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Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

While working at the video rental store, Moonrise Kingdom was recommended to me by a regular. Whenever I saw Mike, he asked me "Have you viewed it yet?". My answer was always "No". This went on for years and I promised him I'd get to it eventually. One day, I was given a notice that the store would be closing. The owner was retiring, had sold the business to new entrepreneurs and they wouldn't be keeping my location open. My last shift was coming up so I finally got around to watching Moonrise Kingdom. I finally got to experience this funny, quirky, charming, completely unpredictable, and wholly original coming-of-age story. I was excited to share my thoughts with the meek little mustached man who seemed ever hopeful whenever he saw me… but he never showed up on that day! Maybe, somehow, this message will get to him and I'll be able to let him know how foolish I was to wait so long.

Set on New Penzance, an island of New England in 1965, the film begins when 12-year-old scout Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) runs away from Camp Ivanhoe, leaving behind a resignation letter to his leader, Scoutmaster Randy Ward (Edward Norton). As police captain Duffy Sharp (Bruce Willis) initiates a mad search, it's discovered the boy has run away to live in the wild with fellow runaway and pen pal Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward).

This film is a paradox. It’s simultaneously set in this world that seems off thanks to its larger-than-life characters and zany developments… but somehow feels absolutely real. It’s almost like a manifestation of a childhood memory. Maybe that’s why it works so well. It’s far-fetched but somehow… not. We know the people in this film. At some point or another, we've crossed paths. It's just that they've never all been together like this before, which throws you off initially. Once you get over that initial shock, you fall in love with them despite - or maybe because - of their flaws and the way that they can sometimes be mean to each other. In its own way, the film contains a full spectrum of emotions. Sometimes acidic, then very sweet and romantic, then funny or fanciful before switching into a mode that’s mature and reflective.

Moonrise Kingdom has such universal appeal it's easy to be enchanted by the story and gloss over the terrific visuals, performances, and score/soundtrack. So much is done with color, the framing/cinematography, and songs. You could watch this Wes Anderson project a dozen times and always notice something new. Every shot is interesting, even something as mundane as a map showing a journey is made dynamic. For this reason, I can’t decide if the film is inspirational or discouraging. Seeing a director achieving this level of artistry is almost intimidating. Scratch that. It is inspirational. Movies aren’t made by just one person, it’s a cumulative effort by artists and storytellers, actors, and technicians. Nobody has to do everything, you just have to be able to do SOMETHING and if there are this many people that are THIS talented out there, then it’s not an unattainable goal, it’s a reality.

Moonrise Kingdom is a masterpiece of filmmaking. It’s so warm, insightful, and hopeful you're forced to pause and reflect. I can’t believe it took me this long to make time for this one. Mike. If you're out there, I'm sorry. I feel like a jerk for taking this long to see Moonrise Kingdom. Hopefully, sharing my appreciation for it at least partially makes up for my grave mistake. (On Blu-ray, January 30, 2016)

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End of Watch (2012)

End of Watch asks you to re-evaluate how you feel. About David Ayer's usual take on the police and its subjects. At first, it's hard to relate to the film's characters. Police officers Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña) are not what you picture when you hear the words “protect and serve”. They’re rude, short-tempered, foul-mouthed, and juvenile. They’re also good at what they do. The pair catch the attention of a notorious drug cartel after doing little more than doing their day-to-day duty.

Neither Brian nor Mike are what you would call professional. At one point, Zavala gets into a fistfight with a suspect while his partner watches and records it on tape. They're not that bright and often, they’re straight-up a-holes. It rubs you the wrong way at first but as the film progresses, you realize that all of it: the pranks, the joking around, the casual disregard for petty crimes, the search for glory, are not signs of incompetence. They’re survival tactics. Our heroes see the ugly side of society. Drug addicts, violent thugs who will throw their lives away for any reason, people who hate the police because years ago, they threw their drug-dealing boyfriends or brother in jail (which is right where they belonged, even they'll admit it) are who they deal with all the time. If they took their jobs as seriously as you'd expect them, their psyches would resemble a watermelon dropped from a skyscraper. Their attitudes might even be called... healthy. Unconventional? Yes, but so are the crimes these guys face. The way that fist-fight plays out shows they know exactly what they're doing.

This story hinges on its story of friendship. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña have incredible chemistry. You swear they’ve spent years together through thick and thin. Like brothers, they joke around, they make fun of each other. They swap stories about the women in their lives, about who they think is awesome and who's on the level of smelly roadkill. The better you get to know them, the more you'll find them endearing.

It's also got a bit of a romance angle. Taylor has a sweetheart, Janet (played by Anna Kendrick). Their scenes are gold. The moments with those two and with Zavala and his wife (Natalie Martinez) are the extra little toppings that ensure you want to see the protagonists go home safely at the end of their shift.

As a police thriller, it's only got two things preventing it from flawless status. The first is its attempt to be a found-footage film. It never commits believably. You buy the police's footage but the criminals are also recording things (yeah, right) and in many shots, it’s clear no one is holding the camera except Ayer. My second issue is related to the first. At times, the story lacks confidence. The characters and their plight are more than enough. There’s no need to have a gimmicky found-footage thing going on or for the old “hey man, good news! I just found out that we’re having a baby” or “Wow, can you believe it? I asked X to marry me, and she said yes!” It’s the kind of stuff you make fun of because it’s a cheap tactic.

The performances are strong, the story compelling, the story of brotherhood engrossing, and the overall plot delivers what you want in terms of police procedure and gunfights. End of Watch is original and satisfying. Though it succumbs to familiar pitfalls of both its genres, Ayer's writing keeps you excited to see what comes next. (on DVD, April 13, 2015)