THE HACK: cheap views on pop culture

Top Ten Films of 2011

This is by no means a complete list. This is simply the best new films I saw in 2011. There are plenty I have yet to see. This explains why you may think this list is horrible. Well, that and my lack of taste.

10. Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Who would've thought that this movie was going to be worth a damn? Well, it was. From Andy Serkis's Oscar-caliber performance as the film's lead Caesar to that "No!" this flick had so much. Hell, who would've thought anyone would be saying "Why cookie rocket?" in the summer of 2011.

9. Bridesmaids

Easily the funniest movie of the year. I was rooting for Melissa McCarthey to get an Oscar nod immediately after walking out of the theater as the credits rolled. Looks like her chances are really high. Oh, and Kristen Wiig. God, I love her.

8. Red State

And, the award for the movie most taken to the shit house be critics? Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked? Nope. Sorry. This title belongs to Kevin Smith's audacious Red State. Shit, I still can't believe Michael Parks is not going to get some love during awards season. Guess awards really don't mean much. Unless, of course, I win. Still, I loved the hell out of this film.

7. We Bought a Zoo

I went to see this movie for New Year's and it was a packed house. Leaving the theater, there was a line of about twenty people ready for the next showing. I'm hoping word-of-mouth helps Cameron Crowe's latest out. Because I'm hopelessly in love with this film. The final scene is one of my favorites from this year.

6. Super 8

I don't give a shit what people said. I felt the human story and the alien story both worked. And, they worked hand-in-hand. J.J. Abrams pulled it off. And, I still get misty-eyed when Joe lets go of the locket.

5. Contagion

Yes, yes - lots of stars in this one. But, the thing is, they act the shit out of this flick. The prom night ending is another favorite scene of my mine from this year. I also loved the scene where Kate Winslet calls her boss to apologize for not finishing. Her tears, man. It got me. Oh, and Jude Law is a son-of-a-bitch in this one. Sign of a good actor. He gets me to like him. And, gets me to hate him. Bravo.

4. Drive

A lot of people have this movie on their best of lists. Some have it on their worst. To each her own. I dug this flick, from the opening "action" scene to the Driver driving off into the sunset. And, let me just say, there's not much that can beat Carey Mulligan walking in slow motion.

3. 50/50

Anna Kendrick. Try watching this movie and see if you can resist falling for her character. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is really good in this, too. Jonathan Levine delivered on the promise made with The Wackness. He's got a good eye and a good ear. This movie's got some great music. I loved this movie.

2. The Tree of Life

And, the award for most ambitious live-action poster for a motion picture goes to. . . Terrence Malick's transcendent film. I get the love for this film. I also completely get the hate. It reminds me of the final episode of Lost. Some got it - and I mean really got it - and others didn't. Some that got it, loved it. Others that got it, didn't.

Wait. Hold up. Isn't that every movie that gets released? Contrary to what anyone has ever said, no one likes, loves, hates, or feels the same about anything and everything. It all truly is in the eye of the beholder. I mean, for the love of God, there are people in this world who truly believe that Jessica Alba is not hot. But, they are entitled to their beliefs and opnions. This list is mine. I loved The Tree of Life, though not as much as Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain.

Finally. . .

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

The second film almost made it into my top ten in 2002. The third film did. As did the fifth and seventh. This one, though - holy shit. What an ending. Though I still prefer the novel, director David Yates, screenwriter Steve Kloves, and everyone involved in this picture pulled it off. Check Rotten Tomatoes. Read the reviews. People loved this movie. It's damn good. And, it's pretty damn moving. From the moment Harry steps into Snape's memories to him dropping the resurrection stone, those twenty minutes are simply great cinematic storytelling.

Together as one movie, I personally feel that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the best film of the decade...so far. Obviously. Still, this film is the one that everything I see for the next eight years must measure up to. For some, that may mean the bar is not very high. For me, it's damn near impossible to even see over it. And yet, come Oscar nominations-morning, I doubt we'll see much love for it. And, that may be the biggest shame to come out of this film.

And, that's that.

"You better believe I fear God."

Red State (2011)

Some bitched. Others praised. Me? I dug the hell out of it. 

