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Frontière(s) (2007)
The Parisian Chainsaw Massacre.
Amidst the riotous aftermath of a French presidential election, five Parisians - pregnant Yasmine (Karina Testa), her brother Sami (Adel Bencherif) Alex (Aurelien Wiik), Tom (David Saracino) and Farid (Chems Dahmani)) - commit a robbery in order to obtain the necessary funds to escape the city. The group separates after Sami is shot; Alex and Yasmine take Sami to the hospital while Tom and Farid head to their rendezvous point, a hostel in the countryside outside of Paris. The Hostel, however, is run by a family of cannibal Nazis, who proceed to kill the youths one at a time - except for Yasmine, who they decide should join the family and carry on their bloodline.
"Frontier(s)" (2007) is the confluence of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974) and "Hostel" (2005). In fact, "Frontier(s)" owes nearly the entirety of its narrative structure to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Both films open with striking documentarian verisimilitude: in this case, with Yasmine voicing over images of her ultra sound, shortly followed by news footage of the Parisian riots. The film likewise closes with radio footage of the same event, gifting the film with unsettling realism. Just as with its docu-horror predecessor, "Frontier(s)" contains striking audio-visual symbolism for the protagonist's slaughter; our first introduction of Goetz (Samuel Le Bihan), the film's Leatherface character, is him gutting a pig in some extended detail. The visual of pigs (and the sound of their squeals) are omnipresent once the slaughter itself begins.
While the film is unflinchingly violent and gory, it did not truly deserve its NC-17 rating. The levels of grotesquery are consistent with other R-rated (or R-worthy) films - such as "Saw" (2004) and its sequels, "Hostel" (2005," "The Hills Have Eyes" (2006) and "Hostel II" (2007). It also warrants mentioning that the violence, while certainly extreme, is not warrantless. Every table-sawed corpse, severed Achilles tendon and shotgunned head represent the real-world violence that the protagonists sought to escape from. It represents the omnipresence of violence throughout the world as much as it satisfies the genre expectations that "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974) could never live up to.
While still not up to the cinematic quality of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974), it is nonetheless that film's true cultural successor (not the less-than-stellar 2003 remake). The film is intense and unrelenting in a way that its predecessor never could be while still acting as an apropos expression of twenty-first century violence. Fans of slasher films (such as "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "The Hills Have Eyes") and torture-horror films (such as "Saw" or "Hostel") should find this an intensely riveting horror film.
Carrie (1976)
A Faithful but Dated Adaptation.
Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) is a hopelessly awkward teenage girl: loathed as a pariah by her classmates and abused by her profoundly Christian mother (Laurie Piper). The only person who shows her the slightest human kindness is her gym teacher (Betty Buckley), who rescues her from the torments of her classmates when she gets her first (incredibly belated) period while showering after gym. Along with her late-coming adolescence, Carrie develops telekinesis, which she hones despite her mother's accusations of witchcraft. Sue Snell (Amy Irving), one of Carrie's tormentors, tries to make up for her actions by convincing her boyfriend (William Katt), who Carrie has a crush on, to take her to the prom. Chris Hargenson (Nancy Allen), however, despises her punishment for what she did to Carrie and wants to make her pay.
"Carrie" (1976) demonstrates an intense level of fidelity with the novel upon which it is based. Brian DePalma demonstrates his technical proficiencies as a director in his realistic (if extreme) treatment of adolescence. The problem arises, however, with entrenched in the decade of its origin the film is. It is hopelessly, infuriatingly, obviously seventies. The decisions to use of kaleidoscope lenses, to rotate the camera opposite the rotation of Tommy Ross' and Carrie White's dancing and the a-typical use of sound after Chris dumps pigs' blood on Carrie - while it certainly conveys its cinematic message with all due clarity - are hopelessly dated techniques that permanently entrench the film in its specific time and place (instead of existing within a sense of timelessness).
Fans of Stephen King's novels will find this to be delightfully faithful to his novel (a statement which cannot be said about even some of his best adaptations). Fans of horror films - as well as distinctly seventies films - will likewise find this to be a welcome and fairly-executed inclusion into their folds.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Worse, but More Horrific, than the Original.
August, 1973. Five friends - Erin (Jessica Biel), Morgan, (Jonathon Tucker), Pepper (Erica Leerhsen), Andy (Mike Vogal) and Kemper (Eric Balfour) - drive through Texas on their way to a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert. Along the way they pick up a woman (Lauren German) that they find listlessly walking along the road. As they enter a small, dead-looking town, the woman panics and shoots herself. They stop in order to notify the authorities, but are picked off one by one by a family of murderous cannibals.
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (2003) is the perfect compliment to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) in that where the first fails, the second succeeds (the reverse it likewise true). While the original is certainly the better film, the remake is just as assuredly the better horror film. Its style much better conforms with contemporary genre expectations than its predecessor. It features significantly higher levels of gore, much more low-key lighting and a subdued color palette in general. The decision to have the hitchhiker be a victim of the family (instead of a member of it) as well as the active psychological terror on the part of the sheriff (R. Lee Ermey) heightened the terror and unease of the film.
The trade off, however, is the loss of 1) the brilliant juxtaposition between the protagonists' surroundings (idyllic, brightly-lit sunflowers) and the horrific violence of the family, 2) the foreshadowing of the protagonists' "butchering" at the hands of the family through the images of the livestock and slaughterhouse, 3) the social commentary on industrial modernization.
Fans of modern slasher movies as well as the original film (or at least the idea of it) will find this a fitting and entertaining film. The more critically-minded viewer, however, will likely find it more than a little over-the-top and less satisfying than its predecessor.
Contagion (2011)
The Film that "Outbreak" Wanted to Be.
Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns home to Minneapolis after a business trip to Hong Kong. Two days later she collapses in a fit of seizures, dying in the hospital shortly thereafter. Her husband, Mitch Emhoff (Matt Damon), returns to find their son (Griffin Kane) dead of the same disease. As Mitch and his daughter Jory (Anna Jacoby-Heron) attempt to survive both the spreading plague and societal breakdown, the CDC - headed by Dr. Ellis Cheever (Lawrence Fishburne) - attempt to trace the genesis of the virus and create a vaccine. Rear Admiral Lyle Haggerty (Bryan Cranston) heads the U.S. efforts to contain the spread of the virus (at least in the United States) while World Health Organization epidemiologist Dr. Leonora Orantes (Marion Cotillard) is abducted in Hong Kong by colleague Sun Feng (Chin Han) in an attempt to blackmail the Chinese government for enough vaccinations to inoculate his village. Meanwhile, freelance journalist, blogger and conspiracy theorist Krumwiede (Jude Law) propagates the use of Forsythia to combat the disease, which he claims cured him.
