In Pixar’s latest animated venture “Wall-E,” Earth has become a cavernous wasteland in which filth and other miscellaneous trash dominate the overall landscape to the point of total uninhabitation. As our hero rummages through the remnants of this once flourishing civilization, you’ll undoubtedly recognize some of his findings along the way. A Twinkie, an Atari, a Rubik's Cube, and an I-Pod all make appearances and are irrefutably portrayed as somehow contributing to the gradual downfall of society ( Message: Consumerism Kills).
The people that do survive are morbidly obese and have little or no contact with fellow humans outside of talking video screens. They exist solely aboard a starliner called the Axiom just waiting for the day when they can return home to a planet free from litter and airborne pathogens.
If you’re polishing your whale-skin hubcaps thinking that Disney has finally gone off the deep end, this film, in all likelihood, isn’t for you. But if you find yourself arousing even a smidgen of concern for the current state of global ecology, I urge you to spend ninety-eight minutes with a spry trash compactor to get a sobering glimpse of what might become of this world if we don’t change our ways.
Director Andrew Stanton has manufactured a magnificent piece of science fiction complete with enough wit and sophistication to keep both parents and children engaged at all times. It’s not often that a film can go almost thirty minutes without dialogue and still hold your attention, but the visuals here are so exquisitely drawn that the colorful narrative assumes an even greater connotation when being carried out in dead silence. In fact, the screening I attended went without sound for a ten minute period and I still sat altogether engrossed by the aura of earnest wonderment the visionaries at Pixar cooked up.
For those still wondering, Wall-E stands for Waste Allocation Load Lifter, Earth Class and his mission is to stack garbage into skyscraper-esque arrangements to ensure simple disposal. He has an amiable, vibrant persona all his own and enjoys watching “Hello, Dolly” whenever the need for a little cornball diversion arises. No matter how desolate life on Earth appears, he does whatever he can to brighten the mood and when EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator) arrives, it’s love at first sight.
At first, she rejects his affable advances, but later realizes that their friendship is something that she’ll refuse to let wither away. The rest of their time is spent trying to find one of the last surviving plants to alert the humans that their triumphant return to Earth is imminent, so nothing that unusual really happens. Listen closely and you’ll hear the spirited voice of Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Jeff Garlin as the Captain, but otherwise, it’s straightforward family entertainment down the stretch.
In all seriousness, this is a four-star movie, but due to Pixar’s thinly veiled environmental statement, I refuse to cave in. I loved everything about this film except for the fact that innocent children’s fare is now being used to further someone’s inequitable political agenda. I mean, I’m all for getting today’s youth to think green, but is the cinema the best place to initiate?
- *** ½ out of 4
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
Rewind: Top 10 of 2004
1. “Sideways” - Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor took a quirky, high-spirited novel from Rex Pickett and turned it into one of the most enjoyably low-key cinematic gems of the decade. With its disheveled everyman duo of Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, this one took us on a life-altering journey through the stunning ins and outs of California wine country and extracted some hysterical moments along the way. Seldom does a film capture the uncompromised essence of a book so impeccably.
“Million Dollar Baby” - I originally settled on “Sideways” as my sole number one, but Clint Eastwood’s heartbreaking meditation on love and loss is too powerful to ignore. The performances of Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman speak for themselves and every frame just feels like an unnerving setup for something beyond the normal tragedy that boxing films often carry. Sure, the fight scenes are aplenty, but much like real life, these wounds cut a lot deeper than you realize.
2. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” - Every time Charlie Kaufman pens a script, it’s guaranteed to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before and director Michel Gondry certainly did his part to deliver on that promise. His melancholy portrait of two endearing eccentrics trying to literally erase their relationship from memory is beautifully woven together to create something totally void of all rom-com cliché. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are pitch perfect as the struggling couple, because they leave the glamour at home and delve into the painful aspects of romance with bona fide apprehension.
3. “The Passion of the Christ” - I know, I know. It’s lengthy, vindictive, blood-spattered, and borderline anti-Semitic (Not in my opinion), but I found every frame to be nothing short of inspiring. I challenge you to find a more fearlessly outstanding performance than that of Jim Caviezel and his surprising control of the Aramaic language. Only an ambitious filmmaker such as Mel Gibson would willingly weather the storm to bring something of this scale to the screen, so the $370 million box office return surely alleviated the critical beating he endured following its release.
4. “Kill Bill Vol. 2” - Part two of Quentin Tarantino’s delectably idiosyncratic ode to Kung Fu classics is pure poetry in motion. It turns the entire revenge genre on its head in a way that only Tarantino can and provides the perfect platform for Uma Thurman to deliver a career-best performance. She plays The Bride with such profound ferocity that we’re rooting for her regardless of how wicked or thick-skinned she becomes and, believe me, she definitely gets her revenge. Is it as good as “Pulp Fiction?” No, but what is?
5. “The Aviator” - Since Martin Scorsese is my favorite director, it’s difficult to be completely objective when it comes to his work, but this film really is something special. The lavish radiance of old time Hollywood is channeled in remarkable fashion and Leonardo DiCaprio captures the neurotic madness of aviation visionary Howard Hughes as if they were long lost brothers. Whether or not his real-life battle with OCD aided his work I can’t say, but the role is brilliant nonetheless and possibly his best yet.
6. “Kinsey” - When the tagline for your film is “Let’s Talk About Sex,” it’s hard for me to envision a massive audience coming out to support your cause. Americans are and always have been greatly terrified of discussing anything deemed taboo and I don’t think that will ever change. The fact that Dr. Alfred Kinsey dared to break the mold and challenge people makes for a fascinating two-hour exploration of the human psyche and Liam Neeson is perfect every step of the way.
