Whole, Not Half and Half

If I were to put together a list of the movies I was most anticipating this fall, it would not be a long one. Sure, there are the big budget blockbusters that are certain to entertain, such as the remake of The Thing, or the mythological warfare film The Immortals. But most of the high-class movies vying for potential award nominations are not making the compelling argument that they deserve to be seen, as I'm taking a wait-and-see approach to Martha Marcy May Marlene, Anonymous, Like Crazy, The Rum Diary, J Edgar, Melancholia, and The Descendants. There will be bad movies as well, many of which I will be readily avoiding like the plague. Even those that fall in the middle are no sure thing, and many I'll see not because they demand attention, but because they're all that is. 50/50 was definitely a film that fell in that category, a dramedy focusing on possibly the most unfunny topic out there. Sure, it sports a cast that was itself 50/50, including the excellent Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Academy Award nominee Anna Kendrick yet the film also harbors the eyeroll-inducing Seth Rogen in a major supporting role. Sure, played right this could have been among the best films of the year but come on; SETH ROGEN!! Sure, he can occasionally be a positive influence in good films, such as his non-corporeal role in this year's Paul, but I still had a hard time believing that he would do anything besides drag a title like this one down from its full potential.

"And how does starring in a film with Seth Rogen make you feel?"

Adam's (Gordon-Levitt) life is fairly steady. He's got a steady job, a steady girlfriend (Bryce Dallas Howard), a best friend who cares for him (Rogen) and he exercises regularly. Overall things are just fine. But Adam's latest doctor visit has forced his life down an unexpected road, as he learns he has a rare form of aggressive spinal cancer. With odds of surviving the disease 50/50, Adam's life and relationships quickly unravel as he struggles to exist in this new, barely survivable phase of his life. He finds no solace in his friends and family and depressed about his chances of still being here when all is said and done.

This is what we call "Bad Idea #1"

50/50 is not your typical "cancer flick", most notably because it's not entirely fiction. The film was in fact based on the real-life crisis of screenwriter Will Reiser, who was similarly diagnosed in his early twenties. Reiser obviously takes liberally from his own experiences, from chemotherapy sessions to the intensity that such a disease brings to the relationships between the afflicted and their family and friends. This isn't an overly sappy sob-fest or an inspirational tour de force, but a story told straight without need of epic dramatic flourishes. There are a few glossed-over or ommitted details (how many chemo patinets keep their eyebrows in real life, I wonder?), it still manages to get most right. There's something raw and stripped down about this, and it makes for a more compelling dialogue about life and living. We are told, and we believe, that having cancer is more than enough of a plot to follow.

Three cheers for medicinal marijuana!

Of course it doesn't hurt the telling when you've got the best cast available for the job. While I'm sure James McAvoy would have been great in the lead role (it was his before he had to back out for personal reasons), but it's difficult now to envision anyone besides Gordon-Levitt and his swiftly-rising star as the courageous and ever-shifting Adam. Adam has to cover a lot of ground as a character, not only affected by his condition but by the changing world around him. Gordon-Levitt is uniquely suited to this task, as he can convey more dialogue to the audience merely by his facial expressions and body language than most people can do by speaking aloud. It's a shame 50/50's somewhat juvenile nature will probably prevent it from attaining top tier status, as there was enough here I thought to make an argument for this fine performer as the year's best actor. The crew around him are no slouches however, as director Jonathan Levine shows that he really knew what he was doing putting this group together. Anna Kendrick once again stuns as Adam's student therapist, drawing amusement from the audience as she stumbles through emotional hoops to try and break through Adam's defenses. This may not be a far cry from her breakthrough role of the young Natalie Keener in Up in the Air, but since she's still charming enough to be cute and new enough for the acting to not be old hat, it works perfectly. Bryce Dallas Howard gives us yet another reason not to like her, though in this case it's because she's so good as making us hate her character, Adam's emotionally-distant girlfriend Rachael. It's only a small role, but the daughter of director Ron proves that she can be used effectively in the correct roles, usually the smaller the better. Furthermore, Anjelica Huston is both amazing and almost unrecognizable as Adam's mother Diane, an overly-emotive and smothering matriarch who was already dealing with her husband's Alzheimer's problems. This is one of the characters revered by the filmmakers, as the dynamic of Diane's and Adam's relationship throughout is one of two that are pivotal. The other is the one between Adam and his best friend Kyle. I'm shocked to be saying this twice in one year, but Rogen proves to be compelling and fun to watch unlike ever before. Though 90% of his performance is just like everything you've seen before from him, there is a certain otherness and honesty to his work here. It probably stems from experience: Rogen played much the same character in real life when Reiser was diagnosed. The result is an above average performance and a cast in which even the most likely flaw emerges clean and sparkling.