"Contagion" is every bit the film that "Outbreak" (1995) tried so desperately to be - an intelligently written, tightly directed and compellingly acted multi-protagonist film that traces the genesis, spread and subsequent effects (military quarantine, social breakdown, emotional human drama, desperate race for a cure) of an omnipresent super virus. Unlike its notable predecessor, however, "Contagion" never falls prey to cliché (notably the "misfired nuke" which prevents a town from being eradicated after a cure was discovered at the end of "Outbreak").
The film sustains a palpable suspense from its first scene (which depicts the sickening Mrs. Emhoff the day after she contracted the virus) to its finale (which shows the true genesis of the virus). This mounting suspense is achieved through the carefully administered depiction of societal collapse alongside its dryly executed timeline of the outbreak.
Mitch's actions throughout the film are born out of equal measures of love and paranoia for his daughter, his only surviving family. His hostility toward her boyfriend are among the most memorable moments of the film - heartbreaking, yet coldly rational. The family's eventual catharsis (Matt finally being allowed to grieve and Jory's emotional reunion with her boyfriend) perfectly capture the film's binary tones (catastrophic loss and eventual triumph).
The fact that this film is capable of achieving so much so well is a truly outstanding accomplishment. It is able to show the devastating breadth of the global epidemic while simultaneously placing a human face on the tragedy. Dr. Mears' (Kate Winslet) death, Dr. Cheever's guilt over inadvertently sending Dr. Mears to her death (and subsequent attempts to keep his loved ones alive) and Mitch's struggle to keep both himself and his daughter alive all succeed at personalizing the epidemic (and its effects) without falling into the trap of being too cheesy or schmaltzy. Furthermore, it manages numerous disconnected (and radically different) plot lines and characters without becoming a jumbled, incomprehensible mess (which is more than most multi-protagonist films can boast).
This is hands-down the best film so far this year and the best non-zombie themed virus film ever made. If I had my way, this would be standard viewing in every secondary-level health class in the country for its realistic depiction of viral spread. Fans of "Outbreak" (1995) and other like-themed films, as well as suspenseful, thrilling and dramatic films, should find something to enjoy in "Contagion." Don't be confused by the horror-centric advertising - which paints it as a cross between "Outbreak" (1995) and "Cabin Fever" (2002) - however, as "Contagion" is far from what it portrays itself as.
Frost/Nixon (2008)
A More than Capable Film that Takes a Little Too Long to Get Moving
In 1972, several staff members of Richard Nixon's campaign are arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Convention's headquarters at the Watergate Office Complex. In 1974, Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) resigned as president. In 1977, British journalist and TV personality David Frost (Michael Sheen) conducts a series of twelve interviews with Richard Nixon concerning his actions as president. Forced to self-finance the $2 million endeavor, Frost and staff members Bob Zelnick (Oiver Platt) and James Reston Jr. (Sam Rockwell) seek to hold Nixon's feet to the fire and give him the trial that the American people were denied by President Ford's pardon.
"Frost/Nixon" (2008) is an excellently acted character drama. Frank Langella gives what is easily one of the most convincing performances of the year, deserving of every accolade and scrap of praise that he has earned with it. He gives an exquisite portrayal of the former president, capturing his every nuance and intricacy. Michael Sheen, masked in a shroud of easy charisma, reenacts the personable man-about-town David Frost. While Sheen fails completely transform into Frost in the same way that Langella succeeded as Nixon, he delivers a nonetheless commendable performance.
The film takes the same excessive liberties with the facts surrounding the Frost/Nixon interviews that Richard Nixon took with the office of the presidency. In of itself this isn't anything peculiar. The problem arises, however, is Ron Howard's choice to juxtapose the progressing plot of the film with documentary-esque interviews of those involved in the Frost/Nixon interviews. This creates a heightened and unjustified sense of authenticity concerning the depicted events, especially alongside the "documentation" of the Frost/Nixon interviews themselves. While there is nothing wrong with taking creative license in order to heighten the dramatic qualities of a historical drama, what Ron Howard engages in through these Moore-esque techniques is borders on the unethical.
Despite these extreme discrepancies in historic fact, as well as the excessively long buildup to the final interview session (an hour and on half), "Frost/Nixon" is a well-executed, engaging and ultimately successful film. It grants a degree of closure to an unresolved American trauma. Fans of Nixon-era and post-Nixon era politics, as well as dialog-driven dramas, will enjoy this film.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Not So Much a Narrative as an Event.
When reports of rampant grave-robbing grip the state of Texas, Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns), her invalid brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain) and three of their friends (Allen Danziger, William Vail, Teri McMinn) visit a rural Texas cemetery to confirm that the Hardesty's grandfather remains undisturbed. On their way back, they stop by their family home. Their neighbors, however, are a family of murderous cannibals who can't resist a free meal.
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" doesn't tell a narrative story so much as it depicts a singular event with documentarian verisimilitude. The film expounds a great deal of effort creating an illusion of reality: opening with a dryly narrated title card assuring the audience of the coming events' authenticity, followed by camera flashes illuminating decayed corpses. Character comments, which extend beyond of the immediate socioeconomics of the plot, further grant a sense of realism to the film (such as the hitchhiker's comments about modernized slaughterhouse equipment putting workers out of jobs).
For all of its positive qualities, however, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" has not aged terribly well. It ultimately comes off as a better "film" than a "horror film." Despite its violent action and gritty realism, the film just isn't frightening to contemporary audiences (in much the same way that Tourneur's horror films are considered tame). The shocks aren't quite as shocking as they used to be and the suspense is essentially nonexistent. Most of the terror scenes are shot in brightly-lit daytime, often against a background of sunflowers. While this definitely serves the purpose of juxtaposing with the action of the film (in much the same way that having the killers be a close-knit family), it doesn't succeed in eliciting terror in the minds of the audience.
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is a notably important and influential horror film, one which certainly defined a decade of radical socioeconomic change. This is a must-see for students of both the horror genre and the history of American film. If you're looking for a gory good time filled with modern scares, however, the less cinematic remake might be a better choice than the original.
The Town (2010)
Starts with a Bang, Ends with a Whimper.
Four childhood friends - Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck), Jem Coughlin (Jeremy Renner), Albert Magloan (Slaine) and Dez Elden (Owen Burke) - rob a bank in the Boston neighborhood of Charlestown, kidnapping bank manager Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall) in the process. They release her after the heist (but not before stealing her license and promising that they would rape and kill her if she went to the police). MacRay befriends Claire in an attempt to learn more about the FBI investigation surrounding the robbery, eventually falling in love with her. After a botched armored car robbery in North Boston, MacRay tells his boss - crime lord Fergie Colm (Pete Postlethwaite) - that he's retiring to Florida. After making a few not-so-thinly veiled threats, he convinces MacRay to do one last job for him.
For the life of me, I can't understand the critical acclaim that this film has acquired (it currently holds a 94% "certified fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was listed on the AFI's list of the top ten films from 2010). Despite Ben Affleck's surprisingly slick direction and several briskly paced action scenes (each featuring a unique set of disguises), the film is ultimately a victim of its own horrendous writing (proving once and for all how little input Affleck had on 1997's "Good Will Hunting").
