Shutter Island

Shutter Island

No presentation needed here for Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, GoodFellas, The Departed, Shine a Light) an Academy Award winner for Best Director (The Departed).  Scorsese, is probably the best American director breathing right now.  With a cast of regular Leonardo Di Caprio and newcomers, but talented  Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Max von  Sydow, and John Carroll Lynch Shutter Island stands strong as one of the  best films of 2010.

The story: a marshall, Teddy Daniels (Di  Caprio), and his new assistant (Ruffalo) are called on Shutter Island, a  mental penitentiary, to investigate on the vanishing of a patient. As  the story advances Daniels discovers that the vanishing may involve  bigger issues on the Island.

First of all, the visuals are simply  stunning and the entire atmosphere, the weather around the Island  creates a tension that only a great master of storytelling could handle,  in the like of Kurosawa’s Rashomon.  Scorsese, has directed so many great films to stay in the Pantheon of  directors that he doesn’t have to surpass himself on every picture he  does. However, with Shutter Island he offers one of his most inspired  films since GoodFellas. It’s not a surprise that there are many references to the films that Marty cherishes; The Haunting, Vertigo, North by Northwest, The Shinning, Cape Fear,  and many many more pictures especially Hitchcock films! Instead of  simply citing those classics, he uses them to tell his story and  populate it with them. They are visual references that do not obliterate  the meaning to those who haven’t seen the films but they enrich the way  the story works. Knowing those references gives you the chance to  understand how Scorsese knows and over all loves movies. This is this  love of movies that we feel all along of his oeuvre but even stronger  here in Shutter Island where he  manages to translate it for us and makes the viewer so enthusiast about  films. He asks his viewer to always keep an eye on the screen. The  editing directly refers to the way Alfred Hitchcock was telling a story:  with the visuals. If a scene needs an explanation it’s because the way  it was shot was wrong. We must have every crucial element on the screen.  This is the purity of cinema, the narration is done by the images and  the editing, and we don’t need explanations to understand what’s  happening.

With all that said, Shutter Island stands like a solid rock into the career of Martin Scorsese so as it  will be a hard opponent to beat to conquer the title of the best film of  2010! A must see!

Recommendations: Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie, Duel

Last updated: 2010-10-19 10:53:10 by MichaelParent

Shutter Island

I bought the book and I was planning on reading it before I saw the movie but that didn't fall through like I was hoping and I watched the movie first. To be honest I haven't even started reading the book, with working in retail full time I find little time to be able to even read it, blah. I was told by everyone who saw it that they liked this movie a lot so again I was looking forward to see it. The movie starts out with Marshell Teddy Daniels riding on a ferry with his partner Chuck Aule to the mental institution for the criminally insane on Shutter Island. They were informed that a patient named Rachel has escaped from the institution and they need to figure out what happened and where she is. The one thing I have a problem with this movie is when they were driving up to the hospital they played very hard, dark music. Yes we know that their going to a scary hospital do they really need to play very intense music to let us know that their going to a bad place? I think the music was going a little over board to make us scared.

They get to the hospital and start interviewing all the patients and workers to find out where Rachel escaped too. Teddy starts having migraines so the chief gives him aspirin to help his headache. Once Teddy gets to the institution he begins to have illusions about his Wife who was killed two years prior. He figures out that there was no way that Rachel could escape from her room with no shoes and with bars on the window without having any help. Teddy soon realizes that everyone that is working at the institution is acting very weird so he decides to get to the bottom of it and searches the whole island where he sees a flickering light coming from a cave. He climbs up and finds a woman living in the cave and he tells him that she's Rachel and she escaped from the hospital and that she wasn't a patient there she was a doctor. She later tells him that the main doctor, Dr. Cawley does tests on all the patients which screws up their brain and leaves them unable to fend for themselves.

He gets back to the hospital and tells the doctor that he figured everything out and he's not going to get away with what he's doing. Dr. Cawley tells him that he is not Marshell Teddy Daniels and he's really a patient at Shutter Island and he's been here for two years for killing his wife since she drowned all their kids. He suffers from a form of multiple personalities and they thought if they let him live out his "other" life he would come to terms with who he really was and his other life was just a little fantasy that his mind lived in. After watching this movie it made me start to think about all of our fantasies and how crazy we really are for having them. I mean if we let our minds wander we can think up some crazy shit, I know I have. It also shows that nothing and no one is normal nowadays. We are all crazy and we all have things that were into that makes us weird or a little off our rocker, we just need to decide whether to accept our craziness and embrace it. I choose to embrace it and show the world how crazy I am cause I'm not ashamed it's who I am and it makes me ME. I give his movie 4 out of 5 Skulls.

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Recommendations: The Amityville Horror, Children of the Corn , My Bloody Valentine

JennyB<br />
http://memoirsofascreamqueen.blogspot.com/

Last updated: 2010-08-14 00:51:18 by JennyB

Shutter Island

It may seem obvious, but Martin Scorsese is probably the closest thing we have to a living cinematic legend. Not only has he produced some of the most iconic screen images of the twentieth century, but he's been uniquely active within the movie community too, a true pillar of Hollywood's usually narcisistic community. No one commands respect like Scorsese.

It's curious, then, that he isn't always regarded as one of our greatest directing talents. The last ten years have only seen a handful of movies from his hands, but both The Aviator and The Departed were huge critical and commercial successes - and yet somehow everyone still seems to be waiting for him to trip up.

Maybe it shouldn't come as a great surprise to find that Shutter Island had a decidedly mixed reception. Critics panned it for being too simplistic, or too complicated, or too derivative, and while audiences enjoyed it, it hardly set any groundbreaking records. Its release felt like yet another footnote to a career that has included such greats as Taxi Driver and Goodfellas.

In reality, however, Shutter Island is a remarkably well-structured and intriguing movie from one of cinema's true talents, a twisting thriller that features some of the best performances to hit the screen in recent years, as well as the truly complete vision of a director at the top of his game. Rumors of Scorsese's decline have clearly been greatly exaggerated.

Scorsese reunites with Leonardo DiCaprio, his current first choice leading man, in a psychological thriller based on the bestselling novel by Dennis Lehane. U.S. Marshal Edward Daniels (DiCaprio) is sent to investigate the escape of an inmate from Shutter Island, a prison for the criminally insane.  Accompanied by his partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo), Daniels also has his own agenda - to uncover the potentially illegal experiments that are taking place behind the island's closed doors.

It very quickly becomes clear that all is not as it seems, however, and Daniels finds himself blocked at every turn by smooth-talking Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley) and his rather sinister associate Dr. Naehring (Max Von Sydow). One thing is obvious, though: hardly anyone is telling the truth, and Daniels' own life may be in danger.

Shutter Island plays upon the conventions of the genre with wit and style, turning the thriller formula on its head and throwing in some challenging questions about memory, identity and the nature of reality. If this sounds like heavy stuff to be lurking behind such a mainstream crime thriller facade, that's because it is: Scorsese isn't afraid of facing down the big issues, and, as in his excellent remake of Cape Fear, he turns this genre piece into something truly resonant.

He coaxes outstanding performances from his cast too, from DiCaprio's disheveled, confused U.S. Marshal (at times he makes Columbo look coherent) to Kingsley's confident psychiatrist. There are outstanding performances from Michelle Williams and Watchmen's Jackie Earle Haley as well, with barely a false note in sight as the cast sell us one of the most twisted stories to hit the big screen in recent times.

There will still be complaints that Shutter Island is little more than a glorified genre picture, or that Scorsese relies too heavily on visual cliches and over-the-top melodrama, but to do so is to miss the point. Yes, this is a moody psychological thriller, complete with lightning storms and ever-present menace - in fact, it revels in it. Scorsese has taken the conventions of the genre and reduced them to their purest form, handling a complex plot with a master's vision and timing.

In a nutshell, this may just be the best thriller-by-numbers that you ever see.

There will undoubtedly be those who remain unconvinced by Shutter Island's dark and brooding gallery of genre references, but it's hard to deny that it proves riveting viewing from start to finish. He may have left his catalogue of New York misfits behind, but Scorsese still has an unrivalled box of tricks to draw upon - don't write him off quite yet.

5/5

Shutter Island

Shutter Island - Directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, and Michelle Williams - Rated R

Scorsese has crafted a thriller as chillingly effective as Chigurh.


Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island is a bit of a departure for the acclaimed director. The film is a psychological thriller, emphasis on psychological. It is jarring, confusing, visually stunning and is incredibly effective when it comes to creating empathy for Leonardo DiCaprio’s character.
This film is as much DiCaprio’s as it is Scorsese’s, mainly because the focus is so squarely on DiCaprio’s character, Teddy Daniels. The film, which takes place in 1954, starts out literally in the fog, which is very fitting since the audience and Teddy are figuratively in the fog for the entire film. Teddy, a federal marshal, and his new partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) are on a ferry en route to Shutter Island, home to a creepy mental institute which is missing a patient. This sounds like the set up for a basic detective/mystery movie, but Shutter Island is anything but. The film is partly about the search for a missing patient, but there is obviously something more going on with Teddy.

Teddy has a troubled past, which we see in disjointed flashbacks. He lost his wife in a house fire and he is haunted by his actions in World War II. Scorsese handles the psychological issues of Teddy masterfully. The camera movement and multiple angle scenes instantly give you a chaotic feeling. The visuals are striking, especially Teddy’s flashbacks. I found the scenes from the concentration camp from Teddy’s WWII experience to be particularly effective.

What sets everything off, though, is the use of music. When the marshals first approach the facility, the score is foreboding to the point that it is overbearing, which I think is intentional. The rule is usually that a good score is effective but not noticed, but Shutter Island is the exception to that rule. It’s overbearing at one moment, eerie and strange the next, and nonexistent during the most powerful scenes. I know it’s strange to think that a score is at its most powerful when you can’t hear it, but less is sometimes more, especially when the more is so loud.

Scorsese tells the story in such an effective way, but the film is basically a character study, which means the entire film hinges on DiCaprio’s performance. DiCaprio is as good as ever in this one. When I heard about this project, I decided to read the novel it was based on. As I read, I found it hard to believe that DiCaprio was starring. I just couldn’t imagine him as a tough 1950’s detective with a war hero past, but he pulls it off and I never once thought that he looked out of place. On top of that, DiCaprio handles being the subject of constant close ups quite well. You can see the confusion/frustration/anger in his face throughout the film. DiCaprio has become one of the most consistent stars of Hollywood and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

This is DiCaprio’s show, but he still gets support from a talented cast. Ben Kingsley is great as Dr. Cawley. He speaks every line with a menacing calmness that added tension to every scene. Max von Sydow adds some gravitas as a fellow doctor. Michelle Williams, as Teddy’s dead wife, does a fine job as well. The most notable performance, however, is that of Mark Ruffalo. But I can’t explain why without giving spoilers for the film, so check out the spoilers section at the end of the review for more on that.

Speaking of spoilers, there are many people that claim they had this movie “figured out” after the first few minutes. I read the book first, so I knew the story already. I can’t say if the film is obvious from the get go. I will say this, though. I started to have my doubts about how it ended midway through…even though I knew how it was going to end. Make sense? The point is that you may have an idea very early on about what is happening in the story, but the filmmaking and the acting is so good that you’ll start to doubt yourself. Also, this film is a great example of the journey being the reward. I’m not saying the plot isn’t vital to this film; I’m saying that when you’re dealing with Martin Scorsese, you’re in for a full film experience, not just a story.

Shutter Island is definitely worth a close watch. It’s the most effective type of thriller: the kind that makes you question not only the characters on screen, but also yourself. But it isn’t for everyone. The film can definitely be described with one word: weird. Weird is good, though. There are plenty of “normal” movies out there. I suggest shelling out a few dollars to check out a weird Martin Scorsese film, and enjoy the journey.

SPOILERS FROM HERE ON OUT...STOP READING IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM

Okay, let's talk Ruffalo. Early on, his performance is borderline cheesy. He seems to be hamming up this whole 1950's detective thing. This is actually a great performance, though. Ruffalo's character is actually a doctor impersonating a federal marshal. He does a great job of giving a bad performance. Ruffalo's acting is one of the many hints Scorsese leaves for the audience. If people figure out early on what's going on, I imagine a lot of that has to do with Ruffalo's character. There's an early scene in which the marshals have to hand over their guns. DiCaprio complies with no problem. Ruffalo, however, takes a considerable amount of time removing his holster, something only an amateur would have trouble with. Later on, while questioning a patient, the patient waits for Ruffalo to leave the table before she scribbles a note for DiCaprio.


Now, would these hints have given the whole movie away had I not first read the book? I don't know. The cheesy acting job wouldn't make sense until after you knew the twist so that wouldn't add to it. The holster thing is pretty obvious, though. So I think at the very least, I would have been suspicious of Ruffalo throughout the film.

This is what I really liked about the film, even though I knew the twist going in (for the record, I still haven't given away the twist, but just saying a movie has a twist is a spoiler, I suppose) I still had a great time dissecting it. I know that everything in a Scorsese movie is there for a reason and a close viewing is rewarded in the end. Whether or not you are fooled by the story does not matter. The simple fact that the film rewards close scrutiny is good enough for me.

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Eric Harris - www.canneltoncritic.com

Shutter Island

The film has breathtakingly beautiful wide shots.Starts Leonardo DiCaprio,  playing Teddy Daniels, off in familiar territory, a boat in the ocean!  He suffering from sea sickness and has a new partner Chuck played by  Mark Ruffalo. Once they arrive at the island they must give away their  guns, all the guards are armed, looking like the Others from Lost circa  season 2 & 3. We see guards with night sticks hitting through grass  tryign to find an escaped prisoner...erm i mean patient, aswell as an  electrified fence. It gives an eerie vibe with happy & creepy  patients doing yard work but Teddy soon begins to think something is up.

While  investigating the room of the missing patient Rachael Solondo, however  the bars weren't broke and the door wasn't open, plus she left both  pairs of shoes in her locker. Teddy finds a slip of paper assuming there  is a 67 patient, however his intention is to get revenge or atleast  speak to the killer of his wife, Andrew Laeddis. He begins to interview  patients about both Rachael and Andrew, his theory thickens when one  patient writes on a note for him to run. He & Chuck go to meet up  with Dr. Cawley & Dr. Naehring, played by Ben Kingsley & Max Van  Skydow. They refuse paper work so Teddy begins to think to Dr.'s have a  plot of their own. Teddy has migraines so he's been taking pills  Cawley's been giving him, aswell as cigarettes from prison. Racheal is  found and Teddy wants to leave but a storm is coming, a very violent  storm.

