her own demons. Writer-director Destin Cretton’s clearly personal narrative is rich with great character moments and honest emotion, but what is so refreshing about the film is that it has an unyielding optimism (something often lacking in modern pop culture, rife with cynicism) even though the narrative comes from a place of deep wounds and seemingly insurmountable pain. Grace is a real role model for young people. Short Term 12 is a film that needs to be seen, and I encourage anyone who has an opportunity to watch it to do so; it is without question among the five best films of the year.

The Spectacular Now

While many popular young adult films focus on grand adventures or supernatural romances, The Spectacular Now tells a much smaller, more relatable, and dramatically engaging story. It is about Sutter, a high school senior who lives in the now with no regard for his future, content to just have fun in the moment. And then he meets Aimee, a nice girl who has plans for her future forcing Sutter to reconsider his world view. What makes James Pondsoldt’s film work so well is that these characters are beautifully played by Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley (each just missing out on making the acting lists) and resonate emotionally as real people with relatable problems. Namely, the film deals with alcoholism in young people, as well as growing up with deadbeat parents. How do we overcome the faults of our parents? This is a question many young people sadly must face. While The Spectacular Now is primarily a character drama, it also works as a charming romance. Recent YA films like The Hunger Games and The Twilight Saga are blowing up the box office, but films like this and The Perks of Being a Wallflower are really the great films leading the resurgence of good and meaningful films aimed at young adults.

12 Years a Slave

Slavery in America continues to this day to shape public consciousness and popular culture, and yet until 12 Years a Slave no other piece of media has been able to so directly tackle it on a profoundly emotional level. What makes Solomon Northup’s story so compelling is that in a way it encapsulates the full experience of Slavery. Northup was a proud and prosperous freeman who was tricked and captured against him will, transported by boat to a new place and then sold into slavery. His first master was kind to him, but still his master. His second was a monster. Yet, Northup endured. Finally, after twelve year, he was again free, returning home to him family, filled with supreme happiness but also unspeakable sadness for those not as lucky as he and the unshakeable scares of what he witnessed and had done to him during his enslavement. Steve McQueen’s film is filled with brilliant performances, beautiful and haunting aesthetics, and deeply moving emotional resonance. It is my favorite film of 2013.

The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street is centered on the exploits of Jordan Belfort, a stock trader who starts out in penny stocks only to build an empire. However, Belfort’s business practices are not all legal leading to an FBI investigation and his eventual downfall. Martin Scorsese’s film is highly entertaining. Scorsese engrosses the audience in a world of wild drug use, sex, ego, and greed, which plays as very funny, possibly shocking, and maybe even secretly inviting (courting the darkness inside us all). The lifestyle of a high powered Wall Street trader is so excessive that it all feels exaggerated and kind of insane, but Scorsese uses it to explore what happens when capitalism is left to run amuck – the dark side of the American Dream – an issue that is still very relevant in the world today (especially in America). It is a masterfully made film, and one of the most powerful cinematic experiences of the year (be it the gleeful joy of laughing at all the antics or the abhorrence at the crude manner by which these characters live).

Honorable Mentions (11-25):

Before Midnight, The Bling Ring, The Conjuring, The Counselor, Frozen, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Hunt, Iron Man 3, Much Ado About Nothing, Mud, The Place Beyond the Pines, Side Effects, This Is the End, Thor: The Dark World, and The World’s End

LeapBackBlog 2013 Film Awards – Part 3: Directors

Film in 2013 was fantastic. We saw tons of wonderful performances, powerfully emotional dramas, hysterical comedies, gripping thrillers, big and entertaining blockbusters, and grand technical achievements. This year was particularly difficult in narrowing down my choices for my favorite films, performances, directors, and technical accomplishments. For example, I loved Amy Acker in Much Ado About Nothing and Oscar Isaac in Inside Llewyn Davis, but neither quite made the list, and the same can be said for David O. Russell’s wonderful directing in American Hustle or Hoyte Van Hoytema’s sublime cinematography in Her (both just missing out on the list, when they would have made it in most other years). And, there are a number of good films that did not make the list either (and a few I have not yet seen). As it stands, the LeapBackBlog Film Awards are made up, through difficult deliberation, of the films that entertained me and grabbed me as something special, the performances that engaged me, and the craftsmanship that delighted me. These are my favorites of 2013.