The film's greatest writing concern is its inability to reasonably suspend the disbelief in the audience. While it seems reasonable to take a hostage to ensure a safe getaway from a bank heist, I don't believe for a second that anybody - especially one of the abductors - would think it reasonable to date the abductee. As that is seemingly the moral crux of the film (a case for MacRay's changed life-style and ultimate redemption), the entire production collapses at the failure of that premise.
The denouement of the film attempts to show Claire betraying MacCray by setting him up to be arrested when he comes to visit her (much in the same tradition as 2009's "Pubic Enemies"). Unlike its immediate antecedent, however, the supposed betrayal is completely unwarranted by the script. The film opens with MacCray kidnapping her at gunpoint, stealing her driver's license and threatening to rape and kill her if she went to the police. The stress caused by this incident causes her to leave her job. Then her abductor begins a prolonged intimate relationship with her. Her proximity to him so soon after the robbery causes her to become suspect in the FBI's eyes (it's not difficult to imagine her as an inside conspirator for the four actual robbers). The film then has the borderline-offensive audacity to paint her - a genuine victim - as a traitor against the implicitly noble MacRay.
Fans of heist films will find this to be a more-or-less worthy addition to the genre. Likewise, those in accordance with the nation's critical heartbeat will find the film more than agreeable. As for the rest, however, this is a tired, clichéd and thread-bare film unworthy of the acclaim that it has generated.
Dogville (2003)
Proof That There is a Reason for Traditional Aesthetics.
Grace Mulligan (Nicole Kidman) is on the run from the mob in the Rocky Mountains. When she stumbles upon the tiny village of Dogville, a town of fifteen, she seeks refuge among its citizens. The town, however, is skeptical of harboring a stranger. In an attempt to win them over, she visits with each citizen every day and does whatever chores they have for her. This campaign succeeds and she is accepted by the people of Dogville. When the police start looking her, however, and wanted posters start showing up, the secret of Grace's presence weighs heavily on the townspeople, who begin to lash out at her.
"Dogville" is an obviously experimental film, radically abandoning tradition Western film aesthetics in favor of minimalistic, theatrical ones. The film is shot entirely on a bare sound stage. Instead of physical buildings or landscapes (trees, bushes, etc...), everything is chalked out and labelled on the ground like a to-scale architect's blueprint. The four walls of the sound stage are stark white during day scenes and muted black during night scenes. There is no non-diegetic sound (such as background music), save for the fact that the film is narrated by voice-over (John Hurt). Furthermore, the film features jarringly non-traditional editing, in which cuts are unexpectedly rapid and characters - without any indication - have changed location between shots (such as a sitting character unexpectedly moving to a standing position since the last shot they were in).
I will admit that I am in the critical minority when it comes to "Dogville." Despite a solid story, capable acting (particularly from Nicole Kidman, Stellan Skarsgard and Paul Bettany) and a few brilliant moments (particularly when Grace is raped by Chuck behind closed doors, which in Dogville is in plain sight of the entire town), the film is ultimately a failure. The total abandonment of traditional, Western film aesthetics, while an interesting directorial decision, was ultimately damaging to the film's overall presentation. In fact, many of those consciously neglected aesthetics (realistic sets, realistic lighting, realistic landscape, non-diegetic music, smooth Hollywood-esque editing) would have greatly amplified the film's quality. The lighting, in particular, did little more than hurt my eyes from constant exposure to it over the course of the film.
"Dogville" is not nearly as interesting as the inevitable discussions that it will spawn. Fans of non-traditional cinema (which is to say non-mainstream cinema) will love this film. Film students should see this film for its radical departures from traditional aesthetics. Other than that, however, I fail to see this film garnering a large or even moderately-sized following.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
As Much a Classic as "Casablanca" or "Gone with the Wind"
When Barbra (Judith O'Dea) and her brother Johnny (Russell Streiner) go to their father's grave in rural Pennsylvania to pay their respects, Barbra is attacked by a zombie. In the ensuing struggle, Johnny is killed (his head bashed against the corner of a tombstone) and Barbra is chased to a nearby farm house. There she takes refuge amongst other survivors: Ben (Duane Jones), Harry Cooper (Karl Hardman), his wife Hellen (Marilyn Eastman), their injured daughter Karen (Kyra Schon), Tom (Keith Wayne) and his girlfriend Judy (Judith Ridley). Deeply divided over the best course for survival, they must survive both the undead onslaught and their increasingly violent natures until a rescue party arrives.
"Night of the Living Dead" is a classic much in the same vein as "Casablanca" (1942): so often quoted and parodied that the film may at first seem like the cliché that its mimickers created. Romero completely revolutionized the horror genre with his radical re-imagining of the zombie. No longer the soulless victim-slave of a witch doctor (as in 1932's "White Zombie" or 1943's "I Walked with a Zombie"), they are undead ghouls who without proper cause (later films will challenge the theory that radiation from Venus is the cause of the phenomenon) begin killing and consuming the living. Any recently dead person will become reanimated with murderous intent toward the living, regardless of the fact that they were once a family member or friend. Their slow, unrelenting gate gives them a sense of inevitability: you might kill or outrun one or two of them, but their swelling numbers will outlast and eventually overwhelm you.
The film portrays the bleak realities of race relations in the late 1960's. Ben's plans are met by Harry's violent resistance, implicitly because he's black. Later, when Ben, as the sole survivor, finds the notably all-white rescue party, they kill him and burn him with the rest of the slain undead. It may have been an innocent mistake, but the image of an armed posse of white men killing an unarmed black man is nonetheless seared into the memory of the viewer, reminiscent of the South's violent resistance to the Civil Rights Movement's peaceful protests.
Likewise, "Night of the Living Dead" also portrays the strained gender relations of the time. I won't say that the film is sexist (because I don't believe that to be the case); it does, however, portray a staunchly patriarchal world-view. Barbra, after viewing the death of her brother, essentially becomes a zombie herself. Clearly suffering from intense shock, she becomes practically comatose, incapable of assisting anybody in the slightest (and, more often than not, getting in the way). Harry presents himself as the tyrannical head of his family. He keeps his wife in the dark concerning the latest life-altering events (literally, she's kept in the basement while the best course of action is debated by the men upstairs) and even attempts to stretch his influence to the other women. Notably, he treats Barbra like a child that needs looking after and Judy like she's Tom's to order around.
Like "Nosferatu" (1922), "Night of the Living Dead" is more unsettling and chilling than it is frightening (at least to the contemporary viewer). There are no "jump out at you" shocks or outright scares, but a slowly intensifying suspense that very much resembles the undead themselves. The scene in which the zombies get a hold of the incinerated Tom and Judy, savoring the chunks of their ripped-apart flesh, is easily the most unnerving of the film (and, perhaps, of the genre). Like Jacques Tourneur, Romero wields his films' dark atmosphere as a weapon, one infinitely more effective than simple shock-and-awe scare tactics.
