Mama

Mama - Dir. Andres Muschietti (2012)

2011 was the breakout year for Jessica Chastain. She earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "The Help" and won critical acclaim for her performances in Tree of Life and Take Shelter. That doesn't include strong turns in Wilde Salome, Coriolanus, The Debt, and Texas Killing Fields, which were all released the same calendar year. While her work hasn't been as prolific since then, Chastain did start off 2013 with a bang as the star of the number one and number two box office toppers during the weekend of January 18. I'm speaking of Zero Dark Thirty and Mama, both of which remained in the top five for the following two weeks.

Chastain replaced her fiery red hair for a short black hairdo ala Joan Jett for this creepy horror flick. Mama opens in 2008 when white collar worker Jeffrey Desange (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) loses a fortune and his marbles. Desange shoots his business partners and murders his wife before making off his with daughters, Lilly (Isabelle Nelisse) and Victoria (Megan Charpentier). Desange loses control of his speeding car on a snowy road and crashes into the woods. He seeks sanctuary inside an abandoned cabin, which is never a good idea. Before the desperate Desange can do the unthinkable, he is killed by a misshapen spirit the girls eventually refer to as 'Mama.'

Five years later, Lilly and Victoria are found by a search party. Filthy and feral, the girls are reunited with their uncle Lucas (also Coster-Waldau) and his new girlfriend, Annabel Moore (Chastain). With guidance from their psychiatrist Dr. Dreyfuss (Daniel Kash), Lucas and Annabel move from their cramped apartment to a quiet home in the suburbs to help acclimate the little ones back into society. However, Annabel is no happy homemaker. She's plays bass in a rock band and bristles at the idea of children. The older girl, Victoria, returns to civility more easily whereas the younger Lilly remains animalistic. She sleeps under the bed, screams at people who come near her, and eats bugs. Throughout the ordeal, Dr. Dreyfuss believes the 'Mama' the girls refer to was an imaginary being they created as an idealized protector.

Mama was directed by Andrés Muschietti, who co-wrote the screenplay with his sister Barbara and Neil Cross, whose credits include the BBC series Luther and Doctor Who. Muschietti initially shot Mama as a short film back in 2008 to drum up interest for the feature-length script. It worked as Muschietti impressed Guillermo Del Toro, who quickly signed on as executive producer. Mama has a lot in common with The Orphanage and Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, two other horror projects Del Toro helped shepherd. This is a dark and gothic ghost story that relies on old school scares rather than blood and guts. In true haunted house fashion, the scares come from knowing that there is something under the bed or in the closet as the characters cautiously (and foolishly) take a peek.

Mama herself is a mix of practical and CG effects with the tangled, black hair familiar to fans of Asian horror. Muschietti follows the Jaws formula of keeping Mama relatively hidden and only shown in short bursts until the final act.

Chastain turns in a solid performance, a far cry from her Oscar nominated turn as the grim CIA agent in Zero Dark Thirty. Game of Thrones fans will enjoy seeing Jamie Lannister in the dual role of Jeffrey and Lucas. The best performances in Mama belong to the young actresses who are utterly convincing as the lost sisters.

Mama isn't as balls-out insane as Cabin in the Woods, but it is one of the better horror flicks produced in recent years. It is well directed with several stylish flourishes by Muschietti that help to build a spooky atmosphere.

Rating: *** (*****)

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted – Dirs. Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath & Conrad Vernon (2012)

The Madagascar series could hardly be considered the crown jewel of Dreamworks Animation’s filmography. Shrek is its most renowned and financially successful franchise while How to Train Your Dragon is their finest achievement with Kung Fu Panda a close second.  There’s just nothing memorable about the first two Madagascar movies and the animation and art style could hardly be considered groundbreaking. It’s with great surprise that Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted is light years ahead of the previous installments and one of the better animated features of 2012.