Teddy & Chuck wander off to find the truth, they tell  each other theories they each have including an old acquaintance of  Teddy's George Noyce played by Jackie Earle Haley, telling him of his  own time spent on the island and experiments done to patients. Teddy  & Chuck are found by the guards who bring them back only for the  storm to hit bad. The next morning the electricity is down so they  venture off into ward C, the place for the most violent offenders. Teddy  is attacked by an inmate and then finds George locked right back up,  George is accusing him of being there, and tells him where to find  Andrew, the lighthouse. Teddy & Chuck are on their way to the  lighthouse when a small argument ensues, Chuck stays behind as Teddy  attempts to get into the lighthouse. Damn near impossible he goes back  only to see Chucks body at the bottom of some rocks but once he gets  down there, Chuck is no longer there. He spies a light in a hole and  find the real Rachael, a former Dr who was locked up for questioning the  ethics of the experiments. She tells Teddy to not take any pills, eat  any food or smoke any cigarettes that are not his own. She also  describes the lobotomies conducted in the lighthouse. The two separate  in the morning and Teddy is picked u by the Warden played by Ted Levine,  he drops him off at the main building where Teddy asks Cawley where his  partner is, "You Came Alone". Teddy attempts to escape but visions of  his dead wife keep telling him to find Andrew and finish the job, so he  finally males it to the lighthouse where there are no patients just  Cawley doing paperwork. Teddy has him at gunpoint and tells him of all  the secrets & the real Rachael, to which Cawley tells him are just  figments of his imagination, Chuck then walks in and tells him he's his  shrink, and how Andrew & Rachael are made up characters, only Andrew  is Leo's real name and Teddy is his fake. He fires a gun that doesn't  work and is shown a picture of his wife & kids, it turns out his  wife Delores, Michelle Williams, drowned their 3 kids then was shot by  Andrew/Teddy. He comes to a realization that this truly happened and  accepts he went nuts.

The next day Chuck walks up and gives  Andrew a cigarette, only yet again it's Teddy talking of a conspiracy on  the island, it ends with Teddy being walk presumably to the lighthouse.  So were there experiments really going on? I think yes, but i haven't  read the book to get more info. The score is amazing & the acting is  solid, it should also put Rob Zombie to shame since the guiding spirit  of a wife completely kicks his guiding spirit of a moms ass. The film  also has several WW2 flashbacks of Teddy/Andrew and other soldiers  slaughtering nazis. So far it's my favorite film of the year, it's also  the best, one of Scorsese's best films and one of my favorites of his  aswell.

Shutter Island (Martin Scorsese, 2010)

THE SCOOP
Director: Martin Scorsese
Plot: Drama is set in 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island.

Genre: Drama/Mystery/Thriller
Awards: -
Runtime: 138min
Rating: NC16 for disturbing violent content, language and some nudity.

IN RETROSPECT
This review contains spoilers. Please refrain from reading if you have an intention to view this film.

Martin Scorsese has made his Vertigo. Just like Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest film (in my opinion), Shutter Island will go down as one of Scorsese’s best works, a masterpiece of storytelling and direction. In this review, I will include a discussion (that may include potential spoilers) of two key films which have influenced Shutter Island – the abovementioned Vertigo (1958) and Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining (1980). Scorsese is a master filmmaker who knows what he can do, and in Shutter Island he has made his most commercial film yet and he does so without sacrificing on the high filmic quality and dedicated craftsmanship that have defined most of his pictures since his breakthrough in the 1970s with Mean Streets (1973).

Shutter Island is a psychological thriller of the highest order. Scorsese blends elements of Gothicism, B-movie horror, and noir into a storyline best described as a labyrinth of twists and turns with a resolution so powerfully thought-provoking (and unsettling) that it demands a second viewing to fully admire and embrace what Scorsese has accomplished. The film’s final line “is it better to live as a monster or to die as a good man?” as calmly questioned by Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) before he is voluntarily led to his death reveals a great level of ambiguity that is up to one’s own interpretation.

DiCaprio’s first-rate performance ought to land him a fourth acting Oscar nomination. He transforms himself into Teddy, a sane person bordering on psychopathic tendencies (or a mental wreck trying to grasp at every last bit of sanity). DiCaprio is joined by two remarkable supporting actors in Ben Kingsley (Dr. Cawley) and Max von Sydow (Dr. Naehring), both of whom outshine Mark Ruffalo (Chuck Aule) whose average performance is the film’s weakest aspect.

The first shot of the ferry emerging from the white mist, and later, shots of Shutter Island accompanied by an ominous classical score with strong motifs eerily echo the introduction to The Shining. Shutter Island’s suspenseful build-up to the arrival on the island helps to cast a shadow of looming evil onto the place, and just like the Overlook hotel in Kubrick’s film, it feels like it has a ghastly character of its own. Scorsese’s decision to shoot in full widescreen format pays dividends as he successfully brings a high level of immersiveness to the picture.

It is well-documented that Scorsese is a firm admirer of the great Hitchcock. Here he “copies” visual cues from Vertigo and to great effect if I may add. More interestingly, DiCaprio’s character mirrors that of James Stewart’s in Vertigo. Both obsess over a woman (albeit with different reasons) and seek to uncover the truth behind an apparent conspiracy. Both have psychological liabilities and are “cured” by the end of the film. In Shutter Island, the finale is devastating. But what comes before – the twists and turns of the story, and the mind-boggling alternations between dreams, nightmares, and reality – is simply a tour de force in the skillful manipulation of our consciousness.

Shutter Island could be Scorsese’s most commercially successful film ever (though I am rooting for his next project, The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2011) to beat this). I feel that Shutter Island is the defining work of Scorsese’s “new renaissance” period which started with Gangs of New York (2002). It is still premature to say this but it has a distinct possibility of ranking in the top five when I compile my top ten films of 2010 in eleven months’ time. In years to come, this masterpiece will be regarded as a special work in his oeuvre just as The Shining was to fans of Kubrick. Highly recommended.

SCORE: 9/10
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Recommendations: Toy Story 3 (Lee Unkrich, 2010), To Kill a Mockingbird (Robert Mulligan, 1962), The Visitor

Singapore's Most Prolific Film Blogger @ www.filmnomenon.blogspot.com

Last updated: 2010-04-24 03:21:20 by eternality_tan

Add Shutter Island To Scorsese's Stellar Resume

The words disappointment and Martin Scorsese go together like oil and water.  Leo is beginning to garner the same reputation and Shutter Island adds to the legacy of these great creative artists.
  Set in 1954 Shutter Island stars Leonardo DiCapprio as Teddy Daniels.  Daniels is a U.S. marshal who’s signed himself up to investigate a missing patient at a psychiatric ward for the criminally insane.  The premise is simple enough, but if you’ve seen any of the trailers you know there is a whole lot more going on here then what you’re led to believe.  Teddy chose the case because he was suspicious of the facility.  He thinks that the resident doctor Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsly) is hiding the true purpose of Ashecliffe, a sinister place where experiments on the human disposition are studied.
  Teddy’s partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) points out something to him that he might have missed.  While he was looking into Ashecliffe, Ashecliffe was looking into him.  He’ll need to keep his wits about him if he wants to leave the island alive.
  It becomes clear that there are only two ways this movie can go.  Since they’re at a mental facility the best way to make sure someone doesn’t leave is to make them stay, i.e. claiming that they’re insane.  Considering the traumas in Teddy’s life he’s a prime candidate for this type of subversion.  On the other hand he could very well be insane.  There is a lot of evidence towards one point and really there isn’t a whole of suspense on which direction Scorsese chose, but it’s still a whole lot of fun seeing how far the rabbit hole goes.  Shutter Island will certainly spark discussion after the credits roll.
  SPOILER ALERT!!! DO NOT READ THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE!!!!
  I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss the ending.  Like I said before there are only two ways the movie could have gone.  Considering all the compelling evidence towards Teddy being insane there was little doubt that there was no conspiracy.  That being said how many of us wanted there to be one?  It would have been very difficult to write an ending where Teddy wasn’t insane and Ashecliffe really was running all these crazy experiments.  Without some very tight creative writing it would have come off as inconsistent and goofy.  Still, Teddy’s character was so likeable that we truly want to believe him.  I was rooting for him to uncover something so that he would be validated.  That being said the last scene was sublime.
  Shutter Island isn’t Scorsese’s best by any stretch.   It’s not even the best film DiCaprio has done with Scorsese.  Still, Shutter Island is a satisfying thriller that you’re going to want to watch over and over as you look for the clues you might have missed the first time.

 

Recommendations: Shutter Island, District 9 (Neill Blomkamp, 2009), Morning Glory

Review: Shutter Island

Directed by Martin Scorsese
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, and Max Von Sydow
Based on the Novel “Shutter Island” by Dennis Lehane
138 Minutes
R for disturbing violent content, language and some nudity

It seems to me like Martin Scorsese wanted to turn his audience into a horde of patients that would belong at Ashecliffe, the mental institution located on Shutter Island.  Scorsese’s latest is a mind bending, intense, and at times psychologically terrifying thriller. Sadly, a painfully obvious ending slightly dampens Shutter Island.

Shutter Island centers on US Marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who, in 1954, are sent to Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane (located on an island off the coast of Massachusetts) to investigate the disappearance of patient Rachel Solando. As the pair delves further into Solando’s disappearance, things start to go awry when everyone seems to be concealing information. And then the stuff hits the fan. Shutter Island tells a story that is as riveting as it is cliché, and as intense as it is, for the most part, predictable. In fact, the ending is so clear that I figured out most of it when I saw the trailer. Don’t get me wrong, the ending itself is stellar; it’s just that the execution preceding it left too many clues.

Shutter Island succeeds in messing with one’s head. As Leonardo DiCaprio’s sketchy facial hair grows, so does the seemingly delusional state of Teddy Daniels. Much of this is credited to Daniels’ flashbacks, which consist of a WWII massacre or two and numerous discussions with his wife. The haunting mood is one reason why Shutter Island is great. Once you think things have gotten crazy, they get more out of whack than Ashecliffe’s patients. One way Scorsese does this is by putting together a hallway shot cocktail, with the classic zoom-in-down-the-hallway-then-cut-and-zoom-in-on-the-character-walking-down-it-from-the-opposite-angle gig starring. It’s classic (plus a little bit cliché) because it works, and Scorcese puts that to appropriate use here. I can’t tell you how intense it becomes when you can’t see behind or in front of Leo(onardo).  All of Scorsese’s work in Shutter Island is stellar. Scorsese hooks his viewers in early on, creates a mental trap that never ceases to let go, and tears at the minds of his audiences. And don’t let me forget the timpani smothered score (which, by the way, is very effective). Shutter Island sucks you in and twists you around like none other.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Martin Scorsese loves to work with Leonardo DiCaprio. Shutter Island is one more reason why Leo keeps getting cast in Scorsese’s films. The teenager who once roamed the decks of Titanic set is in peak form. His performance is haunting and tormented. DiCaprio’s portrayal of Teddy Daniels only adds to the levels of hysteria already present in Shutter Island. Many a bloodshot stare make up Daniels’ character, and with those, a sense of perpetual unease. Perhaps the constant unstable emotions (and often slight paranoia) reflect just why Ashecliffe behaves the way it does. Ben Kingsley does well, too. Kingsley manifests Dr. Cawley’s calculated and sinister nature not only with those suits and the darn pipe, but a steady and confident attitude that very well could be a foil of Teddy Daniels. Surprisingly, one of the better performances comes from Jackie Earle-Haley as a patient of Ashecliffe. Even though his turn is only a few minutes long, it is effectively creepy, and that resting-the-chin-on-the-bars move still rings clear in my mind.

Besides the ending, Shutter Island contains few errors. One of the bigger flaws is created by a few of unnatural cuts. Two scenes in particular seem out of tune: an escape from falling trees which was hard to discern, and an odd cut from real to hallucination and back again. While it isn’t that big of an error, Scorese's work will sometimes slip up and lose some momentum when these editing mix ups come around.

Shutter Island’s only large flaw is the sadly obvious ending. But Scorsese rebounds with a constant head war, and combines scares and story into a great piece.  Armed with a pack of great performances, mind games and Scorsese, Shutter Island succeeds. I almost wish it had been called Shudder Island.

86%

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Last updated: 2010-04-11 12:39:43 by user01

Twisty Thriller: 2010’s Best Film So Far

Shutter Island is hands down the best movie of 2010 thus far. I know it is only March and there is a long road ahead to the next Oscars ceremony, but I’m sure we’ll hear from this film again.

It had everything a film could possibly want and need to succeed: a great director, an amazing writer, and an extremely talented cast. The story was a good balance between dialogue and action, and it kept you riveted until the last line was delivered.

Unless you read spoilers beforehand- or are a genius- this film will leave you guessing and wondering how it will end.

The screenplay, adapted by Laeta Kalogridis from Dennis Lehane’s novel, skillfully combined murder mystery and psychological thriller.

In a manner reminiscent of an old Hitchcock film, director Martin Scorsese brings to life a story mixed with paranoia, fear, misery, and the examination of the human condition.

In 1954, two U.S. Marshals- Teddy Daniels (Leonardo Dicaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo)- are summoned to Ashecliffe Hospital, a fortress-like facility for the criminally insane, located in Boston Harbour. Investigating the mysterious disappearance of one the patients, they find themselves trapped on the island amidst a hurricane.

With its heavily guarded brick buildings, and barbed wire fences; the island becomes a sinister setting. The marshals begin to ponder the reason they’re really there in the first place, and wonder if Dr. Cawley (the facility psychiatrist played by Ben Kingsley) is truthfully presenting all of the facts.

As the inquiry unravels into a mysterious mess, Teddy begins to believe that he was brought to the island for much more than a routine investigation. With medical ethics on his mind, and a dark past haunting his dreams, Teddy starts to question everyone and everything around him.

Everything about their exploration into the disappearance seems to be fraught with secrecy, and Teddy can’t quite figure out what the island, and its inhabitants, is trying to tell him.

Using many incredible scenes- including close calls with the “patients”, and a dangerous journey into a graveyard and mausoleum- Scorsese (along with the writer) created a world that doesn’t bare the truth at first glance.

With a plot that twists and turns at every plot point, this film will leave you puzzled, even when you think you’ve got all of the answers in front of you.

