Thursday, November 24, 2011

Hugo

*****
Dir. Martin Scorsese

Scorsese's latest film is nothing short of a masterpiece, marking itself as one of the most cinematic experiences of the 21st Century. While the legendary director is known for his classic gangster pictures like Goodfellas and Casino, this family-oriented movie is arguably his best work.

Based on Brian Selznick's book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the story is about a young orphan living in a train station in 1930s Paris. Having escaped the clutches of his drunken uncle, Hugo (Asa Butterfield) finds himself entangled in a mystery involving his late father's machine. Upon getting into trouble with a cranky toy shop owner in the station named Georges (Ben Kingsley), the fates of these two become intertwined; as the machine which Hugo yearns to fix has a history which the young lad would never imagine.

The screenplay by John Logan (Gladiator, The Aviator) provides the basis for Scorsese's vision. This adventurous tale explores the early days of filmmaking, as this subject is at the heart of the mystery which Hugo and Georges' goddaughter Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz) seek to unravel. The amount of depth given to both the story and characters is remarkable. Few family films have such rich dialogue that increase the picture's quality by a long shot.

Both the newly introduced child actors and the legends teamed up to make a superb cast. Butterfield and Moretz gave performances which made them more than worthy to stand next to Kingsley and Christopher Lee in this film. I've never seen a pair of twelve year olds demonstrate such a deep and provocative level of characterization. Watching Kingsley develop from a washed up old man to rediscovering his passion is a great experience, and he'll no doubt be up for an Oscar. Lee masters the role of the elderly librarian, and Helen McCrory is equally captivating as Georges' faithful wife. Then there's Sacha Baron Cohen as the stiff Station Inspector, providing the perfect amount of humor to this entrancing tale.

Scorsese's vision allows for one of the best depictions of early twentieth century European society. Audiences don't even need to see it in 3-D to appreciate the artistic quality of the picture. Between the layers of the train station and the shots of Paris, Scorsese demonstrates genuine cinematic brilliance in this film. From the moment viewers first lay eyes on this visually spectacular setting to the spellbinding conclusion, the picture immerses audiences in this fantastical world which reflects the aesthetic principles of cinema.

It's a shame there aren't more movies today like this. I really can't find a single criticism because it's such a compelling picture which will awaken the deepest layers of the viewer's imagination.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain": Path of the Antagonist



