Picks and Pans

Sunshine

With all respect to Danny Boyle's newest genre-bending experience "Sunshine", it's going to die a slow, unprofitable death at the box office. Not only is there no marketing push for this film, but the theater I saw it at today had only 25 seats or so filled. That doesn't bode well for an opening weekend strategy. Is it because the studio doesn't fully understand how to campaign for such a well-crafted, eye-popping science fiction thriller in the midst of the remainder of the summer shallowness? Either way, I can only do my duty and use this meager space to shout to the heavens that everyone should see "Sunshine" immediately. It's the most visually arresting and emotionally charged thing you've seen in the theater all year long.



The plot, even though its often caught up in technological science-fiction babble, remains lucid when it comes to the characterization. Cillian Murphy plays Robert Capa, a physicist on board space station Icarus 2. Along with seven other astronauts (featuring a largely international cast including Cliff Curtis, Michelle Yeoh, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rose Byrne and Chris Evans), their mission is to travel to the sun and implode a nuclear device in order to save Earth from an enveloping solar freeze. Of course, this is 50 years in the future and the majority of Alex Garland's script deals with the psychological fissures that develop as the crew mates descend further and further into space. The sun (and mission) pale in comparison to the internal explosions of the characters' psyche. While "Sunshine" borrows alot from previous cinematic forays into science-fiction, it also distinguishes itself from its predecessors by tripping in and out of genres with courage. What begins as a typical space thriller (featuring the ubiquitous repairing the outer ship panels and computer malfunction) soon evolves into a nightmarish collision of slasher flick and psychological thriller.

Heightening the perfection of mood is not only Alwin Kuchler's daring cinematography, which feels like an Edvard Munch painting in the way it bends light and reflection to maximum effect, but also the contagious scoring of John Murphy and the band Underworld. "Sunshine" is that rare blend of science-fiction fantasy entertainment that intermingles loftier ideas with varying degrees of success. For the art house fans, there's Tarkovsky's "Solaris" (and to some extent Soderbergh's remake that hits alot of the same notes for modern audiences) and no doubt "Sunshine" will be paired with that achievement. Some will be turned off from "Sunshine's" final act, but for me, it invigorated an already competent film. Not only do writer Alex Garland and director Boyle handle the wild shift in genres well, but they amp up the tension to undeniable degrees. This is one of my favorite films this year.


Transformers

Why did I pay to see "Transformers"? Because nothing these days beats seeing a movie in digital projection, and what better movie to see than the big summer action blockbuster? Even in digital projection, I want my money back. There's probably not enough space here to define my dislike for Michael Bay's latest..... but I"ll try. Transformers are certainly within my generation. I had them as a kid and played with them everyday. Honestly, I liked my G.I Joes better, but that's a minor quibble. I can see some of my generation enjoying this film, but this is not a film for adults. Not when you have shallow and insulting stereotypes; the high school teacher is a sweater wearing geek, every black person in this film screams and acts foolish, such as when they yell at their 'grandmammy', and the fathers are all uptight white guys concerned about their yards and pools. Even when the Transformers themselves are given voices, they're relegated to stereotypical sounds that murmur childish things and bellow empty things such as "we are here now, and we are waiting". "Transformers" is a colossal disappointment for me. The heart gets racing a little when the Autobots and Decepticons finally meet in a grand finale battle that teats apart a city and utilizes some nifty CGI, but the heart of this thing is empty. This is an assembly-line production that exists solely for marketing and children under the age of 13. And even though I'm usually not affected by the depiction of US soldiers on the screen, I was a bit disturbed by the film's universal unacknowledgement of the consequences of violence. I guess that's how it got its PG-13 rating. Terrible, insulting stuff here.

DVD Pick 'o' the Week- The Missouri Breaks

There are very few things that can usurp the performance of Jack Nicholson in the 70's, but Marlon Brando does just that in Arthur Penn's magnificent 1976 western, "The Missouri Breaks". The story follows Tom Logan (Nicholson) as he and his gang of horse thieves buy a farm next to their sworn enemy, Braxton (John McLiam). In addition to stealing his cattle, Nicholson also steals the affection of his daughter, played with loving precision by Kathleen Lloyd. In retaliation, Braxton hires a contract killer and from the first time he arrives on screen, Brando embraces his performance like an un-performance. I'm not sure if we're witnessing acting or the personification of Brando doing anything he can to turn acting inside out. He wears dresses, mutters off-the-cuff lines of dialogue that could never be scripted, and waifs through the film with a deadly sense of perverse fun. And it all makes sense. Director Penn holds the entire affair together and manages to make some nifty conceits about violence as well. This is new on DVD as part of the Brando set released late last year. Put this high in your Netflix queue.

Sex, Drugs and Movies.. Ok, No Sex

It must be the hot July air that's making all these movie types go ballistic and snort up all the cocaine available in New York and L.A. The next to get caught with drugs (no, NOT Tom Sizemore) is one of my favorite actors, Peter Greene . According to this story, actor Greene was arrested in New York on Tuesday evening in posession of crack-cocaine. Greene is no stranger to addiction. He struggled with dependency all through the 90's while making himself visible in films like "Clean, Shaven", "Pulp Fiction", "The Rich Man's Wife", "Permanent Vacation" and my personal favorite, the amazing 1992 indie "Laws of Gravity". You can see, in that performance, he's not far removed from the glaze of hangover, which works pretty well for the story of a two-bit criminal gliding through New York city with his rag-tag crew. Still, I always hoped he would eventually kick his habit. I've seen him pop up in a few bit parts in the last couple years, but nothing substantial. Looks like he may be away for awhile now. We can only hope he makes a resurgent come-back ala Robert Downey Jr. Why are two of my favorite actors drug-addicted burnouts? OK, that's harsh for Downey Jr, but there must be something to the nature of fueled obsession with a substance that translates into raw performance shifting.

Pop Quiz

Whose job would you rather have right now?





1. Bud Selig






2. David Stern





3. Roger Goodell





I think I'll choose none of the above and sign my application for the commissioner of the Argentinian water polo league. This is all going to be very, very interesting. Call it Sportsgate '07.

The Power of Laughter

Over at The House Next Door blog, they've linked up with yet another list. This time, the British publication The Guardian has posted their top 50 comedy films of all time list comprised from reader ballots. It's actually a pretty conclusive selection, naming "The Big Lebowski", "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein" in their top ten. There's still some elitism going on (i.e. "Some Like It Hot" and the I-just-personally-never-understood-it "This Is Spinal Tap" clocking in at numbers 3 and 4 respectively), but it's a nice list. They even go so far as to include recent hits such as "Shaun of the Dead" and there's much love for my John Hughes fav, "Planes, Trains and Automobiles". The problems? Well, "Anchorman" earns a spot at number twenty, beating out classic laugh-fests like "The Blues Brothers" and "The Naked Gun", but the inclusion of maverick favorites "Team America: World Police" and "South Park The Movie" make up for some of that. The whole affair is a distinctively British affair, as evident by Monty Python's "The Life of Brian" earning the top spot as well as the inclusion of very-English works like "Alexander MacKendrick's "The Ladykillers", "A Fish Called Wanda" and "Withnail and I"???! Still, I'm a little jealous that I never recieved MY ballot. Granted, I don't live in the U.K. or subscribe to the Guardian, but they could've reached out a little more. Still, its a very fun list.

So, because I missed out on the Top 100 Films thing that was going around the blog-o-sphere a couple weeks ago, this is my attempt to make up for that. I invite everyone within this next week to post their Top 50 Comedies of all Time list. If I were more adventurous, I'd conduct a ballot of my own, but, hey, we're all adults here and can post our own lists. You can either link to them or post in the comments section or display them on your own blog. Laughter makes the world go round!