7. “Ray” - Nothing Jamie Foxx has done since has even come close to the magic he conjured up as Ray Charles, but with “The Soloist” due out later this year, he may have another shot at greatness. My only gripe with him is that he almost tried to make himself bigger than the legend he was portraying and, to me, that’s just wrong.
8. “Collateral” - No one shoots at night quite like Michael Mann. For him, the darkness almost becomes a character in itself just waiting to swallow up the unsuspecting cast members and force them to question their own sanity. Never was that more clear than in this dazzling action vehicle in which a reticent cab driver goes on the ride of his life with a extreme, silver-haired hitman leading the way. As the late, great Joel Siegel said, “It’s Tom Cruise Unplugged.”
9. “The Machinist” - This austere tale of an insomniac machinist is a Kafka-esque nightmare in which Christian Bale sheds weight faster than Jared Fogle. Director Brad Anderson keeps you guessing at every turn and, if you haven’t seen it, you’ll be astonished by just how far Bale goes for the sake of entertainment.
10. “The Dreamers” - Spicy Bond girl Eva Green, Michael Pitt, and Louis Garrel star as a group of avid cinephiles who go into seclusion during the 1968 student rebellions in France. The amount of wild sex in this film earned a devastating NC-17 rating, but the narrative here is about so much more than just what’s on the surface, so I urge you to check it out.
“Million Dollar Baby” - I originally settled on “Sideways” as my sole number one, but Clint Eastwood’s heartbreaking meditation on love and loss is too powerful to ignore. The performances of Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman speak for themselves and every frame just feels like an unnerving setup for something beyond the normal tragedy that boxing films often carry. Sure, the fight scenes are aplenty, but much like real life, these wounds cut a lot deeper than you realize.
2. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” - Every time Charlie Kaufman pens a script, it’s guaranteed to be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before and director Michel Gondry certainly did his part to deliver on that promise. His melancholy portrait of two endearing eccentrics trying to literally erase their relationship from memory is beautifully woven together to create something totally void of all rom-com cliché. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are pitch perfect as the struggling couple, because they leave the glamour at home and delve into the painful aspects of romance with bona fide apprehension.
3. “The Passion of the Christ” - I know, I know. It’s lengthy, vindictive, blood-spattered, and borderline anti-Semitic (Not in my opinion), but I found every frame to be nothing short of inspiring. I challenge you to find a more fearlessly outstanding performance than that of Jim Caviezel and his surprising control of the Aramaic language. Only an ambitious filmmaker such as Mel Gibson would willingly weather the storm to bring something of this scale to the screen, so the $370 million box office return surely alleviated the critical beating he endured following its release.
4. “Kill Bill Vol. 2” - Part two of Quentin Tarantino’s delectably idiosyncratic ode to Kung Fu classics is pure poetry in motion. It turns the entire revenge genre on its head in a way that only Tarantino can and provides the perfect platform for Uma Thurman to deliver a career-best performance. She plays The Bride with such profound ferocity that we’re rooting for her regardless of how wicked or thick-skinned she becomes and, believe me, she definitely gets her revenge. Is it as good as “Pulp Fiction?” No, but what is?
5. “The Aviator” - Since Martin Scorsese is my favorite director, it’s difficult to be completely objective when it comes to his work, but this film really is something special. The lavish radiance of old time Hollywood is channeled in remarkable fashion and Leonardo DiCaprio captures the neurotic madness of aviation visionary Howard Hughes as if they were long lost brothers. Whether or not his real-life battle with OCD aided his work I can’t say, but the role is brilliant nonetheless and possibly his best yet.
6. “Kinsey” - When the tagline for your film is “Let’s Talk About Sex,” it’s hard for me to envision a massive audience coming out to support your cause. Americans are and always have been greatly terrified of discussing anything deemed taboo and I don’t think that will ever change. The fact that Dr. Alfred Kinsey dared to break the mold and challenge people makes for a fascinating two-hour exploration of the human psyche and Liam Neeson is perfect every step of the way.
7. “Ray” - Nothing Jamie Foxx has done since has even come close to the magic he conjured up as Ray Charles, but with “The Soloist” due out later this year, he may have another shot at greatness. My only gripe with him is that he almost tried to make himself bigger than the legend he was portraying and, to me, that’s just wrong.
8. “Collateral” - No one shoots at night quite like Michael Mann. For him, the darkness almost becomes a character in itself just waiting to swallow up the unsuspecting cast members and force them to question their own sanity. Never was that more clear than in this dazzling action vehicle in which a reticent cab driver goes on the ride of his life with a extreme, silver-haired hitman leading the way. As the late, great Joel Siegel said, “It’s Tom Cruise Unplugged.”
9. “The Machinist” - This austere tale of an insomniac machinist is a Kafka-esque nightmare in which Christian Bale sheds weight faster than Jared Fogle. Director Brad Anderson keeps you guessing at every turn and, if you haven’t seen it, you’ll be astonished by just how far Bale goes for the sake of entertainment.
10. “The Dreamers” - Spicy Bond girl Eva Green, Michael Pitt, and Louis Garrel star as a group of avid cinephiles who go into seclusion during the 1968 student rebellions in France. The amount of wild sex in this film earned a devastating NC-17 rating, but the narrative here is about so much more than just what’s on the surface, so I urge you to check it out.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Redbelt
David Mamet’s “Redbelt” takes you inside the crooked underworld of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) in such an intellectual way that it’s easy to forget that what you’re actually experiencing is just another flashy tale of high-profile miscreants dabbling in organized depravity. No matter how much elegant brawling goes down, the faint inkling of a better, more concentrated film trying to find itself hovers over every inch of this somewhat unrealized screenplay. The only thing that keeps this propitious material from falling completely flat on its face is the fluent, Oscar-caliber performance of Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mike Terry, the ever-wise Jiu-jitsu specialist who finds himself caught in a hazardous web of brutality and fraudulence.
