The Great Gastby
Directed By Baz Luhrman
Starring Tobey Maguire as Nick Caraway, Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan, and
Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby
It's not easy adapting a book into a feature film. The source material can only offer so much story, so sometimes you need to stretch it to get to that 120 page script, and sometimes that will backfire on you (Looking at you The Lorax, The Cat In The Hat,...probably Twilight).
"The Great Gatsby" by F.Scott Fitzgerald is only 130 pages. It's a simple story that is well known and loved by many readers. I doubt this film is going to reach that same level of praise.
During the 1920s, Nick Carraway (Maguire) moves to West Egg on Long Island, where he becomes neighbors with the famous, mysterious, and fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio). After receiving a personal invitation to one of Gatsby's parties, Nick learns Gatsby and his cousin Daisy (Mulligan) were once lovers, but the Great War separated them. Gatsby asks Nick to arrange to have Daisy over for tea, where they reunite. This little afternoon of tea leads to scandal, drama, and secrets being revealed.
That's all there is to the story. It's quite simple. But Baz Luhrman, in his typical directing fashion, attempts to suggest there's more, by tossing dozens of flashy visuals at the audience. Style overtakes substance and it shows here. The original Fitzgerald story isn't represented as properly as it should. The opening and closing narration of Nick (Twisted here by the filmmakers) feels like nothing more than a gimmick to try and get the audience go "Ohhhhh!' at the end of the film. (Avoiding spoilers here).
Gatsby's parties are made to look like college night clubs. The way 1920s New York looks, it's as if we're watching a movie based on a Frank Miller graphic novel. And the portrayal of the green light at the end of the Buchanan's dock, dare I say, is reduced to something of a Green Lantern cameo.
Do these visuals work? No not really. Are they nice to look at? Sure. I didn't see the film in 3-D, and I'm glad I didn't, because from what I could tell it was just a cheap gimmick.
I'd say the soundtrack is nice, if it wasn't the soundtrack for a movie based on "The Great Gastby". One minute you hear roaring twenties music, the next a rap song by Jay-Z and Will.I.Am. Jay-Z and Will.I.Am have no place in "The Great Gatsby" Yes the songs are catchy, but why are they here?
I will say this though, the acting in the movie is strong. Tobey Maguire is good as the fish-out-of-water Nick Caraway. Leo does a fine job as Gatsby, but by the thousandth time he says "old sport", he starts to come off as robotic. Carey Mulligan works well as Daisy. Joel Edgerton really stands out as Tom Buchanan, and relative newcomer as Elizabeth Debicki gives a solid performance as Jordan Baker. The cast is good, but sadly not good enough to save the movie.
The best way to describe The Great Gatsby, is Baz Luhrman trying to Moulin Rogue a classic F. Scott Fitzgerald story. It doesn't work. I didn't completely hate it, but I didn't throughly enjoy it. It's not something I'd watch multiple times. Save this one for a Redbox night, and read the book instead. The book is much better.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Film Review- "Iron Man 3"
Iron Man 3
Directed By Shane Black
Starring Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark, Gwyneth Playtrow as Pepper Potts, Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian, and Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin
Tony Stark returns in one of the stronger films in the Iron Man franchise, and possibly one of the best films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After his run in with Gods and aliens in The Avengers, Tony Stark (Downey) is facing some anxiety issues. He can't sleep and he's spending way too much time in his workshop. Meanwhile, an old business associate of Pepper's, Aldrich Killian (Pearce), returns with a new technology called Extremis, and a terrorist named The Mandarin (Kingsley) emerges.
When Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) is injured in one of The Mandarin's attacks, Tony calls for vengeance, and a fierce conflict ensues. This puts Tony in a real tough position, forced to rely on his smarts alone to take down these villains and protect everything he loves.
The film is like a Marvel version of The Dark Knight Rises, as it leaves our hero isolated and battling his way out of the toughest challenge yet. It's a solid story that answers the question "Does the suit make the man, or does the man make the suit?" The action scenes are superb, from the terrorist attack at Tony's Malibu home, to the climax aboard an oil rig (Which is a fight scene that rivals the last fifteen minutes of The Avengers). But as well-written and action-heavy as the film is, it's really quite funny with a lot of laugh-out-loud moments.
