Blog Archives - NUFEC

Gabrielle Ulubay on Black Mass

9/26/2015

Despite what some of its press has claimed, Black Mass is not your average gangster movie. Crime-dramas are normally rife with dynamic soundtracks, romance, and glittering montages of beautiful men swimming in blood money with their beautiful wives—yet Black Mass avoids these stereotypes. The movie incorporates an alarmingly realistic amount of white noise and everyday sounds of the city. Director Scott Cooper and cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi capture an unsettling version of Boston punctuated with views of its local landmarks that remind modern Bostonians how very real and recent the movie’s events were. Cooper doesn’t try to make Whitey’s life look appealing—in fact, he emphasizes what a miserable existence this kind of life is.

As far as Johnny Depp is concerned, I agree that this may be his big comeback role. He’s gotten a lot of bad press in the past few years, accused of doing sub-par films and emulating Keith Richards in every role. Here, he has impeccably captured the character of a troubled, ruthless crime boss.

But I would be remiss to leave out that Joel Edgerton positively shone in this movie as FBI agent and childhood friend of Whitey, John Connolly. Edgerton was so captivating that I looked forward to his every appearance on the screen. The film is mainly about corruption, and Edgerton personifies it. His facial expressions, tone of voice, and outbursts are enough to keep the audience interested despite having so many main characters made to appear unlikeable. Wait around for the end credits, when they show real photos and footage of the Winter Hill gang and Agent Connolly—you’ll see that even Edgerton’s mannerisms and appearance are spot-on.

The film isn’t completely historically accurate (of course), and by necessity leaves out parts of Whitey Bulger’s life that would (a) make him too unlikeable and (b) extend a movie that already lasts two hours, but it’s a valuable and entertaining look at one of the most notorious American criminals of all time.

If you want straight facts, watch a documentary. If you want a crime-drama with a jazzy soundtrack that makes you feel like the mob is the high-life, re-watch Goodfellas. But this film is well worth the time of any movie fan, and might just transform the way we look at gangster movies.

Grade: A-

Arjun Agarwal on Pawn Sacrifice

9/25/2015

Pawn Sacrifice delves into the troubled mind of American chess legend Bobby Fischer (Tobey Maguire) who finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Union and its greatest player, Boris Spassky (Liev Schreiber) for the 1972 World Championship. Bobby is guided by his lawyer Paul Marshall (Michael Stuhlbarg) and former chess grandmaster-turned Catholic priest William Lombardy (Peter Sarsgaard) who recruit him to fulfill their patriotic objectives. Set during the rise of the Cold War, this film demonstrates the burdensome pressure placed upon Bobby to provide a political victory for the United States amidst all this uncertainty as the one man who can put up a fight against the Russians.

This movie reminds me of The Prestige when it comes to the central theme of obsession and asking how far an individual would go to devote oneself to a craft. Bobby is a tormented, anti-semitic player who suffers from a persecution complex which limits him from reaching his untapped potential. It is mentioned early on that after just four moves, there are billions of options to consider and that reality is enough to fathom the level of dedication required to master this game and the impact it can have on Bobby’s state of mind. It doesn’t help that he has to deal with intensified media scrutiny as he travels around the globe to challenge the top players. Peter Sarsgaard and Michael Stuhlbarg make up the supporting cast and both play a crucial role as the united voice of reason against the seething madness building within Bobby. No matter how many of Bobby’s absurd demands are met, it’s never enough. They range from understandable concerns like keeping his distance from the audience to outrageous requests like having his food prepared before him on a private plane to ensure he is not poisoned by his enemies. And it doesn’t stop there. Bobby accuses his friends of conspiring against him when they challenge his ideology and try to control him. He lashes out at every turn and seems unwilling to actually play a game of chess. Bobby simply hangs onto the notion that he is the best chess player in the world and does his best to avoid playing his scheduled matches against Boris.

There is a lot of dry humor that comes from unexpected places. Despite the tremendous focus on Bobby, we do see how his rival Boris reacts to similar scenarios. It becomes quite clear that he is also out of his mind but is accepting of the fact and doesn’t get bogged down by the same oddities that influence Bobby. However he is equally unstable and there comes a point where the level of paranoia is just downright hysterical as is witnessed in a particular scene that involves a chair. Boris understands Bobby’s reluctance to play him and agrees to his demands in order to finally corner him and end Bobby’s tendency to put off facing him.

