2007, 117 minutes
Documentary
[I figure most of those who hated or even disliked this film probably never saw it or were Michael Moore biased viewers beforehand. I consider myself a bit more reliable than Moore haters or dickriders as I've never seen one of his movies before and accord to no distinct political party. Sicko is a sprawling gathering of persuasive material intended to make Americans wake up and realize how bad of shape our health care system is in -- though only 1/6 people are significantly effected by the dog eat dog world of medicare and health insurance. While often accused of being a Bush hater, Moore takes only one or two subtle stabs at Dubya and celebrates Hilary Clinton's initial rallying for universal health care only to expose her hypocracies. The picture is mostly made up of personal stories of American people unable to afford health care, usually leading in economic downspiral, further health problems and on a couple occasions, death. The main [and practically only] criticism of the film is its lack of objectivity in parts -- Moore sometimes ignores finer points to other countries' health care systems that he praises -- but this is a persuasive piece of filmmaking and while it's not exactly objective, it hardly totters near the edge of propaganda or fiction. Moore fanboys will call him a great patriot, haters an egotistical prick; I'll just consider him an auteur who in Sicko has created a powerful motion picture with an overload of shocking facts as well as a few neglected opposing truths.]
***1/2
Monday, October 29, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Bug [dir. William Friedkin]
2007, 96 minutes
w/ Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon & Harry Connick Jr.
[Ashley Judd gives one of the year's best performances thus far in Friedkin's adaptation of Terry Letts' play, Oklahoma drawl and all. She alone makes the picture worth seeing, bursting with energy but depressingly hopeless and Friedkin most impressively is able to contrast her beauty with lighting and Judd's acting rather than make up. While marketed as a psychological thriller or horror, the film really can't be pigeon holed into any one genre for better or for worse. Believe it or not I never really was in suspense during the picture, just interest, and while building up quite nicely I hate to report that the last act was handled a bit clumsily: Judd and her paranoid partner Michael Shannon twitchily discuss their political conspiracty theories that are the cause for the bug infestation inside Judd's small home, and as intense as it is, at some point it bubbles over the top and while Friedkin employs a clever device for one of the final scenes, it's executed rather cheesily. Obviously not touching his Best Picture winner The French Connection or paranoia classic The Manchurian Candidate, Bug is at least leagues better than the similar Vacancy and the 2004 Manchurian remake.]
**3/4
w/ Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon & Harry Connick Jr.
[Ashley Judd gives one of the year's best performances thus far in Friedkin's adaptation of Terry Letts' play, Oklahoma drawl and all. She alone makes the picture worth seeing, bursting with energy but depressingly hopeless and Friedkin most impressively is able to contrast her beauty with lighting and Judd's acting rather than make up. While marketed as a psychological thriller or horror, the film really can't be pigeon holed into any one genre for better or for worse. Believe it or not I never really was in suspense during the picture, just interest, and while building up quite nicely I hate to report that the last act was handled a bit clumsily: Judd and her paranoid partner Michael Shannon twitchily discuss their political conspiracty theories that are the cause for the bug infestation inside Judd's small home, and as intense as it is, at some point it bubbles over the top and while Friedkin employs a clever device for one of the final scenes, it's executed rather cheesily. Obviously not touching his Best Picture winner The French Connection or paranoia classic The Manchurian Candidate, Bug is at least leagues better than the similar Vacancy and the 2004 Manchurian remake.]
**3/4
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie [dir. Luis Bunuel]
1972, 102 minutes
w/ Fernando Rey, Paul Frankeur & Delphine Seyrig
[I sort of wondered through my first Bunuel film, The Milky Way, in order to prepare myself for its follow-up which is largely considered Bunuel's magnum opus, and I think it was a good idea despite probably not comprehending 5% of either pic. And that's what especially made Discreet such a great watch, the theories and themes that I read about and concluded upon. The plot is basically a collection of scenes in which three wealthy couples repeatedly try to have a meal together but are constantly interrupted before being able to eat it. Once you realize this theme, it becomes necessary to anticipate what interruption will hinder them each time, and Bunuel manipulates reality and surreality if only to frustrate and toy with his audience and satired characters. The hypocrisies of the bourgeoisie are comically revealed be it through extreme paranoia or infidelities and Bunuel creates a bishop character if only to include organized religion as part of the target and for cheap (though worthy) comical relief. There are many long takes of conversation between the men and women but I've interpreted the extended shots of the couples walking down a road sometimes randomly throughout as an ultimate watering down of their lives: empty and banal.]
****
w/ Fernando Rey, Paul Frankeur & Delphine Seyrig
[I sort of wondered through my first Bunuel film, The Milky Way, in order to prepare myself for its follow-up which is largely considered Bunuel's magnum opus, and I think it was a good idea despite probably not comprehending 5% of either pic. And that's what especially made Discreet such a great watch, the theories and themes that I read about and concluded upon. The plot is basically a collection of scenes in which three wealthy couples repeatedly try to have a meal together but are constantly interrupted before being able to eat it. Once you realize this theme, it becomes necessary to anticipate what interruption will hinder them each time, and Bunuel manipulates reality and surreality if only to frustrate and toy with his audience and satired characters. The hypocrisies of the bourgeoisie are comically revealed be it through extreme paranoia or infidelities and Bunuel creates a bishop character if only to include organized religion as part of the target and for cheap (though worthy) comical relief. There are many long takes of conversation between the men and women but I've interpreted the extended shots of the couples walking down a road sometimes randomly throughout as an ultimate watering down of their lives: empty and banal.]
****
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix [dir. David Yates]
2007, 130 minutes
w/ Daniel Radclife, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint
[While I have trouble distinguishing the four films preceding it from each other, latest director Yates adapts the fifth book in the series (yes, I've read them all) to screen mostly effectively and somewhat, if overstated, darker than perhaps expected. This is the first film in the series I've seen where I couldn't remember the plot too well and I'm not going to discuss it in the review anyways. Rupert Grint remains the most impressive of the core three young actors in my mind while Emma Watson has a few shining moments and Radcliffe seems to be trying a bit too hard but is probably at his best here. Gary Oldman and Alan Rickman steal the show among the adult actors, and Imelda Staunton creates a successful bitch of a villain. The script has quite a few double entendres littered throughout and is pretty solid but sometimes awkwardly delivered by certain actors, especially the young woman who played Luna Lovegood. Some of the special effects are very impressive while others seem a bit cheesy and like the others the movie seems to rush through the plot yet still manage to boast a lengthy (not seeming so at least) running time. I'm pretty sure Cuaron's installment is still my favorite but I'd really have to rewatch them all to tell for sure. Not a bad start for Yates who will direct the next one.]
