Review of Under the Skin

Whoa. For anyone who enjoys taking a trip way, way outside the mainstream and conventional, Under the Skin is the movie for you. It's an adaptation of Michel Faber's 2001 novel, but this vision is entirely director Jonathan Glazer's. Hypnotic and trippy in all the right ways, Under the Skin asks that a viewer exhibit patience and a willingness to think about what's transpiring on screen. Very little is spelled out in this movie; Glazer drops hints and clues here and there, but you have to recognize and connect them yourself, and it goes without saying that there's more than one interpretation. For the first half of this movie's 107-minute running time, I couldn't make heads or tails of where it was headed, but by the end, I at least had some idea. This isn't Weird for the Sake of Being Weird, it's Weird with a Purpose, and it's haunting fascination stays with you.

IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes will tell you that this movie is about an alien (Scarlett Johansson) who takes on a human form and travels around Scotland seducing men into a deadly trap. Indeed, that is correct, but the devil's in the details (or some might argue lack of details in this case). The alien is not given a name nor does the movie supply any backstory of why she's here and what her plan is (the novel goes into much more detail). All we know for sure is that, following her first appearance, she takes the clothes of a dead woman and goes about her business, all while a male helper dressed in motorcycle gear "cleans up" the messes, so to speak. Her methods involve seducing men who no one will likely miss, picking them up for a quickie, and leading them to their doom at her place, which involves a pool of deadly black liquid. But when she lets one victim escape after experiencing sympathy for him, her approach regarding sex and human life undergoes a slow but drastic change.

Does that "plot" description make sense to you? Don't worry about it. In the moment, it's not really meant to. What's perfectly obvious to anyone is that this might be the best performance of Scarlett Johansson's career. You may have heard she's seen fully nude during this movie, and indeed she is on three eye-popping occasions. But none of it is gratuitous; it's all in the service of an abstract, haunting story about an alien coming to grips with the sexuality apparent in the human form she's chosen. Johansson has little dialogue to fall back on and must instead convey a character through body language and facial expressions. She reminds us why, ten years ago (with her stunning performance in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation), she was someone to watch for.

Johansson is the only on screen performer with more than token screen time (possibly excepting one of her victims, a shy man with facial deformities), so her real co-stars are Glazer's visuals, the evocative nighttime Scotland setting, and Mica Levi's memorably unnerving score. Glazer employs long, unbroken takes like he's being paid by length-per-shot (except for one chaotically shot car conversation where the alien drives a man back to her "place") . Most of the time, it suits the material perfectly, although there are times when one could argue that single moments last too long. As for Levi's score, it's possible to argue that this element "makes" the movie all by itself. The compositions are simple, but so unnerving that it's hard to imagine this movie being heard any other way. Think Eyes Wide Shut and you get the idea.

So what is this minimalist movie really about? What is it trying to say? I have some ideas, although yours might differ. Early in the film, when the alien ensnares several victims with the promise of sex, slowly undressing as she backpedals away from them while they follow her to their demise, she doesn't actually go through with the deed before they're toast. But what about when she confronts what sexuality really is and how it could benefit her the way it benefits humans, examining her nude body in a mirror and pondering whether it can be used for something besides death? And, while she's the unquestionable predator, could a physically stronger man turn the tables on her?

I can't stress enough that Under the Skin is not popcorn-munching entertainment. If you're looking for that, there's plenty of good options available elsewhere. This movie requires that you enter its trance and see it through. It's a classic "read-between-the-lines" kind of film, one that inspires all manner of post-viewing discussions about what the hell you just saw. Finally, I must note that this is once again an experience that can only work as film; if your thing is lengthy TV shows with clearly defined characters and arcs, you should know that this is about as far away from that as one can imagine. I for one, welcome its boldness any day.