His soulful embodiment of the fighter’s inner spirit is at least two cuts above your typical run-of-the-mill action hero, because he always seems to be operating at a level of resolute integrity that instantly grants him a leg up on anyone he interacts with. Whether he’s lecturing his students or mingling with mobsters, the Code of Honor dictates his every move and propels him to take the moral high ground whenever confronted with a potentially harmful (to the other person, that is) situation.
Think of it as “Chicken Soup For the Jiu-jitsu Warrior’s Soul” due to the plethora of Miyagi-esque anecdotes he offers up during the most trying moments and then prepare yourself for a finale so crazily exaggerated that you can’t help but want to explore it on a more cerebral level afterwards.
Mamet’s spicy dialogue is simply some of the finest erudite insolence you’ll ever encounter and is worth the price of admission on its own. Not even the family-friendly Tim Allen could resist the opportunity to indulge in the callous vulgarity present here, so you know that has to count for something. His convincing portrayal of a cocky, oafish actor looking for trouble almost earns him a pardon for the cinematic crimes of “The Shaggy Dog” and “Zoom” (Almost).
While not perfect, the quiet passion behind this picture is enough to recommend it for those who don’t require ninety-minutes of pure hellish combat to make them feel invigorated. Strong supporting work from Joe Mantegna and Emily Mortimer coupled with searing cinematography from last year’s Oscar-winner Robert Elswit put it somewhere toward the upper half of the Summer movie mound, so if you can find it, check it out before the hype hastily drifts away.
- *** out of 4
His soulful embodiment of the fighter’s inner spirit is at least two cuts above your typical run-of-the-mill action hero, because he always seems to be operating at a level of resolute integrity that instantly grants him a leg up on anyone he interacts with. Whether he’s lecturing his students or mingling with mobsters, the Code of Honor dictates his every move and propels him to take the moral high ground whenever confronted with a potentially harmful (to the other person, that is) situation.
Think of it as “Chicken Soup For the Jiu-jitsu Warrior’s Soul” due to the plethora of Miyagi-esque anecdotes he offers up during the most trying moments and then prepare yourself for a finale so crazily exaggerated that you can’t help but want to explore it on a more cerebral level afterwards.
Mamet’s spicy dialogue is simply some of the finest erudite insolence you’ll ever encounter and is worth the price of admission on its own. Not even the family-friendly Tim Allen could resist the opportunity to indulge in the callous vulgarity present here, so you know that has to count for something. His convincing portrayal of a cocky, oafish actor looking for trouble almost earns him a pardon for the cinematic crimes of “The Shaggy Dog” and “Zoom” (Almost).
While not perfect, the quiet passion behind this picture is enough to recommend it for those who don’t require ninety-minutes of pure hellish combat to make them feel invigorated. Strong supporting work from Joe Mantegna and Emily Mortimer coupled with searing cinematography from last year’s Oscar-winner Robert Elswit put it somewhere toward the upper half of the Summer movie mound, so if you can find it, check it out before the hype hastily drifts away.
- *** out of 4
Sunday, July 20, 2008
The Dark Knight
As I waited in line to finally experience Christopher Nolan’s brooding, highly stylized pop masterpiece “The Dark Knight,” I couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for Meryl Streep. Think about it. Her exuberant big-screen adaptation of “Mamma Mia” had the morose misfortune of being released on the same day as one of the most deeply anticipated cinematic events of the decade. If only ABBA had the same furious cult clientele as the Caped Crusader! I then had a lucid recollection of Streep’s fourteen Academy Award nominations and decided that she could use a good old-fashioned reality check. After all, this is Batman we’re talking about.
Boy, is it ever. Nolan’s towering follow-up to 2005’s breath of fresh air “Batman Begins” opens with a bloody bang as the Joker and his troupe of traveling misfits force their way into a bank vault hoping to escape with a substantial piece of Gotham’s economic pie. They’re equipped with enough firepower to ward off even the slightest act of common man heroism and aren’t hesitant to eliminate innocent people in the process.
Since this scene is staged in a very raw, Lumet-esque fashion, we’re immediately taken inside the action and given a furious glimpse of what undiluted evil is capable of. I can definitely see how the menacing disposition of the film can evoke comparisons to sweeping crime dramas such as “Heat” and “The Departed,” because it transcends the superhero genre to the point that everything else feels like child’s play in comparison. This picture single-handedly raises the bar for the rest of the film community and it starts with the astounding epitome of violence turned in by the late Heath Ledger.
Unlike Nicholson in ‘89, Ledger takes the Joker to a place that few people thought he was capable of and steals the film right out from under the heels of the Dark Knight himself.
From the hideous grin to the smeared makeup that looks as if someone got a little too carried away in the kitchen, he’s a walking, talking enigma of carefree sadism that rarely meets a person he can’t make smile. His chilling back-story is told strictly from his own mouth and proves to be much more unnerving than any tiresome flashback. Watching him reminisce about his parents adds an even greater psychotic dimension to a character that wasn’t exactly short on intrigue.
As the Yin to Bruce Wayne’s Yang, he fiercely seizes control of Gotham City’s conspiratorial underworld and vows to give the citizens the type of erratic madman they deserve. While the mob is motivated by financial gain, the Joker is out to show that no matter how noble or idealistic society wants to be, anarchy will always reign supreme.
The plot meanders a bit during the first half as Bruce Wayne travels to Hong Kong to clear up a shoddy business deal, but not enough to detract from the task at hand. He’s dealing with the loss of his beloved Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) to new DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and struggling to adjust to Batman’s declining popularity among the public. Regardless of how many criminals are bagged, the presence of a hero like Batman doesn’t generate the positive publicity it deserves and Wayne begins to question whether or not he should continue.
