by George Wolf
THE MONUMENTS MEN
There are many stories in war, some better known than others. With The Monuments Men, George Clooney shines a bright Hollywood spotlight on one of the lesser known aspects of World War II, and manages to make it an informative and entertaining affair.
True, the story of how the Nazis stole countless art treasures in Europe was outlined by the excellent 2006 documentary The Rape of Europa, and 42 years before that, Burt Lancaster tried to keep precious artifacts from reaching Germany in The Train. But the tale of this heroic group is fresh territory, and in adapting the source book, director Clooney and his usual co-writer Grant Heslov again show fine instincts for making a historical drama resonate.
Clooney also stars as the leader of the titular platoon, an older group of art experts called into military service and tasked with rescuing the stolen works and when possible, returning them to the rightful owners. He’s surrounded by a winning cast with plenty of star power, including Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray, and Cate Blanchett as a suspicious Frenchwoman who becomes very helpful to the cause.
Factual liberties are taken, of course, but give Clooney and Heslov credit for keeping a good heart beating beneath the big-scale production. The heavy toll of war, the enduring power of art, and the souls at the center of each are given due respect, even as the film becomes a nail-biting chase to rescue a priceless Michelangelo before it falls into wrong hands.
As a director, Clooney is a bit more obvious this time out, and there are segments when things becomes a tad too lighthearted, such as reminders of some of the cast’s previous films which may or may not have been intentional. In fact, the struggle to find a suitable tone is the film’s main weakness, as the cinematic heights Clooney reached in Good Night and Good Luck or The Ides of March are sacrificed to give the film more mass appeal.
But ultimately, The Monuments Men is a tale that deserves a wide audience, and Clooney may prove just the right artist to get that job done.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CreneTs7sGs
THE LEGO MOVIE
Legos! Has there ever been a cooler toy? It’s ideal for unbridled creativity as well as meticulous attention to directions and every tendency in between, so basically, it’s perfect. And it’s a weirdly apt building block for a movie.
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller – writers and directors behind the surprise hit Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs as well as the even more surprising 21 Jump Street – return to animation with this artistic gem that pleases on all fronts.
Regular guy Emmett, construction worker and follow-the-directions type, falls into an adventure with wild idea creatives who are fighting to keep evil Lord Business from ending the Lego world as they know it.
It’s a solid, even familiar premise, and it offers these talented filmmakers a lot of opportunities. The tone is fresh and irreverent, the direction endlessly clever, and the voice talent spot-on.
Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell and Morgan Freeman anchor the tale, with great cameos (Jonah Hill and Billy Dee Williams are the biggest hoot) and talented supporting turns helping to keep every scene interesting.
A clear love of Legos infects the entire proceedings, with hilarious Lego pieces and familiar characters and creations popping up everywhere. But the core ideas are even stronger and more thoughtful, the satire bright and evident, and the final themes appropriate for the kids you took with you as your excuse to see this movie.
Lord and Miller manage to entertain every possible audience here, poking fun at modern blockbusters and reveling in youthful creativity. They are aided immeasurably by animators who offer vivid, imaginative action sequences that embrace the themes of the film and mirror the energetic fantasy world of childhood.
The result is a joyous voyage, a perfect match between content and presentation, and a super cool movie.
THE GREAT BEAUTY
Ambitious in scope and bursting with visual wonder in nearly every frame, the Oscar-nominated The Great Beauty (La grande bellezza) is an Italian film that not only embraces Fellini comparisons, but revels in updating the “Fellini-esque” moniker with thoroughly modern sentiments.
Director/co-writer Paolo Sorrentino takes us into the upper crust of Rome society through the eyes of Jep Gambardella (the marvelous Toni Servillo), a writer, playboy and all-around rascal who for years has enjoyed living his longtime dream of being the one guest with enough social clout “to make the party a failure.”
Shortly after his 65th birthday bash, though, Jep is shaken by news regarding a friend from his past, and he begins to look beyond the superficial pleasures, searching for the simple, exquisite beauty he never stopped to appreciate.
Sorrentino displays a masterful ability to combine wry satire, silly comedy, and keen social commentary. Working with a loose, often surrealistic narrative and an unhurried pace, Sorrentino employs veteran cinematographer Luca Bigazzi to unveil countless scenes of beauty, brilliantly driving home the point that Jep merely has to open his eyes to find what he is seeking.
Awash in wealth and decadence but grounded in the simple joys of life, The Great Beauty is an endlessly fascinating ride that never fails to live up to the grandness of its title.