It seems biographies of well known figures of the twentieth century have become an ever increasing source material for high drama (Ray, Beyond the Sea). Singer and songwriter Johnny Cash and his true love June Carter are realized by some honest, heartfelt performances and vivid period settings in Walk the Line. Directed by James Mangold (Girl Interrupted) from a screenplay by himself and Gill Dennis, the film draws material from autobiographies The Man in Black and Cash: An Autobiography.
An impending concert by Johnny Cash at Folsom State Prison is the point the story begins as it flashes back to 1944 in the South where the struggling Cash family works on a plantation. As a young boy, Johnny idolizes his older brother Jack and wishes for something special in life. Their mother gives Johnny the love for singing hymns while their father (Robert Patrick) is an alcoholic, stern figure. When tragedy strikes the family, an emotional, dark cloud hangs over Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) through the years even as he serves military duty in Germany and begins to find solace in writing music. He marries his sweetheart, Vivian (Ginnifer Goodwin), and the two have a family and struggle to stay afloat financially while Johnny tinkers with gospel music and forms a trio. When a fateful audition starts badly, he reverts to his more personal, angry music, and the rest is history. Johnny begins cutting records, dressing in his fabled black outfits, and touring with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and June Carter (Reese Witherspoon). Cash begins an infatuation and life long obsession for June who is also married at the time. Before long, Cash develops a dependency on drugs with unfortunate results. His career at a crossroads and his home life a shambles, he descends into a self-destructive path with only June Carter as his true love and salvation.
Let's face it, the reason for seeing this film is to see how good the performances are by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, and they deliver the goods. There is definitely chemistry between the two especially in their duets as both of them show vocal abilities by singing their own songs (as in films like Coal Miner's Daughter and The Buddy Holly Story). It would require a strong actor to play a legend, and Phoenix proves to be adept. He gets his vocals in a deep, low range to the point you are convinced that he is young Johnny Cash! Kudos should also go to Witherspoon who also shows a gift for warbling with a country twang and acting all at once, not a feat to be taken lightly. Goodwin shines in her moments as the first Mrs. Cash, and it's a shame we don't see more of her in the film.
The concert scenes are restaged with authenticity while simultaneously involving us with fluid close-ups and sharp cutting. It's nice to hear some famous songs recreated for today's audience. Even if you weren't a fan, the songs strike a memory chord regardless. Like Ray, Walk the Line shows how familial loss can have a lasting impact creatively and emotionally. The story manages to move ahead a few years at a time and important moments are rendered realistically. It is amusing in these pop music biographies to see a Who's Who of Rock n' Roll greats in their career infancies. Just seeing Cash pal around with the likes of Lewis, Presley, and others is fascinating. A lot of ground is covered in a little over two hours, but it doesn't feel too episodic.
What the film captures successfully is the affect that his music had on prison inmates and how an overwhelming amount of his fan mail was attributed to prisoners who felt that he spoke to them. (Watch for a cameo by co-producer James Keach as the prison warden.) Cash was a man of the people, and the film takes great pains to show that Cash was not perfect and in fact very human. He succumbs to the temptations of female groupies, gets addicted to drugs, goes to prison, and shows peculiar behavior as he obsesses with June. Although he was smitten with her, Cash was instrumental in getting June into the spotlight to do solos and to stand equal with him.
The film's momentum bogs down during Cash's downfall but redeems itself with scenes such as the Thanksgiving dinner in which Johnny confronts his father. Among the movie's few flaws is the failure to develop the strained relationship between Cash and his intimidating father (well played by Patrick), and the resolution of the film with its family reunion doesn't ring true as one would have liked. There is an amusing scene with June and her family scaring off a drug dealer who is trying to see Johnny. More scenes like that would have been welcome.
There will naturally be constant comparisons with Ray, but that shortchanges a film that would shine in any year. OK, Ray might be a tad better and Coal Miner's Daughter is the gold standard, but Walk the Line does just fine and Phoenix is terrific.
*** of **** stars (add ½* for Joaquin's performance)
Vertigo
Vertigo
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
KING KONG-Still the Champ
Let's be clear about this epic retelling of 'beauty and the beast'. If you didn't care for the original 1933 horror classic, King Kong, it is doubtful you will warm to this mega version. That being said, this update is a marvelous, big production that entertains and excites without sacrificing any of its emotional substance. As escapist fare with heart, the new King Kong has blockbuster written all over it, and in this case that's a good thing, a very good thing indeed.