Gordon-Levitt's eyebrows are saying "Get the hell out"

After enjoying the movie as a whole for the first 80 minutes, something strange happened. It's often said that I am emotional and cry at the drop of a hat, but I don't believe I've ever broken down and cried while watching a movie in the theater before. The sheer emotion of the film's final moments are almost too much to bear however, and I'm certain most people would have reacted in the same manner. 50/50 is a completely honest, sometimes brutal and thankfully uplifting tale in which we are told that sometimes the best moments of our lives might be brought on by our worst disasters. For a movie I wasn't even sure I wanted to watch, it was quite a surprise to clock it in at #3 for 2011. That might seem a little low, even to me, but the line dividing 50/50, Drive and Moneyball is so thin that any of them could be the top movie this year. With a weak-looking winter field ahead, there's a good chance that these three could still be the top three come January. Until then, they're all must-sees and each worth the price however you invite them inside.

A Helping Hand

Getting ready for the changes every September 1'st brings has been a challenge this year; that's why you haven't seen Hello, Mr. Anderson following its usual Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule these past few weeks. Between helping people move and preparing for my own new housemates, not to mention the stresses and cracks in everyday life, it's been difficult to put out a product consistently for you my readers. Now that things have settled down a bit, I'll be trying to get back onto that road that worked well for me for so long. Maybe I need to bring some help in getting this together. Oh, look, a segue! (Note to self: work on trimming down the segues)

The Help is probably the first genuine awards contender I've seen in 2011. While most of the likely nominees and critical darlings are released in the winter months leading up to award season, there are always a few that come out during the summer, hidden among the explosive action films and kooky comedies. There are some every year, with Inception, The Hurt Locker and Little Miss Sunshine perhaps the best examples from the past few years. I've actually been surprised not to have come upon a similar contender earlier in 2011, a year not lacking in good films but in stellar ones. Before the release of this review, my Top 10 list had only one title from the entire year (J.J. Abram's Super 8) with realistic potential for a Best Picture nomination, while several great films (Hanna, Win Win, Midnight in Paris) will likely go unrecognized. The Help won't. It's got all the trappings - I mean strengths - that make it an ideal contender: an all-star cast playing strong characters; an easily recognizable and culturally important dichotomy of racism in the Old South; and most importantly, the story is based on the bestselling novel by Kathryn Stockett and directed by the author's childhood friend. At the very least, it wants to be the audience darling of 2011, and my trusty cinema sidekick Anne and I caught this latest piece before I would move back to the more typical summer fare of Conan the Barbarian, Fright Night and Final Destination V.

Move over, Skeeter; there can be only one Mr. Anderson!

When Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan (Emma Stone) returns to her hometown of Jackson after graduating from the University of Mississippi, she wants to change things. An aspiring journalist and author, she desires to write a story from the vantage point of the "help", the poor black women who serve as housemaids, cooks, and surrogate parents to the spoiled upper-class white women who effectively run the small town. She is inspired by her own experiences growing up, as well as by a new initiative by the "Alpha" housewife Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard) to legally require every house to have a separate outhouse for the required use of the help, due to the "diseases" they supposedly carry. Skeeter is determined for the disenfranchised to be better respected by the local community, and teams up with local maids Abileen (Viola Davis) and Minny (Octavia Spencer) to get their story, good and bad, be told.

Oh, my, is that a Best Supporting Actress nomination you see?