Unfortunately, Pawn Sacrifice raises questions that are simply left unanswered and glosses over a lot of what transpires in this film. A few scenes feel like they exist for the sake of addressing the obvious and this harms the already slow momentum that the movie has going for itself. Furthermore, it isn’t quite clear how seriously Bobby’s insecurities are to be taken. His character swings from a troubled young man to an overbearing lunatic back to someone who we’re supposed to feel sorry for. I don’t feel that this is effectively done because Bobby doesn’t do anything in the third act of the film to garner forgiveness but rather is forced to cooperate with others for the movie to reach its resolution. I have also heard that there are some minor inaccuracies with the film but unless you’re a keen chess fan it is likely to pass over general audiences and shouldn’t detract from the experience.

I would recommend Pawn Sacrifice as it is likely to be a divisive film that hinges upon your changing level of sympathy towards Bobby as he violently reacts to the world around him. This film has some fascinating subject matter yet it isn’t fully explored and left me wanting more. While it is admittedly slow paced and quite reliant on exposition, this movie will show you a man who is on the edge and struggling to navigate a world that he views as fraught with danger and conspiracy at every turn.

Grade: B

Anu Gulati on The Intern

9/25/2015

In a recent interview with UK Glamour magazine, Anne Hathaway mentions how she’s already losing roles to younger actresses. Her remark is both expected and surprising; ageism in Hollywood is a known trend, but Hathaway is only 32 and has stirred audiences with her roles in Les Miserables, Interstellar, and The Princess Diaries to name a few. Her role in The Intern doesn’t surprise me; a 21st century businesswoman and mother trying to run a startup and deal with her weak marriage who realizes she can’t do everything on her own and finds friendship in a 70 year-old man (played by an older generation’s favorite, Robert De Niro). It’s a mature role in a film that’s marketed to older audiences, part of a progression that actresses her age, like Maggie Gyllenhaal and Kate Winslet, lamentably fall into. She does a great job in The Intern and has unforeseen chemistry with the incredible Mr. De Niro, but nothing else pushes the film past being ordinary and forgettable.

Director Nancy Meyers is known for making hackneyed, charismatic movies where the first hour involves the budding of an unlikely relationship and the second hour is one teary-eyed revelation after another. I don’t know if I’m the first to say this, but two hours of formulaic, saccharine storytelling is exhausting and it wasn’t just because I had to pee that made me so impatient for The Intern to end. De Niro plays Ben Whittaker, a bored, retired 70-year old who wants to get excited for life again and signs up to work as the intern for Jules Ostin (Hathaway), Brooklyn’s latest female CEO with more on her plate than she can comprehend. She’s at first disgusted with the idea of having another parent-like figure follow her around and tell her what to do, but the two find admiration and comfort in each other for their respective life accomplishments. Meyers does better here than her previous films like Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated by letting her characters fully develop and it feels sensical that the two would find solace in each other. De Niro is fantastic as always; the movie even begins with a monologue by him as he immediately settles into his character.

Absolutely nothing happens in the story of this movie, but I guess that’s expected too. The issues and insecurities that arise from the beginning and throughout are resolved with tears and acceptance. The premise was somewhat sexist but interesting and modern, and it’s a shame that it got shrunken down to nothingness. The music choice is also contemporary, with songs like Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” or Kendrick Lamar’s “i” playing in the background of De Niro’s swagger and it aids the humor of the movie. The script has some good jokes but most of them fall flat as the film drudges on. A feel-good comedy movie like this could have been done in the usual ~90 minutes, but Meyers has her way with this one.

The poster for The Intern reads “Experience Never Gets Old,” a statement that holds true for veteran actor De Niro and famed Hathaway. However, their Hollywood careers do stray into “old” with The Intern’s trite storytelling and predicted feeble audience. Hopefully Hathaway can still manage to age gracefully like Meryl Streep or Julianne Moore… or maybe she’ll need to intern under De Niro to find out how.

Grade: D

Arjun Agarwal on Everest

9/18/2015

Despite the many factors that hold this film back from being perfect, Everest is a memorable experience and provides some jarring images I still can’t quite shake off. Everest is based on the real events of the 1996 Mount Everest disaster, and focuses on the survival attempts of two expedition groups, one led by Scott Fischer (Jake Gyllenhaal) and the other by Rob Hall (Jason Clarke). With little warning, a violent storm strikes the mountain, engulfing the adventurers in one of the fiercest blizzards ever encountered by man. Challenged by the harshest conditions imaginable, the teams must endure blistering winds and freezing temperatures in an epic battle to survive against nearly impossible odds.