For those unfamiliar with the series, Madagascar follows the misadventures of Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett-Smith), and the nebbish Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) as they escape from the Central Park Zoo. Along with a quartet of ingenuous penguins, the runaway animals find themselves on the titular island as well as the plains of Africa where Alex originated. As Europe’s Most Wanted begins, our protagonists grow home sick for their caged confines in the Big Apple and seek to return to NYC. However, their ticket home, the penguins, are enjoying the high life in Monte Carlo.

Owing to the absurdist humor of the film, Alex and the gang apparently swim all the way as they emerge in the harbor with snorkels and goggles. Upon arrival, the furry friends run afoul of a relentless animal control officer named Capt. Chantel DuBois (Frances McDormand), who appears to be a cross between Cruella de Vil and the Terminator. This leads into a manic chase through the streets and rooftops of Monte Carlo with the animals riding in a nuclear powered battle van. It all culminates with DuBois bursting through walls while a makeshift cargo plane manned by a crew of chimpanzees fires banana peels at her from a high-powered machine gun. Did I mention the absurdist humor?

From there, the plane crashes and everyone is forced to hop aboard a train of circus animals. Among the performers are the gruff tiger Vitaly (Bryan Cranston), lithe jaguar Gia (Jessica Chastain), and the dim-witted Italian seal Stefano (Martin Short). The penguins use their casino winnings to purchase the ailing circus through their proxy, two chimps disguised as the King of Versailles. Alex assumes the role of de factor ringleader as he remakes the show into the only circus owned and operated entirely by animals. But, Capt. DuBois is determined to mount a lion’s head in her ghoulish trophy room.

The off-the-wall gags and breakneck pacing are reminiscent of the classic Looney Tunes shorts. Youngsters probably won’t be cognizant of this fact; they will be too busy admiring all the shiny wackiness, especially the climax involving a flying neon circus. The soundtrack will also appeal to both young and old with hip tracks like Katy Perry’s “Firework” amidst Andrea Bocelli’s “Con Te Partiro” for a romantic montage between the lemur King Julien and a unicycle-riding, tutu-wearing bear. There’s also a scene in which DuBois fires up her troops from their debilitating injuries with a rousing rendition of “Non Je Ne Regrette Rien.”

Madagascar 3 isn't as emotionally riveting as the finer works of Pixar, but it is a colorful and highly entertaining experience.

Rating: *** (*****)

Lawless

Lawless - Dir. John Hillcoat (2012)

One of my most anticipated films of 2012 was Lawless, based solely on the strength of director John Hillcoat's last two pictures, The Proposition and The Road. Closest in spirit to the former, Lawless is a Prohibition-era Western adapted from The Wettest County in the World by Matt Bondurant, a descendent of the protagonists. The script was adapted by rock star and screenwriter Nick Cave.

The story is set in Franklin County, Virginia, where the hills are alive with the sound of moonshine stills. Bootleg liquor has become a lucrative business, especially for the Bondurant Brothers, who run booze out of their diner/gas station. Forrest (Tom Hardy) is nominally the leader, feared and respected for his legendary toughness. Howard (Jason Clarke) is a volatile war veteran. Then, there's the runt of the litter, Jack (Shia LaBeouf). The youngest of the Bondurant clan, Jack wants to become a bigger part of the operation, but is relegated to being a glorified delivery boy. He impresses his brothers when he lands a deal with feared Chicago gangster Floyd Banner (Gary Oldman). The Bondurants are flush with cash. Jack finds himself in fancy new duds, fast cars, and romancing the town preacher's chaste daughter Bertha (Mia Wasikowska).

The good times come to an end with the arrival of a big city prosecutor, who is more interested in getting a cut of the profits than throwing criminals in jail. Anyone who doesn't fall in line answers to his enforcer, a brutal special deputy named Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce).

The story of Lawless unfolds through wildly divergent tones, which may be disconcerting to some, but plays into the dichotomy of the characters. Despite a frightening capacity for brutality, it is an absolute last resort for Forrest, who believes the bonds of family are most important. His credo, "It’s not the violence that sets a man apart, it's the distance he's prepared to go." There are scenes of extreme violence, such as a character getting his throat slit and a castration. In between there are tender moments in Jack's sweet courting of Bertha and surprisingly funny scenes. At one point, Jack and his sidekick, Cricket (Dane DeHaan) refuel their rundown truck with a jar of moonshine.