UPDATED: Here's a brief list. Creating 50 of my favorite comedies became a chore, sort of. I never have given comedies the preference over drama or other genres, so this tested me a bit. I have about 40 or so, so my ballot would've looked like this, in no particular order after the first:

The Big Lebowski (Coen Brothers)
Blazing Saddles (Brooks)
Young Frankenstein (Brooks)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Swingers (Liman)
The Royal Tenenbaums (Anderson)
Super Troopers (Chandrasekhar)
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (Hughes)
Dr Strangelove (Kubrick)
Bob Roberts (Robbins)
Bull Durham (Shelton)
Austin Powers Goldmember (Roach)
Hott Fuzz (Wright)
Shaun of the Dead (Wright)
Ghostbusters (Ramis)
Waiting For Guffman (Guest)
Harold and Kumar Go To Whitecastle (Leiner)
Napolean Dynamite (Hess)
Airplane (Abrahams)
Office Space (Judge)
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation (Chechik)
Knocked Up (Apatow)
The Jerk (Reiner)
A Christmas Story (Clark)
Army of Darkness (Raimi)
The Princess Bride (Reiner)
Top Secret (Abrahms)
Quick Change (Franklin)
The Life Aquatic (Anderson)
The Blues Brothers (Landis)
Funny Farm (Hill)


Curb Your Enthusiasm, Rescue Me, Freaks and Geeks, Seinfeld?

Summertime Blues

In the past 2 weeks, I've been unfortunate enough to sit through some mind-numbingly bad films:

Live Free or Die Hard- I know I'm getting jaded when I start looking for plausibility and consistency in a summer action blockbuster, but "Live Free or Die Hard" does a tremendous dis-service to the Die Hard trilogy. How would one actually drive a car through an office building by accessing the parking lot garage??? Why would all those cars be abandoned for hours and hours just because the traffic lights aren't working.. other than to save the costs of requiring extras? And the list of plot holes goes on and on... not to mention horrible characterizations, lazy pleas on emotions and a Bruce Willis who truly has gotten too old to portray a believable action hero.

The Hills Have Eyes 2- Detestable sequel to the first Wes Craven remake that situates itself somewhere between the slasher films of the 80's and 2006 torture porn. Not only does it roll out a sickening rape scene, but indulges in eye-gougings, severed limbs and a man being put inside a portable toilet?! Like that character, the rest of the film is just as full of shit.

Police Beat- Robinson Devor's 2006 indie that charts the week in the life of A Muslim Seattle bicycle cop. Desperately wanting to imitate some type of Terrence Malick art film, it never finds a tone or tempo.

Shooter- I have to give this film a few props for its imaginative shoot-out scene on a snow-capped mountain, but its hamfisted politics, unbelievable character archs and mumbling performance by Mark Whalburg don't add up to much of anything.

The 1 bright spot during my recent disc-watching: seeing "Freaks and Geeks" for the first time on DVD. So good. I'm in love with Linda Cardellini.

Flesh and Bone

In the May-June issue of Film Comment, Brynn White writes of Lee Marvin, "Marvin wanted the audience to grimace and stiffen, but he always wanted them to look back, captivated by what they had seen, gradually finding poignancyin human nature's initially repellent capacities." In Michael Ricthie's "Prime Cut" (1972), Marvin does just both- creating a silent hunter who makes us grimace when he dispatches Gene Hackman's henchman as well as stirring a few gentle emotions in the way he resurrects the empty childhood of a girl (Sissy Spacek) sold into sexual slavery. "Prime Cut", along with "Point Blank", are the best renderings of a man on a quest for something greater. Although they're both fairly straight-forward examples of the strong, silent type that made Marvin a star, they're also the quintessential types of filmmaking that earmarked their respective eras. While "Point Blank" cashes in on the late 60's feel and mood, "Prime Cut" is loose and spirited in a way that only the best films of the 70's captured. While Michael Ritchie would go on to make other classic examples of the period (namely "Smile" and "The Bad News Bears"), "Prime Cut" stands out for its efficient, focused, and nasty way of telling a very ordinary story.

From the opening credits, "Prime Cut" establishes itself as an attack on good manners; a man's body is seen laying inside a Kansas City meat factory converyor belt. The belt starts up, and we're given glimpses of the process that creates our daily beef intake. The camera follows as the body is eventually turned into sausage links. The links are packages up and mailed to a mob boss in Chicago, courtesy of 'Mary Ann' (Gene Hackman) as an affront to the big city boys who sent someone to his small town to collect money. The idea of disposing of a body within a meat packing plant seems elementary today (think of the passion that would've stirred up in a film like "Fast Food Nation"!), but it seems especially grotesque in 1972, which only begins the heated and bloody collisions that stack up in "Prime Cut".

It's not long before the Chicago boss sends his toughest henchman in to negotiate with Mary Ann. Enter Lee Marvin. Upon arriving in Kansas City, Marvin walks right into the barn of Mary Ann, who's in the middle of an auction for beef and drugged, nubile young girls. One of these girls catches Marvin's eye, but not for the same sexual reasons that other men are lined up. Marvin takes the young girl (played with sensual abandon by Sissy Spacek) and makes his intentions clear to Mary Ann. Pay or consequences (and most undoubtedly hell) will be coming. From there, "Prime Cut" explodes into a frenzy of single, efficient vision. It continually subverts the suspense and film noir genre, creating 2 setpieces that feel terrifying in their mundaneness. The first occurs when Marvin and Spacek run from Mary Ann's blond-cloned henchmen from a small town carnival. They end up in a wheatfield where a combine begins to chase after them. Hitchcock watch out. The second, a setpiece that acts as the thrilling finale, places Marvin in the middle of a sunflower field, automatic machine guns blazing. Not only does Richie nail the logistics of the gun battle with great audacity, but he manages to make it feel like anyone (even Lee Marvin) could fall at any minute. Marvin stalks through the battles with great confidence, but what differs from this melee and the ones he surrounded himself during "Point Blank" is the fact that he's fighting for something greather than himself. The undercurrents of father-child relationship between Marvin and Spacek echo loudly throughtout the final few minutes. Which, again, makes the bloodshed all the more palpable.

"Prime Cut" is a film that's hardly ever mentioned when 70's classics are thrown around, but it's a masterwork that demands to be seen. Recently released on video for the first time, maybe now is the perfect chance for everyone to seek out an unheralded gem.

What's In the Netflix Queue #7

Another round. Here goes:

1. The Booth- J horror film that I rented one time from my local BLockbuster, got thrugh 20 minutes and couldn't hear any sound. From what I saw, it was pretty creepy.
2. Runaway Train- Jon Voight and Eric Roberts on a train with a conductor who suffers a heart attack. Like the description says, if you think this is "corny action fare", Roberts and Voight both got Oscar noms for this film.
3. Siberiade- Aint It Cool News raved about this film; 2 discs, five hours spanning the lives of 2 families from the Bolshevik revolution to the 70's. After watching the 5 hour and 37 minute "1900" this week sometime, I'll need to change the cushions on the couch....
4. Charlotte Gray- This is one Cate Blanchett film I've never seen. Anyone who vistis this blog knows my love for Cate runs deep.
5. There Was A Crooked Man- Western starring Kirk Douglas and a host of great supporting character actors. Can't remember where this one comes recommended from.
6. The Assassination of Trotsky-Joseph Losey film in which Alain Delon is sent into the inner circle to kill Trotsky (obviously!). I have a very hard time turning down any Delon film in which he plays a contract killer. Add to that political intrigue, and I'm so there.
7. Savage Cinema from Down Under: Stained- Australian director Mark Savage (whose other films were listed earlier) crafts some pretty unnerving exploitation flicks and this is another. Once I get through a few more, I may write up something on him. He's an interesting one if you like experimental exploitation films.
8. The Bounty- I may have seen this early Mel Gibson flick back in the day, but it sounds interesting. Director Roger Donaldson's film tracks the mutiny on board a ship commanded by Anthony Hopkins. Should be some great scene-chewing.
9. My Left Foot- With actor Daniel Day Lewis co-starring in "The Bounty", so begins my exploration of the few films of his I haven't seen. I still believe he's one of the 5 greatest actors of the past 20 years, so I need to see everything he's done.
10. The Boxer- Daniel Day Lewis, director Jim Sheridan. They made magic before.

