214 Quick Reviews (Part 3) ~ October 2007

OCTOBER:

Chalk (2007)
An interesting but flawed experiment in improv comedy that owes a lot to awkward dynamics of The Office. Some scenes work and are genuinely funny but overall, the movie feels a bit over-stretched and over-rehearsed. The best example of this is that when I started the movie, I actually thought I watching a genuine documentary but after just 10 minutes, I could tell that the filmmakers were working hard to pull one over on the audience. You can practically see everyone straining to be as "natural" as possible.


Mean Girls (2004)
That Tina Fey's got kind of a sharp wit on her, don't she? She should try writing comedy or something. Another happy surprise, even though it's been on my list of movies to see for the past 3 years in large part because I'd heard it was so good. Still, better than expected and worth replaying just for some of the acid dialogue. I'd like to think this is the kind of movie that John Hughes might still be putting up if he hadn't fallen into the dark and soul-devouring abyss of cute-baby comedies.

The Lives of Others (2006)
Wow. For a movie about the Cold War, the beating heart under this movie is overwhelmingly warm and humanistic. In fact, on synopsis alone, I wasn't prepared for such a crushing and affecting love story. The movie is elevated further by a conclusion that is so richly ironic and satisfying that you're left sort of knocked down by the whole experience. Chills abound. Ulrich Mühe (in the lead role) is absolutely spectacular.

Dog Soldiers (2002)
Here's one that didn't live up to the hype. Expecting an inventive twist on werewolves, instead I got a low-budget werewolf movie by someone who saw and LOVED Aliens. Maybe it was just that the film felt overly predictable and cliche at every turn while I was primed to watch something original? Either way, I felt the FX, direction and performances were hammy and clumsy. Kind of a boring horror movie, which is the worst sin for a movie of this type.

In the Valley of Elah (2007)
Tommy Lee Jones serenely and methodically navigates the narrative of his missing son while dodging a few deep emotional potholes...in other words, a pretty good time. Performances are amazing across the board and Paul Haggis manages to deliver only one clumsy scene (more Mystic River than Crash, really). This might sound like faint praise but to be honest, this film was miles and miles better than I expected and ultimately kind of heart-crushing. Jones delivers his role with such masterful restraint that it'll be a shocker if he's not recognized at the end of the year.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
Well now, I got everything I wanted from Jesse James more or less, likely my most anticipated movie of 2007. And it's now infinitely clear to me why the film has so many walk-outs. More museum piece than movie, the arthouse theatrics makes this a sort of all-in experience that will either resonate at some unique level or send you running for the lobby. For my 3 hours, I entirely loved the experience of soaking in the period design, the off-beat character acting and the very, very particular details of the James story, in particular the last act of the movie which plays like a stiff dance. However, the biggest and most excellent surprise in the film is Casey Affleck who immediately jumps to top of the list of working actors for me with one of the most exciting and complicated performances that I have ever seen. Really. He's complete off the map. I don't know or care much about the Oscar race at this point, but to my mind there won't be a better performance than Affleck as Bob Ford this year. Brad Pitt is also remarkable, assuming the next stage in his Redford career with real grace and self-awareness and finding a nice balance between the dark places (where he's so good) and the loneliness of not being able to trust a soul. This movie is already growing in mind and by the time I see it again, it might be a 5-star experience. For now, I'm just so very grateful that it ever got made in the first place - movies like this are rarities.

Junebug (2005)
I'm sorry. It's my kind of movie in every respect…but I simply didn't enjoy this. Strong performances for sure (Amy Adams in particular), but everything else about the movie seemed to be on such a downer level that I couldn't find the light in it.

Faust (1926)
I could be overheard exclaiming a string of profanities in the opening shots, startled as I was by how rich and gigantic this movie is. The opening sequence depicting the horsemen of the apocalypse and the confrontation between Mephistopheles and the angel genuinely surprised me - both because it's gorgeous and because I was genuinely unprepared for the scale of the production. A virtual textbook on how stylish and fearless silent film could be, this is another of those masterpieces that I could watch again and again. Story starts to slog a little in the second half as the narrative comes back down to Earth, but by then, my brains were already on the floor beside the couch. I find that I've turned into a huge Murnau fan...

Land of Silence and Darkness (1971)
Leave it to Werner Herzog to lead a group of deaf-blind seniors to a greenhouse full of cacti - without question, the most unique documentary I've ever seen. What's most noteworthy about the film is the way that the lifestyle of these people who live in complete separation from the world around them have a sort of normalcy all their own. At a party filled with guests who are completely deaf and blind, the chit chat, conveyed by partners who can interpret the tactile signing, seems almost mundane. Still, there's tremendous courage and sadness to be found in this movie; never depressing but always genuinely eye-opening (no pun intended, I swear).