     One of the most intriguing aspects of a film is the antagonist. Viewers are captivated by a good villain; one that is both unique and sinister. But how do the bad guys that we all know and love become who they are? How does a war-hero like Michael Corleone turn into the spitting image of his Crime Lord father? How does a boy slave like Anakin Skywalker grow up into the most tyrannical being in the galaxy? Does power alone corrupt the individual who possesses it? When observing the nature of these iconic evildoers, there are two important factors to consider: a trauma that occurred in their lifetime, and a mentality they develop to formulate an ideal civilization.  
When looking at the origin of a villain, it's crucial to look at an event in this character's life that left him or her scarred. Most of the time, this event is the death of a loved one. In The Dark Knight, Two-Face suffers the death of the woman he loves at the hands of a homicidal maniac. In Star Wars, Anakin watches his mother die after being in captivity for a month. The J.J. Abrams Star Trek features Nero justify his war with the Federation and the destruction of Vulcan after having watched Romulus explode. However, this external force does not always produce villains, for heroes are faced with the same traumas. Batman, Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, and countless other protagonists have family members that were killed without mercy. Hence, the correlation between emotional suffering and heroes and villains, means that there is a choice every individual under these circumstances must make. This one decision will come to define them. The villain pursues vengeance, while the hero seeks justice. Furthermore, the circumstances surrounding the time and place of the character's trauma play a part in the path he or she takes. One of the key aspects of Batman's origin is that the young Bruce Wayne is coming out of a Zorro film when his parents are murdered. The heroic swashbuckler figure serves as an inspiration to Bruce to fight evildoers and protect the innocent. Had he gone to see something like Dirty Harry instead, using a gun to fight criminals might've been more appealing to the Dark Knight. Prior to Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader, he has a graphic and terrifying vision of his wife's death. Having had dreams that have come true before, he intends to stop at nothing to keep this one from becoming reality. Being rash, hot-headed and determined, he is easily seduced by his seemingly harmless friend Palpatine. In the textbook I use for AP Psychology, author David G. Myers states in chapter 15, "Behavior emerges from the interplay of external and internal influences" (Myers, 624). Myers couldn't have put it better. Countless examples in cinema and literature illustrate this concept. In the graphic novel Batman:The Killing Joke, a Joker origin story which Tim Burton and Christopher Nolan used as a major source of inspiration for their films, Jack Napier is a failed comedian desperately trying to provide for his family. Coming from a rough childhood, his economic and social status are extremely low. With nowhere else to turn, he agrees to do a job for the local mafia in order to put food on the table, taking on the persona of the Red Hood. But when Batman shows up at the scene, one thing leads to the next and Napier falls into a vat of acid, where he is transformed from the inside and out into the legendary maniac. Yet it is the psychological aspects of this character that unleash the smiling menace. Therefore, a traumatic event that a character experiences, combined with the internal and external influences surrounding it, is an essential factor in the development of an antagonist. 
  The best villains are the ones that think they're the heroes. They conceive philosophies and ideas that they see will benefit the world they are in. Some of the most thought provoking lines in The Dark Knight are when Joker and Two-Face voice their mentalities. Joker believes in anarchy, "I'm not a schemer. I try to show the schemers how pathetic their attempts to control things really are"; while Two-Face bases his principles on fairness, "The world is cruel. And the only morality in a  cruel world is chance. Unbiased, unprejudiced, fair". A fundamental aspect of a villain is his or her determination. The antagonist seeks to create what is in his or her mind, an ideal, utopian society, and will remove anyone that stands in the way. Lord Voldemort strives to unify wizards and witches of "pure blood", and rid the world of all he sees as unfit. Despite the evil and treacherous acts of violence he commits, he sees them as necessary. And again, internal and external influences play a crucial role in the formation of the villain's mentality. After years of ceaseless fighting in the Clone Wars, young Skywalker sees the Empire as an intriguing and logical idea. With the lack of trust he receives from the Jedi Council, and his desperation to save Padme, Palpatine becomes more and more convincing. After losing his family to a murderer who goes unpunished, Ra's al Ghul strives for a better world, and abandons the laws of society. Seeing the corruption within the bureaucratic system, he devises his own form of government. But unlike his opponent Batman, he believes human lives are necessary losses in order to return civilization to the Garden of Eden. As the villain's mentality develops, it consumes the individual's character, to the point where no external force can dissuade him or her from pursuing that course. In The Godfather, the final scene before the Don's death features a classic father and son conversation. As Vito Corleone reflects on his life and the state of his empire, he says to his son Michael, "I never wanted this for you". But do these words challenge the new head of the Corleone family to turn from his murderous ways? No. The once admirable, noble war-hero oversees the brutal murders of his enemies while watching his Godson's baptism, and taking an oath on Holy Bible. Once the mind of the villain takes it's form and corrupts the individual, it becomes nearly impossible for the character to turn from the path of evil. Yet there are instances nonetheless. Darth Vader's redemption at the conclusion of Return of the Jedi illustrates a very Christian view of the nature of good and evil. While few antagonists overcome the demon within them, the ones that do are the most interesting. To see a character fall, and over time return to the light is incredibly powerful. But for such a transformation to take place, the antagonist's overarching mentality must be challenged. Hence, the villain must possess a mentality that he or she believes will change the world for the better. 
From Don Vito Corleone to Darth Vader to Joker, villains are some of the most influential characters in film and literature. Beyond a classic evil laugh or punchline, a bad guy has the power to challenge one's perception of society. Two fundamental aspects of the antagonist are: a traumatic experience that takes place at some point in his or her lifetime, and a mentality the character develops to formulate an ideal society. It is these elements that make monsters out of everyday people.                   

Sunday, November 13, 2011

J. Edgar

****
Dir. Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood's latest film is a stirring and controversial depiction of former F.B.I. director John Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio), and one of the better dramas of the year.

Chronicling everything from the beginning of Hoover's career to his final days, the film focuses particularly on the relationship between him and his partner Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer). Regardless of whether or not they had a romance, history proves that Hoover had a very mysterious personal life, and Eastwood makes use of this in order to drive the story. For me, the most compelling aspect of Dustin Lance Black's script were the scenes between Hoover and his over-bearing mother Annie (Judi Dench). She says at one point, "I would rather have a dead son than a daffodil for a son". Moments like these illustrate the risqué portrayal of these historical figures.

A major highlight of the film was the manner in which the make-up designers aged DiCaprio, which was worthy of comparison to that of Orson Welles in Citizen Kane. Furthermore, the Hollywood icon's performance was his best yet. I was never crazy about the actor, but he demonstrated genuine artistic work in this picture. His best works are this, The Departed, Blood Diamond, and Inception. The supporting cast was equally effective. Hammer gave Clyde's character a good amount of depth, enhanced by the manner in which he and DiCaprio worked together. Then Dench is virtually flawless, mastering the cold-hearted persona of Annie Hoover in a provocative way.

It's clear that Eastwood didn't think highly of this man, but the film focuses more on the public image of him rather than his personal views. This enhances the dramatic components, and makes it much more interesting. There's as much emphasis on Hoover's political career as there is on his personal life. It's this that provides the story with depth, and opens room for interpretation. Like Eastwood's other films, there's artistic production value; and everything from costumes and sets to lighting and cinematography are superb.

There are few other films bold enough to portray a historical figure that's considered both a hero and tyrant, and capture the significance of his life so effectively. This is one of the year's best.