Forrest Bondurant isn't too dissimilar from Bane as both see Tom Hardy cut an imposing figure with a barely discernible voice. He speaks with a deep mumble and commands attention in each of his scenes. Shia LaBeouf stars in his usual plucky underdog role while Jason Clarke's Howard is hardly given any screen time to develop. The same goes for Mia Wasikowska and Jessica Chastain as a former big city girl with an eye for Forrest. Both are great actresses and the make the most out of roles that are sadly underwritten.  Meanwhile, Gary Oldman's part amounts to a cameo though he's excellent for the little time he's around. The spotlight of Lawless belongs to Guy Pearce in an eccentric and chilling turn as a dastardly dandy, bordering on Dick Tracy villain. Clad in a dandy suit with slicked hair parted in the middle and dress gloves, Rakes stands as a stark contrast to the earthy country folk. And, for some reason, he has no eyebrows.

Adding to the atmosphere is an O Brother, Where Art Thou-esque soundtrack of bluegrass tunes put together by Cave and composer Warren Ellis with vocals by Ralph Stanley and Emmylou Harris. Rather than choosing 1930's standards, they go anachronistic with an original tune, "Midnight Run," by Willie Nelson and a montage set to a cover of Velvet Underground's "White Light/White Heat."

Lawless might not match up to The Proposition, but it is a solid period piece with delicious mix of action and drama.

Rating; *** (*****)

Coriolanus

Coriolanus - Dir. Ralph Fiennes (2011)

Before him, he carries noise and behind him he leaves tears.

Death, that dark spirit, in his nervy arm doth lie

Which, being advanced, declines, and then men die.

Some of Shakespeare's most renowned plays have been adapted many times over and modernized re-imaginings are nothing new. Baz Lurhmann transported Romeo and Juliet to Miami and set their tragic romance to an alternative rock soundtrack. Ian McKellan set his version of Richard III in a 1930's England that resembled Nazi Germany. That particular film is the closest in spirit to Coriolanus, which marks the directorial debut of Ralph Fiennes. This is also the first time Coriolanus, based off the purported life of a real Roman general, has been translated to the big screen.

An opening title placard states that the story is set in a "place called Rome" though it was shot on location in Belgrade. Fiennes is Caius Martius, a leading general in the military charged with the protection of the city. He leads a successful campaign against its enemies, the Volscians, led by Tullus Aufidius (Gerard Butler). He returns home to the love of his wife, Virgilia (Jessica Chastain) and his fiercely patriotic mother, Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave). The city's leaders heap adoration upon Martius and bestow upon him the honorific title, Coriolanus, after the Volscian city he conquered. His close friend, Menenius (Brian Cox), advises Coriolanus to go into politics. However, his quick temper and open disdain for the common people turn out to be his undoing. Opposing senators Brutus (Paul Jesson) and Sicinius (James Nesbitt) undermine Coriolanus by whipping the masses into a frenzy against him and force the government to banish him. Seeking revenge, he allies himself with Aufidius to lead the Volscian army against the city that spurned him.

It's a testament to Shakespeare that a play written in the 1600's as commentary for the discontent of the government in his era still remains relevant to this day. Fiennes has captured these themes in all their gritty detail. The setting of bombed out buildings will instantly bring to mind the war-torn countries of Serbia, Bosnia, as well as those in the Middle East. An opening protest by the plebeians has echoes of the political unrest in places like Egypt and Libya as well as the Occupy movement. There's an immediacy to these sequences thanks to Fiennes' direction and the cinematography of Barry Ackroyd, who shot United 93, Green Zone, and The Hurt Locker. The screenplay by John Logan (Gladiator) maintains a fine balance between modernity and the florid language of Shakespeare. Logan and Fiennes even manage to incorporate CNN-esque news updates as a Greek chorus.

