1917

First Hit: Although many of the camera angles and shots were engaging, the flaws in the storyline kept me out of entirely falling into this movie.

I do my best to ignore hoopla, reviews, and articles about films before seeing them. It causes and creates preconceived ideas that are rarely met, along with providing filters that have to be ignored.

Such was the case with this movie. So much noise about how great this film is.

Granted the effect given by the one-camera one-shot concept was good. This concept was ambitious, but the action wasn’t really shot with one camera and didn’t really happen during one long shot. Therefore, I found myself guessing which were the one-shot moments which were the ones they edited to make it look like one-shot one-camera.

If I’m watching a movie and my mind is dancing with these questions, it just means I’m not fully ensconced in the story and presentation, and that isn’t good.

Besides the camera stuff, the other aspects that didn’t work for me were: A scene when Lance Corporal Schofield (George MacKay) gets shot at from the German sniper soldier in a building after he crossed a destroyed bridge. Why did they simultaneously shoot each other and Schofield fall back downstairs, as if he were hit, and end up with no injuries? The German, as we expected, was hit and died. Then, how did Schofield not get hit as he was chased through the burning buildings being pursued by multiple German soldiers shooting at him? How did the wounds he did received appear and disappear, yet the bandage on his right hand from a barbed wire wound early in the story consistently appear in later shots? How did Schofield and Lance Corporal Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) not hear any of the trucks or men marching near the farmhouse where the plane crashed? One moment, the stillness and quiet of the farm are interrupted by a plane crash. Then Blake fights with the surviving German pilot, then within minutes, a whole battery of trucks and men are swarming on the same farm. Noise from the vehicles made in 1917 and the men of the advancing regiment, would have been heard long before the plane crash and certainly after it. However, here they are not heard. They just appear like ants scurrying around the farm.

When these many questions are running through my mind as I watch the scenes unfold, It’s hard for me to be a fully engaged fan of the film.

The movie’s story is about two men, Schofield and Blake, being ordered to locate and warn an English regiment that is pursuing the German Army that the Germans have set this pursuit up as a trap to destroy the following regiment. Blake is given this assignment because General Erinmore (Colin Firth) has learned that Blake’s brother is a lieutenant in the pursuing regiment. To me, this was a questionable motivational strategy by the General. Blake was asked to select another soldier to be his companion, and he chose Schofield because they were close friends. However, the overall goal and motivation to save some 1,600 men were not in question.

The difficulties that Schofield and Blake endured as they cross the previous battle lines are for the most part engaging. However, none of the scenes were pointedly unique when compared to scenes in other films, like Peter Jackson’s “They Shall Not Grow Old,” or Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan,” or Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk.” In fact, the section where they pass through the destroyed German Artillery appeared too staged.

MacKay was excellent as Blake’s reluctant partner. As we know he would, he showed up with strength and compassion when needed. Chapman was perfect as Blake, who was going to save his brother’s regiment no matter what happened. His scene after being stabbed by the German pilot he saved, was excellent. Sam Mendes and Kristy Wilson-Cairns wrote this interesting screenplay. Mendes did a terrific job of splicing together individually-shot scenes to create the exciting momentum of a single-shot movie.

Overall: Thought that I’ve seen better films are telling this sort of story.

Spectre

First Hit:  Liked the opening scenes, absolutely cringed at the overblown banal opening credits and, while this film was generally more serious and less tongue-in-cheek as the original Bond films, it works well enough.

Bond (Daniel Craig) is working on his own. He’s working from a brief video clip clue from his now deceased boss “M” (Judi Dench). With this clue he’s off to find and eliminate the core of the problem that is haunting the MI-6 team while his current boss “M” (Ralph Fiennes) is not supporting him – officially.

The double “0” form of fighting crime is being phased out according to “C” (Andrew Scott) with new technology which is being created and financed by the guy Bond is after; the wickedly sarcastic and masochistic Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz). Supporting Bond in is mission are “Q” (Ben Whishaw), Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and a reluctant Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux).

The film is a travelogue, going to many different countries and climates with Bond nattily dress for each place and occasion. The beauty and intensity of the various venues were expertly caught and this really adds to the film. However, one of the hallmark behaviors of the early bond films was an underlying level of tongue-in-cheek comments by Bond and the other characters that kept the audience bemused while watching violent struggles, things being blown up, and people being shot; were few and far between.

Craig is great as Bond mainly because he carries intensity, physicality, and intelligence, all wrapped up in one package. Waltz is playing the same type of character he’s played in other films. He does this role well but it doesn’t bode well when the audience isn’t surprised by the villain. Whishaw is really wonderful in his smallish role as "Q" (Quartermaster). It is nice to see his role expanded even as the technology he presents becomes more interesting. Harris is very cool and centering as Moneypenny. Fiennes role grows as the film reaches its conclusion and it helps the film. Seydoux is very good as someone who reluctantly ends up being protected by Bond and as a love interest. Scott is strong as the arrogant young tech savvy guy that lacks experience. John Logan and Neil Purvis wrote this slightly over complicated script. Sam Mendes did a wonderful job of putting Bond in great scenes and venues and making the script work.

Overall:  This film, although good, seems to stray from past unconvincingly.

Skyfall

First Hit:  Action and more action but without much thoughtfulness.

Don’t get me wrong – Daniel Craig as 007 – James Bond, is at least neck-to-neck, (if not ahead of) with Sean Connery as my favorite Bond.

Whereas Connery’s Bond was sophisticated and debonair; Craig’s Bond is more rough and movement oriented. Therefore this film is more or less strictly an action film versus a thinking man’s Bond film.

