December 19, 2009

• Movies I’ve seen recently…

  
  Avatar  (2009)  A-

  When Director/Writer James Cameron spends $300+ million on a movie, it shows. In the case of “Avatar” in IMAX-3D, it REALLY shows. This movie surprisingly lived up to it’s 10 years of development and hype, with it’s ultimate strength being the gorgeous visuals. This isn’t another typical CGI effects heavy movie, this was an incredible visual experience (or a 2 1/2 hours thrill ride). Avatar is complete eye candy (especially in 3D), and it’s not hard getting fully immersed in this alien world, as well as these completely believable alien beings called the Na’vi; which are the most realistic CGI-made humanoid characters I’ve ever seen in movies (love the close ups and animation). Sure the plot isn’t exactly the most original thing out there, feeling closely like a “Pocahontas” or “Dances With Wolves,” but it’s told well enough. There’s humor, drama, romance, science-fiction, fantasy, adventure, and action mixed here, as well as an overall theme about appreciating nature, spirituality, and living a virtual existence outside of your body (hello video games). James Cameron’s “Avatar” is undeniably a must-see film, as well as a taste of what the future of movies might be like. Be warned that if you do see this movie in 3D, there are a few scenes that might cause some motion sickness, but besides that, most of the scenes are just… WOW.

  
  Up In The Air  (2009)  A

  I never thought I would watch a great movie about a man whose job is firing people for a living, but “Up In The Air” is that film. Directed and co-written by Jason Reitman with a very strong performance by George Clooney as Ryan Bingham; a guy who lives most of his year constantly traveling via an airplane, this is a movie that captivated me throughout. From the lovely “from the sky” visuals of many different cities, the montage of how Bingham has his own system on how to travel in the most efficient way, conversations about how many prestigious membership programs somebody has, to how to “properly” fire a person, I couldn’t help but be absolutely interested and fascinated with everything this movie offered. Although some may fault it, it bears to mention that the movie is somewhat divided into two parts, the first part being the more humorous side, while the second part deals with the pathos of the whole thing. There is also a general theme about having or not having a committed relationship, which is played humorously in the first half, but more dramatic in the second half. With a great cast that includes Vera Farmiga; as Ryan’s “friend with benefits,” and Anna Kendrick; as the young upstart learning the craft of firing people, “Up In The Air” is a strong character driven film that I enjoyed quite a whole lot.

  
  The Road  (2009)  A-

  Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy of the same name, “The Road” is a tale about a father and his son, trying to survive in this post-apocalyptic world. To say this movie is depressing to watch is a bit of an understatement, and truly that’s what director John Hillcoat and writer Joe Penhall set out to do with this film. This is after all a world where animals are long gone, nothing can grow anymore, and your life also means trying to avoid other people who most likely have turned towards cannibalism in order to survive. That’s the general plot of this movie, a father and his son, travel from one location to another, towards the coast, encountering danger and despair at every turn. Some can argue that there isn’t enough plot to justify seeing this movie, but those people are ignoring that the point of this film is to observe the characters of the father and the son themselves. This is a character study at how hardened a man’s soul can be in a bleak situation such as this, while trying to protect a young boy who is genuinely still innocently looking for the good in a hopeless world. Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee does a splendid job in the role of the man and the boy, and the visuals can be both beautiful and depressing to see. “The Road” really is more of an experience, than another simple movie.

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