Rating: ***1/2 (out of ****)

Review of Draft Day

It was only a matter of time before America's Obsession (football) scored a business-based sports movie to go along with that of Moneyball for America's Pastime (baseball). I'll admit the premise didn't strike me as very promising: take an actor itching for a comeback in Kevin Costner, put him in what looks like a feature-length commercial for the NFL, and try hard to grab similar results as the 2011 Oscar-nominated film did. Well, surprise surprise. Draft Day turns out to be a solidly entertaining experience for football fans and non-fans alike, and from this die-hard fan's perspective, the film does many more things right than it does wrong. It effectively balances character-based drama with all of the wheelings and dealings in the most pressure-packed day of the life of a GM.

Much like how Steven Speilberg's Lincoln strengthened its focus by limiting the scope of its timeframe, so too does this movie. It chronicles one day of an important event rather than an entire season, and that's an asset. Costner plays Cleveland Browns GM Sonny Weaver, Jr., and as his third year on the job begins following a 6-10 season, he couldn't be in hotter water. Sports talk radio is calling for his head, his girlfriend and co-worker, Ali (Jennifer Garner), informs him she's pregnant, and team owner Anthony Molina (Frank Langella) demands he "make a splash" in this draft. Sonny wants to draft standout linebacker Vontae Mack (Chadwick Boseman) with the 7th pick, but Molina doesn't believe a defensive player will be a good sell for the fans. But along comes a golden opportunity in the person of the Seattle Seahawks' GM, who offers up the #1 pick in the draft in exchange for three first-round picks in consecutive years. Sonny, after some hesitation, agrees to the deal, assuming he can snare a "can't miss" prospect in quarterback Bo Callahan (Josh Pence). The fans and owner are thrilled, but Browns head coach Vince Penn (Denis Leary) is livid over this deal and threatens to quit. But with 8 hours to go before the Draft commences, Sonny ponders whether his gamble will pay off and if there's any other course of action.

Every sports fan has this thought at least once: "Man, our GM is an idiot." That's certainly the case here as Sonny deals with boiling pressure from all sides (including angry fans) while nonetheless keeping his cool. For Kevin Costner, the part fits him like a wide receiver's gloves. Jennifer Garner also excels in a role with a lot more substance than that of the cliched romantic interest (her character, the "cap-ologist" if you will, proves herself very adept and even-handed at dealing with people). Draft Day nails many of the big-picture elements of the NFL business including that of working the salary cap, the coach/GM/owner friction, and the concept of character flaws determining whether a player could be a "bust." One particularly strong confrontation involves the team's current starting quarterback (Tom Welling), fresh off rehabbing a knee injury, engaging in a bitter war of words with Sonny. Yes, the events in this movie are simplified to make it appeal to a wider audience, but it's successful in broad strokes. After all, it doesn't take much of a stretch to find a real-life NFL team with similar levels of dysfunction in its front office (Redskins, Lions, and Browns fans should be raising their hands right now).

Unfortunately, Draft Day misses on a few of its smaller details. One obvious flaw is a nerdy intern character whose awkward antics aren't funny and seems extremely out-of-place in a ship run as tightly as an NFL office. Fortunately, his screen time is limited. Also mildly irritating is a subplot involving Sonny's mother (played by Ellyn Burstyn) with a resolution that feels forced and artificial. One could also argue that the last-minute details on certain prospects dug up by Sonny's scouts are issues that might have been found and covered to death months ago. Also, isn't 42's Chadwick Boseman a little small for a linebacker (he strikes me as more of a safety)? And how come no one boos Commissioner Roger Goodell (playing himself in several mercifully brief appearances) when he steps to the podium?

But I digress. Director Ivan Reitman (best known for Ghostbusters and Stripes) does a solid job presenting the narrative, getting us on Sonny's side, and delivering a strong sense of verisimilitude. For a movie with so much talking via telephone, Reitman takes a creative, fluid split-screen approach to keep the proceedings from becoming stale. The movie as a whole doesn't hit hard or expose corruption in the game America loves so much, but I'd stop short of calling it a commercial for the NFL. Isn't Draft Day obligated to plaster teams' names, reference real-life players from the past, and integrate ESPN and NFL Network personalities for the sake of realism? I'd say so.    

