Score: *** out of ***** (C+)
Long Story Short: One of the most critically-praised films of the year is starting to find its way into non-urban America. Cult-favorite director Wes Anderson's latest, The Grand Budapest Hotel, is a sort of thriller with the usual stylistic flair of its filmmaker. Fiennes is great as the main character, with many Anderson regulars flanking him. However, Anderson's style is simply a poor fit for the story here, overwhelming any of the individually positive elements.
I had given up on my local rural theater ever getting this indie film, but, over a month after its U.S. debut, it arrived! I'm glad to have some contrasts in the genres of the films I see, with Captain America the week before and probably Noah to come after. In other news, the NBA Playoffs start this weekend; while I didn't follow the league closely enough to come up with a preview, I'll definitely do a post at the end and perhaps one or two along the way. As for Grand Budapest Hotel, I was intrigued since I enjoyed 2012's Moonrise Kingdom by the same director. With phenomenal reviews, I just hoped that it would come to my area which it eventually did. The Grand Budapest Hotel was directed by Wes Anderson and stars Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Edward Norton, et. al.
After a series of clips through time - linking this story to the present and several other years - we are brought to the Grand Budapest, the pride of made-up European nation Zubrowka. Set in the 1930s, the Grand Budapest is a bustling place, led by its charming professional concierge, Gustave (Fiennes). While he goes about his duties - including unofficial ones involving wealthy older women - Gustave begins training a new lobby boy, Zero (Revolori), whose name describes what he comes to the hotel with in experience and background. Zero goes with Gustave to the funeral of one of the hotel's regulars, Madame D (Swinton), who passes away suddenly.
Here the trouble begins: Madame D leaves a valuable possession to Gustave, infuriating her son. As war descends on the nation, Gustave and Zero find themselves pursued by a more intimate set of enemies as they try to discover what's really going on - and get themselves out of trouble.
The Grand Budapest has a fine cast with many Wes Anderson "regulars" acting in the quirky way that is found in Moonrise Kingdom (and probably Anderson's other films, too). Fiennes plays the main character, Gustave. While he commands attention and is fascinating to watch, it was hard for me to get a read on the character. Perhaps the contradictions are intended, but he is both professional and crude, gentlemanly and flirtatious. Despite being fun to watch, there is little emotional impact to what happens to him as he is more a set of characteristics than a single, believable person. The young Zero, played by Revolori, isn't as exciting but is more believable and relatable. The few moments focused on him are some of the film's strongest, but mostly he is just along for the ride.
There are plenty more characters (and big-name actors) in the film; I'll touch on just a few more. Edward Norton plays a military commander; he fits himself to Anderson's style well, and I like him a lot in both Moonrise and Grand Budapest. He has some of the funniest lines, but sadly has a very small part. Jeff Goldblum is a pleasantly surprising presence here. Another small part, he sticks in my mind (other than the fact that he's Jeff Goldblum) for his funny lawyer stuff. Willem Dafoe plays a scary villain (shock!), and Adrien Brody the whiny, furious son of Madame D. Most of the other parts are essentially cameos, including Bill Murray.
Before anything else, I should say that I am by no means an expert on Wes Anderson. I saw and enjoyed Moonrise Kingdom. Other than that, I saw Rushmore when I was young and stopped watching from extreme boredom. Even from just two films, though, it's obvious that Anderson has a distinct style: in the visuals, tone, and dialogue (and probably other parts) of his films. I do not love nor do I hate this style; however, I think that this special style is better suited for certain types of stories and characters than for others. Grand Budapest Hotel is, basically, a "buddy thriller" in which you have the odd pair of Gustave and Zero being framed (and chased) for a crime. To put it simply, I do not think this was a good choice for Anderson's style, which is the main reason for the score I gave it. There are also supposedly "layers" in this movie, with the aforementioned introductions. However, this doesn't amount to anything in my opinion and it's actually kind of good that they didn't try (although one might ask then why Anderson attached it to the beginning and the end at all...).
***
The Grand Budapest Hotel has received glowing reviews from most major national film critics. Perhaps I am not cultured and/or sophisticated enough to appreciate what the film offers, but I disagree with them significantly. The major issue begins, as I just noted, with the story's ill fit with Wes Anderson's style - the most pertinent characteristics being silly, meandering and underlying subtle (sorry for the grammar; not sure how else to put it!). Those elements aren't bad in and of themselves - in fact, they were ideally suited for Moonrise Kingdom. However, put them into this story and it just feels bizarre; the emPHAsis is on the wrong syLLAbles you might say. Most of the performances are good or great (Fiennes is likely an Oscar nominee), the sets and visuals are fun, it has good humor - but as a whole, it's just one big mess. And the ill-fitting style causes some scenes to just drag on, making the fairly short runtime (1 hour 40 minutes) seem considerably longer. Whereas a film like the Muppets was pretty obviously a "B" (give or take half a grade), Grand Budapest Hotel likely varies much more wildly depending on the individual and even your mood. For me, though, the enjoyability of its specific elements doesn't nearly make up for the faults of the overall experience.
