Now Playing Review: The Dictator (2012)

The Dictator (R)
Directed by: Larry Charles
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley
Release date: 16 May 2012
IMDb: 6.9 | RT: 58% “Rotten”
TFC Rating: B

The Dictator, the new film from tag-team comedy duo Sacha Baron Cohen (actor/writer) and Larry Charles (director), introduces us to Cohen’s newest over-the-top and totally non-politically correct character, Admiral General Aladeen (Cohen). Aladeen is the dictator of the fictional North African Republic of Wadiya who is threatened with military action against his country unless he speaks in front of the United Nations. After a botched assassination attempt (in a hilarious sequence featuring Cohen and John C. Reilly in an uncredited role), however, Aladeen is set loose in New York City, where he must find a way to regain his title and prevent democracy from infiltrating the country that he so oppressively loves. Along the way, he meets and falls in love with new-age feminist hippy, Zoey (played adorably by Anna Faris), who throws a wrench into Aladeen’s very way of life.

The Good

Clocking in at just 84 minutes, The Dictator is the kind of short and sweet comedy that is so rare in this day and age. However, don’t let the short running time fool you; this film is packed full of more jokes and gags than you can count, some more effective than others. There are definitely some genuine laugh-out-loud moments, and a few that will, of course, make you feel guilty for finding them funny, a Sacha Baron Cohen trademark. However, there is significantly less full-frontal nudity in The Dictator than there was in Borat and Brüno, a fact which should please the more bashful moviegoers out there (such as myself, I admit). And while there isn’t as much political satire as one might have inferred (or hoped) that there would be, there’s just enough zingers aimed at the good ol’ Dubya administration to placate the lefties out there (again, like me).

The Bad

While there are a fair share of laughs in The Dictator, they pale in comparison to those found in 2006’s Borat, and even in 2009’s much-less-funny-than-Borat-but-still-fairly-hilarious Brüno. The transition from the reality-TV fool-the-public type films that Sacha Baron Cohen made his name on to the purely scripted, 100% fictional world of traditional cinema appears to have been a bit of a bumpy one. The Dictator, while a fairly satisfying film, stings with the bittersweetness of a movie that didn’t quite live up to its potential. It was funny, but it wasn’t that funny. It was smart, but it wasn’t that smart. It just feels like The Dictator should have — and, perhaps worse, could have — been so much more. Too many of the jokes fall flat and, as mentioned, there wasn’t near enough political satire to support the premise of the film.

The Ugly

One particular scene, which involves the decapitated head of a recently deceased drug kingpin, almost made my stomach churn, and yet it made me laugh at it’s grotesqueness, so I suppose it was effective enough. I don’t think I’m going to be able to get that image out of my mind for a very long time, however.

The Bottom Line

Overall, The Dictator is a fairly enjoyable film. It isn’t perfect, and it doesn’t live up to the high bar set by Sacha Baron Cohen’s previous films, but there are a few good laughs and a bit of searing social commentary; what else can you ask for in 84 minutes? Short, sweet, and to the point, The Dictator achieves all that it set out to do, albeit not quite as well as it could have.

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ThatFilmGuy is the founder of That Film Channel as well as its main contributor. Follow him on Twitter: @theREALjshaff

Sacha Baron Cohen: Master Satirist or Racist Pig?

Actor/writer Sacha Baron Cohen’s new film The Dictator has only been in theaters for less than 24 hours, but it’s already garnered a good deal of criticism from some Arab-Americans for its stereotypical portrayal of Arabs. As you may recall, Cohen’s 2006 film Borat spurred threats of lawsuits for its negative portrayal of Kazakhstan (although the country’s foreign minister has recently revealed that the film was actually responsible for an enormous boost in tourism to the Central Asian nation), and his 2009 film Brüno caused the British ambassador to Austria to call for protests of the film upon its release. There seems to be a distinct pattern emerging regarding the filmmaker’s movies, which begs the question: has Sacha Baron Cohen crossed the fine line between funny and offensive, or do some people just not get it?

In order to properly assess Sacha Baron Cohen’s standing as a satirist, let us first consider the word satire itself:

sat·ire noun \’sa-,ī(-ə)r\
1 : a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn
2 : trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly
Source

By these definitions, a satirist would be one who exposes human vices and follies by turning those vices and follies back onto those who exhibit them. Indeed, this is what Sacha Baron Cohen claims to do through his portrayals of clearly over-the-top characters such as Ali G (Ali G Indahouse), Borat, Brüno, and The Dictator‘s Admiral General Aladeen. To most critics the satire is obvious and effective (Cohen was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing Adapted Screenplay for Borat), as demonstrated by HBO spokesperson Quentin Schaffer’s take on Cohen’s characters: “Through his alter-egos, he delivers an obvious satire that exposes people’s ignorance and prejudice in much the same way All in the Family did years ago.”

