THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

THE WOLF OF WALL STREET Review

By Darin Skaggs

     The opening scene of Martin Scorsese’s new film The Wolf of Wall Street contains big time celebrity Leonardo DiCaprio surrounded by many enthusiastic adults.  They are extremely excited because DiCaprio who plays real life criminal Jordan Belfort, is tossing a dwarf in Velcro towards a large target.  The film goes from there, of course getting crazier and crazier.

     The film is about the story of, like I said, Jordan Belfort who spends his life trying to make as much money as he can.  The way he starts this is becoming a stockbroker on Wall Street.  He learns the way to scam the people into buying stocks.  The first day of his promotion the stocks go down more than they ever have before.  This is called Black Monday.  He loses his job but determined to make money he gets a job in a rundown stockbroker firm.  He then sets out to make his own company and swiftly becomes one of the more successful firms.  Several people join him in his journey including Donnie Azoff, played by Jonah Hill. 

With actors like Hill and a hilarious cameo by Matthew Maconaughey as the man that teaches Belfort everything he knows the film really folds out to be a comedy more than a drama.  The film is so funny, definitely one of the funniest films of the year.  DiCaprio, who is not doing his normal quiet sad character, is the king of comedy in the film.   He is constantly making “motivational” speeches in his firm and does it screaming at the top of his lungs to “pick up the phone.”  There is one scene where he takes too many drugs and cannot talk or physically stand on his own.  So, he crawls to his car and drives it home.  This is one of the highlights of the film.

The characters do a lot of drugs.  They also have a lot of sex.  They also spend tons and tons of money.  All the characters in the film are essentially living out the male fantasy and the film successfully keeps up this attitude for about two hours and fifteen minutes of this three hour film.  This film does not back down from fulfilling that mission.  The film has constant swearing.  There is a lot of nudity and the drug use scenes are just as graphic as the nudity.  This might, no will, turn off audience members but much like this year’s Spring Breakers all the information has to be no-holds-barred to prove the point of the film. 

The whole point of the film is not really that this behavior is bad.  In no way does the film support all the actions of these people.  The film says that you can live this way, sex with several hot women a week, buying big houses and cool cars, all the drugs your messed up mind can imagine.  You can live that way and you may or may not hit rock bottom, that doesn’t matter, but you will truly never be happy.  You will never have what truly matters, a home.  This is examined in the third half of the film dealing with Belfort’s family and friends and how they won’t be there if you act like this man.

The antagonist, or protagonist depending on how you view the lead, is played by Kyle Chandler of Friday Night Lights fame.  He plays FBI agent Patrick Denham.  Chandler gives his greatest and funniest film performance here.  There is a great scene on a boat with Chandler and DiCaprio talking about how the FBI will get him, because it is his job.  Even though you know what Belfort is doing is wrong, at some points you find yourself rooting for him anyway.  You will give in and be on the side of the feds but the film really makes you love Belfort like every other person in the film.

The film takes so many chances and holds absolutely nothing back.  Scorsese has not been on the top of his game in recent years, only having more than mediocre films.  Yet, this film is a return to form and could be called a comeback.  It is constantly uncomfortable, hilarious and insane.

SAVING MR. BANKS

SAVING MR. BANKS Review

By Darin Skaggs

     The Disney classic Mary Poppins is about a maid that can fly with her umbrella, she has a bag with no end and has many other magic like powers.  Kids all across the world have fallen in love with her.  In John Lee Hancock’s Saving Mr. Banks it shows how the book Mary Poppins was conceived by a childhood experience and how Disney got her to give permission to make the film.

      P.L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, in the film has spent 20 years denying the rights to her book to be adapted into a movie by Disney.  She is out of luck and hasn’t published anything in a long while.  Her money is running out.  So she accepts to go to LA to help write the film adaptation of Mary Poppins.  When she gets there it is apparent that she is going to be stubborn about any choices made for the film.  The story does not make her out to be a crusty old stubborn lady on account to the flashbacks of her childhood that we end up learning was the inspiration for her book.

     Emma Thompson plays Travers and is very funny and touching throughout the film.  The film as a whole is surprisingly funny as well.  From the look of the trailer and the very tone of the film it seemed that there would be many cheesy and “roll your eye” type moments.  Fortunately there is not that many, of course there has to be a few but not enough to ruin the humor or even the emotional impact of the film.  Tom Hanks plays Walt Disney and is great at it.  He is not stereotyped as what you would think Disney would act like.  It makes him human.  At points it is apparent he has a big head.  And he should, he’s bloody Walt Disney.  Also he wants to just make this movie, because he claims he promised his daughters.  Disney is a good salesman.  The portrait they paint of him is more realistic then what you probably think of him.

     The flashback aspect is a real highlight.  It has yet another chance to be over the top, but everything works out.  Colin Ferrell does great as Travers alcoholic father.  It doesn’t overdo showing how Travers became so picky and stubborn.  It is believable why Travers is the way that she is from all the flashbacks.  There is a nice touch in that not everything that is hinted at in the present is immediately revealed in the past.  Saving Mr. Banks is not only really funny it is also a touching film.

AMERICAN HUSTLE

AMERICAN HUSTLE Review

By Darin Skaggs

     While you’re clicking through the channels trying to figure out what you want to watch you sometimes run into a movie trailer.  Most of them at some point list every “famous” actor they can to try and sell you to watch the movie.  David O. Russell’s American Hustle which stars Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner does just that.  It does that with not having a fully realized story.

     Russell is a smart director.  He made several amazing films like last year’s Silver Linings Playbook, Three Kings and The Fighter.  So it is clear he knows what he is doing.  So why did he not seemed focused during American Hustle?  The film is about two people, Irving (Bale) and Sydney (Adams), who fall in love over conning people over by taking their money and promising more money but never following through.  They get caught by Richie (Cooper), who plays a FBI agent and takes Sydney to jail.  Irving comes to get her but Richie says if they help con these mobsters to get caught by the authorities then he will drop the charges.