**1/2
w/ Daniel Radclife, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint
[While I have trouble distinguishing the four films preceding it from each other, latest director Yates adapts the fifth book in the series (yes, I've read them all) to screen mostly effectively and somewhat, if overstated, darker than perhaps expected. This is the first film in the series I've seen where I couldn't remember the plot too well and I'm not going to discuss it in the review anyways. Rupert Grint remains the most impressive of the core three young actors in my mind while Emma Watson has a few shining moments and Radcliffe seems to be trying a bit too hard but is probably at his best here. Gary Oldman and Alan Rickman steal the show among the adult actors, and Imelda Staunton creates a successful bitch of a villain. The script has quite a few double entendres littered throughout and is pretty solid but sometimes awkwardly delivered by certain actors, especially the young woman who played Luna Lovegood. Some of the special effects are very impressive while others seem a bit cheesy and like the others the movie seems to rush through the plot yet still manage to boast a lengthy (not seeming so at least) running time. I'm pretty sure Cuaron's installment is still my favorite but I'd really have to rewatch them all to tell for sure. Not a bad start for Yates who will direct the next one.]
**1/2
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Ringu [dir. Hideo Nakata]
1998, 96 minuts
w/ Nanako Matsushima & Miki Nakatani
[Unfortunately I'd seen Gore Verbinski's The Ring before seeing this so its pretty much impossible to give a completely objective reaction to the film as the plots were nearly the same. Any whoo, Ringu comes off much slighter than its remake, focusing on setup and atmosphere rather than scares and this has mixed results. While Nakata creates a lonely Japan with dark, crowded corridors and rooms, the film seems to forget to push its storyline of the well known video tape that causes death in seven days. Hiroshi Takahashi adapts succesfully creepy techniques from the novel, especially the distorted faces on photographs, but forgets to give us much reason to care about our characters and fails to elaborate on the reasoning for the tapes' creators motivation. Ringu is often paired with The Blair Witch Project as rejuvenating the horror genre but the latter is so much more impressive in execution while Ringu is all concept and only clumsily translates to screen. A rewatch of Verbinski's may confirm my thoughts that his is actually the better of the two.]
**1/2
w/ Nanako Matsushima & Miki Nakatani
[Unfortunately I'd seen Gore Verbinski's The Ring before seeing this so its pretty much impossible to give a completely objective reaction to the film as the plots were nearly the same. Any whoo, Ringu comes off much slighter than its remake, focusing on setup and atmosphere rather than scares and this has mixed results. While Nakata creates a lonely Japan with dark, crowded corridors and rooms, the film seems to forget to push its storyline of the well known video tape that causes death in seven days. Hiroshi Takahashi adapts succesfully creepy techniques from the novel, especially the distorted faces on photographs, but forgets to give us much reason to care about our characters and fails to elaborate on the reasoning for the tapes' creators motivation. Ringu is often paired with The Blair Witch Project as rejuvenating the horror genre but the latter is so much more impressive in execution while Ringu is all concept and only clumsily translates to screen. A rewatch of Verbinski's may confirm my thoughts that his is actually the better of the two.]
**1/2
Talk to Me [dir. Kasi Lemmons]
2007, 118 minutes
w/ Don Cheadle, Chiwitel Ejiofor & Taraji P. Henson
[Following pics like Stomp the Yard and Who's Your Caddy, actress Kasi Lemmons presents maybe the year's first great film to celebrate black people and to avoid stereotypes or shy from what Cheadle's Petey Greene calls "nigger jokes." Written by Rick Famuyiwa (Brown Sugar) and Michael Genet, Talk to Me tells the fascinating story of convict-turned-D.C. DJ Petey Greene and his discoverer-turned-DJ, Dewey Hughes (the ever-impressive Chiwitel Ejiofor). The movie starts out in rather ordinary, linear fashion as Greene manages to get out on parole and convinces Dewey Hughes to give him a shot (or two) at DJing, and as expected, he becomes a big hit. It's the film's second and third act that begin to move toward Spike Lee territory as Petey's newfound fame has him questioning why his mostly white audience laughs so hard (see Dave Chappelle) while Hughes pushes him harder and harder to making him a star. The lead roles are played to near perfection, Cheadle playing against type in his quirky, loud mouth role and Chiwitel Ejiofor (almost) nailing his American accent (he's a Brit) and bringing essential life to his character who could have gone to *eek* Will Smith had this been a bigger production. Taraji P. Henson who stole scenes in Hustle & Flow does the same again as Greene's sassy, loyal girlfriend and cult favorite Mike Epps adds a couple emotional scenes at the beginning and end. The James Brown driven soundtrack is incredible as the film hits a high on Brown's "I'm Black and I'm Proud."]
***1/4
w/ Don Cheadle, Chiwitel Ejiofor & Taraji P. Henson
[Following pics like Stomp the Yard and Who's Your Caddy, actress Kasi Lemmons presents maybe the year's first great film to celebrate black people and to avoid stereotypes or shy from what Cheadle's Petey Greene calls "nigger jokes." Written by Rick Famuyiwa (Brown Sugar) and Michael Genet, Talk to Me tells the fascinating story of convict-turned-D.C. DJ Petey Greene and his discoverer-turned-DJ, Dewey Hughes (the ever-impressive Chiwitel Ejiofor). The movie starts out in rather ordinary, linear fashion as Greene manages to get out on parole and convinces Dewey Hughes to give him a shot (or two) at DJing, and as expected, he becomes a big hit. It's the film's second and third act that begin to move toward Spike Lee territory as Petey's newfound fame has him questioning why his mostly white audience laughs so hard (see Dave Chappelle) while Hughes pushes him harder and harder to making him a star. The lead roles are played to near perfection, Cheadle playing against type in his quirky, loud mouth role and Chiwitel Ejiofor (almost) nailing his American accent (he's a Brit) and bringing essential life to his character who could have gone to *eek* Will Smith had this been a bigger production. Taraji P. Henson who stole scenes in Hustle & Flow does the same again as Greene's sassy, loyal girlfriend and cult favorite Mike Epps adds a couple emotional scenes at the beginning and end. The James Brown driven soundtrack is incredible as the film hits a high on Brown's "I'm Black and I'm Proud."]
***1/4
Castle in the Sky [dir. Hayao Mayazaki]
1986, 124 minutse
w/ Anna Paquin [English voice over]
[Inspired to see this film immediately by the following fake Criterion cover made by rottentomatoes.com member JediMoonShyne, I escaped into my sixth world created by Mayazaki and it certainly did not disappoint. The film tells the wonderful story of a young miner who saves a floating princess with a powerful secret. She is being chased by both pirates and "the government" and Mayazaki includes his usual anti-war themes, satirizing a Natzi-like army. The key to the plot is a legendary but thought to be fictional civilization that floats in the sky hence Castle in the Sky, and the picture climaxes when it reaches this environment. This review is pretty much all over the place but forgive me for Miyazaki is simply a genius and this difficult to describe as anything more or less than great. Joe Hisaishi's score is incredible. K go see it.]
***3/4
w/ Anna Paquin [English voice over]
[Inspired to see this film immediately by the following fake Criterion cover made by rottentomatoes.com member JediMoonShyne, I escaped into my sixth world created by Mayazaki and it certainly did not disappoint. The film tells the wonderful story of a young miner who saves a floating princess with a powerful secret. She is being chased by both pirates and "the government" and Mayazaki includes his usual anti-war themes, satirizing a Natzi-like army. The key to the plot is a legendary but thought to be fictional civilization that floats in the sky hence Castle in the Sky, and the picture climaxes when it reaches this environment. This review is pretty much all over the place but forgive me for Miyazaki is simply a genius and this difficult to describe as anything more or less than great. Joe Hisaishi's score is incredible. K go see it.]