Part 1: Technical Achievements

Part 2: Supporting Performances

Part 4: Leading Performances

Part 5: Films

The Coen Brothers – Inside Llewyn Davis

The Coen Brothers have essentially been making films for three decades, amassing a fervent cult following and a firm place among the top American (if not among all filmmakers in cinema history) auteurs. With Inside Llewyn Davis they again show off their talent for making films that center around antiheroes, as Llewyn Davis is not a nice person and probably not a good man. Yet, the audience is asked to and does feel sympathy for him. They are drawn in by his art, excusing the man. This simple exercise speaks profoundly to how art is treated by people across time and culture. Man is deeply flawed and often very ugly (not physically, but morally or spiritually or whatever you want to call it – people often seem to deviate to the darkside when left to their own devices or put in a position of power or control); and yet art is strikingly beautiful and moving. It is humanity’s light in the darkness, our legacy of achievement amidst the devastation and cruelty. The Brothers take this theme and weave it into a circular story about a man who is just trying to make a career out of his music, but is having a real tough time. Plus, as is typical of all their films, the Coen Brothers again showcase their impeccable skill and eye for genuinely stunning aesthetics.

Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity

Gravity is in many ways 2013’s most impressive film – certainly from a cinematic spectacle perspective. It is a momentously thrilling and involving experience that grabs the audience and never lets them go until its conclusion. It is riveting. However, the film turning out as fantastically brilliant as it has was completely dependent on the work of auteur Alfonso Cuaron, who worked for three-plus years to get everything right. Famously, Cuaron is not a fan of 3D (similarly to most top directors); and thus for him to make a film to be primarily seen in 3D, it had to look perfect. Cuaron creates the best 3D audiences have ever seen, in terms of both the overall cinematic experience and technical quality. And that is just the 3D! Cuaron also needed to create a realistic feeling zero-g environment, which he achieved working with master puppeteers (along with a fabulous performance from Sandra Bullock). Gravity is in some ways an even bigger technical achievement than it is a piece of great narrative cinema (though, it is that too). This was unquestionably the most difficult film to make for a director, and the result of all Cuaron’s work is so very satisfying. There was no better cinema-going experience in 2013 than Gravity.

Spike Jonze – her

Based on the premise of Her alone, the film could have turned out many ways, seemingly all of which end up in a film that is laughable, silly, and probably cheesy. This could have been a generic horror film in which Samantha, jilted by Theodore, becomes like Skynet and tries to destroy him, realizing humans are inferior beings. Or, this could have been a kooky romantic comedy that somehow ends with Samantha’s consciousness transported into a cyborg or even a brain-dead human woman, thereby giving Theodore the complete package. But in Spike Jonze’s hands, Her is a narrative about love and relationships in the modern world. It is a film about connection or lack of connection. It is a film about how in a way technology has created a culture of self-inflicted isolation and loneliness. But chiefly, Jonze makes a film that is almost universally relatable, as it hits on all the emotional moments of new relationships – how they are amazing and beautiful in the beginning and how they can fall apart simply through the organic growth of the people in them. The film resonates deeply because it is very honest in its approach to its handling of emotions. There is no manipulation or falling back on clichés to convey information. Jonze has simply created a beautiful, funny, and kind of sad film about modern love (and in this way, the film is a bit like the Before Sunrise series, which culminated in this year’s Before Midnight).

Steve McQueen – 12 Years a Slave

It is safe to call Steve McQueen an auteur filmmaker. Starting with the brilliant films Hunger and Shame, McQueen has promoted himself as one of cinema’s great new talents through his work, whose style is specific and powerful. 12 Years a Slave is his most commercially accessible film, even though it is emotional intense and draining. It is a work that gets right at the heart of slavery when so many other films and TV miniseries have merely nipped around it. It is immense and cathartic. It is deeply sad and yet uplifting. McQueen is a director who is unafraid in his approach, lingering when many others would flinch and cut away – there is a haunting shot in the film of Solomon Northrup hung from a tree by the neck, his feet barely touching the ground allowing him to just grasp to life. McQueen holds on this shot for a long time, as life carries on around Solomon as if this is nothing out of the ordinary, all the while Solomon struggles to stay alive. This one, long uncomfortable shot in a way is a summary of slavery – an entire people subjected to inhumane torture while the world goes about its business unconcerned and unhelping, and even worse accustom to this sort of treatment of a supposed ‘lessor’ people. McQueen has made a film transcends slavery to become about not just one person’s struggle or one people’s struggle, but about all peoples’ struggle in a world that is still dominated by those that would oppress. It is an important and meaningful work, and a masterfully made piece of cinema.