The only detriment to this film is the character of Barbra. I can understand wanting to show a "shell-shocked" victim in what is a clear parallel to the Vietnam War (essentially bringing the horrors of the war home to the American public), the end result is an absolute mess. Her every line infuriatingly fails at anything even closely resembling a realistic character. While the 1990 remake committed just as bad a mistake with their gross over-correction of her character (turning her into a caricature of Sarah Connor), Barbra is still sad excuse for a traumatized woman.
This film is a must see for any of horror, especially fans of the zombie sub-genre. Likewise, those interested in the changing racial and family dynamics of the 1960's will find this an intensely symbolic film rich with coded power dynamics.
Wall Street (1987)
Greed (and This Film) is Good.
Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) is a peon stockbroker whose ambition vastly outstrips his ability. For the last fifty-nine days, he's called the office of Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas) - an infamous, unscrupulous corporate raider - for his shot at the big time, never getting past Gekko's secretary. But now, armed with inside information about Blue Star airlines - a company which his father (Martin Sheen) is a union representative - he gets his shot. Bud, now consumed with wealth and fast-tracked success, must decide between doing what's profitable and doing what's right.
"Wall Street" is much a film for the 80's as it is for today. The "greed is good" mentality, while it certainly has its merits, is twisted by Gekko into a doctrine of immoral excess, where money is paid for by the livelihoods of the working man. Gekko, the Devil in a tailored suit, proves that he's willing to do anything for a profit long after money has become anything other than a scoreboard.
While there are a number of incredibly well-executed performances to speak of (Sheen and Sheen being the ones to come to mind), Michael Douglas gives us one of the decade's best. Seamlessly sliding into Gekko's skin, Douglas breathes realism into the coldly calculating and darkly charismatic character. He doesn't merely seduce Bud with his mean and hungry look (to borrow from Shakespeare), but the entire audience as well: all of us swept up in his charm and obvious grandeur. Gekko possesses his office with a commanding presence, like a retro Zeus in his temple on Wall Street.
While enough can't be said for Stone's exceptional direction, it's his and Wesier's brilliant screenplay which completely steals the show. Particularly in the "Greed is Good" speech, they capture the Darwinian nature of economics and the a-moral (if not outright immoral) philosophy that defined the eighties (and every decade since). One merely has to look to Wall Street today to see the film's timelessness: the 2007 housing crisis (which has yet to be satisfactorily resolved, if the Wall Street occupation is any indication) and the Enron scandal are merely the largest and most recent examples.
This is a film that every American, without exception, should watch. While it may only truly appeal to lovers of Drama and finance, it is far too relevant to today's economic crises and of far too excellent a quality to go unseen.
Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)
1/3 "Awesome," 1/3 "Terrible," 1/3 "What the Hell Just Happened"
In the not so distant future, massive organ failures cause society at large to collapse. As panic consumes the globe, Gene Co, and its founder Rotti Largo (Paul Sorvino), develop a cure: cheap organ transplants that stem the tides of death and anarchy. Surgery becomes a type of fashion. To accommodate this, organ repossessions become legal. Nathan Wallace (Anthony Head) is one such "Repo Man." After his wife's tragic death (for which he blames himself), he grew overbearingly protective of his daughter Shilo (Alexa Vega). Seventeen years later, Rotti is dying and none of his children (Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre) are deemed fit to inherit Gene Co. He sets his sights on Shilo as his new heir and all she has to do is kill the Repo Man.
"Repo! The Genetic Opera" is composed of equal parts "awesome," "terrible" and "what the Hell just happened," coalescing into a singularly unique and strangely compelling musical narrative. Some songs, particularly those pertaining to Shilo's pubescent angst, may at first seem puerile and a-stylistic to older audiences. When the film is understood as the narrative descendant of Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," however, where the story doesn't focus on any one individual but rather the entire host of characters surrounding the mega-conglomerate Gene Co, such seemingly childish songs ("Seventeen" / "I'm Infected by Your Genetics") may be understood as expressions of character just as necessary as the pragmatic "Gold," the sanguine "Thankless Job" or the haunting "Chase the Morning Light." The film's songs, as well as their performance, as nothing short of exquisite. Paul Sorvino and Sarah Brightman add their experienced operatic voices to an otherwise less-classically trained cast. In particular, "Gold" and "Chromaggia" are brilliant showcases for their talents. Anthony Head adds a rough, unpolished quality to the soundtrack that adds a tasteful dissonance to Sorvino and Brightman's own performances. In the vocality of the film, Alexa Vega plays "the straight man." Her voice isn't as distinguished as any of her fellow actors, but blends seamlessly into any song which features her.
Perhaps the pleasantest surprise of the film is Paris Hilton's performance as Amber Sweet. She seems to appeal to the total audience of the film; fans of Hilton will love seeing her while her detractors will love seeing her face fall off prior to the film's emotive climax.
The only real detraction to the film are their stylistic use of exposition (graphic panels with written text). The expository text appears infinitesimally small on the screen and is passed by extremely quickly - in short, making it extremely difficult to read). Additionally, any information that these expositive scenes portray are evident enough in the film (as they're typically followed by songs which describe what they just revealed). These scenes would better serve the film if they were cut out in their entirety or replaced with traditionally acted-out scenes (I'm inclined to believe that the latter would be more than sufficient). While it never comes close to ruining the cinematic experience, it does frustrate it considerably.
Fans of dark musicals and portrayals of bleak, despondent (not quite post-apocalyptic) futures will find "Repo! The Genetic Opera" an absolute gem of a film. With its brilliant acting and vocal ensemble, darkly off-beat writing and eccentric direction, this film is an experience that should not be missed.
The Descent (2005)
It Had the Makings of an Excellent Psychological Horror Film... And Then the Mole People Attacked.
The Descent: six women enter, one woman leaves.
A year after her husband and daughter die in a traffic accident, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) and five of her friends (Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, MylAnna Buring, Saskia Mulder, Nora-Jane No one) meet up in the Appalachian Mountains. After a slumber-party-esque night in a rustic cabin, they go cave-diving. They journey into the cave system only to be caught in a cave-in, blocking off the way that they came. It turns out that this is not the cave system that they thought it was; Juno (Natalie Mendoza) took them to an uncharted cave system so that they could explore it together. That means, however, that nobody will know where they are to rescue them. Their only hope is to find a second entrance (shown in a primitive-looking cave painting) before whoever - or whatever - it is that they hear following them catches up.
"The Descent" had the makings for an excellent psychological horror film. The direction was exquisitely claustrophobic, closing the audience into the cramped tunnels along with the protagonists. The general, although not entirely absent, background music engrosses the viewer in every unnatural echo permeating the cave system. Early in the film, the protagonists list off the dangers of prolonged stays underground, among which are visual and auditory hallucinations. Had the movie progressed in the way that it had started - with six strong, yet understandably frightened women, trapped in an uncharted cave-system, suffering from what could only logically be panic-induced hallucinations - the movie would have been an excellent addition to the horror genre. It would be notable if only for its bold decision to include an all-female cast (admirably acted by a more than capable cast).
