Review: Life of Pi

I’ve always said that movies can be classified into two groups: ones you can catch on Starz in a few months, and the ones you absolutely must watch in a theater. Life of Pi is most assuredly the latter, and should be classified as an experience as much as it is a film. Every line of dialogue is quotable, and every shot is a postcard. I found myself forgetting about the $4.50 Coke stuck to the floor in front of me, and could have sworn I was fighting to survive alongside Suraj Sharma’s Pi. This is not a film you will soon forget, and no matter your views on religion, it’s hard for the spiritual overtones to not affect you.

Before filming began, a solid foundation was already set in the form of Yann Martel’s novel of the same name.  The survival tale of a young boy who loses his family (and more than a few exotic animals) in a shipwreck on their voyage to a new life captivated readers back in 2001, and the filmmakers took advantage of what was given to them. Ang Lee and co. overcame what may have seen like a daunting task and have brought Pi’s heart wrenching story to life with beauty, wonder, and no lack of amazement. Sharma’s teenage Pi works perfectly in tandem with Irrfan Khan’s adult version, and not once does the viewer doubt that the two are operating from the same emotional core. This is especially impressive when considering the fact that Life of Pi represents Sharma’s feature film debut. He takes command of his dialogue, but his expressions and actions speak just as loudly. In the film, Pi’s father notes that animals do not possess human emotion, and that what you see in their eyes is simply a reflection of your own. While this may be true for Bengal tigers, the same can’t be said for Suraj Sharma, whose onscreen presence reflected my own emotions but returned them with a faith-filled, thought-provoking spin. 

In essence, Life of Pi is a movie that keeps you at the edge of your seat with straight up adventure, while simultaneously giving your mind a workout with brilliant dialogue and allegory.  While not as culturally groundbreaking as Brokeback Mountain or as stylistic as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Life of Pi has very few flaws, and is my favorite of Ang Lee’s films to date.

Score: 5/5

Review: Lincoln

Let me start this review by setting the table with a few caveats. First off, as a huge history buff, Abraham Lincoln has always been a personal hero of mine. Secondly, I am of the opinion that Daniel Day-Lewis is from a different planet, a planet on which bad acting simply doesn’t exist. To be succinct, I loved this movie before I ever walked into the theatre. The million-dollar question then, is: did Lincoln live up to my unfair expectations? In a word, yes.

While not the epic life story picture or edge-of-your-seat war film that some might expect, Lincoln is satisfying on multiple levels. The dialogue presents itself in a way that reads almost like a stage show. Tony Kushner’s screenplay is compelling and keeps the viewer hanging on to every word. What Lincoln lacks in action it more than makes up for in historical significance, drama, and in many cases, humor.

The shy, but ever-imposing nature of our 16^th Commander in Chief is portrayed beautifully by Day-Lewis (as to be expected), and I believe from here on out it will be his voice you hear when looking at a $5 bill. Everything from the incredible make-up to his clumsy stagger of a walk make you forget that this isn’t 150 year-old footage of the real deal. It is simultaneously eerie and heartwarming to see such a beloved figure come to life so accurately before your eyes. The supporting cast of characters including Sally Field as Mary Todd and Tommy Lee Jones as the radical Thaddeus Stevens add color and depth to their every scene (again, no surprise here). An unexpected surprise did present itself in the form of James Spader and his trio of at-any-cost lobbyists, and they are sure to be audience favorites.

Don’t let the 2 and a half hour run time deter you from experiencing this film in theaters. You will feel the magnitude of what was at hand during the time period depicted, and the parallels between then and our current political climate are hard to miss. Lincoln is a slow-burning and very heavy film, but one that is worth every Abe-faced penny.

Score: 4.5/5