Martin Scorsese – The Wolf of Wall Street

With The Wolf of Wall Street, Martin Scorsese has made a film that works in a very interesting manner. Primarily, it is an insanely fun and wild exposé, detailing the sheer and unbridled greed and moral ambiguity of the typical high-powered Wall Street broker. Scorsese invites his viewers to both feel distain for these characters and secretly (or not so secretly) a jealous admiration. This is a film that asks the viewers to look at their own morals. Do we as viewers find these people deplorable or are we envious – probably somewhere in-between. Scorsese shows us the American Dream fully realized, only warped and corrupted from what we hold as the ideal. The Wolf of Wall Street is a wondrous achievement, and in my opinion Scorsese’s best since Goodfellas. It is also worth noting that Scorsese shows his flair for getting fantastic performances from his actors (something we all knew) and his surprising talent for comedy (something we did not know).

her (2013) – Review

Review: Her is a fascinating and aesthetically compelling look at loneliness in the age of modern relationships. The film is about Theodore Twombly, a writer who has recently split-up with his wife and companion since childhood (seemingly not by his choice). Theodore is stuck in the past, the good and the bad memories haunt him and he is unable to move forward, transfixed in a stupor of loneliness and despair in a world that seems closed off. That is until he installs a new intelligent and aware operating system, which names itself Samantha. Theodore finds that he has a real connection and affection for Samantha, and even thinks he might be falling in love with her. But is it just another excuse for him to continue to isolate himself from what is happening outside in the world of actual physical people? The film is set in Los Angeles in the near future.

The concept behind Her is a bit weird – a man who falls in love with his OS. But writer-director Spike Jonze wins the audience over by making his lead character Theodore very relatable and by using the concept as a way to explore the transformation of modern culture, including modern relationships. That is not to say that the film does not exhibit very quirky moments and characters, as it does – because, after all, it is still a film by Jonze, a champion of the aesthetically interesting and conceptually strange.

The look of the film is fantastic. Things more or less feel similar to today, just a bit more compartmentalized with LA (doubled at times by Shanghai’s Pudong district) looking more congested (if that is possible) and featuring a lot more towers, interesting architecture, and more colorful displays and lights (LA becoming more like an Asian metropolis similar to Pudong or Tokyo).  People are often alone in the film, engaged with their electronic devices. Yet there are still people conversing with other people in public as well; it is not a society that has completely become modular, but it certainly seems to be trending that way.

With the advent of this new advanced intelligence and awareness in the OS, people find that they can have full experiences (be it friendship or on a deeper emotional level) without interacting with real people. It is a logical next step in a culture that hires third parties to compose personal correspondence for them (the job Theodore has – he writes letters for people), a culture that is constantly online, whose main method of communication involves technology, a culture that is not too far removed from our own. Already, we interact socially online to such an extent that real life contact is seemingly becoming a secondary activity, reserved only for specific occasions and activities or a particular few people. We are content to communicate via technology, often without the experience of actual human interaction (i.e. sending text messages instead of physically talking to someone in person or on the phone). Convenience has become paramount, overshadowing other forms of interaction. Isolation is also in many ways easier and less stressful. There are so many expectations when one ventures into the world. Isolation and technology offer a protective shield.

Thus, in our world, our culture is it not impossible to believe that the next step involves people engaging in meaningful relationships with objects that emulate human emotion and for all intents and purposes can imitate to the full extent possible the same experience that people can have relationship wise through technology (i.e. conversations via phone, text, email, et al.). If this is possible, what is the difference between engaging emotionally with a real person and software if the interaction is the same? In this way, Jonze makes Her and Theodore’s relationship with Samantha feel real and emotionally vital. This scenario, while maybe conceptually strange, is in fact very believable in context; plus, the audience actually cares about not only Theodore but also Samantha. She might as well be real because her personality and emotions sure seem to be.

And yet, Jonze seems to be making a clear statement with the film that we as a culture have become too dependent on technology as a means of social interaction. The film is completely respectful to Samantha, treating her as an entity just as entitled to existence as Theodore, but it seems to have an overall negative opinion of humanity allowing society to become a grouping of isolated individuals who purposely cut themselves off from the physical social world. Jonze does not like that print is dead. That physical music (like records) is a novelty. That a beach crowded with people actually features very few people who are in large to moderate social groups. He does not like that we all walk around glued to our phones or with earbuds thereby closing ourselves off from those around us. In this way, the film is actually really sad.