Cohen’s appeal to audiences has at times been less positive, however, as his films have often alienated and outraged certain groups of people who felt that they were being stereotyped and even openly mocked. Cohen has been accused of being racist, anti-Semitic (despite being a devout Jew himself), and homophobic, and his films have spurred various protests and boycotts through the years. It seems as though the concept of satire is oftentimes lost on those who are directly portrayed by the satirist, which is ironic when you consider that the opposite effect is usually the intent.

When it comes down to it, the entire point of satire is not to laugh at racial, religious, and social stereotypes, but rather to laugh at the ridiculousness of those stereotypes. Cohen achieves this by portraying clearly over-the-top and flamboyant characters meant to expose and ridicule the stereotypes that apply to them. In a society that has become so overtly sensitized to these types of issues, however, even obvious satire is considered offensive and off-limits. We’d like to think that we, as a society in general, are working to overcome our prejudices toward different groups of people, when really we’ve simply adopted an “out of sight, out of mind” attitude regarding racial, religious, and other social issues. As a result, instead of embracing an artist like Sacha Baron Cohen, who strives to help bring these issues to the forefront so that we can begin to overcome them, many people prefer to shun him as cheap and offensive without realizing that it’s their own prejudices that are being spotlighted by their actions.

Here’s hoping that someday we can come to a point where satire can once again be regarded as relevant and important social commentary and not cheap entertainment at the expense of minority groups. But until then, here’s hoping that Sacha Baron Cohen continues to do what he does best by exposing peoples’ prejudices whether they want him to or not.

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ThatFilmGuy is the founder of That Film Channel as well as its main contributor. Follow him on Twitter: @theREALjshaff

12 Films to Look Forward to in (the Rest of) 2012

Anybody who’s seen the top grossing films for the first four months of this year doesn’t need me to tell them that 2012 has been pretty slow for the big screen so far, picking up right where 2011 left off. When the top two grossing films of the year thus far have both featured Josh Hutcherson, something is definitely awry (and seriously, who’s even heard of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and how did it become the second-top grossing film behind The Hunger Games?). John Carter, already considered to be the biggest flop in recent memory, ranks sixth at the box office, and The Avengers, which hasn’t even been released in the U.S. yet, is already ninth. Pretty bleak stuff.

But fret not, film-goers, for there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Here are twelve upcoming films that very well could salvage 2012 and make sure that some of us have actually seen some of films nominated at next year’s Academy Awards:

(Note: Titles link to IMDb entries.)

The Dictator (Release date: 16 May)
Directed by Larry Charles
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, John C. Reilly

Sacha Baron Cohen’s brand of comedy is not for everyone. He’s crude, rude, and he doesn’t care who he offends. But Borat and Brüno were two of the most edgy comedies of the past ten years, and The Dictator promises to be cut from the same cloth. Less of a “mockumentary” and more of a traditional comedy film, it is a bit of a change-up for the Cohen/Charles dynamic duo, but I have all the faith in the world in them.
IMDb: 6.9 | RT: 58% “Rotten” | TFC Rating: B

Brave (Release date: 22 June)
Directed by Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman
Starring Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson

Okay, I’ll be honest, last year’s Cars 2 was a bit of a let-down for the usually stellar Disney/Pixar animation studio. But surely we can forgive one flop every two decades or so, right? Here’s hoping that Pixar gets back on the horse that threw them with this summer’s Brave. While it is a little worrisome that two different directors have done work on the film, so far the trailers have been nothing but impressive, especially visually. If nothing else, at least Brave will be the first really awe-inspiring IMAX experience of the summer.
IMDb: 7.7 | RT: 76% “Certified Fresh” | TFC Rating: B+

The Amazing Spider-Man (Release date: 3 July)
Directed by Marc Webb
Starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans

Yep, I’m jumping on the Spider-Man reboot bandwagon. Why? Because Sam Raimi’s trilogy was a huge let-down, and because a superhero of Spider-Man’s caliber deserves the Batman Begins treatment. And if the trailer is any indication, that’s exactly what he’s going to get with The Amazing Spider-Man, perhaps too literally. To me, the trailer made this film look a lot like a copy-cat of The Dark Knight in almost every sense, but even if it is, it’s bound to be better than the last trilogy. At least, Andrew Garfield just has to be a better Spidey than Tobey Maguire. I mean, he just has to, right?
IMDb: 7.8 | RT: 72% “Certified Fresh” | TFC Rating: A

The Dark Knight Rises (Release date: 20 July)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway

Quick: What’s the most anticipated film of 2012? If you said The Hobbit, sorry, better luck next time. It’s, of course, The Dark Knight Rises, the third and final film in Christopher Nolan’s epic Dark Knight trilogy. Featuring one of the ensemble casts of the year and said to contain over 60 minutes of genuine IMAX footage (as compared to the 35 minutes of IMAX footage in The Dark Knight), there have been three trailers released for The Dark Knight Rises, and each one has managed to top the last. Even better? It appears as though the problems with Tom Hardy’s voice in the Bane mask have been resolved, or at least they were in the last trailer. If you only see one film this summer, or even this year, this is the one that you need to see.

The Campaign (Release date: 10 August)
Directed by Jay Roach
Starring Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis

Yes, this is the second political satire on this list, and admittedly, The Campaign does look like it could turn out to be another Man of the Year (if you’ve never seen Man of the Year, don’t. It’s dreadful). But the potential for a smart, side-splitting comedy is there, and for that, I feel that The Campaign is worth at least giving a chance. If you see it and it’s terrible, though, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Premium Rush (Release date: 24 August)
Directed by David Koepp
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon, Jamie Chung

This is the second film on this list to feature Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and believe it or not, it won’t be the last. After his performances in 2010’s Inception and last year’s 50/50, I am 100% sold on this guy as a big-time Hollywood actor, and any film that he appears in is going to be made better simply by his appearance in it. Add to that an intriguing action plotline (although not one that necessarily lends itself to over-the-top special effects, which is a plus in my eyes), and you’ve got yourself a perfectly intriguing late summer blockbuster.

Lawless (Release date: 31 August)
Directed by John Hillcoat
Starring Shia LeBeouf, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman

If The Dark Knight Rises does not feature the ensemble cast of the year, that’s only because Lawless, a Depression-era period piece focusing on moonshining bootleggers, beats it by a hair. Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, and Guy Pearce alone are reason enough to see this film, especially after Oldman and Hardy’s performances in last year’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Coincidentally, they both also have major roles in TDKR.

Looper (Release date: 28 September)
Directed by Rian Johnson
Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt

The last of the trio of Joseph Gordon-Levitt films coming out this year, Looper features an unorthodox and convoluted plot that crosses science-fiction and film noir. Promising to be one of the most unique films of 2012, it’ll definitely be worth checking out in between the summer and holiday film seasons.

Frankenweenie (Release date: 5 October)
Directed by Tim Burton
Starring Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short

I’m not going to lie, I’m little worried about this full-length adaptation of Tim Burton’s 1984 short film Frankenweenie, because Burton has kind of lost me the last decade or so. It seems to me that he tries too hard to be Tim Burton, and it’s resulted in some disappointing films (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, anybody?). But because I’m familiar with the original short and because this film has been promised to us for so long, I would be remiss not to include it here; however, I do so cautiously.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Release date: 14 December)
Directed by Peter Jackson
Starring Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage

Is there any film announcement that has generated more controversy than The Hobbit this year? I think not: Between the splitting of Tolkien’s classic book into two films, filming them in 3D, and shooting them at 48 frames per second (as compared to 24 fps, which has been standard for the film industry since the first “talkies” were filmed over 80 years ago), fans and critics have either been up in arms or jubilent with joy over the upcoming release of the first Hobbit film, An Unexpected Journey. Honestly, I don’t know what to think about these developments just yet, but I do know that there’s no other director I’d want to be working on these films than Peter Jackson. If he hasn’t earned the trust of the Tolkien fanbase by now, I’m not sure what he could do in the future to do so.

Django Unchained (Release date: 25 December)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Starring Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz

Django Unchained is intriguing not just because it’s the first film Tarantino’s done since Inglourious Basterds (which was his best since Pulp Fiction, in my opinion), but also because it’s one of two Leonardo DiCaprio films that will be released on Christmas Day 2012. Every time DiCaprio’s worked with a legendary director for the first time, he’s hit it out of the park (James Cameron, Martin Scorsese, Christopher Nolan, Clint Eastwood), so look for a big performance from him in this film. I smell Oscar bait.

