Iron Man [Jon Favreau, 2008]

• solid, at times intriguing superhero movie that seems more interested in its characters than in plot, for a change. unfortunately, these characters aren't incredibly deep. this is made up for, though, by the always fantastic Robert Downey Jr. and an optimistic return to big movies for Gwyneth Paltrow. The former is perfect for the role, at times hilarious. Aud can relate to him better than Bale's Batman, and he's a lot cooler than Maguire's Spider-Man. Paltrow looks beautiful and has great chemistry with the much older RDJ
• there is minimal action scenes prior to the inevitable final battle, both impressive and puzzling. the exposition and general plot are an entertaining ride but not particularly ambitious. Terrence Howard is disappointingly restrained but Jeff Bridges chews away as Obediah, intriguing especially because of his high voice and intimidating stature
• aforementioned final battle is worth the wait, not terribly clever, but well edited and technically cool. final few minutes are a great wrap-up but certainly leave one desiring more, especially in regard to the RDJ-Paltrow relationship (and tongue-in-cheek reference to Howard's possibly expanded role).

7/effective popcorn pic w/ great perfs

Frozen River [Courtney Hunt, 2008]

• one of the most veteran-seeming debuts in recent memory, Courtney Hunt helms a feature that carefully straddles the line of drama and thriller, neither falling into any genre nor conforming to its cliches
• Melissa Leo mans the film. there's not much reason the role couldn't have been played by a male, but one is thankful it wasn't. thesp bears resemblance to Helen Hunt's character in Pay It Forward without any of the Hollywood buzz or spoon fed character traits. she doesn't ask us to like her, or root for her, but we do because we can see the desperation in her wrinkled hands and weathered eyes
• expert cinematography from Reed Morano, who like Hunt as no previous film credits but possesses a great eye for detail in the film's icy suburban setting
• i feared momentarily that the film's ending was spiraling into the ordinary, but is saved by Leo's last minute change of mind. this sacrifice isn't presented as self-righteous, but as logical and appropriate. pic ends with a great set piece that offers recollective poignancy

9/great, uninfluenced performance piece (and then some)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona [Woody Allen, 2008]

• Spain has undoubtedly inspired a new (or, revived) type of Allen film, always observing its characters, but with sympathy more than cynicism
• the three central characters, played by Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, and Javier Bardem, are all flawed but captivating characters. Hall, in the only role I've seen from her outside of playing a period character in The Prestige, is wonderful, playing out her indecisions in tangible fashion
• narration is at first off-putting because of Christopher Welch's irritatingly casual tone, but is written beautifully. the connection of the opening and closing narrations perfectly encompass the complexities and simplicities (not in that order) of the picture
• Allen smartly goes to the native Javier Aguirresarobe (Talk to Her) for lensing, capturing the language in characters' eyes as well as Barcelona's streets with equivalent excellence
• Penelope Cruz enters the picture with only about forty minutes to spare, and her presence is immediately felt. all characters are affected and the influence adds so much more to the film. She is both beautiful and detesting, innocently manipulating Johansson with grace
• believe it or not, Vicky is as liberal a film regarding relationships as he's ever made. the hypocrisies of "relationship rules" are broken down quickly through the Americans' culture shock while this free perspective is in turn criticized
• note: in one scene, at dinner with fellow good-intentioned snobs, Hall's husband begins a joke about Indonesian rugs or of such but the audio goes silent while Hall contemplates the dullness of her future. Patricia Clarkson is also adequate in this sense as swiftly adding an element of falling out of love with someone you marry thru boredom

9/classic Allen, updated

In Bruges [Martin McDonagh, 2008]

• In Bruges is a neo-Shakespearian tragicomedy disguised by advertisements as a crime thriller. characters live longer than disbelief can be suspended for, there are contrived coincidences, and a great moment of self-awareness ("don't be stupid. this is the shootout"). trust in the material or allow its effect to be lost on you.
• Colin Farrell finally finds a balance between drama and comedy, forgettably stiff and embarrassingly free. he is often hilarious, managing to be a douchebag, but one we like. Brendan Gleeson is great, especially when his role gets larger in the second half. Jordan Prentice is hysterical.
• i've heard that Americans found this film offensive, which is crazy. most of the best lines come at the expense of such cliche American stereotypes as being fat and getting our ass beat by Vietnam (cleverly flipped in the "Canadian" revelation).
• when Ralph Fiennes arrives in Bruges, the theatrical surrealism begins. characters' voices are no longer restricted by their bodies, fate will be carried out regardless of plausibility. in any other film, Gleeson would have shot down Fiennes from the belfry tower just as he was about to kill Farrell. it's so foggy, though, that it's almost like a fairy tale. Gleeson can't see anything, and instead sacrifices himself on a whim of saving his young friend. the film opens and ends with a monologue, continuing the theatrical theme and smartly concluding in ambiguity of Farrell's fate