Theodore is extremely lonely, almost cripplingly so. He is so affected by his breakup with Catherine (his wife) that he just cannot imagine jumping into another real physical relationship. There is a gloomy cloud that follows him around (despite his rather bright wardrobe choices). He is just a sad individual, and to some extent has every right to be.  It is difficult to lose what you believe is everything you ever wanted, to lose the person you thought was everything you needed. In this way, Theodore is very relatable for the audience. We have all been there (to varying degrees). Heartbreak is a powerful emotional experience, one that often holds us back. We can recognize ourselves in Theodore – his sadness, his loneliness, his guarded hope that maybe one day he will be happy again, and his fear of being hurt again. Samantha too engages us. She too wins us over with her spunkiness and charm, her wonder, joy, and excitement for life. It is infectious, because for us life has become mundane and tedious (maybe not all the time, but enough that we are drawn in by visceral passion).

But, Jonze’s argument against what our culture has becomes starts to become more and more apparent as Theodore’s relationship with Samantha develops and changes. Humans need physical interaction. It is a vital part of our ability to experience life and emotions fully. We are so lonely and life has become so tedious because this physical interaction (and not just random meaningless sex) is a necessary component and it is missing. We need to experience the world and not just look at pictures; we need to have things in our hands to fully engage in the experience (be it reading an actual book, playing an actual sport or game, taking the record out of its sleeve and putting on the player) rather than just looking at the same screen all day. We need to do these activities with other people who are there in person and not just avatars online, because at that point does it even matter if they are real or not.

Her works because it is touching and emotionally captivating, and to some extent a rallying call to get out there and live our lives. We care about these characters and see ourselves in them (our own hopes, dreams, insecurities, and pain). And on top of all that, Jonze presents a world that is vibrant with aesthetically alluring sights and sounds. The film is a masterwork of style, narrative, and emotional resonance.

Technical, aesthetic & acting achievements: Spike Jonze is known for his catalogue of great and interesting music videos (including The Breeders’ Cannonball, Weezer’s Buddy Holly, the Beastie Boys’ Sabotage, Fatboy Slim’s Weapon of Choice, and Kanye West’s Flashing Lights). Jonze has also made some of the most creatively striking and eccentric commercial films. His first two, collaborating with writer Charlie Kaufman, are both great: Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. His third was the uneven adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are. While aesthetically quite good, it just does not work once Max is immersed in his imaginary world where base emotions rule. With Her, Jonze has made his best film to date. It is just as aesthetically dynamic and interesting as anything he has made, but where it really succeeds is in its ability to capture and really speak to both the plague of social technology that is actually making mankind antisocial and the emotional consequences that have arisen as a result (chiefly an unshakable collective loneliness). I also really like Jonze’s creative imagining of Theodore’s interaction with others (both human and software) online. The sex chat room scene is hilarious and the Alien Child in the game is equally hysterical. Despite the film having a deep sadness to it, I enjoy that Jonze still infuses it with humor and a sense of hope for the future.

Across the board the film is among this year’s best aesthetically speaking. Arcade Fire’s (working with Owen Pallett and Karen O as well) score is fantastic. It perfectly captures the emotional tone of the film, while also fitting the stylistic look as well. Hoyte Van Hoytema’s cinematography is exceptional. The colors are radiant, yet the sky seems to have solemn tone (probably because both LA and Shanghai have a ton of pollution that sort of just hangs in the air) creating a striking juxtaposition.  K.K. Barrett’s production design is really the standout technical achievement, however. His work too is mostly features a very subdued color pallet, which allows Theodore to really pop (with his red shirts). The overall set design is phenomenal as well (I wish Theodore’s flat was my own). The whole look feels very artistic and specific to the narrative and tone.

