The Monuments Men: a slow-paced war memorial

The list of World War II movies that has been made is endless, and there’ll be plenty more, of that I’m sure. The focus can be very varied; from Pearl Harbor & Inglorious Basterds to Schindler’s List and The Book Thief, to just name a few memorable ones. They’re all in that year setting but can be as different as you may. The Monuments Men reflects the taste of its main filmmaker, the multitasker George Clooney.

It tells the story of a series of art curators and such that go around Europe at the end of WWII trying to save stollen art before its destroyed by the nazis, they intend to give it back to its original owners. The leader of the mission is Frank Stokes (Clooney), a professor that convinces President Roosevelt to assemble his team, joined by James Granger (Matt Damon), Richard Campbell (Bill Murray), Walter Garfield (John Goodman), Jean-Claude Clermont (Jean Dujardin), Preston Savitz (Bob Balaban), Donald Jeffries (Hugh Bonneville). Along the way Granger meets French art curator Claire Simone (Cate Blanchett), an unexpected ally.

The movie is beautifully made and has a solid the script, the problem relies on the execution. It’s incredibly slow-paced, making it seem like it lasts an eternity when it’s only 2 hours long. It reflects Clooney’s taste in cinema, as can be appreciated in previous films of his like The Descendants, Argo and Up in The Air. The movie is definitely not for those who get bored easily. His style reminds me of vintage Hollywood, before the technology, when every angle lasted a while and people took their time before saying a single line. There’s no doubt the man’s got talent in filmmaking, but his aesthetic is not mainstream.

On a side note, Clooney is the only person that has been nominated for an Academy Award in six different categories, Best Picture (Argo), Best Actor (The Descendents, Michael Clayton, Up in The Air), Best Supporting Actor (Syriana), Best Director (Good night and Good Luck), Best Adapted Screenplay (The Ides of March) & Best Original Screenplay (Good night and Good Luck).

Clooney aims to be an overachiever, directing, producing, writting and starring in it, all at once. He got help from Grant Heslov in producing and writing. Heslov has worked with Clooney before this in Good Night and Good Luck, Leatherheads, The Men who Stare at Goats, The American and The Ides of March. Both of them run their production company, Smokehouse Pictures. This movie is loosely based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Robert M. Edsel.

I would’ve cut at least half an hour in between long meaningless takes, but it’s acceptable as it is. The cast assembles as good varied group of actors, showing their skills on the silver screen. Matt Damon stood out the most to me, being as likeable as ever with his boy-next-door charm. Cate Blanchett did a good job at impersonating a French woman speaking English, she’s a true chameleon.

When you put together an eclectic cast with an out-of-the-box filmmaker like George Clooney, The Monuments Men is what you get out of it. Another averagely good movie that is not to everyone’s liking and will soon be forgotten. If The Ides of March is Clooney’s finest performance with 5/5, this one is 3.5/5.

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La lista de películas sobre la Segunda Guerra Mundial no tiene fin, y estoy segura que hay muchas más por venir. El enfoque puede ser muy variado, entre las más memorables están Pearl Harbor, Bastardos Sin Gloria, La lista de Schindler y La ladrona de Libros. Son todas ambientadas en esa época, pero tan distintas como puede ser posible. Operación Monumento refleja el gusto del cineasta detrás de su creación, el multi talentoso George Clooney.

Cuenta la historia de curadores de arte y personas afines en una misión por Europa al final de la Segunda Guerra Mundial tratando de rescatar arte robado antes que los nazis lo quemen, para poder devolverlo a sus dueños originales. El líder es Frank Stokes (Clooney), un profesor que convence a Roosevelt de formar su equipo; es acompañado por James Granger (Matt Damon), Richard Campbell (Bill Murray), Walter Garfield (John Goodman), Jean-Claude Clermont (Jean Dujardin), Preston Savitz (Bob Balaban), Donald Jeffries (Hugh Bonneville). En el camino, Granger conoce a Claire Simone (Cate Blanchett), una curadora de arte francés y otra aliada inesperada.

La película está bien hecha y tiene un buen guion, el problema recae en la ejecución. Es increíblemente lenta, haciendo parecer interminable un duración de apenas dos horas. Refleja el gusto de Clooney en el cine, es similar a otras de sus películas, como Los Descendientes, Amor sin Escalas y Argo. Esta película definitivamente no es para los que se aburren fácilmente. Su estilo me recuerda los clásicos de Hollywood, antes de la tecnología, cuando los encuadres tardaban un tiempo y la gente se demoraba en pronunciar un sólo parlamento. No cabe duda que el hombre tiene talento, pero su estética no es para la cultura popular.

Haciendo un paréntesis, Clooney es la única persona en estar nominada para los Oscars en 6 diferentes categorías, Mejor Actor (Los descendientes, Michael Clayton, Amor sin Escalas), Mejor Actor de Reparto (Syriana), Mejor Director (Buenas noches y buena suerte), Mejor Película (Argo), Mejor Guion Original (Buenas noches y buena suerte), Mejor Guion Adaptado (Poder y Traición).