Though it wasn’t the genre of film I would have pegged Scorsese for, it certainly held many elements his fans expect (including a cast struggling with inner demons).

An intriguing and thought-provoking screenplay brought to life, Shutter Island, presents the idea that reality isn’t always what it seems. Though it isn’t bone chillingly scary, it certainly creates an atmosphere of uncertainty and trepidation.

Recommendations: Wizard of Oz

Shutter Island

Shutter Island, directed by Martin Scorsese  adapts the novel by Dennis Lehane. Lehane also wrote Mystic River. The  story is about Federal Agent Teddy Daniels, played by Leonardo Dicaprio.  Teddy investigates a mental institution for the criminally insane that  rests on an island off the coast of Boston. An inmate has escaped and  Daniels is sent in to find her. Meanwhile a major storm hits the island  complicating matters.

Daniels is a World War Two veteran, and we see flashbacks of him  liberating a concentration camp. We’ve all seen the holocaust on the  silver screen but under Scorsese’s direction it still jarring to  witness.

As the investigation progresses Daniels is weary of who he trusts,  and the tale gets more intriguing with notions of ex Nazis, secret  government funding, and other mysteries. Scorsese show’s us why he’s  such a master director, as he’s created a great atmosphere were the  suspense and mystery remains throughout. Everyone in the cast is great.  Max Von Sydow plays the head doctor, Ben Kingsley is another Dr, and  John Caroll Lynch of Grand Torino fame plays one of the Deputes.

The only minor nit-picky thing is the beginning scene has this really  really loud blaring music that I guess is suppose to be foreboding but  just seemed odd.

There’s a twist at the end which you can guess if you really think  about it but upon it’s revelation I felt let down, instead of having  that feeling of “Aha!” I suppose it was to stay faithful to the novel  but I’d have found it more interesting to play it off a different way.  Of course it could just be my bias as the plot contains elements of  particular interest to me.
Still it’s one of the best movies I’ve seen in a while. 9/10.

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Last updated: 2010-04-05 21:52:16 by jemurr

Shutter Island

Shutter Island

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Max von Sydow, Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson, and Jackie Earle Haley

Grade: A-

Synopsis: Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio team up as a pair of U.S. Marshals who travel to a secluded island off the coast of Massachusetts to search for an escaped mental patient, uncovering a web of deception along the way as they battle the forces of nature and a prison riot in this Martin Scorsese-helmed period picture. Laeta Kalogridis adapts Dennis Lehane’s novel of the same name, with Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures splitting production and distribution duties. Ben Kingsley  as the head of the institution where the patient resided, while Michelle Williams portrays Leonardo DiCaprio’s deceased wife, whose memory haunts him during the investigation.

My Thoughts: The whole time I just kept thinking to myself oh damn. I am not the best Di’Caprio fan, but I loved him in this movie. It was absolutely one of my favorites this year. The story was extremely suspenseful, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. This was an amazing movie and a must see if you love suspense thriller type movies. I would definitely recommend this movie as a go see. My grade stands

Rafael Solece

Booze Revooze: A Drinker’s Skewed View of SHUTTER ISLAND

Ramblings:  Shudder Island

Final Proof: 4 Shots

You know how you get drunk on Jägermeister in some back alley bar in the bad part of town? The bar is sinister, the people are ominous, the Jäger is dark and a somber buzz descends down on you beautifully, settles into you with macabre intensity that feeds the nightmares running rampant across the vista of your dreamscape. The visions are intense hallucinations as stunning as they are scary, as graceful as grisly, as magnificent as menacing. You’re frightened but not afraid because the boatman leading you down your stream of subconsciousness steers with a deft hand and shows you all the stupefying sights before gently guiding you home. Shutter Island is like that.

Just like those magic bar nights that seem to come together serendipitously, all the key elements needed for perfection came together to make an incredible film. Based on a book by Dennis Lehane, a writer who takes thrillers to a whole new level by placing rich and developed characters in extreme situations, the movie was directed by a Martin Scorsese who has been able to hone the edge of his early work into something sharper and more brilliant. Add to the mix Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo, two solid actors who sweeten the pot, and you end up with a Jäger bomb that is.

With incredibly shot landscapes and striking images that spark the slowburn intensity into open flames, it’s hard to find things not to like about this movie. If you’re looking for a foreboding Jäger buzz without the hangover but with all the hallucinations, Shutter Island deserves a shot.

Buzz Kills (Watch Out for Spoilers)

Sex: 2 Shots

The good nudes is, there was nudity.  The bad nudes is, it wasn’t Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, or Nellie Sciutto—it was crazy ass people in an insane asylum and let’s just say there aren’t any hotties in the nut house ’cause hot people drive us crazy.

The first hottie on my list is Michelle Williams (29). She plays Dolores, Teddy Daniel’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) flashback wife. The nice thing about her portrayal is she doesn’t push it over the top, a mistake it woulda been all to easy to do with this role.
There was also a Silken Butterfly (a beautiful vision that flies too briefly across the silver screen) in the form of one Nellie Sciutto who plays Nurse Marino. Here’s to hoping we see lots more of her.
For those of you who prefer bars to padded cells [get it? padded "cells" ---ah give me a break, like you pay for this crap] i got some Leonardo DiCaprio (35) who played Teddy Daniels.
Here’s Mark Ruffalo, who looked sharp as Chuck Aule, Teddy’s ‘partner’ (not in the gay way).
Drink: 2 Shots 

• [Ben] Kingsley [as Dr Cawley] drinks cognac at home
• Ruffalo drinks Rye
• Leo doesn’t drink
• [Max] Von Sydow [as Dr Naehring] drinks whiskey
• Leo was an alcoholic in a dream sequence
• Dicaprio is a cool smoker
• Great cigarette movie
• Smokin’ Luckies

Rock & Roll: 1 Shot

Yeah, OK, this movie wasn’t a “rock and roll” movie. No rock in the soundtrack and not really in the attitude, but maybe one of the things that impressed me the most about this movie was that it didn’t need rock and roll to be cool.

Boring Technical Crap

Written by:

Dennis Lehane (Book)

Laeta Kalogridis (Screenplay)

Directed by:  Martin Scorsese

Starring

Michelle Williams – Dolores

Emily Mortimer – Rachel Solando 1

Nellie Sciutto – Nurse Marino

Leonardo DiCaprio – Teddy Daniels

Mark Ruffalo – Chuck Aule

Bottom Line

This will become known as a major film in Scorsese’s works, don’t miss it.

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Al K Hall<br />
Functional Alcoholic Slurperson<br />
(No, REALLY. Google &amp;quot;Slurperson&amp;quot; if you don't believe me.)

Last updated: 2010-03-31 13:24:04 by user08

Super Marcey's Shutter Island Review

Rating: 4/5

Shutter  Island is the name of well an island that harbors patients/criminals  who have been declared mentally unstable (insane). Two US Marshall's  have been called in (Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo) to investigate  the disappearance of a patient. Not everything is what it seems, and  there is something awfully strange going on. I can't really divulge  anything else, as I really would hate to spoil this fantastic film for  anyone.

I do  love me some Martin Scorsese and I was really looking forward to check  this out, looked as if he had gone back to his Cape Fear roots. I  certainly was not disappointed, Shutter Island sucked me in right from  the start and it didn't let me go until the end credits rolled and I was  left thinking "just whoa". I love it when a film has that affect on me,  and Scorsese's last film while completely different certainly had that  same affect on me (The Departed). The team of Scorsese and DiCaprio is  such a good one (like that of him with DeNiro many years ago), and in  the presence of this great director DiCaprio really shines. He has a  very complex character to play, which is revealed more and more as the  film goes on. He dives in head first and slowly reveals this all to us  the audience and there is one scene in particular towards the end which I  wont talk about was extremely powerful and possible one of the best  scenes he has acted in.

The  pairing of DiCaprio and Ruffalo is actually a rather smart move, these  two have this natural chemistry and bond which made their partnership  really work. Ruffalo is a strong actor, I always enjoy him, he was  fantastic here and I liked him a lot. Good casting choice there and  another piece of good casting is that of Sir Ben Kingsley as Dr. Cawley,  and Max von Sydow as Dr. Naehring. You really are left thinking are  these two honest, or are they dodgey, are they evil or just  misunderstood? This film really does mess with you, and these two actors  played to that perfectly, just awesome. Some great supporting  performances which I wont tell you who they played but just who they are  with Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams, Elias Koteas  (At first glimpse he looked like DeNiro) and Jackie Earle Haley.

The  scenary in this film is fantastic as well, it really captures the mood  and the time it is set. The 'hospital' looked genuinely creepy and it  did give me the chills at times. I certainly wouldn't want to have gone  there, I probably wouldn't have even wanted to have hidden in the woods  either which were equally as creepy. The cinematography was just genius,  it is a great looking film and as I said just before it captures the  time and mood so well. I haven't read the book this was based upon but  from what I have heard it does a fantastic job of translating the  setting. Might be one to track down and read.

This  is a film which is not what it seems, and the clues are actually all  there and if you are a good detective you will know what really is going  on, but you can easily enjoy this just sitting back for the ride. The  script is a strong one, it relies heavily on dialogue as Scorsese films  do, and it is great stuff. Delivered perfectly and convincingly by its  great cast. I was impressed with this film, and I really want to see it  again. I honestly can't wait to pick this up on DVD so I can watch it  again and again. For me this has a good re-watch value, and another  fantastic addition to the filmography of Scorsese. He can do different  genre's and this is one he does well and I really hope he goes there  again.



(Written on March 30th 2010, first published at SuperMarcey.com)

Recommendations: Moon (Duncan Jones, 2009), Milk, Hurt Locker, The (Kathryn Bigelow, 2009)

Last updated: 2010-03-29 17:26:02 by SuperMarcey

Shutter Island

It's 1954, and up-and-coming U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels is assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient from Boston's Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital. He's been pushing for an assignment on the island for personal reasons, but before long he wonders whether he hasn't been brought there as part of a twisted plot by hospital doctors whose radical treatments range from unethical to illegal to downright sinister. Teddy's shrewd investigating skills soon provide a promising lead, but the hospital refuses him access to records he suspects would break the case wide open. As a hurricane cuts off communication with the mainland, more dangerous criminals "escape" in the confusion, and the puzzling, improbable clues multiply, Teddy begins to doubt everything - his memory, his partner, even his own sanity

 Shutter Island marks Scorsese's 45th cinematic effort, its not a total disappointment but it does lack something, perhaps a bit more tension. Right from go you could literally compare and contrast it with Kubrick's The Shining. We initially feel drawn in and get that eerie feeling of sucked into the island, similar to the way Kubrick first drew us into the Overlook Hotel. Although my biggest gripe with this film is the constant honking noise (which is the choice of soundtrack to the film) which gets quite tedious. At first I thought it was the boat sounding as its timing to arriving at Shutter Island was impeccable, but it crops up far too often and ruins any potential tension by being too blatant and obvious ( okay we get it, something’s about to happen) but ironically, when this ominous soundtrack kicks in, nothing actually does. What this film does is fail to understand that horror is in what is left unseen. There are far too many things that I think should have been left to the imagination of the viewer.
The flaws in this film no way detract from some excellent cinematography in this film. There are flashback scenes back to the war in here that feel so intense it’s almost unbearable. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a very grown up part here indeed, displaying the vulnerability well along with the gruelling horror that is unfolding before his eyes and it really is an excellent performance by him. I have to say DiCaprio is the best thing about this film who also shares some tender moments with his deceased wife (Michelle Williams) who I thought was quite miscast, I found  there was no where near enough emotional weight attached to her performance.
 
We all feel great duty to love a Scorsese flick as generally he is an incredible director but I have to say, this is one of his weaker films. Its not terrible but I really didn’t enjoy it. Its all done in a clever way which makes you wonder whether its going one way or another, whether its a conspiracy or all happening in this head.  A classic 'Psycho' style psychological thriller but flawed by coming across far too predictable. Worth a look but don't be expecting a great.
 
 
 

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http://robinollysays.blogspot.com

Last updated: 2010-03-27 15:38:40 by Robinolly

Shutter Island

What the heck is going on at the Shutter Island Asylum? Am I crazy or is the government trying to cover up something? Does God really love violence and if so, did he buy a ticket to see this movie?

One Word Movie Review: SLOW

Shutter Island starts with all you need to know to prepare yourself for the whole film. It is 1954, the cold war front and center for the paranoid veterans still reeling from the pain of the Second World War. We see fog, a ship emerging and someone violently sick, isolated, surrounded by water. There you go. We learn the sick man is our hero, Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshall. He has been sent with his partner to the Shutter Island asylum for the criminally insane. It appears a patient has escaped and the Marshalls are there to solve the case. Fog, sick, alone. Remember the clues.

From this traditional set-up, we dive into the traditional police procedural investigation, from the interviews with witnesses including the nut cases inside the asylum and the ex-Nazi doctor who apparently runs the place like an extension of a death camp.

Of course, all that we see isn't real, from the exaggerated suspense music to the creaking doors and dripping ceilings, the dreams and nightmares of poor, confused Teddy (bear) and his new partner who keeps calling him "boss", which you never hear from partners in cop buddy movies.

The recurring images of his dead wife and a strange girl who pleads for him to save her haunt Teddy's dreams until his investigation reaches its highest point, on the cliffs of the island. There are hidden agendas, investigations within investigations and pills, cigarettes and rain thwarting our hero's best efforts to unravel the whereabouts of the missing patient.

Just when you think the mystery starts to make sense, it doesn't. Just when you think you're hero has figured it all out, he hasn't. Just when you think...oh you get the idea!

Fade out to credits and the depressing closing song, Bitter Earth which sums up the resolution of this movie just fine.

The Genre

The mystery thriller genre is a quaint throw-back to earlier times, before special effects allowed film makers to destroy most of the world on the cheap. Why make an introverted thriller, exploring the mind of a killer when you can destroy famous landmarks or create a whole new world and a race of nature-loving Na'vi?

There is, and will always be a place for mysteries and stuff that jumps out of the dark to grab you. Audiences love a good mystery, a puzzle to figure out. When done well, we have the question of "who is Keyser Sose?" from The Usual Suspects or an entire story told in reverse like Memento. Shutter Island attempts to tap into the same fresh vibe of convoluted discovery through controlled storytelling, drawing you into the first person view of the main investigator. It is only partially successful, not from lack of effort or skill, but from the artifice of setting the story in 1954 in order to make the plot points line up in dramatic fashion. Instead, it feels contrived and manipulative.