***3/4
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Chalk (dir. Mike Akel)
2007, 81 minutes
w/ Troy Schremmer, Janelle Schremmer, Chris Mass
[Films like Chalk remind me why I find cinema so fascinating; movies as tiny as this exist with little to no buzz and no even notable actor/crew member, yet is able to be found and most of all enjoyed by anyone who looks hard enough. While often considered a mockumentary on teachers, I'd prefer to call it a faux-doc with definite satirical themes. As funny and awkward as it can be, Chalk's greatest achievement is presenting four genuinely interesting characters/people that defy cliche you may expect from their appearance or behavior in quiet moments or video diaries at home. Written and directed by real teachers (Akel on both, Mass co-writing and starring as an uber-competitive teacher), Chalk is full of moments that any high school student or teacher of the last fifteen years will immediately recognize and find both hilarious (there are few "LOLz!" but many Seinfeld chuckles) and difficult to watch. The acting by the four leads is fantastic and benefits from their fresh faces. Troy Schremmer manages to steal the show, though, as an awkward, insecure, unsure first year history teacher who finds himself overwhelmed by his rowdy students. The entire film is essentially a string of excellent scenes, but ones that stand out are a Happy Hour hang out that sees the teachers at their loosest, and a newly hired AP chasing down a run-away student through the halls, walkie-talkie in hand. I was especially impressed by a scene I thought was doomed from the start; in a TV-movie last year, The Ron Clark Story, Matthew Perry came up with the idea to rap his lessons to his students so as to try to relate. While it obviously achieved its targeted awkwardness, it wasn't all that believable in execution or in the students' reactions. Near the end of Chalk, a shyer black girl calmy raps as a boy pounds a beat out on his desk, and I was thinking "don't...ask the teacher....to rap." Sure enough, the question came up and Troy Schremmer comes up with an embarrassed, light-hearted half-rap/half-conversation with his students, unpretentious and hard to believe its not real, and then ends without asking any questions. Unfortunately this is only the tip of the iceberg that is Chalk, a short but subjectively rewarding and objectively clever picture that would become a Ron Clark Story or Freedom Writers if handled by Hollywood producers.]
***1/4
w/ Troy Schremmer, Janelle Schremmer, Chris Mass
[Films like Chalk remind me why I find cinema so fascinating; movies as tiny as this exist with little to no buzz and no even notable actor/crew member, yet is able to be found and most of all enjoyed by anyone who looks hard enough. While often considered a mockumentary on teachers, I'd prefer to call it a faux-doc with definite satirical themes. As funny and awkward as it can be, Chalk's greatest achievement is presenting four genuinely interesting characters/people that defy cliche you may expect from their appearance or behavior in quiet moments or video diaries at home. Written and directed by real teachers (Akel on both, Mass co-writing and starring as an uber-competitive teacher), Chalk is full of moments that any high school student or teacher of the last fifteen years will immediately recognize and find both hilarious (there are few "LOLz!" but many Seinfeld chuckles) and difficult to watch. The acting by the four leads is fantastic and benefits from their fresh faces. Troy Schremmer manages to steal the show, though, as an awkward, insecure, unsure first year history teacher who finds himself overwhelmed by his rowdy students. The entire film is essentially a string of excellent scenes, but ones that stand out are a Happy Hour hang out that sees the teachers at their loosest, and a newly hired AP chasing down a run-away student through the halls, walkie-talkie in hand. I was especially impressed by a scene I thought was doomed from the start; in a TV-movie last year, The Ron Clark Story, Matthew Perry came up with the idea to rap his lessons to his students so as to try to relate. While it obviously achieved its targeted awkwardness, it wasn't all that believable in execution or in the students' reactions. Near the end of Chalk, a shyer black girl calmy raps as a boy pounds a beat out on his desk, and I was thinking "don't...ask the teacher....to rap." Sure enough, the question came up and Troy Schremmer comes up with an embarrassed, light-hearted half-rap/half-conversation with his students, unpretentious and hard to believe its not real, and then ends without asking any questions. Unfortunately this is only the tip of the iceberg that is Chalk, a short but subjectively rewarding and objectively clever picture that would become a Ron Clark Story or Freedom Writers if handled by Hollywood producers.]
***1/4
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Repulsion [dir. Roman Polanski]
1965, 100 minutes
w/ Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, Yvonne Furneaux
[Considered one of the most daring films put to celluloid, Polanski paints a vivid and horrifying portrait of a sexually repressed tenant played by the beautiful Catherine Deneuve. The film's suspense builds slowly, giving subtle motivation for Deneuve's psycho-sexual problems, namely living with her older sister who has loud, orgasmic sex down the hall when she's trying to sleep. Deneuve has a "boyfriend," but seems to be repulsed (I swear I just got that) by him when he tries to touch her. When her sister goes on a vacation with her man , Deneuve slowly loses it, first through illusions that someone is in/outside the apartment, than eventually that she is being raped (this dipping into insanity is slyly implied when she sits on a bench facing a split in the concrete). She's sent home from her beauty parlor job after "accidentally" cutting a woman's finger while clipping her nails, and this further isolation causes her to spiral out of control with what's real and what's not. She enters a struggle with her mind and these sexual fantasies/nightmares up until the final, quiet conclusion. Deneuve gives a brave performance and Polanski's direction, especially of images, is top notch and drives the film more than anything.]
***1/2
w/ Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, Yvonne Furneaux
[Considered one of the most daring films put to celluloid, Polanski paints a vivid and horrifying portrait of a sexually repressed tenant played by the beautiful Catherine Deneuve. The film's suspense builds slowly, giving subtle motivation for Deneuve's psycho-sexual problems, namely living with her older sister who has loud, orgasmic sex down the hall when she's trying to sleep. Deneuve has a "boyfriend," but seems to be repulsed (I swear I just got that) by him when he tries to touch her. When her sister goes on a vacation with her man , Deneuve slowly loses it, first through illusions that someone is in/outside the apartment, than eventually that she is being raped (this dipping into insanity is slyly implied when she sits on a bench facing a split in the concrete). She's sent home from her beauty parlor job after "accidentally" cutting a woman's finger while clipping her nails, and this further isolation causes her to spiral out of control with what's real and what's not. She enters a struggle with her mind and these sexual fantasies/nightmares up until the final, quiet conclusion. Deneuve gives a brave performance and Polanski's direction, especially of images, is top notch and drives the film more than anything.]
