Mud (2013)

When I hear, 'My name is Mud', I can't help but that that damn Priums song out of my head...

I love Jeff Nichols.  Take Shelter was one of my favorite films from 2011, and if you haven't seen it, I strongly recommend seeing it as soon as possible.  Take Shelter starred the always awesome Michael Shannon, so I was excited to see that Mud also featured him.  Unfortunately, while his scenes are noteworthy, Shannon fans are going to leave disappointed, as he has a very small role and is really in only two or three scenes in the whole movie.

Instead, Mud focuses on Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland).  Seriously, is there a better name than 'Neckbone'?  They venture out in their spare time to recover a boat that has been stranded in a tree after a flood.  Right away, you get a very Stand By Me vibe from the film, both in the look of the duo, as well as their motivation.  Upon finding the boat, they find that someone's been living in it.  They meet the inhabitant, who simply goes by Primus, eh...I mean "Mud" (Matthew McConaughey).  Mud has an almost ghostlike appearance seemingly appearing and disappearing instantly.  He's a mysterious guy and all, and there's dark past that is later revealed.

The boys and Mud bond, and learn that he's waiting for an old love of his, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), to meet him.  The boys see an attractive girl arrive in town and figure that it's Juniper.  They agree to help Mud, setting things in motion.

One of the things the really struck me about Mud was the overall look of the film.  You get such a view of the town that you really feel like you're part of it, and you're almost depressed by it.  The town and houses they lived in were so run down that I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to live there, yet they have a pride in it.  This is another movie that feels like it's set in the recent past, but you really can't tell.  Not that it matters, but nobody has a cell phone, or even a cordless phone in their homes.  Based on the cars seen, this looks like it was set in the 80's or perhaps set in a town stuck in the 80's.  This is a town where people still have names like 'Mae Pearl' (Bonnie Sturdivant).

Another thing I liked about the look is that the scenes where they visited Mud on his island, had a very bright, almost ethereal quality about it, as if the island itself was in another universe entirely.  There's a coming of age aspect to the story that was very interesting to watch play out.

Matthew McConaughey continues his streak of great performances.  Talk about a massive career turnaround.  He went from a guy that just a few years ago was becoming a joke, to being someone that has turned in a string of great performances in smaller films, and is now someone that I look forward to seeing in anything.  He continues his streak here, and there's a charm about Mud that even though you aren't sure about his true intentions, he seems like a genuine enough person that really cares for these kids.

It's another film where the kids are not a weak point either.  Both Sheridan and Lofland turn in very strong performances, and the chemistry between the two is natural and funny.  I mentioned Stand By Me earlier, and I even saw a little bit of River Phoenix in there.  Tye Sheridan was great as Ellis!  He has a good character arc, and you get a glimpse into the man he's going to become and know he's going to be okay.  Sheridan is going to be one to watch in the future.

If there's any real problem with the movie, it's that it's a little too long.  I know I sound like a broken record when I complain that a two hour movie is a little too long, but the issue this time is that there's a very obvious MacGuffin shown in the first act, so the whole movie you know it's coming.  When it finally comes to pass, I even heard someone sitting behind me tell his date, "Tell me you didn't see that coming."  When you have two-plus-hour movie, it's not the greatest thing to have such a telegraphed event in your film.  It was also resolved somewhat quickly, and was kind of thrown out by the time the actual 'explosive' conclusion happened.  It just pains me because this is a 5 star movie if it was about 15-20 minutes shorter.

Now despite the length, it's pacing is good.  It reveals more and more about the characters gradually, and you're never disappointed as you learn more.  The way the movie plays out, you're continuously invested in the characters and their stories.  The supporting characters and the performances by Sam Shepard, Sarah Paulson and Ray McKinnon (as well as Michael Shannon) fill out the story and keep you invested even when the focus isn't on Mud or Ellis.

Mud manages to be a sweet film without being overly sappy, and is easily one of the best films I've seen in 2013 so far.  Bolstered by strong performances from Matthew McConaughey (did I just say that...again) and Tye Sheridan, it's a movie that has a strong coming of age story that still feels like an authentic slice of the South.  Jeff Nichols continues to be one of the best directors the mainstream hasn't heard of, but that isn't going to be the case if he keeps making great movies like this.  If you're looking for something as an alternative to the explosive, superhero action of Iron Man 3 this weekend, then this is your best bet.