On balance, the story achieves the feel-good impulse it aims for. The final events of the film stretch real-life credulity a little, but it's consistent with the context of this film and the personalities of these particular business people. The business side of sports isn't just about evaluating players and stats; it's a war of personalities, and Draft Day successfully depicts it. The characters and situations held my interest, which is priority No. 1 for any film regardless of its subject matter and audience. Even the Sonny/Ali relationship is strong, thanks in large part to the limited time-frame and strong acting from Coster and Garner. Reitman may not have made a classic sports movie in any sense of the term, but Draft Day represents enjoyable in-the-moment entertainment.

Rating: *** (out of ****)

Review of The Raid 2

If nothing else, THE RAID 2 is living proof that the MPAA will never, ever slap a film with the NC-17 rating for violence alone. Sure, director Gareth Evans' 2012 feature THE RAID: REDEMPTION let the blood flow freely during its various brutal, spectacular martial-arts battles, but he was just taking batting practice with that movie. This time, he and lead actor/choreographer Iko Uwais are swinging for the fences on Opening Day. Like the earlier film, opponents in this movie aren't merely knocked out; they're sliced and skewered in ways that would make slasher movie villains envious. One guy's face even meets the business end of a shotgun at close range, and the movie spares no details. So if this isn't your cup of tea and you sided with the late Roger Ebert on the original film, you're likely done reading here.

That's not to imply that THE RAID 2 is "more of the same," because it is certainly not. Instead of the linear structure of the first film (good guys fight their way to the top of a building), this one broadens the scope significantly and goes for a gangster epic. Rookie Jakarta cop Rama (Iko Uwais), having survived the massacre and taken down the main villain from the first movie, has attracted the attention of the upper echelon of gangs. To protect his family, he agrees to go undercover to climb the criminal hierarchy. First, he must enter a prison and gain the trust of Uco (Arifin Putra), the son of a prominent kingpin named Bangun (Tio Pakusadewo), hoping to join one of the gangs when the pre-arranged jail-term expires. He succeeds and proceeds to join Uco on several "missions" that usually end in violence, but nonetheless impress his superiors. No prizes for guessing that eventually, betrayal and double-dealing will tear these Indonesian and Japanese factions apart, with Rama caught in the middle.

THE RAID 2 is unquestionably more ambitious in its storytelling, but one could argue Evans overplays his hand. This is a long film at 2 hours and 28 minutes, but it doesn't fully earn its running time. Some of the non-violent, dialogue-based scenes are fascinating (especially those involving the manic, multi-lingual Arifin Putra), Uwais proves himself competent at portraying a sympathetic character outside of fighting, and the father-son dynamic between Uco and Bangun is well-developed, albeit predictable. A subplot involving the wayward, bearded Prakoso (Yahan Ruhian) could've been axed entirely and improved the flow. On some level, I admire Evans for shooting for a story of Godfather proportions, but these elements of the film stand in stark contrast to the action scenes, which stop the story dead in its tracks so that we can watch chaos for minutes at a time.

Speaking of the fight scenes, action junkies will unquestionably get their money's worth. Like the first movie, these confrontations are long, brutal, and fluidly, exquisitely choreographed. The prison fights early in the film involve Rama taking on hoards of attackers while trapped within a bathroom stall, and later a melee in a muddy courtyard between prisoners and riot guards. Some of the battles in the movie's mid-section aren't as impressive; they typically involve one man plowing through attackers in one or two moves apiece while they (in time-honored tradition) take him on one-at-a-time rather than rushing him. But as the story escalates, so too does the creativity of the action ratchet up. Late in the movie, we're treated to the bloody exploits of assassins Hammer Girl (Julie Estelle) and Baseball Bat Man (Very Tri Yulisman), and one action scene involving cars doesn't qualify as a Car Chase so much as it does a Car Fight.