***1/2
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Day Night Day Night (dir. Julia Loktev)
2007, 92 minutes
w/ Luisa Williams
[Julia Loktev's first feature film is the second best debut I've seen this year next to another female's (Sarah Polley) Away From Her. I've heard Day Night Day Night been called a thriller which is pretty narrow-minded thinking and am more comfortable proclaiming it a minimalist art film, small in scope but large in execution. DNDN follows Luisa Williams' nameless character as she prepares to set off a bomb in Times Square (religious reasons being the only distinct motivation implied), effectively killer herself and others. The first 50 minutes or so is made up of long shots of sleeping, bathing, brushing of teeth and eating pizza with less than a page of dialogue. This is the set up. "She" is released to Times Square for her mission and this is around the time I realized a correlation between the pic and The Passion of Joan of Arc, especially considering the constant shots of our heroine's face. The last 30 to 40 minutes are spent on Times Square, which takes unexpected turns and includes genuinely sweet moments as well as due suspense. SPOILERS FOLLOW: After a long time of stalling and enjoying her thought to be last minutes on Earth, she attempts to set off the bomb in her backpack but the remote control doesn't work, arguably due to a problem in the set up, a time she was hit very hard by a passer by or a rather popular theory that it was all a scam. After a few more attempts she tries to call (what I assume to be) her parents, and from it comes one of the most effortlessly poignant sequences of the year, simply of different NY passersby denying her and offering her a quarter as she desperately tries to garner enough to make another call. Afterwards, there's a hilarious scene where a guy follows her, talking incessantly and flirting while she keeps trying to out walk him for a few blocks. By now, the suspense is off and it becomes clear that the film is following a blueprint of Joan of Arc, as she questions God "why he doesn't want her?" She asks for a sign, and the majority of viewers would agree that the sign is the bomb not blowing up and she's still alive, while it's certainly not my place to judge the thoughts she and those who watched that share her beliefs must have had. Loktev ends on this uncompromising note, with the last close ups of Williams' face and a quiet shot of the city around her. Luisa Williams gives a fearless perf that was necessary for the film's success.]
***1/4
w/ Luisa Williams
[Julia Loktev's first feature film is the second best debut I've seen this year next to another female's (Sarah Polley) Away From Her. I've heard Day Night Day Night been called a thriller which is pretty narrow-minded thinking and am more comfortable proclaiming it a minimalist art film, small in scope but large in execution. DNDN follows Luisa Williams' nameless character as she prepares to set off a bomb in Times Square (religious reasons being the only distinct motivation implied), effectively killer herself and others. The first 50 minutes or so is made up of long shots of sleeping, bathing, brushing of teeth and eating pizza with less than a page of dialogue. This is the set up. "She" is released to Times Square for her mission and this is around the time I realized a correlation between the pic and The Passion of Joan of Arc, especially considering the constant shots of our heroine's face. The last 30 to 40 minutes are spent on Times Square, which takes unexpected turns and includes genuinely sweet moments as well as due suspense. SPOILERS FOLLOW: After a long time of stalling and enjoying her thought to be last minutes on Earth, she attempts to set off the bomb in her backpack but the remote control doesn't work, arguably due to a problem in the set up, a time she was hit very hard by a passer by or a rather popular theory that it was all a scam. After a few more attempts she tries to call (what I assume to be) her parents, and from it comes one of the most effortlessly poignant sequences of the year, simply of different NY passersby denying her and offering her a quarter as she desperately tries to garner enough to make another call. Afterwards, there's a hilarious scene where a guy follows her, talking incessantly and flirting while she keeps trying to out walk him for a few blocks. By now, the suspense is off and it becomes clear that the film is following a blueprint of Joan of Arc, as she questions God "why he doesn't want her?" She asks for a sign, and the majority of viewers would agree that the sign is the bomb not blowing up and she's still alive, while it's certainly not my place to judge the thoughts she and those who watched that share her beliefs must have had. Loktev ends on this uncompromising note, with the last close ups of Williams' face and a quiet shot of the city around her. Luisa Williams gives a fearless perf that was necessary for the film's success.]
***1/4
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
All the President's Men (dir. Alan J. Pakula)
1976, 139 minutes
w/ Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jason Robards
[The best film about journalism I've ever seen and a blueprint for great movies of late (c) Zodiac and Shattered Glass, Alan J. Pakula's self-removed direction successfully treats the viewers as privileged voyeurs of one of America's most infamous scandals. Loaded with information and respecting the audience's intelligence, President's seems to sprawl as if an epic although it takes place in a short period of time. Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford are perfect in their lead roles and either of them could have been thrown an Oscar nom instead of, say, Sylvester Stallone. Moving on. The ensemble cast disappear into their roles selflessly, and Robards and Jane Alexander at least got supporting nominations (the former winning) for what would seem like thankless perfs. Pakula daringly chooses to go completely without a musical score and often provides a bird's eye view with a few impressive crane/helicopter shots, promoting the documentary feel. Extra applause for Pakula making a pic so soon after the events occurred, before things really got a chance to cool off.]
****
w/ Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jason Robards
[The best film about journalism I've ever seen and a blueprint for great movies of late (c) Zodiac and Shattered Glass, Alan J. Pakula's self-removed direction successfully treats the viewers as privileged voyeurs of one of America's most infamous scandals. Loaded with information and respecting the audience's intelligence, President's seems to sprawl as if an epic although it takes place in a short period of time. Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford are perfect in their lead roles and either of them could have been thrown an Oscar nom instead of, say, Sylvester Stallone. Moving on. The ensemble cast disappear into their roles selflessly, and Robards and Jane Alexander at least got supporting nominations (the former winning) for what would seem like thankless perfs. Pakula daringly chooses to go completely without a musical score and often provides a bird's eye view with a few impressive crane/helicopter shots, promoting the documentary feel. Extra applause for Pakula making a pic so soon after the events occurred, before things really got a chance to cool off.]
****
Jaws (dir. Steven Spielberg)
1975, 124 minutes
w/ Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw
[Indeed, this is my first time seeing the film from beginning to end, without TV editing and my parents' censorship. I've never been a super-fan of Spielberg--I think he has a cornucopia (SATs ftw) of great films but have only given two of eight or so a perfect score: Schindler's List and Munich. Well, Jaws makes it three for ol' Spielberg and slides in between the two when ranking his pictures, an important, technically and visually spellbounding suspense thriller. I've sometimes criticized Spielberg for being too "safe" at times and failing to create realistically flawed characters, but he suceeds twofold, opening with some full frontal nudity and molding Richard Dreyfuss into a character that's hard to outright like or dislike. There are a few fantastic tracking and well-executed static shots that Spielberg is skilled at, and the actual shark and underwater photography stand up about 80% today, only seeming overtly unrealistic a few times. John Williams' score is possibly the most famous in cinema history and will probably forever be associated with what lies beneath the oceanic surface. Technically revolutionary and expertly handled storytelling.]
****
w/ Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw
[Indeed, this is my first time seeing the film from beginning to end, without TV editing and my parents' censorship. I've never been a super-fan of Spielberg--I think he has a cornucopia (SATs ftw) of great films but have only given two of eight or so a perfect score: Schindler's List and Munich. Well, Jaws makes it three for ol' Spielberg and slides in between the two when ranking his pictures, an important, technically and visually spellbounding suspense thriller. I've sometimes criticized Spielberg for being too "safe" at times and failing to create realistically flawed characters, but he suceeds twofold, opening with some full frontal nudity and molding Richard Dreyfuss into a character that's hard to outright like or dislike. There are a few fantastic tracking and well-executed static shots that Spielberg is skilled at, and the actual shark and underwater photography stand up about 80% today, only seeming overtly unrealistic a few times. John Williams' score is possibly the most famous in cinema history and will probably forever be associated with what lies beneath the oceanic surface. Technically revolutionary and expertly handled storytelling.]
