Edge of Darkness

Oh, Mel Gibson how you make me laugh and cry. Usually at the same time too, funny enough. Just recently I read you went on another racially charged rant using the N word. Good to see you branching out in your anti-semitic outbursts I guess. For awhile their I thought you were gonna keep it strictly to the chosen ones. Well, now that I've indulged myself in your ever expanding reign as who can piss off Hollywood the most career, I think its time for me to give my best shot at an objective review of your latest offering, Edge of Darkness.
Let's just get this over with and thank Martin Campbell of Golden Eye and Casino Royale fame for always managing to craft a competent and intelligent thriller with material that is sometimes less than stellar. Here is another standard typical conspiracy story that manages to engage the viewer just enough to keep you watching. It's the dark tone set by Campbell that really gets under your skin even when the picture starts to get a little silly.
Gibson as an actor has always been watchable and here is no exception. As a grieving father whose daughter has just been mysteriously murdered he does a more than adequate job of exacting revenge against those who so badly deserve it. Im just waiting for when his acting choices get as exciting as his personal life. Stay out of trouble Mel. As an actor your more than competent and as a director your a force to be wreckened with.

C+

2010

Ballast

I've given myself a wide birth to digest Ballast. It's the kind film that requires the viewer to have a certain amount of patience going into it. It's also the kind of film that people sometimes love to trash on by using terms like pretentious or artsy. I would disagree with those claims but can definitely understand the mindset of those who hold those views. The bottom line is Ballast is the type of film moviegoers should search out only if there looking for a more intimate and honest experience. Those who are perfectly content with the current landscape of modern cinema should probably steer clear of this film. It will probably only bore you. It takes place in the Mississippi Delta in a poor rural black town. It revolves around the lives of three characters who are forced to reconnect because of a tragedy. The actors are all completely unknowns. In fact they are not even real working actors. Which somehow manages to give the picture an authenticity that I don't know it would of otherwise obtained. Its the also the work of first time director, Dustin Lance Hammer who shot the film mostly handheld and yet was able to capture images of amazingly subtle beauty. His screenplay is sparse with dialogue that only adds to its depressing realism. Without going into detail of the plot all I will say is that the film is quiet, slow, and intensely focused on its subjects. It puts its characters lives under a microscope without passing judgement on them and shows us that we are all people in this world just trying to deal with our circumstances the best we can or know how. The ending of the film may feel a bit abrupt but given time to gather my thoughts I feel it keeps perfect tone with a picture that holds us in its reality for its entire length. Sometimes easy and neat conclusions with resolution aren't always available in life, why should film be any different.

B

2008

Get Him To The Greek

Im gonna get shit for this one but sorry kids, Get Him to the Greek was a major let down. I had so high hopes for this film especially since its been one of the worst summer movie seasons on record. It had a funny cast and the help of a director hot off the heels of one the funniest movies in recent years, Forgetting Sarah Marshall. So what the hell happened?
Well, to start with I should say that Get Him to the Greek wasn't particularly bad, it just wasn't particularly good either. In fact the film was basically entirely forgettable to be honest. The concept for the film sounded funny enough but when executed I kept getting the feeling that it shouldn't of lasted longer than a 10 minute SNL sketch. Apparently the studio thought, funny actors, proven director, who needs a script. What I think was largely missing was an emotional character for the audience to relate to. We were given Jonah Hill when what we really needed was a Jason Segal. The male bonding aspect was never for a second convincing, maybe because Brand might not really be able to act past his one dimensional rock star. Brands rocker was so funny and great in Forgetting Sarah Marshall because were given him in small doses. None of the jokes in this film were edgy which didn't bode well for a picture that was so clearly trying to be young and hip. Here its obnoxious behavior overload and never once did I find Brands antics or the films general tone for that matter to be fresh or more importantly brave and truthful. What made films like Superbad and Knocker Up so great was that they were yes at times hilariously crude but also great examples of generational behavior that people could identify with. When a comedy isn't that funny its just not worth your time. But if it isn't the least bit truthful as well, its not worth theirs either.

D+

2010

Hunger

Steve McQueen is an artist. As the director of the film Hunger he's managed to create scenes of beautiful visual poetry out of some of the most horrific events I've seen put up on the screen. Hunger is primarily the story of Bobby Sands, an IRA protestor and poet who started a Hunger strike while serving time in prison. The film has political intensions but not in the sense that it really takes sides. Yes, Sands is painted as a kind of saint but scenes of horrific violence are shown from both sides of the prison walls. The film opens with the daily routine of a British prison guard who seems constantly on edge. That routine includes among other things checking beneath his car for explosives before leaving the house to work. Once at work you don't exactly get the feeling that he's happy about what he's doing either.
Of course life for the prisoners is much much worse. Inside there small cells they sleep on cold floors stained from urine surrounded by walls painted with feces all the while refusing to bathe and wear prison attire in an attempt to gain some political leverage over the government who put them there. Practically the entire film takes place within the confines of the prison walls which creates a claustrophobic atmosphere that is unsettling to say the least. Most intriguing about Hunger though is the manner in which McQueen choses to tell the story. With sparse dialogue the film gives off an almost silent feeling that gives every image more added weight. The shots feel artsy and meditative but at times can feel a bit tiresome and exhaustive. All and all though this is far and away one of the most gorgeously photographed films of 2008.
The only strong criticism that I have is the way the narratives are split up between three characters. While the first two are arguably important, its the life of Sands that the movie is ultimately about and we don't see him until about thirty minutes inn and then before you know it he's on hunger strike. While all the scenes in the film do work, I just kept wishing for more character development for Sands so as to give to give his last remaining scenes all the more emotional importance and relevance. That being said the cast was superb and with this feature debut from McQueen, he has already established himself as an important filmmaker and artist to look out for in the coming years.