Lucky You (2007)
Poker movies are almost always fun and this one is no exception. Not a great film by any stretch, but good enough to warrant the time. And I'll watch Eric Bana in virtually anything - he's one of my favourite working actors.

The Long Goodbye (1973)
Elliot Gould pioneers new levels of unruffled grooviness as the most laid-back 70's-noir Marlowe imaginable. In fact, it's Gould's low-key frequency that makes this easily my favourite 70's detective flick (see also: Chinatown, Night Moves, etc.) Dialogue is sharp enough to make you light-headed and the character performances are all completely looney. A genuine treasure that I know I'll be watching again - probably the most I've ever enjoyed an Altman film at first pass.

American Gangster (2007)
Comparisons to The Departed will be unavoidable; but I liked this more. The level of period detail makes this a juicy steak of a movie, with exceptional performances in virtually every scene. Still, it's Denzel Washington who runs off with the show in a confident and frightening performance that elevates Frank Lucas from thug to genuine force of nature. In fact, I believe this is the best piece of cinema that Ridley Scott has produced in 25 years (Gladiator included).

Michael Clayton (2007)
I have to confess disappointment. The story is seemingly impenetrable for the first 30 minutes or so, which I can handle, but unfortunately the overall plot never warrants the extra work. The mechanics of the script failed to satisfied and both Clooney and the big reveal seemed a little been-there done-that. I seem to be completely outside the norm on this one (maybe it's all karmic balance for my affection for The Golden Age) but while most on-line critics seem to be citing this as a career high for Clooney, all I can see a long history of these sorts of straightforward law dramas (see also: The Verdict, Erin Brockovich, A Civil Action, etc.) and I'm left cold.

Broken Blossoms (1919)
A genuine antique that truthfully, takes a lot of work to appreciate today. The noted innovation is tough to see, but I'll take your word for it.

The Party (1968)
Very very funny, despite being remarkably dated. Best parts of the film are those that play out like silent comedy - turning on natural twists and going the extra mile to make things utterly ridiculous. Sellers is great. Pleased to see an early beef-headed performance by Captain Stubing (Gavin MacLeod).

30 Days of Night (2007)
I love a good vampire movie and this one is about good enough. The movie is (mostly) smart enough to let the lean premise do all the heavy lifting. It's delightfully simple: pack of pale monsters, isolated town in dead-winter Alaska, hijinks. The horror rightfully coasts on style and atmosphere for most of the run-time but becomes a big bogged in the last 30 minutes. In fact, the ending was sort of sucky but so much good will had been earned in the first 90 minutes, that it didn't matter much. By the way, vampire + industrial ice breaker = fun CG gore.

Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979)
Kinski must be the most fantastic Count Dracula in movie history: utterly alien, rodent-like and deeply tragic. Every scene he's in is pure cinema gold and proof that CG will never completely overcome the immediacy of a real performance. Isabelle Adjani, for her part, is sort of perfect as Lucy and the whole mix is the most unusual (and oddly downbeat) take I've seen on the Dracula story. So many rats...!!! Love the unexpected ending.

Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985)
Like fine vintage wine...if I could share wine with my 4-year-old.

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring (2003)
Ah...now everyone should have a Buddhist master to get them back on track from time to time. Told with very little dialogue and with tremendous stillness behind the camera, Ki-duk's movie says an astonishing amount about the natural cycles of Eastern mysticism while actually speaking very little. In truth, it was a little like spending a vacation at a Buddhist retreat: relaxing, enriching and really quite fulfilling. Kind of loved it.

Bloody Sunday (2002)
One of those rare movies that I wholly respect but couldn't possibly consider watching again. Harrowing and surprising, Greengrass has an uncanny ability to bring clarity to chaos. James Nesbitt entirely rules and should be awarded nothing but success in all he does. Bonus points awarded for letting the U2 song play out past the final credits, several minutes against the black screen.

Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
The true sign of a great cult movie: as soon as it's over, you're already set to watch it again and again. This is one of those rare midnight classics that I missed in my formative years when I would have likely watched it into the ground. Watching it now, it's tough to resist DePalma's insane epic which is alternately flamboyant, over-the-top and completely ludicrous. The soundtrack is instantly catchy (in a kitschy 70's way) and the story is so out-there that it's amazing the film ever got made. I now join the legion of fans who adore Phantom of the Paradise and swear by William Finley's bizarre movie monster.

The Thin Man (1934)
Powell and Loy...alright then, I'm a believer. The dialogue and performances in this movie crackle at such a level that a 5-star rating hardly seems enough; in fact, Nick and Nora are so playful that it seems downright dirty to watch them in a scene together. No doubt an indisputable sign of their superior on-screen chemistry. This movie was 100% pleasure and I can vouch for those cinephiles who put it on their comfort-food list: this is one that I'll watch again and again and again in the years to come...