Hostiles

The Western genre is a beautiful thing when done well. You have to sift through the cheesiness and cliché to find the good stuff, not unlike panning for gold, but there is something romantic and raw about the right portrayal of the American southwest in the late 1800’s. As a huge fan of Cormac McCarthy, I find there is an appeal to the brutality and simplicity of frontier life that is almost primal, but cinematically, that beauty is often lost on audiences.

“Hostiles” follows army captain Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) torn between duty and conscience in the southwest in 1892. He’s a damaged man, having seen war and genocide, and perhaps more. He is tasked with escorting a Native American chief and his family from a prison in Arizona to their homeland in Wyoming. He takes great offense to the task, but after a riveting scene with his superior (Stephen Lang), he concedes. Leading a small team of soldiers through the wilderness, we see the contrasts of western versus native cultures, and they grow a bond that can only be forged through a dangerous adventure. Along their journey, they pick up wayward stranger Rosalie Quaid (Rosamund Pike) in a heartbreaking circumstance. Together, this motley crew rely on each other for survival in a hostile environment.

Christian Bale hasn’t been better in years. You can feel the heaviness of regret and shame, hardened heart and the absence of humanity in his character’s spirit. He conveys the emotions of a master actor with just his eyes and posture, which shows why he is one of the current greats. His lack of award nomination is a travesty as his performance should have edged out Denzel Washington’s. His mustache alone should win awards.

Supporting players Wes Studi, Rosamund Pike, Ben Foster, Jesse Plemons, Timothee Chalamet, and particularly Rory Cochrane complement Bale extremely well. For my money, in addition to Best Actor, Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay, Rory Cochrane should have received a Best Supporting Actor nomination. His character, Master sergeant Thomas Metz is absolutely breathtaking, and he plays him with a heavy, broken will.

Scott Cooper, best known for “Crazy Heart,” made a film a few years back that flew way under the radar, but left a strong impression on me; “Out of the Furnace.” It was a mature, gritty drama that is rare for an amateur writer/director, but paved the way for a certain expectation from his future work. “Hostiles” shows that he isn’t just a flash in the pan. I expect a big career from this young (relatively) film maker.

The story isn’t quite as moving as the characters, and often seems a bit longwinded and grandiose but most admirable Westerns are. Cooper chooses to take the scenic route, meandering through wilderness, stopping only for tragedy or obstacle, because at their heart that’s what Westerns are; tragedies. The happy ending is a myth for anyone in the 1890’s American southwest, and that’s the draw for fans as well as the roadblock for the wider audience. Love them or hate them, Westerns are an important and nostalgic piece of history, and even more so, film history.

In a year lacking any true front-runner for Best Picture, we see a wide array of candidates. “Hostiles” is one of the strongest I’ve seen, which makes its snubs even more disappointing to me. Not for the faint of heart, there is a significant amount of violence and bloodshed in “Hostiles,” but that is the whole point. Grim and bleak, the film will leave an impression on you, and the acting will blow you away. Prepare yourself for an emotional film, and appreciate the landscape. 9/10.

12 Strong: The Declassified True Story of the Horse Soldiers

January tends to be when the jingoistic films hit theatres. Films about Benghazi, domestic extremist attacks (9/11, Boston Marathon), and the continued war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq have graced the silver screen almost like clockwork, but with each film comes a different version of the same emotional message of bravery and loss. American patriotism overcoming adversity in the face of overwhelming odds. I have the utmost respect for the men and women whose choices, circumstances, or tragedy befall them, and honestly, I’m always a sucker for these films.

