MEOW! Presents: LOOPER Movie Review!

September 30th, 2012

Meow.

Wow.

Mmmm...

Wow.

Mhmmm....

Wow.

Yes, Marlin. No, I see it. It's---and now, for something completely different. And I mean COMPLETELY different. Something that is truly worth saying...well...

Wow.

LOOPER is an extraordinary film. With an inspired imagination by Rian Johnson, and a cast that is able to give his vision a wonderful enhancement, they have teamed up to create one of the absolute best films of the year, and one of the most fascinating films I've encountered in a long time. Comparisons to Inception are inevitable since they both feature the versatile Joseph Gordon-Levitt (I would dare say that this is his best role to date, alongside the powerful 50/50), but they are also unnecessary since they both deal with different concepts that are as old as time itself.

Speaking of time, Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) has all of it as a "looper." You see, it's the year 2042, and he signs a contract with a mob that resides in the year 2072. The mob sends a victim to Joe thirty years into the past so that he would kill him/her and, in return, would get those shiny silver bars on the back of the victim so that Joe can live a little; and by live a little, I mean play hooky with a hooker (Piper Perabo). One day, the victim this time would be an older version of himself (Bruce Willis), which means that if he kills him, he would be "closing the loop," and that he would live until he reaches the age of Old Joe. This eventually leads to a great scene in a diner that not only sets up the rest of the film, but has fun with its dialogue as well.

And as for the rest of the film, I'll leave that to discover for yourself, as one great pie can be spoiled with a spit. What I can spoil, however, is that this film gets me absolutely excited for what the cinema has to offer these next few months. That is, if they can reach the heights of what LOOPER has accomplished here, we could be in for a brief, magical era at the movies. I mean, I don't know if three months would count as an era, but it could possibly feel like one.

But let's leave the future of cinema in the past for a second and focus on the present, which is what you're doing right now. In this day and age, it seems that explosions and visual effects are needed to blow the minds of many people wanting a good movie, but LOOPER does the opposite. Instead, story comes first, and what you will be thinking of afterwards is not how Bruce Willis used those shotguns to kill all of the bad guys, but rather, how one piece of the puzzle goes with the other in a way that goes beyond what you will be expecting. I went with my friend Renee to see this film, and on the way home, we were discussing the plot's revelations as if real-world problems never even existed. I was still thinking about it when I was working my shift at the Box Office for Saturday night's performance of "The Miracle Worker." I'm still thinking about it now.

To act in a film like this is difficult due to the complications of the script, but it amazes me how well they pull it off here. This is Joseph Gordon-Levitt's best work to date, even with the prosthetic make-up around the eyes and eyebrows. He's a cold-hearted killer, waiting for his silver on the back of his victims. And yet, on his journey, without giving too much away, he realizes the importance of sacrifice and dedication to one's own past, present and future. Bruce Willis does a great job of finding an emotional core with his character, while also seeking revenge on the one who killed his wife years later. That's right, later. I will say no more about that. And Emily Blunt...well, her performance makes the wood feel wooden, which I mean as a compliment.

I have some small quibbles about this otherwise brilliant film. One is the lack of a memorable score. It's not bad at all, in fact, once heard in the theater, it fits well within the film and isn't distracting, but it doesn't have a hummable melody that will be remembered for years to come, and how the mayor will declare this film's composer the key to the city. Also, bear with the slow start since it takes time (pun) for it to really begin, and once you find out its payoff, you will instantly want to go back to sit through that part a second time and realize that it fits perfectly within the story. That'll probably happen to me when I get a chance to see it a second time, which I can't wait for.

LOOPER is one of the absolute best films of the year so far, and one that I'll hopefully be seeing sometime again with a couple of friends so that I can see their minds being blown away. The beauty of repeated viewings. Everyone involved with this film should be proud of what they have accomplished.

Until next time,

Meow.

Meow.

Dear Reader,

Welcome to "MEOW!: Movies? Entertainment? Ohhhhhhhh Wow!," a blog where I post movie reviews, short stories, or a post where I can be able to meow and get away with it. Like right now. Meow. Anyways, I'm off to work at the Nazarian Center Box Office at my college, so I'll just spare you some time and leave you hanging, waiting for my LOOPER review to be published.

Meow.

See?

--P-CON