Tag: George Clooney

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Drama Movie Reviews

The Ides of March – Politics, And More Politics

When we told our friends that we have watched “The Ides of March” on November fifth, the most common response would be, “The what?”.  Ides!  Then we added, “That Clooney show”.  Or I think we should have said, “That Gosling show”.  Gosling is involved in quite a few films these days.  He must be one of the hottest actors in Hollywood now.

Ides means the middle of a particular month in the Roman calendar.  Or more specifically, the fifteenth day of March, May, July, or October, and the thirteenth day of the other months.  I am not that into US politics.  I doubt the film title has anything to do with March fifteenth.  I would say that this title may refer to the date whereby Julius Caesar was stabbed 23 times by fellow politicians in 44 B.C and died.  But who is Julius Caesar in this movie?  I can’t tell.  Perhaps, the filmmakers just wish to associate this film with the brutality of politics.

Gosling plays the campaign manager for Clooney.  While the film is directed and scripted by Clooney, Gosling is the main actor.  I am not that into politics, especially politics that is outside my country.  But I gather from the story that there is no clean politics.  The path to the dark side could well be triggered by a single simple mistake.  Overall, it is a pleasant film to watch.  It was a pity that our buddy TK was not feeling well and had to leave early.  Cynthia and I ended up celebrating our wedding anniversary at Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant at 313 @ Somerset.

Shock band founder Marilyn Mansion‘s ex-fiancée Evan Rachel Wood is one of the actresses in “The Ides of March”.  Personally, I am happy to finally see her on a big screen.  She gives hope to weirdos and less than handsome men around the world that some gorgeous girls do look pass these attributes.  Not every one is as good looking at Nate Archibald if you know what I mean.  I certainly am not.  If you are interested to see how Wood looked like when she was 20, you can check out this music video with her and her then-boyfriend Marilyn Mansion.  Warning: lots of blood and gore.

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Action & Thriller Movie Reviews

The American – I Watched It As A George Clooney Fan (And That Only)

We practice democracy within Movie Review Squad, most of the time.  Last weekend, I wanted to watch a European foreign film.  Cynthia said OK.  TK said OK.  I then spotted a George Clooney film and I thought, time for a second round of vote?  Cynthia said American.  TK said American.  Two against one, so “The American” it was.

That evening, both TK and Cynthia were exceptionally hungry.  Over dinner, while I was logging the expenses (I am the movie scouter, the accountant, the review writer as well as the ticket booker within Movie Review Squad – hence a.k.a. “The Secretory”), they were busy attacking the dishes.  By the time I looked up, half of the food on the table was gone!  After our meal, TK showed us one of the free apps he downloaded for his Apple phone.  It is pretty hilarious.  You talk to the animated cat inside the phone and it repeats what you say with a very cute voice and a little delay.  And when Cynthia laughed hearing that, the cat paused and laughed too.  That triggered another round of laughter and so on.  People around us must have thought that she was crazy laughing at / with / on the phone.

“The American” is a slow pace movie, very slow.  So slow that I thought I would have my vindication against Cynthia and TK for choosing the film after all these months and years of laughing at me for making a bad decision in picking that Spanish movie (which I still think it was a good pick) or that Thai movie.  My vindication was very short lived.  In no time, they joined forces singing praises for “The American” and gave me that look of I-thought-this-is-the-sort-of-slow-movie-you-love-a-lot?

OK, to rewind, those who enjoy watching classic thriller would love “The American”.  And that is one aspect I enjoy, a thriller that is different from what we have in the market today.  Not many make films like “The American” these days.  A simple plot, emotionally gripped, and a constant sense of danger.  George Clooney has done a good job in playing the rather serious role.  I am not going to spoil you from enjoying the film as I walked into the theater with absolutely no clue on what the story is about.  Much time, you would wonder where the story is going.  It is especially slow in the first half of the movie.  But it does get better when the pieces of puzzle – not many by the way – are put together.  There is a lot of space within the plot, that is my own reservation of classifying “The American” as a classic.  I love the part of having two sinners falling in love.  But I was hoping that there is a deeper resolution, a redemption perhaps.  “The American” is a beautifully made movie.  You would feel for the characters.  If the plot was not as shallow, I would have loved it more.  After all, “The American” does have the sure win ingredients of money, sex, and blood.  Shot entirely in Europe with European actors and actresses, it does feel like watching a European film.  So, looking back, I did watch a European movie, in a strange sense.