Is The Day After Tomorrow Really Happening?

The snapshot below was taken from local WFAA Local 8 weather radar about an hour ago. This low pressure trough of rain has been sitting over my area for 2 days now, plummeting the area with rain and causing widespread flood evacuations across the metroplex. And it's not going anywhere until probably late Friday or Saturday, moving south to north, which means more locally heavy rain and flooding. And even though we desperately need the rain after the severe droughts of '05 and '06, we've officially reached our breaking point here in the metroplex, exceeding our entire year's rainfall amount of last year in the first 6 months. Dallas set a record in May with 21 out of 31 days with measured rain, plus we've yet to reach a high over 94 this year, which is exceptionally rare. Right now, its 76 degrees outside and with the clouds, not going to reach over 85 until the weekend. Again, weird. Add to that, North Texas measured 2 inches of SNOW over Easter weekend. People I've talked to here in Dallas that've lived here all their lives say they've never seen such a thing. I guess I shouldn't be complaining, after all this IS a much COOLER summer, more rain, and I'm yet to personally suffer any ramifications of high water. So there's that. Call it or El Nino or whatever you like, but I'm watching for the end of the world to occur in Dallas any day now.....

5 Things I've Loved in Movies So Far This Year

In lieu of a mid-year 'best of' list like I usually do in various places, I thought I'd use the blog forum to open up conversation on what everyone else thinks are the best images they've encountered in film so far in '07. It's not that I couldn't make up a list so far, but the idea of using vivid pictures and other conversations just seems more stimulating. Listed below are 5 images from several films this year that have struck me a certain way; whether it be a face, a scene or a motif. So, I invite everyone to participate, post answers on their own blog and look forward to the other 6 months left in this film going year. In no numerical order:



1. Leslie Mann in "Knocked Up"- I really think I kinda fell in love with actress Leslie Mann after seeing her in this movie. I recognized her as the psycho drunk that almost scores with the 40 Year Old Virgin (and she was hysterical there as she is here) but she brings something new to her role in Apatow's latest. The interaction between her and Paul Rudd is priceless, and when things get a little real (such as when she's not allowed into a night club because she's "old") her humor gives way to some precise emotions about growing older.



2. The first image of The Host rising out of the river- Nothing compares to this stunning 4 minute sequence in Bong Joon-Ho's "The Host" as the 'thing' rises out of the water and wrecks havoc on the passer-bys. Joon-Ho graces the whole event in a long tracking shot that's elegant, chaotic and intense at the same time. And, this is probably the first monster movie in history to reveal the creature in its first appearance, and in broad daylight no less. It speaks volumes about the film's pretentiousness.



3. Actress Imogen Poots in "28 Weeks Later"- For the first time in the history of zombie movies, actress Imogen Poots took the focus away from the zombies and gave us a fully realized and fierce performance as the heroine. Reminiscent of a young Rebecca Gayheart but with acting chops, Poots held my attention every time she was on screen. She has some of the most intense eyes on an actress I've ever seen. I look forward to whatever she does next.



4. The swan in "Hott Fuzz"- There's alot to be said for a running gag in a comedy, but when it works quite as well as it does in "Hot Fuzz", it becomes comedy gold.



5. Actress Carice van Houten in "Black Book"- If the above image doesn't sell you on the genuine beauty of actress Carice van Houten, then you're blind. And like every other actress on this list, they earned their spot here. In "Black Book", Verhoeven manages to expose van Houten to every possible type of degradation and deceit during her campaign as a Jewish spy during World War 2. But, she holds up well and manages to portray her character with style and dignity.



So... what are your top 5.....

Music Makes the World Go Round

The following is my addition to the Film Music Blogathon at Windmills of My Mind.

We all understand the importance of music to films. Hell, the idea behind soundtracks now exists in every facet of our daily lives. Who doesn't have an Ipod stuck in their back pocket so we can instantly change the soundtrack of our hum-drum days? The fact that music presents us with a varied catalog of emotions and feelings speaks directly to the innate ability of movies to reach us on a basic level. We've all watched a movie where the soundtrack is often more involving than the film itself. And, when a soundtrack is REALLY good, it not only punctuates the strength of the moment, but it rattles around in our heads for days, refusing to loosen its grip. The music of Georges Delerue has been rattling in my head for several years now.

First off, a quick list of some films that Delerue has composed the soundtracks for: "Platoon", "Salvador", "Contempt", "The Conformist", "Silkwood", virtually all of Truffaut's films, "Beaches", "The Black Robe" and "True Confessions", plus over 300 other various film and television projects dating back to the early 50's. Prodigious, yes, but not well known, even though he won an Oscar in 1980 for his score to "A Little Romance" and was nominated 4 other times for "Julia", "Day of the Dolphin", "Agnes of God" and "Anne of a Thousand Days". The lack of recognition shouldn't be surprising. With the exception of James Horner, Bernard Herrmann, John Williams and possibly Howard Shore, there aren't that many composers who break into the global limelight unless they pen a true honest to God classic (think Williams and "Jaws"). Delerue, like so many other composers, harbor a deep passion for relating images to sound and they often go about their business in relative anonymity. But for me, Delerue burst into my global limelight about thirteen years ago.

Being the Godard nut I am, I was quickly burning through his oeuvre of playful, revolutionary 60's films when I rented 1963's "Le Mepris" aka "Contempt") from the local Blockbuster. I turned it on and from the opening moments, Delerue's theme wafts across the images with such a stunning clarity. I re-watched "Contempt" 3 times that weekend, falling in a deep obsession with the film's soundtrack. I quickly checked out this French composer, born in 1925, and saw that he worked largely with French filmmaker Francois Truffaut. So, Truffaut films it was. I think this was the first time in my formative years as a movie lover that I was guided through the images of certain films by a composer rather than the true auteur, the director. From there, I traveled back to Oliver Stone who employed Delerue on two of his films, "Platoon" and "Salvador". I was slowly being seduced by Delerue's lyrical and haunting music. It seemed to hit a pitch perfect harmony with the brutal images of death and destruction presented by Stone. Then there came Delerue's arrangement of Samuel Barber's Adaggio For Strings in "Platoon" that defies words. This was a man who understands the powerful suggestions music can have on the human soul. I was hooked. There was no looking back. Georges Delerue was and is my favorite composer and his music often deepens my appreciation for the images they accompany. That can't be said for many. But the theme that, in my humble opinion, defines the nature of Georges Delerues is known as "Theme de Camille" from "Contempt". It's a hypnotic, lush tune that replays itself over and over during Godard's exploration of a marriage disintegrating between two very beautiful people (Michel Piccoli and Brigitte Bardot). "Theme de Camille" has no other mission in the film than to play as a backdrop against the pulling and tearing of emotions and conversations that exist between the feuding couple. In one instance, it serves as a poignant exclamation of sincerity as Piccoli (and Godard for that matter) lingers over the naked body of Bardot, telling her that he loves each and every inch of her. Later in the film, the theme acts as a mournful elegy as Godard's camera tracks around the wreckage of a vehicle. Like the best of Delerue's theme songs, his music is a multi-purpose, not content to point the listener (and viewer) in one direction. His music takes on a variety of purpose. It's mood music at its best.