B+

2008

It's Complicated

Middle-aged women love Nancy Meyers. That's not an opinion, its a fact. That's not necessarily a bad thing either it's just interesting to me. Most women seem to see some type of self-identification with the character's in her films. Which always amazes me sense her scripts always play out more like fantasies than reality. I guess it's probably a bit of wishful thinking as well.
Take her latest effort for example, It's Complicated. By all accounts pretty typical Meyers material. Every woman under the sun I talked with loved it. I think I can see why too. It was decently funny. Had one of the greatest actresses on the planet. Not to mention two of the funniest actors alive as well going for it. A clever and cute premise and a script with a few pretty good laughs. Most importantly though it was aimed at a female demographic that doesn't get a lot attention from Hollywood these days, OLDER women.
Now yes, all of those things listed above are positive attributes. What turns me into a bit of grinch though is that I find most of Meyers work to be slightly elitist. What I mean by that is her films are always dealing with the problems of rich and strongly independent people that to be honest don't come off as feeling genuine. For example Streep's character is a very well off rich white woman who run's her own bakery, owns a beautiful story book house in the hills of Santa Barbara County, and is part of a family that is just to perfect to be taken seriously. None of the characters in this story feel real the slightest bit. This criticism might sound a bit snobby but I guess Im just a little sick of Meyers shtick. The only thing that kept me watching this thing was Baldwin who at this point in his career I could watch reading the phonebook.

Give me something fresh next time Nancy. C.

2009

Hoosiers

If credit should be given to anybody for the success of the film Hoosiers then Gene Hackman should be the first one in line. He's the building block on which the entire film rests. Its his film to win and his film to lose, much like the basketball games in which he coaches. The sincerity of his performance as a high school basketball coach with a checkered past is one so honest that very few actors would be able to pull off. Hackman isn't just any actor though, he's a great actor and an iconic one at that. A feat which is something that very few movie stars are able to accomplish. In watching his performance in Hoosiers I was reminded of all his little quirks and mannerisms that are uniquely Hackmanesque. Its easy for audiences to take a great actors work for granted especially when their volume of it is so big and substantial.
Another great actor who helps Hackman shoulder the weight is Dennis Hopper, an actor whose already been praised more than once on this blog. Here we see a sight of Hopper we don't usually see. A man who has lost control of his life only to now desperately want the chance to find the strength to save it. As the town drunk and father to a son on the basketball team, Hopper is the films emotional anchor. A scene when he wanders into a crowded gymnasium after having a little to much to drink is heartbreaking. Hackman sees Hoppers drunk as the man he wants to be and not just the man he is. Eventually to coax him out of his drunken haze Hopper reluctantly accepts an offer to help coach the team. This dynamic allows for both characters a shot at redemption.
On the downside the picture is somewhat cheesy but put into the context of when it was made (mid 80's) its important to remember that the clique's it deals with weren't so obvious at the time. It falls into that stereotypical underdog story. We've seen it a thousand times before. Little team goes on to accomplish big aspirations. Opps! Did I give it all away. Even still though its Hackman, Hopper, and a damn good 1950's set production that make this film a little something more than your than your typical sports movie.

B

1986

From Paris with Love

From Paris with Love is kind of like a European Lethal Weapon, and that's being awfully generous. Only this time its John Travolta with no hair not Danny Glover. Its a film that plays out into that well worn buddy, action comedy territory. This time with a few hints of drama sprinkled on top that appropriately will just be seen as more comedy.
The film stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers as an American embassy official in France aspiring to be a first rate CIA operative. He has a great job and a beautiful girlfriend but greedily wants to be the next 007 as well. He gets the chance though when he's asked to pick up a special ops agent played by Mr. Saturday Night Fever himself, John Travolta. This is the launching point for that typical Hollywood formula we've all grown accustomed to and hopefully sick of at this point. Fearless guy, timid partner. Sex, drugs, guns, car chases, and bazooka's. If your thinking greatest movie ever already then this site probably isn't for you. In an age where our studio system has pumped put so many recycled stories past the point of salvation it truly saddens me to find a general public more willing to embrace excess than originality in the multiplex. Of course there is nothing wrong with all of those things so long as their consistent with tone within their respective genre. This story however feels like a zany trip to the circus where your not even sure yourself if the animals know just where the hell they are. Yet, curiously around the mid way point I found myself not really caring anymore and just going along for a ride that somehow managed to steer clear of being a train wreck. So hey, is there something wrong with that?