“12 Strong” is the latest in a long line of post-9/11 war biopics. In the vein of “American Sniper,” “Lone Survivor,” and “The Hurt Locker,” there is a decidedly addictive quality to the adrenaline that fuels soldiers, and the machismo of combat translates to a riveting visual experience more times than not. This film is no exception. Chris Hemsworth plays Mitch Nelson, an embellished caricature of an inexperienced captain who leads his team of twelve Green Berets into Afghanistan on horseback, as the first soldiers on the ground after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

A truly inspiring true story, I found myself wondering just how much was fact and how much was fiction. Perhaps that speaks to the incredible series of events, as it’s billed as Al Qaeda’s biggest loss in the early stages of the war, and although the bravery and trailblazing is spectacular, there’s a nagging sense that I couldn’t shake that the sensationalism and Hollywood flair is a bit overshadowing. Hemsworth may have been too sexy of a star for the role. He rides on horseback, guns blazing like a 21st Century John Rambo, and I was just waiting for him to rip his shirt off and take on the Taliban with nothing but a bow and arrows, or a big knife.

The explosions are plentiful, and there are scores of black-masked insurgents who are dispatched with precision head shots as if it were a first-person shooter video game. Air strikes drop massive bombs across valleys of tanks, rocket launchers, and machine-gun mounted trucks.

It’s the characters who drive films of this gravity, and there is a noticeable lack of development. There is never the sense of fear or impending doom by the soldiers, and that destroys the realism and emotional mood. Their bravado is more action movie, and less biopic, which is entertaining, but also diminishes the return on investment. They follow their captain anywhere, and multiple times he gives the testosterone-fueled speech about how he can’t order them to face certain death, yet they all volunteer eagerly.

Michael Pena, Michael Shannon, and soon-to-be-breakout star Trevante Rhodes (“Moonlight,” this upcoming summer’s “The Predator”) are the supporting soldiers in the field while a bald William Fichtner and a very out of place Rob Riggle play the brass back in the command center. There’s never a sense that any soldier has individual personality, fear, or depth beyond the joke-cracking Pena, or the stone-faced, grizzled veteran Shannon. It’s unfortunate as the film could have easily provided a bit more back story for some of the key players. The intent is there in the first act, but it’s a futile exercise.

Nicolai Fuglsig (“Exfil”) directs well, but the marketing effort would be better off as an action film inspired by true events, maybe even fictionalized entirely. The writing team of Ted Tally (“Silence of the Lambs,” “All the Pretty Horses”) and Peter Craig (“The Town,” “Hunger Games: Mockingjay”) could have written a stronger screenplay for the source material, but for action it’s a thrilling ride.

Overall I was expecting to shed some tears, but found myself feeling like my ten-year-old self watching a Stallone, Chuck Norris, or Schwarzenegger war flick. This was definitely more “Black Hawk Down” and less “American Sniper” if you get my drift. Not a bad way to spend two hours, but not exactly what I was expecting either. 6/10.

Top 10 of 2017

My annual list is complete, and although there were several films worthy of honorable mention, there can only be ten in this list. Why? Because top ten lists are tradition. You don't hear about a top fourteen list, do you? Anyhow, without further ado, here are the top ten films of 2017.

10. The Post

Spielberg, Streep, Hanks. That's enough to make any top ten list any year, but "The Post" is actually a strong film at an incredibly timely first amendment moment in history.






9. The Big Sick

The surprise indy dramedy of the summer, the film was touching and left an emotional mark with a particular touching performance by Ray Romano of all people.







8. The Killing of a Sacred Deer

Probably the least known film on this list, I was captivated by "Killing." Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman take the audience down a rabbit hole where you know something incredibly off-putting is going on, but you don't know exactly what it is until it's too late. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos ("The Lobster"), this is a strange film, but totally worth it.






7. The Darkest Hour

Gary Oldman is mesmerizing unlike any other actor this year. The film by Joe Wright is well-done, but his portrayal of Churchill is legendary.






6. Detroit

One of the forgotten films of the summer, "Detroit" is a tour-de-force by Katherine Bigelow showing race relations in the 1960's. Powerful and gritty, it transports you to an urban war zone in a volatile time.