The enduring legacy of "Theme de Camille" has surfaced over the years, resurrecting itself in commercials for Chanel, compilation movie clips, and even sampled in the soundtrack of Martin Scorsese's "Casino" in 1995, no less during an emotional high point that corresponds with the violent outburst between man (DeNiro) and woman (Sharon Stone) as their marriage disintegrates. It's a sly nod to Godard's earlier use.

Delerue would go on to create other masterpieces (as evident above when I listed just a few of his credits) but "Contempt" is something altogether different. Delerue died in Los Angeles in 1992 and he's a composer who never really got his due. Was it because he worked largely in France? Still, placing the musical framework to 90% of Truffaut's films should earn him something. Or have we, as a collective group, become somewhat indifferent to the accomplishments and additions of the film composer? Quite often, a film's score will put it over the top for me. Is there a better modern soundtrack than Jon Brion's expressionistic layers in "Magnolia"? Or the music of Michael Nyman (and I'm thinking specifically of his work in "Wonderland", "The Claim" and especially "Gattaca"). Or what about the oft-hated build ups of sound produced by Philip Glass, a composer whose work often threatens to overtake the film's actual drama but feel so perfect to me? These are just a few examples of the brilliance inherent in film today. Delerue is in a class all by himself. He wasn't showy or pretentious. His music is crystal clear, rendering the many emotions of film viable through sound. Instead of just adding a soundtrack, he often added heart and complexity. And that's the greatest compliment a composer can receive, whether he's popular or not.

I've Been Tagged (The Thinking Blogger Award)

Over the weekend, something interesting began happening across the blog universe. Dennis at Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule mentioned a few blogs that make him think. This was in response to a seperate blog naming Dennis as a blog they often read. The whole affair can be traced back to its humble beginnings here, but the idea is simple- its yet another way for the community of blog-o-spheres to call out niches of interest in this ever-expanding and exciting forum. And it's been virusing all across blogs ever since. So, I'm pleased to announce that this little blog has been mentioned in the list of Jim's at his Talking Moviezzz blog and the activity will be reciprocated with my own list.

The rules are as such:

1) If, and only if your blog is one that is tagged on a list, you must write a post with links to five other blogs you like that consistently make you think (hence, the Thinking Blogger’s Award).

2) Link to the original blog so people will know whose good idea all this was, found here

3) Proudly display the “Thinking Blogger Award” logo with a link to the post you wrote.


So, here goes, in no particular order:

Drifting- Not only is the writer of this blog, David Lowery, a Dallas native such as myself, but also an accomplished short film maker and writer in these parts. But, he doesn't wallow in self serving enterprises, instead shifting the focus of his blog onto other filmmakers, such as when he posted a lengthy interview with director Charles Burnett or posts the latest P.T. Anderson clip. Drifting is essential reading.

Better Than Fudge- Writer Josh Horowitz has a real life writing about films for MTV and other publications, and his blog is a great diversion for film related matters, You Tube posts and some of the funniest pictures you'll surf across on the web. If you don't want to take things to seriously, Better Than Fudge is just what the doctored ordered.

Noel Vera blog- Writer Noel Vera brings us reviews from all over the world, and none as entertaining as his recent dispatches from the Jeonju Film Festival, including thoughts on the festival as well as pictures from his experiences (as a jurt member). This is why I read blogs- to open myself up to places and people that, otherwise, I'd never know. And Vera does a fantastic job of giving us glimpses into foreign worlds with texture and prose.

Coffee Coffee and More Coffee- Another writer who often brings us excerpts from foreign worlds (as he used to reside in Taiwan), Peter Nellhaus has been writing about film for major publications for years now, but none as intimately as within his blog. Everyday there's a new found gem on his blog, reviews from films I've never heard of and screengrabs that jump off the page. Another invalubale source of great info.

Trashcan Odorous Jr blog- Though his posts are infrequent, one of my best friends and one who can shed some insightful thoughts on everything from politics to TV. And I imagine he's working on some great posts about "Deadwood" and "Carnival" right now since he finally discovered the unlimited joys of Netflix.


So, there's 5. Link and enjoy and carry on the "Thinking Blogger" torch. And thanks Jim for the mention!

Capsule Reviews

Bug



While watching William Friedkin's psychological thriller, "Bug", it's clear to see why he's such a maligned director. He never goes for the easy pass or commercial venture. In a certain way, he's still stuck in the 70's and 80's (as visual and audio references to both Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time In America and Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" reveal in the first 5 minutes). And while I don't fully accept "Bug" as a terrific movie, I do admire the thematic and dramatic pose of the film. In a few words, this is one mentally damaged piece of work that has great potential of being a midnight movie in the years to come. Even though the first hour is painfully slow, Friedkin picks up the pace dramatically in the second half and begins to create a bipolar narrative that's as weirdly divided as the protaganists. Written by Tracy Letts and based on his play, "Bug" clearly identifies its minimal setting (the motel room and 2 minutes in a bar) and director Friedkin does his best to open things up when possible. There are several startling moments when the entire location begins to vibrate and explode as outside danger (basically meaning real people knocking on their motel room door) threatens Peter and Agnes' confined dementia. "Bug" is not for all audiences, but it does offer up a diverse offering for anyone wanting something a little more cerebral than that Pirate movie playing on 12 of the 16 multiplex screens. And don't forget to stay through some of the credits which features a quick shot that forces the viewer to re-imagine everything they've just seen and analyze what's real and what's not.

Knocked Up




Judd Apatow's "Knocked Up" carries forward his adult sense of humor with even more warmth and comic brevity than his previous film, "The 40 Year Old Virgin". Focusing on the unexpected woes of childbirth and impending adulthood rather than the simple idea of getting laid, Apatow chronicles the whole ordeal with a mature perspective. Amongst all the fart and bong jokes, there's a clearly defined, complex structure of men AND women that exceeds the (sometimes) juvenile offerings. I guess in this competitive film generation, one has to draw both age group audiences for a film to be successful, so alot of Apatow's less than intelligent laughs can be forgiven. But, I still believe adults will be far more entertained than teenagers. There's a few too many truthful moments here that only those who've lived it can appreciate them, none moreso than the scene where Heigl and her sister played, by Leslie Mann who STEALS this movie, are denied access to a hot night club because one is old and the other is pregnant.This is a film for any 30-something still feeling their way through life, unsure if they've made the right decisions and dealing with their mistakes the best way they know how. It's not only a magnificent comedy, but a pretty damn good representation of MY age group.

Ocean's Thirteen




I'm not sure what I expect out of a sequel (the third) from a remake of a movie made in the 60's. Yes, you read that right. And the criticism that was leveled against the first 2 modern Rat Pack movies holds true with "Ocean's Thirteen"- it most certainly looks like it was more fun to make than to watch. If getting the opportunity to see George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and Casey Affleck wear funny costumes intertwined amongst $1000 suits, then "Oceans Thirteen" is for you- and not all that different from the first 2 lackluster Ocean pictures. This time the motivating factor is revenge. William Bank (played by Al Pacino who appears to be sleepwalking through his flamboyant role) has double crossed one of Danny Ocean's (Clooney) partners. The boys team up to scam the casino on opening night in both inventive (timed slot machines and rigged dice ala a lighter) and extravagant (i.e. ludicrous) methods. And that's it. For the remainder of the film's 2 hour and 5 minute running time, we get the prvilage of being in on the joke with the Ocean crew as they toss out sprinkly dialogue ("I'll do the McGilroy" and "Told you it's always a Susan B. Anthony") and cruise around Vegas looking ultra cool. I'm probably not hiding my disdain for "Ocean's Thirteen" that well, but the fact of the matter remains "why?" Why does director Steven Soderbergh feel the need to toss off another wacky commercial venture with a high profile cast? Is it to complete his cycle of financing indie projects with the stakes of his more Hollywood fare? Or is there some other reason, as I stated in the first sentence? Is "Ocean's Thirteen" the boys' expensive way of getting together, throwing back drinks and spending 25 days in Las Vegas? Either way, they could've done that without producing such a boring picture in the process.

