PART 2 of 2: What We Learned These MONTHS at the Movies: August & September 2013

We now rejoin the film wrap-up of Summer 2013. Yesterday you got the worst, now here are the best. From here on out, we like these movies. Get ready to gush...

Grade: B

Lesson 12 – What Just Happened? -- We’re The Millers

I can’t believe I’m about to write this but We’re The Millers is actually quite enjoyable. This a very solid film that deserves the success it’s getting. I’m usually not the biggest fan of Jason Sudeikis, but I really enjoyed him. Jennifer Aniston finds a middle ground between the recent garbage films she been doing and her Friends days, and it’s a joy to watch her again. With hilarious moments from Wil Poulter, Emma Roberts, and Nick Offerman, We’re The Millers skirts the line between gross out comedy and a heartfelt family film. Director Rawson Marshall Thurber (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story) proves he’s more than a one-hit wonder and delivers an imperfect but enjoyable film.

Grade: A

Lesson 11 –Know What You’re Talking About – Elysium

The overall theme of this movie “America, your medical system is a giant mess. Fix it.” The problem with Elysium is that it’s more focused on the message than the story. Elysium is overall a great watch because of the performances of the fantastic cast and the visuals created by director Neil Blomkamp. Arguably it falls short of District 9, Blomkamp’s first film. In District 9 Blomkamp was able to mix his message and his story together so well, maybe because he’s a South African who grew up with apartheid (District 9 being an allegory of apartheid with aliens). In this case perhaps Blomkamp bit off more than he could chew, or lacked a more personal take on the American health care system. It’s a good problem for a director to start his career with a really strong film, but it does affect the way we watch their follow-up. It’s a somewhat shallow take on the subject, and overall keeps the film from becoming more than just a good summer blockbuster.

Lesson 10 – A History Lesson - Let Me Explain: Kevin Hart

I wrote earlier this summer about how much I enjoyed watching this. But what I really enjoyed was going to the movies and seeing a comedy special in the same vein as Eddie Murphy’s Raw, Bill Cosby’s Himself, Steve Martin’s Wild and Crazy Guy, or Robin Williams Live on Broadway. Kevin Hart’s Let me Explain really lets us see the man behind the show and really hits home as just good comedy. Soon enough Let Me Explain will be a great Netflix find.

 

Lesson 9 – Always Read the Signs – Prisoners

The most recent film we’ve seen on this list, Prisoners, is a captivating and intense thriller that presents a compelling mystery and character study at the same time. The cast, led by Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, give performances that work on many levels. Specific shout outs go to Paul Dano and Melissa Leo, who are both great in their supporting roles. Although overlong at points, it’s hard to point to any specific element that could be shortened or removed without hurting the complexity of the story. Josh thinks it borrows a bit too much from Fincher’s Zodiac, while Jeff actually prefers this film for its emotional payoff. Prisoners is a puzzle that deserves your attention.

A brief moment on the trailer (and if you’ve not seen the trailer and prefer not to be spoiled SKIP TO THE NEXT LESSON… those still here read on). In the trailer for Prisoners it shows the scene where Jackman kidnaps Dano and tries to force him to confess to the kidnapping of his daughter. It comes out of left field in the trailer and seems kind of spoilery, but in fact it’s not. It’s the foundation of the film, and Jackman’s character. As the marketing half of Nerd 5 noted, it’s a good move to put it out there early so that people knew this film was more than just a Mel Gibson crime thriller.

Lesson 8 – Who Needs Blood and Guts When You Actually Have a Story to Tell - The Conjuring

The Conjuring is a great example of how it doesn’t matter what your movie is about, or who’s in it, or how much money you put into it. It matters that the filmmakers tell a complete story, with real characters who want and real things, and that all of your shots serve these purposes. If you make good film, people will watch it. Case in point: The Conjuring. In fact it was so successful that director James Wan and star Patrick Wilson’s next collaboration Insidious: Chapter 2 is a box office smash in spite of poor reviews. In this critic’s opinion this is due to overt success and high quality of The Conjuring.

