SHALL WE DANCE (2004) … 3.2***
The film is set In Chicago where the workaholic lawyer John Clark (Richard Gere) is feeling bored with his routine life, limited to work and staying at home with his wife Beverly Clark (Susan Sarandon) and his teenage son and daughter. One night, while traveling home by train, he sees the beautiful face of Paulina (Jennifer Lopez) in the balcony of a dance school, and a couple of days later, he decides to visit the school and start taking dancing classes … Ballroom Dancing… which continues every Wednesday night after work. He’s shy about it so he doesn’t to tell his family his "little secret” . His wife Susan Sarandon becomes suspicious because he’s out so much and….. he seems happier. Let me pause here and interject that It probably helps if you’re over 40 years old to understand the yearning of the main character (Gere) who really has no reason NOT to be happy in his life, yet he cannot help but feel like he’s missing "something".
"Shall We Dance?" is an excellent movie about a recently neglected but otherwise beautiful pastime activity… Ballroom Dancing.. This is a feel good infectiously fun movie for those who like romantic comedies and especially dancing along with a charming story of a shy but kind-hearted middle-aged man who finds happiness in the joy of dance and opens others' hearts as well with enthusiasm.. Every year, there are dozens of films made that try so hard to reach a little deeper, to hold on a little tighter, and to leave us breathless. Every year there’s only one good one or (most often) none at all. This film was the exception. From the opening moment of getting to know this main character, we get the instant feel that is portrayed throughout the entire film…. a feeling of real life… of discovering the joy of a new found hobby. . This movie is excellent simply because it is so believable, and so filled with joy and love. It grabs you from start to finish and never lets you go. It is a story about real life, and the beauty that it holds. It is a sensible and decent story that provides a look into what our lives could and should really become.
This is the story of a man searching for a meaning throughout the film, only to realize that his meaning has been right in front of his eyes the whole time. An ensemble film at heart, this is one of the best and hardest working casts I've seen in years. AND THEY DO THEIR OWN DANCING… they practiced for 3 months before filming started. Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, and Jennifer Lopez all turn in fantastic lead performances.. It's the supporting cast that really makes the movie, though, Stanley Tucci and Lisa Ann Walter stick out in particular as two dancers made for each other.
Yes, it's a story about life as we all can live it. As Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez dance wonderfully and so gracefully in the dark studio alone at night, you worry, for a split second, that the film will slip into the old and used form of movies- but it stays better. Because life is not a fairy tale and it's not a passionate romance, we learn to appreciate what we already have around us, we can, in essence, find the fairy tale in our own lives. And that's what makes this movie so great. It teaches us to appreciate and love the beauty of our own lives, and it's a lesson we can all learn.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
THE AVENGERS 4.0
If you're a fan of epic superhero adventure movies, then this is your dream come true. It really is the ultimate superhero spectacular and it's done perfectly. The makers of this film certainly understand spectacle but they also get the intricacies and depth these type of characters can provide. The depth of this movie really did surprise me. I was expecting a wild popcorn movie. I couldn't have been more pleased because they balanced everything masterfully. Sure, there's the popcorn fun we were all expecting but there's also a definite soul to the film and a smart plot as well. It's truly an amazing movie regardless of genre. There's a reason this grand of a movie has never been attempted before now. How do you fully flesh out, care about and establish this vast group and still deliver a fun, crisp and coherent story? It's extremely difficult to navigate that edge-of-your-seat excitement while at the same time caring about each one of the characters and their struggles. One of the most impressive aspects of The Avengers is that they managed to get each hero their time in the spotlight and their own character arc. Every single main lead steps up and is treated with remarkable intelligence and given room to shine.
The movie starts off with an introduction to each of our heroes and their antagonist: Loki. It's all pretty usual stuff from here. But once the heroes come together, the movie becomes something more. There are a lot of big egos flying around and each one is more used to being the center of attention, especially Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark. It's in these heated rows and witty banter that The Avengers becomes something that I really wasn't expecting: it's really funny. All these characters are so different and come from such different backgrounds that there is a lot of fun to be had by bouncing them off each other. And in the film's climax, Hulk gets most of the laughs as he smashes everything around him. The Hulk could easily have been the film's main weakness, but he ends up being one of the film's biggest strengths. A few of the new characters and ones that were limited to cameos in previous films get their chance to shine here. Of course, for those of you who know me understand that I have to mention that Scarlett Johansson is in the movie as the Black Widow…. and looking good !!
Which brings us to the film's action sequences. They are astounding. Each one better than the last. An early 3 player bout where Iron Man and Captain America try to take down Thor is great, but an aerial fight between Thor and the Hulk is better. But then there's the climactic "glorious war!" which really shows the potential of bringing this group together as they get to fight as a team.
The plot is tight and clever and the screenplay brilliantly written with some cracking dialogue. Joss Whedon's directorial style translates perfectly into the blockbuster mold. The perfectly cast actors are all 100% comfortable in their roles and have great fun both bouncing off each other and uniting to fight as a team. The Avengers” 4.0he whole movie is terrific fun without being dumb.
Clark
If you're a fan of epic superhero adventure movies, then this is your dream come true. It really is the ultimate superhero spectacular and it's done perfectly. The makers of this film certainly understand spectacle but they also get the intricacies and depth these type of characters can provide. The depth of this movie really did surprise me. I was expecting a wild popcorn movie. I couldn't have been more pleased because they balanced everything masterfully. Sure, there's the popcorn fun we were all expecting but there's also a definite soul to the film and a smart plot as well. It's truly an amazing movie regardless of genre. There's a reason this grand of a movie has never been attempted before now. How do you fully flesh out, care about and establish this vast group and still deliver a fun, crisp and coherent story? It's extremely difficult to navigate that edge-of-your-seat excitement while at the same time caring about each one of the characters and their struggles. One of the most impressive aspects of The Avengers is that they managed to get each hero their time in the spotlight and their own character arc. Every single main lead steps up and is treated with remarkable intelligence and given room to shine.
The movie starts off with an introduction to each of our heroes and their antagonist: Loki. It's all pretty usual stuff from here. But once the heroes come together, the movie becomes something more. There are a lot of big egos flying around and each one is more used to being the center of attention, especially Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark. It's in these heated rows and witty banter that The Avengers becomes something that I really wasn't expecting: it's really funny. All these characters are so different and come from such different backgrounds that there is a lot of fun to be had by bouncing them off each other. And in the film's climax, Hulk gets most of the laughs as he smashes everything around him. The Hulk could easily have been the film's main weakness, but he ends up being one of the film's biggest strengths. A few of the new characters and ones that were limited to cameos in previous films get their chance to shine here. Of course, for those of you who know me understand that I have to mention that Scarlett Johansson is in the movie as the Black Widow…. and looking good !!
Which brings us to the film's action sequences. They are astounding. Each one better than the last. An early 3 player bout where Iron Man and Captain America try to take down Thor is great, but an aerial fight between Thor and the Hulk is better. But then there's the climactic "glorious war!" which really shows the potential of bringing this group together as they get to fight as a team.
The plot is tight and clever and the screenplay brilliantly written with some cracking dialogue. Joss Whedon's directorial style translates perfectly into the blockbuster mold. The perfectly cast actors are all 100% comfortable in their roles and have great fun both bouncing off each other and uniting to fight as a team. The Avengers” 4.0he whole movie is terrific fun without being dumb.
Clark
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