C

2010

Rumble Fish

If you've seen another film that in any way resembles Francis Ford Coppola's Rumble Fish, please let me know. Personally I found it to be a completely unique experience. Shot in black and white it was filmed just two weeks after Coppola had wrapped The Outsiders, another film coincidently enough dealing with youth angst. Coppola has said that he wanted to make it a art film for teenagers? The characters here don't talk, they shout. They don't walk, they stomp. Almost every scene feels like a heightened sense of reality with the characters in your face. You be the judge if it works. The cast however is exploding with young talent; Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, Nic Cage, Mickey Rourke, and a few wonderfully brief scene's with the then already legendary Dennis Hopper, RIP.
The story itself is somewhat murky though and therefore I wont go into it. Needless to say with that much talent behind and in front of the screen it made for a interesting viewing experience. Here though it seems Coppola is indulging in a poetic style that results in a lack of any strong narrative. It comes off as a bit messy, rushed, and cold. Its the diverse acting by the young cast particularly from Rourke though who keeps the story going even at times when it seems a bit over dramatized. Rourke is an actor who could make you cry with a smile and Coppola uses that power to strengthen the character. The cinematography is gorgeous and it amazes me how Coppola was able to set up these beautiful images just two weeks after another film. Here every frame has a poetic style to it that could be put on a postcard.
Im not exactly sure just how I feel about Ruble Fish . It is a daring piece of filmmaking that also is a perfect example of showing an artist who is unwilling to compromise his art for the stake of success.

B

1983

The Messenger

We don't get a lot of films for adults these days, and by adult films I mean subjects for adults, dealt with by adults in an adult manner. Maybe adult is the wrong word. Lets go with mature. The Messenger however is one such film. It seems like forever sense I've seen a Hollywood picture with A-list actors doing pretty serious heavy drama lifting that doesn't feel like it's pandering to its audience. The films plot line is pretty simple. A returning war hero (Ben Foster), is assigned to a new unit whose job it is to be the first people on the scene to notify fallen soldier's families when their loved ones are killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not exactly sunny subject matter I know.
Foster is put under the command of a character played by Woody Harrelson who is a lifer in the military and did his tour of duty sometime ago in Operation Desert Storm. Fosters character has this quiet brooding beneath the surface quality that plays off great against, well lets just say Woody Harrelson. The two perform their weekly tasks as somewhat of an odd couple. Throughout their weekly encounters with the victims families (most of which are hard to watch), they encounter an at first glance odd behaving widow (Samantha Morton). In the beginning she is just another name on a list that the boys are sent out to talk to. Foster almost instantly becomes under a spell by Morton's presence. A courtship ensues that is in no way played out by conventional means.
There a two stories going on in the Messenger both of which add up to the culmination of Foster's character. One is being played between Foster and Morton. The other between Foster and Harrleson. The film was co-written and directed by Oren Moverman whose previous writing credit was the incredibly underrated and easily one of the best films of the year, I'm Not There. Here he is making his directorial debut. The camera moves so quietly around the actors that you get the feeling your intruding on their small town lives. Moverman knows how to write brutally honest and cut throat dialogue that brings P.T. Anderson and Sidney Lumet to mind. One thing must be made clear though, here is a director who knows how to work with actors. Foster is a star on the rise who has yet to reach his full potential and Samantha Morton has never given a bad performance, but its Harrelson here who skillfully and slyly turns in the best work of his already unique and great career. Their are many many reasons to go see this film, but you only need one, Woody Harrelson.

A-

2009

The Young Victoria

  It should be said at the outset of this review that I nor most most men that I know are very big fans of period pieces, so its important to take in to account when reading this my general dislike of the genre. That out of the way, where do I begin with The Young Victoria. A victorian romance I was pleasantly surprised to find steered clear of the usually Hollywood melodrama done to the subject matter. The film stars Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) as the young queen who begins the film as a young princess. She is brought up with virtually no interaction to the world around her and is kept under close supervision everywhere she goes. The simple task of walking down the household stairs alone isn't something her controllers think should be left up to her. Who are her controllers you might be asking. The princess's mother is played by the perfectly cast Miranda Richardson who is caught between attending the needs of what is best for her daughter and the needs of what is best for the family she hopes to create around her. For Richardson is attending almost every moment by her cunning advisor played by Mark Strong (Robin Hood, Kick-Ass, Sherlock Holmes). Strong is an actor that has a string of memorable roles as of late and in The Young Victoria is given the opportunity thanks in large part to a toned down script by Julian Fellowes to not overdue the selfish ambitions he projects on screen.