Shutter Island isn't a true genre movie, certainly not a formula crowd pleaser. This perhaps explains the delay in releasing this movie, from last fall to now. The studio pulled the release from last October to now to help the box office, knowing full well this movie would be blown away by more accessible movies like Zombieland and Couples Retreat. They were right to wait until now, when competition is light. This is the only new movie released this weekend.

The Overall Quality

As mentioned earlier, the acting is terrific and Scorsese crafts the tale with fabulous control of the image, the angles, the sound and the lighting. There is one scene where the actors play across a flickering fire, another between flashes of lightning and another between the dim flame of wooden matches. The dream sequences are the most interesting parts of the film, providing clues and insight into the mind of our hero while challenging our own expectations of perceived reality.

The music is goofy scare-schlock during the introduction to the island, but dies out as the suspense cranks up, replaced by the drip-drip of the pipes and the raspy hinges of the prison gates. Classic Mahler fills out the sad sequences of Dachau. But silence is the main score of the film, with dissonant, sparse chords signaling the confusion of our main character.

Ben Kingsley and Max von Sydow delight with their creepy doctor performances while Michelle Williams plays the wife with understated tenderness masking a deeper secret which slowly emerges as Marshall Daniels visions increase in frequency and intensity. Other than the ill-advised detours to declare how "God loves violence" or searching a cemetery for dead bodies, the story retains a cohesive first-person intensity necessary to deliver the pay-off in the final lighthouse confrontation. Unfortunately, it takes a long time to get where it needs to go.

Movie/Market Analysis

MarketBOB’s sentiment indicators, the GQS (Genre, Quality, Story) rate Shutter Island an emotional BEAR. This is a difficult movie for most audiences who like their heroes straight and victorious without the ambiguity of past deeds or alternate realities. If you can accept where this film goes, you will enjoy the craft and artistry on display, but you will be in the minority. I believe most viewers will walk away disappointed, perhaps cheated and, as the couple beside me commented, "We were so looking forward to this movie". Yes, until they saw it.

Craig Forgrave (MarketBOB)

Last updated: 2010-03-26 12:32:24 by user08

SHUTTER ISLAND (Martin Scorsese, 2010)

***
USA

When you watch Orson Welles’ “The Trial”, you are startled and beguiled by Welles’ baroque pyrotechnics and formal mastery, but you also get the sense that Welles read and understood Kafka's novel. Scorsese on the other hand, gives you the sense that he watched “The Trial” twenty times, didn't particularly understand what it's about, but thought it was moody and cool, so he set out to make a textureless, meaningless but infinitely more expensive rehash, shrouded in the ever-fashionable veneer of dark macho profundity with a Twist.

That said, oh what fun it is to watch $100-million (plus marketing costs) materialise into something so abstract, so inarticulately ambitious, so aggresively and (alas) pretentiously arty. It's unquestionably a failure, but it's a strange, arresting failure. You don't want to see this kind of thing happen again, but it's kind of hilarious and exciting to see it happen at all.

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Shutter Island

Scorsese. DiCaprio. Usually a winning combination. Just watch Gangs of New York or The Departed; both top notch films that cement Scorsese as one of the best filmmakers in the world. Shutter Island starts off well, but the end product is a slightly overlong, if predictable yarn.
Based in the 2003 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, Shutter Island tells the story of US Marshal Teddy Daniels(Leonardo DiCaprio), who travels to an island which houses the criminally insane, to investigate the disappearance of one of its inmates, Rachel Solando (Emily Mortimer) in 1952. In tow with him is his partner Chuck, played by Mark Ruffalo.
The mystery is that Rachel Solando somehow escaped a locked room, with the lock on the outside, without anyone noticing. Daniels also wants to confront Andrew Laeddis, an arsonist who Daniels suspects had something to do with the death of his wife.
Along the way Daniels encounters head of the asylum, Cawley, played with charm by Sir Ben Kingsley. He seems evasive when answering Daniels' questions, which leads him to believe there may be something more going on at the asylum.
Scorsese ticks all the boxes to start off with. There's a great orchestral accompaniment as we are introduced to Shutter Island and the asylum itself, and a general sense of unease is established as the dialogue scenes between Dicaprio and Kingsley take place.


This is new ground for Martin Scorsese, who hasn't tackled a psychological thriller/drama before. And it shows. Though not until later on. Dicaprio is uniformly excellent as the US Marshall, and deals with the more emotional scenes- flashbacks showing him during the war and unable to deal with the amount of genocide he witnesses- very well.
However, just as the plot gets interesting, things start to lose their way. Scorsese's direction seems to get lost in the plot around the half way point. Things escalate quite quickly, and without giving too much away- a few revelations that should have been shocking-aren't. We're quickly in familiar territory when it comes to this type of genre, so the twist can be spotted early on if you're clever.
Still, the cinematography is excellent- watch out for one tracking shot in particular that will make your blood curdle- and it is competently directed for the most part. Scorcese isn't comfortable with this material- it's plain for all to see. Perhaps he should stick to making gangster films or taught thrillers. Shutter Island gets very dull very quick after the first half, and not even the Dicaprio-Scorcese collaboration can save it.

Recommendations: Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009)

Shutter Island

A lot has been said about the movie ANTICHRIST and its disturbing atmosphere. That was the one of the three things about the movie I thought were indeed competent (the others being the cinematography and the actors). Unfortunately, everything else sucked, for when you peel off the layers and layers of biblical symbolism in the film, you find a big fat pile of fuck-all. It’s a shallow and mysogynistic film, the latter probably just to be provocative (while not actually adding anything to the film’s quality).

SHUTTER ISLAND, the latest film directed by Martin Scorsese, is not only far more competent (in fact, magnificent) in establishing an opressive and nightmarish atmosphere, it does that while also making sense. It doesn’t try to turn its characters into archetypes, or its story into a self-important truth about whatever, and it doesn’t give a shit about the bible. Paying careful attention to its complex characters and plot, SHUTTER ISLAND completely immersed me until I had no idea what to believe anymore, and finished me off with an absolutely sublime, gut-wrenching scene. It’s a masterpiece.

In the mid-fifties, U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule are sent to a psychiatric institution for the criminally insane in Shutter Island to find out what happened to a escaped patient. A short-fused war veteran with traumatic memories, Daniels dislikes Shutter Island from the very start, noticing how tense the guards seem to be and how everyone seems to be hiding something. Frustrated by the doctors’ lack of cooperation, Daniels’ investigation becomes more and more aggressive and his suspicions about the island’s true nature become much worse than he initially assumed. The screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis (based on the book by Denis Lehane) is carefully and meticulously written, keeping the viewer always unsure of what to believe — is the clearly unstable Daniels jumping to conclusions, or is the island truly a place with terrible secrets, or perhaps a combination of both?

And even though Daniels has a temper and a tendency towards passive-aggressive talk, it’s hard not to like him or at least not to be fascinated by him; with a strong moral compass and decided not to exploit the personal reasons he has to be conducting the investigation, the film allows us deep into his dreams. Always happening in a beautifully surreal fashion, with papers or snow or other particles drifting around the background and over-exposed lights, they say a lot about Teddy and are so emotionally effective (not to mention visually gorgeous) that it’s hard not to forgive the man’s temper, considering how badly he seems to cling to his losses. There’s a particularly beautiful and heartbreaking shot of Daniels holding a person who turns into ashes in his very arms. The film makes us intimate of the protagonist to the point where his flaws only make him more likeable, not less — especially when he’s surrounded by so many characters who are unwilling to deliver useful information to him and, consequently, to us, the viewer. Teddy keeps nothing from us — we know what he’s thinking and even what he’s dreaming.

This is one of the reasons SHUTTER ISLAND is so successful at atmosphere: we know what Teddy knows. He’s our only friend and therefore we share his frustration, his fears, his sadness. But the film manages this without resorting to excesses — the other characters might be mysterious or unpleasant or not as interesting as Teddy, but they’re not cartoony or villainous, resulting in a narrative that is far more subtle than it appears to be. In fact, the first minutes of the film made me wonder about what to expect, since it opened with a boat coming out of the fog, an ominous soundtrack and a dialog exchange that establishes the protagonist’s trauma. None of which seemed to be very original, but that was precisely Scorsese’s intention: toying with our expectations, manipulating the audience right from the start and masterfully keeping it up until the end credits.

And the bastard does it. This is Scorsese at the top of his game, and working with a fantastic crew. Thelma Schoonmaker, the brilliant editor who’s been with Scorsese for decades, gives every scene perfect pacing, taking its time but never overstaying (especially the amazing dream sequences); director of photography Robert Richardson, another excellent member of the crew, uses a dark, desaturated color palette for the scenes happening in the island, while using an overexposed, brightly colored one for Teddy’s dreams — which creates an impressive and disturbing contrast, considering how surreal, sad and violent they are (in fact, Richardson’s colors make the blood in the dreams as red as possible). He and Scorsese also do great camerawork, with beautifully-composed angles; notice how the scene where Teddy talks to a patient in a cell. There’s at least three other characters in the cell with them, but Scorsese only focuses on Teddy and the patient, as if only she and him exist in the world — even when Teddy glances at his companions as if inquiring what to do, the camera stays firmly on him, which makes the scene even more awkward and reinforces our intimacy with Teddy; he feels alone, so do we. Another example is when Teddy is talking to a character near a bonfire, and the composition puts the fire into the angle with the characters’ faces, making what they’re saying to each other feel even more unsettling.

Also with fantastic production design and an intelligent selection of licensed music, we finally get to the casting. Ben Kingsley and Max von Sidow play mysterious but ambiguous doctors, and do so convincingly, especially Kingsley. Mark Ruffalo, as Teddy’s partner, is likeable in his dedication to Teddy and relaxed attitude, while Jackie Earle Haley plays a small, but memorable part (as do Patricia Clarkson and Emily Mortimer, especially the former, who is absurdly convincing in the scene that happens near a bonfire). The casting is homogeneously good, with Leonardo DiCaprio standing out in an astonishing performance, brilliantly portraying a complex character who goes through immense emotional strain.

In fact, Leonardo DiCaprio and Michelle Williams do a superb job in that which is the most powerful scene in the film, the emotional climax that overshadows the resolution of the plot itself (which is good, since the movie is more about its atmosphere than its plot, despite the latter being very good): the scene that happens by the lake. Here, DiCaprio, Williams, Scorsese, Richardson, Schoonmaker, everyone contributes to a moment so gut-wrenchingly horrific that it took me a few seconds to realize I was cringing. A scene that is more disturbing in the five minutes it lasts than the entire duration of ANTICHRIST.

I could say that scene alone would be worth watching this film for, but it wouldn’t be as effective without the careful build-up to it, plus that is just the best moment among the sea of brilliance that is SHUTTER ISLAND. This film, and its final line of dialogue, will stay with me with a long time.

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http://andrenavarro.wordpress.com/

Last updated: 2010-03-17 20:40:08 by andre_navarro

Shutter Island

Two US Marshall's travel to Shutter Island in stormy weather to investigate the disappearance of one of it's criminally insane patients. Upon arrival the pair find that the facility harbors many secrets and appears to be making every attempt to lie and thwart their investigation. As he digs deeper into the investigation Teddy (DiCaprio) is troubled by haunting memories of his late wife and his stint as a soldier in World War II freeing Nazi concentration camps. His question. What is really going on at Shutter Island? Is it a truly compassionate care facility for the worst of the worst mentally ill or is it a breeding ground for evil experiments.

• The opening images of the stormy island, chained prisoners, and dark buildings really set the tone for the movie.
• I started to get just a little annoyed at all of the bizarre flashbacks of his wife and his war days that didn't seem to make too much sense. I kept wondering what the point was.
• The movie definitely got better as it went along. The last 45 minutes or so got more interesting as the plot began to unfold and the connection between the two sets of flashbacks is revealed.
• DiCaprio is an amazing actor. You could feel his pain and confusion coming through the screen.
• It wasn't as freaky as I was hoping and expecting but it was a good suspense filled movie and I liked it.
• This movie does have a twist.  Even when the twist was revealed for some reason I still didn't believe it.

Just Me

Shutter Island

Directed by Martin Scorsese
/</gidiv style="font-family: inherit;"/>/giStarring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, and Max Von Sydow

<div style="font-family: inherit;">Based on the Novel “Shutter Island” by Dennis Lehane
138 Minutes

<div style="font-family: inherit;">R for disturbing violent content, language and some nudity

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<div style="font-family: inherit;">It seems to me like Martin Scorsese wanted to turn his audience into a horde of patients that would belong at Ashecliffe, the mental institution located on Shutter Island. Scorsese’s latest is a mind bending, intense, and at times psychologically terrifying thriller. Sadly, a painfully obvious ending slightly dampens Shutter Island.


<div style="font-family: inherit;">Shutter Island centers on US Marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who, in 1954, are sent to Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane (located on an island off the coast of Massachusetts) to investigate the disappearance of patient Rachel Solando. As the pair delves further into Solando’s disappearance, things start to go awry when everyone seems to be concealing information. And then the stuff hits the fan. Shutter Island tells a story that is as riveting as it is cliché, and as intense as it is, for the most part, predictable. In fact, the ending is so clear that I figured out most of it when I saw the trailer. Don’t get me wrong, the ending itself is stellar; it’s just that the execution preceding it left too many clues.

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<div style="font-family: inherit;">Shutter Island succeeds in messing with one’s head. As Leonardo DiCaprio’s sketchy facial hair grows, so does the seemingly delusional state of Teddy Daniels. Much of this is credited to Daniels’ flashbacks, which consist of a WWII massacre or two and numerous discussions with his wife. The haunting mood is one reason why Shutter Island is great. Once you think things have gotten crazy, they get more out of whack than Ashecliffe’s patients. One way Scorsese does this is by putting together a hallway shot cocktail, with the classic zoom-in-down-the-hallway-then-cut-and-zoom-in-on-the-character-walking-down-it-from-the-opposite-angle gig starring. It’s classic (plus a little bit cliché) because it works, and Scorcese puts that to appropriate use here. I can’t tell you how intense it becomes when you can’t see behind or in front of Leo(onardo). All of Scorsese’s work in Shutter Island is stellar. Scorsese hooks his viewers in early on, creates a mental trap that never ceases to let go, and tears at the minds of his audiences. And don’t let me forget the timpani smothered score (which, by the way, is very effective). Shutter Island sucks you in and twists you around like none other.