****
Monday, October 8, 2007
Smiley Face (dir. Gregg Araki)
2007, 82 minutes
w/ Anna Faris, Adam Brody, John Krasinski
[I think there are two reviews for this film that can be written--one sober and the other under the influence (ideally pot but hard alcohol should work)--for this is a film about influenced by marijuana, about marijuana, and most likely made for Mary Jane lovers. I watched it sober, so take that into consideration if planning on saving this for 4.20.08. Araki's tiny new comedy is on the opposite side of the subject matter spectrum as Mysterious Skin, his brilliant '05 indie about the effects of child molestation on two teenagers. Anna Faris, who is probably my #1 retort to complaints that there are no funny women left in movies, stars as a commercial actress who accidentally eats her roommate's pot cupcakes after having already gotten high earlier that morning. Now completely baked and with a laundry list of vital things to do, Faris must navigate her way around and 1. go to an audition 2. make new pot cupcakes 3. make it to Venice to pay her dealer back and so on. Dylan Haggerty's script isn't anything to write home about as it is the Anna Faris show as she once again is able to turn simply decent or even stale lines or scenes into hilarious ones, overacting her mannerisms and jumbling her narration practically artistically. Araki assumably adds techniques specifically for the "target" audience including a wonderful opening credits sequence that probably make the movie too much for select viewers within ten minutes. Sitcom favorites Adam Brody (The O.C.) and John Krasinski (The Office) add great small roles as Faris' dreaded-up drug dealer and her nerdy admirer.]
**1/2
w/ Anna Faris, Adam Brody, John Krasinski
[I think there are two reviews for this film that can be written--one sober and the other under the influence (ideally pot but hard alcohol should work)--for this is a film about influenced by marijuana, about marijuana, and most likely made for Mary Jane lovers. I watched it sober, so take that into consideration if planning on saving this for 4.20.08. Araki's tiny new comedy is on the opposite side of the subject matter spectrum as Mysterious Skin, his brilliant '05 indie about the effects of child molestation on two teenagers. Anna Faris, who is probably my #1 retort to complaints that there are no funny women left in movies, stars as a commercial actress who accidentally eats her roommate's pot cupcakes after having already gotten high earlier that morning. Now completely baked and with a laundry list of vital things to do, Faris must navigate her way around and 1. go to an audition 2. make new pot cupcakes 3. make it to Venice to pay her dealer back and so on. Dylan Haggerty's script isn't anything to write home about as it is the Anna Faris show as she once again is able to turn simply decent or even stale lines or scenes into hilarious ones, overacting her mannerisms and jumbling her narration practically artistically. Araki assumably adds techniques specifically for the "target" audience including a wonderful opening credits sequence that probably make the movie too much for select viewers within ten minutes. Sitcom favorites Adam Brody (The O.C.) and John Krasinski (The Office) add great small roles as Faris' dreaded-up drug dealer and her nerdy admirer.]
**1/2
Sunday, October 7, 2007
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints [dir. Dito Montiel]
2006, 98 minutes [2nd viewing]
w/ Shia LaBeouf, Channing Tatum, Robert Downey Jr.
[While the first time around I found the story and characters to be both affecting and interesting, as well as mostly convincing, I was able to focus on the innovative, experimental direction from the rookie helmer and subject Dito Montiel. He pays homage to the comparative Mean Streets with on screen titles for a few of the characters, as well as techniques such as playing a snippet of future chaos a few minutes before it happens, effectively adding an ominous atmosphere of what's to come. The story itself is nothing shocking or fresh as the Hughes brothers touched on the similar "no way out" mentality of youth in the ghettos in their first two films. LaBeouf carries the heaviest load on his back as young Dito but its surprisingly Channing Tatum, who I hated before seeing this for the first time, who shows serious if not limited potential (including a great scene where he throws a chair through a window in improv). Robert Downey Jr. is pitch perfect as present Dito and its doubtful anyone was better for the part of Dito's father as Chazz Palminteri. The heap of credit goes to Montiel, though, who rather than hire someone else to direct the film for him or seem safe in his approach, pushes the envelope artisitically and personally.]
***1/4
w/ Shia LaBeouf, Channing Tatum, Robert Downey Jr.
[While the first time around I found the story and characters to be both affecting and interesting, as well as mostly convincing, I was able to focus on the innovative, experimental direction from the rookie helmer and subject Dito Montiel. He pays homage to the comparative Mean Streets with on screen titles for a few of the characters, as well as techniques such as playing a snippet of future chaos a few minutes before it happens, effectively adding an ominous atmosphere of what's to come. The story itself is nothing shocking or fresh as the Hughes brothers touched on the similar "no way out" mentality of youth in the ghettos in their first two films. LaBeouf carries the heaviest load on his back as young Dito but its surprisingly Channing Tatum, who I hated before seeing this for the first time, who shows serious if not limited potential (including a great scene where he throws a chair through a window in improv). Robert Downey Jr. is pitch perfect as present Dito and its doubtful anyone was better for the part of Dito's father as Chazz Palminteri. The heap of credit goes to Montiel, though, who rather than hire someone else to direct the film for him or seem safe in his approach, pushes the envelope artisitically and personally.]
***1/4
Friday, October 5, 2007
More 2007 Backtracking [Yuma, Away From Her, 300]
3:10 to Yuma (dir. James Mangold)
2007, 117 minutes
w/ Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Peter Fonda
[Although I'm guilty of not having seen the original yet, James Mangold's remake of 3:10 to Yuma successfully balances character study and a looming thriller-to-come (with an apt final shootout that satisfied). While Mangold's Walk the Line felt like a cut-and-paste formula of the musical biopic, he appears more artistically confident in this follow-up and has produced the better of the two major westerns this decade (The Proposition being the other) and elevates excitement for the coup of others recently and soon to be released this year (Western revival > Musical revival). The character "types" are simple enough; Good laborer Christian Bale and ruthless (nonetheless charismatic) killer Russell Crowe, but its in the conversations between the two and peaks into their lives that explain over time each man's motive for his refusal to give up (Bale escorting Crowe to be hanged, Crowe escaping). Bale and Crowe both give thanklessly sound performances that won't receive reward recognition but at least add more material to their resumes, Bale's especially as he remains Hollywood's best young actor without an Oscar nom. Phedon Papamichael's photography is beautiful and shines in the final twenty minutes.]
***1/2
Away From Her (dir. Sarah Polley)
2007, 110 minutes
w/ Gordon Pinsent, Julie Christie, Olympia Dukakis
[28-year old Sarah Polley immediately establishes herself as one the most prolific new directors of her country (Canada) and gender with a picture that most 50-year old directors lack the maturity or grace to helm. Approaching subject matter that has become very much relevant in society but generally ignored in films--who wants to watch old people...?--Polley adapts the Alzheimer-based Alice Munro short story humbly and effortlessly with a pair of the year's best perfs from the still beautiful Julie Christie and overlooked Gordon Pinsent. When the latter is stubbornly forced to insert his accepting wife (Christie) into an Alzheimer's special retirement home, he has a difficult time accepting not living with her anymore. After their initial, mandatory month of separation, Pinsent visits his wife only to find she has fallen in love with a mute patient (Michael Murphy) and occasionally doesn't even remember Pinsent. Polley plays with time in a manner reminiscent of Atom Egoyan's Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter (she had parts in both). She also deserves credit for fearlessly including short, inexplicit sex scenes among the aging couples, something she could have stayed away from or approached over-ironically. While I've not seen much competition, Jule Christie has the best thus far and will probably end up in my top five leading female perfs of the year, heart breaking and irritating. Pinsent carries most of the film's emotional baggage on his shoulders and does so naturally and believably, acting with his eyes as well as anyone. Olympia Dukakis and Murphy impress in their supporting roles as well, Polley truly gets the best out of everyone in and out of the pic.]