 

Writer-director (and don't forget "editor") Kevin Smith was correct. Michael Parks does, indeed, deserve an Oscar nod - at the very least - for his work as Aben Cooper.

I'd also say Melissa Leo and Kerry Bishe, the latter of whom blew me away, mainly because all I knew her from was the "final" season of Scrubs. Here, she showed her range.

And, quite frankly, Smith also deserves some praise for his editing. One moment in particular stands out: two characters die early on and we witness the reaction to the gunshots from multiple points-of-view. It's a great moment.

All I can say is this: go in with as little info as possible. The shocks come and they come and they come.

Kevin Smith has made something truly memorable. At least, to this viewer.

5 out of 5

 

"He's up there fixing the sun."

All-Star Superman

What else needs to be said? It's a good movie. Based on a great story from the great Grant Morrison and the great Frank Quietly.

Having just seen Sam Liu and Dwayne McDuffie's adaptation, I want to revisit the story again. Hell, I'm seriously considering putting up cash for that Absolute edition. Looks gorgeous.

Like most adaptations, one is simply better off reading the source material. But, unlike a lot of adaptations, this one translated pretty well. I Rebox-ed it. But, I'm probably going to own this title by the end of the year.

Oh, and for any Lois fans, check out this Tumblr.

For Morrison fans: a must read.

A Hell of a Finish

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (3-D)

Up until I saw Jurassic Park in 1993, my favorite movie of all time was The Transformers: The Movie. Sound crazy? I was nine at the time. Still doesn't excuse me. Well, screw off. This was THE movie to me at that time. I just loved it. I dug the soundtrack. I loved the animation (as much I could at the time, since I knew jack about film-making). The voices were memorable, and even though they seem stunt-oriented (I mean, really, Judd Nelson?), it all worked. The voices fit each and every new character introduced.

And, why were so many characters introduced? Most would have you believe that it was all motivated by the drive to sell toys and make money. Hey, that's certainly a big part, but from a story stand-point (you heard me), it makes sense. Because it sells DREAD. What do I mean? Well, a lot of characters - well-known characters from the TV series - die within the film's first Twenty minutes, including Optimus Prime, leader and main Transformer character. (I'd argue that Daniel is the main character even though he's human.)

The movie was badass in my opinion. And, so was everything else Transformers-related. Generation One (in geek-speak) is my generation. So, when I heard they (the collective "they") were making a live-action film, I got excited. Because, really, what could they possibly do? Could it be done? It beat the hell out of me, but I was interested. Then, Spielberg's name came up. Then, Michael Bay.

Let's get into that: Michael Bay.

I'm a fan. I've dug everything he's done. In order from best to okay:

The Rock

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Armageddon

The Island

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Bad Boys

Transformers

Bad Boys II

Pearl Harbor

I don't consider anything of these movies to be bad. Bad Boys II is okay, mainly because I feel too many people get killed in the flick and not much is done about it. No one seems to give a shit. In Armageddon, there is a sense of doom - of holy shit. Of knowing that shit's going down. Every death, in my own view, is completely felt.

Bay's movies are not meant to be cynical. They're also not particularly heartfelt, even when they try to be (looking at you Pearl Harbor). What they are though are amazing set pieces stitched together by decent plots and decent performances. The technical stuff is always amazing. The photography is unmatched in huge-scale action films. The music is pulse-pounding. The sound is ear-splittingly good. All in all, I love what Bay films are.

And, that's all movies should be. Scratch that. Movies shouldn't be anything.

They should be what they are. Nothing more. Nothing less. That doesn't mean they are films unto themselves. It's just that, just because one film can do both character and plot doesn't mean that the next film has to. If it accomplishes what it sets out to do, then it's all right by me. Bay's movies mostly accomplish this. Aside from Pearl Harbor, which loses even its fan with the whole triangle thing (this includes me), I feel each movie Bay has directed has been the sum total of what he set out to do.

Which is why I gave credit to him on the first Transformers film. It's not good throughout. A lot of the human stuff is bland and takes the film in weird, unnecessary directions. But, the action stuff. My God, the action and the effects (CGI, sound, music, etc.) in the first film were a wonder. I got my money's worth. Plus, it put Meghan Fox on the big screen like never before. (I'd seen her before on TV and Maxim/Stuff magazine, so I knew her.)