To no one's surprise, Fiennes is excellent in the title role (which he previously played on stage), infusing a quiet fury to Coriolanus while going big in a theatrical manner when necessary. Gerard Butler is all sound and fury as the antagonistic Aufidius in a similar performance to King Leonidas in 300. It's a treat to watch Fiennes and Butler in a battle of snarling rage. Vanessa Redgrave's Volumnia won't be winning any mother of the year awards. She isn't overtly malevolent, but more of an aristocratic stage mom. She would rather have a dozen dead sons who died defending their country than one who lived a long life in anonymity. The supporting cast also includes the ubiquitous Jessica Chastain, who seemed to appear in practically every film in 2011. Her part is disappointingly brief and not nearly as meaty as her roles in Take Shelter or The Tree of Life.

Make you a sword of me.

There can be a disconnect when you attempt to place the poetic words of Shakespeare into a contemporary setting, especially one involving televisions and cell phones. This isn't the case with Coriolanus. The language of the Bard flows from the tongues of the cast without feeling artificial or hokey. Ralph Fiennes makes a powerful directorial debut that stands as a parable for the hot button issues of today.

Rating: *** (*****)

Take Shelter

Take Shelter - Dir. Jeff Nichols (2011)

"Listen up. There is a storm coming like nothing you've ever seen and not a one of you is prepared for it."

Take Shelter is the long awaited follow up from writer/director Jeff Nichols, who won acclaim with his debut film, Shotgun Stories. The 2007 picture weaved itself into the New American Realism movement and chronicled the story about a blood feud between two sets of brothers living in a small Midwestern town. Take Shelter drops you into a similar setting and re-teams Nichols with actor Michael Shannon. This time, however, Take Shelter is a less hopeful film than Shotgun Stories, owing to the prevailing cultural zeitgeist in the midst of war and economic collapse.

Shannon is Curtis LaForche, a construction worker living in Ohio with his lovely wife, Samantha (Jessica Chastain). Their daughter, Hannah (Tova Stewart), is deaf and her parents jump through hoops to get their medical insurer to cover surgery for a cochlear implant. Despite this trouble, Curtis lives a good life, a fact happily pointed out by his best friend and co-worker Dewart (Shea Wigham). "I think that's the best compliment you can give a man, take a look at his life and say, 'That's good.'"

Dark times are ahead when Curtis is plagued by foreboding and disturbing nightmares. He envisions viscous liquid raining down from the sky. Another dream sees Curtis desperately trying to protect Hannah as strangers break into his pick-up truck and claw at him as if they were in the middle of a zombie movie. Curtis awakes in a sweaty start and the dread lingers on. He fears the well-behaved family dog will bite him so he puts him out in the yard. As the visions worsen, Curtis takes out a risky home improvement loan to build a storm shelter in their backyard. Samantha is exasperated at his bizarre behavior and his reticence to explain his actions. We learn that Curtis's mother was institutionalized for paranoid schizophrenia, which leaves you wondering if Curtis is slowly going mad or having genuine premonitions of disaster.

Armageddon was the theme of 2011 and not in the Roland Emmerich sort of way. Some films, such as Lars Von Trier's Melancholia, dealt with the societal turmoil of the day rather bluntly. Others like Martha Marcy May Marlene and Bellflower, touched upon those topics in an allegorical fashion. This is how Take Shelter unfolds as Curtis's disturbing visions exacerbate problems that will be familiar to anyone. As a working class family, their financial stability and their daughter's health hinges entirely on Curtis being regularly employed. Curtis seeks psychological help, but doesn't go because the expert is too far away and too expensive. Instead, he meets with a counselor at a free clinic. She is willing to help, but clearly overworked and inexperienced.