The cast too is wonderful. Portia Doubleday, Kristen Wiig (in a voice-role), and especially Olivia Wilde are great in small supporting roles. Chris Pratt is also fantastic and hilarious in a small supporting role. He just brings so much energy and charisma even with a tiny amount of screen time. The same can be said for Rooney Mara. She is mesmerizing as Catherine, even though she is mostly featured in flashbacks and has little screen time. She is able to convey so much in so little time, and her work is paramount to fully understanding Theodore. She is brilliant. Amy Adams just seems to be a chameleon this year. From her work in Man of Steel and American Hustle to her work in this, she plays completely different, yet all engaging, characters. Here, she plays Theodore’s friend Amy, a game designer who (of course) is a little quirky but feels alive and vital (she is not just the typical pixie dream girl). She is Theodore’s connection to humanity. Scarlett Johansson voices Samantha, giving her so much life and substance that the audience completely forgets that she is nothing more than hyper intelligent software – she is alive as far as the audience (and Theodore) is concerned. It is quite a feat considering that she gave her whole performance in a vocal booth without the interaction of the other actors. Joaquin Phoenix too is excellent as Theodore. He is able to emote so much, the audience can feel everything he feels. He is also able to make Theodore a complex character. He is primarily sad and lonely, but there is much more going on as he struggles with past scares/joys and future hopes/fears. It is among 2013’s best leading performances.

Summary & score: Her is a romance unlike any other conceptually, but through the skill of Spike Jonze and his cast it is able to perfectly capture the modern human condition in our culture of social isolation. 9/10

At the Movies – January 2014 – Part 3: Most Anticipated Films

Must-See of the Month:

Her (Spike Jonze) – Romance Drama – Jan 10

Plot Summary: Writer Theodore is lonely following his divorce. However, he finds that he is drawn to his new computer operating system Samantha – maybe even to the point of wanting to be in a relationship. Filmmakers: Writer-director Spike Jonze makes interesting and unique films. Her is his fourth feature, following Being John Malkovich, Adaptation., and Where the Wild Things Are. His first two are fantastic, succeeding on his partnership with writer Charlie Kaufman. But Where the Wild Things Are, while visually very engaging, just did not work. Her looks like a return to form. Jonze is working with brilliant cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and frequent collaborator production designer K.K. Barrett (who has worked on all of Jonze’s films). Cast: The film stars Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson (in purely a voice-only role, as she voices Samantha). Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, Rooney Mara, Chris Pratt, and Portia Doubleday feature in support. Expectations: Her looks very quirky, like all of Spike Jonze’s films do. And like Being John Malkovich and Adaptation., it seems to be performance/character driven, which is good. It has a great cast – it is likely that Joaquin Phoenix and especially Scarlett Johansson could get nominations come awards season. Overall, while on the festival circuit, the film has played to critical praise. Like Inside Llewyn Davis, this is probably not going to be for everyone, but fans of Jonze and more unique films should really enjoy it. Trailer: Here. Review: Here.

Most Anticipated Films of 2013 – Part 2: Prestige and Fun Films

Prestige Films:

Title: The Counselor

Release: November 15

Genre: Crime Drama

Plot: When a lawyer gets himself involved in drug trafficking, he finds that he is in way over his head.

Director: Ridley Scott

Main Cast: Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Michael Fassbender, Cameron Diaz, and Penelope Cruz

Why It’s Anticipated: Simple. The Counselor features a great director in Ridley Scott who has made good thrillers with Body of Lies and Black Hawk Down recently. And, it has an even better cast with Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Michael Fassbender, and Penelope Cruz. Plus, it is written by Cormac McCarthy, the author responsible for No Country for Old Men and The Road (this is his first feature screenplay). This has definite potential to be a critical and commercial hit.

Editor’s Thoughts: The only blemish on this film is that it also stars Cameron Diaz in addition to the wonderful principal group. She is fine, but cannot play dramatically intense scenes and is noticeably suspect when acting against talented people (see Gangs of New York). Ridley Scott is also a little hit or miss with his films, but this seems to be right in his wheel-house and should have a good script (which is important for the quality of his work). I think it is very likely that it turns out to be among the best films of the year.

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Trance

Release: Fall

Genre: Crime Drama, Thriller

Plot: Simon, an art auctioneer, helps a group of criminals steal a painting, but is hit on the head during the heist and cannot remember where he stashed it. The criminals bring in a hypnotherapist to find the memory.

Director: Danny Boyle

Main Cast: James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, and Vincent Cassel

Why It’s Anticipated: Danny Boyle has been making awards friendly films lately with 127 Hours and Slum Dog Millionaire, but his fans know him better for his great and gritty thrillers (28 Days Later… and Shallow Grave) and of course his breakthrough hit Trainspotting (dealing with heroin addicts in Edinburgh). I also really like his sci-fi film Sunshine (mixing a thriller with sort of a classic style cerebral sci-fi film). Trance feels much more like the old Danny Boyle style films – which is great.

