Fight Club

Dito Montiel's sophomore film, "Fighting", is just as electric and startling as his debut 2006 effort, "A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints"... and I was still the only one in the theater on both occasions. Whether it's the film's premise of underground fighting or the lackluster advertising, another Montiel film is relegated to eventual seek-and-find status on home video- a bleak outlook for such a gifted and realized young director.

Starring his now apparent alter-ego Channing Tatum, "Fighting" holds a simple premise that unfolds in natural and unhurried fashion. Struggling for cash daily, selling bootleg Harry Potter books and Video Ipods on the street for $20, Tatum plays Sean MacArthur. One day, after a failed attempt to steal his stash of already probably stolen merchandise, Sean meets Harvey (a deceptively good Terrence Howard with a true 70's cinema name). Harvey realizes the raw talent in Sean to defend himself with his knuckles and the two soon develop a friendship that includes the entry into the high stakes world of underground fighting- although "underground" is a relative term since every fight is a distinguishable and unique setting perched somewhere high (or dark) in and around New York City. Along the way, Sean meets Zulay (Zulay Henao), a struggling waitress in a high class bar and the two form a relationship. Also embedded in this survival story are some illusions to Sean's volatile past, which eventually manifests itself in a fight between an old friend.


With just two films under his belt, I'm fully ready to proclaim writer/director Dito Montiel as a young autuer in the making. Both films reveal a talent beneath the surface that's boiling to create something truly great. In "Fighting", he takes the well-worn genre of the masculine showdown movie (think horrid teen precursors like "Never Back Down") and turns it inside out, developing smart characters and tender interactions between Sean and Zulay that far exceed the genre's usual play-by-numbers approach. As a director of actors, Montiel seems to already have that figured out as well. The initial meeting between Howard and Tatum on the street is handled with intelligence. Just watch how Harvey tenuously keeps his distance from Sean, clearly laying out his expectations. It's a small moment, but one that feels very true. Likewise, Montiel is adept at displaying the awkward fits and starts that encircles every relationship at the beginning. The scenes between Zulay and Tatum are wonderful. The framing from outside a cramped NY apartment window as the two carry on a late night conversation.... the nervousness in an apartment stairway... Montiel has already made a burgeoning career of young love developing on fire escapes and hallways and it all feels so right.


And then there's the fighting... the part of the film which is sure to bring in over 90% of the crowd. It's visceral. It means something. Very few films can capture the escalating moral or metaphysical consequences of their finale. P.T. Anderson's "There Will Be Blood" does it. Spike's Lee's "He Got Game" does it best. Montiel's "Fighting" is very close. It's bone crushing and stark, but it's win or lose outcome envelops the whole thing which only increases the audience's tension level and validates that Montiel has crafted a film that resonates on several levels.

Cinema Obscura: TimeCrimes

Nacho Vigalondo's "TimeCrimes" made a small splash in cult cinema circles last year, most notably from its inclusion in Fantastic Fest hosted by Ain't It Cool News. Granted, anytime a small independent film chooses as its subject time travel, the accolades come hard and fast due to the film's scruffy, intellectualized subject (see "Primer" from a few years'a go... a film whose praise was lost on me after finally seeing the film's baffling concept. It was filmed in Dallas though) But Vigalondo's film does deserve the praise. Visually unoriginal (since it was filmed for Spanish TV), "TimeCrimes" relies on a twisting, highly original idea to carry the film for its brisk but near perfect 95 minutes. I suppose if you think too hard on the film's structure, a few plot holes exist her and there. But really, what time travel idea isn't riddled with holes? "TimeCrimes" mounts doppelganger upon doppleganger until the film begins to hurt the brain as the viewer hastily tries to piece together the various timelines and switcheroos. It's all terribly exciting and handled with restrained tempo by Vigalondo through careful camera composition and an unnerving sound design.

Without going into too much plot detail, "TimeCrimes" loops some very serious questions around it's heady time travel scenario. What would we do if we were seemingly invisible and adverse to cause and effect? Are we destined to repeat our circumstances or do we have the power to change the seemingly hidden pull towards the inevitable? As Hector (Karra Elejalde), one of only 4 characters in the film, the beating compass of morality and choice lies with him. After a serene opening in which he and his wife have moved into a new house in the country, he takes up gazing across his backyard with a pair of binoculars. A few minutes later, he's beginning to become wrapped up into a mystery that echoes the razor sharp economy of image and sound inherent in Hitchcock's cinema of voyeurism. He sees a half naked girl posing for him. A wrecked vehicle. And Hector eventually comes face to face with a looming figure, complete with bloody-bandaged face and all, who forces a game of hide and seek through the woods. From there, "TimeCrimes" opens up a pandora's box of future and past timelines as Hector desperately tries to erase and manipulate the horrific events.

Based on one short film and now "TimeCrimes", it's clear the wave of Spanish invention in cinema is far from over. Del Toro, Amenenbar, Bayona... these guys are taking up the genre picture (horro and sci-fi specifically) and churning out refreshing spins that continue to grow upon repeat viewings. Now add "Time Crimes" to that list. I look forward to whatever Vigalondo does next.

2 Minutes To Stardom

Imagine this scenario. You're part of an indie rock group that's been playing the fringes of the big-time for several years now. An appearance at SXSW once. A late night Coachella venue. You have some hometown notoriety. You've produced a few records on a local label and are subject to a growing (but cultish) following. Then, a movie studio uses your song in a trailer for one of their upcoming movies and, suddenly, the rivers are parted and you're the 'next big thing'.

