Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)

Tom Hanks and Thomas Horn

Two months in a row with at least one post is no great achievement, but it's better than nothing! Here we present our review of Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close. It is rated PG-13 for some foul language (including a few fairly creative replacement curse words) and for emotional thematic material (specifically death and 9/11).

Dan - I have kind of a weird goal each year to watch all of the Academy Award nominees for Best Picture before the awards are handed out if possible. And while I have only accomplished it one time (in 2010), I still make an effort to watch all of the nominees at some point. This was the final movie of 2011's nominees that I had not seen. My expectations were not very high as everything I had read suggested it was a mediocre movie at best. To my surprise it was much better than mediocre.

This is the story of a boy whose father (played by Tom Hanks) died in the events of 9/11. The boy, Oskar, is fairly eccentric and has some OCD tendencies to say the least. Oskar finds a key in his father’s belongings and takes it upon himself to find the lock that to which it belongs. With only the word Black written on the envelope to go on, Oskar decides it must be a person’s name and sets out to visit all of the people with the name of Black listed in the NYC phone book.

This movie deals with a lot of emotions that occur in a mind too young and undeveloped to truly understand them, indeed many adults may struggle with also (I know I do). Oskar deals mostly with fear, loss, anger, and love. About halfway through the movie after a particularly angry argument that Oskar has with his mother, they both begin to process some of the feelings they have about losing their husband/father. Linda tells Oskar that why and how his father died "doesn’t make sense" so there is no point in trying to understand in the first place. She doesn’t know why it all happened nor does she have the answers to his questions, but nevertheless tries to help him understand that he may not ever find them.

My own mother passed away when I was barely a teenager from cancer and I still don’t know the "why" of a lot of things. I remember asking my dad why this was happening to our family and he didn’t know the answer for himself let alone for me. So I feel like I can relate to Oskar in some small way. Not completely of course, since it was my mother and not my father who died and I had several months to prepare for the inevitable while Oskar’s loss was sudden, unexpected, and the direct result of someone else’s actions. But the underlying emotions are still the same: fear, loss, anger, and love. I was just a kid trying to make sense out of something that does not.

There is a powerful scene where Oskar is watching TV at the moment when the first tower collapses, and just as it begins the camera cuts to Oskar collapsing to his knees in a similar way as he puts it together that his father didn’t make it out of the World Trade Center. The images of the towers collapsing are forever in my mind (as with most people), but that shot alone helped the movie resonate that much more and seemed to tie the tragedies of the story more tightly together.

I liked this movie. I liked the characters. They felt real to me. Newcomer Thomas Horn was quite impressive taking on a character like Oskar and pulled it off handsomely. Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock as parents bring home the reality that being a parent is not easy and they aren’t invincible to either emotional insults or even life itself. Even Max von Sydow (in an Oscar nominated role) who never speaks a word was a great character. He conveys so much with only his facial expressions that he seemed to feel the words he wasn’t speaking.

I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars. The emotions reflected in the characters and how they deal with loss is what resonated most with me. I am still amazed at how seeing videos and images of 9/11 still gives me chills, not to mention stories that are interwoven into those events (even if they are fictional).

Nerd Note: Director Stephen Daldry only has done four feature films in his career. All four of his movies have been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars (even though none have ever won) - Billy Elliot, The Hours, The Reader, and now Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.


Mark -

This movie is one of the most difficult for me to rate, and it all has to do with the main character of the film.  The main character of this film is portrayed by a new child actor appearing in his first film, Thomas Horn.  Horn plays the character of Oskar Schell, a nine year old boy who is extremely independent by nature but dealing with the loss of his one true friend, his father.  His father Thomas, played by Tom Hanks, loved to create elaborate puzzles for Oskar, testing his already high knowledge for his age, while encouraging Oskar to have to search deeply and abstractly at times for the simplest of solutions.  When Thomas is suddenly killed in the World Trade Center catastrophe, Oskar is left without the solution to the final puzzle that Thomas created.  A year after Thomas’s death, Oskar finds a mysterious key amongst Thomas’s belongings, and thus starts Oskar’s newest hunt for his answer.  The key is found inside of an envelope with the name Black written on it.  Oskar sets out to contact everyone in New York City with the last name Black, hoping to find the owner of the key, and in return answers from his Thomas.  