Categories
Drama Movie Reviews

Up In The Air – What’s The Point?

Being someone who had spent quite a good number of years traveling overseas for work, I can relate to the feeling of frequently going through the airport security, the ‘good’ life of living on travel expenses clocking in mileages and points, living on a suitcase for most part of the year, not having a home called home, the at times loneliness, and etc.  I too have a similar observation using suitcase as a metaphor, similar to George Clooney’s main character’s thought on a backpack.  Except, mine is realer than his.  Back then, my belongings at ‘home’ were constantly on a move, from one friend’s storeroom to another.  It was a hassle, painfully tedious to relocate my belongings.  At some point, I had to hire a mid size lorry to move my stuffs.  At that time, I had this concept of how good it would be to have only one suitcase to house all that I need.  In a way, I did.  Inside my suitcase, there was a pair of mini-speakers, my CD player, and a few of my favorite CDs (now I would just need a phone that comes with thousands of tracks!), a few good books to read again and again (“If On a Winter’s Night a Traveler” and “Romeo and Juliet” anyone?), my swimming gears, basic clothing and necessities, a camera, a diary, and that was all I need.

I often think that it is hard to make a film out of corporate life.  Because it is not as entertaining compares to the career of a cop or a doctor or a lawyer.  In that sense, I think “Up In the Air” has done a pretty good job on portraying a glimpse of what corporate life is like (“I type with a purpose” is perhaps one of the best lines).  The few frames of image on the process flowchart was enough to give some of us a really good laugh.  Some of the technicalities of downsizing companies, in my opinion, add more depth to the drama.  I wish there are more gems like these moments.  But like I said, corporate life is really not that entertaining to watch.  Neither is loneliness.

Running in parallel of the main storyline is the story of romance and family.  The film could have been more intense in terms of the exploration of how living alone affects family and love life.  Then again, “Up In The Air” is light enough to entertain, yet giving some pointers for self-reflection.  I enjoy watching the acting of the three main characters.  And George Clooney?  Well, I have always been a fan.

To borrow a line from the movie to close this entry: What’s the point?  Looking back, what’s the point with the frequent traveling, living up in the air?

Categories
Drama Movie Reviews

Starstruck by Burn After Reading – How Much You Can Tolerate Idiocy?

If there is a center theme to “Burn After Reading”, to me, that would be idiocy.  There is no hero, only idiots.  And that is exactly what the award winning director-writer duo Joel and Ethan Coen wanted it to be, I reckon.

Knowing that I will be heading for an overseas business trip in Malaysia, I spent the last few days trying to do as much as I can in Singapore.  I can’t live without Singapore, I really can’t.  Not entirely the country as per se, but all these dependencies I have built over the years.  Gosh, I will even miss my über computer where I spend much time blogging with.  And so, before I head north, I caught up with my Movie Review Squad.

There are so many big stars in “Burn After Reading”.  I am such a big fan of John Malkovich.  I especially enjoy his acting in “Being John Malkovich (1999)”.  But he looks quite old in this film.  OK, he is old.  54, he is.  I really wish to see him taking home an Oscar one day.

Then there is the old partners George Clooney and Tilda Swinton.  They didn’t get along in “Michael Clayton (2007)”, they didn’t get along in “Burn After Reading” either.  Both are such talented actors.  While George Clooney is not exactly the guy I used to love watching in this film – a bit too jittering to my liking – I bet you have not seen this side of a Brad Pitt at all.  Who is this Brad Pitt?!  Borderline childish, borderline uncool, and totally an idiot.

I can relate 100% on how the filmmakers depict a typical working environment, and that is not even funny.  Gosh, when was the last time I witness something outrageously intelligent at work?  Hmmm.  If I may pick a few favorite scenes from “Burn After Reading”, I simply love to watch the conversations between an official played by David Rasche and his director (J. K. Simmons) inside the the CIA’s headquarters.  The director’s comments are so random in situations of life and death.  J. K. Simmons’s acting makes me laugh out loud, and I want more.  He gives me ideas to reply to a common asked question in the corporate world: what is our lesson learnt?