So, when the sequel came, I went to see it opening weekend.

And, I loved the ever-loving-shit out of it. Why? Because it's fucking nuts. It's Bad Boys II-Michael Bay, playing with giant robots. The plot is straightforward but the momentum isn't. One thing leads to another, but a lot of it adds up to nothing. Don't get me wrong, I still loved the set pieces, but the twins stuck out (never got the racist-angle; guess I don't see the world that way - plus, they're fucking robots, people). Meghan Fox getting humped by a transformer was weird and off-putting. Bottom line: Revenge of the Fallen was a mess that I loved and still love.

Now here we are with part three. The "final" film. Or, rather, the final Sam Witwicky film. I saw it in 3-D, and it was a wonder to behold. Roger Ebert wrote that is "a visually ugly film with an incoherent plot, wooden characters and inane dialog. It provided me with one of the more unpleasant experiences I've had at the movies." This was not the same movie I saw.

Dark of the Moon is the best 3-D movie I have ever seen. That may not be saying much, but it is. It's gorgeous to look at. Yes, yes - Rose Huntington-Whiteley looks great, but the framing and the longer takes make this one a keeper.

The plot is simple. Autobots are the good guys and fight to save Earth, their new home. Decepticons are bad and fight to rule humans so that they may rebuild their former home planet of Cybertron, and some humans help to achieve this. And, that's it. The rest is icing. It's all cool, but it's not plot. A lot of people try to tie in everything having to do with NASA and the moon, but those are details within the story.

As for Sam, well, his story is even more simple: save the girl. And, this is where I totally get where people, and definitely mostly women, would have a problem. As much as Huntington-Whiteley's character Carly "fights" back, she never really FIGHTS BACK. She essentially is a damsel in distress during the film's climatic final hour in Chicago. Shame. Seeing her pick up a gun or do some hand-to-hand fighting would have been great. But, no, we get a butt-shot as her intro. Not that I'm complaining, but come on, Mr. Bay. Even Fox had shit to do on the previous flicks.

SPOILER

Of course, she does do something to help save the day. She uses words to help turn the tide, but I felt this scene was just a way to get something done that could have been done any other way. I mean, how many times will people fall for the whole, "Oh, so you take his orders"-thing? If there was one thing I hated about the movie, this was it.

SPOILER FREE

The dialogue isn't bad. It's not. Watch any SyFy original movie and then say that this movie had inane dialogue. There's a big difference. This movie was obviously not scripted by Aaron Sorkin, but it sure as shit wasn't written by Awesom-O.

I also didn't find it unpleasant one bit. Even seeing it in 3-D, wearing glasses over my glasses, I wasn't bothered. My eyes didn't hurt at all. The sound was top-notch.

I dug it.

I even found myself caring about Sam and Carly - probably because it felt like a real relationship. Think about it. In the first one, they meet, court, and fall for one another. The second separates them and they have to find their way back to each other (emotionally). The third one opens with them in a relatively happy relationship. So, when Sam has to go get her, I was with him. Especially because of the circumstances.

SPOILER

Fucking Patrick Dempsey. I knew he wanted to destroy the world.

SPOILER FREE

People do not have to agree on movies. Obviously. So, disagree all you want. I did with Ebert, and I love that guy. So, don't get all bitchy with my rating. It's mine. Deal with it.

4 1/2 out of 5

Fucking-A.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

"All was well."

                                                            - Final words from the novel

I remember making my brother drive me to the midnight release party for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows four years ago. I'd never been to one. He was cool enough to do so, even if that meant reading in the car (first year of law school was about to commence) for over two hours. Of course, as soon as we got home, he read the final pages and knew what the epilogue held.

I spent the weekend (I took my sweet time with it; relishing every little thing) reading the thing and I found myself choked up on many occasions throughout. I never cried. Though I came close during a few chapters - "The Prince's Tale" and "The Forest Again." I also found myself moved at the scene where Harry and Hermione visit the graves of Harry's parents. Powerful stuff. One has to remember that the first time this kid even saw his parents was when he was eleven and that was thanks to a magic mirror.