It is Depression era in New York City where Carl Denham (Jack Black), a frustrated movie director, gambles that he can make a hit film on a remote island. Denham happens upon Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), an unemployed actress/comedienne, and casts her as his star. With some deception, he embarks on his filmic voyage with reluctant screenwriter, Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody). Arriving at uncharted Skull Island, the film crew ventures inland and is confronted by unfriendly natives who later kidnap Darrow as a human sacrifice. As Driscoll leads the ship's crew to rescue Ann, a gigantic, fierce gorilla called Kong approaches and seizes her. Driscoll and the others are in hot pursuit through a prehistoric land where they are attacked by gigantic creatures. Kong fights his way through carnivorous dinosaurs with his female captive in hand until they reach his mountain top lair. Kong is a vicious animal, but he also reveals a gentler side when tantalized by Ann's comedic and athletic talents. The two begin to form an unlikely bond. When Driscoll manages to rescue Ann, an enraged Kong chases them until Denham tranquilizes the beast. Now a major attraction on Broadway, Kong is a prisoner until he breaks free to wreak havoc while searching for Ann. When the two are reunited, it culminates atop the Empire State Building as Kong is attacked by warplanes in a heartrending finale.
Does the new Kong justify the hype and expectations? Yes, it is the complete moviegoing experience. There are thrills, spectacle, humor, and a sense of heroic adventure, which are rare even in the post-Indiana Jones era. It would take the superhuman effort of a director like Peter Jackson (and writers Phillipa Boyens and Fran Walsh), who had just completed the legendary Lord of the Rings trilogy, to tackle this project. This is an old fashioned film that stays closely to the original script. That Jackson takes his time in quieter moments to develop his characters and never stumbles when the action starts is truly amazing. Just when you think our heroes are safe, a new danger pops up to keep you at the edge of your seat. He is a master showman of creative, funhouse perils, and when he does things, bigger is better. He re-imagines legendary sequences from the original and takes them to new heights. When Kong fights a dinosaur, he battles not two but three dinosaurs in a clash of the titans! Kong’s rampage on Broadway reminds you of the Piccadilly Circus sequence in An American Werewolf in London. When he is reunited with Ann, the two communicate through unspoken language. It is a moment of truth that Jackson films with an eerie beauty. You just know Jackson is a romantic as he sets up his dawn raid at the Empire State Building and gives his biggest star a great sendoff that compares favorably to the original.
As for Kong himself, the (CG) computer-generated effects are phenomenal as the broadest of emotions and the tiniest of mannerisms and facial nuances (like blinking his eyes) are eloquently captured. Imagine that, pathos from a CG creation!
Literally a far cry from original star Fay Wray, Naomi Watts gives the best performance in emoting true feelings and playing off her giant ape convincingly. Adrien Brody displays the necessary heroics in a role that doesn't demand much more. Jack Black was bold casting, but his character doesn't always work. Although entertaining, his Denham is more calculating and morally ambiguous than actor Robert Armstrong's 1933 depiction.
Technically the film is a marvel, and the art direction and special effects meld seamlessly together so that it is impossible to tell one from the other. Rarely do the effects look artificial except in the dinosaur stampede. The stunning visuals and fluid camera work are like eye candy, and many scenes are shot with a fresh perspective or point of view. Some of the action scenes are almost too much overkill, but Jackson gets away with it because his other scenes are so impressive.
At three hours running time, it moves fairly well. It takes an hour to get to Kong, but when he does appear, the film becomes one big, nonstop chase. There are brief lulls, but credit Jackson with not rushing to an action scene and instead savoring the quiet moments that establish the most important relationship in the story. What's satisfying in the relationship between Kong and Ann is that it is one of companionship and love without the overt sexuality of the original.
There are a couple of unsettling moments when Denham confronts the natives and a spider pit sequence that could be nightmarish for children. This pit sequence pays homage to a scene that was cut from the original and expands on the possibilities in nasty ways. If you thought Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom's insects were creepy, watch out!
Jackson wows his audiences with his talent for managing enormous spectacles and imbuing them with humanity. This film verifies his prowess as one of the most gifted directors of his generation. Audiences looking for adventure of the highest order will find a lot to enjoy here. It’s been three-quarters of a century since the original Kong wowed ‘em, and it’s a safe bet that no one will wow ‘em like Peter Jackson for another 75 years!