Several bands certainly call that fictional scenario a reality. Case in point: Montreal indie band The Arcade Fire. Now, I'm not suggesting that The Arcade Fire needed any help. They were already far along their path to international success before Warner Brothers prominently featured one of their best songs in the trailer for Spike Jonze's "Where the Wild Things Are". But listening to XM radio this week, they claimed that The Arcade Fire shot up very high in their Top 10 down loadable artists last week... the first time this band has been in such a list since debuting their masterwork album "Funeral" almost two years ago. How's that for instant regurgitated success? Part of me loves the idea that a two minute trailer spot can expose a well-loved niche band to the mainstream currents of pop culture. And then the musical snob in me recoils at the fact that this band- which I've regarded as a well kept secret for two years now- is finally being discovered by this same mainstream current.

Still, The Arcade Fire are not the first band destined for greatness via viral campaigning... and they certainly won't be the last. Indie bands are popping up on trailer spots all over the place. Muse (for it's placement in "The Watchmen"), Sigur Ros (for, take your pick of any number of trailers including the new Disney Earth or my personal favorite from "Children of Men") and MIA (Paper Planes) and Cat Power are some of the latest crop of artists to gain popularity from the movie industry. And then there are the X-Box video game spots which have added tons of new fans for bands like Devotchka and sent people scrambling for the various covers of the song Mad World. So what do we owe all of this? Is it studio and movie executives making a deal with the devil to even further proliferate their billions of dollars profit? Nah. Not likely. The simple answer... certain music lends itself naturally to visual images. How many times have you listened to a song and suddenly gotten flashes of a visual image that seems to rhythmically blend with the sound? Or is this just me? The common denominator in all these above mentioned trailers and ads is that the music does seem to enhance and embellish the images. Before the trailer, I really had no interest in seeing Jonze's latest. Now, my interest is piqued to say the least. Two minutes of success for the The Arcade Fire, and nine more dollars from my pocket to Warner Brothers later this year. Seems like a good trade-off, no?

Three

JCVD

Mabrouk El Mechri's "JCVD" falls squarely within the design of a film that could drown amidst its self-reflexive pretense. From the energetic opening shot (in which international action star Jean Cleade Van Damme flails and kicks his way through a long take of attacking soldiers), "JCVD" calls attention to itself as a sort of joke on filmmaking and the star's bigger than life personality. But "JCVD" also maintains some real heart and (gasp) acting chops from its leading man. Playing himself- albeit down on his luck, forging through a considerably painful custody battle over his daughter, and flat broke- Van Damme strolls into a post office where he's immediately caught up in a bank robbery. The film dances circles around the robbery, showing us the hostage situation and ensuing police negotiations from varying perspectives. Inter cut throughout the robbery are glimpses of Van Damme's personal troubles, handled with gentle humor and introspective flashes of brilliance such as a six minute monologue spoken directly to the camera in which Van Damme ruminates on his life as boy, drug addiction and the manic life of being a star. In certain situations, this scene could have come as leaden and overwrought. Van Damme and director El Mechri make it work. And the rest of the film works magically as well. We expect Van Damme to save the day... and part of the joke of "JCVD" is the realization that, like any other 'star', he's a fabricated personality that won't be able to save the day when reality crashes around them. And the final scene between Van Damme and his daughter is a stunner. See this film when possible.

Adventureland

It would seem almost too easy for a film like "Adventureland" not to fail. Add catchy 80's pop tunes by the likes of INXS, The Cure, Husker Du, toss in the improvisational comedy of Bill Hader and Kristin Wiig, star two energetic and likable young stars (Eisenberg and Stewart) and milk off the success of indie-rock tales such as last year's "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist" while treading closely to the Apatow brand. Well, "Adventureland" doesn't fail. In fact, it pretty much works itself out into a tender and low-key comedy-drama that distances itself from all the above cloying aspects. Written and directed by Greg Mottola- who finally has seemed to cash in on the buoyant pedigree started almost ten years ago with the fabulous "The Daytrippers", his debut- "Adventureland" is the smart telling of one young man's revelatory summer working at a Pennsylvania amusement park and finding himself in love for the first time. Of course, young love doesn't come easily- as we've all figured out. But what Mottola captures is something special... the way he films the hands of Stewart and Eisenberg touching as they kiss..... the little lean-in he does underneath a sky of fireworks.... and the precise comic timing of Martin Starr as he yells out "ow... that was a whole corn dog!"... everything fits and describes a carefully understood time and place. "Adventureland" is the type of film that makes one reminisce about their own awkward staggerings through young love, and for me it even brought back a rush of sounds and feelings. And, the final scene stands as one of the most uplifting and breathless endings in quite a while.

Observe and Report

A vulgar, white trash karate instructor. A mall cop with delusions of grandeur; Granted, the anti-heroes in Jody Hill's darkly cynical worldview of "The Foot Fist Way" and now "Observe and Report" don't beg for our sympathies or kinship.... but they're still loners at the fringes of society who ask us to laugh at their increasingly morbid and icky stabs at normalcy. I don't find either one that incredibly funny, but I do admire the go-for-broke attitude that "Observe and Report" displays on mainstream American films. While Seth Rogen's bipolar mall cop asks that we suspend disbelief that any company would keep the guy employed after his first altercation with police officer Ray Liotta, maybe this whole film takes place in his delusional head. That's the only reason I can find for it's inconsistent tone and complete alliance with characters who propel the myth that brain-dead white trash is still funny long after "Reno 911" and "Talladega Nights" have run their course.