Everest features an ensemble cast including Josh Brolin, Jason Clarke, Michael Kelly, John Hawkes, Sam Worthington, Robin Wright, Keira Knightley and Jake Gyllenhaal. This is one of the most amazing cast lineups that you’ll see in a movie this year and they all deliver superb performances. And yet, the real star of this film is the cinematographer Salvatore Totino. I saw this in IMAX and I highly recommend you do so as well if you plan on seeing Everest. With great visual effects and long tracking shots, you are going to want to see this on the biggest screen possible. It was great watching the movie with a packed audience because the deafening silence that filled the room when certain characters died added to the experience. Jason Clarke is the clear MVP here as his character easily undergoes some of the more harrowing sequences in the movie and has the most to overcome.

The first half of the movie does an appropriate job of setting up what’s to come but is frustratingly slow to sit through. A patient wait guarantees some incredible action but most people will be understandably bothered by the time it takes to reach that turning point. The motivations of certain climbers are confusing as they seem to just be along for the ride rather than have their own personal reasons for joining this arduous trek up the mountain. There isn’t very much I can say without getting into spoilers but I feel as though a little more clarification would have made several characters relatable.

Watching Everest is very much akin to what the characters experienced on the climb up. Excruciating difficult to get going but once beyond a certain point, it is ultimately well worth the ride. I suspect that if you’ve ever experienced loss in your life, this film will emotionally resonate with you and definitely hit home.

Grade: B-

Anu Gulati on The Second Mother (Que Horas Ela Volta?)

9/18/2015

Spaciously and minimally shot, The Second Mother (Que Horas Ela Volta?) is an exceptional take on the social and economic culture of Brazil. Val (Regina Case) is a housemaid who happily serves a family with tons of inherited wealth in Sao Paolo until her Generation Z daughter, Jessica, visits and disrupts the conservative views of the household. Director and screenwriter Anna Muylaert (Xingu, Desmundo) expertly depicts the economic divide of Brazil through symbolic swimming pools and mother-daughter banter that attempts to expose the intricate class barriers, but her characters never fully develop which makes their actions feel less progressive and more soap-opera-like.

The economic inequality in Brazil is astonishing. Despite the colorful beaches and beautiful futbol players and models, Brazil's slums are similar to those found in India and South Africa. Fifty percent of the country's land is owned by four percent of the population and the rural population has been pushed into urban favelas rife with violence and little to no government service. Val's daughter has been raised in the Northern part of Brazil, known for their subsistence farming that is often negatively affected by droughts. The family Val works for resides in Sao Paolo, part of Southern Brazil, where the economy is greater than the whole of Argentina and the people live in prosperity. Jessica is irritated to see such a haughty, wealthy family treat her mother "like a second class citizen," a divide that the older generation has given up on overcoming.

Jessica is in Sao Paolo to take her entrance exams to the most prestigious architecture school in the country and represents the upward mobility that many wish to accomplish. She does what she wants to do while her mother is tied down by the expectations of her career and the household she's worked at for years. Val reprimands her snooty attitude by reminding her that the family offers her things because they expect her to say no, that she was born in a certain class and must act that way. Her old-school views are quickly retorted by Jessica's "I don't think I'm better than them, but I don't think I'm worse," a line that resonates with all the country's people who struggle every day to even out the class division with no government attention. Jessica and Val have dialogue that speaks for a nation, but their characters along with the supporting roles are flimsy. Jessica's surprise to her mother and the wealthy family's mother who constantly tries to banish Jessica's liberal attitude are treated so melodramatically. The father even tries to propose to Jessica in secret with little justification and it just seems like it's part of a telenovela.

However, the cinematography waaaay surpasses that of a telenovela. It's very minimal, often just showing Val's important presence through cramped hallways, and there is no music at all until the very end. It's very Sundance in this way, but it's social message delivery is not harmed by it. The Second Mother is an interesting and worthwhile view of a country whose broken economy and social system hides quietly beneath the World Cup and Olympics frenzy.