Clooney busca ser un triunfador, dirigiendo, produciendo, escribiendo y protagonizando esta película. Recibió ayuda de Grant Heslov en la producción y escritura. Heslov ha trabajado antes con él en Buenas noches y buena suerte, Jugando Sucio, Hombres de mentes, El Ocaso de un Asesino y Poder y Traición. Ambos dirigen su productora, Smokehouse Pictures. Esta película es una interpretación libre del libro del mismo nombre de Robert M. Edsel.

Yo le hubiera cortado al menos media hora en medio de tomas largas sin sentido, pero es aceptable así como está. El elenco reúne un grupo bueno de actores diversos que muestran sus habilidades en la gran pantalla. A mí me resaltó mucho Matt Damon, que no faltó en agradar con su encanto de vecino-de-al-lado. Cate Blanchett imitó muy bien el acento de una francesa hablando inglés, ella es un verdadero camaleón.

Cuando juntas un elenco ecléctico con un cineasta fuera de lo común, Operación Monumento es lo que obtienes. Si Poder y Traición es lo mejor que ha hecho George Clooney con 5/5, ésta es un 3.5/5.

Vivian Russo

The Internship: another dynamic duo

This movie is the second collaboration between Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn after Wedding Crashers (2005). It is directed by Shawn Levy, written by Jared Stern and Vince Vaughn and produced by Levy and Vaughn. It centers on two middle-aged salesmen that are out of business after their watch company is closed, Billy (Vaughn) and Nick (Wilson) to get a new job by a summer internship in Google.

The film gets complicated because Nick and Billy are older than the average applicants and must team up with a younger crew in order to succeed against many Ivy League students.

If you’ve seen Wedding Crashers, then you know that these two react magnificently to one another, creating the best kind of comedy. In The Internship they don’t fail you and provide a wide variety of tech-related and geek jokes, enjoyable for today’s generation. In terms of slangs, it’s sort of a light-hearted version of The Social Network. It’s also filled with popular culture references and evidences the age of the characters by taking them from the 80’s.

Levy is solidified in the comedy genre, directing movies like Cheaper by the Dozen, Night at The Museum, Date Night and The Watch (also starring Vaughn). Stern wrote Wreck-It Ralph, Mr. Popper’s Penguins and Bolt. Vaughn, in addition to acting, has also written The Break-Up, and Couples Retreat and has produced Four Christmases and The Dilemma.

It also stars Rose Byrne as Dana, an established and workaholic employee for Google and Nick’s love interest; Josh Brener as Lyle, the team leader of Nick and Billy’s group, John Goodman as their former boss, and Jessica Szhor as Marielena.

The only weak point is the script, because at first glance you already know how it’s going to end. However, the journey is enjoyable. This is another case in which the actors charisma saves the movie. Wilson and Vaughn really deserve another movie award for working together on-screen. The production is impeccable, with the sets’ design and fonts for the credits being completely believable. The construction of the Google campus also gives you an idea into what it’s like inside the walls for a major company that influences the whole world.

If Wedding Crashers is 4.5/5, The Internship is a solid 4/5.

Vivian Russo

Flight

This is a movie about the consequences of a plane crash due to a technical failure and an intonxicated pilot. The leading character is Captain William “Whip” Whitaker, played by Denzel Washington. Don Cheadle co-stars as his lawyer, Kelly Reilly is his part-time lover, John Goodman is his drug dealer, and Bruce Greenwood as his old friend. Its directed by Castway’s Robert Zemeckis, which other notable work includes Back To The Future Trilogy, Forrest Gump (for which he won an Academy Award for Best Director) and 2011’s Real Steel.

This movie has lots of raw scenes, makes it feel more real, that includes drugs, sex and violence, so watch out if you’re sensitive. I was in a bit of a shock. To me there’s over use of toxic substances, to the point of where it seems normal to the audience and one becomes accustomed.

I’m glad about the way the movie ended, I won’t spoil it, but it was good. That’s something of upmost importance to me and really hard to find.

Washington was stellas as usual, to me he’s the male Meryl Streep. The script is no big deal, I’ve seen yunkies and adicts before in other movies. What makes it different is Denzel’s character and portrayal. Kudos also to the screenwriter, John Gatins, for coming up with such an inventive way to land a plane. I sense that he had to have some kind of bagagge on that particular area. You could say that I agree with the Academy for nominating the film precisely on these two categories.

On a curious note, I’ve noticed a movement that Denzel Washington does, its his mouth and  in a weird manner, as if it’s too big for his face. It’s kinda funny and makes it seem as if he’s always chewing something. For the last half hour of the movie, all I could see whenever he was talking was his movement of the mouth, seriously it’s  distracting.

It was well executed by the director, but the screenplay wasn’t extraordinary. Zemecki’s finest work is Forrest Gump to me, and Gatins’ Real Steel. Flight is behind these two films with 3/5 stars.