The Odyssey

It’s not the oldest story—as of this writing the Epic of Gilgamesh still holds that title—but Christopher Nolan’s retelling of the famous Greek epic poem seems to argue that Homer’s work may be the most significant. What is this ancient story about? Not a man, not a war, not a family, not a journey; according to this telling, the story is about everything. Nolan and company present a tale that is civilizational in scope, one that argues that Homer’s masterpiece is a song about all of those things and more, all the way to the very collapse of the world those people were living in. This may be a radical reinterpretation of the text—students reading the book in literature classes, at least back in my day, rarely heard such a theory—and it requires a substantial amount of revision to the tale and the presentation of some of these characters, but it is an idea that makes this movie a provocative and, in some instances, a profoundly emotional experience. Anne Hathaway stands as perhaps the most traditional depiction of a character here, showing a Penelope who is both clever and courageous but also deeply vulnerable. Tom Holland is similarly traditional as Telemachus, though perhaps a touch wiser and more agentic than you usually see in stagings. Other characters show a range of redevelopment, from a brutish but wise Meneleus (Jon Bernthal) to a vaguely sympathetic Circe to an Athena (Zendaya) who comes across like a girl who wandered into the movie from the local hangout. (Come on, dude—Athena was, among other things, a war goddess, not some wispy, weak twentysomething.) And then there is Matt Damon’s titular protagonist: a king and a general and a hero, but also a man broken by his recognition of the consequences of what he has done. It is an affecting performance, and it ultimately confronts the viewer with an emotional depth that matches the pain endured by Penelope. Put the personal struggles together with the global characteristics of the story—war and violence and greed and hatred, courage and cowardice, loyalty and treachery, tyranny and tragedy and love and death—and you can see the outlines of a world descending and being remade in real time (with clear parallels to an all-too-familiar scenario playing out in the world around the viewer). All of that speaks of the tremendous ambition that went into the creation of this film; the judgment here is that that ambition achieved most of its goals most of the way, with just touches of false steps just here and there. Like its story, the movie is long and takes you to many places, but it ultimately arrives at the desired destination: the victory that is great art and great storytelling, combined with cinematic techniques of the highest order. I sing, O Muse, of a work that should not be missed; don’t take ten years to watch this one.

The Hustle

We know from past experience that Anne Hathaway can carry a movie. So I think it's pretty safe to say what the problem is here. I've never been a big fan of the "fat idiot " routine, and while Rebel Wilson may be fine in short bursts of sidekick silliness, she and her shtick don't cut it as a lead, or a co-lead, or the focus of a film. So while Hathaway has what must have been a fun time wallowing in the nonsense, there's little such entertainment for the rest of us out here in the audience. The overall product here just doesn't work: mostly unfunny, dumb, and not even entertaining in a so-bad-it's-good-way. Finally, it must be stressed: people really need to stop with this "let's remake someone's old movie, except we'll do it with a switch of the genders/races/whatevers of the lead characters. If you're that bereft of originality, you're probably exactly as bad as every chauvinist says you are. Strive for better. Bottom line: nobody should fall for this con.

Colossal

A monster lurks within all of us--it's just that most times, it doesn't manifest quite so concretely. Not so here, to the viewers amusement. This one delivers a remarkably deft mix of comedy and drama that hits all the right notes without a misstep. The only thing false, considering the nature of the story, is the fact that the city in danger is not completely evacuated by the end, given all that has happened before then. But that's a quibble. Ultimately, this is a little movie that makes a big impact.

The Devil Wears Prada

I guess you had to be her. I admit there's a decent story here, with plenty of elements of interest even for the unfashionable among us. But the film has issues, chief among them being its desire to have things both ways. The story is dismissive of fashion and its world, but also argues in its favor at certain key moments. When our heroine becomes more accepting of her new milieu--and even starts feeling sympathetic towards her antagonist--she is not celebrated for her growth but criticized as a sellout in run-of-the-mill dramatic conflict generation. All of which leaves the viewer...where? Who knows? Are the personal failings of those shown as antagonists worthy of condemnation, or justified by their positions in the the fashion world's hierarchy of prominence and importance? Again, who knows? That lack of a firm, determined perspective isn't fatal, but the film suffers because of it. With movies as with people: looking good matters, but the advantage can be undone by flaws in deeper concerns.

Interstellar

I think this movie's heart is in the right place. Director Christopher Nolan has built a lot of equity with previous works, so one might be willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, or at least a pass on certain things. But that also means there's a pretty high level of expectations attached to his projects, and this one does not live up to that hype. I'm not bothered by the predictability of what seems to be an obvious attempt at ginning up a big "shocking twist"; I'm more concerned about the vagueness surrounding much of the film's presentation: the unsteady science (including that one major boner that every screenwriter seems to love, misunderstanding black holes), the characters' odd motivations, even just the set-up for why all this is necessary in the first place. Indeed, the science is so vague in some places that this might be a more honest movie if it were an outright fantasy, with everyone wearing robes and pointed hats and doing magic rather than talking about wormholes. Too much of what may have been intended as atmospheric obscurity simply comes across as intellectual or creative laziness. If you want to shoot something into space in a rocket, make it your lack of willingness to work the problem all the way through.

Les Misérables

Simply spectacular stuff. I was surprised by all the complaints I heard and read about this film; the issues raised never amounted to more than quibbles in my eyes. What I got out of it was a great viewing experience: tremendous performances from several of the cast members (Jackman, Hathaway, and Barks in particular), a lot of memorable music, and a rich visual presentation that truly enhanced the complex and deeply emotional story. I was especially intrigued by how Javert prefigures the soldiers of Nazi Germany, and by the moral contrast between Javert's failures and Valjean’s powerfully redemptive story. Not just bang-up entertainment, but heavy, interesting stuff to think about, too. A must see.

The Dark Knight Rises

A satisfying conclusion to Nolan's trilogy. Much more of a sequel to Batman Begins than its immediate predecessor--though that film has its impact here, too--this installment focuses strongly on the emotional life of its key characters, with heartening results when all is said and done. Even so, this is still a big, sweeping epic action hero movie, and it delivers the spectacle as well. One sour note: either I'm losing my hearing, or the sound mix was really poor (either in the theater or in the digital film; I couldn't particularly tell); either way, I could not hear far too much of the dialogue in the action sequences. There's also some muddle to the plot, especially early on, but a lot of that becomes clearer when you step back and look at the big picture. And this is, indeed, a big picture--and even worth the inflated ticket price of today's theater experience.

Brokeback Mountain

This movie is totally gay! There, I said it. Of course, it's got lots of gorgeous scenery, beautifully filmed, and you even get to see Anne Hathaway's tits, so what's not to love? Oh, right--the ass pounding. Well, setting aside orientation questions, the film itself has a solid story at its kernel, but feels a little stretched out, possibly an attempt to be "epic." That, plus the slowed down pace, can make this one tough to stay with, though the fine performances of the leads (Ledger and Gyllenhaal) as the conflicted cowboys are themselves worth watching. Probably worth your time, unless you really don't like gay cowboy movies.

Ella Enchanted

In a nutshell, uneven. Anne Hathaway acquits herself nicely, even showing a strong singing voice, and the movie remains solid when it focuses on her Ella and the girl's unusual magical condition. But there's too much straying into bland low-romantic plot, and the warmed over 'Shrek' shenanigans don't add much to the proceedings. Worth it, if you really dig fantasy for kids.

The Princess Diaries

Well-worn plot, but wonderful execution. The acting's great, the writing's expert and sensitive--none of the characters ever strays into cliche territory--and the story and performers exude absolute charm. A "Best of All" inductee.