Christian Bale’s presence this time around is elevated to just the right level as he exudes the lively arrogance of a billionaire and the ominous intensity of a night-owl vigilante with equal superiority. Although it seems like his screen time is limited, he never fails to keep us believing in his desire to rid the world of scum and depravity. His working relationship with Commissioner Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) ensures that as long as they need him, he’ll be eager to come through on their demands.
Echoing many of his sentiments is Harvey Dent, the newly elected District Attorney whose gung-ho attitude on crime has him on every mobster’s short list of people to dispose of. Eckhart is perfect at conveying political sincerity and the heartfelt speech he delivers to the press is one of the most compelling moments this film has to offer. His all-around affability is what makes the seething transformation to Two-Face that much harder to stomach, because he was one of the few men in power willing to take a stand.
Now, if your last visualization of Two-Face is Tommy Lee Jones’s clownish depiction, prepare yourself for something a lot creepier than normal and think twice about bringing the young ones. The CGI employed here is spectacularly scary and a significant upgrade over the previous incarnation.
Due to the surplus of outstanding performances, I’ll simply present a couple points I found noteworthy. First, Maggie Gyllenhaal is a welcomed replacement for Katie Holmes, but still seems too bland at moments when she should be more emotionally invested. Secondly, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman are in stellar form and, by now, turn in top-notch performances like clockwork. They take the material seriously and appear to be having a great time contributing to something of this caliber.
All of this adds up to “The Dark Knight” being one of the best films of the year and quite possibly the most superb comic book movie ever made. Whether it’s Ledger’s tour-de-force or Bale’s slick wizardry, the cards are on the table at every instant and Nolan continually has the winning hand.
The final showdown between Batman and the Joker is high-octane Summer entertainment at its best and caps off a mesmerizing one-hundred and fifty-two minutes of fanboy bliss. The Joker personifies every fear of unexplained wickedness humans experience and if the night is indeed darkest just before the dawn, I’m afraid it’s going to be a long night.
- **** out of 4
Boy, is it ever. Nolan’s towering follow-up to 2005’s breath of fresh air “Batman Begins” opens with a bloody bang as the Joker and his troupe of traveling misfits force their way into a bank vault hoping to escape with a substantial piece of Gotham’s economic pie. They’re equipped with enough firepower to ward off even the slightest act of common man heroism and aren’t hesitant to eliminate innocent people in the process.
Since this scene is staged in a very raw, Lumet-esque fashion, we’re immediately taken inside the action and given a furious glimpse of what undiluted evil is capable of. I can definitely see how the menacing disposition of the film can evoke comparisons to sweeping crime dramas such as “Heat” and “The Departed,” because it transcends the superhero genre to the point that everything else feels like child’s play in comparison. This picture single-handedly raises the bar for the rest of the film community and it starts with the astounding epitome of violence turned in by the late Heath Ledger.
Unlike Nicholson in ‘89, Ledger takes the Joker to a place that few people thought he was capable of and steals the film right out from under the heels of the Dark Knight himself.
From the hideous grin to the smeared makeup that looks as if someone got a little too carried away in the kitchen, he’s a walking, talking enigma of carefree sadism that rarely meets a person he can’t make smile. His chilling back-story is told strictly from his own mouth and proves to be much more unnerving than any tiresome flashback. Watching him reminisce about his parents adds an even greater psychotic dimension to a character that wasn’t exactly short on intrigue.
As the Yin to Bruce Wayne’s Yang, he fiercely seizes control of Gotham City’s conspiratorial underworld and vows to give the citizens the type of erratic madman they deserve. While the mob is motivated by financial gain, the Joker is out to show that no matter how noble or idealistic society wants to be, anarchy will always reign supreme.
The plot meanders a bit during the first half as Bruce Wayne travels to Hong Kong to clear up a shoddy business deal, but not enough to detract from the task at hand. He’s dealing with the loss of his beloved Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) to new DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and struggling to adjust to Batman’s declining popularity among the public. Regardless of how many criminals are bagged, the presence of a hero like Batman doesn’t generate the positive publicity it deserves and Wayne begins to question whether or not he should continue.
Christian Bale’s presence this time around is elevated to just the right level as he exudes the lively arrogance of a billionaire and the ominous intensity of a night-owl vigilante with equal superiority. Although it seems like his screen time is limited, he never fails to keep us believing in his desire to rid the world of scum and depravity. His working relationship with Commissioner Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) ensures that as long as they need him, he’ll be eager to come through on their demands.
Echoing many of his sentiments is Harvey Dent, the newly elected District Attorney whose gung-ho attitude on crime has him on every mobster’s short list of people to dispose of. Eckhart is perfect at conveying political sincerity and the heartfelt speech he delivers to the press is one of the most compelling moments this film has to offer. His all-around affability is what makes the seething transformation to Two-Face that much harder to stomach, because he was one of the few men in power willing to take a stand.
Now, if your last visualization of Two-Face is Tommy Lee Jones’s clownish depiction, prepare yourself for something a lot creepier than normal and think twice about bringing the young ones. The CGI employed here is spectacularly scary and a significant upgrade over the previous incarnation.
Due to the surplus of outstanding performances, I’ll simply present a couple points I found noteworthy. First, Maggie Gyllenhaal is a welcomed replacement for Katie Holmes, but still seems too bland at moments when she should be more emotionally invested. Secondly, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman are in stellar form and, by now, turn in top-notch performances like clockwork. They take the material seriously and appear to be having a great time contributing to something of this caliber.