Then the mole people attacked.
The fact that there was a monster at all was a massive disappointment, but that they were little more than stereotypical, blind, cannibalistic cave-dwellers was an insult. All of the suspense, all of the psychological tension and interesting character development was destroyed the second that the real antagonist was introduced. It wasn't their paranoia or underlying interpersonal issues that threatened their lives, but mole people.
For the life of me I can't understand the positive critical response that it received, given how ultimately disappointing the film ended up being. Fans of suspenseful, psychological horror will enjoy the first half of the film while fans of hack-n-slash monster films will enjoy the second half. Feminists will enjoy the fact that the film has an all female cast, given how male-dominated the industry tends to be. It's hard to imagine an audience for the entire film, as it is never realized as a cohesive whole.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
The Chimpshank Redemption
Gen-Sys is a pharmaceutical company whose star employee, Dr. Will Rodman (James Franco), is developing a cure to Alzheimer's using chimpanzees as the test subjects. When a chimp named Bight Eyes goes on a rampage (and is shot), Rodman's supervisor (David Oyelowo) orders that all the chimps are to be euthanized. Guilted by a coworker, Rodman takes Bright Eyes' baby (Andy Serkis) home, raising him with the help of his Alzheimer's-ridden father (John Lithgow). The chimp, named Caesar, proves to be remarkably intelligent (due to the experimental serum given to his mother during his gestation). After Caesar attacks one of Rodman's neighbors, however, he is detained in an abusive animal sanctuary, where he determines to fight back against his oppressive human jailers.
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" does more than give us another exquisitely rendered Andy Serkis performance dressed up in flawless CG (although that is a major plus for the film). Not since "Outbreak" (1995) has there been a better apocalyptic virus film that didn't involve zombies or vampires (ie, "28 Days Later" and "I Am Legend"). The virus' spread is understated (shown briefly during the film before becoming the focus during the en credits). This footnote conveys the narrative necessity to connect "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" with its inevitable slew of sequels while not cramming it needlessly into the body of the film.
Had the movie been shot in an ever-so-slightly different way, it would have made an excellent (and likely superior) sci-fi horror movie. It wouldn't have taken all that much extra, either: had they shot some daytime scenes as night scenes (particularly the simian uprising) with heavy low-key lightning, had there been more careful attention to the film's mise-en-scene (such as when Caesar silently watches his former human "parents" in their sleep), had there been a more carefully built sense of suspense and had they shown more and gorier human deaths (skewered by the simians' "spears," bludgeoned with make-shift clubs, decapitated with manhole covers, pummeled by ape fists).
That said, the action in the film itself (other than pulling away before nearly every human's death) was excellent. The scene on the Golden Gate Bridge was riveting and well-choreographed, especially as Caesar emerged from the smog on horseback (perhaps the film's most memorable moment). The climactic Ape uprising scene sprawls a great number of San Francisco tourist attractions that anybody even passably knowledgeable about the area would know, notably The Golden Gate Bridge, Twin Peaks, The San Francisco Zoo and Muir Woods. These extraordinary details gives the film a great deal more character than the typical action movie.
One extremely enjoyable aspect of the film is the reverence that it plays to previous films in the series. The first hyper-intelligent chimp is named Bright Eyes, a clear homage to Charlton Heston's the ape-given name in the first film. The famous line "get your stinking paws off me you damn dirty apes" likewise made a cameo appearance in the mouth of Tom Felton. News clips throughout the movie describe a manned flight to Mars aboard The Icarus (the same name as Charlton Heston's ship in the original film) that later disappears (a newspaper shows the headline "Lost in Space").
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is an excellent action and science fiction film that fans of either genre (or of the original series) should enjoy with gusto. One can only hope that the film's sequels will be equally well-crafted.
Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut (1956)
Occupied France's Answer to "The Shawshank Redemption"
As the title would suggest, "A Man Escaped" follows Fontaine (François Leterrier), a man interred in a Nazi prison camp, who makes a spectacularly Shawshank escape. Interspersed with mundane prison routine, the film follows Fontaine's painstaking efforts to escape (planning, making rope/hooks, recruiting fellow prisoners, cutting through the wooden slats of his cell door with a spoon handle, avoiding detection by the guards, determining whether or not his new roommate is really a Nazi spy sent to keep an eye on him).
Despite the simplicity of the plot, the film succeeds in engrossing the audience into the world of the film. When Fontaine carves through his cell door, every unnatural squeak and crack of the wood draws tense cringes from the audience (who realize that it could draw the attention of the guards). Robert Bresson proves his directorial brilliance through excessively drawn-out editing. In nearly any other film, this would cause the action to drag to the point of boredom. In "A Man Escaped," however, it creates a palpable tension between a desperate need to escape and the practical necessity of avoiding detection. This suspense has absolutely no release until the last minutes of the movie, when Fontaine and Jost succeed in their prison break.
The film's most evident feature is its incredibly minimalistic use of sound. "A Man Escaped" lacks non-diegetic sound (ie, background music), creating an extremely noticeable, extremely realist quietness. This drastically heightens the tension held throughout the film. Every creak and moan of the wood Fontaine cuts through is made all the louder when there's nothing to muffle the noise. During the escape itself, every little sound jumps out at the viewer. In many cases, it replaces sight itself. When Fontaine waits for an opportune moment to jump the guard posted outside of the prisoner's quarters, we only receive an establishing shot of the guard pacing back and forth. The camera then cut's to Fontaine's fixed position, while the fluctuation in the footsteps' volume let us know how far or near the guard currently is.
"A Man Escaped" is arguably the greatest prison break film ever made (although, personally, I prefer "The Shawshank Redemption"). Fans of the genre as well as films set in World War II will greatly appreciate the caliber of this film. More so than any of its generic peers ("The Great Escape," "Escape from Alkatraz," "The Shawshank Redemption," "Cool Hand Luke") "A Man Escaped" succeeds at creating and sustaining suspense over the course of ninety minutes, building - never relenting - until its final release just moments before the end credits.
The Big Bang Theory (2007)
A Nerdier and More Smartly Written Version of "Seinfeld" or "Friends."
I will fully admit that I am more of a film person than a television person. Part of that has to do with the opportunity cost of watching increasingly numerous half hour segments versus a one-time 2 hour commitment. The other part is that they are often of significantly poorer quality than their stand-alone brethren.
"The Big Bang Theory," however, is a hilariously nerdy delight. Sheldon's shockingly anti-social antics and Leonard's (often failed) attempts at normal social interaction drive the entire series from episode to episode. Howard and Raj round out the comic relief while Penny provides a much-needed dose of normality to the show. The jokes are smart, yet extremely accessible and the situations, given the character's high IQ's and poor social skills, are entirely believable. Even some of the more outlandish sequences (such as when Leonard dreams of Sheldon reproducing through mitosis after ingesting a substantial amount of Thai food) never stray too far from ordinary so as to be enjoyable.
