HUGO

 

‘Goodfellas’, ‘Raging Bull’, ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘The Departed’, all cornerstones of legendary director Martin Scorsese’s impressive catalog.  What all these, and most of his collection, have in common?  You probably wouldn’t call them “children’s movies”. Enter ‘Hugo’, the story of a family-less boy, (“Hugo” played by Asa Butterfield ‘The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas’) who spends his days maintaining clocks within the walls of a train station in 1920s Paris.

Aside from keeping the clocks running at the station, Hugo looks for/steals parts to aid his attempt to fix his automaton (a creation he and his father found and started to restore before his father’s ill fated passing).  He is caught stealing a needed piece from station toy shop owner Georges Melies (Ben Kingsley, ‘House of Sand and Fog’, ‘Gandhi’).  He begins to repay his debt by working in Georges’ shop and befriends his goddaughter Isabella (Chloe Moretz, ‘Kick Ass’).  Together Hugo and Isabella work to fix the automaton while learning secrets regarding Georges’ past and his (Georges) reasons of not letting Isabella go to the cinema.  Little does Hugo know his search for spare parts to help fix his and his late father’s automaton project will lead him to uncover the history of a forgotten cinematic artist and forge friendships that will last a lifetime.

The most curious aspect of the film, and one that most will ponder before entering the theatre, is Scorsese’s choice to do a children’s film.  It seems completely out of his element in relation to his past works.  Luckily for Marty and the audience he completely nails it.  From a purely visual standpoint Scorsese has always been a very reliable director.  Meticulous in all of his shots, no detail left unnoticed, he makes the interworking of a train station clock system mesmerizing (especially in 3D).  Not to take away from the visuals but they aren’t the most important piece Scorsese brings to the table.

Perhaps Scorsese’s best direcotral attribute is his narrative ability, and there is no difference here.  Apart from a few unnecessary, but visually stunning nonetheless, dream sequences plastered in the middle of the film, Marty seamlessly moves the story from fixing the automaton, to Hugo’s past, to his friendship to Isabella, and finally to the heart of the story, Georges former life as a film director (what really ties all the storylines together very nicely in the end).

Scorsese is aided greatly by some terrific performances by his cast.  Butterfield, having a limited screen history at age 14, is a complete natural.  It is hard to tell how much of it is acting and how much of it is his own personality (after seeing ‘Stripped Pajamas’ it’s easy to tell he has range).  Moretz brings a compassionate intellectual presence to Isabella, think Hermione without the attitude, and puts forth a believable and caring effort.  Kingsley and Sacha Baron Cohen (who is a harsh but hilarious station inspector, a role played with much similarity to his work in ‘Sweeny Todd’) are both their reliable selves in their share of screen time.  

‘Hugo’ is delivered with new age visual thrills and classic movie innocence reminiscent of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’.  It connects emotionally through its performances and most emphatically through its direction.  Martin Scorsese is one of the great directors of the modern film era, and ‘Hugo’ defiantly reinforces his vigor, versatility, and passion for film as an artistic medium.

Oscar Chances:

Best Picture: Highly Likely

Best Director (Scorsese): Possible

Best Supporting Actor (Kingsley or Baron Cohen): Possible

Best Adapted Screenplay: Possible

Best Art Direction: Lock

Best Visual Effects: Lock

Best Cinematography: Highly Likely

Best Editing: Possible

THE ARTIST

Every so often I witness a film that evokes a feeling that can most closing be described as cinematic ecstasy.  This is what I felt while viewing ‘The Artist’. 

French filmmaker Michel Hazanavicius makes his “Hollywood” debut along with French stars Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo.  Dujardin and Bejo play George Valentin and Peppy Miller, the fading silent film star and the young up-and-comer respectively, during a time where “talkies” were taking over.  As George slowly realizes his time in the spotlight is over he falls into a state of depression and it is the sweet Peppy, who George helped get into the business, who ultimately rescues not only his career but his life.

The film brings all of the nostalgia of the black and white, silent film era; perfectly realized stories that needed nothing but wonderful scores, smart humor, and strong heartfelt emotion and acting.  The film has it all and unfortunately it is hard for me to articulate it any more than that.  One of my favorite critics over at Movie City News, David Poland, does a great job at describing the film, check out the link; http://moviecitynews.com/2011/09/review-the-artist/.