Robert Downey Jr is again fantastic as Tony Stark. Gwyneth Playtrow is given more to do this time around. This is probably her best performance as Pepper in all the Marvel films. The returning supporting cast, Don Cheadle as Rhodey, Jon Favreau as Happy, and Paul Bettany as the voice of JARVIS (Who may just steal the show here), are all bringing their usual with A-Game.
In terms of the new cast members, Rebecca Hall is...average. She does a good job with what she's given, but she isn't given much. Guy Pearce gives a fine performance as Aldrich Killian, but nothing that really makes him memorable. Ben Kingsley is just fantastic as the film's Mandarin.
I'm writing this well after spoilers have hit the Internet, and everyone seems to either love or hate what they did with The Mandarin. I personally, was a little upset with how it was done, but I understand why it was done. When it comes to the Marvel films, the Iron Man films are the most grounded in reality, and what they did with The Mandarin character fits that mold. It's still a solid performance by Kingsley.
The ending will raise a lot of questions. Not to spoil, but I'm curious as to how much of the uncertainty in the renewal of Downey's Marvel contract factored into it, and I hope that what is done in The Avengers 2 doesn't just hit the "undo button" on the ending of this film.
In the end, Iron Man 3 is another solid film out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is absolutely worth seeing in theaters, maybe multiple times in theaters (I saw it twice).
Directed By Shane Black
Starring Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark, Gwyneth Playtrow as Pepper Potts, Guy Pearce as Aldrich Killian, and Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin
Tony Stark returns in one of the stronger films in the Iron Man franchise, and possibly one of the best films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After his run in with Gods and aliens in The Avengers, Tony Stark (Downey) is facing some anxiety issues. He can't sleep and he's spending way too much time in his workshop. Meanwhile, an old business associate of Pepper's, Aldrich Killian (Pearce), returns with a new technology called Extremis, and a terrorist named The Mandarin (Kingsley) emerges.
When Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) is injured in one of The Mandarin's attacks, Tony calls for vengeance, and a fierce conflict ensues. This puts Tony in a real tough position, forced to rely on his smarts alone to take down these villains and protect everything he loves.
The film is like a Marvel version of The Dark Knight Rises, as it leaves our hero isolated and battling his way out of the toughest challenge yet. It's a solid story that answers the question "Does the suit make the man, or does the man make the suit?" The action scenes are superb, from the terrorist attack at Tony's Malibu home, to the climax aboard an oil rig (Which is a fight scene that rivals the last fifteen minutes of The Avengers). But as well-written and action-heavy as the film is, it's really quite funny with a lot of laugh-out-loud moments.
Robert Downey Jr is again fantastic as Tony Stark. Gwyneth Playtrow is given more to do this time around. This is probably her best performance as Pepper in all the Marvel films. The returning supporting cast, Don Cheadle as Rhodey, Jon Favreau as Happy, and Paul Bettany as the voice of JARVIS (Who may just steal the show here), are all bringing their usual with A-Game.
In terms of the new cast members, Rebecca Hall is...average. She does a good job with what she's given, but she isn't given much. Guy Pearce gives a fine performance as Aldrich Killian, but nothing that really makes him memorable. Ben Kingsley is just fantastic as the film's Mandarin.
I'm writing this well after spoilers have hit the Internet, and everyone seems to either love or hate what they did with The Mandarin. I personally, was a little upset with how it was done, but I understand why it was done. When it comes to the Marvel films, the Iron Man films are the most grounded in reality, and what they did with The Mandarin character fits that mold. It's still a solid performance by Kingsley.
The ending will raise a lot of questions. Not to spoil, but I'm curious as to how much of the uncertainty in the renewal of Downey's Marvel contract factored into it, and I hope that what is done in The Avengers 2 doesn't just hit the "undo button" on the ending of this film.
In the end, Iron Man 3 is another solid film out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is absolutely worth seeing in theaters, maybe multiple times in theaters (I saw it twice).
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