Written by: Kevin Berge
Last quick reviews, I focused on the Academy Award's Best Picture nominees, going through the best movies of the year according to the Oscars. Of course, they have always have a fairly narrow view on what the best movies are.
Therefore, this time, I wanted to look at the films that the Academy missed either by barely nominating them or flat out ignoring the movies entirely. These are movies that felt like they were in the running at one time or another but fell short.
The reviews will focus on the dark historical comedy The Disaster Artist, the quiet quirky indie drama The Florida Project, tight crime thriller Good Time, and the inspirational biopic Stronger.
As always, these review will cover at most only the basic set-up of the story and not get into spoilers. Given these will not go as in-depth as my usual reviews, I will not cover every aspect of the film but rather the defining features.
Therefore, this time, I wanted to look at the films that the Academy missed either by barely nominating them or flat out ignoring the movies entirely. These are movies that felt like they were in the running at one time or another but fell short.
The reviews will focus on the dark historical comedy The Disaster Artist, the quiet quirky indie drama The Florida Project, tight crime thriller Good Time, and the inspirational biopic Stronger.
As always, these review will cover at most only the basic set-up of the story and not get into spoilers. Given these will not go as in-depth as my usual reviews, I will not cover every aspect of the film but rather the defining features.
Every few years, James Franco has to remind everyone he can act when he's not making odd comedies. (Image Courtesy of: newyorker.com)
The Disaster Artist
How do you make a movie about a film regarded as one of the worst ever made? Ed Wood provided a solid template, and The Disaster Artist had Greg Sestero's memoir as background. With some great actors and writing at the center, this is a funny and engaging film.
That of course comes with the caveat that it pulls its punches based on the memoir. This film does not make out Tommy Wiseau to be a good person, but it does avoid some of his more abusive tendencies, only highlighting them in one scene. Wiseau is far more sympathetic here even if he is still shown as deranged.
However, even if the movie is not faithful to the true story, it is faithful to the spirit of it all. It is a funny, chaotic, and sometimes heartbreaking experience that is carried by a completely committed performance from James Franco as Wiseau who is invisible here.
Wiseau is still alive, and The Room is still a fairly fresh cult classic. Addressing it now was always going to be tough. In 20 years, there could be a far darker story told of all of this. For now, this is what we have, and it is quite good for what it is while ignoring many crucial problems with the film and the man.
The story of The Room and Tommy Wiseau is one of how delusion and dream can be a dangerous blend. When someone is completely unchecked and able to make whatever they want without consequence, it can lead to decidedly bad results, but there's something to that pure passion.
The Room is a horrible film in every aspect. It's poorly made, problematic in just about every way socially, but it connects to people through its drive and absurdity. The Disaster Artist taps into that connection, that will to succeed that is endearing, and does so in a way that is just naturally enjoyable.
That of course comes with the caveat that it pulls its punches based on the memoir. This film does not make out Tommy Wiseau to be a good person, but it does avoid some of his more abusive tendencies, only highlighting them in one scene. Wiseau is far more sympathetic here even if he is still shown as deranged.
However, even if the movie is not faithful to the true story, it is faithful to the spirit of it all. It is a funny, chaotic, and sometimes heartbreaking experience that is carried by a completely committed performance from James Franco as Wiseau who is invisible here.
Wiseau is still alive, and The Room is still a fairly fresh cult classic. Addressing it now was always going to be tough. In 20 years, there could be a far darker story told of all of this. For now, this is what we have, and it is quite good for what it is while ignoring many crucial problems with the film and the man.
The story of The Room and Tommy Wiseau is one of how delusion and dream can be a dangerous blend. When someone is completely unchecked and able to make whatever they want without consequence, it can lead to decidedly bad results, but there's something to that pure passion.
The Room is a horrible film in every aspect. It's poorly made, problematic in just about every way socially, but it connects to people through its drive and absurdity. The Disaster Artist taps into that connection, that will to succeed that is endearing, and does so in a way that is just naturally enjoyable.
Grade: B+
Sorry, Dafoe, no matter how calm you are, I can't not see crazy bad guy. (Image Courtesy of: a24films.com)
The Florida Project
Few movies make as much noise as The Florida Project while being as quiet as it is. This story of a single mother trying to get by with little help has its heart in the right place and resonated for many. It was even being heralded for a time as the best film of the year.