Editor’s Thoughts: Trance looks like a manic crime thriller, that also feels like a much more raw version of Inception (Anthony Dod Mantle’s digital photography being partially the reason). Boyle is also working again with one of his great early collaborators: writer John Hodge (who wrote Boyle’s first four films), which is why it probably feels so much more like his early work (based on the trailer). We should all be excited for Boyle’s return to the crime thriller.

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: 12 Years a Slave

Release: Fall

Genre: Drama

Plot: Solomon Northup lives in New York in the mid-1800s. And then, one day he is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the Deep South.

Director: Steve McQueen

Main Cast: Brad Pitt, Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Fassbender, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Quvenzhane Wallis

Why It’s Anticipated: Writer-director Steve McQueen has only made two films (Hunger and Shame) but he can already be called an auteur. He is one of the great new talents in independent cinema. He alone is a good reason to be very excited for this film, but he has also put together a phenomenal cast. It includes Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender (this is his third collaboration with McQueen), Chiwetel Ejiofor (who stars as Solomon; he is one of the most underrated actors right now), Benedict Cumberbatch (who is about to have a massive 2013), Sarah Paulson, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Michael K. Williams (from Broadwalk Empire and The Wire), Garret Dillahunt (a fantastic character actor), Scoot McNairy (one of the great breakthrough actors of 2012 with Argo and Killing Them Softly), and Dwight Henry and Quvenzhane Wallis (who both starred in Beasts of the Southern Wild). I am not sure that there is a better cast in 2013 (well, unless Terrence Malick’s two upcoming films not named To the Wonder do come out, then they are also in the conversation for best cast).

Editor’s Thoughts: While Django Unchained offered a potentially exaggerated view of slavery in the Deep South to make a point, McQueen will likely create a very realistic portrayal of life, which will probably be more intense and affecting than the theatrics of Quentin Tarantino’s film. McQueen has yet to have a crossover film into the mainstream. No one saw Hunger or knew about it when it came out. Its merit eventually brought viewers to it (and the Criterion Collection released a wonderful Blu-ray version of the film as well). Shame had a lot of Oscar potential for both the film and especially stars Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, but its focus (being sex addiction) was too graphic, dark or intense for mainstream audiences. Twelve Years a Slave could be his first big hit with larger audiences due to its name stars, and the subject material seemingly would appeal more to Oscar voters. I think it has a lot of potential to be the best film of 2013.

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: The Wolf of Wall Street

Release: Fall

Genre: Crime Drama

Plot: Jordan Belfort is a successful stockbroker on Wall Street. However, things become difficult for him when he is asked to cooperate on a large case involving securities fraud and mob infiltration in the corporate banking world.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Main Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, and Jean Dujardin

Why It’s Anticipated: Martin Scorsese is working again with two of his best recent collaborators: writer Terence Winter and star Leonardo DiCaprio. Winter and Scorsese worked together on the pilot episode of Boardwalk Empire (which Winter created/wrote and Scorsese directed and executively produced). DiCaprio and Scorsese have worked together four times prior to this film, garnering Scorsese his only Oscar (for The Departed). The supporting cast is also very good. Matthew McConaughey is continuing his resurgence after a strong 2012, and this is Jean Dujardin’s first big project since The Artist made him a star in America.

Editor’s Thoughts: While Hugo was okay, I am happy to see Scorsese return to serious drama. This project seems like a great fit for him, and it will be interesting if he can make the first great feature film involving the ‘villainy’ of Wall Street in the wake of the financial crisis. So far, there have been a few good movies (Too Big to Fail, Arbitrage, and Margin Call have their moments), but nothing great (the best piece on the subject is the documentary Inside Job).

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Terrence Malick’s 2013 projects: Knight of Cups and a film still untitled

Release: Fall or 2014 (or beyond?)

Genre: Drama, Romance, Music

Plot: Knight of Cups is about a man, temptations, celebrity, and excess, while the untitled film is about two intersecting love triangles involving obsession and betrayal set against the music scene of Austin, Texas.