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<p style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The abyss stares back



<div style="font-family: inherit;">I wouldn’t be surprised if Martin Scorsese loves to work with Leonardo DiCaprio. Shutter Island is one more reason why Leo keeps getting cast in Scorsese’s films. The teenager who once roamed the decks of Titanic set is in peak form. His performance is haunting and tormented. DiCaprio’s portrayal of Teddy Daniels only adds to the levels of hysteria already present in Shutter Island. Many a bloodshot stare ma ke up Daniels’ character, and with those, a sense of perpetual unease. Perhaps the constant unstable emotions (and often slight paranoia) reflect just why Ashecliffe behaves the way it does. Ben Kingsley does well, too. Kingsley manifests Dr. Cawley’s calculated and sinister nature not only with those suits and the darn pipe, but a steady and confident attitude that very well could be a foil of Teddy Daniels. Surprisingly, one of the better performances comes from Jackie Earle-Haley as a patient of Ashecliffe. Even though his turn is only a few minutes long, it is effectively creepy, and that resting-the-chin-on-the-bars move still rings clear in my mind.

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<div style="font-family: inherit;">Besides the ending, Shutter Island contains few errors. One of the bigger flaws is created by a few of unnatural cuts. Two scenes in particular seem out of tune: an escape from falling trees which was hard to discern, and an odd cut from real to hallucination and back again. While it isn’t that big of an error, Scorese's work will sometimes slip up and lose some momentum when these editing mix ups come around.

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<div style="font-family: inherit;">Shutter Island’s only large flaw is the sadly obvious ending. But Scorsese rebounds with a constant head war, and combines scares and story into a great piece. Armed with a pack of great performances, mind games and Scorsese, Shutter IslandShudder Island succeeds. I almost wish it had been called .


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Last updated: 2010-03-11 17:03:38 by Vaderott

SHUTTER ISLAND

Shutter Island teams Martin Scorsese once again with Leonardo DiCaprio, his newest favorite leading man.  DiCaprio seems to have become Scorsese's muse in the way that Robert De Niro once was decades ago.  Most people favor Scorsese's older work but I really enjoy the movies he has done in the 2000's with DiCaprio such as Gangs of New York and especially The Departed.
Shutter Island has a classic film noir feel to it, and it is filled with suspense.  It may be a bit long but it keeps you very involved by adding new characters in almost every scene.  DiCaprio plays a U.S. Marshal investigating the mysterious disappearance of a patient at a hospital for the criminally insane which is on the appropriately named Shutter Island.  The drama is set in 1954 which helps that film noir look.  DiCaprio talks in a thick Boston accent similar to the one he had in The Departed. 
The movie slowly unravels as it goes from the mystery of finding the missing patient to DiCaprio's character revealing that he has other intentions of being on the island.  Before becoming a U.S. Marshal, he was a soldier who served in Germany during the Holocaust and is still haunted by traumatic memories from that time.  That experience causes him to slowly become more and more unsettled throughout the film.  He is either losing his mind or just hasn't figured out a way to deal with these haunting memories yet.  He starts to question many things such as the motives of the people around him and of the hospital itself.
Scorsese shows his mastery of the camera by catching all the right angles to keep you right there with Dicaprio's investigation and his eventual paranoia.  They really do make a good actor-director team and I'm sure they will work together again.  The film is a bit lengthy and I'm sure it would drag at a second viewing (especially once you already know the twist at the end), but it's very well done and certainly worth your time.

Recommendations: The Shawshank Redemption (1994), Se7en , 25th Hour

http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-philadelphia/danny-porcaro

Movies 365: Day 49 – Shutter Island

Shutter Island, 2010 Directed by Martin Scorsese

Yay! A new movie this week. Though I was really looking forward to watching Throne of Blood, I was really excited to go check out Shutter Island, a movie I’ve been waiting on for quite a while. Originally supposed to be released last fall, Shutter Island was pushed back to February of this year. Now, usually when a movie is pushed back, especially a movie that was thought of as an Oscar contender, it’s a sign of a bad movie (one memorable instant was All the King’s Men, which was pushed from fall of 2005 to fall of 2006, and was supposedly horrible), but when it was screened at Butt-Numb-A-Thon this past December, the audience reported it to be great. So, what’s the verdict?

Well, Shutter Island is certainly not a bad movie, in fact, it’s quite possibly a great movie. Shutter Island stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshall and his partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) as they investigate the disappearance of Rachel Solando (Emily Mortimer), an inmate at an institute for the criminally insane, who seems to have escaped into thin air. As Teddy and Chuck investigate further, they butt heads with the facility administrators, and begin unraveling a mystery which may involve Nazi’s and other Cold War espionage.

It’s a tight little mystery, a paranoid thriller, and Scorsese deftly directs the film. He’s careful enough to leave clues that a discerning viewer will pick up on, but nothing is so obvious as to stick out as being an obvious piece of the puzzle, at least not the puzzle that really lies at the heart of Shutter Island. Yes, it has a bit of a twist ending, but it’s not a huge cheat (like say Fight Club or High Tension), though it’s not something you are totally shocked at (like the first time you saw The Sixth Sense). Of course like many movies with twist endings, there are some things that don’t add up entirely, but a lot of it does, which is a great relief. The cast here is excellent, bursting at the seams with great performers filling even small roles, many of which are more like extended cameos than true supporting performances.

The film looks great, something that should be no surprise to anyone, it is Scorsese after all, and if he can do one thing right, it’s make a film that looks good. It’s nice to see someone so vital and alive in their craft, so long into their career. Scorsese is still making beautifully directed films, even if the films themselves are not as great as his earlier work. They’re not, but the important thing is, he hasn’t lost his teeth like his contemporaries, such as Speilber, Lucas, DePalma or Coppola. Shutter Island is a good time at the theater, a twisty and dark mystery that is certainly worth seeing,

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Last updated: 2010-03-05 02:09:45 by user05

Shutter Island

Shutter Island
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Rufalo, Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow, Michelle Williams
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Drama
Rated R
Director: Martin Scorcese

Set in 1954 Shutter Island is the story of US Marshall Teddy Daniels, (Leonardo DiCaprio) who travels to a remote island of the same name off the state of Massachusetts that houses the criminally insane. Teddy is there to investigate the disappearance of an inmate who has mysteriously vanished without a trace.

Teddy shows up with a lot of baggage, he is haunted in his dreams by the death of his wife and from participating in the liberation of a concentration camp in WWII. He is teamed up with a new partner Chuck Aule(Mark Ruffalo) who has a penchant to for referring to Teddy as Boss. Together the pair meets Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley) who runs the Hospital and believes that there are other ways to heal the mentally ill besides Lobotomies and Drugs while his head Doctor, Dr. Naehring (Max von Sydow) believes in those more conventional methods.

Teddy believes that there is more going on than anyone is willing to tell. With a hurricane approaching the island and no way to leave, Teddy searches for the truth of whether the island is strictly a hospital or if there is far more sinister work being done.

DiCaprio (in his 4th teaming with Scorsese) is excellent as usual with Teddy slowly building up agitation amongst the stories many twists and turns. The atmosphere of the film is fantastic harkening back to the era when Hitchcock was king.

The film is one that requires a lot out of the ending to make the story work especially given the lengthy amount of dialog and the two hour and eighteen minute running time; although you can see the ending coming a mile away it is the final twist that makes it worthwhile and elevates it, without this Shutter Island would just be an interesting moody ride.

The biggest problem with Shutter Island is the Scorsese pedigree it is forced to live up to. For some reason more than any other director, every film Marty puts out is over scrutinized and compared to his classic works. The people that don’t like this film are going to site his other films and say this doesn’t compare rather than strictly judge this film on its own merits. Grade-86

Shutter Island

Directed By: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams

What It’s All About:
U.S Marshal Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) and his partner Chuck (Ruffalo) are sent to Ashercliff Hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island. They are investigating the disappearance of patient Rachel Solando who has vanished from a locked room. As the investigation progresses Teddy begins to question what is really happening on the island, and his true intentions of why he is there are revealed. Nothing is as it seems on Shutter Island.

The Final Verdict:
Slow pacing, disjointed story and lack of emotional connection will keep most viewers at distance from Shutter Island’s brilliance. While not up to the same standards as other Scorsese masterpieces, he manages to tell a story that when reflected upon, is spooky, strange and very real. DiCaprio once again hits good form in the role of Teddy Daniels, and his supporting cast provide the backdrop to create this great psychological drama. Unfortunately the movie has it’s shortcomings that simply don’t allow it to see it’s true potential.
3.5/5

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Recommendations:

Last updated: 2010-03-03 19:43:28 by hellerphant

shutter island

nicely done mr. scorsese, nicely done.

this flick is pretty bad ass.  leo dicaprio nails it and scorsese directs a taut thriller that will keep you guessing up until the very end.  well, not really.  i remember the first trailer i saw for this film and i had it figured out.  i’m thinking maybe that’s why they pulled that trailer and moved the release date back a couple months.  they gave away too much in the first trailer.

and in case you missed that trailer, i won’t ruin it for you.  i knew what was coming and still thought it was excellent.  i was almost second guessing myself towards the end.  but no.  i had it right.

i know it’s way early but i’m putting this on my list of oscar nods for next year.  it’s release date is unfortunate because it’s liable to get lost in the shuffle like so many great films do.  gran torino for example.  can you believe gran torino wasn’t nominated for anything?  so they just nominated invictus.  idiot academy.

i was virtually on the edge of my seat the entire movie.  and it was refreshing to see a film made in the age of super high tech animation and effects (ie avatar, alice in wonderland) a film that relies on great acting, superb story telling and spot on score to drive it.

instant classic.  go see it this weekend.  period.  i’m putting it on my shelf along side other scorsese masterpieces like gangs of new york, aviator and the departed.  what do all these films have in common?  i think leo and marty got some hot sheet action going.  but i don’t care.  they make beautiful movies together.

on the lunatic fringe of movie ratings, i give shutter island a five out of five.  tremendous.

Cal Reed

Movie Review: Shutter Island (2010)

Shutter Island.  Based on the book by Dennis Lehane, award-winning author of Mystic River.  Directed by Martin Scorsese, Academy Award winner for The Departed (and director of such classics as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas). Cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow, and one of my favourites, Jackie Earle Haley.  Been looking forward to seeing it since I first heard about the production in 2008. Expectations: sky high.

So how was it?

Very good, but ultimately not the masterpiece I had been waiting for.

The story follows DiCaprio’s Teddy Daniels, a US Marshall summoned to Shutter Island in 1954 to investigate the disappearance of a patient at Ashcliffe, a mental hospital for the criminally insane.  A ripper of a premise, and you don’t even have to wait to see the island to know you’re in for a eerie, frighteningly atmospheric time.

Shutter Island is a wild, fantastic ride.  It’s one of those mysteries where you have to question everything that happens.  Naturally, in a mental hospital, you’d have to.  Why are people acting so strangely?  What secrets are being kept at Shutter Island?  Who can be trusted?  Just what the crap is going on?

You get that a lot when watching Shutter Island.  Scorsese has intentionally created a very disjointed, fragmented film that keeps the audience as confused as Teddy Daniels.  Flashbacks, dreams and visions come and go.  Words and actions consistently don’t make much sense.  Clues and red herrings are mixed in everywhere.  It was weird.  I even started questioning my own sanity by the end of the movie!

So no doubt, it’s a good film, but it was a bit too over the place for my liking.  I was intrigued but also increasingly frustrated as the movie progressed, and I never got into it emotionally like I thought I would.  And the ending, while well-executed, was not totally unexpected.  That said, I did like the last scene, especially the haunting final words.

Can’t complain about the performances though.  Leo is still awesome, Ruffalo is great, Gandhi is solid, and Rorshach (the new Freddy Krueger!) is still terrific as always.

3.5 stars out of 5!

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PJM

Last updated: 2010-03-02 18:49:30 by pacejmiller

Shutter Island

Shutter Island, directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Laeta Kalogridis, based on a novel by Dennis Lehane, was not at all what I expected…it was much more. Part melodrama, part psychological thriller, Shutter Island held my interest from beginning to end and really gave me a lot to mull over, long after the film’s conclusion.

Set in 1954,the film stars Leonard DiCaprio as U.S. Marshall Teddy Andrews, who comes to Shutter Island (which is somewhere off the coast of Massachusetts and accessible only by ferry) to investigate the disappearance  of a patient from the Island’s institution for the criminally insane.  Mark Ruffalo is his partner, Chuck, and Ben Kingsley is Dr. Cawley, head of the institution.

DiCaprio, called upon to convey a wide range of emotions, is great. But leads aside, the secondary cast is absolutely fantastic, with some of the best character actors in the business. Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, Jackie Earle Haley, Max Von Sydow and Michelle Williams, just to name a few, have all been nominated and honored with a variety of acting awards, and these folk have “come to play.”

In keeping with the 50’s mode, a lot of the movie is set in black and white and the music, an ensemble of previously recorded material selected by Robbie Robertson, complements the movie’s tone perfectly.

The trailers for Shutter Island do not do it justice. This is not some creepy horror show, full of cheap thrills. It is a complex mind-bender with a master, Scorsese, at the top of his game.

Last updated: 2010-03-01 15:18:35 by jfuchsman

Shutter Island

"Shutter Island" was directed by Martin Scorsese. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, and others. It was based off of the book of the same name by Dennis Lehane.

It's 1954. Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) are the two U.S. marshals  who are sent to Ashcliffe Hospital for the criminally insane...for the select few people in America who haven't seen this trailer 87 times. They are there to investigate the disappearance of a female patient from the hospital. Michelle Williams plays Delores, Teddy's deceased wife who is frequently seen in flashbacks and such. Ben Kingsley plays Dr. John Cawley, the head of the hospital. There's a brief plotline...there are several twists in the movie. And I have decided to not ruin it for people because I think everyone should go out and experience it for themselves.

Well, Leonardo DiCaprio is a great actor. I used to not like him, until I saw him in "Catch Me If You Can;" then that all changed. But, in my defense, he was really annoying in "Romeo & Juliet." After Martin Scorsese decided to ditch Robert DeNiro, after 22 years of working with the actor, he decided to jump on Leonardo DiCaprio next and has casted him in all of his movies since. This turned out to be a great idea and we learned that Martin Scorsese brings out the very best in Leonardo DiCaprio. He is great as the lead character in "Shutter Island" and shows range in the character that is not immediately evident. The rest of the cast is great as well and everyone works very nicely with Leonardo DiCaprio. Good thing too, because otherwise the movie would have been a disaster. And one more thing, Sir Ben Kingsley is a great actor. I love the man and thought he deserved to be mentioned by name in this section. He also gives a fantastic performance in this movie.