I really hate the path most modern comedies take. Everything is broken down into two camps: the improvisational comedy that stretches itself into unfunny oblivion (see any Will Ferrell movie) or gimmicky crotch shots (see "Observe and Report"). When a comedy comes along that understands the value of comedic timing, I get excited. "Observe and Report" is a prime example of a comedy that tries to push the envelope and loses sight of its small goals. The funniest part of the 100 minute movie? A small exchange in the beginning of the film- being interviewed by a local reporter, she calls Rogen mall security. He lashes back with a string of profanities and tells her he's head of mall security. When she continues the interview, he asks her "you still wanna continue after you f'ed up my title? Ok, I'm standing here being interviewed by this doctor..." Rogen's reading and the set-up has the rhythm of a well told joke, but the rest of the film is wasted in ugly portraits of drunken mothers, pervert co-workers and clueless police men who show up like keystone cops. If only the rest of "Observe and Report" had been as sharp as that exchange, we might have something. Instead, director Hill has taken the path of prankster who refuses to believe there's any intelligence in this world.

On Mad Detective

If I haven't stated it enough over the past couple of years on this blog, Johnny To is one of the most prolific and creative Asian directors working today. And when I say prolific, I mean it. Since the fall of last year, he's got three films in various stages of release. I'm still waiting on his well-received film "Sparrow" which has been cited as an extremely savvy and entertaining portrait of a group of pickpockets. His latest film, Vengeance, just received a very cool trailer this week and count me in!

Somewhere in-between the above films, "Mad Detective" circulated on the festival rounds last year and I finally got a chance to see it. Those unfamiliar with To's work should know his films are often poised between two distinct types- there are his hyper-stylistic gangster films such as his "Election" films, "Exiled" and "Full Time Killer" and then the more playful genre films such as "Throwdown", "Yesterday Once More" and "Running On Karma". "Mad Detective" falls soundly in the latter category. Ching Wan Lau, To's alter ego, stars as detective Bun who uses his magical ability to place himself in the shoes of a killer and re-enact the crime with perfect clarity. After a nervous breakdown (in which he slices off his ear and gives it to the police chief as a retirement gift), Bun leaves the force. Inspector Ho (Andy On) takes over his duties, but finds himself seeking out Bun when two cops on a stakeout chase a suspect and one of the cops never returns. But, really, I'm leaving out the most entertaining aspects of this film. "Mad Detective" continually questions the sanity of Bun, along the way revealing to us that he not only uses his ESP-like abilities to solve crimes, but he can see the inner person of everyone he meets. This becomes increasingly important when the partner of the missing cop enters the scene and Bun identifes six seperate personalities within him. It's this type of vibrant and alarming lunacy that propels the films of Johnny To, threatening to sink the whole thing, yet he always maintains a firm and fantastical edge. Case in point- in one scene Bun and Ho go out to dinner and Bun constantly talks to his wife, only visible to him.... and when Bun decides to jump on Ho's motorcycle and give her a quick ride, To frames both of them on the bike, speeding along with huge smiles on their faces. Whether it's real or not, it's these types of bullient moments that infuses To's films with a go-for-broke freedom that fills me with so much joy.

"Mad Detective" also carries on some of the usual tropes in a To film. One of the major plot points revolves around the missing service revolver of a police officer.... a device brought to lucid realization by Kurosawa's "Stray Dog" in the late 40's and a recurring idea in several Johhny To films. And, not one to deviate from the violent and balletic displays of gunfire, "Mad Detective" serves up a finale shoot-out in a hall of mirrors that loudly reverberates the prismatic shades of its main character's mind. Part of the enormous fun of a Johnny To film is the wild and chaotic shifts in mood and tone that come at you feverishly. If you're not digging the vibe, give it a minute and it might change. "Mad Detective" does this with abandon. And the final scene, as Inspector Ho wanders the room trying to get something right, To raises a significant question- where does right and wrong in our police officers start and end?

Day 3- French New Wave Blogathon

Others are beginning to join in the fun:

Bourgeoiss Surrender contemplates his initial thoughts on the French New Wave, or the "Great Thing" as he calls it.

Sam at The Listening Ear takes a critical look at the French New Wave and dissects it into some very interesting points. Sam follows it up with a second post about one of my personal fav New Wave films, Godard's "Breathless".

Day 1- French New Wave Blogathon

Jump cut. That small, relatively unknown term is what led me to the filmmakers of the French New Wave. I read it somewhere in relation to the films of Martin Scorsese... a simple editing trick that speeds up time but quickly became the hallmark for a loose, electric type of French filmmaking that was beginning to grow from murmurs across the ocean into chorus waves of critical praise. The name Jean Luc Godard and Francious Truffaut kept creeping up. I had to see what this was all about. I went to the local video stores (yes, VHS copies, this was before DVD) and saw one title from the lackluster "foreign" film section with the name Godard on it. I rented it, took it home and this was what I saw:



I was hooked. The way the camera breaks the fourth wall, Georges Delerue's lush and evocative score (which still stands as my favorite of all time) and the totally superfluous lens changes as the camera lovingly traces over Brigitte Bardot's flawless body. This was cinema pertaining to style and mood, with a little story thrown in for good measure. I'd never seen or felt anything quite like it. Truffaut's "Jules and Jim" and "Shoot the Piano Player" were next. Which led me to Jean Pierre Melville. Which led me back to Godard's "Breathless". Which led me to 45 plus films of Claude Chabrol. And with each new venture, I could feel my wonder and amazement evolving as if I'd discovered something highly secretive. This "love affair", if you will, with the French New Wave continues even today. There are times when I recognize a stolen moment or idea from one of the nouvelle vague greats... and I always smile. 50 years plus, and those lightning bolts of cinema still produce charges of greatness.

