Short Term 12 Review

Short Term 12

Dir: Destin Cretton

Starring: Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., and Kaitlyn Dever

There are moments in “Short Term 12”, a film set in an adolescent group home, that feel sincere and authentic in a way that is both accidental and deliberate at the same time. This aspect is in part due to director Destin Cretton’s own life experience, but also his skillful rendering of the characters and atmosphere in the film. Both the staff and the young people being cared for are wounded, in both figurative and literal ways, by lives marred by mistreatment. “Short Term 12” develops into an emotionally compelling film that dodges the over sensationalized aspects of similar dramas for a focused and genuine perspective.

Grace (Brie Larson) is a complicated young woman who is a staff supervisor for an adolescent foster care group home. She works at the facility with her boyfriend Mason (John Gallagher Jr.), though the kids and staff are unaware of this. Their relationship is idyllic, if somewhat emotionally restrained, because of Grace’s scarred past that included parental abuse. Grace becomes attached to a newly admitted teen named Kayden (Kaitlyn Dever) who bears some of the same wounds as her, both physically and emotionally.

Cretton establishes an early perspective of simple observation, as the group is introduced and slowly allowed to open up through their actions and amusing stories. The photography is intimate, if a little over manipulated with a hand-held technique, yet the perspective allows for an effective invitation into the lives of the kids. The group home location is particularly convincing with walls that look recently patched over and shadows of confining bars that shine through the windows. These young people, most of whom feel abandoned, are waiting for the impending birthday that signifies their release from the protective care of the facility. This area of casting is where “Short Term 12” shines; giving a realistic identity to these children that is at times passive but also occasionally violent. In one scene Marcus (Keith Stanfield), the oldest of the group, composes an aggressively charged rap verse that is especially moving when detailing the pain of his childhood and the fear of his freedom.

The focus soon narrows onto Grace who is especially guarded and slow to reveal anything about her life, even to her to concerned boyfriend. The delicate handling of her personality in the narrative is assisted by the exceptional performance from Brie Larson, who displays a mix of imposed composure and mounting frustration. Grace is protective, mostly for the kids that live in Short Term 12 but also for her own feelings and concerns about the past she ultimately must face. It’s an interesting character that Cretton crafts with deliberate and keen insights from his experience in the professional field. While Grace’s motivations become somewhat familiar and her actions over embellished to the extent of falling into melodramatic trappings, Cretton’s established narrative elements sustain the focus enough to keep the film from wavering to far off course.

“Short Term 12” is a film that looks at the lives of children harmed by mistreatment with unflinching attention. It has the unique quality of being uplifting even when it’s upsetting. Though some elements become forced and familiar, Cretton’s well-crafted script and interesting characters create a delicate film that is impressively genuine.

Monte’s Rating

4.25 out of 5.00

The World's End Review

The World's End

Dir: Edgar Wright

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, and Eddie Marsen

The World’s End is the culminating film in director Edgar Wright’s comically tinged, mayhem laden Cornetto Trilogy, which includes Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. Wright has proven skilled with his films, fashioning intelligent narratives and entertaining characters to inhabit the worlds he designs. The settings are typically ordinary and mundane existences involving everyday people that are thrown into chaos, in one film the zombie apocalypse and the other a crazed cult. With The World’s End, Wright caps off the trilogy with impressive precision, mixing the themes of resentment, identity, and evolving friendships around an invasion tale all during a beer-filled trip down memory lane.

The film begins in the life of Gary King (Simon Pegg), a middle-aged man longing for the freedom of his youth. Gary wants to complete a pug crawl called the Golden Mile in his small British hometown of Newton Haven; a challenge that he and his friends attempted unsuccessfully when they were young. Enlisting his now mature friends proves difficult as they are hesitant about doing anything with Gary, much less reliving the past. However after some pleading the guys reluctantly, and somewhat pityingly, decide to give the challenge another try. Then, unexpectedly, things go ridiculously sideways as the guys are thrown into a situation straight out of a science fiction novel.

This film, compared to the others in the trilogy, focuses more initially on the underlying feelings of the characters and less on their superficial follies. Gary is a fun loving guy masking regret and other issues, chasing after the one moment in his life where he was happiest. This emphasis permits proper development and keeps the group dynamic cohesive amidst a situation gone completely awry. It’s a difficult execution for a film that presents so much character material, along with thematic changes, at one time.

Pegg and Frost are fantastic together, as they have been in all of the director’s incarnations. There is a genuine camaraderie between the two, to the effect that their spoken and physical comedy is so naturally witty. There relationship is contagious as the interaction within the group of old pals is also effectively executed. Part of what makes this work is the well-written script, composed by Wright and Pegg, which construct each of the characters in their own unique ways. This offers the individual performances a relatable quality. Whether it’s the friend that matured because of work or the friend that grew up after getting married, the quirks fostered because of those life-altering events are evident in some way.  The narrative introduces the film a slow, character driven pace and builds to an unexpected turn that quickly shifts into frenzied action. Wright delivers with some well-choreographed fight sequences and his familiar quick editing style that keeps the scenes interesting, if a little overlong in some instances.

The World’s End is an entertaining adult comedy with a science fiction twist, a fitting finale to the associated trilogy. Wright is a good director, combining the crudeness of a group of old friends on a beer challenge with touches of character defining dramatic content. Even with some scenes that become slightly detached and overlong, the final result is still as satisfying as the Cornetto dessert the trilogy is named after.