****
300 [dir. Zack Snyder]
2007, 117 minutes
w/ Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham
[300 is a silly, pretentious "historical epic" that takes itself way too seriously to the point where it can't even be thoroughly enjoyed with the brain turned off. Special effects excite about as long as a new video game's opening titles do, and I wanted to press START and skip them by the third fight scene. Butler's excessive screams are unintentionally campy and the subplot involving Lena Headey's rape so boringly stupid that it seems like they filmed six hours worth of battle scenes and threw the script/"plot" together in a few hours, figuring auds were coming to see Butler tear people's heads off not history. They were right, but that's where the movie's flaws appear in bunches and 45 minutes through I was the most bored I'd ever been in a film of this type. Nothing I loved about Dawn of the Dead ('04) was present here which is truly disappointing as its one of the most fun pics of the last few years. And uh wtf@Xerxes, but I'm already too bored with this review to get into that.]
*
2007, 117 minutes
w/ Christian Bale, Russell Crowe, Peter Fonda
[Although I'm guilty of not having seen the original yet, James Mangold's remake of 3:10 to Yuma successfully balances character study and a looming thriller-to-come (with an apt final shootout that satisfied). While Mangold's Walk the Line felt like a cut-and-paste formula of the musical biopic, he appears more artistically confident in this follow-up and has produced the better of the two major westerns this decade (The Proposition being the other) and elevates excitement for the coup of others recently and soon to be released this year (Western revival > Musical revival). The character "types" are simple enough; Good laborer Christian Bale and ruthless (nonetheless charismatic) killer Russell Crowe, but its in the conversations between the two and peaks into their lives that explain over time each man's motive for his refusal to give up (Bale escorting Crowe to be hanged, Crowe escaping). Bale and Crowe both give thanklessly sound performances that won't receive reward recognition but at least add more material to their resumes, Bale's especially as he remains Hollywood's best young actor without an Oscar nom. Phedon Papamichael's photography is beautiful and shines in the final twenty minutes.]
***1/2
Away From Her (dir. Sarah Polley)
2007, 110 minutes
w/ Gordon Pinsent, Julie Christie, Olympia Dukakis
[28-year old Sarah Polley immediately establishes herself as one the most prolific new directors of her country (Canada) and gender with a picture that most 50-year old directors lack the maturity or grace to helm. Approaching subject matter that has become very much relevant in society but generally ignored in films--who wants to watch old people...?--Polley adapts the Alzheimer-based Alice Munro short story humbly and effortlessly with a pair of the year's best perfs from the still beautiful Julie Christie and overlooked Gordon Pinsent. When the latter is stubbornly forced to insert his accepting wife (Christie) into an Alzheimer's special retirement home, he has a difficult time accepting not living with her anymore. After their initial, mandatory month of separation, Pinsent visits his wife only to find she has fallen in love with a mute patient (Michael Murphy) and occasionally doesn't even remember Pinsent. Polley plays with time in a manner reminiscent of Atom Egoyan's Exotica and The Sweet Hereafter (she had parts in both). She also deserves credit for fearlessly including short, inexplicit sex scenes among the aging couples, something she could have stayed away from or approached over-ironically. While I've not seen much competition, Jule Christie has the best thus far and will probably end up in my top five leading female perfs of the year, heart breaking and irritating. Pinsent carries most of the film's emotional baggage on his shoulders and does so naturally and believably, acting with his eyes as well as anyone. Olympia Dukakis and Murphy impress in their supporting roles as well, Polley truly gets the best out of everyone in and out of the pic.]
****
300 [dir. Zack Snyder]
2007, 117 minutes
w/ Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham
[300 is a silly, pretentious "historical epic" that takes itself way too seriously to the point where it can't even be thoroughly enjoyed with the brain turned off. Special effects excite about as long as a new video game's opening titles do, and I wanted to press START and skip them by the third fight scene. Butler's excessive screams are unintentionally campy and the subplot involving Lena Headey's rape so boringly stupid that it seems like they filmed six hours worth of battle scenes and threw the script/"plot" together in a few hours, figuring auds were coming to see Butler tear people's heads off not history. They were right, but that's where the movie's flaws appear in bunches and 45 minutes through I was the most bored I'd ever been in a film of this type. Nothing I loved about Dawn of the Dead ('04) was present here which is truly disappointing as its one of the most fun pics of the last few years. And uh wtf@Xerxes, but I'm already too bored with this review to get into that.]
*
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (dir. Michel Gondry)
2004, 108 minutes [2nd viewing]
w/ Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Mark Ruffalo
[Having not seen it in nearly two years I felt an impulse to put it in and see if it still holds up to my great memory of it. Well, it wasn't exactly as I remembered it--it was better. In fact, it's flawless and easily one of the best and the most creative romantic films of all time, on the level of Annie Hall, Brief Encounter and Before Sunrise. Charlie Kaufman is the most profound, innovative screenwriter I've ever had the joy of watch the films of and at this point in his career Eternal Sunshine is his masterpiece. Michel Gondry deserves as much credit for his incredible direction which includes mind-blowing camerawork and a visual feast of colors and dream sequences. The basic plot, which artist Pierre Bismuth came up with the roots for, is a girl (Kate Winslet) erases her boyfriend (Jim Carrey) from her memory. Carrey finds out and has her erased, but during the procedure realizes he still loves her and tries frantically to corrupt the operation so he doesn't forget her forever-effectively ending their relationship without either knowing better. The chemistry between Winslet and Carrey is perfect and Winslet should have won the Best Actress Oscar unanimously, and Carrey at least should have been nominated. But one can only complain about AMPAS's obvious mediocrity so long, so moving on, while ESotSM could have been great with the Carrey-Winslet story alone, Kaufman writes a subplot among characters that include Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood and Tom Wilkinson. Gondry switches back and forth between the past, present and surreal as well as separate narrative with such ease that it's hard to believe this is his first major picture. The musical score is perfect. I can only describe so few reasons why everyone should see Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind but this second viewing assures it a place on my own favorite films of all time list.]