Like the immediate predecessors, this film begins with a long sequence prior to the opening credits. In this case we are led to believe that James is killed. We all know this wouldn’t be true or else why would we have another 135 minutes left of film to watch?

This sort of telegraphing happens throughout the film; we know that arch enemy Silva (played by Javier Bardem) will only be killed in the end, and no matter how many times Bond has the opportunity throughout the film it will only happen in the end.

What was surprising was M’s (played by Judi Dench) involvement in the story. And in some ways I liked this touch. I liked that we involved other characters including M’s boss Gareth Mallory (played by Ralph Fiennes), Eve (ready for it) Moneypenny (played by Naomie Harris, and a new Q (played by Ben Whishaw).

The newish versions of old characters were introduced reasonably well which bridged the old Bond to the new Bond. However, this film just seemed to be just a series of action sequences stringed together with some dialogue. However, Silva’s character created an appropriate level of disturbed presence to move Bond to the next level of action.

Although many of the action scenes were amazingly put together, I thought the subway (tube) coming through the hole in the ceiling to be incorrect. The sequence is too long and the train would have stopped moving forward long before it did and it wasn't appropriately slowing down as it hit objects in its way. This would have been different in real life and therefore it didn’t come off a real crash.

Craig is a favorite Bond of mine and he’ll do more good Bond films if his natural intelligence is developed as well. Here he is superb in the action sequences. Bardem is appropriately spooky and devilish in his actions. Dench is strong but a feeling tired in this role. Harris is nicely interesting in her role as Eve, one of Bond's paramours. Whishaw is good and appropriately nerdy as the new Q. Fiennes, works out well as M’s boss and his slow engagement into the story works very well. Neil Purvis and Robert Wade wrote an action script and not one exemplifying Bond’s intelligence. Sam Mendes, showed a strong hand at creating interesting action scenes (motorcycle chase), helicopter use (both on the island and Skyfall), and the wonderful nostalgia of first using the new Jaguar (M’s car) to the old DB5 (Austin) with ejection seat button and machine gun headlights.

Overall: If you want to watch a lot action – go see this film.

Away We Go

First Hit: Although it is branded a comedy, and it is at times very funny, this film has a powerful point to make about families and home.

The couple, Verona (played by Maya Rudolph) and Burt (played by John Krasinski), are in their thirties and she is pregnant with their baby.

He has a job which is not fully vetted to the audience but you know enough to understand that he can do his job anywhere. He is smart on some levels and clueless on others. She is strong, smart and wondering where they will put roots down as they begin parenthood.

They are living in a rundown home and shortly after the film begins they head to his parents home for dinner. During this dinner, his parents inform them that they won’t be around for their new baby as they are leaving for Europe for a couple of years.

This distresses Verona because her parents are dead and she was looking for a sense of having family around for the baby. With this news they realize they can live anywhere and make plans to visit friends and other family in different parts of the US and Canada.

The remainder of this film is about that journey, what they learn about themselves, the various ways people and families live, and what is important to them. On this journey they find their hearts' answers. 

Sam Mendes superbly directs this wonderfully written film. All the characters are vivid and are given room to breathe. Although many of the family situations presented in the film might be enhanced, they drive home the point of how some families’ parent and love. Both Rudolph and Krasinski are insightful and believable in their characters and as a couple; they are perfect in matching their energies’ and different personalities.

Overall: This film sucked me right in and at the end, I simply said to myself and partner “beautiful”.

Revolutionary Road

First Hit: A wonderful film about the roles we play, the dreams we have and our attempts to live them.

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio play April and Frank a married couple living in the suburbs in the 1950s.

The crux of the film is that they both feel trapped in their current life and they want a change. Because of how they met, there is an initial underlying belief that they both view change and how one lives their life the same way. However, when it really comes down initiating and living the change, their beliefs are very different and when this fact raises its head; their relationship starts to fall apart.

Kate plays April and a strong powerful woman stuck in a time when women weren’t supposed to be strong and powerful. She wants to live life more fully and not the life of a housewife stuck in a jail called their suburban home on Revolutionary Road.

Leonardo plays Frank as a man willing to sacrifice his life to work for a company his father work in. He does this so that he can have this nice suburban home with two kids and an incredible wife. It is a role he feels safe with but unhappy in.

Frank hates his job and it is going nowhere. Scenes in the office with his co-workers and scenes at the train station with hoards of men, all looking the same, walking from the train to work are priceless. April convinces Frank they can live their dream if he willing to leave the country. Frank is up for the idea until he gets offered a promotion with more money. April sees her life and dream slipping further away which is complicated by a pregnancy.

This is film about being trapped and what do people do about it.

Sam Mendes directed this wonderful, direct, beautiful, poignant look at a 1950s couple riding on the razors edge of living their truth or a role. Just as he did in American Beauty, another one of my favorite films, Mendes gets powerful and startling performances out of his actors. And the visualizations are mostly spot on. The only hit on that is that the fluorescent light fixtures in one of the hallway scenes were fixtures from the 1990s. I loved the “four-holer” Buick Frank drove because it was just like the one we had growing up. Winslet in just two short months has appeared in films where she has given two incredible performances. Although this film is about both of them and their relationship, it is Kate that carries the power in this film. She is amazing in how she changes her character through this film. DiCaprio is very good in this film. To me this is his best ever acting performance. He uses his natural youthfulness and glibness to full advantage here. Another great performance in this film is by Michael Shannon the son of the real estate agent who sold them the home on Revolutionary Road. He visits them from a mental hospital. The great thing about his scenes is that he takes them over and delivers ringing truths about April and Frank’s predicament.

Overall: An outstanding and beautifully executed film about life, despair, and change.