There are film movements today that almost rival the energy of the French New Wave. Asian cinema, in particular, continues to ebb and flow with true masters (Johnnie To and Chan Wook Park) while the newly christened Romanian film scene is emerging as a force to be reckoned with- if only it contained more than 5 or 6 features. But the French New wave were different. The original 'film brats' (who mostly wrote and devoured movies and prodded hidden/unrecognized gems of brilliance from the studio films of Hollywood) they understood the rules... which in turn gave them permission to break them. They unleased a flurry of playful ideas based in the old genre tropes. We need disruptive voices such as these to keep things fresh, extroverted and creative. For the French New Wave, nothing else than those words applies.

Blogathon Reminder

Tomorrow begins the French New Wave blogathon. If you'd like to participate, simply comment and post a link or you can e-mail me at Henryhill51@aol.com. The blogathon will run Thursday April 9th through Sunday April 12th. I'll update daily.

Thank Goodness....

... that's it's time for this again:



And, for the first time ever, the fantasy league bug has bitten my friend Chris and I. My line-up is as follows:

C- Joe Mauer
1B- Adam LaRoche
2B- Placido Polanco
3B- Pedro Feliz
SS- Rafael Furcal
3B/SS- Michael Young
3B/SS- Joe Crede
OF- Carlos Quentin
OF- Jacoby Ellsbury
OF- David Murphy
OF- Jim Edmonds
OF- Hideki Matsui
Util- David DeJesus
P- Daisuke Matsuzaka
P- Scott Kazmir
P- Francisco Rodriguez
P- Cliff Lee
P- Edinson Volquez
P- Matt Garza
P- Troy Percival
P- Justin Masterson
P- Jered Weaver


I have to admit. This has been fun. From the draft (which, I quickly learned must be taken seriously and forced me to put down my beer and concentrate) to arranging the roster for opening day, any true baseball fan will get undeniable joy from it. Crunching numbers... keeping up with DL reports... playing the odds on when to sub in your bench players... it keeps you greatly invested. Granted, my list is a bit American League heavy (Rangers fan, remember) and I think I need to stretch myself more next time and expand my knowledge on NL players, but I look forward to enjoying the baseball season a little more this year. Oh yea... and I got Matsui!

Great World of Sound: Beirut

I've just finished listening to the first great album of the year- Beirut's "March of the Zapotec/Real People". Beirut is really just the brainchild of young singer Zach Condon. Influenced by Eastern European "folk" music (much like Denver band DeVotchKa), Condon's latest installment of smart and get-under-the-skin sounds is a magisterial blend of two divisive types of music. The first half resembles his earlier sounds on "The Gulag Orkestar" and "The Flying Club Cup"- a crashing (but completely moving) blend of horns, violins and Arcade Fire-like makeshift instruments. The second half of his latest EP (the RealPeople section) dives deep into low-key electronica. Blink and you may think it's Thom Yorke singing.... but Condon is a unique individual whose voice pierces whatever sound he chooses to infuse into his eclectic mix. It's all wonderful and sublime.

Here's a sample from the RealPeople section of the album, my favorite song on the record titled "Venice".



And just in case the above track misleads anyone into Beirut's music, here's a more traditional and representative taste of their music:



Beirut only has three albums out, so do yourself and favor and catch up quick.

French New Wave Blogathon! Calling All Blogathon Entries!

Jump cuts. Sultry black and white cinemetography. Cool cigarettes dangling from lips. Pretty women who speak of Sarte and Voltaire.

What more could anyone want in French cinema? 50 years ago (and anyone can argue a year or two) Claude Chabrol, Francious Truffaut and Jean Luc Godard burst onto the scene with electric bolts of cinema like "Le Beau Serge", "The 400 Blows" and "Breathless". The London BFI is celebrating the movement with a host of films throughout April.

Therefore, I hereby declare the French New Wave blogathon officially open April 9-12th (yes, Easter weekend). Any and all posts are welcome. Reviews, screengrabs, posters, thoughts, memories.... it's wide open. Simply e-mail your links or leave me a comment and I'll be adding all weekend. Spread the word. I look forward to everyone's participation.

