Django Unchained
This was one of my most anticipated films of the Awards
season and I was not disappointed. Quentin Tarantino’s brassy stylistic choices
are always visually stark and remarkably character driven. He famously employs anachronistic
music and bold, humorous violence to enhance his already tantalizing stories.
These trademarks are visible (and audible) in Django Unchained, but the tightness
of his storytelling and his driving pace are a bit too slack here. The final
fourth of the movie starts to feel indulgent despite the promised bloody end. The
ensemble really nails the style, humor, and finds the reality of the outlandish
situations. Jamie Foxx is an adequate centerpiece for the film, but Christoph
Waltz’s charm and Leonardo DiCaprio incendiary performance really make the
film volatile and unpredictable. Samuel L. Jackson and Kerry Washington also
give strong performances, but the latter’s role is so underwritten that she
must rely on her beauty and charisma as filler. However, it is Tarantino’s love
and reverence for filmmaking that truly inspires this film. He is the rare
artist that possesses the bravado and craft to pay homage whilst redefining a
genre.
4/5 Stars.
And Now A Little Deviation From The Film Reviews
While viewing Django Unchained, I couldn’t help but
recalling Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film, Marie Antoinette. Granted, there are blatant
differences in these two films, but there are stylistic similarities. Both
films boldly use contemporary music to communicate feeling, beautifully
compelling visual storytelling, and modern sensibilities in the performances.
Tarantino is applauded for his choices while Coppola was (some would argue
unfairly) jeered for hers. The differences may have caused the discrepancy in
the films receptions. Marie Antoinette is a meditation on celebrity with a
minimal plotline driving it and void of extravagant characterizations while
Django Unchained is a revenge Western with a close-to-contrived plotline and
showy acting. I enjoy each film for its idiosyncrasies and believe Django to be
the superior film, but why all the hate on Coppola and Marie Antoinette?
Coppola makes distinct choices and is as polarizing as Tarantino. Is it that
she is a newer, less-proven filmmaker? Is it that she is a woman doing a film
about a woman? Is it her preference as a director to be more of an observer
than an orchestrator like Tarantino? Or was Marie Antoinette (much like her
other films Somewhere and Lost In Translation – despite its Oscar nods) considered
too pedestrian?
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Being a fan of The Lord of the Rings trilogy films, but
never having read J.R. Tolkien’s epics, I am nowhere near the most knowledgeable
nor avid fanboy. However, I am fond of the exciting and wholehearted adventures
that comprise The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the
King. So I expected The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey’s brilliant visuals, epic
battles, and humorous banter. Yet, Martin Freeman’s performance added a most
welcome farcical tone without cheapening or even diluting the emotional
resonance. It takes a masterful actor to anchor such a challenging film. Peter
Jackson craftily weaves action sequences and dramatic scenes through the lengthy
film. Despite Jackson’s expert directing, the film really struggles to maintain
momentum while highlighting themes and covering multiple storylines. I don’t
know the reasoning or justifications for making a trilogy out of Tolkien’s The Hobbit, but I know
that this film could have been distilled into a shorter film for more efficient
storytelling. That said, I enjoyed the journey to Middle Earth and eagerly
anticipate the following installments.
3.5/5 Stars.
No comments:
Post a Comment