Score: ****1/2 out of ***** (A)
Long Story Short: Captain America is the last major Avenger to get his post-block party solo outing - and they definitively saved the best for last. Johansson and Jackson are welcome carry-overs from The Avengers to aid Evans' Captain America who is good but not yet great. What is great is the bone-crunching, edge-of-your-seat action. Add a rock solid, ominous yet occasionally humorous script, and a highly contemporary theme and you've got an outstanding blockbuster.
A little change in my movie plans resulted in my seeing the Captain America sequel on opening weekend (which worked out great considering its neat synergy with ABC's "Agents of SHIELD"!). I hope to eventually get to see Noah before it leaves theaters. At any rate, there's a good chance of a nice string of movie reviews coming out and before you know it, we'll be in prime summer blockbuster season! I liked the first Captain America (subtitled The First Avenger) film a lot, with its fresh tone for a superhero film and some great performances (Tommy Lee Jones, etc.). Since then, the Marvel Avengers universe has only grown, and I looked forward to seeing the Captain America sequel. The Winter Soldier was directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, and stars Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, and Samuel L. Jackson.
Steve Rogers (Evans), aka Captain America (or "Cap"), is getting adjusted to life in the 21st century (the first film takes place during WWII... long story, just watch it). Now an agent for SHIELD, an international defense/intelligence organization, Rogers soon gets called in for a mission to free SHIELD hostages on a ship captured by pirates. With fellow SHIELD agent Romanoff (Johansson; aka Black Widow) and a team of commandoes at his side, Rogers triumphs - although he also catches Romanoff sidetracked with a different task. Rogers debriefs at SHIELD's headquarters in Washington, D.C., where director Nick Fury (Jackson) shows him SHIELD's latest high-tech defense plan, Operation Insight.
Soon after, an attack on one of Rogers' friends startles him and makes him question just who he can trust. With fellow skeptic/mistrusting ally Romanoff at his side, Rogers must figure out what is going on - and who the real threat is in an increasingly complex and dark world.
No one in the cast of The Winter Soldier is on track for an Oscar - but perhaps just as importantly, none of them stink, either. Chris Evans proved himself a charismatic hero in the first Captain America film; while he got a little lost in the big cast of Avengers, he continues his growth in his solo sequel. Evans doesn't waver in portraying Rogers as a humble, earnest man powerfully guided by his moral code. But it doesn't mean he's boring; Evans has good comic timing, typically with dry humor. Scarlett Johansson is making even more rapid progress in her role as Black Widow. A nondescript femme fatale in Iron Man 2, Johansson has made her character relatable and tough, with a backstory that has promise but yet to be fully fleshed out (semi-antihero).
Samuel L. Jackson also returns as SHIELD director Nick Fury. His role is about as big as it was in Avengers, which is considerable. He doesn't have a lot of nuance - he's a badass, of course - but has shown interesting willingness to bend if not break some moral standards ostensibly in the cause of safety, not something many heroes do in these films. I was pleasantly surprised to see Robert Redford show up, naturally as the head honcho. His presence gives the film a great boost to its serious tone. There are a number of smaller roles, most notably Anthony Mackie as Steve's friend in SHIELD; perhaps the most "likable" character, though unspectacular.
While packed with action, Captain America: The Winter Soldier has higher ambitions than mere popcorn flick. But the action is a fine place to start. Honestly, I've been unimpressed with the fight scenes in many recent action films, superhero or not. This film's action, however, is quite simply kick-ass. It's certainly helpful that Captain America is stronger than the average human, but not boringly overpowered like Superman. They don't rely much on CGI, and the hand-to-hand combat is brutal, fast-paced, creative and thrilling (the 300 sequel could only do "brutal"). As mentioned, The Winter Soldier goes beyond just action to dive into some ideas, most notably the very contemporary issue of surveillance and targeting of terrorists/"threats". Is it a subtle exploration? No. But, the film keeps the focus on its characters and when rhetorical language is used it's neither too cliched nor overdone. And there are actual repercussions at the end of the film, rather than the good guys winning and everything going back to the way it was. With all the tense action and frighteningly relevant themes, this might have been too dark a film, but it keeps a good thriller-esque tone. Plus, there's an appropriate amount/type of humor to keep the mood from sinking.
***
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the best superhero movie (though The Wolverine remains an underrated gem) I've seen since The Dark Knight Rises. Heck, it's one of the best movies I've seen since 2012, period. Overall, these Cap movies are the best of The Avengers' solo outings. I love Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man, but the films built around him are less compelling than these. It starts with having a strong foundation: good old fashioned bare-knuckle throw downs that rival any action film in recent memory. There's also eventually a fantasy-like scenario involving the villain, but it's kept to what qualifies as a "minimum" in today's world of cinema. Add a strong, diverse trio - Evans, Johansson, and Jackson - good scripts and humor, and you have a very good franchise. There are no major weaknesses here; it's a pretty long film, but the pacing is great. I guess I'd like to see Evans really become a top-tier superhero/star, but other than that, soldier on, Cap! Highly recommended.
