Life of Pi - a capsule review by Camilo Arenivar

 

Life of Pi is a visually stunning movie with a deep philosophical edge. About a young survivor of a shipwreck and  his journey of survival, the film touches on self-discovery and spirituality in a manner that does not proselytize or embark in any specific religiosity.  While not for everyone, the movie definitely will find an audience.

The story telling is superb, the visuals are amazing. While it does have a few lulls, overall it keeps your interest as you are curious to see what will happen next in the survival adventure.  Definitely a candidate for a few Oscar nominations, particularly Cinematography, Visual effects, and maybe even an acting nomination for Suraj Sharma, who plays Pi Patel, the film's protagonist who encompasses the themes of the film flawlessly. I would not even be surprised if it gets a Best Picture nomination.


Trailer:

LINCOLN - a capsule review by Camilo Arenivar

This is a dialogue heavy film that covers the period of time immediately following President Abraham Lincoln's re-election and his push to seek the passage of 13th amendment that banned slavery. If Daniel Day Lewis, Sally Field, and Tommy Lee Jones do not get Oscar nominations, I will be shocked. They deliver amazing performances and I think that Tommy Lee Jones may very well win the Best Supporting Oscar for his performance as Thaddeus Stevens. I thought the movie was very well done and made the politics of the time come to life in a way only Spielberg could. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but given my enjoyment of politics, I liked it a lot!

SKYFALL - a capsule review by Camilo Arenivar

This latest James Bond 007 movie is one of the most critically acclaimed and I do not know why. It is an entertaining and enjoyable film?  Yes. I suspect the cinematic wonder of it all, coupled with the new plot twists are capturing the excitement from all the critics. One of the most amazing things in the movie is the performance of Javier Bardem as the villain. I don't think I've seen an Oscar-worthy performance in a Bond film until now. Overall, it is a good Bond film and it handles some sensitive situations gracefully and with dignity.  If you love the James Bond movies, this one will not disappoint!

FLIGHT - A capsule review by Camilo Arenivar

Some movies are a lot more complex than they appear in their trailer, and Flight is clearly one of those films. The movie appears to be about an airplane crash and the legal predicament the pilot who saves most of the passengers on it faces. However, this film has much more depth than that. Pilot Whip Whitaker is a deeply flawed character that you still want to root for at times and Denzel Washington plays him with such fervor, it is likely to land him another Oscar nomination. The film raises many ethical and morality questions, and never really tries to answer them for you, but just shows you what has happened. The airplane crash scene and the moments leading up to it has got to be one of the most intense movie sequences of the year. Additionally phenomenal is the human element the flawed characters bring to this film.

CLOUD ATLAS - a capsule review by Camilo Arenivar

What would happen if you threw the tv show "Touch" with elements of the movies Pay it Forward, Serendipity, Avatar, The Hours, China Syndrome, Star Wars and Magnolia in a blender and made it into a movie and...oh wait that still doesn't quite explain Cloud Atlas. There really is no explanation. I found it fast moving, slightly confusing yet tightly wound at the same time. It was cinematic and epic, and if you cannot get cheesy about LOVE and FATE then you may not like it. IF it's a movie you WANT to see, then see it. If it's a movie you don't want to see, don't. I think it's worth taking the risk if it's a movie you want to see. It is 2 hours and 44 minutes long and does start off a little slowly but by the last 30 minutes, I was completely engrossed in the film and had no concept of time. It is a movie that is uniquely up my alley though, because I am kind of a cheesy guy at heart and some of the movies I mentioned at the beginning are some of my favorite movies (well maybe not Avatar).

ARGO - a capsule review by Camilo Arenivar

This movie is based on the true life events related to the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Iran. Kudos to director Ben Affleck for keeping the pace on this movie up and making this an edge of your seat nail biter. It helps if you don't know much about the true story behind the 6 embassy employees who escaped to the Canadian embassy. The writing and direction and overall execution of this film makes it arguably one of the best films of 2012. Despite the seemingly not so interesting subject, with the comedic elements injected and the tension created in the mission, this movie transcends expectations and leaves you feeling exhilarated and proud. I cannot say enough how this movie impressed me.

Taken 2 - a capsule review by Camilo Arenivar

This loses some of its originality considering we kind of know the kind of guy Liam Neeson is after what he did when they kidnapped his daughter. The story is kind of predictable, re-hashed and formulaic. While an overall entertaining film, in contrast with the other movies out right now, it's entertainment value and score is more or less diminished. Not a bad movie at all, there is just better out there. If you liked the first one, you will like this one. It just doesn't really stand out.

LOOPER - capsule review by Camilo Arenivar

The sci-fi action film of the year, if not of the last two years. So much more than just a typical action/sci film, this movie has a tightly wound and well crafted story. It ties people and events together over many many years in the future back to present time (which I believe happens to be 2031). Yes one of the primary story lines has to do with time travel and yes, Bruce Willis is in it. Don't let that detract you! There is significant plot and character development with a rich storyline and also, telekinesis. Not any movie can have telekinesis and still retain its seriousness, but this film does. One of my favorite movies that I have seen in 2012 Keeps you on the edge of your seat and completely interested in the characters.