It also warrants mentioning that the show features the best title sequence (complete with a "Barenaked Ladies" original song) is likely the most singularly excellent one I've yet seen for a television series. The catchy song, complete with accompanying visuals, tells the history of the Universe (and especially that of mankind) within a 30 second run-time (which I think stands as a pretty impressive feet).
Ultimately, the show comes off as a nerdier and more smartly written version of Seinfeld or friends. Fans of those shows (or sit coms in general), nerd culture (comic books, sci-fi, fantasy, ren' fairs and conventions) and science (especially physics) will find this show a hilarious and enjoyable.
The Thing (1982)
An Admirable, Yet Generally Average Film.
R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russel) is a helicopter pilot stationed at a US research facility in Antarctica along with ten other researchers and staff members. While prepping for a pending snowstorm, the team encounters a group of Norwegans desperately shooting at a lone sled dog. In the ensuing scuffle, the Norwegans both die and the dog is adopted by the Americans. It turns out, however, that the dog was really an alien lifeform capable of disguising itself as any living creature it "samples" and spread like a virus to other organisms. Now the team is being picked of one by one, and anybody could be a "Thing." Despite the familiar and generally worn down plot, "The Thing" boasts some of the better visual effects ever caught on film. The depiction of "The Thing," especially as it mutates from a seemingly mundane source (a dog or a average-looking human) is nothing short of nightmarish. Most times it comes off as a mix between a zombie and a spider, although at others it more ambitiously sports an extensively twisted, tortured-looking face, rows of unnaturally-placed teeth and other Hellish details. The hollow, soulless moans that the transforming Things give out is genuinely unsettling, moreso than any mere scream could achieve.
The arctic setting perfectly expresses the sense of isolation and hopelessness that the titular Thing thrives in. Carpenter realizes a near "Shining" level of isolation through the film's bleak, unending whiteness (sharply juxtaposed against the night sky). Even during brightly lit daytime scenes, Carpenter never fails to create an atmospheric sense of unease.
Kurt Russel does a commendable job in the lead role. While nothing exceptional in its own right, it does get the job done here. Keith David is an actor that I'm never disappointed to see. Even if he's not a particularly talented individual, he has a commanding presence on screen that makes him something of a poor man's Samuel L. Jackson.
Despite excellent visuals and solid direction, the film never really rises beyond simply being average. It's entertaining more than anything, which can hardly be considered a bad thing. Fans of science fiction or horror alike will enjoy this eery, effects-laden remake of the original 1951 film.
The Lion King (1994)
An Animated Masterpiece,
"The Lion King" is essentially a retelling of "Hamlet" set on the Savannah and casted with lions. Simba (Prince Hamlet) is the child of Mufasa (King Hamlet) and Sarabi (Gertrude), the heir apparent of the Savannah. His uncle Scar (Claudius), however, has ambitions for the throne. Aligning himself with a pack of hyenas, Scar succeeds in killing his brother and taking the throne for himself. The Hyenas, unable to kill Simba, chase him into a desert and leave him for dead. He grows up mentored by the meerkat Timon (Rosencrantz) and the warthog Pumba (Guildenstern) until Nala (Ophelia), a childhood friend, finds him and convinces him to return home and take his place as king.
Despite abundant opportunities to become a derivative child-friendly adaptation of the Shakespeare play, "The Lion King" succeeds as a unique and family-friendly experience. It conveys the emotions of tragic loss and unforgivable betrayal that, while devastating and heartbreaking, are still appropriate for the entire family. Even moreso than Bambi's mother's, Mufasa's death is a heartrenching experience (and I am not above admitting that I cried watching Simba search for his father in the deserted gorge in which he died).
The animation is easily the most breathtaking of Disney's 2-D features: brilliantly capturing the majesty of the African Savannah. The Pride Lands are bright and crisp while the elephant graveyard is nightmarishly grim. The landscape upon Simba's return is nothing short of haunting.
The film demonstrates an elegant mastery of visual symbolism rare in films produced since the early sixties. The song "Be Prepared" contains evocative visual allusions to the Third Reich, aligning Scar's reign with that of Hitler's. Gothic tradition holds that the natural world is a reflection of the social order; as such, the barren Pride Lands, littered with bones and scorched flora, with bent, stunted trees in the foreground reflects the unnatural ascension of Scar to the throne. In a moment of catharsis etched into every child's memory, the post-battle rain washes away the last remnants of Scar's reign, cleansing the Pride Lands and its inhabitants.
A host of prominent actors lend their vocal talents to this film, including the James Earl Jones, Matthew Broderick, Cheech Marin, Whoopi Goldberg. Elton John rounds out the vocal ensemble, lending his voice to a number of Tim Rice's exceptional musical numbers.
This is film is a true classic and easy to for all viewers, young and old, to enjoy together. It is a rare person who will not find something to like in it (genuinely funny quips, thrilling musical numbers, well-crafted script, exceptional voice talents). If you get the slightest opportunity to see this film, I recommend that you take it.
Kick-Ass (2010)
An Acceptably Average Action-Comedy.
Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) always wanted to be a super hero. For the life of him he couldn't understand why nobody ever tried to be one. A few online purchases (and a whole lot of nerve) later, and he's become "Kick-Ass." After a few unsuccessful bouts of crime-fighting, he becomes an internet sensation, inspiring a slew of equally flamboyant superheroes to take to the streets.
I neither understand the incredible critical praise nor the stern moral condemnation that this film has received. It struck me as neither good or lewd enough to illicit either response. Yes, the language was very, very foul, yes it glorified violence (especially in pre-teens) and yes it did, at least to some degree, sexualize an eleven year old actress (although it did so more comedically than seriously, given that Hit girl being "hot" was the punchline of at least one joke). The language was no worse than any number of other movies, only this time they came from a little girl. That too was part of the film, that such vulgarity came from such an unlikely source. As for glorifying violence, it is a super-hero movie, after all. It's simply following genre expectations. While I will admit that it was at times a little extreme (when Big Daddy and Hit girl handcuff a man to a car, put him in a running car compacter), it does so in its capacity as a comedy (presenting a caricature of Batman-esque violence). In short, it doesn't transgress arbitrary moral boundaries any more than any number of other films have already done.
As for the praise, I just don't see why. The movie was entertaining, but that was all. The plot, while functional, was more than a little uninspired: Dave and Katie (Lyndsy Fonseca) get together because she thinks that he's gay and always wanted a gay best friend. The acting oscillates from perfectly average (mot of the main characters) to completely inept (most of the minor characters). The dialog was jilted and awkward, even by the standard of teen romances; Aaron Johnson and Lyndsy Fonseca have a unique anti-chemistry between them that just doesn't get the job done. These flaws might not sink the film, but it does little more than keep it afloat.
For all of its negative qualities, however, it does accurately portray the cult-like fascination modern culture has with superheroes (even the most incompetent of them): meme-like fandom followed by a plethora of imitators. It gives us, if nothing else, a pathetic lens through which we can view what our own dreams of super heroism would look like.