All of this adds up to “The Dark Knight” being one of the best films of the year and quite possibly the most superb comic book movie ever made. Whether it’s Ledger’s tour-de-force or Bale’s slick wizardry, the cards are on the table at every instant and Nolan continually has the winning hand.
The final showdown between Batman and the Joker is high-octane Summer entertainment at its best and caps off a mesmerizing one-hundred and fifty-two minutes of fanboy bliss. The Joker personifies every fear of unexplained wickedness humans experience and if the night is indeed darkest just before the dawn, I’m afraid it’s going to be a long night.
- **** out of 4
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Rewind: Top 10 of 2005
1. “Munich” - In 1993, Spielberg served up a furious one-two punch of “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler’s List” that essentially blew everyone else out of the water. In 2005, he returned to the same powerhouse formula by releasing “War of the Worlds” and “Munich,” which enlightened my movie going experience in ways that few other filmmakers are capable of. His emotionally salient take on the cataclysmic events surrounding the 1972 Olympic games once again showed why he is the most fearless and versatile director in all of Hollywood.
Spearheaded by the finest performance of Eric Bana’s career, every second of this film throbs with implacable tension and I don’t think the final box office numbers come close to reflecting how deeply textured the material turns out to be. I’ve seen it three times now and happen to think it holds up quite nicely against the other top films of the decade, even if Oscar didn’t feel the same.
2. “A History of Violence” - For those of you who are familiar with my writing, you already know how much I admire the artistic, blood-spattered approach to picture making that David Cronenberg employs. He’s simply the best at taking the most vile and disgusting characters and somehow turning them into morally flawed human beings with whom the audience can sympathize.
Here, Viggo Mortensen plays Tom Stall, the owner of a small-town diner who carries a disturbing secret that comes dangerously close to tearing apart the only life his family has ever known. Virtuoso supporting work from Maria Bello and William Hurt takes the madness to a new level and sets the stage for a breathtaking final segment.
3. “Grizzly Man” - It’s sad, strange, and true. Werner Herzog’s beautifully painted portrait of neurotic oddball Timothy Treadwell takes the viewer inside the psyche of a man who had no limits on how far he was willing to go in the name of passion. The absence of any real judgment leaves you free to formulate your own opinion of his chilling demise, so regardless of how you feel, you’ll never forget him.
4. “Syriana” - Stephen Gaghan’s dense, intellectual exposé on the real winners and losers of the oil competition doesn’t really care if you understand all of the dialogue, because the fact that you’re listening is enough. It’s about as politically charged as a mainstream movie can get and is likely to have many viewers bored or disinterested long before the conclusion, but I found it fascinating in every sense of the word. Since oil prices appear to be the talk of the town at the moment, may I suggest revisiting this film for a more incisive look at what exactly we’re up against.
5. “The 40-Year Old Virgin” - Well, this is where it all started. This is where the hilariously uncouth brand of Judd Apatow comedy was born and, judging by last year’s tandem of “Knocked Up” and “Superbad,” he doesn’t appear to going away anytime soon. Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Romany Malco, and Catherine Keener put the pedal to the floor throughout every laugh-out-loud moment of this film and help mold it into one of the funniest comedies of all time.
6. “Good Night, and Good Luck” - George Clooney’s political acumen is firing on all cylinders during this penetrating exploration of media duplicity yet it never feels as if we’re actually watching a movie. It’s as if someone left the door to the newsroom open and we’re given a first-hand glimpse of how backdoor politics are conducted. You’ll be astounded by the amount of lies, deception, and betrayal that go into orchestrating a popular newscast and the delivery of this film is as down-to-earth as any I’ve ever seen.
7. “Capote” - Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman captures every inch of idiosyncratic behavior possessed by the legendary author and went beyond mere impersonation every step of the way.
8. “The Aristocrats” - An acquired taste, but without a doubt one of the great exercises in over-the-top absurdity ever brought to the screen. Comedians Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette catch over a hundred of their closest friends telling their own version of the dirtiest joke ever and it quickly becomes a raucous celebration of the first amendment.
9. “Cinderella Man” - Russell Crowe and Paul Giamatti (Should have won an Oscar) make a terrific on-screen team and Howard’s fight direction is inspired to say the least. Had Crowe not lost his temper with a cell phone earlier that year, he would’ve been giver further consideration.
10. “Crash” - Paul Haggis’s interlocking drama surrounding Los Angeles race relations has many stellar performances, but three years later it doesn’t pack the same punch as it once did. Although the Best Picture award is official, I don’t think the academy made the right decision.
Spearheaded by the finest performance of Eric Bana’s career, every second of this film throbs with implacable tension and I don’t think the final box office numbers come close to reflecting how deeply textured the material turns out to be. I’ve seen it three times now and happen to think it holds up quite nicely against the other top films of the decade, even if Oscar didn’t feel the same.
2. “A History of Violence” - For those of you who are familiar with my writing, you already know how much I admire the artistic, blood-spattered approach to picture making that David Cronenberg employs. He’s simply the best at taking the most vile and disgusting characters and somehow turning them into morally flawed human beings with whom the audience can sympathize.
Here, Viggo Mortensen plays Tom Stall, the owner of a small-town diner who carries a disturbing secret that comes dangerously close to tearing apart the only life his family has ever known. Virtuoso supporting work from Maria Bello and William Hurt takes the madness to a new level and sets the stage for a breathtaking final segment.
3. “Grizzly Man” - It’s sad, strange, and true. Werner Herzog’s beautifully painted portrait of neurotic oddball Timothy Treadwell takes the viewer inside the psyche of a man who had no limits on how far he was willing to go in the name of passion. The absence of any real judgment leaves you free to formulate your own opinion of his chilling demise, so regardless of how you feel, you’ll never forget him.