Michael Shannon gives an absolutely captivating performance. His intensity and unconventional looks are reminiscent of a young Christopher Walken. Much like Walken, Shannon has found a niche in playing severe personalities as evidenced in films like, Revolutionary Road and My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done. He's not a frightening individual in Take Shelter, but an imminently sympathetic one. During a community dinner, Shannon explodes with a rage and fury that is uncomfortable and tragic without being over the top. At his side is the ubiquitous Jessica Chastain, who truly broke out in 2011 with a slew of appearances including her Oscar nominated role in The Help. She played the loving wife to a turbulent husband previously in Terrence Malick's masterpiece, The Tree of Life. However, her role in here is far less ethereal, allowing Chastain to really stretch her acting muscles. There's an unwavering sense of compassion and devotion for her husband that makes Samantha the heart of the picture. Praise should also go to Shea Whigham, an actor more known for playing henchmen.

Your opinion of Take Shelter may hinge on the abrupt and ambiguous ending that feels ripped from a classic episode of The Twilight Zone. It's hard to delve deeper without spoilers other than to say it is a scene that will be widely discussed on podcasts and message boards for years to come. What I can say is Take Shelter is a deeply moving psychological drama with two powerhouse performances from Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. This was one of my favorite films from 2011.

Rating: *** ½ (*****)

Texas Killing Fields

Texas Killing Fields - Dir. Ami Canaan Mann (2011)

Texas Killing Fields was inspired by the unsolved disappearances and murders of over thirty young women along a lonely stretch of highway between Galveston and Houston, Texas. Of particular note is an abandoned oil field outside the small town of League City, colloquially known as "the Killing Fields," where four of the bodies have been found. These crimes have dated as far back as the 1970's.

Tough guys Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Sam Worthington are Brian Heigh and Mike Souder, two gruff detectives patrolling Texas City, a rural burg surrounded by desolate bayous and rusty oil derricks. Heigh is a weary veteran, who has moved from New York with his wife (Annabeth Gish) due to unspecified reasons. Souder is a hothead and often clashes with his partner.

Heigh also looks after Little Anne Sigler (Chloe Grace Moretz), a girl who is usually found wandering the streets because her drug addicted mother doesn't want her around while she's entertaining male company.

The detectives are investigating the murder of a young prostitute and Souder believes it's an open and shut case against her accused pimp. Heigh isn't so sure, especially when the mutilated body of a missing woman is discovered in the Fields by Souder's ex-wife, Det. Pam Stall (Jessica Chastain). Souder believes they shouldn't get involved as the Fields are outside their jurisdiction, but Heigh feels differently.

Texas Killing Fields was written by Don Ferrarone, a former DEA agent who has worked as a technical advisor on films like Man on Fire and Miami Vice. Speaking of which, Michael Mann served as producer while his daughter, Ami Canaan Mann directed. Her style certainly shares similarities with her father judging by the way she composes a shootout and car chase. The tone of the film is closest to Manhunter, Michael Mann's oft-forgotten adaptation of an early Hannibal Lecter novel. Don't expect Texas Killing Fields to follow in the relentlessly dark footsteps of Seven or Silence of the Lambs.

The film had been in development hell for a while with Danny Boyle once attached as director. Boyle once stated that the script was so dark, it might never be made. It's quite clear that many concessions were made to make the final product more palpable to mainstream audiences. Instead of an unsettling thriller, Texas Killing Fields is more of a dreary procedural littered with half-finished subplots. Much like Seven, the story veers towards a pessimistic view that the bad guy can get away and that darkness can consume even the best of us. Yet, these themes are undone by a tacked on happy ending.

Luckily the cast is talented enough to elevate the material slightly above mediocre levels. With his deep, gravelly voice, Jeffrey Dean Morgan was an excellent choice to play the burdened Brian Heigh. Sam Worthington doesn't fare as well. The Australian-born actor sometimes has a difficult time pulling off an American accent; a Southern one was too much to ask. His speech is all over the map. Then, there's the ubiquitous Jessica Chastain, who had hear breakout year in 2011. She won rave reviews for her roles in The Tree of Life, Take Shelter, and The Help. However, her work here and in The Debt was overlooked, likely because both films were rather subpar. Still, she's the best thing in either picture. Also present in Fields is Chloe Moretz in a role more subdued than her turns in Let Me In and Kick-Ass. She has the air of a young Jodie Foster here and it's a shame she wasn't given more to do as Little Anne served as the heart of the movie.