Monte’s Rating

4.25 out of 5.00

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters Review

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters

Dir: Thor Fruedenthal

Starring: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, and Brandon T. Jackson

Percy Jackson, the focus character from the collection of Rick Riordan novels, first came to life in director Chris Columbus’ 2010 film Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief. The film, released at the height of Harry Potter and Twilight film mania, was overlooked though it held some promise of being the next young adult film adaptation. Unfortunately, a poor reception and mixed reviews has kept the sequel on hiatus for the past three years. Under new direction by Thor Fruedenthal, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters has all the appeal for younger audiences but is stumbled by an underdeveloped story.

Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) is the half blood human offspring of the god of the sea Poseidon. He is being protected/trained at a camp for other half blood offspring. The children at the camp are protected from outside foes by a barrier created by Zeus after the death of one of his daughters named Thalia. She is turned into a tree, the source of the protective barrier, but is poisoned by a group of half bloods that want to resurrect an ancient destroying god. Percy, trying hard to prove his worth, is snubbed for the quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece, which will save the dying tree. Still, Percy and his group of friends venture out in hopes of helping the quest.

The film begins with a promising introduction, holding Percy in an unwanted position of both confidence and doubt from his fellow students. Percy’s supportive companions, Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) and a satyr named Grover (Brandon T. Jackson), are back to assist again but are slightly underused due to the addition of other characters. Added to the group is Percy’s half-brother Tyson, who also happens to be a Cyclops. The role is in line with the books but the execution is clumsy, using the character for derivative comic relief and blatant emotional material. Though the character of Clarisse (Leven Rambin), daughter of Ares, offers an opposing quality that plays nicely against Percy’s more restrained aggressions. There is also a welcome cameo by Nathan Fillion playing Hermes with his usual sarcastic and humorous charm.

Much of the issue with this film lies with a narrative that feels somewhat rushed, lacking a cohesiveness that connects the title character and the importance of his quest.  The success of the Harry Potter films was partly attributed to the continued transition of the characters and the world around them. Though the actors look far older than the last film, the maturing quality for their characters is offered but not progressed due to a lack of development in the script. Percy is in constant danger, after the protective barrier at his camp in disabled, but the perils never feel authentic. And there are some really nicely crafted effects that should feel more threatening.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters is suitable enough, but just barely. The labors of adolescence and the tension associated with danger are never fully utilized which could stall the progression of the characters for future films. However, with a clear target on the younger audience, the film should please fans of the books and provide enough action distraction to keep those unfamiliar with the material interested.

Monte’s Rating

2.75 out of 5.00

Elysium Review

Elysium

Dir: Neill Blomkamp

Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, and Sharlto Copley

Director Neill Blomkamp composed one of science fictions better films with his socially conscious, visually stunning 2009 film District 9. Blomkamp’s portrait of the future is bleak and grimy; Earth is a planet on the brink of extinction. District 9 established this world with an alien arrival; the treatment of the aliens and structure of the society reflecting the South African apartheid was intelligent and worthy of an Oscar best picture nomination. Elysium cultivates a separate story with a far heavier hand on social commentary aiming at the topics of immigration and healthcare. And, while more gruesome and straightforward than District 9, Blomkamp designs another visually impressive film that narrates a simplistic tale with the entertainment of a well-designed action film.

In the year 2154 the world is divided into the have and the have-nots. Those that are privileged enough live on an orbiting city called Elysium. This society lives without illness, being able to jump into healing machines for nearly any cure. On Earth, specifically Los Angeles, society functions for pure survival. Crime is high, living conditions are dire, and medical services are under staffed and overpopulated with sickness. Max (Matt Damon) is an ex-con, working in a factory that manufactures law-enforcing robots. Max is permanently injured on the job and dismissed by the large company he works for, a company controlled by the government on Elysium. Working with limited time, Max joins a local gang in hopes of jumping on a shuttle to Elysium in order to heal his sickness. On his mission Max is inadvertently forced into a position that makes him humanities hope of survival.

Good science fiction most always interweaves elements of reflective advisory; whether individual or societal, the underlying emphasis is supported by the elaborate superficial elements. On the surface Elysium resembles the lesser-known Johnny Mnemonic.  The narrative undertones feel more acquainted to H.G. Well’s Things To Come, though not as intelligent as the classic film. In lieu of deeper exploration into the intriguing initial narrative concepts, Blomkamp instead focuses the remainder of the film on elaborate gadgetry and stylistic action. While this isn’t a bad decision considering the skillful design of the supporting elements, it would have been interesting to see where this film would have gone if the premise would have continued with the fitting questions pointed at our current society.

Matt Damon does a great job of holding the film together. His character Max must compose a quality that is both selfish and selfless, all while being somewhat hostile and aggressive. Damon has a likable trait, and he shines in the lead of this film. Sharlto Copley is Kruger, a cartoonish combative bounty hunter to Elysium’s government. His snarling bad guy is over-the-top but Copley is great in the role, the complete opposite of his District 9 character. Jodie Foster plays a homeland security director named Delacourt with an unfortunate forced coldness and poor accent. The scenes for the award-winning actress come across more awkward than accommodating.

Elysium is an enjoyable science fiction film. There are elements that feel unique even though they’ve been done before but Blomkamp is accomplished at implementing them appropriately into his story. Though it doesn’t have the depth or emotion of District 9, the design is creative and the result is a positive effort amongst recent science fiction films. 

Monte’s Rating

4.00 out of 5.00