4. “Syriana” - Stephen Gaghan’s dense, intellectual exposé on the real winners and losers of the oil competition doesn’t really care if you understand all of the dialogue, because the fact that you’re listening is enough. It’s about as politically charged as a mainstream movie can get and is likely to have many viewers bored or disinterested long before the conclusion, but I found it fascinating in every sense of the word. Since oil prices appear to be the talk of the town at the moment, may I suggest revisiting this film for a more incisive look at what exactly we’re up against.
5. “The 40-Year Old Virgin” - Well, this is where it all started. This is where the hilariously uncouth brand of Judd Apatow comedy was born and, judging by last year’s tandem of “Knocked Up” and “Superbad,” he doesn’t appear to going away anytime soon. Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Romany Malco, and Catherine Keener put the pedal to the floor throughout every laugh-out-loud moment of this film and help mold it into one of the funniest comedies of all time.
6. “Good Night, and Good Luck” - George Clooney’s political acumen is firing on all cylinders during this penetrating exploration of media duplicity yet it never feels as if we’re actually watching a movie. It’s as if someone left the door to the newsroom open and we’re given a first-hand glimpse of how backdoor politics are conducted. You’ll be astounded by the amount of lies, deception, and betrayal that go into orchestrating a popular newscast and the delivery of this film is as down-to-earth as any I’ve ever seen.
7. “Capote” - Academy Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman captures every inch of idiosyncratic behavior possessed by the legendary author and went beyond mere impersonation every step of the way.
8. “The Aristocrats” - An acquired taste, but without a doubt one of the great exercises in over-the-top absurdity ever brought to the screen. Comedians Paul Provenza and Penn Jillette catch over a hundred of their closest friends telling their own version of the dirtiest joke ever and it quickly becomes a raucous celebration of the first amendment.
9. “Cinderella Man” - Russell Crowe and Paul Giamatti (Should have won an Oscar) make a terrific on-screen team and Howard’s fight direction is inspired to say the least. Had Crowe not lost his temper with a cell phone earlier that year, he would’ve been giver further consideration.
10. “Crash” - Paul Haggis’s interlocking drama surrounding Los Angeles race relations has many stellar performances, but three years later it doesn’t pack the same punch as it once did. Although the Best Picture award is official, I don’t think the academy made the right decision.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Hancock
In many ways, Will Smith’s new film “Hancock” is the 2008 equivalent of Michael Bay’s inherently energetic scrap heap “Transformers.” It’s cluttered, clamorous, and complete with enough big budget brouhaha to find itself right at home amidst the mid-Summer mash-up we call July. It didn’t have to be this way. The studio wasn’t forced to abandon every ounce of hard-nosed badassery (Okay, so it’s not a word. Sue me.) in favor of a schmaltzy, Disney-esque narrative about reluctantly fulfilling your destiny, but sadly, that’s what becomes of this one following the halfway point. Not even Smith’s audacious, wisecracking charisma is able to salvage this sheer catastrophe of a screenplay and, when that happens, you know something is clearly out of whack.
Director Peter Berg (“The Kingdom”) has a unique premise that he’s not quite sure how to handle, so the frenzied plot progression ends up souring any feeling of delight generated by the mesmeric opening sequence. When a grizzled and whiskey-ridden Hancock is woken up by a young boy alerting him to a crime in progress, the film sets a very comedic tone and allows Smith to deliver some classic one-liners that almost make you forget that you’re watching a PG-13 superhero flick. His face is rough, his attitude is ornery, and public relations are visibly absent from his to-do list. He’s the perfect anti-hero, the kind of grumpy old boozer who would bring scotch to Sunday mass, because wine just doesn’t cut it.
Yes, Hancock is what many people would call an “a-hole,” but he doesn’t care as long they don’t say it to his face. No matter how many citizens he saves, his perception will never improve unless he opts for a complete personality makeover courtesy of Ray Embrey, played by Jason Bateman. Embrey’s plan is to send Hancock to jail and give Los Angeles a taste of life without the troubled superman around to save the day.
The energy Bateman brings to this role is more than the film deserves, because the script isn’t even close to living up to expectations. Then again, all three main characters are too skilled to fall victim to a putrid plot twist, so they do their best to weather the storm until the credits roll.
Hancock’s stint behind bars provides a few laughs, but mostly serves as a facilitator for future destruction of property. Since he has no real nemesis, Berg tries to highlight the internal struggle that consumes Hancock throughout much of the film, but even that loses steam in a hurry. His new and improved persona isn’t as interesting as the creators think it is and the scenes involving Charlize Theron are often too weird for words.
I love Charlize as much as the next guy, but was her involvement in the big picture necessary? My guess is that the writers wanted as many bombastic confrontations as they could fit and didn’t care how much talent they wasted in the process.
If Dickens wrote “A Tale of Two Cities,” then this is a tale of two films. One is a hilarious look at an alcoholic loner who is anything but your friendly neighborhood superhero and the other is an overblown clunker that never offers a hint of something we haven’t seen a hundred times before. As for which one prevails, I think I’ll let you decide.
- ** ½ out of 4
Director Peter Berg (“The Kingdom”) has a unique premise that he’s not quite sure how to handle, so the frenzied plot progression ends up souring any feeling of delight generated by the mesmeric opening sequence. When a grizzled and whiskey-ridden Hancock is woken up by a young boy alerting him to a crime in progress, the film sets a very comedic tone and allows Smith to deliver some classic one-liners that almost make you forget that you’re watching a PG-13 superhero flick. His face is rough, his attitude is ornery, and public relations are visibly absent from his to-do list. He’s the perfect anti-hero, the kind of grumpy old boozer who would bring scotch to Sunday mass, because wine just doesn’t cut it.