Despite an excellent cast and an intriguing true crime premise, Texas Killing Fields can't muster up the suspense of an average episode of CSI.

Rating: ** (*****)

The Debt

The Debt - Dir. John Madden (2011)

The Debt is a slick Hollywood remake of a little seen Israeli film called Ha-Hov, which was released in 2007. A throwback to the Cold War thrillers of the 1970’s, The Debt follows the lives of three Mossad agents on a secret mission to apprehend a Nazi war criminal.

In 1965, David Peretz (Sam Worthington) and Stephan Gold (Marton Csokas) are deep undercover in East Berlin and tasked by Mossad with finding the fugitive Dieter Vogel (Jesper Christensen), whose sadistic human experiments earned him infamy as “The Surgeon of Birkenau.” Learning that Vogel has been living in anonymity as a gynecologist, they are joined by Rachel Singer (Jessica Chastain), a young translator on her first field mission. Posing as David’s wife, Singer visits Vogel’s office to capture him, but their plan to spirit him into West Berlin goes awry. Now, the agents are forced to hold up in a rundown flat with their sadistic prisoner.

In 1997, David, Stephan, and Rachel are now played by Ciaran Hinds, Tom Wilkinson, and Helen Mirren. All three are heralded as national heroes, despite the obvious emotional fallout. Rachel is singled out for killing Vogel when he tried to escape custody. Stephan married and divorced Rachel while rising to a high-ranking position within Mossad. David, meanwhile, has been traveling off the grid for years. The trio is supposed to be reunited in honor of the publication of a book about the mission by Rachel’s daughter. The celebration comes to a screeching halt when David finally resurfaces only to commit suicide by stepping in front of a truck.

The narrative progresses between two parallel storylines set in two time periods. The mystery of what really happened on that ill-fated mission slowly unravels piece by piece thanks to the workmanlike direction from John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) and the script by Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and the team of Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman (Stardust, Kick-Ass). The early scenes set in East Berlin are fraught with tension, especially the uneasy moments where Rachel must be examined by a man obviously inspired by real-life Nazi butcher Josef Mengele. The tension rises during a tightly crafted sequence at a train stop where the protagonists attempt to smuggle their prey across the border. When that fails, they are forced to guard Vogel in their flat until a contingency plan is put together. There, Vogel plays mind games with the nervous agents, taunting them and the loved ones they lost in the Holocaust. Exacerbating the already edgy Israelis is the simmering love triangle revolving around Rachel, David, and Stephan. It's obvious a romance would happen with Rachel being the sole woman between two lonely men.

However, The Debt loses its way in the third act with a resolution that stinks of the studio demanding an ending that wraps everything up in a neat, little bow. These final moments lack the power that the rest of the film had.

Rather than utilizing copious amounts of makeup, the filmmakers cast two sets of actors to play the younger and older characters. On the plus side, we don't have to deal with unconvincing putty jobs like the recently released J. Edgar. The drawback is making sure the actors resemble one another. While Jessica Chastain could pass for Helen Mirren, their male counterparts don't match up quite right. Marton Csokas actually looks more like a young Ciaran Hinds than he does a young Tom Wilkinson who could pass for an older Sam Worthington if you squint your eyes just right. Still, each man gives a good performance though the film is largely commanded by Chastain and the ever-regal Mirren. The omnipresent Chastain has broken through this year with acclaimed turns in arthouse titles like The Tree of Life and Take Shelter as well as the highly successful The Help. The Debt features another winning performance from Chastain as the vulnerable Rachel with Mirren adding an extra layer of weariness for her scenes. Jesper Christensen, best known as Mr. White in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, really ups the creepy factor as the movie's sneering and remorseless villain.

The Debt almost feels like a comment on Jewish guilt and self-loathing. While it's doubtful that was anybody's intention, those themes feel like their bubbling underneath the surface. The Debt is a slightly pedestrian, but competently made thriller that stands in the shadow of Steven Spielberg's far superior Munich.

Rating: ** (*****)