****
w/ Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Mark Ruffalo
[Having not seen it in nearly two years I felt an impulse to put it in and see if it still holds up to my great memory of it. Well, it wasn't exactly as I remembered it--it was better. In fact, it's flawless and easily one of the best and the most creative romantic films of all time, on the level of Annie Hall, Brief Encounter and Before Sunrise. Charlie Kaufman is the most profound, innovative screenwriter I've ever had the joy of watch the films of and at this point in his career Eternal Sunshine is his masterpiece. Michel Gondry deserves as much credit for his incredible direction which includes mind-blowing camerawork and a visual feast of colors and dream sequences. The basic plot, which artist Pierre Bismuth came up with the roots for, is a girl (Kate Winslet) erases her boyfriend (Jim Carrey) from her memory. Carrey finds out and has her erased, but during the procedure realizes he still loves her and tries frantically to corrupt the operation so he doesn't forget her forever-effectively ending their relationship without either knowing better. The chemistry between Winslet and Carrey is perfect and Winslet should have won the Best Actress Oscar unanimously, and Carrey at least should have been nominated. But one can only complain about AMPAS's obvious mediocrity so long, so moving on, while ESotSM could have been great with the Carrey-Winslet story alone, Kaufman writes a subplot among characters that include Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, Elijah Wood and Tom Wilkinson. Gondry switches back and forth between the past, present and surreal as well as separate narrative with such ease that it's hard to believe this is his first major picture. The musical score is perfect. I can only describe so few reasons why everyone should see Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind but this second viewing assures it a place on my own favorite films of all time list.]
****
Night of the Living Dead (dir. by George Romero)
1968, 90 minutse
w/ Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman
[The perfect way to start off my month of horror films, Night remains one of the most influential horror films ever made and the zombie sub-genre that has become so popular these days owes it all to this B&W picture shot on a shoe-string budget that makes The Evil Dead's effects seem elegant. Pratically shot in and around a single house, Romero makes effective use of claustraphobic environment and the hostilities that arise from people in peril. The acting varies from irritatingly bad (Judith O'Dea) to adequately convincing (Duane Jones) but is expected from amateur actors in a risky project. Almost everything in the pic is a downsized version of what Romero did in Dawn of the Dead, but it still provides its gross outs (the eating of human flesh especially) and bleak suspense. Romero should be especially applauded for shying away from an audience-friendly conclusion but rather provides a chillingly cynical finish.]
***1/2
w/ Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman
[The perfect way to start off my month of horror films, Night remains one of the most influential horror films ever made and the zombie sub-genre that has become so popular these days owes it all to this B&W picture shot on a shoe-string budget that makes The Evil Dead's effects seem elegant. Pratically shot in and around a single house, Romero makes effective use of claustraphobic environment and the hostilities that arise from people in peril. The acting varies from irritatingly bad (Judith O'Dea) to adequately convincing (Duane Jones) but is expected from amateur actors in a risky project. Almost everything in the pic is a downsized version of what Romero did in Dawn of the Dead, but it still provides its gross outs (the eating of human flesh especially) and bleak suspense. Romero should be especially applauded for shying away from an audience-friendly conclusion but rather provides a chillingly cynical finish.]
***1/2
Recapping 2007 So Far [Zodiac, Vacancy, The Ten]
Zodiac (dir. by David Fincher)
2007, 158 minutes
w/ Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo
[Fincher's return to form non-fiction thriller was the first film I saw of the new year and nine months later holds that spot. A sprawling, long but well-paced crime investigation that stuffs in barrells of information and periodic scenes of genuinely creepy atmosphere. Jake Gyllenhaal stars and gives an effortless turn while Robert Downey Jr. provides comic relief and Mark Ruffalo expands upon his similar role in Collateral. Pic covers over three decades and while Gyllenhaal doesn't exactly age convincingly, it's hardly thought of as Fincher returns us to scenes of the Zodiac killer's murders and suspenseful snooping trips by Gyllenhaal (a scene towards the end in a creaky cellar is creepier than anything else this year...) and never in the least strays towards crowd-pleasing exaggeration or propaganda techniques. Fincher's best and most complete work to date without having seen Alien 3.]
****
Vacancy (dir. by Nimrod Antal)
2007, 80 minutes
w/ Luke Wilson, Kate Beckinsale, Frank Whaley
[Despite good, Hitchcockesque intentions and a fresh step away from recent horrors that rely on gore rather than suspense, Vacancy adds nothing to the genre and leaves little to be remembered. Still, before it seems I'm trashing the film, it has thirty minutes or so of honest suspense and doesn't overstay its welcome. Neither Wilson or Beckinsale seem completely comfortable with their dialogue and by the time the annoying opening ten minutes of bickering is through, you can't wait for some havoc to be wreaked upon them. Vacancy quickly becomes a chase pic with only a few annoying contrivances (involving backup cops or lackthereof...), but then soon ends and the credits roll and while you got your few scares, its forgotten and ultimately not too impressive. ]
*1/2
The Ten (dir. by David Wain)
2007, 93 minutes
w/ Winona Ryder, Paul Rudd, Gretchen Mol
[Disappointingly uneven comedy with ten short comedic episodes based on each of the Ten Commandments from a couple minds behind TV programs (a personal favorite) The State and (one I've never seen) Stella. The film starts off well with Adam Brody being stuck in the ground from a parachuting accident and becoming a star, which pokes fun at a lot of reality shows and magazines and is followed by a Gretchen Mol trip to Mexico where she falls in love with Jesus (funny perf from Justin Theroux). The film unfortunately doesn't keep this consistency and has more than one absolutely horrendous takes that are cringe-worthy (Oliver Platt's Ah-nold and Ken Marino's one joke "I made a goof..." in particular). Winona Ryder's long love scenes with a ventriloquist dummy are probably the climax (pun not..) as she continues her nice little comeback. The movie's worst offense are the embarrassingly written interludes between commandments hosted by Paul Rudd, who is as inversely funny as he was in Knocked Up, babbling on and on to the audience for way too long. Also why the hell was Michael Ian Black so underused, easily the funniest person involved in this project and he only got one, creepy but meh scene.]
**
2007, 158 minutes
w/ Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo
[Fincher's return to form non-fiction thriller was the first film I saw of the new year and nine months later holds that spot. A sprawling, long but well-paced crime investigation that stuffs in barrells of information and periodic scenes of genuinely creepy atmosphere. Jake Gyllenhaal stars and gives an effortless turn while Robert Downey Jr. provides comic relief and Mark Ruffalo expands upon his similar role in Collateral. Pic covers over three decades and while Gyllenhaal doesn't exactly age convincingly, it's hardly thought of as Fincher returns us to scenes of the Zodiac killer's murders and suspenseful snooping trips by Gyllenhaal (a scene towards the end in a creaky cellar is creepier than anything else this year...) and never in the least strays towards crowd-pleasing exaggeration or propaganda techniques. Fincher's best and most complete work to date without having seen Alien 3.]