Yes, Hancock is what many people would call an “a-hole,” but he doesn’t care as long they don’t say it to his face. No matter how many citizens he saves, his perception will never improve unless he opts for a complete personality makeover courtesy of Ray Embrey, played by Jason Bateman. Embrey’s plan is to send Hancock to jail and give Los Angeles a taste of life without the troubled superman around to save the day.
The energy Bateman brings to this role is more than the film deserves, because the script isn’t even close to living up to expectations. Then again, all three main characters are too skilled to fall victim to a putrid plot twist, so they do their best to weather the storm until the credits roll.
Hancock’s stint behind bars provides a few laughs, but mostly serves as a facilitator for future destruction of property. Since he has no real nemesis, Berg tries to highlight the internal struggle that consumes Hancock throughout much of the film, but even that loses steam in a hurry. His new and improved persona isn’t as interesting as the creators think it is and the scenes involving Charlize Theron are often too weird for words.
I love Charlize as much as the next guy, but was her involvement in the big picture necessary? My guess is that the writers wanted as many bombastic confrontations as they could fit and didn’t care how much talent they wasted in the process.
If Dickens wrote “A Tale of Two Cities,” then this is a tale of two films. One is a hilarious look at an alcoholic loner who is anything but your friendly neighborhood superhero and the other is an overblown clunker that never offers a hint of something we haven’t seen a hundred times before. As for which one prevails, I think I’ll let you decide.
- ** ½ out of 4
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Rewind: Top 10 of 2006
Well, it’s that time of year again when people of all ages flock to the theatre hoping to catch the latest holiday blockbuster or Oscar frontrunner, while critics throughout the country begin compiling their list of the best films from the last twelve months. For me, 2006 was a vastly improved year at the movies and almost made me forget about all of those horrendously awful remakes that were so gracefully offered to us last year.
Whether it was Martin Scorsese’s riveting return to form in “The Departed" or Eli Roth’s blood-spattered trip through Europe in “Hostel," every film seemed to bring something new and exciting to the table. Even flops such as “Lady in the Water" and “The Hills Have Eyes" were still somewhat watchable despite not having any apparent cinematic value. Yes, it was an interesting year.
One that gave us Clint Eastwood’s magnificent WWII duo “Flags of Our Fathers"/"Letters From Iwo Jima" as well as the Wayans brothers’ dreadful comedy “Little Man." For every great film to be released this year, there were at least three or four bad ones to follow, but I guess that’s pretty much how every year is.
If you want to make the most out of your movie going experience, you may have to go out of your way to see films that you would normally pass right over, because they could leave you pleasantly surprised. After countless deliberations, I’ve managed to come up with a pretty solid list of what I believe to be the best films of 2006 as follows:
1. "The Departed" - Set on the cruel, gritty streets of South Boston, Martin Scorsese's star-studded crime drama completely blew audiences away with its polished direction and ferociously intense action sequences. Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon deliver first-rate performances as two rats trying to find one another and Jack Nicholson celebrates being 70 with his aggressive portrayal of an aging mob boss. It's great to see Scorsese returning to form and you'd be hard-pressed to find a more entertaining film this Oscar season.
2. "United 93"/"Pan's Labyrinth" - Many people said it was too soon for a film of this nature, but I think the time couldn't have been more appropriate. Paul Greengrass created a hauntingly realistic account of the events surrounding 9/11 and should really be commended for taking on such a controversial project. I could see complaining if the film wasn't so well executed, but that's just not the case. For those who haven't seen it, I highly recommend checking it out and the final segment is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat.
Guillermo del Toro's masterpiece never gets old and always keeps you utterly entranced by its stunning depiction of how a young girl copes with change during a time of complete chaos. The film pretty much speaks for itself.
3. "Borat" - If you haven't familiarized yourself with the comedic stylings of Sacha Baron Cohen, now would be the time to do so. His film has become the surprise hit of the year and could earn him an Oscar nomination come January. Fictional Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev embarks on an epic journey across the United States to get a real taste of American culture and produces some truly hilarious moments along the way. While it may offend some, those who enjoy Baron Cohen's fearless energy will be treated to one of the funniest films I've ever seen.
4. "Casino Royale" - Yes, this is a James Bond film and yes, it is that good. Martin Campbell's second journey into the world of James Bond completely redefined the struggling franchise and gave Daniel Craig the opportunity to bring the character back to life. Doing away with the gadgets proved to be a key element for success and Craig's rugged disregard for authority made every scene that much more believable.
5. "Blood Diamond"/"The Good Shepherd" - Leonardo DiCaprio's second appearance on this list shows just how great his year actually was. Here, he's sporting a passable Rhodesian accent and playing the role of a South African mercenary trying to get his hands on a rare diamond that has been buried in the African jungle. In the hands of director Edward Zwick, it becomes an action-packed exposè on the diamond industry while boasting superb supporting work from both Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou.
De Niro's first directorial feature since 1993's "A Bronx Tale" is a long, penetrating look into the shadowy past of the CIA that is often too explanatory for its own good. Damon gives the most understated performance of the year as Edward Wilson and should've entered into the Academy Award discussion long before anything was set in stone. My only beef with this flick is that the wonderful Angelina Jolie went sadly underused, but otherwise, it's something special.
6. "Half Nelson" - Ryan Gosling's startling portrayal of a drug addicted school teacher earned him plenty of rave reviews and helped this poignant picture go above and beyond the normal expectations of the genre. Each scene was full of heartfelt emotion and its themes about life are especially relevant in today's society.
7. "Thank You For Smoking" - This sharply funny satire on the cigarette industry allows Aaron Eckhart to shine as tobacco lobbyist Nick Naylor and really establish himself as a lead actor. Jason Reitman's directorial debut is one that knows both its material and audience in brilliantly comphrensive detail.