Great story, great direction, great music, and great acting, this is and will be the best film of 2011, hopefully the Academy gets it right.

And so ends the 2011 Starz Denver Film Festival, hope everyone got the chance to see a film or two, will be seeing Eastwood’s ‘J. Edgar’ this weekend back at Regal in Louisville.

Grade: A+

Oscar Chances:

Best Picture: Lock

Best Director (Hazanavicius): Lock

Best Screenplay (Hazanavicius): Lock

Best Actor (Dujardin): Lock

Best Actress (Bejo): Lock

Best Supporting Actor (Goodman): Possible

Best Score: Lock

Best Cinematography: Highly Likely

Best Editing: Highly Likely

Best Costume Design: Highly Likely

Best Art Direction: Highly Likely

SHAME

Handsome and debonair mid-thirty something man and bombshell redhead exchange glances, actually stares, on a New York subway train.  Cut to said man sauntering naked around his upscale flat, checking phone messages.  Cut to man instructing random call girl the delicate intricacies of proper bra removal.  Back to the subway.  More nakedness, some visually explicit sex, subway, and title card ‘Shame’ appears.

British director/artist Steve McQueen teams up again (‘Hunger’) with Michael Fassbender (‘Inglourious Basterds’, ‘X-Men: First Class’) for his sophomore full length feature.  The film focuses on the life of sex-addict and NYC executive Brandon and how his sexual impulses intensify when his manipulative co-dependent sister (Carey Mulligan) moves in with him. 

Immediately after the opening sequence Sissy, his sister, appears and drives, or to a lesser extent supports, Brandon’s actions.  We see Sissy crying the first night at Brandon’s on the phone over what we believe to be a man leaving her.  She begs him to stay, but to no avail.  Mulligan really paints her character’s picture in this scene.  Brandon can hear the commotion from his room but is more annoyed than concerned.  Later on Sissy sleeps with one of Brandon’s co-workers after meeting him for the first time earlier that night, we can tell he’s a loser and most likely so can Sissy, but her utter disregard for this fact reinforces her co-dependence.  Again Mulligan is at her best here, bringing a bi-polaresque brilliance to Sissy, one she carries throughout the film.

We don’t get much background on Brandon throughout the film.  His addiction and inability or unwillingness to connect with not only his sister but anyone in his life is not explained until well into the second act, where he takes a girl from the office on a date.  He explains his longest relationship he’s ever had was four months, long for him he says.  Does this stem from some sort of childhood trauma?  Someone who broke his heart?  We’ll never know. 

We do know it seems Brandon wants to make an effort to connect, at very least with this woman, a crucial development within the storyline.  Unfortunately Brandon’s tendencies, possibly a predisposed nature McQueen is trying to examine, prevail.  In a moment of attempted intimacy with the unnamed co-worker Brandon is unable to “perform” and she leaves hastily, Brandon more disappointed than embarrassed.  The remaining half hour of the film is a physco-sexual odyssey, one which my description or analysis would bring little justice to; it simply has to be witnessed.  Fassbender plays well off his supporting cast.  Brandon’s disgust of society and its inhabitants is apparent in Fassbender’s every expression, and it is only in his efforts to ensnare his “victims” do we see his sly, devilish grin mistaken for charm. 

As with most films trying to tackle such a delicate subject, while still being taken seriously and being effective, much praise has to go to McQueen.  His view of the darker side of the New York nightlife is especially impressive.  His use of muted colors and natural light is very similar to ‘Hunger’.  McQueen again opts for an array of long sequences without cuts, this time with more effectiveness.  He spares all expense for style, but is no slouch on the substance (he also co-wrote the script).  McQueen reminds us why he was recognized at Cannes three years ago.

‘Shame’ uses Brandon’s sexually explicit encounters to uncover the reason why this film matters, the inability of its main character to adapt and find emotional connection or salvation.  It is a vital message, and never has it been displayed so eloquently, shamelessly amongst the fleshy excess.

Grade: A+

Oscar Chances:

(Similar to ‘Melancholia’, very little commercial appeal, NC-17 rating)

Best Picture: Long Shot

Best Director (McQueen): Long Shot

Best Actor (Fassbender): Possible

Best Supporting Actress (Mulligan): Possible