Not necessarily the most entertaining film of the year.  But if you do like to watch dark comedy and in love with watching some of the stars on big screen, “Burn After Reading” is a good option.

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Action & Thriller Movie Reviews

Michael Clayton – Do You Have The Patience?

Michael Clayton

Cynthia and I have a few secret codes and signs. For instance, when we say that a film is quote unquote Oscar Material, that usually means: ya sure, it is artistic but it can quite boring (Cynthia surely did feel that way).  Okay, I personally don’t feel that bored because the acting is solid. Real solid. And that’s why you come to my site to hear different views.

Cynthia’s colleague enjoyed watching “Michael Clayton”. She actually forgot what the movie was as it was the 2nd movie straight after that, in her own words, mouth-watering Eastern Promise (remember that naked dude?). Being a walking encyclopedia of what’s showing, I guessed it right. She said she can relate to the corporate life depicted within. I can certainly relate to how she relates to the movie. I was once a “fixer”, a support consultant who was flown into Paris to fix a series of problems so that my so-called beloved firm would not get sued.  And the firm was saved. I got nothing in the end. The firm never remembers, just quarter to quarter results.

Sure, I can relate to “Michael Clayton”. When I told my new colleague ST that I was going to watch “Michael Clayton”, her immediate response was: you’ve got class!  I’ve got class? We’ve got class? Now I know. You really need to prepare yourself in order to appreciate “Michael Clayton”. Viewers are the hardest bunch to satisfy. If the movie is overwhelmingly entertaining, we complain that it does not have enough character development. “Michael Clayton” has plenty of character development and yet, some of us find it boring.

The acting of George Clooney (the “fixer” of a law firm) is solid. So are Tom Wilkinson (the lawyer who goes mad) and Tilda Swinton (chief counsel). The storyline is straightforward, nothing groundbreaking. Our little complain is that we don’t really get to see George Clooney fixing anything. There are quite a number of moral decisions involved, that’s for sure.

Surprisingly TK enjoyed the movie. Cynthia and I joked that because he got two phone calls from his boss and needed to leave the theatre. Hence, the movie is (a) a lot faster pace and (b) a lot more mysterious. Critics all over the world love this movie. I think you can too … if you have the patience.

Categories
Action & Thriller Movie Reviews

Ocean’s 13 – It’s Brad Pitt and George Clooney Again!

These days I wake up shocked by the reading on the clock. I have got to do something about it. 4.30pm I sent two text messages to my Movie Review Squad. Unfortunately TK was stuck in the office doing testing on what my best guess would be … something to do with satellite coordinates. Normally I would postpone the outing but my mother will be landing in Singapore this Thursday. Quick! Go watch some movies before having to give my mother undivided attention for … 2 weeks or so.

Did you know that Ocean’s 11 is a remake of a 1960 heist film? The Ocean franchise has the trademarks of an intricate plot, a cast loaded with movie stars, and treasure to steal. Ocean’s 13 is no different except first, the plot is much easier to follow than 11 and 12 (of course the downside is there is not one big “ah-ha” resolution of the plot in the end that makes you absolutely want to watch the movie again). And second, both Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones are not amongst the cast. Julia Roberts was pregnant during the filming of the movie. Too bad. I really think having two ladies in the team kind of balance out Ocean’s team configuration nicely. On the plus side, having Al Pacino as Willie Bank added much weight to the acting. As for the rest of the crew, I always enjoy how Brad Pitt and George Clooney acted together in the Ocean series finishing off each other’s sentences. I can’t believe that I am writing this in my blog but Brad Pitt is actually very … cool! I enjoy Matt Damon’s acting as well. Such a talented actor he is.

If you have already watched Ocean’s 11 and 12, there is no reason why you should give 13 a miss. I remember how confusing it was when I first watched Ocean’s 11 due to the number of characters. Familiar does pay off for Ocean’s 13. What if you have not watched Ocean’s 11 or 12 yet? I hardly think it matters. The stories are pretty independent from each other.

Ocean’s 13 is a good movie. Go watch it unless you are not into this movie genre.