Q'n'D Reviews: "The Aviator," "Phantom of the Opera," "Kinsey," and "Beyond the Sea"

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you not only get my first update in forever, but you get four, count 'em, FOUR Q'n'D movie reviews in one post! Well, now you know what I've been doing the past four days... :)

-"The Aviator" - First up was Martin Scorsese's three-hour biopic on Howard Hughes, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Scorsese's work as director is being much praised, and there's a lot of talk that Martin will finally get his much-deserved Oscar. While his work is indeed excellent, what I was surprised to find is that I respected DiCaprio's work even more. Here is an excellent actor who descended into pop stardom via "Titanic" just when many actors his age are getting the chance to flower into full bloom - instead, his talent was crushed under the weight of the monstrous success that film was, and the accompanying snide dismissals from pop critics. (His co-star, Kate Winslet, went through much the same process, and has just recently emerged herself.) Now, after good work in "Gangs of New York" and "Catch Me if You Can," here is his best and most powerful screen performance, capturing the essence of Howard Hughes' genius, passion, drive, and ultimately, descent into madness. DiCaprio is onscreen for virtually the entire film, and carries it all brilliantly. Combined with Scorsese's masterful telling of the tale (he's much more successful at composing this story than with the relatively disappointing "Gangs"), and this is a terrific film, worthy of the Oscar hype it's receiving, though it was not the best film I saw this week.

-"The Phantom of the Opera" - An admission of the theatre student - I have never seen Phantom on a stage. I've heard a lot of the score many times over, and have guessed at the plot from my exposure to that, but never have I seen the whole thing played out before me. Well, I have now seen the movie version, and I have confirmation from the lovely and talented Courtney Altenburg that it is indeed faithful to the original. Well, color me surprised to learn just how...well...bad a musical it is. Well, that's not really fair - it's not terrible, and as spectacle, the story lends itself well to Webber's grandiose musical numbers (all five or so that there are in the show). But hearing a lot of the lyrics and melodies anew after being exposed to some truly great musical theatre - Sondheim, Gilbert and Sullivan, etc. - the relatively simplistic composition of Phantom becomes pretty underwhelming. And as a story, Phantom just doesn't hold up. The characters - all of them - are one-dimensional and bland. The basic core of it all should be the Phantom's essential nature as something at the crossroads between a man and a monster, both sympathetic and horrifying. But he's neither. The musical cheats and makes him way too sympathetic and human way too early, so that when he commits his horrible acts, they read not as the mad lashing out of a monster, but the machinations of the plot which require the Phantom to do this, at this point. The show can't even muster enough to make the Phantom truly scary in appearance - sure, he's disfigured, but other than that he's a pristine hunk. Heck, in the film version, even when his mask is pulled off to reveal his deformity, he's still only a level or two below, say, Willem Dafoe. (I said that line to Heather earlier tonight and she reacted like it was a slight against the Phantom.)

None of these criticisms are leveled at the movie, BTW, which I still enjoyed as pure escapism and spectacle. Director Joel Schumacher (whose work I have usually enjoyed, despite the drubbing he got from folks for "Batman and Robin") has done his best to fashion a silk purse out of this one, with tremendous visual invention and energetic direction (the opening sequence where the chandelier lighting turns the b&w screen into full color, blowing away cobwebs in the process, is pure genius). The performances are adequate enough, except, again, by that blasted Phantom (and just why couldn't we give Michael Crawford this role, now that he's middle-aged and would, by common sense, better fit the role than a 30-something who looks like a Guess model with a mask on?). Fans of the show will enjoy the film, I think. Even I, as someone who is coming to realize that I don't really enjoy the show, just parts of the score, appreciated the film for what it was. And Schumacher's work is to be commended. But this isn't a great musical film. And it damn sure ain't the best film I saw this week.

-"Kinsey" - Bill Condon's biopic on the famous sex researcher is a fascinating film, interesting, intriguing, thought-provoking and insightful, but ultimately, it is all these things on more of the level of a document, rather than a completely involving narrative film. Don't get me wrong here, I am not holding that against the film in any way, in fact, I am praising it as a strength. Considering the nature of Kinsey's work and the impact it had on the way society viewed sexuality (up to a point), it would probably be a disservice to the man to try and shoehorn his life into the necessary trappings of a biopic, and instead what we have feels more like a summary, a textbook discussion of Kinsey's life, his work, his focus, his goal. I found little true insight on the man himself, for the work is the point. And perhaps this is as it should be. The film demonstrates Kinsey's methods and theories, and the impact they had on a society which had long considered sexuality to be the equivalent of the squid in Family Guy - present, but never to be discussed. Though Kinsey, people finally had an outlet, a point from which discussion could come, and values re-evaluated. This came at a tremendous cost to Kinsey, who was mocked, discredited, and lost a great deal for simply asking questions and coming to not-too-popular conclusions. But his work paved the way for the sexual freedoms of today, though many still believe we'd all be better off if we just kept ignoring the squid (much as you still find people who try to argue the Earth is flat). The most fascinating bit is the film's ultimate conclusion, which seems to indicate that, to Kinsey, sex was a natural, physical, human impulse, but one that could be viewed independently of love, which is a deeper emotional trait and one which "cannot be analyzed." Maybe that is our next step - reaching the point where we understand that our physical and emotional impulses are indeed two separate engines, ones which don't necessarily have anything to do with the other. In any event, a very good film, with a great performance by Liam Neeson, but ultimately, not the best film I saw this week.

-"Beyond the Sea" - Much to my surprise, THIS was my favorite film of the ones I've seen in the past four days. Kevin Spacey, one of our best actors, directed, co-wrote, and starred in this musical biopic of Bobby Darin, and it's obviously a labor of love, and the end result is one of the most joyous films I've seen in a good long while. Telling the life story of Darin in the style of a 50's musical, the film is wall-to-wall with Darin's songs, often with elaborate dance numbers, and all performed by Spacey himself, proving to be a very good singer, as well. (Not quite Darin's level, to be sure, but close enough that he does every song justice.) The movie's subject seems to lack a necessary arc, as he had great success, a quick fall, and passed away very young, but Spacey finds one, and gives the story tremendous energy and enthusiasm, coupled with wonderfully entertaining musical numbers and fun performances. This film is just a ball from beginning to end, and reads like a true valentine to an entertainer and an era. It may not be the BEST film of the year, but it may well be my favorite.

In summary, see 'em all, "Beyond the Sea" if you can only see one, but all fine choices and great times at the movies. And there's still "Million Dollar Baby" yet to come!

(P.S. - Just on a side note, for a work-related holiday party, I did the unthinkable and sang some karaoke. The song? "Lose Yourself" by Eminem. No, I'm not kidding. Lost my breath three times while doing it. There is NO place to breathe in that song!)

(P.P.S. - A hearty goodbye and rest in peace to Jerry Orbach, a great performer. And Reggie White, a great football player.)

(P.P.P.S. - My thoughts and deepest condolences to the families of the countless victims of the tragic disaster in Asia. I will be donating some cash to the Red Cross in support as soon as I have the money to do so, and I encourage everyone who can spare it to do the same.)