**** of **** stars
It is Depression era in New York City where Carl Denham (Jack Black), a frustrated movie director, gambles that he can make a hit film on a remote island. Denham happens upon Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts), an unemployed actress/comedienne, and casts her as his star. With some deception, he embarks on his filmic voyage with reluctant screenwriter, Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody). Arriving at uncharted Skull Island, the film crew ventures inland and is confronted by unfriendly natives who later kidnap Darrow as a human sacrifice. As Driscoll leads the ship's crew to rescue Ann, a gigantic, fierce gorilla called Kong approaches and seizes her. Driscoll and the others are in hot pursuit through a prehistoric land where they are attacked by gigantic creatures. Kong fights his way through carnivorous dinosaurs with his female captive in hand until they reach his mountain top lair. Kong is a vicious animal, but he also reveals a gentler side when tantalized by Ann's comedic and athletic talents. The two begin to form an unlikely bond. When Driscoll manages to rescue Ann, an enraged Kong chases them until Denham tranquilizes the beast. Now a major attraction on Broadway, Kong is a prisoner until he breaks free to wreak havoc while searching for Ann. When the two are reunited, it culminates atop the Empire State Building as Kong is attacked by warplanes in a heartrending finale.
Does the new Kong justify the hype and expectations? Yes, it is the complete moviegoing experience. There are thrills, spectacle, humor, and a sense of heroic adventure, which are rare even in the post-Indiana Jones era. It would take the superhuman effort of a director like Peter Jackson (and writers Phillipa Boyens and Fran Walsh), who had just completed the legendary Lord of the Rings trilogy, to tackle this project. This is an old fashioned film that stays closely to the original script. That Jackson takes his time in quieter moments to develop his characters and never stumbles when the action starts is truly amazing. Just when you think our heroes are safe, a new danger pops up to keep you at the edge of your seat. He is a master showman of creative, funhouse perils, and when he does things, bigger is better. He re-imagines legendary sequences from the original and takes them to new heights. When Kong fights a dinosaur, he battles not two but three dinosaurs in a clash of the titans! Kong’s rampage on Broadway reminds you of the Piccadilly Circus sequence in An American Werewolf in London. When he is reunited with Ann, the two communicate through unspoken language. It is a moment of truth that Jackson films with an eerie beauty. You just know Jackson is a romantic as he sets up his dawn raid at the Empire State Building and gives his biggest star a great sendoff that compares favorably to the original.
As for Kong himself, the (CG) computer-generated effects are phenomenal as the broadest of emotions and the tiniest of mannerisms and facial nuances (like blinking his eyes) are eloquently captured. Imagine that, pathos from a CG creation!
Literally a far cry from original star Fay Wray, Naomi Watts gives the best performance in emoting true feelings and playing off her giant ape convincingly. Adrien Brody displays the necessary heroics in a role that doesn't demand much more. Jack Black was bold casting, but his character doesn't always work. Although entertaining, his Denham is more calculating and morally ambiguous than actor Robert Armstrong's 1933 depiction.
Technically the film is a marvel, and the art direction and special effects meld seamlessly together so that it is impossible to tell one from the other. Rarely do the effects look artificial except in the dinosaur stampede. The stunning visuals and fluid camera work are like eye candy, and many scenes are shot with a fresh perspective or point of view. Some of the action scenes are almost too much overkill, but Jackson gets away with it because his other scenes are so impressive.
At three hours running time, it moves fairly well. It takes an hour to get to Kong, but when he does appear, the film becomes one big, nonstop chase. There are brief lulls, but credit Jackson with not rushing to an action scene and instead savoring the quiet moments that establish the most important relationship in the story. What's satisfying in the relationship between Kong and Ann is that it is one of companionship and love without the overt sexuality of the original.
There are a couple of unsettling moments when Denham confronts the natives and a spider pit sequence that could be nightmarish for children. This pit sequence pays homage to a scene that was cut from the original and expands on the possibilities in nasty ways. If you thought Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom's insects were creepy, watch out!
Jackson wows his audiences with his talent for managing enormous spectacles and imbuing them with humanity. This film verifies his prowess as one of the most gifted directors of his generation. Audiences looking for adventure of the highest order will find a lot to enjoy here. It’s been three-quarters of a century since the original Kong wowed ‘em, and it’s a safe bet that no one will wow ‘em like Peter Jackson for another 75 years!
**** of **** stars
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