Unfortunately, it's a movie that never clicked with me. It meanders through its run time as a snapshot of life rather than a full-fledged story. Around the 45 minute mark, tensions begin to rise, but even then there's not a plot here. This would be fine if the characters were interesting, but they are not engaging enough to get excited about.
It's easy to appreciate the intention of this movie. It focuses on the invisibility of poverty and the ways many can label without understanding. Many could take away a great deal from the experience this movie provides if they can handle the pacing.
It is also an exceptionally well acted movie. Willem Dafoe is as subtle as I've seen him in a decade, and both Brooklynn Prince and Bria Vinaite inhabit their roles extremely well. The problem is that they are playing subtle roles in a subtle movie that spends too much time being subtle. It compounds to no end.
I wanted to love this movie, but I was quickly checking out throughout the run time. Eventually, I had to decide to bail if I didn't want to just fall asleep through the rest. It feels like the worst stereotypes of independent filmmaking: slow, meandering, and experimental to the point of being empty.
Many have loved this film and will continue to love it, but it is clearly not for me.
Unfortunately, it's a movie that never clicked with me. It meanders through its run time as a snapshot of life rather than a full-fledged story. Around the 45 minute mark, tensions begin to rise, but even then there's not a plot here. This would be fine if the characters were interesting, but they are not engaging enough to get excited about.
It's easy to appreciate the intention of this movie. It focuses on the invisibility of poverty and the ways many can label without understanding. Many could take away a great deal from the experience this movie provides if they can handle the pacing.
It is also an exceptionally well acted movie. Willem Dafoe is as subtle as I've seen him in a decade, and both Brooklynn Prince and Bria Vinaite inhabit their roles extremely well. The problem is that they are playing subtle roles in a subtle movie that spends too much time being subtle. It compounds to no end.
I wanted to love this movie, but I was quickly checking out throughout the run time. Eventually, I had to decide to bail if I didn't want to just fall asleep through the rest. It feels like the worst stereotypes of independent filmmaking: slow, meandering, and experimental to the point of being empty.
Many have loved this film and will continue to love it, but it is clearly not for me.
Grade: D
If not for Twilight, no one would likely know who Robert Pattinson is, but, because of it, no one seems to know he's actually really good. It's an impressively bizarre image he's made for himself. (Image Courtesy of: letterboxd.com)
Good Time
Usually a heist film is all about the heist, the build up and the execution. For this reason, Good Time is surprising from its first fifteen minutes, flying through its heist to get to the real focus of the story: the fallout and its effect on the main character Connie Nikas (Robert Pattinson).
Connie is a shrewd criminal who consistently gets away with big scores, but he makes the mistake of pushing his brother Nick (Bennie Safdie) into his work to help him in a bank robbery that goes wrong. Before the opening credits roll, Nick is imprisoned, leaving Connie to try and bail out his brother.
Good Time is a rare film in that it never takes any time to explain anything because the heist doesn't matter. The reason Connie needs money doesn't matter. Details of his background and relationship with his brother don't matter. All that matters is the emotion immediately in play.
An electric lead performance from Robert Pattinson (The Rover) grounds this realistic crime film, disappearing into the role of the fascinating Connie. This character is making moves at every turn that are sometimes hard to catch, always lying and manipulating to keep one step ahead.
In some ways, this is just a story about a sociopath who relies on everyone else to succeed, but there's more nuance. This is about a brother trying to save a brother who does not need saving. This is about a white man who has never been to jail because he can divert attention to minority groups in his way.
Great character pieces take a well-written character and put you in their shoes. Good Time makes you feel every tense move Connie makes in his frantic escalating and realistic plot to make money and save his brother.
Through fantastic direction from Bennie and Josh Safdie and writing from Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie, this film moves at a pace that likely would have made it a classic if more people had seen it. It's a shame especially that Pattinson's performance remains so under the radar.
Connie is a shrewd criminal who consistently gets away with big scores, but he makes the mistake of pushing his brother Nick (Bennie Safdie) into his work to help him in a bank robbery that goes wrong. Before the opening credits roll, Nick is imprisoned, leaving Connie to try and bail out his brother.
