Knight of Cups

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Terrence Malick/Starring: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Wes Bentley, Brian Dennehy, Antonio Banderas, Armin Mueller-Stahl and Cherry Jones

Terrence Malick has certainly earned his place in the American Directorial Pantheon. His visual stylings can be breathtaking, as in Tree of Life and films from his past, like Badlands, Days of Heaven and The New World meld his stunning visual aesthetic to powerful drama. But in his new film; Knight of Cups, as in his last film To the Wonder he seems to have become tethered to a storytelling mode that has become self-parodying. Many of the storytelling elements seen in his last few films are conspicuously present here: whispery voice-overs, protagonists drifting through beautifully surreal urban and desert landscapes, and fantastic images that almost overpower the narrative. Though opinions on the Tree of Life were ferociously polarized, I myself found it to be moving and ambitious but with Malick's follow-up projects, he seems to have become smitten with a style that is no longer new and visionary. His new movie carries all the aforementioned stylistic tics without breaking any new ground. Only the characters have changed.
If the film has a selling point, it's in its striking images, but two hours of incomparable beauty without a solid narrative feel like Koyaanisqatsi. I don't know that I want to see one more Terrence Malick film where a character walks slowly through the desert; contemplating whatever they're supposed to be contemplating while a mumbly voice-over whispers stuff like "find your way through the darkness." That which seemed so poetic in Tree of Life now seems almost satirical. Mr. Malick, thou hast drawn from the same well once too often.

The film, to its credit, doesn't follow conventional plotting, but tries to paint a portrait of a man through a series of images rather than dialogue and action. The man; Rick (Christian Bale), is a Hollywood something or other (forgive me if I missed what may have been obvious to you); actor or writer; I couldn't tell. Having failed in his marriage to a doctor named Nancy (Cate Blanchett), Rick finds himself lost in a world of Hollywood excess. Images of bacchanalian chaos in Los Angeles mansions and nightclubs, where Rick wanders among the beautiful bodies like a ghost, are a common sight.

When Rick isn't a presence at parties, we see him in various locations around Los Angeles, engaged in thoughtful walkabouts. I don't know that I've ever seen a film set in the City of Angels look lovelier. The skyline, streets, and the beaches we've seen in a million other films suddenly seems new and strange. Malick's brilliant cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki, who has also done fine work on Alejandro Innaritu's recent films, makes Los Angeles seem otherworldly. My guess is he accomplished this visual feat with a wide-angle lens.

We also see Rick's brief relationships with a series of women; none of whom seem particularly exceptional save for their looks. It is me or does every respective shot of the women consist of frolics on the beach or inside apartments? The only woman of any substance is Nancy; a doctor who we see treating the less beautiful citizens of the city. The only real dialogue we hear Rick share with any woman is also with Nancy, who still suffers emotional wounds from their failed marriage.
And finally we meet Rick's brother Barry (Wes Bentley) and his father Joseph (Brian Dennehy), who can never be in the same room together unless they're bickering. Again, we never really hear them interact, we only see them in various phases of their troubled familial relationship. We can see Barry bears more rancor for his father than Rick and isn't shy about expressing it. Toward the end of the film Rick seems to achieve some sort of reconciliation with his father, while Joseph; atoning for his failures as a father and husband, seeks spiritual absolution.

As Rick drifts from woman to woman, we see one has fallen deeply in love with him though she be married: Elizabeth (Natalie Portman). How do we know she's in love? Because we hear say as much in her own whispery voice-over (yes, everybody in this film has a whispery voice-over; even Rick's goatee--no, not really) and because she too (sarcasm alert) runs along the beach.

So, do all the beautiful images, which encompass city-scapes and southern Californian deserts and Las Vegas and Rick's innumerable women and the film's scant drama cohere into anything resembling a poignant whole? You be the judge. Do we care about Rick, who never seems to work but has plenty of time to chase women and walk around aimlessly? I can't say I did. Can a man be said to have troubles when he can partake of legions of sexy, beautiful women who come and go like the tide? If he was suffering, it wasn't obvious to me.

Malick's film is a lot like the women Rick romances; great to look at but superficial. But an hour and a half into the film, even the beautiful images, like the women, become tedious. Malick certainly has made great films and may again if he takes leave of the style he can't seem to let go of. Knight of Cups isn't an embarrassment but it falls well short of being an achievement.

