Rated: PG-13

The Artist could easily have been a gimmick movie that quickly disappeared into the fabric of film history. In a world dominated by boundary-pushing 3D, eye-popping color and immersive sound why would any filmmaker craft a product that is, by any measure, an anachronism? And why has it been receiving such critical and public acclaim?

The Artist works because writer/director Michel Hazanavicius had a story to tell and wanted to write a love-letter to the history of film while simultaneously creating a movie that is a wonder to behold. By immersing his characters in a silent film about the transitional period when spoken dialogue killed the career of many silent film stars, Hazanavicius is able to both observe history and comment on the seeming cruelty of the passage of time on people who were once icons but are quickly forgotten. Observations of fleeting fame and fickle audiences are just a small, but integral part of the successes of The Artist, but the film is also funny, self-aware, and charming in its own right.

The story that undergirds The Artist has been told before. Sunset Boulevard was about an aging star who was unable to let go of her past. Singing in the Rain chronicled the transition to “talkies” and the people who were left behind. All About Eve told the story of an up-and-comer who replaces her idol as time marches by.  What makes The Artist stand out is the way in which it is told: By using the trappings of a silent film the audience is immersed—without a hint of irony—in the period. The earnestness of the film—its commitment to its gimmick—is one of the primary ways in which the film succeeds.

As to the story: Jean Dujardin stars as George Valentin, an epic celebrity of silent films who worries about slipping into obscurity—and losing his livelihood—with the arrival of talking pictures. The movie opens with George at the height of his popularity, tracks his downfall, and his eventual renaissance. The simplicity of the plot, however, does not inform the breadth of the emotions that the audience experiences during this tumultuous slice of George’s life.

Jean Dujardin’s performance sells The Artist. His presence on screen features the charisma of Clooney, Gable, and Bogart, capturing the audience completely with a sly smile or wink. By the time the film’s climax rolls around the audience is completely invested in his character, which stands as a testament to the power of great filmmaking in a classic style. Make no mistake: This is Dujardin’s film and he is masterful.

There is a subplot that involves a star on the rise in the early days of talkies, played by Berenice Bejo, whose chemistry with Dujardin is electric. The juxtaposition of the two careers provides the audience with a sense of context and their off-and-on romance never feels contrived. There are a host of other, familiar faces in The Artist including John Goodman, James Cromwell, and Malcolm McDowell who are all serviceable without being distracting because, as I said, this is Dujardin’s movie.

I would be remiss to wrap this essay without mentioning the brilliant score by Ludovic Bource which hits all the iconic, melodramatic notes expected in a silent film but is infinitely listenable on its own.  The score enhances the film without ever distracting and fits perfectly the period of the film.

As you can probably tell, I adored The Artist. I saw it after the film had already built a significant critical buzz, that time when a film is destined to disappoint. The Artist, however, does not. It hits all right notes and leaves a lasting impression on the viewer. At once an homage to a lost art, a history of cinema, and a brilliant romance (between a man and woman and to movies themselves), The Artist entertains on a variety of levels and is not to be missed.

Rating: A

Rated: PG-13

A Separation is a serious look at what happens to a family going through a divorce in a very religious, moral society. Multifaceted and fascinating, this complex drama spares none from it scrutiny, looking at balance of individual freedom with our commitments to family in an ever-changing world. 

The film begins with a court proceeding between a man and wife—Nader and Simin. Simin (Leila Hatami) is pushing for a divorce because she wants to leave Iran with her family after they were granted a visa in an attempt to better their lives. Nader (Peyman Maadi) has a commitment to his father—recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s—and doesn’t want to break up their family, including losing his 11-year-old daughter. 

A dry and realistic film, A Separation looks at divorce—something all too common in Western society—from a fresh perspective. The filmmakers address the moral and ethical quandaries that come from a society mired in a progressive revolution while attempting to honor religious tradition. Weaving a taught tapestry of plots with some surprising twists writer/director Asghar Farhadi presents a film that exposes universal human experiences through authentically-Iranian characters.

A glorified soap opera bolstered by excellent performances and cinematography, A Separation is a shoe-in for a Best Foreign Language Oscar and it is well-deserved. As much a legal drama as it is a character study, A Separation is an excellent break from the melodrama that generally populates the multiplex that takes an illuminating look at the Arab world without pandering or casting judgment. Kramer Vs. Kramer for Iran, A Separation is a very good movie.