Okay, it's not all about the white women. My description above doesn't quite lend evidence to the fact that the film is equally told from the twin perspectives of Skeeter and Abileen. One is a downtrodden servant hoping things don't get worse, while the other is a privileged young woman pushing for things to get better. The two find unlikely allies in one another, and it's a common tale of two mismatched individuals teaming up against a common enemy. That enemy may be a seemingly simple combination of intolerance and cruelty, but The Help threads an entire spectrum of entertainment for the audience to gather in. The last movie I can remember that could have you crying one minute and roaring with laughter the next was last year's The King's Speech, the eventual Oscar winner for Best Picture. Director Tate Taylor does a surprisingly strong turn here, as you would never expect this level of artistic sophistication from a mere rookie to the silver screen. It's not perfect, as some things are a little too neatly wrapped by the film's conclusion, but as a title its cohesion was far more secure than it had any right to be.

Bargain hunting is a much more dangerous sport in Jackson

Possibly the most important story here is the number of impressive female actors and characters that fill this film's roster. The Help is a title where men have little impact on the story as a whole or are not seen at all, and one very effective bit of evidence of this is when one character's abusive husband is never actually shown on the screen, despite his obvious presence in the household. It's obvious from the get-go that the women rule the roost, and with this collection of talent it can never be accused that this would be a bad thing. Emma Stone continues to impress as she uses 2011 as a major stepping stone to perhaps bigger and better things. Playing an ugly duckling is difficult enough for Stone, doing so believably while being a hero to root for comes so naturally that it's hard to connect her previous comedic roles to this very elegant dramatic performance. Viola Davis meanwhile plays a role much closer to her usual fare, but since that is the same level that got her nominated for awards in films like Doubt, that is hardly folly. She manages to be the heart and soul of The Help, no easy task with the cast around her. One that nearly steals the show is Octavia Spencer, an underrated character actress who enjoys some of the film's best sequences as a sass-mouthing, trouble-making maid. Bryce Dallas Howard also defies all my expectations in the Cruella deVille role in which she is presented. I've never been a fan of her work, but this particular film exemplifies her best traits and lets her be as saucy as she wants. These four are surrounded by a strong core of talented women, each with something special to bring to their roles. Jessica Chastain, Allison Janney, Sissy Spacek and Cicely Tyson all put on amazing work, some surpassing even their own high water marks. Sure, there are some men visible in the foreground (most notably Private Practice's Chris Lowell) but these men have little to do with how the story is told and for the most part are simply unimportant.

Sissy Spacek is still good! Who knew?

I knew going in that The Help would be an entertaining film, one that would evoke several emotions and many at once. What I wasn't expecting was the best movie I've seen all year. For the first time since April, I have a new #1 for 2011. It may have taken forever for a legitimate Academy Award nominee to rear its head, but this one was well worth the wait. I simply cannot recommend it enough, especially considering the lackluster fare that currently clogs the majority of cinemas this summer. With this especially stellar cast, a talented storyteller at the helm, and laughs and tears a plenty, The Help is definitely a title you should be making plans to see even as you finish reading this review.

Move Along, There's No Oscar to See Here

Eastwood. It's a name synonymous with hard work, dedication and strength, both without and within. For nearly sixty years, Clint Eastwood has molded himself into one of the more celebrated and acclaimed performers of his or any time. His acting roles are iconic. Since winning his first Academy Awards for Unforgiven in 1992, he's become something of an Oscar darling, with his films garnering both critical and commercial success. Million Dollar Baby might be one day considered one of Hollywood's finest films ever. People still say he was snubbed for Gran Torino in 2008. In the past two decades he's simply become one of Hollywood's most important people, and even that isn't a stretch from where he had been before that. When he makes a movie, people see it.

You know he's unhappy because he can't sleep

So when I first saw the trailer for Hereafter, I was hooked. Matt Damon playing a man with a psychic connection to the afterlife who wants nothing to do with his mysterious power, as well as a narrative on our fear and beliefs concerning death, was a very interesting concept. Infinitely unique and anchored by Damon, the film looked sure to be one of the season's obvious award-winners. So when my friend Shannon invited me along to see this film opening weekend, I jumped at the opportunity to catch the film early and see one of my more anticipated films this season.

