War Horse (2011)

I am not a Steven Spielberg fan. I feel he manipulates his viewers with sob-story antics and has probably never even heard the word "restraint" spoken out loud. He can tell a good story, and it's usually beautiful to watch, but I am not a fan of being hit over the head with a club of pathos. If I had to guess, I would say I hate that manipulation so much because it usually works. If he hits his mark, I leave the theater with tears running down my neck. And he hit his mark with War Horse.

I would say this movie is a front runner for Best Picture. The star is a horse, without any doubt. The humans that come into the life of the horse are important sidelines, but that's it. They have no real substance. One thing I did like and found believable was that wherever the horse was, whatever side of the war he happened to be on at the time, there were people who valued and found love for an animal in spite of what was happening around them. The rest of the time the characters were thinly drawn, with melodramatic dialogue and unbelievable clothes. A young girl surrounded by battlefields would probably not have consistently clean and well-groomed hair with a big satin bow in it at all times. You'll do better with the movie if you accept its cartoonish quality and don't get too annoyed at the ridiculous and unrealistic characters. No matter how great Emily Watson and Peter Mullan are as actors, I wanted to slap them both for their characters' dumbshit, predictably stupid and stoic acceptance of their gender roles.

Anyway, on to the good stuff. The cinematography is insane. Remember the old Disney movies that had amazing colors - like Mary Poppins? Have you ever watched the Searchers and marveled at how beautiful the cliffs and rocks of the West are, and how gorgeous and well-groomed the (marauding and kidnapping) Indians are? The cinematography in War Horse is even better. I want to go to war if it's this beautiful. Janusz Kaminski (cinematographer) has worked with Steve S for years and they have a great thing going. I would say they understand each other.

This horse is awesome. I still like Seabiscuit better, but this is a miraculous horse. There are many scenes in this movie that will become favorites. You know the type of scene where you will stop what you are doing and wait for it to unfold rather than leave the couch to get some ice cream? Lots of those scenes. But there is one at the end of the film that will go down in viewing history as one that makes your heart stop, makes you jump up and walk around the room, will rivet you every time. (More so than the scene in Jaws where Roy Scheider sees the shark for the first time and says, "We need a bigger boat". More so than John Travolta singing Greased Lighting.) You will stop what you are doing for this scene.

So go and watch. You will have a good time. Don't get annoyed at the improbability and just enjoy the horse and the view. And then cast your vote for Best Picture. I am not voting for this one.