New On DVD: Straight Time
First, a little backstory here. If you've seen "Reservoir Dogs", then you might notice the face of the one criminals in that film (I believe it's "Mr Blue") has a supporting role in "Straight Time". Tarantino was an avid admirer of "Straight Time" and plucked this actor, Eddie Bunker, out of thin air and gave him the small supporting role in that 1992 film. Bunker, a career criminal, wrote the book that "Straight Time" is based on, and while its an engrossing character study, its also a very tough and knowing look at what it must feel like to be institutionalized from a precinct of life (i.e. prison). Hoffman is a method actor and while his style tends to be a little cynical at times, he nails the performance in "Straight Time", as does every other actor who graces the film with their presence (namely Harry Dean Stanton, Gary Busey, M. Emmett Walsh and a stunningly beautiful and young Teresa Russell). "Straight Time" is a hard-edged look at criminals and the uphill battle to stay sober and straight, creating an ironic title. Not only does the film chart the lead characters slow descent back into a life of crime, but it creates an anti-hero that we sorta feel sorry for, mis-trusted by the system and shoved aside from normal life. This is one of the great unheralded gems of the 70's.


Christ Stopped At Eboli- This is one terrific film by Francesco Rosi. I've seen 4 of his films now, and I'm beginning to understand that no Italian director comes close to the understated beauty he presents with each film. His is a proletarian view, often giving much more empathy with the peasants who mill around in his films rather than larger figures. In "Christ Stopped At Eboli", Rosi follows the life of exiled writer Levi as he takes residence in a small Southern Italy town. There's no real plot to speak of, only following Levi as he listens and makes friends with the townspeople. They dazzle him with stories about history, expose him to small town rituals (in themselves VERY fascinating tidbits about a lifestyle that no longe exists) and accept him as an outsider and eventual town doctor. This is minimal filmmaking, on par with the quiet, studied films of Manuel Oliveria, and another one of the best films of the 70's. Rosi is due for a MOMA re-discovery, at the very least so films such as "The Mattai Affair", "Illustrious Corpses" and "Lucky Luciano" will get a DVD release.

What's In the Netflix Queue #6

This selection is pretty random. I"m not working through the oeuvre of any particular director right now, so the films are varied. Comment if you have any suggestions or thoughts on the mentioned flicks:

1. Chan Is Missing- One of Wayne Wang's first films that just came out on DVD a little while back. I've been looking for this one for quite a while so I'm excited to finally catch a glimpse.
2. The Man Who Never Was- Intriguing sounding British WW2 film about a conspiracy to mislead the Germans about a military landing in Greece. A friend recently re-counted the entire true history of this story and it sounded fascinating.
3. The Dam Busters- Another British war film that documents the conception, building and eventual use of "bouncing bombs" that were used to hit Nazi reservoirs and flood portions of their cities. British war films are usually a grab-bag... but this one has a nice angle. It should be a nice companion piece to the previous film on this list.
4. Crazed Fruit- Yashushi Nakahari's nouvelle vague look at disaffected youth in postwar Japan. I know nothing about this film except for a stellar write-up from Aint It Cool News a long time ago.
5. Prime Cut- Michael Ritchie's 70's exploitation flick.
6. Loud Quiet Loud, A Film About the Pixies- Being a huge Pixies fan, I don't see how this documentary can go wrong.
7. Savage Cinema: Defenceless-Another odd ball choice that came recommended from a couple of Netflix friends. Directed by a man named Mark Savage, I've got 4 films of his in my queue. They're supposedly pretty raw and tough exploitation films that have grown a cult following in their native Australia. Once again, the joys of Netflix can bring home some unheralded gems or utter trash. The jury is still out on this one. I'll keep everyone updated!
8. 1900- Bertolucci's epic film (i.e. clocking in at 5 hours) has finally made its way out of the basement of edited versions and given a proper release on DVD. I watched part of this film when I was much younger and going through a Robert DeNiro phase, but didn't appreciate the style and grandeur of Bertolucci's vision. It's time to give this film another shot.
9. Sensitive New Age Killers- Another Mark Savage flick.
10. This Film Is Not Yet Rated- I've heard mixed views about Kirby Dick's controversial attack on the MPAA system. My local Blockbuster didn't carry it, so he must've pissed off someone.....

An Appreciation: James Gray

Three films. Three films is all director James Gray has under his belt... currently. So why does a director with only 3 films (and honestly, only 2 can be seen by the mainstream public right now as the third has its debut in Cannes this week) register a full length write up? I ask you.. have you seen the two films of James Gray, namely "Little Odessa" (1994) and "The Yards" (2000)? If you have, then one understands the complex subtlety and traditional mannerisms of both films. They are both extraordinary works, both in the way they reveal subtle (yet shocking) brutality and in the way they peel apart the intimacy of family. At times when watching "The Yards", one is reminded of the epic family struggles presented in Coppola's "The Godafther" series. Or maybe its just the beautifuly underlit prowess of cinematographer Harry Savides that gives that film a classical look. Either way, "The Yards" was the first Gray film I saw.. and it simply blew me away. I've since gone back and watched his debut film, "Little Odessa" in which a subdued Tim Roth portrays a contract killer who returns home to Brighton Beach to carry out an assignment, all the while attemtping to reconnect with his estranged family. The connections between both films, heavily laden with themes of guilt and motherly redemption versus institutionalized crime, are too great to ignore. Either Gray is working out some demons in his closet or he's comfortable in this milieu. Either way, his eye for creating art is indelible.

At the age of 24, Gray made his first film, "Little Odessa". Starring Tim Roth as Joshua, it deliberately tracks Joshua as he returns home to Brighton Beach to carry out a contract hit. Not only is he hesitant to return home (Gray hesitantly infers that the local Russian mafia is after him for a murder he committed years ago) but his family wants nothing to do with him. They know what he does for a living and his father (played with grace and humanity by Maximilian Schell) throws him out of the house the first night he tries to visit his dying mother (Vanessa Redgrave). The only re-connection he can form is with his little brother Reuben (Edward Furlong) and old girlfriend Alla (Moira Kelly). As Joshua lulls away the time before his contract killing, the Russian mob finds out he's in town, eventually exacting disastrous consequences for all involved. This brief synopsis (which I'm terrible at writing and often hate doing when writing about film) fails to recognize the enormous power that writer-director Gray infuses in the film. It sounds cliche and a certainly dated, but "Little Odessa" hits all the right notes. The relationship that grows between Joshua and Reuben and Joshua and Alla is never forced, but undeniably believable. Moira Kelly does a nice job of evolving from suspicious to loving through only a few encounters. And Furlong, who clearly looks up and respects his brother from their first meeting on a snowy street, never reaches for emotional arches. Every performance is natural. And, as in his next film "The Yards", Gray layers the whole affair in sad loneliness as people connect and disconnect due to lifestyle choices. Perhaps the most powerful moment in "Little Odessa" comes when Joshua finally gets to sit on the edge of the bed with his dying mother and she casually reaches out for his hand, accepting the lifestyle he's chosen. Like Mark Wahlburg later in "The Yards", a big tough guy is relegated to a small boy right before our eyes.