The 33

Director: Patricia Riggen/Starring: Antonio Banderas, Lou Diamond Phillips, Juliette Binoche, Kate de Castillo, Gabriel Byrne, Rodrigo Santoro and James Brolin

The 2010 Copiapo Mining Accident in Chile's Atacama Desert, where 33 miners were trapped for 69 days underground, riveted the world and became a headline mainstay. A concerted effort by engineers and mining personnel from around the world made a difficult rescue possible. Malnourished and weak, the men were supplied--by way of drilling--with food, water, clothes and electronic devices to enable the miners to maintain contact with their rescuers and loved ones. The miner's struggle to stay alive in a dangerous environment and the rescue effort that followed soon after, were made possible through ingenuity and the human spirit. A film version of such an incredible story deserves a powerful telling but though director Patricia Riggen's The 33 dramatizes the accident and the rescue, it fails--in spite of its well-meaning efforts--to capture the suspense and danger of the miner's seemingly hopeless struggle underground and the desperate attempt to rescue them above ground.

Like the real-life multinational effort that made the rescue possible, the film-makers have called upon an international cast that includes Juliette Binoche, Antonio Banderas, Kate de Castillo, Rodrigo Santoro and Gabriel Byrne to portray Chileans, with mixed results. Though it's hardly a stretch for Castillo, Banderas and Santoro to sound Chilean, the accent proves unwieldy for Byrne and Binoche, whose best efforts come to naught.

The mine caves in after the 33 miners begin what seems like a typical day below ground. Among the crew is a Bolivian, whose shabby treatment becomes an issue later. We get background on some of the miners. One miner's love-life is shambles as his mistress and his wife vie for his attentions. Another fights alcoholism while yet another is only days from retirement.

After the mine collapse, which is caused by a slab of rock twice the mass of the Empire State Building, the way in and out of the mine is obstructed; leaving them cut-off from the surface. The foreman assigned to oversee miner safety; Don Lucho (Lou Diamond Phillips) becomes consumed by guilt; believing he has failed in his job. Though Lucho's position as foreman gives him authority in the mine; a miner named Mario Sepulveda (Antonio Banderas) becomes de facto leader. It is Sepulveda's stubborn optimism that lifts the miner's spirits and their gloomy mood as they face further disasters and almost certain death.

After Sepulveda and another miner discover the ladders leading to the surface were never completed, the other miners prepare for a protracted stay; many believing a rescue will never come.
The miners also begin to think pragmatically as they begin rationing 3-day food supplies.

Above ground, the Minister of Mining; Laurence Golborne (Rodrigo Santoro); petitions Chilean President Pinera (Bob Gunton) for help, reminding him of the government's duty to intervene. Pinera commits government resources to helping the miners, with Golborne directing the effort.

Meanwhile, the miner's wives and girlfriends become a sustained presence at the mines; demanding information about their loved ones and forcefully resisting the mine company's attempts to disperse them. Leading the familial gathering is Maria Segovia (Juliette Binoche), who, like the others, waits impatiently for any news regarding the miners.

Unsure of the miner's fates, Golborne learns a common area in the mines which serves as a living space may be the area where the survivors congregate. Deterred by the slab of stone blocking the entrance, attempts are made to drill down to the miners to provide life-preserving supplies. As days drag into weeks, the rescue attempt draws the attention of the world media; which in turn attracts outside support. A drawn-out rescue operation makes it necessary to summon a state mining engineer named Andre Sougarret (Gabriel Byrne) to assume leadership in the operation. In time, drilling makes it possible to provide much-needed supplies to the men below.

How the miners cope with their predicament provides much of the drama in the film. As one might expect, bickering and petty factionalism take hold briefly before the miners unite in common cause. We see their supplies dwindle to almost nothing as meal portions become minuscule. Fighting despair but losing hope for a rescue, the supplies temporarily lift sagging morale and make it possible for the miners to maintain video contact with the leaders of the rescue. More importantly, the families are able to converse with their wives and children, which boosts spirits all around.

But though life-sustaining supplies bring relief, the problem of actually bringing the miners to the surface creates another problem. Attempts to employ massive drills to create a shaft into the rock are initially unsuccessful as a massive drill bit is shattered. The metallic fragments make a large magnet necessary, which in turn means summoning the necessary implement from Brazil. Sougarret and Golborne realize that every delay means one more day the miners' lives are endangered by the shifting rock in the mine, which also complicates rescue efforts.

As we see news programs from around the world broadcasting the rescue effort, one month underground becomes two. In spite of their dire situation, we see the miners gradually form an unbreakable bond.

After Sougarret and the Chilean government nearly give up the miners for dead, Golborne's determination to rescue the miners reverses what almost becomes full capitulation by all parties involved. With renewed resolve, another attempt is made with the help of an American engineer named Jeff Hart (James Brolin).

As previously mentioned, the accident and subsequent rescue were hardly wanting for suspense, drama and heart-breaking and heart-warming sentiment. But somehow the film only stirs interest rather than giving us a visceral experience. It is competently dramatized but it never leaves us breathless with suspense. Part of the problem may be we know the outcome before hand but the film itself never does much to make the audience forget it knows.