****
Vacancy (dir. by Nimrod Antal)
2007, 80 minutes
w/ Luke Wilson, Kate Beckinsale, Frank Whaley
[Despite good, Hitchcockesque intentions and a fresh step away from recent horrors that rely on gore rather than suspense, Vacancy adds nothing to the genre and leaves little to be remembered. Still, before it seems I'm trashing the film, it has thirty minutes or so of honest suspense and doesn't overstay its welcome. Neither Wilson or Beckinsale seem completely comfortable with their dialogue and by the time the annoying opening ten minutes of bickering is through, you can't wait for some havoc to be wreaked upon them. Vacancy quickly becomes a chase pic with only a few annoying contrivances (involving backup cops or lackthereof...), but then soon ends and the credits roll and while you got your few scares, its forgotten and ultimately not too impressive. ]
*1/2
The Ten (dir. by David Wain)
2007, 93 minutes
w/ Winona Ryder, Paul Rudd, Gretchen Mol
[Disappointingly uneven comedy with ten short comedic episodes based on each of the Ten Commandments from a couple minds behind TV programs (a personal favorite) The State and (one I've never seen) Stella. The film starts off well with Adam Brody being stuck in the ground from a parachuting accident and becoming a star, which pokes fun at a lot of reality shows and magazines and is followed by a Gretchen Mol trip to Mexico where she falls in love with Jesus (funny perf from Justin Theroux). The film unfortunately doesn't keep this consistency and has more than one absolutely horrendous takes that are cringe-worthy (Oliver Platt's Ah-nold and Ken Marino's one joke "I made a goof..." in particular). Winona Ryder's long love scenes with a ventriloquist dummy are probably the climax (pun not..) as she continues her nice little comeback. The movie's worst offense are the embarrassingly written interludes between commandments hosted by Paul Rudd, who is as inversely funny as he was in Knocked Up, babbling on and on to the audience for way too long. Also why the hell was Michael Ian Black so underused, easily the funniest person involved in this project and he only got one, creepy but meh scene.]
**
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
The General (dir. Buster Keaton & Clyde Bruckman)
1927, 107 minutes
w/ Buster Keaton, Marion Mack
[Probably the most critically acclaimed American silent film in history The General sets itself apart from similar silent comedies City Lights and Duck Soup with its impressive stunts and Keaton's lack of self-indulgence that sometimes makes the Marx bros. and Chaplin a bit unlikable. Essentially a chase movie set in the backdrop of the Civil War, Keaton is turned down to become a Confederate soldier but goes off to fight the war to impress his crush (Marion Mack), who is eventually kidnapped herself. Keaton risks his life many times throughout the picture, messing around with train wheels and cannons without ever showing any sign of doubt. Great tongue-in-cheek humor throughout including a great scene where Keaton finds himself trapped underneath a meeting table in a Union captain's HQ. The best silent comedy and perhaps favorite film of the '20s.]
****
w/ Buster Keaton, Marion Mack
[Probably the most critically acclaimed American silent film in history The General sets itself apart from similar silent comedies City Lights and Duck Soup with its impressive stunts and Keaton's lack of self-indulgence that sometimes makes the Marx bros. and Chaplin a bit unlikable. Essentially a chase movie set in the backdrop of the Civil War, Keaton is turned down to become a Confederate soldier but goes off to fight the war to impress his crush (Marion Mack), who is eventually kidnapped herself. Keaton risks his life many times throughout the picture, messing around with train wheels and cannons without ever showing any sign of doubt. Great tongue-in-cheek humor throughout including a great scene where Keaton finds himself trapped underneath a meeting table in a Union captain's HQ. The best silent comedy and perhaps favorite film of the '20s.]
****
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
School Daze [dir. Spike Lee)
121 minutes, 1988
w/ Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, Spike Lee
[Lee's sophomore effort is a surprisingly wonderful spectacle with incredible musical numbers ("Good and Bad Hair" especially) and intriguing black philosophy that simply suffers in tying everything together and developing particular concepts. About three minutes in, Giancarlo Esposito's fraternity G Fi G interrupts up a rally to support Africa led by Laurence Fishburne. Spike Lee and four other pending members of G Fi G crawl onto the scene in silver elbow pads and costumes, chanting as Esposito acts as drill sargeant. This kind of thing had never been put to screen before, and still hardly has, and is reason enough for me to like it. Pic strays back and forth throughout as both a comedy and a drama as different students consider their worth as black men and women, and while there are no white people in the entire movie, a light vs. dark skinned battle rages among the women. Samuel L. Jackson makes a memorable cameo as a jheri curled dropout who forces Fishburne and his friends to wonder whether college has them trying to be someone they're not. Deep perf from Fishburne, hilarious turn by Esposito and Tisha Campbell (My Wife and Kids) shines in the musical numbers.]
***1/4
w/ Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, Spike Lee
[Lee's sophomore effort is a surprisingly wonderful spectacle with incredible musical numbers ("Good and Bad Hair" especially) and intriguing black philosophy that simply suffers in tying everything together and developing particular concepts. About three minutes in, Giancarlo Esposito's fraternity G Fi G interrupts up a rally to support Africa led by Laurence Fishburne. Spike Lee and four other pending members of G Fi G crawl onto the scene in silver elbow pads and costumes, chanting as Esposito acts as drill sargeant. This kind of thing had never been put to screen before, and still hardly has, and is reason enough for me to like it. Pic strays back and forth throughout as both a comedy and a drama as different students consider their worth as black men and women, and while there are no white people in the entire movie, a light vs. dark skinned battle rages among the women. Samuel L. Jackson makes a memorable cameo as a jheri curled dropout who forces Fishburne and his friends to wonder whether college has them trying to be someone they're not. Deep perf from Fishburne, hilarious turn by Esposito and Tisha Campbell (My Wife and Kids) shines in the musical numbers.]
***1/4
Monday, October 1, 2007
The Last Tycoon [dir. Elia Kazan]
123 minutes, 1976
w/ Robert De Niro, Theresa Russell, Robert Mitchum
[The only film legendary director Elia Kazan admitted to make soley for the money, The Last Tycoon is a nearly pointless adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's unfinished novel. Film suffers from uninspired direction and Harold Pinter's script that rushes into the love story and eliminates the key first person narrative of Theresa Russell's character. Robert De Niro acts as an innocent bystander in the mess, making the most of his performance with what he's given. Whoever cast Ingrid Boulting as Kathleen Moore most likely lost their job as she gives a terribly self-conscious, wooden performance that takes away everything mysterious and insteresting about her character. A star cast of underused actors, especially Jeanne Moreau and Tony Curtis, who star in a movie inside the movie [which was considerably more intriguing than the "actual film...]. The last twenty minutes are the best thanks to a much needed spark from Jack Nicholson as a Communist who brings out the worst in De Niro's Martin Stahr. Russell and Mitchum also deserve props for solid perfs despite absense of a quality script or direction.]
*/****
w/ Robert De Niro, Theresa Russell, Robert Mitchum
[The only film legendary director Elia Kazan admitted to make soley for the money, The Last Tycoon is a nearly pointless adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's unfinished novel. Film suffers from uninspired direction and Harold Pinter's script that rushes into the love story and eliminates the key first person narrative of Theresa Russell's character. Robert De Niro acts as an innocent bystander in the mess, making the most of his performance with what he's given. Whoever cast Ingrid Boulting as Kathleen Moore most likely lost their job as she gives a terribly self-conscious, wooden performance that takes away everything mysterious and insteresting about her character. A star cast of underused actors, especially Jeanne Moreau and Tony Curtis, who star in a movie inside the movie [which was considerably more intriguing than the "actual film...]. The last twenty minutes are the best thanks to a much needed spark from Jack Nicholson as a Communist who brings out the worst in De Niro's Martin Stahr. Russell and Mitchum also deserve props for solid perfs despite absense of a quality script or direction.]
*/****
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