"Shutter Island" is ridiculously visually appealing. I guess we have Martin Scorsese and the person actually operating the camera to thank for that one. There are great shots of the island, aerial, long, close-ups...everything - it's really great. The camera movement is also great with the quick zooms and quick shifts between different parts of a scene. Most of the scenes are dark, dull colored, making for the appropriate dramatic tone for this type of movie.

The musical score was fantastic in this movie. Just like in Alfred Hitchcock movies, ("Shutter Island" is being called a "Hitchcockian" thriller...yes, it's a thriller and not a horror movie no matter what people say) music is essential. The music is dramatic and intense and fits each scene so well and just adds to what the audience is seeing on the screen. Without it, the movie would have been significantly less entertaining and successful. Many times the score to a movie is even more important than the actual visuals. They should go together perfectly.

Normally a movie that is over 2 hours long (this one is 138 minutes if anyone was wondering) would cause my ADD to set in at least a little bit. That actually didn't happen. The movie is very well paced. Some scenes do seem a bit long, but they just help to explain things a little which is always good. The movie never got boring and as it progresses new things are revealed and obvious things are not as they seem...because that would suck the fun out of literally everything.

This movie currently has a 68% on Rotten Tomatoes. I'm not quite sure how that happened because this movie is way better than that. I assume that some of these reviewers just hate all movies and thus ruined the average for everyone.

Some people had a problem with the end of the movie. They felt like too much is blatantly explained to the audience. Once again I don't know what these people are talking about. I thought things wrap up well for the movie. Since when is explanation bad? It's better than having the audience completely make up in their own mind what actually is happening. It worked well in "Psycho" - having the ending explain what was going on...and it works well in "Shutter Island" as well...although "Psycho" is the best movie ever...but after Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese is my second favorite director of all time.

So this movie was supposed to come out last October, but it didn't...so I had to wait an extra 4 months. It was really depressing, but completely worth it. "Shutter Island" will most likely never be considered classic like some of Martin Scorsese's older films like "Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull," and "Goodfellas"...all three of those are amazing movies by the way and are highly recommended for everyone to see at least once in life. That doesn't stop "Shutter Island" from being a 4 star movie as far as I am concerned. It's the first great movie of 2010 and Martin Scorsese once again proves what a great filmmaker he really is. The acting directing, score, etc, come together to form an extremely well-made and highly entertaining movie. I will most likely be seeing it again in theaters and will one day own it on DVD...

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Shutter Island - **1/2

Starring:  Leonardo Dicaprio, Ben Kingsly, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams, Max Von Sydow

Directed by:  Martin Scorcese

Review:  I wasn't really sure of what to make of this movie immediately after seeing it.  The movie didn't really fail at what it was trying to do, it just seemed to be something that wasn't all that much worth doing.  This may be one of the hardest movies I've ever had to review.

The movie centers around Tedy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his most recent case assignment.  Tedy is a US Marshall and has been called in to find a prisoner who has escaped from a prison on Shutter Island.  The prison on this island is like an alcatraz for the mentally insane.  This island is miles away from the mainland and only reachable by ferry.  This seclusion from mainland society makes for the perfect scenario for a very mysterious disappearance. 

Upon arriving with his partner (Mark Ruffalo) we get a glimpse of the extensive security around this prison.  There are electric barbwire fences, large gates, armed guards...is this Jurassic Park?  Nah, it's just Shutter Island.  Once we finally get inside this fortress/prison we learn that even though it is near impossible to move without anyone noticing in the prison, a female prisoner was able to escape with nobody seeing anything.  This is where I will stop with the plot as there is a great amount of mystery and twists and turns in the plot before we reach it's ultimate conclusion. 


Why did this movie have me so torn?  Well there are a few reasons.  The movie constantly relies on flashbacks and memory flash sequences to flesh out a little more about the past of the main character storyline.  This includes Tedy's wife coming to him in his dreams and helping him with his case.  These parts of the movie just didn't do it for me, they just didn't feel right.  with the character that Tedy was supposed to be, the flashbacks seemed to go counter to that personality and made him seem like a different person, really. 

The storyline also didn't quite flow like it should have.  Scorcese is an excellent storyteller so the story itself was TOLD well, it was just not as well constructed as it could have been.  It also seemed like everyone else in the movie was fake, like they all had their part to play and they were just doing what they're told.  It is clear this was a plot device but just made the movie seem less real to me.  Everyone had an ulterior motive and it seemed it was always malicious.  None of it just seemed to fit together quite right.

However, the movie did have it's very good parts.  DiCaprio gives a great performance and further solidifies himself as one of the greatest actors of our generation.  Teaming him up with Scorcese has become an unstoppable movie making force that I look forward to seeing again.  He plays the part perfectly of a man being driven insane by a place that exists to treat the very same illness. 

/</gispan style="font-family: inherit;"/>/giOn top of that Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsly (especially) give great performances and compliment DiCaprio very well.  Kingsly shows the great acting chops he has and it is a wonder he is not in more good movies.  Mark Ruffalo should be a star at this point and plays the perfect counterpoint to DiCaprio's Tedy.  This might be a bit of a spoiler, but Jackie Earle Haley plays a great role in the limited screen time he has in the film.  </span>

As aforementioned, Scorcese tells the story extremely well.  He is a master of his craft and now has my vote as the best filmmaker working today (and possibly ever).  He takes joy in this island he's created and he takes joy in toying with the audience through the story. 

Ultimately, the ending of the movie justifies and even explains away some of the gripes I had.  So much so, in fact, that had I known the outcome since the beginning I probably would have given the movie a better rating.  However, as it is now, the movie just didn't quite feel right for me.  Sometimes you walk away from a movie feeling that way, that things felt forced, for whatever reason, and it ultimately leaves you wondering what could have been.  However, the players did well with what they had, and I actually like the movie more the more I think about it/reflect on the ending.  My only issue with the ending is that I saw it coming shortly before it actually happened.  It was still cool to see it all come together, however, it would have been better to toy with the audience a little more, or perhaps add another twist.  But who am I to argue with some like Martin Scorcese?  He knows his stuff and it's his genius (along with DiCaprio's) that make this worth your time.

Last updated: 2010-02-24 15:11:45 by ReeltimeReport

Shutter Island: Did he or didn't he?

Martin Scorsese's new film is like an amusement park ride that twists and turns, then weaves back on itself, while all the time plunging you more deeply into menacing, forbidding darkness. It's about as nuanced and subtle as a James Patterson novel. But how much fun are they!

Leonardo DiCaprio is perfection as a U.S. marshal sent to an island prison for violent offenders to investigate the disappearance of an inmate. What he discovers — or thinks he discovers — begs the question: Are these inmates, or patients, receiving benign treatment under the stewardship of Ben Kingsley, the head psychiatrist? Or... is he conducting Nazi-like experiments on them?

The movie is set in the early 1950s, a time when mental illness and its treatments were shrouded in fear and ignorance, and it flashes back to the '40s and the marshal's hellish World War II experiences. And then there are the haunting dreams about his dead wife. He experiences migraines and visions. Is it in the food and cigarettes he's been given? 

Critics weren't kind to "Shutter Island," but the Movie Slut found it fascinating. It made her think about the nature of violence and whether we are all capable of such acts. Pretty scary stuff.

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See you at the movies, The Movie Slut

Shutter Island

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio team up once again to bring some drama to an God-forsaken correctional institute known as Shutter Island. Scorsese obviously loves stories of isolation as reflected from his past works like The Aviator and The Departed (Also led by DiCaprio). With Scorsese, you either love his work or you hate it. I am not a huge fan but I really did enjoy the ones I just mentioned. So I went into Shutter Island not knowing what to expect.



Set in post war 1954, US Marshall Teddy Daniels (Dicaprio) and partner are sent to investigate the disappearance of an inmate at a psychiatric prison on a remote island. The island houses the worst of the worst cases and it becomes very evident that this is not a safe place- for inmates or visitors. He soon meets the head of the medical staff, Dr Crawley (Ben Kingsley) who seems to care for his patients with a tender heart and possibly an iron fist. As expected the investigation goes awry and the two Marshalls enter a cat and mouse game as they attempt to uncover the truth. That’s about as much as I can share without spoiling the plot.

There are some very strong ‘Scorsese-esque’ elements that we are all familiar with like strong male characters, claustrophobic scenes, and tension filled pacing. Then Scorsese becomes ‘the departed’ as he ventures into some heavy CGI/fantasy scenes with some extended dream/flashback sequences rich with color and effects. At one point I was asking myself  ‘am I really watching a Scorsese film?’ as I questioned if I found it agreeable.  

Unfortunately I did not. Even with the addition of some fantastic elements, Shutter Island never seems to build the tension beyond a certain point like we’ve experienced in so many of Scorsese films. Ambiguity is a big plot device for this movie and the audience is asked to figure out the motives of each character as the mystery unfolds. However, there just isn’t enough material to evolve the tension beyond what you would expect from a psycho, prison mad house dilemma. Scorsese was so involved with developing characters that he neglected to  evolve the tension. It ended up feeling a  little too contrived to me. The dream sequences diluted the reality too much resulting in forcing me out of the anxiety. Again, I can’t elaborate without ruining the plot but overall I felt like the tension stayed at about 3rd gear the whole time and it never reached its 5th gear potential.



On a positive note, there is no doubt that Leo is an amazing craftman. He brings so much gravitas to each of his roles including this one. As a US Marshall, war vet, and widower, he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. His intensity and focus is truly impressive. It’ just too bad that he is the only real redeeming part of this film. Everyone else is a distant shadow compared to largeness of DiCaprio. Even Ben Kingsley never attempts to bring the same force of nature qualities even though he clearly has the chops for it.

Visually this is a well crafted film. There is an eerie, unsettling quality in many scenes. Colors range from rich and vibrant to drab and depressing. The cinematography spanned the spectrum of classic detective drama to modern day horror film. Artistically, Scorsese went out on a limb and I think was mostly successful. 

There is are some very graphic scenes of death, in particular to children that I found too disturbing to endure (I had to look away a couple of times). I know sometime a director needs the shock value to make the point but it lingered too long. Shutter was a solid 30 minutes too long and it would have benefited from trimming the fat with some of those scenes.

While I was disappointed with Shutter Island I would still moderately recommend it. It is a Scorsese movie afterall. However, while I appreciate his out of the box thinking, I concluded that some similar movies did a better job executing than this one did. So while I was glad I visited the island, I for sure won’t be back again.

Check out more of my reviews on BabbleOn5.com

Last updated: 2010-02-23 14:52:48 by tonybkim

Shutter Island

It's time for me to come clean about something.

I don't really like the work of Martin Scorcese.

Don't get me wrong. "Goodfellas" is one of the best films ever made, and I adore it. It's just that Scorcese's second best film is -- in my humble opinion -- not even good.

I know. Heresy. What about "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull?" But when's the last time you watched either of those movies from beginning to end? Those two are high on my unrewatchable list.

In fact, almost the entire Scorcese filmography is on that list. When's the last time we stayed up way too late because "The Last Temptation of Christ" or "Casino" or "The Color of Money" was playing on cable? Has that ever happened?

The sad truth: "Goodfellas" is the exception, not the rule.

And Scorcese's recent work all conforms to a disturbing formula: brilliant camerawork, superb editing, terrific use of lighting and music... matched with an overlong, rambling, formless story with a disappointing climax.

Unfortunate. But true.

"Gangs of New York." "The Aviatar." "The Departed." And now, "Shutter Island."

They all start out so strong. In "Island"'s case, Leo DiCaprio -- who's terrific; he's always terrific -- plays a federal marshal sent to the mental institution on Shutter Island in Boston harbor to investigate the mysterious escape of a patient.

Leo discovers a highly secure, scarily baroque fortress with electrified fences, armed guards and lots of dark corridors. The institution is run by the seemingly civilized, empathetic Ben Kingsley.

But Leo quickly comes to suspect that Kingsley is hiding a terrible secret, and that nothing he's been told since he arrived on the island is true. He even starts to fear that he knows too much already about the dark experiments being performed on the patients, knowledge that might prevent the sinister authorities of Shutter Island from ever allowing him to leave.

How awesome is that?

This exciting plot -- set in the years shortly after World War II -- is only enhanced by Leo's backstory: he's a war veteran who saw ghastly horrors in the Nazi death camps. He also suffers from a personal tragedy, as his wife, played by Michelle Williams, died in a fire set by an arsonist two years previously.

Therefore Leo carries horror inside him, just as he is confronted by horror without.

This should work brilliantly. And it does. For the first hour or so. But then the twists start coming. And they keep coming. And they keep coming.

"Shutter Island" is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane, and I can imagine the complicated, intricate plot working in a book. But in the effort to turn the book into a movie, liberties should have been taken. Huge chunks of the original story should have been lopped off to allow for a more streamlined cinematic experience.

But the late revelations about the nature of Shutter Island, and Leo himself, are not just clunky and complex. They are plumb bad.

Don't read on if you don't want the surprise spoiled, but since I don't consider the surprise a pleasant one, the question is raised: is it possible to spoil an unpleasant surprise?

If so, I will attempt it here. It turns out, Leo's not a federal marshal at all, but a patient himself of the mental institution on Shutter Island. His "investigation" occurs under the forbearance of Ben Kingsley and the rest of the staff, who are trying to free Leo from his multiple-personality disorder with an elaborate role-play scenario.

If you're thinking, "wow, that's lame," right you are, reader. Right you are.

And it's not just lame but dramatically toxic. All the tension and mystery established in the first half of the movie is undone -- even in our memories -- by the revelation that there never WAS any danger, that there never WAS any evil on Shutter Island. It's like having a ten year marriage to someone who later says, "I never loved you." It sort of scotches the memories of the happy times, doesn't it?

That's "Shutter Island" for you. There were genuinely good scenes, and at one point I thought I actually loved this movie. But then I found out it was deceiving me all along. It never loved me.

It never loved any of us.

SCORE

How Accomplished: 64/100

How Much I Enjoyed: 62/100

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Last updated: 2010-02-22 20:47:51 by user02

Shutter Island

Set in 1954 Shutter Island is the story of US Marshall Teddy Daniels, (Leonardo DiCaprio) who travels to a remote island of the same name off the state of Massachusetts that houses the criminally insane. Teddy is there to investigate the disappearance of an inmate who has mysteriously vanished without a trace.
 