3 From the Art House

Hunger

"Hunger", the visually striking first film from British director Steve McQueen, has been getting raves since popping up on the festival circuit last year. Unrelentingly brutal from start to finish, McQueen (who hails from an installation artist background) chose as his subject a group of IRA prisoners sentenced to incarceration in 1981 and the ensuing hunger strike that eventually forced minimal changes on the political status of IRA prisoners. The first half of "Hunger" is virtually a silent combination of harsh images (feces smeared walls, the brutality of the guards onto the prisoners) and a wandering mosaic of life in and around the prison. Initially focusing on two prisoners (Brian Milligan and Liam McMahon) and a prison guard (Stuart Graham) whose bloody knuckles speak to a deeper level of seething hatred, "Hunger" almost feels too messy and too avant garde for its own good. Then, we're introduced to Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender) in a 15 minute long take as he has a conversation with a priest about the reasons for his decision to go on a hunger strike. While that scene alone is a magnificent piece of acting that digs deep into the religious and political motivations for Sands' desperate and suicidal plea, there's a three minute scene immediately following that discussion that packs the real punch. The final third of "Hunger" narrows its focus on the visceral and visual depletion of Sands' body as he limps through the stages of dehydration, starvation and complete physical collapse. It's harrowing stuff, even if we do tend to forget that these guys were convicted terrorists who killed and maimed in service of a belief. No, "Hunger" doesn't go the route of Jim Sheridan and "In the Name of the Father", giving us a protagonist who is seemingly innocent in his confined battles over 'the troubles'. Sands makes no case for his innocence. If one can put those feelings on hold and listen to the discussion between Sands and the priest, "Hunger" does present this murky collision of ideas with intelligence and multi-faceted openness.

The Great Buck Howard

Sean McGinly's "The Great Buck Howard" is a brisk, breezy movie- yet also inconsequential, as if it was made for the small screen. Based on the life of the Amazing Kreskin and McGinly's own job as his personal assistant, Colin Hanks fills in the autobiographical shoes and perhaps this strikes at the heart of the film's "meh" attitude. I've seen Hanks in a couple different films now, and he feels blank, bland and boring. Sprucing up the affair, though, is Emily Blunt as a press agent who looks incredible and there's always John Malkovich as the titular character (or mentalist) who imbues Buck Howard with just the right amount of zaniness and quirkiness to gain some nice mileage out of the film's shaggy-dog take on low-rent showbiz. Nothing special here, but not a bad film either.

Gomorra

Matteo Garrone's "Gomorra" deserves some credit for attempting to dislodge the usual perception American viewers have of the Mafia in Italy. La Cosa Nostra's black hand does pulse through most of this film's background, but Garrone has accomplished something altogether different- presenting the mob as customary and as indistinguishable as the lowly street gangs and hoods that populate our urban city streets. Sure, I suppose one could call the layers of low-life kids, bumbling thieves, waste disposal honchos and sweat shop managers 'criminals' in the loosest sense of the word, but "Gomorra" wallows in the intermingled slums of several Italian barrios with causal dis-regard for anything resembling "organized crime". There are random shootings and two guys straight out of "Dumb and Dumber" who play act Tony Montana, but the crumbling decay of crime on everyone is front and center... hence Garrone's symbolic title. Circling around five distinct stories, "Gomorra" is intriguing for its detached, static tone. There's not much to care about here, but technically, "Gomorra" is worth seeing.

Miscellaneous Ramblings

I've got a grab-bag of thoughts and clips in this post. Nothing of real substance here... although I'll be seeing my 4th new film in 7 days either Wednesday or Thursday- so there's some reviews-a-comin'.

First, everyone needs to check out this post from Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule blog. Not only does it strike at the heart for so many of us film-obsessed fans, but it floods back my own memories of buying and devouring film books back in the late 80's and early 90's and being just as heartbroken about not being able to see the films mentioned. I'm trying to rectify that now, but some titles from the wonderful books of Jonathan Rosenbaum or Amos Vogel's "Film As A Subjective Art" still (and probably always will) elude me.

Over the past year or so, I've come to grow and really appreciate the humor of South Park. I'm not sure how big the following for this show still is, but for me, I find myself eagerly awaiting each week's new episode. While the early years seemed to be an excuse for potty-mouthed humor, the last 3-4 seasons feel like some of the most incisive social and political humor available today. I smile just thinking about the "Heavy Metal episode" with Kenny... or the old west recreation town whose actors refuse to break character even when terrorists attack.... and especially the World of Warcraft episode. Then, last week, we get a "Dark Knight" episode that is so perfectly written and executed, it makes me wish Trey Parker and Matt Stone were given more chances in the film world. I guess now I have to see "Baseketball". And Butters is one of my favorite characters... ever.



And two recently released trailers. First, Michael Mann's "Public Enemies". Seeing this trailer in front of "Watchmen" was worth the price of admission. Much has been made about Mann's preference to go HD digital with this film, but I think it looks striking. The scene where the inmates are being led into the jail with the camera poised to highlight the blue sky overtaking the frame is vintage Mann and I trust the 30's locale will mesh beautifully with the cinematography. I cannot wait for this movie.



Lastly, I'm not a huge, huge fan of comedies on the big screen, yet the Broken Lizard comedy troupe have continually surprised and engaged me with their films. I still maintain that "Club Dread" is an overlooked gem. Now, the Lizard is back with another film that looks to carry forward their energetic brand of comedy, mixing high-brow and low-brow laughs into a go-for-broke experience. Enjoy the red band trailer.

Revisiting A Modern Classic: L.627

After recently watching Bertrand Tavernier's "In the Electric Mist", that film made me miss "L.627" all the more. While "In the Electric Mist" isn't a complete failure, it's mixture of Southern gothic, hard boiled detective novels and clunky exposition doesn't seem to represent the best of Tavernier's senses. A French filmmaker not afraid to put himself on the line and film a quintessential "American" story (see "Round Midnight", even though it documents the musician's exploits in France), Tavernier's 1992 film "L.627" is his masterpiece.... and still not available for digestion on region 1 DVD.