THE RAID 2 is worth seeing, especially if you're a martial arts fan, but the only thing keeping me from fully savoring the experience is the length. Indeed, 20 minutes of trimming might have turned this into an action classic. Nonetheless, even as is, Evans' vision is refreshing. This is a martial arts gangster epic, and that means no PG-13-ification of the violence to make it more teen-friendly (and let's not kid ourselves, many of those same teenagers will revel in this too). You'll wince at some of the blows delivered here, yet at the same time you'll be impressed as hell by the choreography and relentless high energy. You'll likely also exclaim "damn!" with a smile on your face, which plenty of people at my screening (evenly divided among men and women, by the way) did several times. Time will tell whether Evans can perfect the mix of action and story with THE RAID 3, because he's certainly getting closer.

Rating: *** (out of ****)

Review of Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Marvel's Cinematic Universe is some kind of Juggernaut (with apologies to the X-Men character, which Disney/Marvel doesn't have the rights to). Whether you allow yourself to be swept along for the ride or turn up your nose at the sheer gigantic-ism of it all, you have to admire what the studio is churning out, at least from a business standpoint. Cinematically speaking, however, they've struck a stronger chord with Captain America: The Winter Soldier than with either Iron Man 3 or Thor: The Dark World. It captures the spirit and escapism of a superhero outing while at the same time taking a big leap forward with the Avengers arc. Casual movie-goers and die-hards alike can enjoy it for 2 hours without feeling the absence of the other members of the quartet.

Winter Soldier provides all the satisfying action, confrontations, and heroism of a tale of its sort, but by emphasizing political/spy machinations in its plot, it actually takes a cue from James Bond movies as well. The movie begins with a mission, led by Cap (Chris Evans) and Natasha (Scarlett Johansson), to rescue hostages from a pirated tanker. They succeed, but once Cap learns that the true purpose of the mission involves protecting confidential SHIELD information rather than saving lives, a schism develops between him and Director Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). Fury is later targeted for assassination by SHIELD's own forces, who suspect him of being a traitor. It isn't long before Cap is on the run and Secretary Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford) assumes control of SHIELD in order to further a top secret project. While Cap scrambles to figure out how deep the corruption of his former employer goes, Pierce sends out a Super Solider of his own, codenamed Winter Solider (Sebastian Stan) to eliminate the threat.

The Avengers featured very little of Steve Rogers' adjustment to the modern age after waking from 70 years of cryogenic slumber. But the filmmakers give that element its due here as Cap looks back upon his glory years, ponders how no one else on Earth can possibly relate to his life, and has a heartfelt conversation with a now-elderly Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell in effective old-age makeup). There is indeed something refreshingly old-school about Captain America; he's virtuous and team-oriented but can still kick ass with the best of them. Chris Evans once again shines portraying a hero who provides a compelling antithesis to Robert Downey Jr's sly, sarcastic Tony Stark. And Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson (aka The Falcon) makes for a superior sidekick.

In some sense, Winter Soldier functions as a slightly smaller-scale Avengers. The action sequences range from fluid, martial-arts inspired combat to full-on gadgetry warfare. Sure, real suspense is limited since we know the Captain will be around for future adventures, but in the context of this movie, it's hard not to be impressed with their scope and energy. As far as I can tell, the movie makes only two in-the-moment missteps. One involves Cap's shield; it's one hell of a weapon that protects his upper body from gunfire, but why don't the bad guys ever aim for his legs? Another involves the main villain's master plan. It's an intriguing one, to be sure, but the film only pays lip-service to the morality involved rather than diving in full-throttle like Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy and Zach Snyder's Watchmen did.

The Winter Solider lurches forward with the SHIELD arc as opposed to spinning its wheels. Time will tell how this film's single greatest development will affect not only future Avengers movies, but also Marvel's TV show "Agents of SHIELD." And yes, the usual credit cookies are present, one of which teases next summer's superhero smackdown, but that's the cherry on top of the cake. Marvel has learned from past criticisms here; Winter Soldier tells a self-contained story that scores well in the action, plot, and character interaction departments without feeling like just another appetizer for Avengers 2. 

Rating: *** (out of ****)