4 (out of 5) Death Stars

Stoker (2013) - Movie Review

For some reason I can't say the title of this movie without getting that stupid Tom Jones song "Strokin'" stuck in my head.  Not that they are at all related, but I just can't help it.  "I stroke it to the east, and I stroke it to the west."  Damn it!  It's stuck in my head again!

Kidding aside, I had been looking forward to watching Stoker for quite some time, as it was directed by Park Chan-wook (or is it Chan-wook Park?), who many of you may know as the director of Oldboy.  There was a good amount of hype surrounding the film, and I'm glad to say that I wasn't disappointed.

From the opening moments, you can tell that India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) is bit of an odd bird.  She doesn't have any friends, and her hobbies vary from piano playing to hunting small animals, which is already kind of a red flag.  She would normally hunt under the supervision of her father (Dermot Mulroney) though, but then that just made me think India is a female version of Dexter.  She also doesn't seem to like any kind of physical contact, and doesn't have much of a relationship with her mother (Nicole Kidman), which you know is going to come into play when we learn that her father has died on her 18th birthday.

At the funeral, India's uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), who's been travelling the world, returns home and moves in to help out. We also learn that Charlie has been sending India a pair of saddle shoes every year for her birthday, but India never actually knew Charlie existed until he showed up.  India remains distant from both her mother and Charlie, but Charlie continues to try befriend her.  Something definitely seems a little off about Charlie, too.  Something is off about everything and everyone in Stoker.

I'd have to say that Stoker is a movie that's definitely not for everyone, as it's a real slow burn for a thriller.  If you like a dark, psychological thrillers though, then Stoker should be right up your alley.  Throughout the film I was reminded of the same eerie feeling I got when watching Take Shelter (totally underrated movie that you should go rent right now).  The score also reminded me so much of Take Shelter that I had to look up and see if they were done by the same person (nope).

One of the things that makes Stoker such an effective thriller is that there's a good use of red herrings that kept me guessing where the film was really going.  You're always wondering what the real motivations of the characters are or if what you're seeing is really happening.  I started to outsmart myself with some of the various reveals, so I did spend the majority of the film wondering what the hell was going on, but that's a good thing.  When everything is finally revealed, it was very satisfying.

Stoker does take a bit of time to get going, but another aspect of the film that works is that there are a lot of great, interesting camera shots that make the film that much more mesmerizing.  I'm usually not one to notice things like cinematography unless is really stands out, but there are some really great camera angles and transitions used throughout the film.  Like at one point Nicole Kidman is having her hair brushed, and you get a real tight closeup where you see every strand of hair, but then the camera begins to pan down and the hair slowly turns into long strands of dried out grass in a field.  Park Chan-wook and cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung (who also worked on Oldboy), created a great look for the film, and it's the kind of work where you're want to go back and watch other films they've worked on together.  If you haven't seen Oldboy yet, I do recommend checking it out.

Another thing that really surprised me about Stoker is that this was written by Wentworth Miller, of Prison Break fame.  I was really never a big fan of that show, but I think he wrote a really interesting thriller here, and I hope he keeps at it.

Lastly, sometimes a movie works only as well as the cast can carry it, and that's another strength of the film.  Nicole Kidman has that perfect icy demeanor that is spot on for her role.  Matthew Goode has a great, creepy duality about his performance that just sells his character so well, and you never quite know what's really happening with him.  Mia Wasikowska is simply fantastic as India Stoker.  She's been on my 'one to watch' list for a while and this just cements her place there.  Her performance is one where you just can't take your eyes off her and you're always wondering what's going on in her head.

Stoker is an eerie, layered mystery that's powered by the aesthetic and direction of Park Chan-wook, and further strengthened by the great cast and performances.  This is one of those haunting thrillers that'll stick with you, and I highly recommend checking it out.  It's in limited release, so many of you will have to save it for rental, but if it's playing in your area, then it's definitely worth the trip.

4 (out of 5) Death Stars