So I am an entertainment junkie (kind of) and frequent movie theaters and regular theatres. I love to follow the awards season with special interest in the Academy Awards. I like to predict the nominees/winners and name my own superlatives. In preparation for that madness, I write short reviews on movies and plays. Here's a little taste of that:
THEATRE
You can check out my review of
About Face Theatre's We Three Lizas for Chicago Stage Standard
About Face Theatre's We Three Lizas for Chicago Stage Standard
on their website: http://chicagostagestyle.com/threelizas.asp.
FILM
Though not as stuffy as the trailer would make you believe,
LINCOLN fails to fully engage and falters to be thoroughly entertaining despite
fine performances. Daniel Day-Lewis and Sally Field are strongly paired, but
Tommy Lee Jones barely fits in style of the film despite his earnest
performance. Tony Kushner’s relevant script adds surprises to the well-known
historical story, but is stretched by an indulgent pace. The period detail is
marvelous from the set decor to the instantly recognizable costumes. Finally,
Steven Spielberg is a legendary filmmaker that creates masterful epics.
However, LINCOLN is not a film that I truly enjoyed or am excited to watch
again. 3.5/5 Stars.
The visual storytelling in LIFE OF PI is breathtaking. Ang
Lee playfully incorporates lovely images and aids Suraj Sharma to giving a
truthful performance in a tricky, difficult role. What the screenplay lacks in subtlety,
it makes up for with humor. The task of making the bleak circumstances exciting
was masterfully handled through beautiful cinematography and incredible visual and
sound effects. LIFE OF PI is truly a technical wonder. 4/5 Stars.
Ben Affleck delivers a surprisingly exciting period drama
that is as suspenseful as tender. He directs a fine ensemble with outstanding
performance by Bryan Cranston and Alan Arkin. The ensemble, taut script, and excellent
cinematography give ARGO an authentic feel. Affleck has developed nicely as an
actor, but more remarkably as a filmmaker. The unrelenting pace and continuous promises
of violence make ARGO a top notch thriller right up to its climactic scene. 5/5 Stars.
Hopefully, that was enough to wet your palette. Have you had a chance to see any of these? What did you think??
I enjoyed Lincoln for the reasons you mentioned. Daniel Day Lewis turned in a great performance and the script was well written, but it basicalkt a biopic. Those are NEVER movies that entertain me or particulary make me want to see them again. As a biopic, it was about as good as they can be due in large part to the script and performances of the actors. As an entertainment piece, chewing cardboard would give more of a rise in one's Levis. In other words, I think you were spot on.
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