The Great Gatsby (Release date: 25 December)
Directed by Baz Luhrmann
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire

The other DiCaprio picture to hit theaters this Christmas, The Great Gatsby just screams “unnecessary remake”, since F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel was already successfully adapted to the screen in 1974 by Jack Clayton and Francis Ford Coppola. But again, it’s DiCaprio, one of the hottest actors in Hollywood right now, so I wouldn’t count this one out just yet. I think if given the choice between the two, I’d rather see Django Unchained, but The Great Gatsby has “box office smash” written all over it.

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ThatFilmGuy is the founder of That Film Channel as well as its main contributor. Follow him on Twitter: @theREALjshaff

Five Films That Changed My Life

Whether you consider yourself a “film buff” or not, chances are that you can come up with at least a few films that in some way, big or small, influenced or changed your life, for better or for worse.

Listed below are five films that, for whatever reason, changed my life. Some made me want to become a filmmaker. Others have become so personal so as to almost become a part of me. But they all have a special meaning to me, and now I’d like to share those meanings with you:

(Note: Titles link to IMDb entries.)

1. Stand By Me (1986)
Directed by Rob Reiner
Starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell

Stand By Me is one of those classic coming-of-age films that pretty much anybody (males especially) who went through adolescence can relate to in some way or another.

What makes the film special to me, personally, however, is the complicated dynamic between Gordie (played to perfection by Wil Wheaton) and his father, the struggles of not quite fitting in in a small town, and the pain of being an aspiring artist with very low self-esteem in his own work.

When I first saw Stand By Me when I was about fourteen, watching the character of Gordie Lachance was like looking into a mirror, or so I felt at the time. Now, about seven years later, I feel a strong sense of nostalgia watching this film, because I feel like I’m reliving parts of my own childhood.

2. The Prestige (2006)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine

The Prestige is not my favorite of Christopher Nolan’s films, but it makes this list because it was the film that introduced me to him. That’s not to say that it’s not a great film – it is – but ever since I first saw The Prestige on cable several years ago, Christopher Nolan has become my number one influence as an aspiring filmmaker, and for that, this film will always have a special place in my heart, right along with all of Nolan’s other films.

3. School Of Rock (2003)
Directed by Richard Linklater
Starring Jack Black, Mike White, Joan Cusack

When I was twelve years old, I thought that I was going to be the next Angus Young, playing high voltage rock ‘n’ roll in front of packed stadiums of adorning fans. School Of Rock helped to perpetuate this fantasy, because I figured that if the kids in the film could rock out like that, then surely I could, too. Of course, I’ve outgrown those unrealistic daydreams, but School Of Rock still speaks to me at a truly visceral level. After all, “you’re not hardcore unless you live hardcore”, right?

4. Toy Story (1995)
Directed by John Lasseter
Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen

Honestly, kids who were born in the late ’80s or early ’90s got really, really lucky, because we were exactly the right age to experience two of the greatest pop culture franchises in history: J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series and Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story film trilogy. Is there a 20-something out there right now that doesn’t feel like Toy Story defined their childhood? Personally, I was five years old when Toy Story came out, nine when Toy Story 2 came out, and nineteen when Toy Story 3 came out, so I literally grew up right alongside Andy, just like Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang. If there’s a ’90s kid out there who doesn’t have some sort of personal connection to these characters, then they must have been living under a rock their entire childhood.

5. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Directed by Robert Mulligan
Starring Gregory Peck, John Megna, Frank Overton

To Kill a Mockingbird makes this list not because of Gregory Peck’s legendary performance as Atticus Finch, nor because of the film’s status as a masterpiece of American cinema. Both of these things are true, but this film holds a special place in my heart because Jem Finch is the very first film character I can remember relating to at a truly personal level. I had, of course, read the book before I’d seen the film, but there’s something about young Philip Alford’s performance in this film that spoke to me as a twelve year old middle schooler, and indeed continues to speak to me as a twenty-one year old blogger. To me, Scout and Jem Finch are the quintessential American children characters, and Atticus Finch is the quintessential American father. I know I wasn’t the first kid to have my life changed by this film, and I know I won’t be the last. That’s why it truly deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest films of all time.

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ThatFilmGuy is the founder of That Film Channel as well as its main contributor. Follow him on Twitter: @theREALjshaff