Lesson 7 – Some Good Times Aren’t For Everyone - The To Do List

I really enjoyed watching The To Do List. This film is straight out of the Clueless, American Pie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Superbad  class of films – and it fits right in. It’s also set in 1993 which works really well for me. That aside, The To Do List has heart wrapped inside a very raunchy teen comedy shell. I loved this film and it’s one of the most underrated of the year. Aubrey Plaza is great because she shows us something different than her usual dry, sarcastic character. The To Do List is very much a HARD R, full of a ton of sex jokes. If that’s not your style, then this isn’t for you. I would say The To Do List is Clueless meets There’s Something About Mary – and it really works for me.

Lesson 6 –What a Summer Film Should Be - The Way Way Back

The Way Way Back is a film full of hope, joy, heart, sadness, and fun characters. It all comes together in one of the most joyful films of the year. I love a giant summer blockbuster as much as the next person, but do I need one every week from May to September? No. This change-of-pace feel-good summer film was just what the doctor ordered.

Films Receiving an A+

Lesson 5 – Take Advantage of The Spectacular WOW - The Spectacular Now

What’s great about The Spectacular Now is that it’s a teen drama that doesn’t play to clichés, it takes the time to develop every character onscreen. Part of that is the fantastic cast, including Milles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Kyle Chandler. Part of that is a screenplay that allows these actors and characters to breathe and a director that cares about great shot composition. The film never rushes, but doesn’t waste a single moment of screen time. The Spectacular Now is a spectacularly good film.

Lesson 4 – Wolverine Is the Best at What He Does - The Wolverine

The Wolverine is what a good superhero film should be. A character-driven piece with great visuals that wants to further its universe and connect with its audience. Whether it’s a smaller superhero film (a weird sentence to write) like The Wolverine, or a bigger one like Iron Man 3, these are the qualities that make it good. And these are the qualities that The Wolverine has. Why do I call a film that starts with the dropping of the A-bomb on Japan, a crazy-amazing train fight scene, and a CGI adamantium ninja a small superhero film? Because it is. Its soley focused on Logan (Hugh Jackman) and his reactions, thoughts, feelings and beliefs. This film is about rebuilding a human, and Japan serves as a needed rehab for this character and franchise. It’s a great watch that builds excitement for the next X-Men film, X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Lesson 3 – 2013’s Forrest Gump - The Butler

The Butler is a great film. It spans generations, has a point to make, a story to tell, and features stunning performances by Forrest Whitaker, Opera Winfrey, and David Banner. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s well made. The source subject is well-tread, yet this feels original. It’s an family film of epic proportions. The Butler plays as a 2013 version of Forrest Gump, telling the story of America from 1940s-present day by focusing on one man, one family, and their journey through the decades. There is nothing that is going to surprise you about this film, but it’s a great watch. This is an example of keeping it simple and doing it right. Come award season, I would be shocked if The Butler was not well represented, including screenplay, actor (Whitaker), actress (Opera) and picture.

Lesson 2 – Always Smile - The World’s End

If you need a to smile, if you need a good time, if you need a break, and if you want to support an amazing filmmaker, then go watch The World’s End before it leaves theatre. Also, if you want to see the best Martin Freeman performance of 2013 (yup I’m prejudging The Hobbit: The Desolation of my heart, soul and faith in humanity… it’s going to be pretty dull. Just go watch The World’s End).

Lesson 1 – One of the Best -  Fruitvale Station

Fruitvale Station is this year’s Sundance darling, winning the grand prize and the audience award. Totally deserved. Fruitvale is the true story of Bay area resident Oscar Grant and the events that happen to him, his family, and his friends on New Year’s Eve 2008. It is fantastically directed, brilliantly filmed, and Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, and Octavia Spencer give amazing performances. Spencer is almost a lock for best supporting actress this year, but only time will tell on the rest. Why? This film is great, and will easily be one of the best films of the year, BUT it came out in the middle of summer. Will it still get the attention it deserves during awards season? I really, really hope that it will. I hope Fruitvale Station is still on people’s minds because it hits so many emotional chords, and I dare you to come out with dry eyes. Fruitvale Station is one of the GREATS of 2013 and I hope it gets treated as such.