Rating: A-

Recommended If You Like:

• Kramer Vs. Kramer
• In The Bedroom
• Amos Perros

Rated: PG

Of the three movies that are opening in Milwaukee this week that I haven't seen, the only one that interests me in the slightest is The Secret World of Arrietty. The Japanese production house--Studio Ghibli--is the hand-drawn animation equivalent of Pixar in America. Their films are full of magic and wonder, anchored by a great story that is brought to life by animation that isn't tethered to any conventions. Ghibli and its mastermind Hayao Miyazaki have produced breathtaking works of fiction including Ponyo, Spirited Away, and Howl's Moving Castle. 

Amazing films, the studio's entire canon. Great, fascinting stories are enhanced by subtext that never gets in the way of the plot but provides satisfaction to viewers looking to peel back the layers and get to the heart of the film.

I can't say enough good about Studio Ghibli and I can't wait to see their latest entry which is already a worldwide hit.

Rated: PG-13

All you need to know about This Means War is that it is directed by McG. The director of Charlie's Angels and Terminator: Salvation only has one speed, and once he gets going the throttle stays wide open. His jokes are juvenile and films unsubtle but if you don't mind a film that is little more than a glossy romantic comedy with some action--a good mix for couples on Valentine's Day--then you'll probably be able to stomach This Means War.

Rated: PG-13

I read comic books and love superhero stories, but had no interest in seeing the original Ghost Rider film, staring Nicholas Cage, when it came out. And yet I was unceremoniously dragged by a friend who thought it might be good.

I, to this day, hold it against her. 

The effects were spotty, which was a far sight better than the performances (which were atrocious). What should have been a bad-ass film about a demon who fights back against the Devil should have been amazing.

It was one of the worst things I had ever seen.

So when a sequel was announced, I became nervous. Namely because Nicholas "I'll Star in Anything" Cage was still attached to the property.

The results? Well...see for yourself.

Rated: PG-13

The Vow is exactly what it sets out to be: A chick flick designed to make women weep and a test for men to see if they can keep down their lunch. Stock characters fill the cloying, treacle story—a breathless romance about a loyal husband whose wife loses her memory (and identity) in a tragic accident—that hits all its marks, resulting in a product that has little lasting impact.

Channing Tatum stars as Leo, every woman’s fantasy: a sensitive, caring, devoted man who happens to be smoking hot and dresses like a model in a J Crew catalog. When his soul mate Paige (Rachel McAdams) loses her memory after an accident, Leo risks everything to reignite a spark with a person who is very different than the woman he married.

Everything in The Vow is calculated and polished to maximize its impact on audiences looking for a good cry. And while the film is simplistic it does provide exactly what it promises. Through its first hour, the movie is an interesting look at the lives of two people who fall in love, emphasizing the tragedy when one of the partners looks at the other as a stranger. Tatum and McAdams are serviceable in their role, neither having great range but turning in perfunctory performances.

Director Michael Sucsy has problems pacing the film: the movie has a turgid tempo through its first half, rehashing the fact that Paige can’t remember the man who once loved her and that she feels like a stranger in their own home. Moments of levity help keep the film from becoming mired in sentimentality but it is merely marking time to the inevitable revelation that will drive Paige back to Leo. As a result the film’s final half-hour is a rush of plot development that feels forced, contrived and unsatisfying.

The Vow is one big cliché and the performances weren’t enough to make me feel anything for the characters. But, then again, I am not the target audience for this film. I can, however, assure men who are dragged to The Vow that you can survive it. Making good use of its Chicago setting and with enough quirky supporting characters to keep the film interesting, the movie is tolerable but nothing special.

Rating: C

Rated: R

Safe House pits a rogue master spy named Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) against a green but driven CIA agent (Ryan Reynolds) with nothing less than the fate of the civilized world on the line. A shaky-cam mess that has a few good action scenes and a capable performance from its stars despite little substantive material with which to work, this Bourne knockoff occasionally dazzles but features a plodding, predictable plot that includes twists shocking only if the audience has never before seen an action thriller.

Despite the plot being about the machinations of the rogue spy, the film focuses on the keeper of a CIA safe house in South Africa who, despite his best efforts to be noticed, has languished for a year without any action. That is until the most wanted man in the world is entrusted to his care. With a murderous legion out to get him—and Denzel’s own drive to escape custody and his attacker—Matt Weston (Reynolds) is given the test of a lifetime.

