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American Sniper
American Sniper is a film for the American people, make no mistake. Both times I've seen it, the theater was packed to the rafters, with rude 15-year-olds and hysterical middle-aged couples piling atop each other in a mad clamber to witness the patriotic spectacle of the ages. All the appropriate moments were met with laughter, hoots, hollers, and applause. To quote one enthralled young man after one of the screenings: "That was the best motherf***ing movie I've ever f***ing seen!"
So when I say it's a movie for the American people, I mean, of course, rednecks.
But I am only playing around with you! There's no such thing as rednecks!
In director Clint Eastwood's latest, we are told the true story of American war hero Chris Kyle, a SEAL who was credited with some 160 enemy kills during the Iraqi war. The movie, which was based on a biography partly written by Kyle himself, covers his entire military career, including his induction, four tours overseas, and his post-retirement home life. Grounding the movie is Bradley Cooper's excellent lead performance, further proving that the guy really does have a lot of talent, hitting a few hard-sell dramatic scenes out of the park. Compare this performance to some of his early stand-by roles in terrible comedies and the difference is startling. Sienna Miller is also better than usual with some emotional scenes as Kyle's wife.
Here's the deal. I am a die-hard Clint Eastwood fan. I greatly admire his directing style and have enjoyed all of his movies to some degree (Even his fairly abysmal Jersey Boys movie last year was at least consistent with the rest of his canon, despite the fact that it was one movie that needed the opposite of what Eastwood had to offer.). American Sniper is certainly no exception, so if that bias offends you, go get your own strong opinions and stop trying to steal mine.
When I compare American Sniper to other recent war movies, especially the ever-popular Fury from a few months ago, I find that Eastwood's vision has more to offer. In Fury, a group of symbolic characters (a patriot, a pacifist, a bully, a Christian, etc.) wander around the horrors of World War II and learn that war is terrible but necessary. Well, for heaven's sake! That has been the subject of movies since the 20s and of literature since the Bible. If that's all you've got to say, why keep kissing a dead horse?
In American Sniper, war is not treated as a generality and isn't even the central subject. This is a movie about a normal man with strengths (He never gives up.), weaknesses (He doesn't know when to stop.), and gray areas (How much does one man owe for his freedom?). He also just happens to be really good at shooting people.
There is one symbol that the movie allows, in the form of an enemy sniper who is responsible for the deaths of several of Kyle's colleagues. Throughout the film, Kyle's dedication to country gradually changes to revenge disguised as dedication. It is this vengeful passion of our hero that both drives him and eats him alive, and which provides the movie with the thread that keeps everything focused instead of random.
The big fault that detractors of the film have found is in the movie's way of addressing aspects of Kyle's life (his war experiences, stormy relationship with his wife, struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) without delving into them. The movie is extremely matter-of-fact, a style that is common for Eastwood and what I believe is a definite benefit for the viewer. This is a movie that can be enjoyed for its surface story of heroism and victory, but which can also be a great discussion-starter. Remember that the movie doesn't talk about PTSD any more than Kyle ever did. We are given the facts of the case and it is up to us to come to conclusions.
American Sniper may not be a masterpiece (Some of the weepy scenes, especially one concerning 9/11, felt forced.), but it is an entertaining and potentially impactful movie with interesting scenarios, great performances, and some exciting action set pieces.
The power of the movie is evidenced in how insane its fans are about it. My Facebook and Twitter feeds have blown up with people declaring that anyone who doesn't see the movie is a terrorist and wishing death on most foreigners. Someone I know actually said it was a great family movie solely on the grounds that it was patriotic, never mind all the gory violence and constant obscenities (Some people refuse that either of these were even in the movie!). And then there's the threats of violence towards internet critics who were remotely negative or critical. Thank goodness I liked it!
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Paddington
At last! Everyone's favorite talking bear is finally getting his own movie!
No, not the pic-a-nic basket one. The other one.
No, not the wokka-wokka one either. The OTHER talking bear.
For heaven's sake, not those stupid singing robots at Disney World! If you'd shut up long enough for me to get a word in, I could finish what I was saying and then you'd know who I was talking about, wouldn't you? Ugh, you kids today, with your disrespect and your loud bebop music.
Anyway, I was talking about Paddington, that adorable marmalade-addicted talking bear from Darkest Peru. In the movie, we see Paddington's (voice of Ben Whishaw) origins in the jungle, being raised by his aunt and uncle (voiced by Michael Gambon and Imelda Staunton) who had been taught English and manners by a British explorer many years earlier. After a tragic earthquake destroys the bears' home and kills his uncle (Don't worry about your little ones, it's brief and not very upsetting.), Auntie ships Paddington off to London where she is sure he will find lodging with some kind family.
That family turns out to be the Browns, led by father Hugh Bonneville (of Downton Abbey) and mother Sally Hawkins (last year's Oscar nominee for Blue Jasmine). They also have a depressed tween daughter and a younger, more rambunctious son. Mom and the kids learn to love Paddington, but it's less easy winning over worry-wart Dad who wants nothing more than to find the explorer from all those years ago and get this bear out of his hair. Also adding trouble is a villain character played by Nicole Kidman who is bent on capturing Paddington to stuff for a museum exhibit.
I had a Paddington picture book when I was a kid (That was so many weeks ago). The plot centered around this talking bear going to a grocery store and unwittingly tearing the place apart, being one heck of a clumsy thing. But in the end, because he's such a polite, well-meaning bear, he cleans the place up, good as new! That is the central conceit of all the Paddington books, a flimsy basis of a story to be sure. So it is a miracle that writer-director Paul King has taken this beloved, but empty material and made a movie that is well-rounded, entertaining, and endearing, without losing the simplistic charm of the picture books.
There are multiple instances of classic Paddington mess-making, such as a scene where he chases a pickpocket through traffic in an attempt to return the wallet he dropped ultimately resulting in the criminal's capture, that in the books would have been stand-alone stories on their own, but which in the movie gradually add to the overall story. In-between the set-pieces of clumsiness and mayhem, which are entertaining in their own right, are quieter moments of very dry, often absurd humor. There were, much to my surprise, numerous little moments that made me laugh aloud, not a common occurrence in a movie intended for young children. It's all very British in its style and humor, and there are several surprise cameos from English celebrities. I was going to list some of my favorite gags, but screw that! Just go see for yourself!
In addition to being genuinely funny, it is also heart-warming and not in a forced way, but just as unassumingly as the humor is droll. In short, I loved Paddington, and not just the child in me, but the adult too! Few family movies are this sincere and entertaining without being crass and stupid. I dare you to name one. Uh-huh, that's what I thought.
If there is one fault with the movie, it's that the Nicole Kidman subplot results in a climax that turns down the charm to focus on some predictable action stuff. But note that I said that the charm is only turned down. It is never completely absent. (The PG rating seems to be because of a scene where circumstances force a man to dress as a woman and he is agressively flirted with by another man, but it's still innocent.) TAKE YOUR CHILDREN TO THIS MOVIE!
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