8.5/hilarious tragicomedy

The Wackness [Jonathan Levine, 2008]

• props first of all for Levine not beating viewers over the head with its slang or hipness (cheap shot at another Thirlby film?!). i know what purple haze is, and yes, white people do say "peace out" regularly. Nothing over the top.
• the slimmed down Josh Peck gives a good performance, though its Ben Kingsley who, not surprisingly, molds the most interesting character. most of the comedy goes through him and without the comedy, this could have gone seriously wrong.
• soundtrack excellently captures the hip hop influence of '94, but becomes overused to a point; the great "i like my girls brainless.." line would've been a lot better if we weren't beaten over the head with Biggie's music throughout the film. still, it's refreshing to hear an Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Niggaz song in a film that isn't named Belly or Waist Deep.
• tiny roles from Mary Kate Olsen, Method Man and Jane Adams are all memorable. Famke Janssen however is miscast or at least underused, only breaking free in a scene toward the end.
• pic really falls off the map in the last thirty or so minutes, dry out of themes to revisit and instead decides to experiment with drug use for the hell of it. nearly every relationship arc in the pic falls apart here and only Kingsley is around to keep us interested.

6.5/promising premise, confused prestige

Snow Angels [David Gordon Green, 2008]

• '07 Sundance film that didn't see its theatrical release until March (ideally it should've been released around October, the probable and important setting of the pic)
  
• excellently paced, developing characters through short cuts that observe the subtlest bits of behavior, while every once in a while taking a moment to admire the beautifully white town (camerawork a la the great Tim Orr, who's yet to receive Academy appreciation for his talent)
• standout performance belongs to Sam Rockwell, who continues to stack his pile of great performances that (will) ultimately be forgotten come awards season. young thesps Michael Angarano and Olivia Thirlby give wonderfully mature performances in their pivotal role as the only working relationship in the picture
• Angels is most admirable for its refusal to shy away from the emptiest depths of human relationships, and its small town realism. Rockwell's Glenn is probably the most sympathetic character in the movie yet he not only disappoints those around him, but the vi hopeful ewer, too. 
• what could've potentially ranked with George Washington and All the Real Girls, pic disappoints in its last ten minutes once the viewer realizes where its going and how unnecessary it is. really, a near-perfect film up until that point, so its quite disappointing.

8/affecting storytelling

The Bank Job [Roger Donaldson, 2008]

• heist film that's unique in its focus not on the robbery but rather its consequences.
• paints a descriptive picture of the hostility between police, government, and blacks in Britain in the '70s
• serviceable acting around the board, with no real stand-outs save Saffron Burrows looking stunning [probably not difficult, but i digress]. a case for Statham's need to stay across seas is strengthened but alas Transporter 3 hits in November
• first 45 minutes of pic is set-up and probably too much; if you must overbear the viewer with information, you need the pace of Zodiac or All the President's Men. pic's final act is smart and exciting, though
• ending is somewhat ridiculous, or at least queer. if your husband robs a bank and cheats on you in the process, one would hope it'd take more than a couple days to get over it. perhaps if implied she was a gold digger, however...

6.5/sharp, reasonably interesting thriller

Straight Out of Brooklyn [Matty Rich, 1991]

• back on my grizzy, young money where ya at // two tables and a mic tell the dj run it back
• in contrast to the swelteringly hot NYC of Spike Lee's '80s films, Straight Out of Brooklyn puts forth a chilly Red Hook, in the weeks just before snowfall
• directed by Matty Rich, a 19 year old who dropped out of NYU Film after a month, pic is quite obviously low budget and direction is framed more by the heart than the head
• the "plot" of the film is as simple as can be, but only about five of its eighty minutes are concerned with plot. rather, the action of S.O.B. (apt acronym) takes place in character's eyes, between dialogue and in contemplative silence. one impressive scene of many is one in which the kids are getting their gun from an older friend. upon receiving it, Kevin smiles and is satisfied. he's forgotten something, though, and the older man returns with a case of bullets. Kevin's smile disappears momentarily, as he now realizes they might actually need to use the weapon. 
• the film's conclusion seemed inevitable from the start. the money brings much more good than bad, and one is left to imagine what ultimately happens to Dennis and his sister. the film ends perfectly, though, with the message "First things learned are the hardest to forget. Traditions pass from one generation to the next. We need to change." Still applicable today.

8.5/pivotal culture cinema