The film's apropos use music and genuinely impressive fight choreography are perhaps its most strikingly positive qualities. Their conjunctive use, however, create a lackluster tension between comedy and action. Sadly, the film never really excels in either genre. Fans of most contemporary comedies, superhero culture and perhaps mass communication as well should find "Kick-Ass" at least passingly enjoyable.
True Grit (2010)
An Admirable Update of the Classic Film
In this update of the original 1969 film, Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) hires US Marshal Rooset Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to kill Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), the man who killed her father. They join up with Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) to track Chaney, who was last seen in the Choctow territory. Mattie, despite both Cogburn's and LaBoeuf's objections, insists on tagging along to make sure that Chaney hangs for her father's murder.
Despite her age and the prestige of her fellow cast members, Hailee Steinfeld absolutely steals the show. She gives an imposing performance as the unyielding Mattie Ross: at times the innocent child, at others the young lady full of sand. Steinfeld capably fielded both roles with expert precision, sometimes simultaneously (such as in the scene where she compares chasing Tom Chaney in the wild to a raccoon hunt she went on with her father).
Jeff Bridges gave a stoically reserved performance reminiscent of the great Western stars of the past. His gruff personage naturally translates to the "true grit" of the man he portrays. Matt Damon gives a good, but ultimately forgettable, performance as a Texas Ranger. While it's nothing particularly notable, it does get the job done.
The cinematography of the film is a perfect blending of the broadly defined openness of old Westerns and the intimate closeness of most contemporary film. It creates a landscape that, while perfectly alien to our more familiar urbanized world, seems comfortable and oddly familiar. It grants us a strong connection to the characters (rather than the land) while still keeping us aware of the world they inhabit. It masterfully satisfies genre expectations while not becoming a slave to them.
Fans of westerns will find this remake to be a must-see addition to an already expansive collection of films, as will fans of historical dramas or revenge tales. This is a movie that deserves every bit of the critical praise it has received and there's hardly a cinephile who can turn down this film.
High Noon (1952)
A Heartbreaking Tale of Betrayal and Vengeance.
The film opens as Will Kane (Gary Cooper) and his Quaker fiancé (Grace Kelly) wed and prepare to depart on their honeymoon. Word comes, however, that Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald) - an outlaw who swore that he'd kill Kane - was pardoned by the courts and is coming in on the noon train. Three other outlaws (Lee Van Cleef, Robert J. Wilke, Sheb Wooley) await for him at the train station. Kane, despite his new wife's strong objections, stays to face Miller when he arrives in just over an hour's time. His attempts to round up a posse are disastrous, however, as nobody is willing to stand by the man who kept their town safe and lawful.
The decision to shoot the film in real time creates immensely tangible suspense which exponentially intensifies until the climactic shootout over an hour into the film. Cutting to various clock faces during this build-up is only the most obvious technique use to create suspense. Kane's increasingly desperate appeals to the townspeople and their increasingly adamant refusals to assist him reference the shortness of the hour far better than any clock ever could.
Gary Cooper's acting here is nothing short of excellent. He seamlessly transitions from blissful newlywed to stern law-man to a desperate and condemned man too proud to run away. His acting carries with it the soul of the film - desperate betrayal from those you had come to trust and depend upon. His performance reflects this realization of betrayal, making "High Noon" perhaps one of the most heartbreaking films I have ever seen.
The film stands as perhaps one of the standards of the western genre and the character of the tragic hero (specifically, the tragic western hero). Fans of the genre should find a wealth of enjoyment while watching this film.
The King's Speech (2010)
An Excellent, If Overrated, Film.
The film is about the Duke of York (Colin Firth) who, following the death of his father (Michael Gambon) and the abdication of the throne by his elder brother (Guy Pearce), would be king. The problem with Albert (later King George VI), however, is that he has a debilitating stammer that prevents him from fronting the regal presence of his predecessors. After a series of failures with other speech therapists, his wife (Helena Bonham Carter) takes him to the controversial Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush): a man who, despite no formal training or credentials, has achieved miraculous results (particularly with shell-shocked veterans of the first world war). Despite fictitious beginnings, the two men grow close as they conquer the soon-to-be King's speech impediment.
"The King's Speech" is an exemplary show of acting. Colin Firth rightly deserved his Oscar for Best Actor, given his convincing (yet not overbearing) performance as King George VI. This might sound like a mere compliment, but it is really much more. Sean Penn (in 2001's "I Am Sam") gave an unbearably over-the-top and unrealistic (if emotionally engaging) performance as an autistic single father. There, the acting was obvious artifice: obtrusive and painful to watch. Colin Firth avoids the pitfalls of portraying an individual with abnormalities while offering a realistic and engaging performance. Sometimes emotional, other times fiercely reserved, Firth never fails to be an entrancing and sympathetic figure.
Colin Firth isn't the only outstanding performance in "The King's Speech." Geoffrey Rush also adds his entrancing presence to the film, creating the Merlin-esque Lion Logue through his striking minimalistic acting. Michael Gambon (popularly known for his portrayal of Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series) gives two great performances in the film: first, as the regal and dominating King George V (who has grown impatient with his eldest son's moral failings and his youngest son's oratory failings) and second as the infirmed and Alzheimer-ridden King in his later years. Both performances are given with a commendably stark realism. Jack Pearce gives and enchanting performance of the charismatic King Edward VIII: the man who abdicates the throne in order to marry for love. Although generally charming and captivating, in a brief yet memorable scene he darkly mocks his younger brother for his stutter and presumed lust for the throne. Helena Bonham Carter further lends her stoic and refined presence to Queen Elizabeth, the supportive and loving wife of King George VI.
At times comic and at others grave, "The King's Speech" is story not merely of an individual, but of a budding friendship, a sometimes-estranged family and a nation at the brink of war. It goes without saying that speech therapists will love this movie. Fans of historical dramas will also find this a pleasure to watch. While the editing is more slowly paced than I would have preferred and the film considerably overrated, it is nonetheless of exceptional quality.
The Social Network (2010)
"Wall Street" for a Whole New Generation.
"The Social Network" depicts the founding of Facebook, THE social experience of the twenty-first century, by the most socially inept person imaginable. Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is a Harvard undergrad whose girlfriend (Rooney Mara) just dumped him. In retaliation, Mark hacks the Harvard computer network to create Facemash, a website ranking the attractiveness of Harvard undergrads, which draws the attention of Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss (Armie Hammer). The Winklevosses want to make a social networking site that requires a Harvard email address for membership and they want Mark to program it for them. Never actually working on their website, he instead uses it to gain a 1-month head start on his own similarly-themed website: "The Facebook." With the assistance of his friend and newly appointed CFO Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and Napster founder Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), Mark will turn "The Facebook" to the international force that it is today.