As also previously mentioned, it was difficult to overlook the various accents, particularly Binoche's. Though I highly esteem her as an actress, even she can't overcome a hokey, Chilean accent. She deserves better. Vaudeville accents are the domain of lesser actresses, like Meryl Streep; not French film stars with boundless talent.

I wanted to like the film more but a whiff of Disney seeped into the story. The real-life events ended happily (thank goodness) but the ordeal must have been hell for many involved. It's that hellish aspect that's lacking in The 33. What we're left with is something pretty decent but who pays multiplex prices to see something decent?

What this movie needs is a small screen to make its tepid, emotional output seem gargantuan, which is how I recommend one see the film.

The important thing is the miners survived, with their health intact. A so-so movie about their ordeal is less important in the grand scheme.

The Expendables 3

**Spoiler Alert--wait a minute, is this really necessary, what exactly will I spoil?**

Director: Patrick Hughes/Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Antonio Banderas, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Kelsey Grammer, Terry Crews, Victor Ortiz, Ronda Rousey, Kellan Lutz and anyone who happened to visit the studio during filming

I was thinking of creating a separate post for the cast list but oh well. I seriously thought about skipping The Expendables 3 because I had already invested enough time and money in the first two movies, which were mildly fun but very disposable. But I reconsidered; after all, I managed to see all the Harry Potter movies in theaters and perplexed myself by doing the same with the Twilight series, so why not the Expendables?

There is something about the movie that renders it impervious to any criticism. It's inherently dumb and all involved are well aware it's a farce so how can one possibly pan it? That said, I can say I didn't come to bury it but I also won't recommend the movie unless one's Verizon Fios is on the fritz, you have nothing to read, your iPad has lost its charge, Seven Samurai can't be found on any movie channel, you're too lazy to play frisbee at the park (do people still do that?), you finished digging a trench for a sprinkler system, or it's just too early to turn in. Then maybe I'd recommend The Expendables 3, but only at matinee prices.

The Expendables 3 begins with a daring rescue by the core members of the Expendable team: Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Caesar (Terry Crews) and Toll Road (Randy Couture) as they break into a maximum security prison in some third world country to rescue a fellow member who has been incarcerated for 7 years. The feat is accomplished in true Expendables fashion by commandeering a train and crashing through the doors of a concrete fortress. The liberated member is Doc (Wesley Snipes); a former Expendables medic and like Lee, a bad-ass knife-wielder.

The team is hired by a government suit named Drummer (Harrison Ford) for a mission involving a Somali port, but are thwarted by a former associate of Ross' named Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), who is now an arms dealer operating outside the purview of international law. Stonebanks manages to escape but not before wounding Caesar by sniping at him from a helicopter--an act meant to humiliate Ross.

Irked by Ross' failed mission, Drummer offers him a redemptive opportunity to lead a mission to capture Stonebanks, who is holed up in a third world despot's stronghold somewhere on the Asian continent.

Feeling his group has aged beyond optimum functionality and afraid to imperil their lives in another mission, Ross dismisses his group. They naturally reject his edict but Ross is adamant, brooking no objections.

While his former unit lick their emotional wounds, Ross searches for a new group; assisted by a whizbang recruiter named Bonaparte (Kelsey Grammer). The new unit comes with a specific array of skills but also a she-tough named Luna (MMA Fighter Ronda Rousey). The youngsters manage to get themselves captured by Stonebanks and his client's army in a rubble-strewn, cold war-esque complex. Stonebanks then goads Ross into rescuing the unit.

The rest of the story is hardly mysterious. You know Christmas, Doc, Jensen, and Road will find a way to re-join Ross, which will provide them a means to show their testosteronic (my word) virility. And of course everyone in the cast will have his allotted time onscreen.

You might be delusional if you think E3 offers any narrative surprises. Seeing the film is like a visit to McDonald's--one expects nothing but the traditional fare. It would be unseemly to complain about the absence of McFoie Gras in the chain's gustatory offerings. The same can be said for E3. What you see and titter at in the first film is precisely what fatigues your eyes in the third, so why expect more?

Sure, the movie is ferociously meat-headed and only a smidgen less cartoonish than a computer game, but with its phonebook cast and bloodless mayhem (I think I saw more people bleed in The Hundred-Foot Journey), it all went down like a bag of Cheetos. At least The Expendables 3 has a sense of humor, which prevented its fall into the abyss of self-serious tedium.

Does the franchise have one more bullet in its chamber? Is Expendables 4 a possibility? If so, I would like the producers to cast some of the few people on the planet who haven't appeared in the franchise. I would like to see Judy Dench play a blood-thirsty MI6 operative with demolition expertise who returns from Ross' past to liquidate him after steamy hot-tub sex. Maybe Julie Andrews and Dame Maggie Smith could make appearances too...in the hot-tub.
That's all.