For me Oskar is one of, if not the most difficult character to try to relate to in all of the films I have seen.  By nature you want to root for him to find the answers he is looking for, but his awkwardness and often spiteful nature push you away from giving your full support to him.  I haven’t read the book, which I am assuming would give a more detailed description as to why he acts the way he does, but due to the lack of description in the adaptation, the audience is left with the little knowledge that Oskar was once “tested” for Aspergers, but the results were “inconclusive.”  I’m not trying to be insensitive in any way, but in order to try and give Oskar the benefit of the doubt in a lot of situations, I was left almost hoping that he had some type of mental or behavioral disorder so that there is an explanation and reason for his actions.  I wish that there was more explanation in the film about what if anything he is dealing with, because otherwise he just comes off as an extremely selfish, bratty kid with absolutely no filter on what he says or does.

In contrast to Oskar, the film’s supporting actors and actresses are amazing!  Max von Sydow plays a character known as The Renter, and it is one of my favorite characters of all time.  Von Sydow plays a character that is mute by choice, and that we later find out happens to be Thomas’s father, who abandoned Thomas and his mother at a young age.  Von Sydow was well deserved of his Oscar nomination for best supporting actor, and if not for being in the most competitive category the past few years, likely would have won.  Along with Von Sydow I thought the performances of Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, and Sandra Bullock were very good.

For a variety of reasons this movie isn’t going to be for everyone, but there are definitely some strong reasons to watch it.  While the tragedy of 9/11 plays a role in the story of this film, it is by no means the only, or the main, focus of the film.  3 ½ *’s out of 5

MY RANDOM THOUGHT FOR EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE:
Going off of my earlier comment about the nominated performances of actors in a supporting role, I would strongly recommend seeing all of the films from last years category.  Nick Nolte in Warrior, Jonah Hill in Moneyball, Kenneth Branagh in My Week With Marilyn, Christopher Plummer in Beginners, and of course Max Von Sydow in this film all gave amazing performances.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, and Ed Burns

Here for your reading is our review of Saving Private Ryan. This is the first movie that both of us gave the same star-rating. It is rated R for intense, prolonged, and realistically graphic sequences of war violence, and for language. It is not for the squeamish or faint of heart. The violence does not exist for a gross-out factor, but is meant to accurately depict the ravages of war.

Mark -
It’s very difficult to write a review for a film where regardless of what you write it will never really do it justice. If nothing else this film has given me an even greater appreciation for the individuals who have fought for the freedom of this country and freedom around the world. I have no military experience myself, and as such I am certain that I don’t fully understand or appreciate the sacrifices as much as I probably should.

This film portrays events surrounding the invasion of Normandy and its nearby areas. After storming the beaches of Normandy, a small group of soldiers are asked to perform a locate and rescue mission for one specific soldier.

Its difficult, if not impossible, to not cringe at the realistic nature that Spielberg portrays in this film. There have been many films made about war, but none have shown the brutality in quite the same way as this film. It’s not only the images that are disturbing, but in order to capture the full effect, the sounds that accompany the images intensify each horrific scene.

I have no idea how this film got so lucky, but it definitely did with its casting. Each of the actors in this film plays their character remarkably, and you get the sense that each of them realized that there really were no true stars in this film, but that the entirety of it was for a greater good.

Although this isn’t a film that was necessarily enjoyable to watch, I’m glad that I have seen it, and have a little bit more of an understanding of the hardships that took place during WWII. I can’t imagine most people wanting to watch this film on a regular basis, and can support those who wish not to see the graphic nature of this film altogether. 5 *’s out of 5

My Random Thought For Saving Private Ryan: If you were to look at this one role in particular, its hard to image that Vin Diesel would become what he did after this film. Hard to imagine the possibilities of what may have been, just as it is hard for me to imagine that is actually 44.