J. K. Rowling had written her masterpiece, in my amateur opinion.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 was a great flick. I for one loved the camping stuff in the novel and felt the translation was right on. I had no serious qualms with Part 1, aside from the fact that it felt like an unfinished film. It was expected. The movie literally is part one to a massive film story in a much larger, grander story. Still. I loved that movie.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 is the third act, but it doesn't feel like it. Not really. Like Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 2, Part 2 feels like a complete film. Is it the best Potter film? I don't believe so. That said, put Part 1 and Part 2 together, the way they belong, and you have one masterful, epic outing. As it stands, Part 2 deserves all the love it's getting. It's great. Simply great. Other people have written better tidings toward the film, so I won't bother to really get into things. I'll simply say this: if you don't love the previous movies, stay the hell away. If you did, then - well - you've already seen the movie.

It's awesome, isn't it?

And, boy, did it bring me to tears. I wept like a baby. And, no, I'm not exaggerating. I literally shook, as tears watered my cheeks, when Hermione offered to go with Harry. (Nice change from the book, I must say.) I cried during the manifestations of "The Prince's Tale" and "The Forest Again." Beautifully crafted, Mr. Yates.

And, just how great was Alan Rickman, yeah? There's Oscar talk for his work here. He deserves it.

"Stay close to me." My favorite line from the novel. When Harry said it here, "I wept." And, I don't cry all that much whenever I watch movies. So, that's saying something. Maybe it's because I've grown to know these characters after all these years. I don't know. I just found myself caring an awful lot for every worthwhile character; every non-evil person.

Speaking of which, Ralph Fiennes is all getting some much-deserved praise as well. His Voldemort is astonishing. He became a great screen villain this time around. His Voldemort will be remembered for quite some time.

You know, it's going to be interesting when these films get remade decades from now. I wonder if they'll have any success finding that magic again. I doubt it. And, it's all because of Chris Columbus and the decisions he made during the making of Philosopher's Stone all those years ago. The three big ones? Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint - Harry, Hermione, and Ron. They go out on top in this one. And, the parallel scenes at the end was the perfect was to say goodbye. After everything, they stayed friends, and after nineteen years of life without a big bad, they still stand together, damn-near hand-in-hand.

Bringing back the closing track from the first two films was masterful. It's clear Yates wanted the epilogue to evoke the feeling from the first film. Well, the scene does that. And, everything feels like it's gone full circle. I always love it when long-form stories do that.

The fade out at the end had me and the audience I saw it with applauding. I'm sure the crowd I was with on friday morning was not unique.

Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves stuck the landing. They really did. They took a great climatic novel and made one hell of a film.

5 out of 5

WWLCD? (Seriously, What Would Larry Crowne Do?)

"You talked about Crisis as the ultimate
decision a character makes, but what if a
writer is attempting to create a story
where nothing much happens, where people
don't change, they don't have any
epiphanies. They struggle and are
frustrated and nothing is resolved. More
a reflection of the real world."

                                        - Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation)

Larry Crowne

Tom Hanks has a likable persona. Larry Crowne is a likable guy. Seems to me that Crowne is the closest we'll ever come to seeing Hanks play himself for an entire film.

Co-written (Nia Vardalos is his co-writer) and directed by Hanks, Larry Crowne is a slight film about two adults re-adjusting their lives. There's no tragedy in this film; no one dies. There are no tear-inducing, Oscar scenes. The laughs are few and far between; though I found myself smiling though most of the movie.

Hanks' co-star, Julia Roberts, is kind of great here. She manages to play herself, much the same way Hanks is playing himself. There's an honesty at work with these two in this film, and I found each of their character's stories interesting to watch because of it.

The supporting cast is also very good. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is crazy adorable. Wilmer Valerramma, Cedric the Entertainer, and Taraji P. Henson are fun. Bryan Cranston fulfills his requirement here. He's essentially the only asshole in the film, and he sticks out because of it. This is the film's main flaw. It's like, we're introduced to his character and then we hate him. And, that's it. Not very well written.

But, what the hell do I know? I'm no Hollywood screenwriter, let alone one who has been nominated for Oscars.

Some might get bored with this movie. I enjoyed it. It's a PG film with a few swear words. Nothing wrong with that in my book. I also enjoy hearing Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers whenever I get the chance.