     This film ends up being one of those films where you can’t trust anybody and you hope no one gets caught.  Everyone in this film is amazing, all of them being Russell’s usual cast.  They all work well together even new comer Rennor.  Jennifer Lawrence does well and at times is over doing it, though the blame cannot be given to her because her character is not fully developed.  The script suffers from this same problem, it is not fully realized.  Moments are not fully explained and maybe a second viewing is needed for this film but the performances do not keep your interests enough for the film.

      The performances do help the humor in the film.  This film is hilarious with people like Cooper, Bale and even Lawrence at times.  There is an especially hilarious performance by Louis C.K., who is a real high point.  The film is set in the 1970’s and the film takes full advantage of it.  Everyone’s hair makes enough laughs for the film.  There is a great scene with a microwave and others as well.

     The hustle of the film is there but unfocused.  Fortunately the humor is part of the focus.  It makes for a fun watch but nothing that would stand the test of time.

ALL IS LOST

ALL IS LOST Review

By Darin Skaggs

     At my happiest times I am walking on pathways, listening to my music.  There are no cars around not many distracting noises.  It is a peaceful time.  Then while on the pathways I could take a wrong turn or be somewhere new in which I am not familiar with the area.  I am then terrified with over dramatic thoughts that I will never make it home.  I might never find my way back to a place I know. I’m not running around crying, screaming for someone to save me, but on the inside I’m freaking out.  In J.C. Chandor’s new film All Is Lost explores that very fear and how it’s handled.

     All Is Lost is film about the fight for survival of a lone unnamed seaman, played by Robert Redford.  The film opens with a narration by Redford about how it is too late and how sorry he is.  Then we hear a crash and it cuts to Redford being woken by the noise.  He gets up as he sees his boat being filled with water.  It is being filled slowly, not too bad.  Redford spends his time fixing the hole and emptying the boat of the water.  While the water was rushing in, on the count that the boat was hit by a shipping crate, it has broken all his communication equipment.  Therefore he cannot get in contact with the shore.

     He spends a long time fixing the hole in his boat.  It is in no way boring when he fixes that hole though it may turn off some people.  There are many scenes that are Redford slowly solving his problems and fixing his boat.  It is almost jarring that when the film speeds up due to a storm.  That is not a negative; those parts of the movie work just as well as the others. 

     Redford’s character is so clearly an introvert.  He is far, far away from the world.  He does not seem sad about it, but he does look more comfortable with it.  Redford gives one of his most amazing performances of his career.  His character seems content with his situation, yet also a terrified mess when the moments get out of hand.  Though in those moments his posture is still in a calm state.

     What makes Redford’s performance so great and worthy of praise is that the script is nearly wordless.  There is monologue at the beginning, some phrases near the end and one big shouted word in the middle of the film.  So all that Redford has to let us know what he feels is his facial expressions and his body language.  He does this so well, you know what he is thinking even though he is never screaming “Why!” or “Now here’s my plan.”  It is very truthful to the way men act.  They don’t panic very often, they don’t like to express their feelings and they want to do everything themselves.

     The film, while being all about how men treat situations of peril and hardship is also a very spiritual one.  The film has a few hints here and there that God is looking over this man.  We know nothing about him except that he spends his time in solitude. That is where most people are when they are spending their time with God.  There are a few visual hints as well that are scattered throughout the film.  Even the title suggests a spiritual aspect.  God is the one you turn to when “all is lost.” 

     We learn very little personal information about this man, though the writing and acting makes us care about him more than most films do with their main character.  The film is a big adventure without any big explosions or car chases. Just an honest “Man vs. nature” story that makes you feel so passionately about the lead.

TRANCE

TRANCE Review

By Darin Skaggs

     Danny Boyle is a great director.  He made the amazing Trainspotting, 127 Hours and Slumdog Millionaire.  Whatever he makes there is a large excitement for.  So when Trance came along you can imagine my excitement.  Sadly Boyle has made a mediocre film with many twists and turns that are more random then entertaining.

     Trance begins with a heist.  Several men are robbing a painting auction while our protagonist, Simon, narrates some history and the planning of auction robberies.  His character works for the auction and while the robbery is taking place he grabs the painting, packs it up and leaves with a couple security guards to get it to safety.  On the way, he runs into the head of the theft, Franck.  He makes him give over the painting but not without a fight.  Simon shocks Franck, and then gets knocked out.  While falling Simon hits his head and ends up in the hospital with no memory of what happen.  Meanwhile the robbers return to their place to find the painting is missing.  They then bring over Simon, which is when we find out that he was in on the whole thing, to torture him to find where the painting has gone.

     That is all in the first fifteen minutes of the film.  This film is jam-packed with plot, plot twist and secrets that makes it incredibly difficult to enjoy the picture.  I didn’t even mention they decide to hire Simon a hypnotist to help him remember where he hid the painting.  If he even has it.   The film goes so many different places it seems to be celebrating every popular genre.  There is romance, violence, obscure aspects and even a little fantasy.  Even if that is what the film is trying to do, it does not do it well.  The film has very clunky jumps from one genre to another.  The movie is not very fun.  It is incredibly confusing and there seems to be parts missing.  I do not know much about hypnotism but this film does not convince me that it is real in this universe.  If the writing was better and I cared more about these people it might be enough to brush off.  There are a few moments that are laugh out loud, but not intentionally so.

     The film is maddening.  The performances are silly and their characters are as well.  Maybe Boyle wanted to do something crazy after his last few films, which aren’t family friendly fun, but still slightly tame.  It is so confusing that there was no way to enjoy the film.