Teddy shows up with a lot of baggage, he is haunted in his dreams by the death of his wife and from participating in the liberation of a concentration camp in WWII. He is teamed up with a new partner Chuck Aule(Mark Ruffalo) who has a penchant to for referring to Teddy as Boss. Together the pair meets Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley) who runs the Hospital and believes that there are other ways to heal the mentally ill besides Lobotomies and Drugs while his head Doctor, Dr. Naehring (Max von Sydow) believes in those more conventional methods.
 
Teddy believes that there is more going on than anyone is willing to tell. With a hurricane approaching the island and no way to leave, Teddy searches for the truth of whether the island is strictly a hospital or if there is far more sinister work being done.
 
DiCaprio (in his 4th teaming with Scorsese) is excellent as usual with Teddy slowly building up agitation amongst the stories many twists and turns. The atmosphere of the film is fantastic harkening back to the era when Hitchcock was king.
 
The film is one that requires a lot out of the ending to make the story work especially given the lengthy amount of dialog and the two hour and eighteen minute running time; although you can see the ending coming a mile away it is the final twist that makes it worthwhile and ultimately justifies the films existence. Without this Shutter Island would just be an interesting yet convoluted ride. 
 
The biggest problem with Shutter Island is the Scorsese pedigree it is forced to live up to. For some reason more than any other director, every film Marty puts out is over scrutinized and compared to his classic works. The people that don’t like this film are going to site his other films and say this doesn’t compare rather than strictly judge this film on its own merits.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Shutter Island

Plot: Set in 1954.  When a prisoner escapes Shutter Island (a high security rehabilitation hospital for the criminally insane), Federal Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) leads the investigation.  Daniels discovers more is going on than a simple escapee as he unravels potentially illegal and frightening practices by the Hospital’s Doctors while also trying to keep his own sanity.

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, back together again; the Joe Montana and Jerry Rice of the movie scene if you will.  Certainly not their best effort, but a very strong film nonetheless.  When you go see Shutter Island though, make sure you pay attention.  Scorsese is arguably the greatest director of all time, but his one weakness is pushing scenes a little too long.  Has the guy ever done a movie under 150 minutes?  This is quite apparent in Shutter Island, but it’s not enough to derail this visually beautiful paranoia/insane romp through one of the freakiest hospitals/prisons I’ve ever seen on film.

Let’s talk about the visuals for a bit.  Wow.  This film looks gorgeous.  Many of the scenes in Shutter Island are hallucinations, and they look outstanding.  One in particular is when Teddy Daniels is surrounded by a building of fire, and I just couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.  Although these “dream sequences” go on way too long, it looks so good that I don’t even care.  Scorsese is very good at keeping you interested even when a scene drags on. 

Leonardo DiCaprio.  What can I say?  He’s great as always, and probably my favorite actor out there today.  His performance is so perfected.  Every line he delivers, every facial tick is carefully calculated and played out.  Everyone shines in this movie.  Ben Kingsley.  Michelle Williams.  Emily Mortimer.  And two great cameos from Jackie Earle Haley and Elias Koteas.  Unfortunately Mark Ruffalo as Daniel’s partner Chuck Aule is mediocre.  Not bad, but just looks JV compared to everyone else.  Sorry Mark.  But other than that, if you love watching great performances, then a Scorsese movie is always a good bet.

As good as everyone is, DiCaprio really has to carry this.  He’s basically in every single scene.  This is a near 2 and a half hour movie, and its all about Leo.  That’s it.  Fortunately Leo is more than up to the task, although I think it’s just too much screen time.  Give another character the chance to shine.  Even when he has a one on one moment with another character, the focus is solely on him.

I think there were also a couple scenes and sub-plots that just didn’t add anything, and which they spend way too much time on.  The film refers back to Daniel’s war history several times.  While interesting and visually compelling, I just don’t think this was all that important in the core of the film, and they spend a lot of time on it.  There is also a lengthy scene in which Daniels talks to the Warden (Ted Levine) that has some interesting dialogue, but it really doesn’t need to be there and just goes on forever.  Maybe if I watch it again, it will mean something.

In fact this movie just begs you to watch it twice.  They have such a good set-up that you just want to rip right through to the end to see what the hell is going on.  This is both a strength and a weakness as you will miss crucial detail. 

(Spoiler this Paragraph) While the end is a pretty darn good pay-off, I will warn you it’s a tad ambiguous, which will understandably anger some people.  Normally this would anger me as well, but I think because it’s Scorsese, I let it slide. 

Bottom line, this is a film worth seeing.  I think it drags in a lot of areas and it’s excruciatingly repetitive, and even though there are great performances all around, DiCaprio’s Ted Daniels is the only really intriguing character.  I think there are plenty of interesting characters on this island, but they just weren’t explored enough.  Pay attention, and be prepared to reflect and think afterwards.

Rating: 7.5 out 10.

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Last updated: 2010-02-21 21:10:48 by danjewish

Shutter Island

     I couldn't wait for "Shutter Island."  Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, and a creepy, psychological thriller; what could possibly go wrong?  Well, not much, but the end was a bit of a let down.
 
     "Shutter Island," as I said before, is a creepy, psychological thriller directed by film legend Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as federal marshal Teddy Daniels, who's investigating the apparent disappearance of a 'patient' from the asylum for the criminally insane on Shutter island, where nothing is as it seems and everyone's motives are in question.
 
     Just about everything in "Shutter Island" is dead on.  Martin Scorsese knows how to make a movie.  The actors give great performances, the cinematography is breathtaking, frightening, shocking, or whatever else Scorsese wants it to be, the story is suspenseful yet reveals its self at a good pace, and the pace keeps your attention through all two hours and eighteen minutes of film.  For me, though, the twist ending was a bit of a disappointment.  (This is where you stop reading if you don't want to know too much!)  I enjoyed most of the movie because it was a true psychological thriller, but felt a bit let down when I realized I had sat through all of that and most of it was not real.  I think I would have preferred to have the true nature of federal marshal Teddy Daniels hinted at sooner.  Having it all spelled out at the end, and not even knowing the absolute truth of it until the very end, just seems to bring all the momentum the story has built to that point to a screeching halt and was more of a disappointment than a shock. 
 
      It's hard to miss with Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, and Scorsese doesn't miss, but for me, "Shutter Island" wasn't the psychological thriller I had hoped it would be.

Brian
Ciné Critique Américain

Review: Shutter Island

It starts off a bit rushed, but then it settles into the story.  I think it does justice to the novel in a good way. Leo DiCaprio and the rest of the cast are phenomenal.  The scenery, the score, the set design....everything works perfectly.

Some parts of the novel of course were omitted for running time purposes, others were shortened, and the dream sequences were extended. The ending was altered slightly and lengthened from the novel, but all in all a very solid adaptation that's truly enjoyable.  Nothing else to say. Grade: A-

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Shutter Island Review

Shutter Island, the Discount Hawaii...
"Shutter Island", the newest film from Martin Scorsese, is about federal Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) who, from the onset, plunges head-first into a foreboding investigation of, and on, the ominously psychotic Shutter Island (a place where the crazies are lumped and isolated). Also, it seems to me, Shutter Island is about Scorsese trying his hand (or perhaps ego) in a genre he hasn't yet conquered.  I think we all know by now that Scorsese can direct gangster, crime, and other variants of dramatic realism, but can he direct a psychological thriller like Kubrick did in the form of "The Shining"? Perhaps, but I think it is fair to say that Shutter Island is not to Scorsese as The Shining was to Kubrick (to use a little SAT logic pairing). Then again, don't let my comparison diminish Scorsese's latest movie, because while it may be no masterpiece, this is still a substantial work of horror cinema in a genre which generally consists of films that seem to make a great effort to convince us all that it would be in our best interest to never watch a horror film again, for those of us who value our brains, that is.

Lately, my favorite role for Leonardo DiCaprio has become his jittery, anxiety stricken sufferer (that seems to be all he plays, in one form or another). Each time he plays some variation of this role, where his hands shake and his eyes dart, he sells it hard and effectively. Like in "The Departed" and "Revolutionary Road" (which is a sadder version of as much), Shutter Island is no exception. As he meanders about the creepy, patient inhabited Island, I believed in his character, and I believed in Leonardo as a leading man, as I should have. As it goes, this serves a special importance in this particular film, considering that Scorsese has elected something of a kinetic, frenzied vibe in the films presentation (intentional, I'm certain). From scene to scene, we rely on Leonardo's presence to anchor us to this rather wild movie, which at times drifts dangerously close to the edge, yet somehow, never quite falls over.

It is a testament to Scorsese that it does not fall off the "metaphorical cliff of film" (I bet there is a rather large pile of garbage cinema at the bottom of that cliff), because truly, it has the potential to at many points. It is fairly easy to see how a less skilled director could have botched this project in twenty places and turned it into yet another haunted "land of crazy" people repulsion fest. Instead, and rather unexpectedly, Scorsese has shaped something of a psychological detective story, splashed with elements of horror, and a bit of sentimental drama. What he comes out with is something of a tonally messy piece of cross-genre cinema, which, despite its moderate lack of cohesive tone, works quite well anyway. Scorsese may not have nailed the gripping suspense some may have liked, but he didn't completely miss either.  If the film is majorly guilty of anything, it would be trying to do a bit too much, which in this case, isn't a deal breaker.

Such a sin is only permittable because, while Scorsese may be shifting gears a little too often, or slamming the brakes a bit too abruptly, each time he slows down he manages to make it feel like a stop worth slowing down for, and each time he speeds up again he manages  to do so with enough momentum to keep things compelling. On those moments he slows down, it is generally for a WWII flashback sequence, a dream, or a hallucination, all of which are gruesomely haunted and equally interesting in their beautiful, yet disturbing imagery. When he speeds up, it is for the pure moments of suspense, which surprisingly,  are fewer than expected.

Strangely enough, it feels as though the scenes expressly intended for suspense are that which throw the movie off its tonal frequency, rather than the other way around. Shutter Island seemed like its initial design was one targeting suspense/thriller/horror. But, a fate that I suspect befalls many similar projects, at the hands of an ambitious director the movie drifts far into another realm of genre, in this case the realm of the psychological drama. As a result, the movie eventually finds itself situated somewhere awkwardly in between the two areas, leaning more to the psychological drama side. But really, is that such a bad thing? Can't a movie have a little room to wiggle? Personally, I think so. Who says a movie can't have its cake and eat it too? If anyone deserves some leniency, it is Scorsese. So what if he incorporates elements of horror, drama, and etc., and then mashes them together, perhaps awkwardly at its worst point? All that really matters is that they function together as a whole. And in my opinion, they fit together well enough.

I believe there are two ways to watch this movie: One may go in, relentlessly demand a masterpiece from a master, and then, probably be disappointed because flaws were witnessed. Or, on the other hand, one may enter a film, have an open mind, and observe what this film does well (many things), and probably attain a level of entertainment in the process. I chose the latter option, and as a result, I very much liked the film. Still, that does not mean I am unwilling to admit that I believe Scorsese's style far better suited for a more grounded sort of drama. But also, it does not mean I cannot say this was a good movie, and one of the best pyschological horror hybrids out there.

Recommendations:

Last updated: 2010-02-20 18:02:39 by sbjamo

SHUTTER ISLAND

RATING 6.5/10

BOTTOM LINE: Although smart and atmospheric for a psychological thriller, “Shutter Island” disappoints in its drawn-out length and dialogue, a soundtrack that irritates and an ending that relegates the whole exercise to a cheap trick.

THE GOOD: Famed director Martin Scorsese steps in to thematic territory that he does not usually cover and in many respects, he brings his intelligence to material that would have been handled more farcically by a lesser director. Exploring the psychology of main character US Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), the film becomes more than just his search for an escaped mental patient from the Shutter Island facility and becomes a delusory experience where the imaginary and the real world weave in between each other, creating some very atmospheric and tense moments, combined with some glorious and highly stylised visuals. The film explores the mind of a man haunted by his own inner demons, but what those demons are lead to some surprise twists and turns, and by the end, what we thought was happening was not what was going on at all. DiCaprio is excellent as Teddy Daniels, conveying the paranoia and toughness that allows you to sympathise with his character. He is supported by a strong cast including Mark Ruffalo as his partner Chuck, Ben Kinglsey as the seemingly nefarious Dr Cawley, Max von Sydow as the German doctor Dr Naehring who may have been a Nazi, and Michelle Williams as Teddy’s dead wife Dolores who he keeps seeing in his dreams and hallucinations. Visually, Scorsese has created a feast for the eyes, and with real world rules not applying in certain sequences, there are many opportunities he takes to create some highly stylised images that are quite memorable. “Shutter Island” is actually smarter and more demanding than the usual thriller, a quality that some may like, but the usual demographic may not.

THE BAD: The main issue with the film is the ending. As the whole film is based on Teddy’s state of mind, when it is finally revealed that he is actually a mental patient in the facility (sorry if I spoiled the ending for you) and that everything we watched is an elaborate role playing experiment put on by Dr Crawley to try and get Teddy to snap out of his delusion, it feels cheap and lessens an otherwise creepy, intelligent and atmospheric experience. In the end, Teddy never snaps out of his delusion so they lobotomise him. So what was the point of going through all of this? It gives the film a feeling that it was less than the sum of its parts. The choice of classical music is problematic; on the one hand it makes the film feel like a Kubrick film (which is not necessarily bad, but then it’s not a Kubrick film is it?), and on the other, it becomes so overbearing in parts as to be annoying without matching what is happening on screen. Another issue is Scorsese’s penchant for excessive dialogue, which in a psychological thriller, proves to denigrate the creepy atmosphere, particularly with the ending where every single detail is explained so those who are too dumb to understand what has been happening can catch up. “Shutter Island” is decent enough to watch on the big screen, but you may walk away disappointed.

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Todd Murphy <br />
http://www.allaboutmovies.net

Last updated: 2010-02-20 15:11:16 by todd_murphy

Marty's Mind Games

Just back from catching an early showing of Martin Scorcese's new thriller - Shutter Island. It's a beautiful thing to be able to watch a brand new film for just $5 per ticket.