My love of the "police procedural" genre is well documented around these parts, and "L.627" could be considered the boiled-down essence of this style of filmmaking. Starring Didier Bezace as Lulu, he's a dedicated and no-nonsense police detective who leads a small group of undercover officers in all areas of vice in France- and in fact, the film's title comes from a police law that criminalizes drugs and prostitution. The day-to-day work of these officers is filmed in great detail. Marginalized in other police films in favor of the grand shoot-out or car chase, "L.627" reverts its gaze on the mundane details of their police work. Sure, there are stake-outs and foot chases (rendered in calculated long takes that stays on the cops rather than the crooks), but Tavernier's film deals most explicitly in the typewriting, the questioning of criminals in their cramped quarters, and the joking that exists between the cops in order to survive their days. In the wrong hands, this could be a crushing bore. But with Tavernier, he infuses every frame with generosity, curiosity and a knack for hitting the quiet brilliance within this fictionalized (but very real) slice of life.

But, "L.627" isn't all doldrums. The real spark of the film comes in Lulu's dogged (and platonic) relationship with a hooker named Marie (Charlotte Kady). Interspersed between his ethical commitment to ridding the Parisian streets of drugs, his affection for this down and out spirit resonates strongly throughout... and it provides us with an ending that still to this day stands as one of the most perfect I've ever seen. Tavernier's film belongs to a strict code of film overseas that places significant focus on work and it's altering effect on the individual. Thinking of Laurent Cantet's "Time Out" (which deals with the insufferable purgatory that invades a man after losing his job) or Jean Claude Brisseau's "Secret Machines" (which is an aggressive assault on sexuality and manipulation within the corporate meat-grinder), French filmmakers are simply attuned to the gaps between life and work. "L.627" could be described as the ultimate testimony on work as life. All of this may sound boring, but beauty (and justice) lies in the details. Someone, please release this film on DVD.

What's In the Netflix Queue #22

Just like an Ipod shuffle....

1. The Apartment- Mid 90's French thriller starring Vincent Cassell and Monica Belluci (yum). Not sure why this title is left in the queue, but I went through a French thriller phase a couple months ago and just forgot about this one.
2. Alexandra's Project- I'm not a fan of the films I've seen from Australian director Rolf de Heer ("Bad Boy Bubby" is truly horrendous), but this one sounds like an interesting piece of aggressive cinema ala Michael Haneke: "Steve (Gary Sweet) arrives home from work anxious to celebrate his birthday with his wife, Alexandra (Helen Buday), and their children. But no body's home, and it isn't a surprise party, or is it? Steve inserts a videotape titled "Play Me" into the VCR and is greeted by birthday wishes from Alexandra and the kids, and then treated to a striptease by his wife. But as the camera pulls back, Steve sees a gun pointed at Alexandra's head."
3. Bad Dreams- 80's horror movie. This is one that was recommended from a friend. Sounds like gory, cheesy fun.
4. $ (Dollars)- 70's comedy caper released on DVD for the first time late last year. Goldie Hawn and Warren Beatty... directed by Richard Brooks. I can remember seeing the VHS cover over and over as a kid.
5. The Ninth Configuration- A title that popped up as a recommendation for me on Netflix. I think I started this long ago and didn't finish it. Regardless, the plot synopsis sounds intriguing and it's directed by William Peter Blatty who's always good for a mind-screw.
6. Zero Focus- Early 60's Japanese obscura from director Yoshitaro Nomura (writer of "Sword of Fury"). The film tells the tale of a woman whose secret causes "disastrous consequences" for those around her. Based on some of the titles in Nomura's oeuvre (such as "Villages of Eight Gravestones" and "The Demon") I look forward to this psychological thriller and introducing myself to his work.
7. Gold Told Me To- "B" movie horror from Larry Cohen about murderous rampages from ordinary citizens who say "Gold told me to" upon their dying confession. I admit, I'm not the most up-to-date on Cohen's films besides "The Stuff" which scarred me as a kid.
8. My Name Is Bruce- Recent Bruce Campbell comedy that has received middling reviews. As an unabashed fan of Campbell and his unique acting delivery, I can't pass this one up. I'm going in with little expectations though.
9. Moscow Elegy- And here begins my look at the films of Russian director Alexandre Sokurov. I've seen "Mother and Son" and "Russian Ark" and wasn't bowled over, yet there's recently been a huge slew of his documentaries released onto DVD by the unique Facets company. This one is a documentary on Tarkovsky. If anyone has any thoughts on other Sokurov films, I'd love to hear them.
10. Six In Paris- Another one of those chic omnibus films pairing the cinematic visions of Rohmer, Godard and others. Released in the mid-60's, I stumbled across this title while looking at something else. If this was recently released, why not more fuss? Or is it that bad?

10 Reasons For a Tarantino Remake

I lost interest in Tarantino way back in the mid 90's. While I don't deny "Pulp Fiction" and its lightning bolt charge of cinematic richness to indie films, his stuff always feels like an echo of much greater work. Tarantino is a walking encyclopedia of genres, camera angles, and obscure cult films that he distills into current pop smorgasbords. There's nothing wrong with liking that. I simply prefer to gorge on the originals.

So now we have "Inglourious Basterds" [sic] coming out this summer. After recently watching Enzo Castellari's original 1978 film which Tarantino's will be loosely based upon, I can certainly see why the ultimate film geek wants to use this bat-shit piece of Italian obscura as a jumping off point for something.... equally trashy and bat-shit, maybe? Granted, Castellari's film is fun in the sense that you can gain some joy while sitting around at 1am, drinking beer and laughing at the numerous amounts of over-the-top deaths and 70's persuasion. I somehow think Tarantino will strive for something more honorable than that... while ripping off every piece of Sergio Leone, and Sam Fuller along the way.