Score: ***1/2 out of ***** (B)
Long Story Short: The Muppets are back again, ready for more after their smash hit comeback in 2011. We even get an upgrade in the human department, starring three of today's top comedians in Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey and Ty Burrell. But these stars, plus a slightly overemphasized plot, steal a bit too much of the spotlight away from our old friends Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Co. It's an amusing entry with some really good songs, but ultimately Most Wanted falls well short of classic.
Well, it's been a bit of a drought for me recently, with my last post coming nearly a month ago. Due to scheduling, I got to see Muppets Most Wanted a week late so the review, which I normally write the weekend after its release, is two weeks late. The good news is that there should be a review each of the next two weeks - although each will also be delayed two weeks from the films' release date. As for Muppets, I was interested in this sequel after Netflixing the reboot from 2011 and enjoying it. I almost decided to just wait on this one, too, but I was itching to see a movie and this seemed the best option. Muppets Most Wanted was directed by James Bobin and stars Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, Ty Burrell, and of course the Muppets.
Muppets Most Wanted picks up literally right where 2011's The Muppets left off, and the gang is wondering what to do next. Thanks to their successful comeback, they get plenty of attention, including from Dominic Badguy (Gervais). He suggests that the Muppets do a world tour, and they are all (except Kermit) excited by the idea. They first travel to Berlin, where Badguy insists that the Muppets upgrade from their shabby planned venue to the best scene in town. As Badguy takes charge Kermit gets more and more frustrated, before getting jumped by his criminal look-alike, Constantine. Before he knows what's happening, police are taking Kermit off to the gulags while the criminal takes his place.
The Muppets continue from city to city on their tour, happy as Badguy gives them free reign - and also oblivious to Badguy's secret plans. Meanwhile, Kermit finds life in the gulags to be as difficult as you'd imagine, being watched closely by prison guard Nadya (Fey). Investigators Napoleon (Burrell) and Sam Eagle start on the case, but this is one that will take the whole gang to resolve.
As with the 2011 film, Muppets Most Wanted features a few main human actors to accompany the Muppets, along with a large cast of cameos (which I won't spoil). Ricky Gervais has the biggest part, although even he is just #2 to the criminal mastermind, Constantine (a relationship put to song in the film). Gervais was a very nice choice, as Badguy ingratiates himself to the Muppets with ease, praising their talents and raising their expectations for success. At other moments, Gervais entertains by playing the smirking villain even as he's kept in check by Constantine. Tina Fey is also fun as prison guard Nadya. Perhaps her accent is not the greatest (not that that matters in a Muppet movie) but she does a great job adjusting to the silly, semi-villainous humor of her role while also embodying the human warmth required in this kind of family film. Finally, there's Ty Burrell playing Interpol agent Napoleon. This character is the most stereotyped of the three, but Burrell, as he is on Modern Family, is plenty amusing nonetheless.
I'm far from a Muppets aficionado, but I know that the films have certain required components to make them worthy additions to the franchise. Primarily the films are about the Muppet family itself, and how it deals with various challenging situations. While that may seem obvious, Muppets Most Wanted actually goes a little bit off script here (admittedly, I didn't think of this until I read a few other reviews, but I agree with them). Kermit, Miss Piggy and the rest just aren't the dominant focus here; instead, the heist aspects take center stage, and that mainly deals with the Constantine-Badguy and Napoleon-Eagle duos. However, Muppets Most Wanted is faithful in its use of song, and here it does a great job. In fact, I think they are the best parts of the film, when I usually find these routines boring and unnecessary. Finally, the Muppets need a good sense of humor, and Most Wanted is decently if not wildly successful here. All three human actors are great in this department, but most of the humor is more chuckle-worthy than hilarious.
***
All week, I've been going back and forth between a "B" and "B+" for Muppets Most Wanted as I've thought about it. Either way, it meant that I found it a very solid film, but also one that does not really rise to the level of a great Muppet movie. In the broadest terms, this is quite a fun film; it's doubtful that it won't entertain you as long as this type of film appeals to you. The plot is clever and, while not unique, doesn't abandon the Muppets and actors to carry the film by themselves. Gervais, Fey, and Burrell make a great trio, I'll say again; and many of the songs are really good. However, in the end it just doesn't feel very "filling"; I don't think that this is one that'll stick with me. I think a large part of that is the aforementioned mysteriously shrunken parts for the main Muppets, including even Kermit and Miss Piggy. Maybe if they'd wrapped it up with a killer ending, it'd get a "B+", but it's only a tepid conclusion, especially in comparison to the 2011 film. Certainly, Muppets Most Wanted is worth seeing - but unless it's for a family outing, you can probably wait for it on Netflix.