Director: Terrence Malick

Main Cast: Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, and Cate Blanchett

Why It’s Anticipated: Terrence Malick is one of the great American auteurs. Typically, it is years between films, and yet he might have three films coming out in 2013 (following The Tree of Life which came out in 2011). Malick is again working with cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and production designer Jack Fisk. Their collaboration has yielded some of the most beautiful photography in recent memory (The New World and The Tree of Life are both visually tremendous). The cast across both films is brilliant as well, filled with wonderful actors: Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Teresa Palmer, Cate Blanchett, Antonio Banderas, Wes Bentley, Joel Kinnaman, Imogen Poots, Holly Hunter, Isabel Lucas, Shea Whigham, Thomas Lennon, Ryan O’Neal, Freida Pinto, Jamie Harris, Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender, Val Kilmer, Berenice Marlohe, Boyd Holbrook, Haley Bennett, and Florence Welch (now, the question is who will actually make it into the final cut of the films – Malick is known for shooting way more material than he needs, for example the first cut of The Thin Red Line was five hours).

Editor’s Thoughts: I have a theory that Knight of Cups and the as of now untitled film are really companion pieces. No one else is saying this, so this is pure speculation, but it just strikes me as curious that these two films were essentially shot at the same time and both star Bale, Portman, and Blanchett. I love all of Malick’s work, so these films are among the things I am most excited to see. And yes, even though it got a mixed response last year during its festival screenings, I do want to see To the Wonder too (his third film scheduled for 2013 – and the only one that is for sure actually coming out this year).

Trailer (if available): Here

Fun Films:

Title: The Bling Ring

Release: Summer

Genre: Crime Drama

Plot: Based on actual events, a group of fame-obsessed teenagers led by Nicki decides to rob celebrities’ homes.

Director: Sofia Coppola

Main Cast: Emma Watson, Leslie Mann, and Taissa Farmiga

Why It’s Anticipated: Sofia Coppola is still considered one of the great indie filmmakers right now because of Lost in Translation (her masterpiece), but her other films also have a fantastic style and aesthetic to them (I do like Marie Antoinette and Somewhere). However, the bigger draw might be star Emma Watson taking on her first leading role since Harry Potter. She is currently atop her age group with Jennifer Lawrence, Kristen Stewart, and Emma Stone, but the behavior of moviegoers seems to be changing. Before, star power would bring in viewers (and this is still true to some degree), but today it is the genre, story, and marketing that seem to really drive ticket sales. Thus, small films like this that star emerging talents who are already big stars due to their work in huge franchises, like Watson, give an indication if star power really does play as big a role as it once did.

Editor’s Thoughts: The Bling Ring is the last film Harris Savides shot before his untimely death last October. He worked with Coppola previously on Somewhere. He was one of the true talents in indie cinema and will be very much missed. Watson has done a very good job in picking projects since finishing Harry Potter. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a wonderful teen drama (and it is too bad that not more people saw it in theatres), and her upcoming projects all sound good, including This Is the End and a supporting role in Darren Aronofsky’s Noah (which will be one of the big films of 2014). Nicki in The Bling Ring is a character unlike any she has played before, so it will be interesting to see if she can transform herself to fit the character. If the film is a critical success with Watson showing performance range, it will set her up to be among Hollywood’s most sought-after young actresses (even more so than she already is). And, Coppola has collaborated very well with young actresses in the past: Kirsten Dunst, Scarlett Johannson, and Elle Fanning.

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Can a Song Save Your Life?

Release: Summer or Fall

Genre: Dramedy, Music

Plot: A music business executive who is fed up and disheartened with the business, finds new life after forming a bond with a young struggling singer-songwriter new to Manhattan.

Director: John Carney

Main Cast: Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Hailee Steinfeld, and Catherine Keener

Why It’s Anticipated: While Once was little seen during its theatrical run, it has gained a bigger following on DVD since. It is maybe the best musical of the last decade and a beautiful love story. Therefore, its director John Carney doing another music-centric drama should make a lot of Once’s fans very excited. However, this time Carney is working with bigger name actors like Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley who star, as well as executive producer Judd Apatow (who seems like an odd collaborator at first, but his work does feature well-done characters and heart much like Carney’s own). This film will being Carney’s genius to a much larger audience (I just hope he can capture the same magic as Once).