5. Get Out

Perhaps the most unexpected film of the year (I'm hoping for Best Original Screenplay Oscar), Jordan Peele's blend of comedy, racial discomfort, and a tiny bit of fantasy makes this highly entertaining in the way "Cabin in the Woods" hit me a few years back. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.






4. Ladybird

Simple and tender, "Ladybird" straddles genres through a tremendous ensemble cast (I'm looking at you, Lucas Hedges). A dramedy that is spot-on in its depiction of the daily banality and the coming-of-age changes that shape a family. There's nothing glitzy, just a teen figuring out who she is.





3. Hostiles

One of Christian Bale's best performances, and that's saying something. Scott Cooper nails the Western genre with an emotional arrow through the target, and Rory Cochrane provides one of the best supporting characters of the year. I'm hoping the film scores some awards nominations.






2. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Nobody is surprised that this film has won critical acclaim across the board. Martin McDonagh is irreverent and raw, and this film has it all; Strong characters (it will win acting awards), a feel-good story (you have to see it to understand what I mean), and sharp wit. All-around my prediction to win the most awards this year, and deservedly so.





1. Wind River

Absolutely snubbed with awards nominations thus far, I am baffled. "Wind River" was the best film of 2017 without rival. Jeremy Renner's strongest performance since "The Hurt Locker" and a masterfully written and directed narrative, I certainly hope that the Academy recognizes Taylor Sheridan's talent and gives him his due.

The Post

A newspaper faces legal threats by a ruthless Presidential administration amidst allegations of treasonous criminal corruption and actions tantamount to negligent mass murder. But don’t worry, it’s only a movie. The year is 1971, and the Nixon administration is in the final stages of the Vietnam War, when a series of documents from a Rand Corporation feasibility study dating back to Harry Truman is leaked to the New York Times and subsequently the Washington Post. Its damning evidence implicates knowledge at the highest levels of government for over thirty years that the war was not all it was billed to be.

“The Post” is the First Amendment feel-good film of the year, harkening the 2015 surprise Best Picture winner, “Spotlight.” There’s something eerily nostalgic and relatable about the print newspaper generation, and although there are two megastars in the film, and a very strong supporting cast, you can almost smell the freshly printed paper and feel that gritty smear on your fingers. Ah, to be a newspaper delivery boy again. The real magic of the film lies in the dark underbelly of the Washington Post building where men in short-sleeve shirts with ties and pocket-protectors, or women in tight, uncomfortable polyester skirts frantically scramble to deliver papers to their important destinations. Or perhaps they are furiously hunting and pecking on their Royal typewriter with just their pointer fingers, while puffing away at a cigar.

Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks headline as the owner (Kay Graham) of the publisher and the chief editor (Ben Bradlee) respectively. They deliver strong, peerless performances as usual, but Hanks seemed to coast a bit and Streep lacked the climactic, captivating speech I was hoping to see, instead shrinking into the insecurities of her character. It’s a strong performance by the four-time Oscar winner, but I wasn’t blown away like I have been in the past, and that might be a reflection of the story, not the actress.

Steven Spielberg adds another Best Picture contender and inevitable Oscar nomination to his already distinguished resume. The subtle nuance of women’s rights and progress toward equality was a nice touch, which works well within the context of the setting, and isn’t showcased as much as acknowledged. The suspense and drama of the Constitutional issues are a bit less compelling, however. Knowing historically that the Washington Post is still in circulation, and that the First Amendment has yet to be repealed (but who knows…) the finale is a bit anti-climactic. That doesn’t take away from the overall high quality of the film, and the enjoyment of the experience from start to finish.

Personally, my favorite scenes were those of the paper itself being printed. Men lining up the metal templates just right so that they can stamp the miles-long rolls of paper over and over. The blue-collar everyman toiling in a dark, smoky room so that the daily paper can get delivered on time. It’s really a thing of beauty.