Dan -
I should preface this review that it will further solidify my standing as a movie nerd. I am not ashamed to admit it, but rather have come to embrace it. I’d like to think it helps me understand movies better, but I could be completely wrong and I come across as an obsessive geek in the worst sense of the word. Either way I submit the following review.

I don’t know where to begin, so I will start randomly with my adoration of this movie. It is technically amazing in every way. The most memorable aspect to me is the cinematography. It seems like this was the first movie to introduce the shaky-cam technique, giving you the feeling that you are actually in the thick of the action. This is one of the few movies that it actually works but is not overused. I heard when this movie was first released that the opening sequence was so realistically portrayed that it was triggering post traumatic stress disorder for some veterans that had similar experiences.

One scene that stands out to me technically speaking is where the rain begins to fall at the beginning of the mission to find Private Ryan as the men come upon their first battle. I didn’t notice at first, but each drop of rain coincided with a gunshot. It was faint at first with only a few drops and pops here and there, but as the rain came down harder the gunfire picked up the pace as well and you begin to hear machine guns instead of single shot rifles. This was simply masterful editing and sound mixing that deserved the Oscars they earned for it. While I didn’t get to watch this in surround sound, I did the next best thing and watched it with headphones (so as not to offend co-workers with the foul language and loud violence). It created such a close feeling that I almost felt like I was dodging bullets with the guys on screen.

I am a huge fan of movie soundtracks, specifically the scores of movies, and John Williams is one of my favorites. The guy has written some of the most famous movie music there is from Star Wars to Superman to Indiana Jones. There is not a whole lot of music in this movie and it is subtle when it does appear. Until the end credits. The track is called Hymn to the Fallen, it runs only during the end credits, and it is one of the most stirring pieces of music ever in a movie. It just seems like such a payoff to the emotions I felt throughout the movie.

This happens to be one (of admittedly many) movie that makes me cry. The strange thing is that each time I’ve watched it I cried at different parts. This time the emotion came just after the beach invasion when Private Mellish finally releases his own emotion and has a chance to relax. I thought of how I would react in a similar situation. Another time was when Medic Wade had been shot, everyone was trying to save him, and he begins to cry out for his mom.

This movie did an incredible job of getting me to feel just what the men of the movie feel. They question why they must risk their own lives for someone that they have never met and hasn’t done anything to "earn" his ticket home. From the anger of the men sent to get Private Ryan to the frustration and confusion of Ryan himself as he hears that he is supposed to go home I swear I felt every emotion the characters were feeling.

In addition to the unforgettable battle scenes, there are several quiet moments that give this movie the depth required to make it great. There is a scene right before the final battle where the men are sharing stories of their lives at home with each other and laughing about them. It seems unremarkable and almost out of place until I realized the point of it was to illustrate that these were ordinary people asked to do extraordinary things. I think of a similar scene in the church after finding the wrong Private Ryan. And in the brief exchange of a look between Ed Burns and Matt Damon before the first shots are fired of the final stand. No words, but an understanding that they will fight together against the enemy.

I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars. I still wonder how Shakespeare in Love could have won Best Picture over this movie. Without question this is not only the best movie about World War II, but it is the best war movie period. I saw this the summer I turned 18 and remember being completely affected by it. Having seen it a few times since then, I have grown to love and appreciate it more upon each subsequent viewing. This movie also helped me appreciate more fully the sacrifice made by the men and women of the Armed Forces.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio

Here for your reading pleasure is our take on Catch Me If You Can. It is rated PG-13 for language, including 1 F-bomb (the delivery of which is hilarious), and some sexual situations/content.