The plot of Safe House is very familiar—bordering on plagiarism—of The Bourne Supremacy, right down to the requisite double-crosses and plot twists that reveal the bad guy is on the side of angels and the government is really out to get everyone. There a strong hint of Training Day informing Washington’s performance of Tobin Frost as he corrupts the rookie Matt Weston and the movie is better for it, particularly because the film’s characters are thin and generic. Reynolds and Washington turn in good performances but they aren’t enough to overcome the simple story.

Swedish director Daniel Espinosa does his best to nauseate the audience through his use of extreme close-ups and shaky camera movements throughout the entire film, including slow exposition scenes. Be sure to take some Dramamine if you’re headed to the cinema if you are susceptible to motion sickness.

By making this movie a series of action set pieces, Espinosa squanders a prime opportunity to showcase two good actors trapped in a room who engage in a battle of wits. Frost is described as a master manipulator who has caused the Agency to change their rules for interrogation but aside from a brief bit of water boarding we never get to see him put those skills on display.  

There is nothing particularly wrong with Safe House. The filmmakers know their target audience and panders to what they want: stylish, intense action that ends in an explanatory exposition dump from characters just before they die. Perfectly average and uninspired, Safe House is the masculine alternative on the weekend before Valentine’s Day and a good bit of counterprogramming to The Vow but, like that movie, is nothing special or unique.

Rating: C+

Rated: PG

The Rock stars in this adequate, if uninspired, sequel to the terrible reimagining of Journey to the Center to the Earth. The story follows Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, Bridge to Terabithia) who believes that Jules Verne’s turn-of-the-century tales of mystery and magic were not mere entertainment but a guide to unknown lands. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island is a trip to a mythic land from whence all island stories originate—Gulliver’s Travels, The Mysterious Island, even the legend of Atlantis—and is a predictable, yet fun, vacation for younger viewers but will likely bore anyone over the age of 12.

Josh Hutcherson reprises his role as Sean, a member of the cult that takes Verne’s writings at their literal word. Sean is a troubled youth; giving his stepfather (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) grief for trying to connect with the child of his new wife (what happened to Brendan Fraser who played Sean’s father in the first movie is never made clear). When Sean intercepts an encoded message from his grandfather (Michael Caine, The Dark Knight) he is whisked off on an adventure that helps him find purpose in life, connection with family, and his first love.

By mashing up various stories the titular becomes something of a playground for the fertile imagination of the writers. They throw in all sorts of crazy stuff that might look good in 3D though the characters end up sprinting through the island so fast that most of the design will be lost on viewers.  Plenty of style is found in Journey 2 but little in the way of meaningful substance, doing a disservice to the classic books the movie attempts to homage.

While most of the dialogue is as clumsy as the teenage emotions it attempts to portray, the film is rescued by a great performance from character actor Luis Guzman (Boogie Nights). The character’s observations serve as a mouthpiece for the audience, commenting on the absurdity of the entire adventure. Guzman plays a pilot who is hired to fly Sean and his stepfather out to the island and is stranded with them after they crash. Vanessa Hudgens also stars as a streetwise damsel-in-distress who becomes the love interest for the protagonist but adding little else. Other than Guzman, the performances are uninspired, owing to acting against green screen and a director more interested in flash than substance.

When discussing a 3D family film it seems irresponsible not to talk about the 3D presentation. In other words, is it worth the extra coin you’ll slap down for the experience? Yes and no. There is a great Looney Tunes short feature before the movie, featuring 3D animations of Daffy and Elmer Fudd and the 3D is used masterfully (the violence of the gunshots was actually jarring to me). As for the film proper: here are a few moments where things come flying at the audience but the gimmicky 3D is used only modestly and the majority of the film doesn’t benefit from its use. You won’t be sad you paid the extra money but it isn’t a make-or-break decision.

A stylish and superficial film, Journey 2 isn’t bad but won’t appeal to a wide audience. The pace is breathless, leaving the audience feeling like they are being rushed off the island as soon as they arrive despite wanting to take some time to explore. The film is familiar and predictable, and the simplistic story crumbles the moment any logic is applied.  A good flick for the kids, Journey 2 is a symphony of mediocrity.

Rating: C

Recommended If You Like:

• Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
• Gulliver’s Travels (2011)
• Zathura