Grade: B

Anu Gulati on Sleeping With Other People

9/18/2015

Described as "When Harry Met Sally for assholes" by director Leslye Headland, Sleeping With Other People is an endearing revival of the rom-com. With smart dialogue that references Georgia O'Keefe and a surprising chemistry between SNL's Jason Sudeikis and Community's Alison Brie, it entertains in unique ways despite following a formulaic genre. The premise doesn't feel as loopy as this year's Trainwreck and there's honesty here about what it's like to love in the 21st century that most recent rom-com's don't get quite right, which kinda makes up for the movie's drawn-out third act of cliches and melodrama.

Jake (Sudeikis) and Lainey (Brie) lost their virginity to each other in a chance encounter in college and then lost contact. After more than a decade, they see each other again at a sex-addicts meeting, each with a different reason for being there. Lainey can't stop returning to the same average sex with a man she shouldn't be seeing because of how raunchy it is to fuck on an office desk, and Brie delivers her with the perfect amount of tragedy and sexiness. Jake doesn't know how to break up with women, so he just fucks their sister or best friend, and somehow Sudeikis performs just enough here despite his over-the-top-ness. They play the best friends who eventually fall into the "men and women can't just be friends!" trope, but watching their friendship is still really delightful. Watching them eat Ben n Jerry's pints together, frequent the same dingy Chinese restaurant, and take ecstasy at a child's birthday party feels intimate and truly modern when it comes to social media's #RelationshipGoals these days.

And where Sleeping With Other People really excels is how strong it is in both the "romance" and "comedy" subgenres. It's not afraid to be raunchy and takes it's time in sex scenes, even allowing us a peek at the gorgeous Brie in lingerie. There's a full scene where Jake teaches Lainey how to masturbate that emphasizes how confident the movie is at mixing sexy with humor. The comedy relies on writing that is barely cheesy and moreso intelligent, which is refreshing. There's clever references to The Graduate and the main characters are Columbia graduates who aren't afraid to let their conversations dissolve into philosophical banter. Where most of the movie has fun adeptly twisting genre expectations, the end of the movie drags out into an inevitable "happily ever after" ending. The tone gets thrown off and the conversations start to feel menial, but supporting characters like Xander (The League's Jason Mantzoukas) and Paula (The Whole Nine Yards's Amanda Peet) keep the movie afloat with their sarcastic tales of being married.

Aside from fulfilling my dreams of having Alison Brie and Katherine Waterston in one movie, Sleeping With Other People is an assured and adorable watch. The recognizable fear of honesty paired with the charismatic duo of Brie and Sudeikis is similar to the winning combination that makes up FX's You're the Worst. With romance in media these days, it's not about a couple in love but the unease leading up to the relationship. Sleeping With Other People nails that, and though it succumbs to a genre cliche ending, it's gratifying to see two flawed humans in perfect harmony.

Grade: B

Kunal Asarsa on The Visit

9/9/2015

So I’ve been MIA for some time (I really hope someone noticed it!) and I’ve got the perfect comeback vehicle … The Visit. Well, not really; it’s a M. Night Shyamalan movie. The guy we love to hate! I’ve always wondered, how can the guy who gave us The Sixth Sense and Signs (love them) also make movies like The Last Airbender and After Earth (definitely not love them).

Well, while I continue to ponder over movies made by Mr. Shyamalan, let's take a look at his latest, The Visit.

The Visit is a story about two siblings spending a week at their grandparents', whom they've never met before. Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) manage to convince their divorced mom, who hasn't been in touch with her parents, to let them see their nana and pop-pop for a week while she goes on a cruise with her boyfriend. Becca decides to film everything on their short trip and turn it into a documentary for her mom. After arriving at the remote house where their mom grew up, the kids start spending time with their grandparents, who for some reason (“They’re old!”) keep getting weird. Now it is upto the children to survive the week before things get deadly.