Mark -
This is one of those movies that I actually seem to enjoy the more times I watch it. Obviously any movie that Steven Spielberg directs is a big deal, and when you have his reputation you can be selective in what you want your name tied to. Seeing that every movie begins with the script, it would seem fairly obvious to assume that many people thought this project had a lot of promise.
Not all big movies with major actors are a success, but it definitely helps to have the odds in your favor by having a number of stars appearing in the same film. Any filmmaker would love to have either Leonardo DiCaprio or Tom Hanks as the star in their movie, and to have both in the same movie must have been a dream come true. Add in the appearances of Christopher Walken, and Martin Sheen and the cast keeps getting easier and easier to work with it must seem. Its fun to watch this movie and see the likes of relatively unknown actresses, at the time, Amy Adams, Elizabeth Banks, and Jennifer Garner (granted she had received some notoriety before this film thanks to Alias).
The film focuses on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr (DiCaprio), and his early crime spree life. Abagnale Jr is considered to be one of the youngest and most clever criminals in our history. Starting in his late teens Abagnale Jr discovers the simplicity of passing fraudulent checks and impersonates a pilot, doctor, and attorney. The second focus of the film is that of Detective Carl Hanratty (Hanks) attempting to catch Abagnale Jr. Hanratty seems to be a great agent behind a desk, but in his attempts to catch Abagnale Jr it seems he becomes completely oblivious to the most obvious of circumstances.
This film is fun to watch as you see Abagnale Jr take on these different identities, and wonder how he could pull off the credibility to perform such skilled professions. It is equally fun to watch Hanratty and his agents' attempts to track down Abagnale Jr, and the realization of what moves are being taken to always keep Abagnale Jr one step ahead.
Last of all is the fact that I love the music from this movie. John Williams did an amazing job with the score for the film and is something that will stay in your head for hours at a time. The score truly brings to mind the thoughts of a criminal sneaking around and avoiding capture.
While the whole movie seems so far fetched, you are always wondering how someone could possibly pull off all the schemes that Abagnale Jr does. A large part of the fun of this movie is in wondering how much of it truly did happen. 4 stars out of 5.
My Random Thought For Catch Me If You Can: I wonder how many people have told Carl Hanratty's knock knock joke from this movie.


The real Frank Abagnale, Jr.

Dan-
Who knew that check fraud could be this interesting and entertaining? Having worked at two different banks and now in the legal system, I have some basis to say that check fraud is extremely boring and tedious. So a big pat on the back to the screenwriter Jeff Nathanson and director Steven Spielberg for cutting out all the boring day to day stuff and sticking to the exciting stuff. I'm hoping this review does not come across as biased, but I'll be up front in saying that I am a Steven Spielberg fan.

This movie is first and foremost about characters. I know, I know, there are characters in every movie, but not every movie is about characters. Sometimes they just facilitate the story or the action taking place. This movie was about people. Yes some of the circumstances were outrageous and hard to believe, but I always knew the motivations behind their choices. And it didn't have to be spelled to me either. I saw it in a lingering camera shot or facial expression. DiCaprio's entire motivation for his actions is because he is trying to run away from the problem that his parent's divorce will create for him.

When you have good actors, it makes watching the movie that much better. It seems like a dream cast now to see Hanks, DiCaprio, Christopher Walken, Amy Adams, and Jennifer Garner (no matter how brief her role is here) together for one movie. I think DiCaprio was slightly miscast, but only because he of his boyish looks. Based on the above picture the real Frank looked much older than he was, which probably made it easier to pass off as a doctor, lawyer, and pilot, but DiCaprio more than makes up for it with his acting. I know some of the credit goes to the screenwriter, but simple reactions to the new situations effectively convey the age of the character. The take-off of his first flight comes to mind, as does his first date.

The relationship between the two Franks (DiCaprio and Walken) is possibly the strongest thing this movie has going for it, and where I think the realy heart of the movie is. Walken deserved to be nominated for an Oscar for this subtle performance. I love the scene where father and son meet up at a fancy restaurant and Frank Jr. only wants to impress his father. Frank Sr. sees through the facade that his son has put up, but is still moved by the gesture. They come across as like father, like son in their behaviors. I saw in one of the special features on the DVD that this scene was fabricated and that once Frank Jr. ran away from home he never saw his father again. I know that Hollywood has a strong tendency to stretch the truth when it comes to "based on a true story", but the scene still worked well and resonated with me.

This movie made my top ten list of 2002, and overall I'd give this movie 4½ stars out of five.