10 Reasons Why Tarantino Chose to Remake "Inglorious Bastards"

1. It features an African-American with an afro who spouts off ultra cool lines of dialogue whose anachronistic presence is worn out quickly.
2. It gives him a chance to feature a bridge explosion sequence (David Lean anyone?)
3. There's a secondary long haired hippie character who looks like he's been smoking dope all day and discovers a group of Nazi women taking a bath in a stream.
4. Lots of bullets that never hit anyone except the bad guys (to profess his love for Tsui Hark and others)
5. A train derailment sequence. I can just see Tarantino slobbering over this. Honestly, who wouldn't though?
6. A chance to overlay some Ennio Morricone music.
7. A chance to use swipe pans, quick zooms (a true staple of 70's Italian movies) and mounted stationary shots as vehicles drive.
8. Characters who swagger around in Nazi uniforms, dressed like the enemy to sneak behind the enemy line.
9. Castellari's original was essentially a twisted remake of "The Dirty Dozen", one of Tarantino's favorite films.
10. Lots and lots of Nazi deaths. Slow motion Nazi deaths. Quick Nazi deaths. Tortured Nazi deaths.

An Award Just in Time For Oscar Season

Floating around the blog-o-sphere lately has been the Dardos award, something bloggers can bestow upon one another for "Cultural, literary, and personal values in the form of creative and original writing. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing appreciation and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web.""

Bob from the Eternal Sunshine of the Logical Mind blog selected me as someone to share this award with. The rules include the following:

1. Accept the award by posting it on my blog along with the name of the person that has granted the award and a link to his/her blog.
2. Pass the award to another five blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment, remembering to contact each of them to let them know they have been selected for this award.



Needless to say, when I started this blog a little over three years ago (and really, had been doing the same thing in newsboard fashion years before that) my intention was the farthest thing from adding cultural or literacy values. It was something to pass the time and a forum of expression for writing that, I feel, simply must be done as a sort of therapy. I know many of you feel the same way. Now, three years on, I feel blessed and full of abundant joy that I've made as many friends from around the country through this crazy thing called a blog and that someone considers me to have added value and fraternity in this seemingly small portion of my day-to-life. And finally (yes I hear the orchestra playing the 'wrap it up' music) I can only add that the daily and weekly humor, insight and intelligence that fills my google reader gives me a smile every time I log into it. Thanks again, Bob!

The five bloggers who I choose to keep this thread of good-will going includes:

1. Peter Nellhaus at Coffee, Coffee and More Coffee for often wading into the wilderness of good, bad, and ugly Asian cinema and keeping my Netflix queue full.
2. Chris at his Trashcan Odorous Jr's blog for continually keeping the political talk up.
3. Daniel at Getafilm for inspiring great discussions.
4. Dennis at Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule for seeming to be ground zero for internet discussion through his various quizzes and dissection of Los Angeles film events.
5. Sam at The Listening Ear for detailing (and instilling jealousy) in every film event that rolls through Boston with intelligence and passion.

I apologize if any of these five have already been awarded the Dardos. Let the kinship of the blog-o-sphere continue.

Frankenheimer Times Two

Like so many of the directors who made the successful transition from stage and television to film, John Frankenheimer's glory days were in the early to mid-60's. Workmanlike and a professional journeyman, I've long been a Frankenheimer fan. I recently went back and finally caught up with two of his works that seem to have disappeared in that widening gulf of his career in the late 60's and early 70's- that tenuous time between huge success with classics such as "The Manchurian Candidate, "The Train" and "Seconds", and colossal failure in efforts like "The Fixer" (not available on VHS or DVD) the rampantly maligned "Impossible Object" and "99 and 1/4% Dead". Those directors lucky enough to produce films over several decades encounter this mid-season lull, and Frankenheimer was no exception. "The Gypsy Moths" and "The Horsemen", though, stand out as two underrated gems in an otherwise confusing period in his career.

The first, 1969's "The Gypsy Moths" is certainly the more interesting of the two. Starring his long time alter-ego, Burt Lancaster, as a disillusioned skydiver who rolls into a small mid-western town with his band of tricksters and proceeds to bring even more malaise than existed there before, "The Gypsy Moths" is an unusual slice of Hollywood melodrama. Observing Lancaster and his two partners (Gene Hackman as the hot-tempered and financially voracious of the trio and a young Scott Wilson) during the long weekend leading up to the diving show, Lancaster proceeds to begin an affair with bored housewife Deborah Kerr while the trio shrinks into petty fights, jealousy and varying outlooks about their careers. If it weren't for the extended, thrilling 25 minute set-piece showcasing the divers in action, "The Gyspy Moths" would fit nicely into Frankenheimer's early career of stagy melodrama ala Tennesse Williams. Instead, we get a complex and ultimately dark portrait of individuals in stasis. It's an interesting reversal to create a film about skydiving(!) which so fluently charts the characters morose and often middling feelings on life, love and work. The dichotomy is overpowering.