I see dead people

As I already mentioned, Damon plays former psychic George Lonegan. George, who somehow can communicate with souls in the afterlife, gave up his trade long ago when he decided that living a life surrounded by death simply wasn't for him. He's content working as a factory worker for much less pay than he'd made before, and considers his "gift" a curse, avoiding his brother's (Jay Mohr) attempts to get him back into the business. But George isn't the only main character in this film, as it is actually split into three concurrent storylines, the second of which involves a young British boy named Marcus (Frankie McLaren) who must cope with the tragic death of his twin brother Jason (George McLaren) and his mother's addiction to alcohol and heroin. Finally, French journalist Marie Lelay (Cecile de France) survives a tsunami while in Thailand and "dies" briefly, before being resurrected by rescuers. She feels that she made a connection to the afterlife, however, and wants to write a book about her experience, wondering what happens after we leave our mortal coils.

Psychics: Untold online dangers for kids

I mention that the film is in fact three stories happening simultaneously, though you know that with movies like this, the three characters will eventually meet somewhere towards the end of the story. However, before we reach that point, we sit through all this story in which each story has little to do with the other stories besides death being the contributing plotline. The film also features a very clockwork way of telling the story, where we take X amount of time to learn about Marie, then an equal time focusing on Jason before turning to George, then repeated ad infinitum. You start to notice this about halfway through, and that's when you start taking bets to see if the director will change tack and switch it around (he doesn't). Eastwood, while certainly talented, has never been a terribly original director, with his talents based on those before and around him. He makes great films, he just happens to make them in the same way everybody does.

Aww, a happy moment. Too bad they're French

Matt Damon retains the aura of greatness he's acquired in recent years, putting together a magnificent performance in the process. When George does his seance "thing", it's one hundred percent believable, and even when he's not, his character melds into the world trying to better himself, to be a better person than he believes his talent allows him to be. In fact, scenes between he and an attempted romance in Melanie (Bryce Dallas Howard) are some of the best scenes in the film. In respect to fairness, however, the biggest journey is actually covered by de France's character. Marie is haunted by her near-death experience but the journalist in her drives her to seek out and research the idea of an afterlife that sees her going against ideas she's carried her whole life with. Death is a taboo topic, she learns, but never stops her journey to spread what she learns. Though de France is a talented actress (and thankfully, most of her dialogue is in her native French with subtitles), she would have to be as domineering of the screen as Damon to keep our attention for long, and sadly, while she has the best story of the three, she simply doesn't have Damon's chops. Neither of the McLaren twins are particularly good actors, but since neither are trained performers this can be mostly overlooked and Eastwood definitely picked the more talented twin to play Marcus. Grieving for his brother and suffering in a foster home while his mother is in rehab, Marcus is incredibly lost and unable to move on with his life, trying any which way to reconnect with Jason. Though the least interesting of the three storylines, it does have some good moments, including one in which divine intervention seems to protect Marcus from being on the Underground rail when a bomb detonates on the train he failed to get on, saving his life. Good secondary performances by Howard, Richard Kind, Lyndsey Marshall and Thierry Neuvic, among a few others, round out a series of solid acting performances helmed solely and rightfully by Damon.

Why yes, I am @#^$ing Matt Damon

The story does vary the characters' unique interactions with the concept of death well, but it's still a concept that only goes so far. Besides the fact that you know by the end that the main characters will be meeting and interacting with one another, the film introduces many ideas that it never resolves. Indeed, for a film questioning life after death, it gives the barest of glimpses into the actual concept, instead wrapping a small version of it around Damon's visions and Marie's experience. Some of the more paranormal bits, though few, are a little overdone, and the ending is a mess, with no real conclusion, or at least not a satisfying one.

Okay, awkwaaard...

Clint Eastwood won't be snubbed at this year's award shows. Hereafter simply isn't a film good enough on it's own merits, let alone on the standards set by Million Dollar Baby, Unforgiven or even Changeling. Damon's award-worthy performance aside, it's a mediocre movie at best, taking an interesting idea and handicapping it by telling it with a story not quite worth the paper it's written on. Of his latest films, this one is by far the weakest (worse even than Letters from Iwo Jima), and is simply not Clint at his best. It's a shame to spoil a movie with so much potential. But hey, we can't all be lucky, punk.