LOOPER
RYAN: This is one of my most anticipated films of the year ’cause I love sci fi and this looked so good in the trailer. And it is! The cast is great – Joseph Gordon-Levitt having the best year ever and Bruce Willis, among others.
KIM: My expectations were high and honey, it did not disappoint in the least.
RYAN: It is intelligent, intense and edgy. And the science fiction premise is great without overkill. It’s futuristic with hovercrafts, telekinesis and time travel without all the funky Blade Runner/fully submerged-ness.
KIM: It didn’t bog down with the futuristic elements. It was very much like it is today with just a few technological advancements. The story has such an amazing concept. I’m still trying to process it.
RYAN: This is a big movie from writer/director Rian Johnson, who hasn’t done anything this big before. It begins with a great script that unfolds in such a cool way that really brings you in. It’s so interesting.
KIM: Emily Blunt is in it, Jeff Daniels, Piper Perabo, Bruce Willis… but Joseph was so good. He’s one of the best actors of this generation.
RYAN: I loved him so much in this that I would nominate him for Best Actor. He’s been in four movies this year and each role so different and this one is a star-making vehicle. He so completely became Bruce Willis – his dialect affectations, the makeup, his composure, Bruce’s nuances… it was uncanny. I swear, I’d give him an Oscar nom.
KIM: Maybe at least a Golden Globe nom. He so fully immersed himself in becoming Bruce Willis that it was just an all around unbelievable performance.
RYAN: It’s rare that any actor gets recognized for sci fi or fantasy so it’s a long shot, but this is a deserving case. Usually when an actor impersonates, or plays someone else, the person they portray isn’t in the movie with him. I wonder how much Bruce helped him in imitating certain aspects of himself. Joe sometimes reminded me of a younger Bruce Willis in Moonlighting. It was amazing.
KIM: Yeah I can just picture him shadowing Bruce for three months. The transformation was incredible. And again, the concept of the movie, with the future and time travel – it was just awesome. And you’re on the edge of your seat, even in the more mellow moments where it wasn’t all out action, you were still on edge wondering what’s gonna happen next.
RYAN: And that’s all because every point came together so well in this film – director, script, actors, editors… so totally all on point. In those quiet moments with Emily Blunt, there is still intensity.
KIM: Definitely in my top five of the movies I’ve seen this year so far.
RYAN: One of my other faves this year was another sci fi movie – Prometheus. This is up there with it. It’s so great going in with high expectations and then have them be met. It’s not as dependent on special effects as, like, The Matrix movies, but the effects they do have are fantastic.
KIM: It’s on a smaller scale but it’s not overshot so it didn’t need it.
RYAN: And Bruce was back to his Die Hard form. He still has some badass moments with a gun.
KIM: I don’t think he’s ever gonna lose that. He’s just one of those guys who will always have that image and I love it.
RYAN: It’s not heavy on scoring. I’m not complaining but just pointing out that music is used sparingly.
KIM: It is minimal but it didn’t hurt the movie at all.
RYAN: And the little boy was good too.
KIM: He is cute and a good actor for a young’un!
— BOTTOM LINE —
KIM: This movie delivers. You can confidently go in with high expectations and while it’s not dependent on the effects, what is here is worth seeing on the big screen.
RYAN: It’s so cleverly conceived and executed on all levels. I’m excited about this movie. I hope it does well.
— RATING —