Editor’s Thoughts: In addition to the strong group of actors starring in the film, it also features Adam Levine (of Maroon 5), CeeLo Green, and Yasiin Bey (formally known as Mos Def) as well, all of which bring great musical talent to the film (and Bey is a good actor too). I am also quite looking forward to seeing Hailee Steinfeld’s performance. She was brilliant in The Coen Brothers’ True Grit, but I have not seen her in anything since. 2013 will likely be a huge breakthrough year for her, as she also stars in Romeo and Juliet, Three Days to Kill, and Ender’s Game (which, while not making my most anticipated list, is on many people’s 2013 lists).

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Her

Release: Summer or Fall

Genre: Comedy

Plot: Theodore is a lonely writer who develops a strange relationship with a newly-purchased operating system that is designed to fulfill his every need.

Director: Spike Jonze

Main Cast: Olivia Wilde, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, and Samantha Morton

Why It’s Anticipated: Spike Jonze is a wonderfully imaginative and unique directing talent. And, he is working with a fabulous group of actors. Her (which is the working title and could be changed) sounds like another weird concept, much like Jonze’s brilliant collaborations with Charlie Kaufman: Being John Malkovich and Adaptation., though Jonze wrote this film (as he did his last film Where the Wild Things Are) and is not working with Kaufman.

Editor’s Thoughts: I am most interested in seeing Jonze’s work with Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, and Rooney Mara as he seems to bring out amazing performances from his actors, like: Nicholas Cage and Chris Cooper in Adaptation. while John Malkovich is hysterical in Being John Malkovich and John Cusack gives maybe the best performance of his career in the film. Additionally, I am excited to see the collaboration between cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema (one of the best working right now, having shot The Fighter, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Let the Right One In) and Jonze.

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Inside Llewyn Davis

Release: Fall

Genre: Drama, Music

Plot: Llewyn Davis is a folk singer-songwriter trying to make it in the 1960s’ New York Greenwich Village scene.

Director: Ethan and Joel Coen

Main Cast: Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, Garrett Hedlund, John Goodman, and Oscar Isaac

Why It’s Anticipated: Every new Coen Brothers film is a big deal for cinema fans, as they are among America’s great auteurs. Plus, they have been on a streak of great films since No Country for Old Men. The cast featuring Justin Timberlake, Garrett Hedlund (who was the best part of Country Strong), and newcomer (and likely future star) Oscar Isaac also seem to be a great fit for the music scenes – and the last time the Coens did a music centric film we were treated to O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Editor’s Thoughts: I am interested to see how the collaboration between French cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel and the Coen Brothers works out. They have worked with Roger Deakins on eleven of their last twelve films since Barton Fink (Emmanuel Lubezki shot Burn After Reading for them). Delbonnel is one of the finest D.P.s working right now (and one of my favorite). He is known for his stylized color palettes and well-defined grain structure of his film stock. Often, he saturates his primary colors with desaturated muted secondary colors. This look is definitely apparent in the trailer, giving the film sort of a somber feel. The film should play as a love letter to the folk music scene of 1960s Greenwich Village (which birthed Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Mimi and Richard Farina – plus, this is loosely based off Dave Van Ronk’s memoir The Mayor of MacDougal Street). I just wonder how much Delbonnel’s distinctive visual style will affect the Coens’ own style.

Trailer (if available): Here

Title: Mood Indigo

Release: Fall

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Plot: Colin meets Chloe; they fall in love and get married. But, on their honeymoon Chloe falls ill with an unusual illness caused by a flower growing in her lungs.

Director: Michel Gondry

Main Cast: Audrey Tautou, Romain Duris, Omar Sy, and Gad Elmaleh

Why It’s Anticipated: Michel Gondry is one of the most inventive visual directors working in cinema right now. Films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep exhibit a unique, children’s fantasy quality to them, but still have strong narratives and wonderfully full characters. Mood Indigo very much looks like The Science of Sleep, stylistically (which is great).

Editor’s Thoughts: As a fan of Gondry’s work, I am looking forward to this, as he has a very distinctive feel and look to his work (usually – though his Hollywood film The Green Hornet was visually fairly generic). However, I may be even more enthusiastic for this film’s cast (or at least their coupling with Gondry). Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh (who is hilarious in Priceless and The Valet, and has a funny cameo in Midnight in Paris), and Omar Sy are among France’s great talents. Plus, Duris and Tautou have great chemistry from their work with Cedric Klapisch (and his trilogy beginning with L’Auberge Espagnole). All four actors feel like perfect choices to work with Gondry (I cannot wait to see this).

Trailer (if available): Here