It's also a beautiful thing to watch a Scorcese film. I often wonder about this director. We know he is a man, but sometimes it seems that he's a human film projector. At the core of his being, instead of a heart he's got a film projector, instead of joints he has a series of cogs, and sprockets, and instead of blood - what flows through him is pure celluloid. His brain is an encyclopedic vault of film history, styles, and experiences.



In Shutter Island, the first thing we see is a ferry coming out of the mist heading for the island which is off-shore from Boston. S.I. soon looms before us - vast, foreboding, and eerily reminiscent of approaching King Kong's Island, or, the Jurassic Park island. The ferry carries two US Marshals - Teddy Daniels played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Chuck Aule, played by Mark Ruffalo. They've been called in to investigate a missing patient.



You see, Shutter Island is a federal institution for the criminally insane, and if one of those inmates, sorry - patients, escapes, society would be immediately be placed in harm's way. These are deemed the worst of the worst, and their care and safekeeping must make society absolutely safe from these creatures. So there's only one way off the island, and that would be the ferry that brings you to the island; not unlike Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Harbor, or the infamous Devils Island.



So the Marshals are met at the ferry dock by the Deputy Warden McPherson who has a whole platoon of heavily armed correction officers on hand to meet the boat. This role was played by John Carroll Lynch, and his uniformed presence will remind you of Clancy Brown as Captain Hadley in The Shawshank Redemption. In fact as they are driven up to the main building you'll again think of Shawshank - only this time we remain at groundlevel rather than gliding above the prison walls in a chopper.



As they approach the main building DiCaprio makes eye contact with a number of the patients who are out on the grounds. To be most kind, these people are immediately recognizable as severly disturbed. Anyway we go in and meet Dr. Cawley played by Ben Kingsley. He's the head guy and at times he's professorial or whimsical, or in a blink of an eye, you see him as evil incarnate.



The two cops banter along with the Doc, and at times we think the doctor is being cooperative and then again, in a blink of an eye - we all immediately recognize that something is going on.



There's another Doctor that we must meet as well. This is Dr. Naehring played magnificently by Max Von Sydow. Daniels immediately pegs him as a Nazi ( the film is set in 1954 and WWII was still being played out in people's minds). Naehring sounds Teutonic, and looks, well, like Dr. Praetorius from The Bride of Frankenstein.

While Dr Cawley runs the entire institution, Naehring handled the more physical side of the treatments like electro-shock therapy, or trans-orbital lobotomies. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest anyone?



So that's the intro - our two Marshals are going to try and find out what happened to the missing prisoner. Of course a storm is approaching so they won't be able to leave until the next day.

Of course Teddy Daniels has flashbacks to his days as a US Infantryman in WWII who helped liberate a Nazi death camp, Dachau.



Of course, in the course of their interviews with staff and patients, more and more clues are dropped that this place is dangerous, that things aren't what they seem, and that they should wrap up their investigation and depart on the next ferry back to Boston.

My thought is that Scorcese wanted to blur the lines between reality and dreams, and sanity and insanity. His methodology was to make we viewers unsure of what we think is real and what isn't. He employs a number of red herrings, mcguffins, and misdirection to both amp up the tension, and to confuse us. The music score is at time jarring and disturbing. Scorcese will also employ the bogeyman jumping out of the closet more than a few times, and other Hitchcockian gambits, like a cliff-hanging scene.



When I left the theater I was kind of withdrawn and quiet. This movie does impact you and it isn't all fun. Despite the fact that you know this is a movie and has been presented for entertainment, you come away with questions.

But in the end it was just Scorcese having fun with us. Michael Douglas in The Game comes to mind. But this time, when the film ends, people aren't slapping each other's back and saying, "Wasn't that fun?" It was more like..."Geezus, I won't sleep tonight".

Recommendations: Chak De! India

Last updated: 2010-02-20 12:43:36 by JustMeMike

Shutter Island

Genre: Psychological Thriller
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer, Max von Sydow
Running Time: 138 minutes (plus trailers)

"You're like a rat in a fucking maze"

His follow up to The Departed, the film that won him a long overdue Oscar for Best Director, Shutter Island is the latest motion picture from Martin Scorsese, one of all time great American filmmakers whose seminal works include Taxi Driver, Goodfellas and Raging Bull. Based on a novel by Dennis Lehane, Scorsese’s latest is a sinister psychological thriller set in the 1950’s starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Agent Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshall who is sent with his new partner to Ashcliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a dangerous female patient. Once the Marshall’s arrive they find themselves up against not only the delusional patients but uncooperative nurses and guards who seem intent on hampering the investigation at every turn. Already distrustful of the institution, Daniels soon becomes convinced that all is not right on Shutter Island. But as he is tormented by nightmarish visions of his dead wife and his experiences during the war, he begins to lose a grip on what is real and what is not.

To say that Shutter Island reminded me of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining is to pay it a compliment of the highest possibly degree; Kubrick’s masterpiece of terror is undisputedly one of the finest horror films ever made, and whilst Shutter Island isn’t quite on the same level, the two films do share a lot in common, both in their exploration of madness and in the mesmerizing imagery that their respective visionary directors employ. And truly we are talking about two of the greatest filmmakers of all time; as Kubrick did in his film, the mood that Scorsese is able to generate from the opening credits – employing eerily beautiful cinematography, dreamlike editing, a haunting score and jarring sound design (and I use the word “jarring” in a positive sense – think again of The Shining) is one of constant unease. It is enormously gratifying to watch filmmaking of such a high quality, to see a movie in which visuals and sound are combined to create a near perfect atmosphere of tension and suspense.

Conversely, the actual story of Shutter Island is fairly formulaic and the so called twist ending can be predicted within the opening ten minutes (or by anyone who saw the films trailer). But honestly, I didn’t care. To me the experience of watching the film was less about the story and more about the ambiance, finding pleasure in appreciating everything Scorsese had done. I don’t want to keep come back to The Shining, but in that film the story is almost indecipherable yet the incredible imagery and sound make it an inescapably terrifying experience. For a more recent example, take a film from last year that I adored but everyone else seemed to hate: Richard Kelly’s The Box. Now in terms of story these too film a very different; Shutter Island could be accused of being too simple, whereas Kelly’s film was needlessly complicated. But so intoxicating is the mood in that film that the ridiculous story was never an issue for me, and the same can be said of Shutter Island.

It is such a shame then that in the last fifteen minutes, Scorsese (presumably following the path of the novel) chose to focus intently on the movie’s plot. As I said before, the twist is very easy to see coming, but this didn’t necessarily have to kill the film. There is a certain point where the movie could have just ended, leaving a mystical ambiguity to the true nature of Teddy’s mental state. Instead we are offered a very long scene of exposition in which one of the characters lays out the entire film for us, removing all doubt and leaving us with a largely unsatisfying conclusion that leaves no room for different interpretations. Scorsese still shows moments of directorial brilliance in this last act and I must admit that the movies final line (a kind of twist on top of the twist) was very clever. Still, when the reveal is so uninteresting, I think it might have been better to never reveal it at all.

Another staple of a Scorsese film is that he manages to get fantastic performances from his actors. Ben Kingsley and Max von Sydow are both terrifically creepy as the hospitals two leading psychiatrists, whilst Ted Levine, Jackie Earle Haley and Elias Koteas are all sensational despite each of them only appearing in a single scene. And Leonardo DiCaprio in the lead continues to prove himself to be one of the best A-list actors in Hollywood, capturing his character’s frustrations, fears and vulnerabilities with incredible skill, and I believe that the DiCaprio/Scorsese partnership is destined to be remembered as one of the all time great actor/director parings. In fact the only real let down in the acting department was Mark Ruffalo as DiCaprio’s partner, which was a shame seeing as he's usually very good.

Although the story of Shutter Island is predictable, every production element is so flawlessly executed that the plot becomes almost an irrelevancy. Based on the general critical reception (good but not great), Shutter Island isn’t going to be remembered as one of Martin Scorseses more landmark films; it’s nothing like the gangster epics that made him famous. What it does demonstrate is that even when he is not reaching for the grand heights of storytelling as he did in a film like Goodfellas, he seemingly cannot help but make an excellent motion picture. He is one of the only directors who I would even consider comparing to Stanley Kubrick, and Shutter Island demonstrates exactly why that is.

Rating: 9/10

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Recommendations: Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Shutter Island (2010)

Basically Scorsese can do it all!
Director Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio re-team for this taut  adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s novel about Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio), a  U.S. marshal who searches for an escaped psychiatric patient on a  mysterious remote island in the wake of a hurricane.

For any person who has loved all of Scorsese fast-talking, slickly  directed, mobster films, well don’t look here at all for that type of  movie. This is not your usual Goodfellas or The Departed, look more to  Kubrick, and basically Scorsese makes a run for it.

The trailers will have you think that this movie is a straight-up  horror fest, when really it isn’t. A lot of the elements from  Christopher Nolan films are all here with these mind-bending  psychological elements, and Scorsese does not let up once. He uses some  great set pieces such as this deserted island where you feel almost  nothing is explained, and a very claustrophobic place to be. The film  keeps you on the edge of your seat cause throughout the whole movie  things will pop up every once and awhile, and you will have no idea  what’s going on but you can’t take your eyes off it.

Shutter Island is pretty confusing until the finale (basically from  Why are you all wet, baby? to the end). Its pieced together slowly and  is a combination of Teddy’s memories, hallucinations, and whats actually  occurring in reality. The way it unfolds is kind of like trying to  solve a Rubix Cube. It takes time and a little bit of effort, but is  well worth it in the end. Shutter Island is a film that makes you think.  Remember that going in.

The one problem I had with the film is that there were a lot of dream  sequences that were just meant to bend your mind, and I think a lot of  these went on for a bit too long. The graphic detail didn’t bother me  but these dream sequences didn’t seem to mean very much other than just  being utterly creepy and different.

Leo as usual is great here and plays this character Teddy with such  great authenticity and realism, its so easy to cheer him on. But the  supporting cast of Mark Ruffalo, Jackie Earle Haley, and mostly Ben  Kingsley give great side performances where you don’t know if these  people are real or fake and they do a great job at not giving too much  away in their performances.

Consensus: Not one of Scorsese’s best but certainly  is his most different piece of work, that is pieced together so well,  with great performances from the cast, and mostly a fearless direction  from Scorsese, who doesn’t shy away once from his grim material.

9/10=Full Pricee!!!!

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Shutter Island: The Scorsese/DiCaprio Team Deliver An Original Thriller

Like Steven Speilberg and Tom Hanks, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are a director/actor team that critics and fans enjoy. With joint credits including The Departed and The Aviator, Scorsese and Leo seem to have a great working relationship, one that has garnered both big box office numbers and many awards. Shutter Island marks the fourth Scorsese/Leo team-up, one that has already become their most financially successful yet (taking in $40 million in its opening weekend). But critics have been divided – is Shutter Island Scorsese’s latest masterpiece? Here’s the breakdown:
At the behest of Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley), Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) travels to the mysterious Shutter Island, an institute for the criminally insane. Once there, he starts investigating the disappearance of a female patient, Rachel Salando. With the help of his partner, Chuck (Mark Ruffalo), Teddy begins to uncover Shutter Island’s dark secrets.
The Monkey: The film’s script was exceptional. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a movie that wasn’t predictable, didn’t rely on cliches and didn’t have canned dialogue. Originality has become a lost art in Hollywood; Shutter Island was a breath of fresh air.
The actors carried this film artfully. DiCaprio has officially shed his “teen-star” status from his Titanic days and continues to prove himself as a serious actor, one that has a long and respected career ahead of him. Ben Kingsley was a delight; taking a break from his slew of straight-to-DVD flicks, Kingsley reminds audiences of his acting mettle. His portrayal of the mysterious Dr. Cawley is subdued, yet perfectly juxtaposed with DiCaprio’s forceful Teddy.
The film’s twists, while anticipated, are still surprising and creative. With snippets of information trickling in throughout the story, Shutter Island is not a mindless night out at the movies. While some viewers might find the complexities annoying, going to a movie that makes you think is something I’ve missed.
On a side note, the story weaves a World War II plot thread through the movie, a surprise, based on trailers and early plot synopses. The thread was eerie and, once again, original; gotta give Scorsese credit for having the balls to include such well-covered story material into a relatively unrelated thriller plot arc.
The Weasel: The film was much too long. The middle of the movie was filled with DiCaprio’s character traipsing across the island sufficiently bleary-eyed and furrow-browed. Much of this action, while trying to contribute to the overall building tension, added nothing to the film’s finale and could have easily been pared down.
While the ending was satisfying, there was so much tension built up throughout the movie that, comparatively, the ending seemed weak. Speaking of tension, Scorsese handled Shutter Island’s tension with a heavy hand. The film’s opening sequence, complete with fog, creepy security guards and a ridiculously obnoxious soundtrack, set the tone for the kind of hit-you-over-the-head approach the movie espoused.
Definitely another great movie to add to the Scorsese/DiCaprio library. While not as safe and “filmic” as their past work, it was nice to see both director and actor step into a slightly different setting with similarly successful results. Shutter Island is certainly worth a second or third viewing.
3.5 Death Stars out of 5
http://hearculturepop.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/shutter-island-the-scorsesedicaprio-team-deliver-an-original-thriller/ 

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Shutter Island

/</gispan style="font-size: 3px;"/>/gi   It's crazy to think that the first time I saw Leo DiCaprio was on  Growing Pains as he played a homeless rebellious teen. He has come a  LOOOONG way! Shutter Island stars a very talented Leo along with Ben  Kingsley and Mark Ruffalo, and I can only imagine the praise he is about  to receive for his role as World War II Veteran/Federal Marshall, Teddy  Daniels. Martin Scorsese's new mystery/suspense/thriller at an almost  forgotten island holding America's criminally insane had me on the edge  of my seat as the plot slowly unfolded into a beautifully sad story that  took me in and made me feel for the characters throughout. As Daniels  (DiCaprio) investigated a bizarre abduction at the facility, twists and  turns unveil to lead to an unexpected outcome. It is one of those type  of movies that you have to see again after you have seen it the first  time. I think it will be a different, just as good, experience watching  it again knowing what you know in the end..... no spoilers here! I  actually WANT you to go see this. </span>   Eye-opening moments of  realization and eerie scenes of suspense made this film a "must-see" in  my opinion. Terrific performances by all the actors and a soundtrack of  classical music that truly enhances the story and builds the emotions to  develop those characters and moments made it so, when the movie was  over, I wanted to see it again.  My Elementary  Grading Scale: Exceeding Expectations 1-10: 9