Don Jon
Directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Produced by Ram Bergman
Written by Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Brie Larson and Tony Danza
***
A porn addict (Gordon-Levitt) enters a serious relationship with his dream girl (Johansson).
Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut is a solid outing for the multi-hyphenate. The film is lean, well-shot and very entertaining, while the cast deliver good performances. There's a lot to enjoy, but the film doesn't feel like a complete one. Shifting from a light fantasy to a quiet nightmare, the narrative seems disjointed, and the idea behind the film appears deeper than the film itself. The subject matter is important, yet the unbalanced film is a mostly pleasant encounter with an interesting lead character and underwritten supporting ones. Though underwhelming, it's a decent effort, which is promising for Gordon-Levitt's future as a writer/director.
Oscar Potential: None
Rush
Directed by Ron Howard
Produced by Andrew Eaton, Eric Fellner, Brian Oliver, Peter Morgan, Brian Grazer and Ron Howard
Written by Peter Morgan
Starring Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde and Christian McKay
***1/2
James Blunt (Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Brühl) compete for the World Drivers Championship.
Based on a true story, this racing drama is a highly stylized burst of fun. Ron Howard has teamed up with screenwriter Peter Morgan again, producing a strong character piece with thrilling racing sequences. Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl are appropriately cast, and the swagger of both drivers comes across in their performances, which rely on the chemistry between the actors. Brühl's direct and focused Lauda is the perfect counterbalance to Hemsworth's cocky and wild Blunt. The cinematography, editing, production design and sound are fantastic, making this technical achievement a fine time spent at the cinema.
Oscar Potential: Best Supporting Actor (Brühl), Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects
Rush sounds like a fun thrill ride, happy you had a good time with it! Perhaps is this generation's Days of Thunder :)
ReplyDeletePerhaps, but I haven't seen Days of Thunder. Must do that. :)
DeleteI'm really looking forward to Rush -- not only I really like Brühl as an actor, but I also love F1! And Don Jon sounds interesting enough, so glad to know you enjoyed both.
ReplyDeleteI liked Rush a lot more, but they're both entertaining. I really hope Brühl gets an Oscar nod for it.
DeleteI really want to see both of those, I adore Frost/Nixon and Rush sounds a bit similar to it. Howard makes such entertaining movies when the material is compelling.
ReplyDeleteRush is a lot of fun, so I think you'd enjoy it. Frost/Nixon is a better film, though.
DeleteI'm dying to see both of these. You don't think ScarJo has a sliver of a chance to break into the Supporting Actress race? Some are speculating it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe a critics' nod here or there, but I don't see ScarJo in the race for this film. :(
DeleteDon Jon was good, even if it was a bit messy by the end. And as for Rush, well, that movie was actually really good and has me relatively excited for what Howard may want to touch next since he seems like a capable enough director for more daring material. Nice reviews Josh!
ReplyDeleteThanks Dan! Yeah, I wish Don Jon had turned out better, but it's not bad at all. I'd actually see Rush again in the cinema. It was really enjoyable.
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