SHOULD I SEE IT Movie Reviews with Michael Ward...

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Permalink Reply by Michael Ward on November 11, 2011 at 10:31am

J. EDGAR
2.5 stars out of 5
Dir. Clint Eastwood
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, Judi Dench.
Release Date (Seattle): November 11, 2011
Running Time: 137 Minutes
Warner Bros. Pictures

The problems start almost as soon as the lights dim in Clint Eastwood’s eagerly anticipated biopic, “J. Edgar”. J. Edgar Hoover, the iconic American lawman, director and overseer of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is late in his life, elderly, puffy in appearance, gruff in tone, and passionately dictating to his lead biographer, Agent Smith (Ed Westwick), the events which led to his appointment as a top ranking official in the Justice Department. We catch him almost in mid-sentence it seems, as he jumps right into running through the details surrounding the storied Palmer Raids of 1919, a strategy used to snuff out perceived left-leaning anarchists after the conclusion of World War I and during the height of the Red Scare of Communism in America. From the opening moments, we are scrambling to catch up to the facts and details Hoover is sharing; details perceived to be basic and primary for most viewers, but presented in a hazy and unframed context.

Directed by Clint Eastwood, “J. Edgar” falls victim to many of these moments. Context is fleeting and the screenplay from Oscar-winning writer Dustin Lance Black (Milk) feels akin to flipping randomly through a biography of Hoover’s life – or worse, a textbook. Black and Eastwood have opted to tell Hoover’s story in a non-linear cross-cutting style which, either because of some surprisingly shoddy editing by Eastwood’s long-time collaborators Joel Cox and Gary Roach or Eastwood and Black not being on the same page, “J. Edgar” is undoubtedly well-intentioned, but amounts to nothing more than a turgid and meandering 137 minutes.

See More of my Review of J. Edgar HERE...

THE PROS AND CONS OF J. EDGAR

Yes:
At its core, “J. Edgar” is worth a look for the fantastic work of Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role. For those who feel he has become lazy or takes the same type of roles over and over again, that theory has been shot out of the sky. DiCaprio never misses a beat and finds the man he is portraying in every decade he is asked to play him and at any age. Certainly DiCaprio is worthy of an Oscar nomination for another role which will come to define him as an actor.

No:
For those looking for insight into Hoover – the man, and the perceived ideas of just who J. Edgar Hoover was and happened to be, you will need to look elsewhere. Other than shedding some speculative light on his personal life and relationship with constant companion, Clyde Tolson, Dustin Lance Black’s screenplay never gives you much of anything to consider. I have no idea why Hoover was of the temperament he was and why he reacted in the manner in which he did. This “J. Edgar” is a biography without any words, a portrait without any color.

YOUR TURN!

What about you? What are your thoughts of Clint Eastwood's Oscar hopeful? Where does it fall in the pending Oscar race? Has Leonardo DiCaprio earned a fourth Oscar nomination playing the iconic J. Edgar Hoover? Has Clint Eastwood lost the goodwill he generated from Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, and Letters From Iwo Jima/Flags Of Our Fathers?

If you see J. EDGAR or have already seen the film, tell the Seattle Screeners Clubhouse about it! Then use the Share, Twitter, Google+, and Facebook links up above to spread the word around about our community's thoughts on J. EDGAR.

Permalink Reply by Shari on November 11, 2011 at 10:53am

I agree 100%.  While they do not delve far enough into anything, not to mention the relationship they have, the Tolson/Hoover relationship is the only part of the film that held my interest.

Permalink Reply by Michael Ward on November 11, 2011 at 2:25pm

Do you still think DiCaprio has any shot for Best Actor.  Such a winning performance in such a mediocre film...What a shame...

Permalink Reply by Michael Ward on November 11, 2011 at 2:39pm

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART II
4.5 stars out of 5
Dir. David Yates
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint.
Release Date (Seattle): July 15, 2011
Home Video: November 11, 2011
Running Time: 130 Minutes
Warner Bros. Pictures

This conclusion, which was notably cut into 2 parts due to a nearly 5-hour running time, picks up immediately where the first film ends with Voldemort leering over the corpse of Dumbledore. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who spent much of the first film on a coming of age journey together, shedding their youthfulness for a transition into maturity and adulthood, are resuming their efforts in acquiring the final four Horcruxes. As a reminder, Horcruxes are the devices containing elements of Voldemort’s soul which must be recovered to ensure the end of the Dark Lord. Desperate to find the remaining Horcruxes, the three protagonists seek to break into a Severus Snape-run Hogwarts and in turn, they stumble across Dumbledore’s estranged brother, Aberforth. Determined that they must return to Hogwarts to continue their quest, Aberforth begrudgingly grants their wish...

As bittersweet as it is for me to see this all come to an end, I can proudly share with you that “Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, Parts 1 and 2″ is a staggering achievement and at this writing, “Part 2″ is the easily the best experience I have had in a theater in 2011. I am not sure if this is the best film of the year thus far, but it absolutely belongs in the conversation; better and more rewarding than any action film from this year and deeper and more heartfelt than I could have ever imagined.

All is well indeed.

See More of my Review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part ...

THE PROS AND CONS OF HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS, PART II

Yes:
Even if you left the series a film or two back, you simply cannot miss this incredible conclusion to the series. When viewed back to back with Part 1, I have the sense that this film will be remembered and praised long after the fans have grown up and moved on to other things.

No:
I mean…you have a moral objection to magic, wizards, and related subject matter. Odds are you have not seen any of these films if that is indeed the case, but I mean…I am grasping at reasons here.

YOUR TURN!

What about you? Are you fans of the Harry Potter franchise?  Did some films amaze you while others left you could?  Is "Deathly Hallows Pat II" one of, if not the, best conclusion to a film franchise of all time?  Or did the Harry Potter films lose you years ago?

If you have seen HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART II or will be watching the film again, or for the first time, this weekend, tell the Seattle Screeners Clubhouse about it! Then use the Share, Twitter, Google+, and Facebook links up above to spread the word around about our community's thoughts on HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART II!