8. "The Descent" - Neil Marshall's chillingly claustrophobic tale of six friends who get lost on a climbing expedition is terror at its finest.
9. "Hard Candy" - Here is where my infatuation with Ellen Page began. This Lions Gate shock fest opens ever so subtly until the moment where the tables are turned in a nightmarish direction and, believe me, you'll be squirming.
10. "Flags of Our Fathers" - Clint Eastwood's first of two WWII films told the reluctantly heroic story of three soldiers who returned home from Iwo Jima and became pawns in the US government's attempt to sell the war to the American public. Ryan Philippe, Adam Beach, and Jesse Bradford all make the most of their time on-screen and bring justice to their real-life counterparts.
Honorable Mention: "Apocalypto," "Notes on a Scandal," "Children of Men," "An Inconvenient Truth," "The Devil Wears Prada," and "The Last King of Scotland."
Whether it was Martin Scorsese’s riveting return to form in “The Departed" or Eli Roth’s blood-spattered trip through Europe in “Hostel," every film seemed to bring something new and exciting to the table. Even flops such as “Lady in the Water" and “The Hills Have Eyes" were still somewhat watchable despite not having any apparent cinematic value. Yes, it was an interesting year.
One that gave us Clint Eastwood’s magnificent WWII duo “Flags of Our Fathers"/"Letters From Iwo Jima" as well as the Wayans brothers’ dreadful comedy “Little Man." For every great film to be released this year, there were at least three or four bad ones to follow, but I guess that’s pretty much how every year is.
If you want to make the most out of your movie going experience, you may have to go out of your way to see films that you would normally pass right over, because they could leave you pleasantly surprised. After countless deliberations, I’ve managed to come up with a pretty solid list of what I believe to be the best films of 2006 as follows:
1. "The Departed" - Set on the cruel, gritty streets of South Boston, Martin Scorsese's star-studded crime drama completely blew audiences away with its polished direction and ferociously intense action sequences. Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon deliver first-rate performances as two rats trying to find one another and Jack Nicholson celebrates being 70 with his aggressive portrayal of an aging mob boss. It's great to see Scorsese returning to form and you'd be hard-pressed to find a more entertaining film this Oscar season.
2. "United 93"/"Pan's Labyrinth" - Many people said it was too soon for a film of this nature, but I think the time couldn't have been more appropriate. Paul Greengrass created a hauntingly realistic account of the events surrounding 9/11 and should really be commended for taking on such a controversial project. I could see complaining if the film wasn't so well executed, but that's just not the case. For those who haven't seen it, I highly recommend checking it out and the final segment is guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seat.
Guillermo del Toro's masterpiece never gets old and always keeps you utterly entranced by its stunning depiction of how a young girl copes with change during a time of complete chaos. The film pretty much speaks for itself.
3. "Borat" - If you haven't familiarized yourself with the comedic stylings of Sacha Baron Cohen, now would be the time to do so. His film has become the surprise hit of the year and could earn him an Oscar nomination come January. Fictional Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev embarks on an epic journey across the United States to get a real taste of American culture and produces some truly hilarious moments along the way. While it may offend some, those who enjoy Baron Cohen's fearless energy will be treated to one of the funniest films I've ever seen.
4. "Casino Royale" - Yes, this is a James Bond film and yes, it is that good. Martin Campbell's second journey into the world of James Bond completely redefined the struggling franchise and gave Daniel Craig the opportunity to bring the character back to life. Doing away with the gadgets proved to be a key element for success and Craig's rugged disregard for authority made every scene that much more believable.
5. "Blood Diamond"/"The Good Shepherd" - Leonardo DiCaprio's second appearance on this list shows just how great his year actually was. Here, he's sporting a passable Rhodesian accent and playing the role of a South African mercenary trying to get his hands on a rare diamond that has been buried in the African jungle. In the hands of director Edward Zwick, it becomes an action-packed exposè on the diamond industry while boasting superb supporting work from both Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou.
De Niro's first directorial feature since 1993's "A Bronx Tale" is a long, penetrating look into the shadowy past of the CIA that is often too explanatory for its own good. Damon gives the most understated performance of the year as Edward Wilson and should've entered into the Academy Award discussion long before anything was set in stone. My only beef with this flick is that the wonderful Angelina Jolie went sadly underused, but otherwise, it's something special.
6. "Half Nelson" - Ryan Gosling's startling portrayal of a drug addicted school teacher earned him plenty of rave reviews and helped this poignant picture go above and beyond the normal expectations of the genre. Each scene was full of heartfelt emotion and its themes about life are especially relevant in today's society.
7. "Thank You For Smoking" - This sharply funny satire on the cigarette industry allows Aaron Eckhart to shine as tobacco lobbyist Nick Naylor and really establish himself as a lead actor. Jason Reitman's directorial debut is one that knows both its material and audience in brilliantly comphrensive detail.
8. "The Descent" - Neil Marshall's chillingly claustrophobic tale of six friends who get lost on a climbing expedition is terror at its finest.
9. "Hard Candy" - Here is where my infatuation with Ellen Page began. This Lions Gate shock fest opens ever so subtly until the moment where the tables are turned in a nightmarish direction and, believe me, you'll be squirming.
10. "Flags of Our Fathers" - Clint Eastwood's first of two WWII films told the reluctantly heroic story of three soldiers who returned home from Iwo Jima and became pawns in the US government's attempt to sell the war to the American public. Ryan Philippe, Adam Beach, and Jesse Bradford all make the most of their time on-screen and bring justice to their real-life counterparts.
Honorable Mention: "Apocalypto," "Notes on a Scandal," "Children of Men," "An Inconvenient Truth," "The Devil Wears Prada," and "The Last King of Scotland."
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