There's also something extremely appealing about watching a character who has no real faults or vices. Quite frankly, it's refreshing. Not everyone has an asshole or a douchebag inside of him or her. I look forward to living my life through the philosophy of Larry Crowne. Whenever in a pickle, I'll simply ask myself, "What would Larry Crowne do?" The answer will no doubt be likable.

4 out of 5

A Message From God

Super

I've wanted to see Super for a long time. Thanks to the magic of video-on-demand, I was able to finally see it. In a word: wow.

Writer-director James Gunn has made one helluva film. What kind of film is it? Let's just say that an appearance by Lloyd Kauffman was more than a clever cameo. This movie is a modern Troma flick, with a sense a beauty missing from those films.

I mean, sure, the violence is so real that it some how becomes over-the-top. Sure, there's a scene where Libby (Ellen Page), as Boltie, rapes Frank (Rainn Wilson) during a fog of sexuality (she claims she was "sleepwalking"). Sure, there's a scene where Frank gets a "vision" from God to become the superhero the Crimson Bolt. And, yes, the dialgoue has plenty of f-words. But, all of this is what gives the movie its style. What it's really about is Frank finding more purpose in his life.

At the start of the film, Frank draws the two moments in his life that give him reason to get out of bed in the morning. The next ninety minutes is Frank finding a way to find more picture to draw. In essence, this is a standard "man lost in the world" -kind of movie. See what I mean about all that crazy stuff. Without it, the film's boring. Luckily, there's so much of that stuff that there is nothing boring about Super.

Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page, believe it or not, give Oscar-caliber performances here. There is so much risk taken between the two, as well as depth beyond anything that I'm sure was on the page. That isn't to say that the script sucks. It's fantastic. Gunn manages to make the horrible actions of Frank somewhat funny, if disturbing. Although, once he enters Jacques' house at the end of the film, all hilarity goes out the window and the film embraces the darkness. There is one death so ugly that I couldn't look away. Make no mistake about it. The laughs end when an important character's life does.

But, Boltie's laughs at her own actions are contagious. Watch as she gleefully stabs a guy to death. Amazing. Page is simply amazing here.

And, thank God for Nathan Fillion - I'm sorry, "The Holy Avenger." From this day forth, he will always be this hero to me. Well played, Mr. Gunn. Well played.

I also love how Gunn comments comic-geek culture. Like Matthew Vaughn's adaptation of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr.'s Kick-Ass, Super is about how we - in real life - view superheroes. And, just what would happen if we - any of us - decided to become one. No matter how well intentioned our actions would be, in the end, violence would rear its ugly head. In the real world, there's blood, pain, and death. How would comic readers respond to this? It's an interesting question.

More interesting is the film's coda. There's a sweetness to it that I didn't see coming. And, it makes that God/vision thing during the first act all the more touching. There's no sarcasm there. I like that. This film is not cynical.

There's so much to love about this film that I honestly cannot think of anything I dislike about it. I mean, come on, it's not the greatest movie ever made, but it sure isn't a piece of shit.

5 out of 5

The Understanding That Comes From Feeling Alien

empathy

noun \ˈem-pə-thē\

1: the imaginative projection of a subjective state into an object so that the object appears to be infused with it

2: the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; also : the capacity for this

- Merriam-Webster

I've read a lot of reviews that claim J.J. Abrams' Super 8 is really two movies that don't gel. The first film is the character piece which focuses on Joe and Alice, as well as their respective family drama. The second film is the monster movie. Critics say that these two stories more-or-less are told side-by-side, never combining into something more. I'd say that those critics weren't paying much attention.

Also, some of these critics would rather talk shit about how the film simply wallows in nostalgia and nothing more. Honestly, aside from kids on bikes, kids swearing, and the time frame of the film, I didn't see anything that took me out of the story. Abrams has made a film in the spirit of his influences. He didn't go Tarantino and fill the movie with a barrage of references. He kept it simple.

He tells the story of alienation. More than that, he explores how such an alienation can take place. "Bad things happen," Joe tells the alien "monster" in the film. Joe lost his mother in a work-accident. The alien lost his chance to go home. These two losses result in both parties searching for a way to move on.

Thankfully, empathy goes a long way. As far as the alien is concerned, whenever it touches someone, it can link its mind to said someone. That someone can understand that the alien is not necessarily evil. It is just doing everything - anything - it can to leave. Seeing into the mind of someone hurting allows for catharsis.