It was six years later before Gray was given the chance to direct again. The rumors are still rampant that Gray was forced to compromise his vision for Miramax films, but "The Yards" doesn't feel like a truncated work. Expanding his actor base and his sensibilties for a large scale crime film that deals with the exploits of New York railyard corruption and political bribery, "The Yards" is, at heart, just as small as "Little Odessa" in terms of its mutual themes. In lieu of Tim Roth is Mark Wahlburg as Leo, an ex-con whose returned home from prison to start over with his fragile mother (Ellen Burstyn) but gets involved in police brutality and murder with his crime-related cousin Willie (Joaquin Phoenix) and uncle Frank (James Caan). Complicating matters is his cousin Erica (Charlize Theron), engaged to Willie but haunted by accusations of a sexual relationship with cousin Leo years earlier. The tone of "The Yards" is akin to the strained battle between good and evil at the heart of "Little Odessa". And even though the wrangling of such big named stars happened, "The Yards" doesn't suffer from big-actoritis. Each person morphs into their roles easily. None better than Mark Wahlburg and Phoenix. I'd love to talk about his third film "We Own the Night" (starring Wahlburg and Phoenix again), releasing later this year, but I'll have to let the Cannes critics and others do the exposition on this one.

The most exciting thing about Gray is the framing of his films. "The Yards" certainly benefits from the magical lighting abilities of Harry Savides, but Gray knows how to place a camera for maximum effect. His silences are often more thrilling than the soundtrack. Take for example the dead silence as a killer stalks through the darkened apartment of Wahlburg, or the peripheral sounds of a hospital as Wahlburg makes a vital decision in "The Yards". There's also the quiet framing of the final shoot-out in "Little Odessa" as three people move like chess pieces inside and outside a wood frame house. And when Gray decides to get brutal, you feel the brutality. Who could forget the sounds of punches hitting flesh as Phoenix and Wahlburg duke it out in "The Yards" or the piercing gunshots in "Little Odessa". Not only do Gray films punctuate the inner turmoil, but their pretty adept at nailing the external conflict as well.

Even though both films were well received by critics on first release, they made a little splash at the box office. I can understand the lukewarm attendance for "Little Odessa" in 1994. Think of the bad timing of that film. 1994 saw the advent of the ultra-cool indie crime film, kickstarted by Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" then "Pulp Fiction". Not only was every other film being released tracking the dramatic progress of hit men and low-lifes, but they were so many of them For every "Red Rock West" there was a "Things to Do in Denver When Your Dead". For every "Boondock Saints" there was a "Truth or Consequences N.M.". It seems easy for a film like "Little Odessa" to get lost in the neo-new wave shuffle (although it did garner a Silver Lion award at the Venice film Fest that year, the only group to fully recognize the greatness of Gray's debut). But "The Yards" is a whole other matter. It had big names, a fall showcase release and plenty of word-of-mouth. I guess if both films were cult hits, I wouldn't feel the need for writing about them. There's something glamorous about proclaiming the greatness of something that only a few embrace. The two films of James Gray are glamorous.

Posters I Love

It's been a crazy week of traveling and work (sadly, not traveling that includes the south of France where the Cannes Film Festival kicked off) and my posts have been inconsistent at best. So, while scowering the coverage of Cannes so far, I stumbled across this poster. Not only is it one kick ass poster that would do well to boost the finances of any film (what did Godard say- "all you need to make a movie is a girl and a gun") but it's a new film from Olivier Assayas featuring the lusty Asia Argento who I've had a crush on for years now. What are the chances this actually becomes the release poster here in the U.S.? My money is on zilch. We're afraid of sexuality in every aspect. Still, I know I'm putting down my $8.75 when "Boarding Gate" hits North American shores. And a sidenote.... I've got to see The Coen Brothers' "No Country For Old Men" right...freakin...now.

What's In the Netflix Queue #5

I've been busy and missed putting one of these up last week.

1. Time To Leave- Francis Ozon's latest, this guy has to be one of the most prolific directors in France. I think there's only 1 or 2 of his I haven't seen. While not all of them are great, they always surprise me.
2. Dune: Extended Edition- Ok, ok.... I've only seen bits and pieces of this through the years because, growing up, I never really liked science fiction. It didn't appeal to me as a kid upon first release and the rumors of how screwed up it is as an adult have kept me away from it. Still, it's Lynch, so I'm willing to give it a shot. And (maybe someone can help justify it?) it's the extended edition and more in line with Lynch's original vision right!???
3. The Wire Season 3 disc 1- And so season 3 begins. I can't wait.
4. Salvatore Giuliano- I've been catching up with Francesco Rosi's films. In the downtime between my last post of queue lists, I've seen his "Hands Over the City" which is a pretty damn good film in its own right. I've heard this is not your usual look at the mafia- its much more oblique and complicated in its views of Italian life and it eschews any real action.
5. Twin Peaks, Fire Walk With Me- The last Lynch film I've never seen. I own the first season of "Twin Peaks" on DVD and with the release of season 2 a couple weeks ago, this should be a complimentary feature.
6. The Other- If anyone has ventured over to Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule they'll see a write up from Dennis about a Los Angeles film festival entitled "The Good, The Bad and the Strange" that'll make any film lover drool because they don't live in L.A. This film is a part of that festival and Dennis has been a strong supporter of this 1972 psychological horror film. I look forward to sinking my teeth into it as well. I'd never heard of it before Dennis kindly brought it to my attention last October during my "Favorite Horror Films" blog-a-thon. Let's just hope other readers of Dennis' blog don't hog the film for the rest of us. I have very few "long waits" in my queue, but this could turn out to be one of them.
7. Pusher- I've been looking for this film for years since it got a few nice words in film publications back in the last 90's. Director Nicolas Winding Refn has since completed 2 more "Pusher" films to complete his trilogy and they are not far down the queue list. I understand this is a pretty bleak, violent look at Denmark drug dealers. We all love bleak films about Denmark low-life!
8. Who's Camus Anyway?- Fellow blogger Peter Nellhaus wrote about this film here recently. This was a "Film Comment" fav not to long ago.
9. Christ Stopped at Eboli- Another Francesco Rosi.
10. The Wire Season 3 disc 2.

And finally, if anyone is interested in becoming a "Friend" on Netflix and sharing queues, let me know. It'd be interesting to see what others are renting and open my horizons even more. And I promise I won't tell if your queue is filled with Emmanuel films and "Wild Orchid".

Thoughts on "The Wire"

In watching and surveying the first 2 seasons of David Simon's HBO series "The Wire", I can't relay how in awe I am of the show's continued intelligence, characterizations and attention to procedural details. Though drastically different (with season 2 branching off into more intimate territories of crime and fraud on the Baltimore dock yards), both seasons make a statement that's been echoed here and in media print worldwide- that TV offers, hands down, the best environment to create and evolve a multi-layer narrative that stretches across so many boundaries of human interaction and growth. Characters appear and disapper, just like friends and acquantences in real life. Plot points are carried over several years. Weakness, motivation and all the other usual tropes are much clearer because we live with the characters for so long, eventually identifying pieces of ourselves in them. Modern TV is the visual answer to the novel. I'll never give up reading, but with epic television shows, it makes things a little easier if I don't read every day.