“The Post” isn’t the best film of the year, but it is the best non-fiction biopic of the year. Edging out “Detroit” and “The Darkest Hour” for that honor, it’s a reminder of the important role media plays in our society, and the inherent risk of reporting when those in government commit criminal or unconstitutional acts. Our nation is after all a Democratic Republic, and the media has long been the watchdog of those in power. In today’s Internet age, there can be a yearning for the simpler times when social media didn’t dilute real news, but fortunately, there is still integrity in most print media, and the noble cause of truth and justice is the backbone and lifeblood of our American value system. 8/10.

All the Money in the World

The story of Jean Paul Getty is the stuff of fiction. Widely regarded as the world’s first billionaire earned through Saudi oil, he found his vast fortune in jeopardy in 1973 when his favorite grandson was kidnapped and held for ransom in Italy. His response to the kidnapping was the shocking thing; a blatant and smug refusal to pay showed just how ruthless the man was, and just a glimpse of insight into the motivation of a man who by all accounts was as successful as they come. When asked how much money was enough to satiate his greed, he simply replied, “more.”

The film begins with a subtle narrative about the strained and almost estranged relationship between Getty and his son, John Paul Getty Jr. The younger marries Gail Harris (Michelle Williams) and they move to Italy when the patriarch extends nepotism and generously gives him the job of a lifetime running the European side of one of his oil companies. Completely unqualified, and battling some demons of his own, John Paul Jr. predictably fails and disappears from the picture. Gail finds herself raising her son, John Paul Getty III on her own without the financial support of her father-in-law, but she never asks him for a handout. When the teenager is kidnapped, Gail pleads desperately for help, but is refused by the stingy old man. Enter Fletcher Chase (Mark Wahlberg). An ex-CIA operative who does investigative work for the old man, he is tasked with getting the boy back as cheaply as possible. No easy task for a hostage situation when the ransom seekers know the pockets are deep.

Ridley Scott has been a master film maker for over fifty years now, going back to 1965. He’s crafted some of the most revered science fiction films of all time (“Alien,” “Blade Runner”), but he is also responsible for some of the more exciting action biopics and historical fiction films in recent memory (“Black Hawk Down,” “Gladiator,” “American Gangster”). With his current project, he takes on the 1970’s in a way that hasn’t been done with this much suspense since Ben Affleck directed “Argo.” I know, you all forgot about Ben’s masterpiece, didn’t you? Anyhow, the most remarkable thing about this film is the controversy that has mired its release. Kevin Spacey originally played Getty, but was abruptly replaced with Christopher Plummer in late October, and all of his scenes were reshot when pedophilia charges came to light against Spacey. I would be surprised if he ever worked in Hollywood again.

Christopher Plummer is absolutely tremendous as the senior Getty. Circumstances of casting notwithstanding, he delivers his best performance since 2012’s “Beginners.” The 88-year old has received all of his cinematic critical acclaim since turning 80, which is a rare and commendable feat. If you watch closely, you can see the brilliance of the cut-and-paste editing, particularly in Plummer’s scenes. There are a lot of close ups, which adds pressure to his performance, and considering the nature of his character and the short time to prepare for the role, it is the finest supporting work of the year (sorry Sam Rockwell). Admittedly, I am curious how Spacey did before reshoots.

Michelle Williams is great as usual, but I wasn’t particularly blown away. Is this one of the better performances by an actress this year worthy of awards nomination? Certainly, but she wasn’t the star of the show. Mark Wahlberg may have been the wrong choice for his role, but maybe it fit better before Plummer joined as I suspect the tone and focus of the film may have looked a bit different. I would have liked a stronger dramatic actor with less action appeal; Maybe a Jason Clarke or Joel Edgerton type.

“All the Money in the World” is a suspenseful, well-acted drama that was a pleasant surprise and makes my 2018 Top 10 list for overall quality. This is definitely worth seeing, and I think you might find it more satisfying than you would initially think. 8/10.