Joe gets that in the form of Alice. She is able to understand Joe, and in turn, he gives her the chance to forgive her father. Super 8 is about understanding. From this, all individuals who feel alien in this world can finally feel human.

As for the performances, Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning both do fantastic jobs, as do the rest of the kids. Larry Fong's photography is gorgeous and should certainly see love this Oscar season. Michael Giacchino has crafted yet another masterful score. Why I have to wait for the soundtrack until next month is beyond me.

This is J.J. Abrams best film, and if he manages to make a better film in his career, it will definitely be his masterpiece. As for this film: 5 out of 5.

The best film I've seen so far this year.

 

The Art of Being Too Cool For School (Literally)

This is the kind of movie where after seeing it, I know I'm going to be buying the soundtrack. Why? Because I love the music in these movies. And, I'm also not cool enough to have them in my collection beforehand.

That, of course, is the idea with movies like this. They're about cool people, living cool lives, doing cool things, living in a cool city. They're hipsters. I'm not. And, I don't hate hipsters. To borrow a line from Dante Hicks, "I don't bother them, and they don't bother me." I like watching hipsters. They're douchebags, but somehow cooler.

All that said, a movie about these people is only good if it follows my only personal criteria for any movie. I have to think it's good. And, The Art of Getting By comes up short. Just barely.

Freddie Higmore, doing a curious American accent, plays George. He realizes there's no point in doing anything (like homework) because one day he's going to die. He's an eighteen-year-old version of young Alvy Singer. At least, in philosophy. Although, I can't help but think that writer-director Gavin Weisen wanted to make his own version of a Woody Allen movie. I mean, it's all there. New York as a character. A protagonist who sees the world differently, is smart and knows it, and is just the right amount of rude and whiny that we damn-nearly dislike the guy but ultimately do not. There's the upper class individuals that are two-dimensional. The love interest who is not really a love interest but actually is.

So, I accept it as such.

And, as such, this is a mediocre Woody Allen film. Mediocre because it stays on the surface and does things I've seen far too many times before, which would be fine had these things been more interesting. Still, there's that fascination with movies like this, which keeps me from hating The Art of Getting By. Maybe it's due to Highmore and the uber-cute Emma Roberts doing as good as the movie allows them. Maybe it's because of how the characters dress. Maybe it's because I know what it's like to listen to the same song over and over, not bothering to hit repeat so I don't have to hit the back button to start the song over. Maybe it's because during my own senior year I met a cool girl who changed me, but I lost her and nearly didn't graduate because of it.

I did, though. The girl? We became friends, but I haven't seen her in years.

You see, that's what movies can do. They can allow you to live vicariously through an individual similar enough to you, but who gets the things you don't.

Too bad that's not enough to make a movie good.

(3 out of 5)

The Sisterhood of Sucker Punch

It’s always fascinating to watch people get things “wrong.” Why did I just put quotes around that last word? Because, in the end, everybody is right and everybody is wrong when it comes to interpretation. I’m writing this now because I feel that oh-so many people got Zack Snyder’s Sucker Punch wrong. At least, in terms of story.

Whether you think the film is a piece of shit or not after reading this is strictly opinion, and – hey – whatever floats your boat. I dug the movie a lot. But, I dug it because of the sacrifices made by the film’s two main characters. I gotta say…I was moved.

Not to tears. Come on. But, I appreciated the sisterhood represented on screen. There are far too many times when audiences have been given stories of brotherhood. The Lord of the Rings is about brotherhood. Every war movie I can think of is about that, in varying ways, of course. And, generally, you have the lead in heroic films played by a male. I guess that’s the Hero’s Journey. Neo is the hero in the Matrix films. Luke Skywalker was hero, regardless if his sister could have been a Jedi.

It’s a guy’s world. Surprise, surprise. And, when it comes to action films? Forget about it. Name me more than five females who have played the lead in an action film within the last decade. And, I want those films to be major Hollywood productions. Can you name them?

No using the internet.

Now, name me five men.

Sucker Punch presents three versions of the same story, two of which critique the state of the female within Hollywood cinema.

Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), an inmate at Lennox House for the Mentally Insane, tells the story of an angel who saves her life. Who is that angel? Well, as her narration tells us, it can come in various forms. We are given two in this film. One is named Baby Doll (Emily Browning). The other is the Wise Man (Scott Glenn).

The first version of the story is this particular film’s “reality.” There is go with the quoting but it’s true: this isn’t a realistic reality; it’s Snyder’s creation. Still, it’s the reality we get. Baby Doll’s mother and sister die and she’s sent to the institution. The asylum's orderly (Oscar Isaac), is bribed by Baby Doll's stepfather into faking the signature of the asylum's psychiatrist, Dr. Vera Gorski (Carla Gugino), to have Baby Doll lobotomized so that she can neither inform the authorities of what really happened nor reclaim her recently deceased mother's fortune. In five days, the surgeon (Jon Hamm) will arrive to perform the procedure. Within minutes, those five days flash by and we are given glimpses of Baby Doll’s five days. When the time comes for the lobotomy, things switch on us.

The second version of the story arrives. And, this is where a lot of people misinterpret things. This second version is not a reality the Baby Doll conjures up. This is the story of those five days, retold through metaphor. In this world the inmates are dancers/prostitutes who live in a brothel. They are ruled over by men and forced to perform for them. They wear skimpy outfits and take orders from Blue Jones (the orderly from before), a pencil-thin-stached man who rules with an iron fist.

It is here that we catch up with the film’s protagonist. Sweet Pea is older sister to Rocket (Jena Malone), and through a quick bit of back story, we find that Rocket ran away from home some time ago and Sweet Pea followed to take care of her. According to her own words, she was fine with her life and home, but felt the need to protect and watch over her younger sister. The result was them landing in a fucked up mental institution (in the second version, this would be the brothel).

We’re also introduced to two other girls there, Amber (Jamie Chung) and Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens). They are important to the plot, though not the story.

Baby Doll arrives as a person. She soon becomes the vessel for an angel who has been sent to save Sweet Pea.

In order to escape the harshness of the institution (and the brothel), Baby Doll retreats to a fantasy world in which she subverts the exploitations endured by herself and the other girls. In this third version of the story, the girls find themselves in generally male-dominated situations and kick some serious ass. They wear the skimpy outfits still, but this time it’s not about turning anyone on. It’s about owning it. They stroll past scared and scarred male soldiers and have to save their asses. They bypass the male warriors and take on a dragon during one sequence.

Hell, the sci-fi sequence has them being the only human beings as they take on robots. These are not two-dimensional young women. They are living, breathing people.

And, make no mistake about that: each character exists. And, when they die, it’s real.

When Rocket gets stabbed, that’s real. Baby Doll retreats for a moment to give Rocket a hero’s death, but in reality (the first version or the second), Rocket’s done for.

So is Sweet Pea’s reason for being at Lennox House.

In Baby Doll’s fantasy world, she meets the Wise Man and he tells her that it is possible to escape before her lobotomy (or, before the High Roller shows up). She follows his directions and three girls are killed. At the hands of men. Bastards.

In the end, it’s just Sweet Pea and Baby Doll, the film’s two main characters. When things get bad, Baby Doll sacrifices herself so that Sweet Pea can escape, and tell her story to us. Once free, she nearly gets caught by two policemen. But, the Wise Man appears to her in the form of a bus driver and saves her one last time. The film ends with her, presumably, going home. She is free.

Baby Doll, as the surgeon points out after her lobotomy, dies happy, because at least she saved somebody. Even if that somebody wasn’t herself.

It’s that very sacrifice that moved me, because it’s so real. Move the fantasy aside. Move the metaphor aside. The story is about a girl who gives her life to her sister and in return gets that life back from another sister, this one not necessarily blood related.

And, you know what? I find that kind of beautiful. So, I say, “Bravo, Mr. Snyder!” Thanks for giving us a film about women. Sure, it’s definitely still a man’s world – and it takes fantasy to supersede that – but women are far too absent from film in general that I dig it when filmmakers choose to tell stories with them. And, this points out all of this at the same time. Well done.

This is the kind of self-indulgence that I can get behind.

But, maybe next time, the story can exist by itself, and the girls can be great without having to represent anything. Then, again, that’s this film.

I loved it.