So, back to "The Wire". What strikes me most about seasons 1 and 2 (and I won't go into detailed plot synopsis because, quite simply, I could never do the series justice and half the fun is finding out for yourself) is how sprawling investigations are flamed higher and higher after insignificant incidents. Take these for example: 1) in season 1, a state's witness is murdered after he testifies on the stand against one of the mid-level players in an expansive drug operation run by heavy Avon Barksdale. Now, ordinarily, in the projects of Baltimore where "The Wire" takes place, a murder is something to scoff at. The detective appropriation board is already overflowing with cases that are unsolved. But it's the indefatiguable persistance of Detective Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) that opens the case wider. He goes to his judge friend, makes a few comments, and suddenly the entire Baltimore police force is scurrying to cover their own ass and solve this single murder. Loose lips certainly sink ships. An investigation is begun, and for the next 12 episodes, McNulty and a varied task force of equally dedicated officers ferociously hunt down every lead, exhaust every possibility and unturn every stone until the crime syndicate is toppled over. And while "The Wire" spares no expense in documenting the detailed steps of the investigation, it also brilliantly illuminates the versimilitude that exists in the heirarichal ladder of the Baltimore police force and their political counterparts. The dynamics of big city institutions are portrayed with a sense of truth. I look forward to seasons 3 and 4, in which I understand the Baltimore school system is brought under a jaundiced eye. 2) the second seemingly innocent kindle to a larger fire happens after a local dock worker, Frank Sobotka (Chris Bauer) outbids a local police major (already at each other's throats due to deep-seated nationality differences) and gets the better spot to showcase a stained glass window in their church. The Major puts together a detail to investigate where Sobotka earns that much money. The detail soon becomes entertwined with low-level drug dealers, international smuggling and murder.


Season 1 entranced me from the beginning. Not only does it represent what it surely feels like to pace through a slow-moving investigation, but it takes time to flesh out minute details that often gets lost in the wham-bam shuffle of other crime thrillers. For instance, when an officer decides to accept an undecover job and go inside the low-rise apartments to make a buy, the group's confidential informant makes a few casual remarks- "Is that your wedding ring? Take it off. A real drug fiend would've pawned that months ago. Let me see the bottom of your tennis shoes? Their not dirty enough. If you're a real drug fiend and you live in the low-rise, then the bottom of your shoes are full of broken glass from the drug capsules." That's what great stories do- they take ordinary situations and layer them in knowledge. Season 1 is full of knowledge. And while season 1 spends a majority of its time on the investigation, it also sheds emotional light on the family turmoil that face alot of the crew. McNulty is suffering through a disintegrating marriage and Lt. Daniels (played by the wonderfully stoic Lance Reddick) has to defend his every move when coming late at night for dinner. Likewise, Detective Kima Griggs (Sonja Sohn) has the double whammy of being involved in a same sex relationship, so she's dealing with the pressures of a homophobic environment as well as the stress her job entails. After all, she's a fiend for action, so when there's a door to be broken through, she's usually the first one inside. Season 1 not only speaks the truths of the street, but it reaches some pretty nice emotional highs as well.

In season 2, "The Wire" takes a deep breath and shifts gears from the poverty, drug-stricken Baltimore low-rise apartment housing to the blue collar shores of the dock yards in which international smuggling, low-level drug dealing and labor union corruption are just a few of the easy targets. And even though the thrust of the series lies in a police investigation that surfaces once a shipping canister of dead bodies is found on the dock of Frank Sobotka, the real heart of season 2 rests on the tragic consequences that a blue collar family suffers because of the investigation. Not only does "The Wire" begin to work outward (docks, labor corruption, Eastern European crime lords) but it strikes the most potent notes when it works inward towards the Sobotka clan. And all over a stained glass chruch window. Season 2 reminds me of the way Coppola's "Godafther 2" turned suddenly into an epic family chamber piece. The greatest casualties in Season 2 are the off spring. Confused, despondent and looking for more money than the 20 hours a week that the dock provides, Sobotka's son, Ziggy (James Ransone) and his cousin Nick (Pablo Schreiber) become involved in the low level drug trade and, eventually, topple their father's shaddy dock dealings. And its all the more tragic because Frank Sobotka, at heart, isn't a terribly bad person. He gets involved with bad people (Greek crime lords played menacingly well by Paul Ben Victor and Bill Raymond) and suffers the consequences of organzied crime. And that's the beauty of "The Wire"- every side of the story is beautifully realized. Equal time is given to the strong bond that hovers over the dock workers. More time is probably spent inside the local beer tavern where the dock workers hang out every night than any police office. One gets the sense that in Season 2, creator and writer David Simon is expanding outward and hitting notes of something intimate, something that is more than painting good and bad. And when the last line is spoken in Season 2, one gets the sense that old stomping grounds (i.e. the low level high rise) will again become an active plot point. Like in real life, evil is never destroyed. It only manifests itself in another form. I look forward to where Season 3 takes me.

Reviews

Black Book

Not only does the story of a seductive female spy give Dutch director Paul Verhoeven the opportunity to again explore screen sexuality in vivid and unflinching ways, but by placing his heroine in the midst of the German SS headquarters during World War II, "Black Book" also gets to dole out violence, torture and double-crosses regularly. Basically, everything that's made him famous with American audiences (i.e. "Showgirls", fascism in "Starship Troopers") gets a once-over in subtitles. Luckily, "Black Book" is also tense, intricately plotted and features one of the most gorgeous female screen presences I can remember in many years. And for those of you lusting over a pubic hair shot ala "Basic Instinct", you get that as well. In her role as Rachel/Ellis, actress Carice Van Houten certainly goes through hell. From seeing her hiding place go up in flames as she idylly lays on a pier in the film's opening moments to almost being drowned by a bucket of human feces dropped on her head in a torturous act of humiliation by her fellow countryman after the war, van Houten manages to keep her dignity throughout. Verhoeven often uses women as malicious and dangerous, but for the first time, he envisions a female character with courage and resilience. And van Houten embodies the role as Rachel/Ellis with patience. She is classical and modern at the same time. Her face recalls the stars of silent film while she uses her body and sexuality with a modern sense of abandonment. Even during some clunky moments of direction from Verhoeven, van Houten and the strong resolve of the films narrative make "Black Book" a rewarding film experience.

Vacancy

Settling into my seat at Nimrod Antal's "Vacancy", I began to get that sinking feeling as trailer after trailer rolled, featuring the likes of Eli Roth's "Hostel 2" and some other shameless pic that exploits torture as a means of cinematic catharsis. Ever since the "Saw" series and Roth's 2 "Hostel" pics (and even to some extent John Stockton's "Touristas"), the genre of torture pics has grown exponentially, not only out-selling each other which commends the filmmakers for making horror films that relies on blood and gore rather than artistic creativity in sound and mood, but out-grossing each other as well. What could be more sickening than a girl falling into a pit of used hyperdermic needles?! I'm sure Eli Roth will come up with something in his latest. And not that I'm totally against the expoitation genre (I grew up with so many great 80's slasher flicks and discovered a host of terrificly twisted grindhouse films over 6 years ago), it's just that the current crew of filmmakers have substituted laziness for substance. They're not even fun in a cheesy manner, just nasty. Luckily, Antal's "Vacancy" doesn't follow the current schematic and the trailers were all just a prime example of Hollywood marketing at its finest. The idea of the 'snuff film' has been an exploitation jewel since the early 70's, lending itself to the main plot of films such as "Last House On Dead End Street" (which was widely considered a snuff film itself for many years due to the unknown wherabouts of many of the film's no-name actors and director) and less so intriguing in Joel Schumacher's "8MM", in which Nick Cage hams it up way before he was hamming it up in recent films. Antal's "Vacancy" plays with the idea of a snuff film as a peripheral effect, clearly sympathizing with his two lead characters more than others lost in this genre. There's some bloodshed, but it's not overdone. And though his characters do make some bone-headed mistakes which show the subtle failings of Mark L. Smith's screenplay, what redeems the film is the tough resilience exhibited by Beckinsale's performance. Moreover, the film features an extremely unsettling soundtrack full of loud shrieks and ambient noises that heightens the already failing psychological tension of Amy and David. And, as in Antal's previous film, the wonderfully atmospheric Hungarian film about a murderer on the loose in the underground Budapest train station called "Kontroll", "Vacancy" gives us a tightly controlled, claustrophobic look at a surreal environment totally controlled by a madman. Antal is clearly at home in this insomniatic world. And he has some great potential ahead of him.