In 1971, Frankenheimer directed "The Horsemen" starring Omar Sharif as an Afghan son of a proud father (Jack Palance, no less) who enters the customary game of "buzkashi", a tradition in this part of the world dating back to Genghis Khan. Similar to polo on horses (yet much more brutal and soul-stretching) Frankenheimer situates the game and Sharif's presence in it as the mighty struggle for something bigger than himself. Indeed, even after losing the game (and breaking his leg), Sharif chooses the long, more difficult road home because his father never dared travel that route. Unlike "The Gypsy Moths", there's very little metaphorical ideas on display. It's a straight redemption tale about a son trying to impress and one-up his father. While the drama never falls flat, what impresses the most in "The Horseman" is Frankenheimer's complete dedication to the logistics of action. Like the long set-piece of sky-diving in "The Gypsy Moths", Frankenheimer places all moral weight of the story on the long buzkashi match in "The Horseman", filming it in agonizing details as bodies and horses pour into each other like a flowing mosh pit. Frankenheimer has always fetishized the car chase (see "Ronin" and especially his three hour car chase movie known as "Grand Prix" where the low angle, first person shots revolutionized how the industry could enliven this weary cliche) and with "The Horsemen", he again relishes the opportunity to display such kinetic action. Muscular has always been a good word to describe the sensibilities of Frankenheimer, and with "The Horseman", he proves that muscularity transcends time and place, from the asphalt jungles of Paris to a sand blasted desert in Afghanistan.

I don't claim that either film is a masterpiece, yet they're both insatiably watchable. On the DVD commentary track of "The Gypsy Moths" (one of the last things he'd do before his death in 2002), Frankenheimer decried the film's lack of place within its time, calling it a misunderstood work (and without really elaborating more). Neither film will overshadow the more prestigious works of his career, but both "The Horsemen" and "The Gypsy Moths" exemplify the 'journeyman ' tag to his name... revealing that no topic was too far removed from his instincts or visual prowess. Now, if only someone will get to work on releasing the other 'lost' films from this same time period, "The Fixer" and "The Extraordinary Seaman" so this Frankenheimer fan will be even more impressed.

Top 5 List: Obscure Prison Dramas

Granted, no movie is really obscure. There's a rabid audience for pretty much any thing put out there, but this list intends to shine a light on the more overlooked prison dramas... which is why films like "Cool Hand Luke", "Escape From Alcatraz", "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Papillion" are duly absent. Enjoy and feel free to add your own.

1. "The Criminal"- Joseph Losey is a cerebral filmmaker, and this 1960 film starring Stanley Baker is a calculated and cold look at a criminal who refuses to be rehabilitated. Even though only about half the film takes place inside an actual prison, all the great genre tropes are there, including a nicely composed riot and the omniscient sense of claustrophobia that haunts any career criminal whose locked away from causing malevolence in the real world. This film is out on DVD. If you haven't given the films of Losey a chance, I urge you to do so.

2. Animal Factory- The latest entry on the list, and pretty damn close to the best. I wasn't a huge fan of Steve Buscemi's directorial debut "Trees Lounge", but with this adaptation of Eddie Bunker's novel in 2000, Buscemi appears in full control. From the opening shot- a carefully composed overhead static shot of the prison yard cut in two by the prison buildings- to John Lurie's enigmatic and compulsively weird score, "Animal Factory" comes into focus as a very realistic-feeling interpretation of life behind bars. Ever wonder exactly how prisoners hide and get ahold of knives? How does one inmate run the prison? Writer Bunker (an ex-con himself, memorable for his role in "Reservoir Dogs") and director Buscemi answer all of this with wide-eyed determination. And the film features a stirring set-piece that sensibly documents how a standard prison yard dispute violently culminates into a full-on riot. "Animal Factory" alternates a vision behind bars that is frightening, weird (such as one scene which features live entertainment and a man singing) and makes me appreciate my law-abiding life. Watch out for a barely recognizable Mickey Rourke as well.

3. The Glass House- This early 70's made-for-TV movie stars Alan Alda as a mild mannered teacher sent to prison for manslaughter. Cheaply made, the film manages to score a host of 70'c character actors to add depth to the overall project. Vic Morrow co-stars as the man who runs things in the prison and the film displays some particularly nasty ideas for a film designed to play on the boob tube. Alan Alda is perfect for the role, and he makes you feel for the guy. Based on a Truman Capote story, give this one a chance.

4. Brubaker- I've heard the criticisms against this film. Redford, as the new guy sent to a rough and tough Southern prison, would never get to keep those golden sideburns and floppy hair. C'mon guys... this is 80's Hollywood and this is Robert Redford. How else do you get women to see a PRISON film? Predictable and sappy at times (especially with its liberal swipes) but still a hugely entertaining film about a new warden who decides to go undercover and see the indignities of his prison first-hand before taking control. And we get a very young Morgan Freeman as a half-insane inmate who smears shit all over the walls!

5. Bad Boys- Before Sean Penn was a marquee Academy award winner (and he went full retard), he served his time in the hard-knocks juvenile detention center in this '83 film. Strong acting and a genuine sense of danger permeate this 'teens behind bars' film and Penn, swaggering through it with his tough guy attitude, reveals a small hint of what would come later with his career. Hard-nosed supporting turns add a dash of menace as Penn struggles to stay alive after being placed in the same detention center as the fellow gang member (Esai Morales) whose brother he accidentally killed. It's an interesting conflict that director Rick Rosenthal squeezes every inch of tension out of.

Perfect Blend of Sports and Movies

Thanks to Row Three for initially surfacing this.