Good Time is a rare film in that it never takes any time to explain anything because the heist doesn't matter. The reason Connie needs money doesn't matter. Details of his background and relationship with his brother don't matter. All that matters is the emotion immediately in play.
An electric lead performance from Robert Pattinson (The Rover) grounds this realistic crime film, disappearing into the role of the fascinating Connie. This character is making moves at every turn that are sometimes hard to catch, always lying and manipulating to keep one step ahead.
In some ways, this is just a story about a sociopath who relies on everyone else to succeed, but there's more nuance. This is about a brother trying to save a brother who does not need saving. This is about a white man who has never been to jail because he can divert attention to minority groups in his way.
Great character pieces take a well-written character and put you in their shoes. Good Time makes you feel every tense move Connie makes in his frantic escalating and realistic plot to make money and save his brother.
Through fantastic direction from Bennie and Josh Safdie and writing from Ronald Bronstein and Josh Safdie, this film moves at a pace that likely would have made it a classic if more people had seen it. It's a shame especially that Pattinson's performance remains so under the radar.
Grade: A-
I'm starting to think Jake Gyllenhaal is so good an actor that he's convinced award shows that he isn't an actor at all, just an embodiment of his characters that cannot be rewarded. (Image Courtesy of: newyorker.com)
Stronger
I'm not much for conventional stories, and there are two genres that fall right into conventions too often: sports and inspirational drama. While I was interested in Stronger from the start due to the actors at the head, I was wary this was just another inspirational drama.
In some ways, it very much is. The story of Jeff Bauman who lost his legs in the Boston marathon bombings can feel like it is working at a bit of a surface level at times, but it works most of the time, a testament to Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany as well as director David Gordon Green.
At its core, Stronger is about two people: Jeff and his girlfriend Erin Hurley. Both can be seen at the central focus of the story, performing two different acts of strength. What makes the movie work is that it is entirely clear that these two are far from perfect as is their relationship.
Jeff goes through the physical struggle of rising above his loss, learning to overcome his own self-pity and work toward his improvement. However, he also struggles to deal with the emotional fallout as he was never the greatest guy and finds his worst traits coming out in his grief if he is not closing himself down.
Erin is his on-again, off-again girlfriend who is driven often by guilt as she was the reason he was in the crowd when the bomb went off. She must deal with her own guilt, pushing her back to Jeff as she tries to be the anchor he needs in spite of his wild family. She takes on too much and can let Jeff's mental states often ruin her life.
Gyllenhaal and Maslany beautifully capture the painfully uneven relationship they have, messed up in this swarm of emotions, and the story does just enough to convey that they are not wholly right for each other but also need each other. It's fantastic work that rises above the material often.
As a pure inspirational tale, the movie works. Green captures some powerful moments especially in focusing on Jeff's emotions in the midst of scenes. While this is not a script that was ever going to dive as deep as it needs to be a classic, the movie is a product of the right people at the helm giving this film impressive resonance.
In some ways, it very much is. The story of Jeff Bauman who lost his legs in the Boston marathon bombings can feel like it is working at a bit of a surface level at times, but it works most of the time, a testament to Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany as well as director David Gordon Green.
At its core, Stronger is about two people: Jeff and his girlfriend Erin Hurley. Both can be seen at the central focus of the story, performing two different acts of strength. What makes the movie work is that it is entirely clear that these two are far from perfect as is their relationship.
Jeff goes through the physical struggle of rising above his loss, learning to overcome his own self-pity and work toward his improvement. However, he also struggles to deal with the emotional fallout as he was never the greatest guy and finds his worst traits coming out in his grief if he is not closing himself down.
Erin is his on-again, off-again girlfriend who is driven often by guilt as she was the reason he was in the crowd when the bomb went off. She must deal with her own guilt, pushing her back to Jeff as she tries to be the anchor he needs in spite of his wild family. She takes on too much and can let Jeff's mental states often ruin her life.
Gyllenhaal and Maslany beautifully capture the painfully uneven relationship they have, messed up in this swarm of emotions, and the story does just enough to convey that they are not wholly right for each other but also need each other. It's fantastic work that rises above the material often.
As a pure inspirational tale, the movie works. Green captures some powerful moments especially in focusing on Jeff's emotions in the midst of scenes. While this is not a script that was ever going to dive as deep as it needs to be a classic, the movie is a product of the right people at the helm giving this film impressive resonance.