The film is, at its core, the thematic successor to Bennett Miller's "Capote" (2005): a tale in which creation ("In Cold Blood" / Facebook) leads to the emotional destruction of its creator (Truman Capote / Mark Zuckerberg). The creation of FaceMash (and Mark's subsequent angry-blogging) destroyed his relationship with his ex girlfriend (Rooney Mara); Facebook destroyed Mark's friendship with Eduardo (Mark cut him out of his 1/3 ownership of the company, for which Eduardo sued him for $600 million - only one of two lawsuits Mark was simultaneously involved with). By the film's conclusion, he even grows disillusioned with Sea Parker, who is arrested after snorting cocaine off of underage interns. The film's final scene (where Mark friend-requests his ex, sits back in his chair and continually refreshes the page until the credits) is one of the most heartbreaking in recent memory.
The film brilliantly frames the story of Facebook's genesis in Eduardo's lawsuit against Mark. David Fincher successfully negotiates these parallel continuities with perfect clarity, using the descendant timeline (the lawsuit) to elaborate the antecedent timeline (Facebook's creation). Transitioning between these timelines in a complimentary fashion without creating temporal confusion in the viewer is a more than commendable achievement of direction.
Necessarily minimalist, though occasionally explosive, Jesse Eisenberg gives one of the year's most intriguing performances as the possible autistic Zuckerberg. Andrew Garfield gives a commendable performance himself as the much more personable Eduardo. The chemistry between the two is incredibly tense, perfectly reflecting the strained relationship that they portray on screen.
Fans of contemporary dramas or those interested in the origins of the omnipresent Facebook will find "The Social Network" a worthwhile cinematic experience.
The Conspirator (2010)
Woefully Underwatched and Underrated.
"The Conspirator" tells the real-life story Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy) a young and inexperienced lawyer who represented Mary Surratt (Robin Wright) during her 1865 trial for treason. Surratt is accused of "abetting, aiding, concealing, counseling, and harboring" the men who assassinated Abraham Lincoln an attempted to assassinate William H. Seward and Andrew Johnson. Among the conspirators is her son, John (Johnny Simmons), who is still at large. Eviscerated in the press and facing the the full force of the government set against her, a guilty verdict (and her execution) is all but assured.
The mistake that a great many people seem to make is that this film is about Mary Surratt's innocence. While it may certainly be interpreted (even inferred) that she is not guilty of the charges brought against her, it's hardly the film's focus. Rather, it is about the injustice of the trial itself (which is depicted as little more than a witch-hunt) and Frederick Aiken's quest to secure Surratt a fair civilian trial, free from the federal government's strong-arm legal tactics (Aiken accuses the prosecution of threatening witnesses for the defense to either change their testimony or refuse to give it altogether).
The film realizes its recreation of a post-war American traumatized by the unprecedented assassination of its president through its exceptional creative talents. To say that the artistic direction (specifically the set and costume designs) were impressive is a woeful understatement. The diegesis of the film (the world of the film) is an immaculately detailed, technically masterful and immensely historically accurate piece of art. There is no unneeded ornament, which is an aesthetic minimalism that is desperately rare in this age of mega-blockbusters (not that I mind a high-budget, cg-laden film, mind you, although the break from it is quite enjoyable). One memorable set is the prison cell of Mary Surratt, which closely aligns itself with popular depictions of the Tower of London.
At its heart, "The Conspirator" is an ensemble film, much in the same vein as "12 Angry Men" (1957), "Crash" (2004) or "Babel" (2006). It's not so much about Aiken or Surratt, but about all of the major individuals who were involved in the trial. To accommodate the multi-protagonist nature of the film, numerous acting talents were drawn upon, many of whom receive neither the breadth of work nor the critical acclaim that they deserve. James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Kevin Kline, Tom Wilkinson, Stephen Root and Danny Huston all give outstanding and memorable performances in their assigned roles. I would be lying if I didn't say that I was extremely happy to see Alexis Bledel, Evan Rachel Wood and Johnny Simmons in the film as well; while a far cry from the previous list of actors, they are nonetheless extremely capable actors who deserve greater respect than they have as of yet acquired (and it is my sincerest wish that this film will help them on their way toward that end).
"The Conspirator" is a masterpiece of historical drama and easily one of the best films of this last year. It is truly a shame that it didn't garner the attention or acclaim that it rightly deserved. If this is the caliber of work that we can continue to expect from The American Film Company, than I anxiously await for their follow-ups (the first about John Brown's attack on Harper's Ferry and the second about the midnight run of Paul Revere). Fans of the Civil War era, historical dramas and unabashedly excellent films will find "The Conspirator" to be an underwatched, underrated film of the highest order.
No Strings Attached (2011)
Natalie Portman's (Lack of) Wardrobe is the Only Redeeming Factor to This Overly-Derivative Romantic Comedy.
This movie follows the sexual trists of Adam (Ashton Kutcher) and Emma (Natalie Portman). Adam's life is falling apart: his father (Kevin Kline) is dating his ex (Ophelia Lovibond) and his writing career is going nowhere. He hooks up with Emma, who has a phobia of dating and they agree to continue seeing each other in a series of one-night stands. Things get complicated, however, when they begin developing feelings for each other North of their belt-lines.
The problem with this movie is its trite treatment of the tired convention of the romantic comedy. In essence, it comes off of a caricature of the genre. It has all the awkwardness of "Stage Beauty" (2004), but none of its excellence. Jilted, uncomfortable dialog (such as "Boo! Here comes my dick.") and genuinely off-putting situations (such as the scene in which Adam makes a menstrual-themed mix tape while Emma and her three roommates, one of whom is male, bemoan that their menstrual cycles have synced up).
The film's on redeeming factor was that Natalie Portman is hot and barely clothed throughout the 108 minute run time. While this was certainly an engagement of sorts, it's hardly cinematic. Only the most die-hard fan of romantic comedies will enjoy the same thinly-stretched plot-points that they've seen time and time again. For everybody else, however, this derivative and generally unpalatable romantic comedy is an easy pick to pass up.
Winter's Bone (2010)
A Stark and Haunting Film.
"Winter's Bone" follows Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence), an Ozark teen who takes care of her two younger siblings (12 and 6 respectively) and her infirmed mother. Her father, Jessup, is a meth-dealer out on bail. The problem is, however, that nobody's seen Jessup in a long time. His court date is coming up and he used the family house to post bond. If Ree can't find her father by his court date (1 week), the house will be forfeit and the family will be out on the street.
In every aspect of the film, "Winter's Bone" is a triumph of execution. The script is more tightly written than any in recent memory and the lack of nondiegetic sounds (ie, background music) serves only to highlight the terse dialog and outstanding performances from the exemplary cast (particularly from Jennfier Lawrence and John Hawks). Debra Granik directs the film with invisible mastery, seamlessly guiding the audience's cinematic experience.
"Winter's Bone" is a exquisitely bold film that deserves every bit of praise that it's received. Fans of strong, realistic acting, understated dramas and, to a lesser degree, mysteries, will love this movie.