So, if you have seen the trailer or read the short synopsis I wrote here, you’d be wondering why would the grandparents have this crazy streak? Possession? Aliens? (Well that was just me). But the truth is … revealing that would be a spoiler. Infact it is pretty much what keeps the movie going. The Visit is more of a thriller than horror. And take my word, you’ll only enjoy the movie if you don't hear about it. Talking about genre, this is definitely a comedy (verified from IMDB). Even though the trailers shout horror, Shyamalan definitely had something else in mind as the writer. Going back to his roots, we can see Shyamalan come back to his favorite genre: horror. But the comedic tone is impossible to miss, courtesy Tyler, who is an 8 year-old misogynistic rapper. It is amazing to see Ed Oxenbould recite these raps and make you laugh. But then there are scenes which should scare you, but instead you hear this guy sitting behind you laughing (not his fault). I see two reasons for this film being hated. A- Shyamalan’s signature style of a unthinkable twist at the end (e.g. The Village, The Happening); the audience likes a surprise but hates being taken for fools. B- Him painstakingly trying to justify all things in this movie that seem crazy or impossible. A combination of this is definitely going to lead to people calling it his worst movie ever.

But wait! The verdict hasn’t been delivered. Yes yes, I’ve been taking this movie down into the dust for the last three paragraphs, yet it seems unjust to call it a lost cause. There might be just a single ray of hope for the movie. To start with, its different. It’s not your regular ghost in the attic drama. Shyamalan manages to put together a decent back story where he covers different relationships and family issues. The horror, though missing for the most part, does consist of a few scenes that will give you a slight scare. Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie deliver decent performances as nana and pop-pop. And then there’s the saving grace- Kathryn Hahn as the mom. It’s a sight for sore eyes to see her on screen. The name might not be very familiar, but let me assure you, you have seen her on screen recently (Tomorrowland, Secret Life of Walter Mitty, We’re the Millers, Parks and Recreation). And even though my own first reaction to the movie might have been something on the lines of WTF, I now believe that the concept of the movie and the twist are not that bad. Infact, maybe in a different time/situation the concept would have turned into a great final product.

All of that said, should you watch the movie? I’d reply “don’t you have anything else to do?”.

On a more serious note, for the lack of choice and if you are a merciful movie-judge, do give it a chance and maybe you’ll not regret 90 minutes you spend in the theatre or end up liking it if you are a fan of Shyamalan’s recent work.

Grade: C

Marguerite Darcy on A Walk in the Woods

9/2/2015

A Walk in the Woods is directed by Ken Kwapis and is a comedy adventure about the journey of Bill Bryson (Robert Redford!) through the Appalachian Mountains Trail. Bill is a writer, and had a good and adventurous life. He lived in India for 10 years, and traveled Europe a lot, especially England where he met his wife and stayed for another 20 years. However now, Bill lives a quiet retired life in the US, in New Hampshire, where he enjoys the occasional company of his grandkids and kids with his wife Cathy (Emma Thompson).

One day, Bill suddenly decides to turn his life around and takes on the challenge of hiking the Appalachian Mountains. The only companion he can find to make the journey with him is an old friend, long lost, Katz (Nick Nolte) which by the way still owes him $600 from their European escapades. Katz is anything but in shape for this journey, and the two quickly realize their differences. While Bill spent his life reading and is full of knowledge about his surroundings (the formation of rocks, the disparition of the American chestnut, and other vital facts), Kats is more of a TV kind of guy, and couldn’t care less about the different types of rocks along the trail.

Their first encounter sets the tone of the adventure: an oddball woman in her 30s that hikes by herself, because “everyone else is boring or annoying or both,” and that has an irritating habit of singing the famous Daft Punk song “Get Lucky” day and night. That gives Bill and Katz a first bonding experience: they have to figure out a way to run away from her.

The journey also brings relationship challenges, as Bill finds himself somewhat attracted to a motel manager that is roughly his age along the way. Katz on his side seems to be flirting with every overweight woman he meets, whether it is at the restaurant about pancakes or at the laundromat when a woman asks him for help with her panty that got stuck in the drum.

At some point, Bill and Katz fall from the trail and find themselves stuck and they die and it’s the end of the movie. I’m kidding. They do get stuck though, and that allows both of them to realize and talk through the meaning they attribute to this journey, as well as their fears and expectations of what the future holds. They fall asleep to a breathtaking sky full of stars and they die. Kidding again.

To sum things up, A Walk in the Woods is full of beautiful shots of the Appalachian Mountains and awkward situations. The movie explores your relationship to your spouse and kids and grandkids, old friends, and new acquaintances, as well as your views on life, when you’re passed a certain age. It’s meant to be funny, and honestly I found myself laughing out loud with the audience a couple of times; but overall I think I wasn’t the target audience of this movie, and I therefore enjoyed it much less than if I had been 40 years older.

Grade: B-