Smokin Aces (DVD)

Director Joe Carnahan's film certainly impressed me more than expected. I loved his pevious film, "Narc", which earned a spot of my favorites list from that respective year, and it's clear he loves his violence and mayhem. While some of the dialogue in "Smokin Aces" reeks of that post-Tarantino style of talking, Carnahan knows how to frame and squeeze every ounce of tension from a shoot-out. Some of his actors (especially Taraji Henson, Ray Liotta and Ryan Reynolds) even manage to scrape together some emotional connections that overcome the falsities of the script (i.e. an exaggerated group of neo Nazi hitmen that serve more as a fatalistic in-joke than anything else). This was an enjoyable romp that features a 'twist' ending that actually kinda makes sense. Carnahan's use of music in this film is also quite good.

Forty Shades of Blue (DVD)

I wasnt a big fan of Ira Sachs previous uber-indie film called "The Delta", but "Forty Shades of Blue" is a miraculous little movie. Full of understated moments, a brilliantly underplayed lead performance from actress Dina Korzun and a moving score, this is a strong movie that turns a well-tread narrative (son comes into an older womans life and shakes up her sexual and emotional existence) into an interesting examination of one womans life. And the final few minutes are quite devastating in their own small way. It's an 'arthouse ending', but altogether satisfying.

A Top 5

After getting into a brief discussion with Jim at his Talking Moviezzz blog over the supremely depressing ending of the 1980's cult classic The Last American Virgin, it got me thinking. What better time for a list! This is something I hope to continue doing, as well as my ongoing "What's In the Netflix Queue" posts and a few more appreciations of a given director. It seems the niche for blogs right now is finding something that makes your blog unique and invites participation. This is my feeble attempt at something like that. And, just for kicks and because you can find some of the best blog links ever assembled in one post, check out the recent writings by online buddy Piper over at his Lazy Eye Theater blog.

So, feel free to add your list in the comments section and let us know what you feel are the your top 5 most depressing endings in movie memory. With "The Last American Virgin" firmly holding its place, here are four more titles that will bring you down no matter how happy you feel:

2. "Laws of Gravity", Nick Gomez (1992)- internet friends will recognize my praise of this film since about the mid 90's when I first stumbled across it on VHS. Not only did it introduce me to the electric acting skills of Peter Green (Zed, from "Pulp Fiction" and one helluva screen presence who allowed his personal addictions to override his professional career), but it opened my eyes to the talent of a great director named Nick Gomez. And for us "Sopranos" fans, it features a young Edie Falco, just as saucy and tough as ever. While the film itself pretty much epitomizes the mid 90's indie feature template of handheld camerawork unobtrusively documenting a day in the life of young mid level urban hoods, "Laws of Gravity" also does something else. Yes, these guys are kinda dumb, and they grate on your nerves with their pseudo tough guy attitude, but you end up caring for them in the end. And its not only the disastrous way in which Gomez quick cuts the final moments to a black screen, but the timing in which he allows the screams of Jimmy and his entourage linger on the soundtrack. It's probably one of the most perfect (and yes, depressing) denouments in the last 20 years. I urge everyone to seek this one out. Hell, I'll even make you a VHS copy if you can't find one!

3. "Hustle", Robert Aldrich (1975)- Even though you can feel the cynicism reeking through every scene, the ending to Robert Aldrich's well crafted film noir still shocks and, yes, depresses. Burt Reynolds plays a California detective trying to solve the case of missing girl whose biggest problem is not the case itself but the girl's avenging father who constantly impedes the investigation with his old-school sense of pride and justice. After 105 minutes, Reynolds breaks out of the moral quagmire that's been slowly building and heads home for the day. And that's when Aldrich sucker punches you with the film's boldest disaster. I fully understand the need for film noir to engulf everything into a black hole, but for the first time, you think there's going to be a light at the end of the tunnel and then "Hustle" brings us back to reality. Some may feel cheated by the ending, but it fits.

4. "Don't Look Now", Nocholas Roeg (1973)- This is a film that could make several lists. It's on my 15 favorite horror films blogathon entry, it's a devastating psychological thriller, and how could anyone forget the climax? With all of the film's attention to fractured narrative and disconnected memory, the viewer soon starts to realize that nothing will turn out well, but when the final few minutes do play out, its still something terrifying.

5. "Chinatown", Roman Polanski (1974)- This film and Hitchcock's "Vertigo" are perfect specimens of film writing. Not only do their screenplays expose deep rooted layers of psychology amongst their characters, but they create a time, mood and place that's unforgettable. The mood of Robert Towne's script for "Chinatown" is morbid and cynical. Jack Nicholson's evocative embodiment of Detective J.J. Gittes is memorable and full of witty non chalance. But it's exactly that air of non chalance that marks the film's ending as one of the most depressing. Not only does "Chinatown" reserve the harshest punishment for the film's sympathetic female lead, but it places a blanket of malaise over the city of Los Angeles, the time, and the country's attitude toward political and economic change.

What Happens in a Small English Town Stays in a Small English Town

Disclaimer: I love "Shaun of the Dead". I think it's an inventive film that, along with Danny Boyle's "28 Days Later", audaciously does something new and fresh with the 'zombie movie' genre, while remaining loyal to its roots of political and social commentary that every 'zombie' movie since 1968 feels compelled to display. Directed by Edgar Wright, it's a film that features two leading characters (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) who want nothing more out of life than to burn out in front of the TV playing video-games and wallowing at the local pub. It's only half-way through the film that they realize their mundance English life is being quickly usurped by fleash eating zombies. That's the nifty idea (and very sly attack) that plays out in "Shaun of the Dead". It's also a film that doesn't shy away from the gross out theatrics inherent in the 'zombie' genre. While "Shaun of the Dead" clearly understands where it's coming from, it's also a pretty decisive affront to modern comedy as well- filled to the brim with humorous images and witty banter that outlaughs so many comedies of the past 15 years.

And all of the above applies directly to "Hot Fuzz". This is a film that continues Wright, Pegg and Frost's uproarious terrorizing of genre to take aim at the action film, placing a London supercop (Pegg) in the small English country town of Sanford where the biggest crime of the day is a missing swan. But like in "Shaun of the Dead", we soon learn that rustic houses and suburban life is pretty much incarnate evil. And like the previous film, "Hot Fuzz" navigates through a well-tread genre, elevating the level of screen violence, unpredictable moments, and rapid-fire dialogue that comes so fast that it hardly gives the viewer time to wipe the tears of laughter from their eyes before they miss the next line of precise humor. Quite simply, "Hot Fuzz" is a joy on just about every level.



The reliance on movie in-jokes often indicates a level of juvenility within the modern comedy, but "Hot Fuzz" is something altogether different. Though it features homages to the grand finales of both previously mentioned films and toys with the buddy cop relationship of the "Lethal Weapon" films, "Hot Fuzz" is simply not just waxing funny on Hollywood itself (though several scenes are timed to the fast forward, exposed images that Tony Scott favors). The characterizations are so strong, the humor so prevalently funny and the comedic timing of dialogue delivery so perfect that "Hot Fuzz" comes across as a lovable and knowing extension of the action film- on a tighter budget of course. And while alot of this piece focuses on the comedy, rest assured, "Hot Fuzz" also explodes in the final 30 minutes into a fairly persuasive action film that doesn't sacrifice any good taste. And, remember all those great 80's action films that ended with the good guy and bad guy embroiled in hand to hand combat on top of a building or inside a rain soaked factory yard? Well, "Hot Fuzz" has something for everybody.

This review and many others can also be read here.