jdab Reviews

Anything Else (2003)

Better than most romantic comedies, just not Woody's

[22 September 2003]

The whole genre of romantic comedies is one I usually avoid at all costs, as they tend to be sappy with hackneyed storybook endings. That is, of course, if it's a Woody Allen film. _Annie Hall_ and _Manhattan_ are probably the best films of this whole genre, and _Might Aphrodite_ is a lot of fun too. Allen's pessimism always seems cut through the trite platitudes of typical romantic comedies.

That said, _Anything Else_ is much better than the average romantic comedy, but seriously pales in comparison to others by Woody Allen. There certainly are funny points, and the Dobel character's paranoia is absolutely hilarious. Unfortunately, Allen tries to put his words in the mouths of those much younger than him, which doesn't quite work. Also, many of the characters, especially Christina Ricci's, are underdeveloped. Why does she act so crazy anyway? There are a couple of subplots that appear very briefly and aren't explored further, such as Falk's first marriage, etc. It gave the feeling of a poorly edited film, perhaps there were too many stories involved.

Overall, this movie is recommended for those who like Woody Allen films, but not for most other movie goers. When I saw the movie at the multiplex several younger people walked out, visibly unhappy. maybe they were tricked unto thinking that it was American Pie 4.

The Birth of a Nation (1915)

Bad History

[28 July 2003]

Anyone who thinks that this film depicts real history is seriously deluded. One commenter noted that the KKK was fighting for a good cause during Reconstruction, but not now. I guess to him good causes include killing and intimidating freed slaves who were merely attempting to exercise their rights to vote and make a living.

Griffith's portrayal of Reconstruction black politicians is not only racist, but blatantly untrue. Only in rare instances and for a short time did black representatives control any Southern legislatures, and this at a time when they were the majority of voters in many Southern states! For years teachers of Reconstruction have emphasized carpetbaggers, but have ommitted the fact that the post-Reconstruction governments were founded with the explicit purpose of disenfranchising blacks and violently enforcing their underclass status. For this reason and others, Birth of a Nation's claims to historical accuracy would be comical, if not for the horrific implications of the film.

That said, this film should be seen, mainly because it provides a document of a poisonous way of thinking that is by no means dead. It also represents the pop cultural moment when Northern and Southern whites reconciled over the memory of the Civil War, mainly to the detriment of blacks. Lastly, those who want this film burned only give ammunition to the idiots who still praise the KKK. It's better to let these jerks hang themselves with their own rhetorical ropes than to let them claim victim status.

Moonlight Mile (2002)

Good, not great, still worth seeing

[18 May 2003]

****possible spoilers****

You can count me in with the people who find this to be a good *** film that had the potential to be even better. First, the acting by Hoffmann, Sarandon, and especially Jake Gyllenhaal is fantastic. Second, the soundtrack is the best I've heard in a long, long time. What I especially liked about it was that many of the songs are more obscure songs from famous artists. The song Moonlight Mile is one of my faves by the Stones, but it's also not a hit. The same goes for the excellent Dylan selections off of Blood on the Tracks. I applaud the filmmakers for not being obvious in their choices.

Unfortunately, good acting and a good soundtrack do not a great movie make. For starters, as others have noted, the script is very clunky in parts. Sarandon's character seems to be written as a spunky sit-com Mom in need of Prozac. Sometimes the attempts at profundity come off as forced and unrealistic. Not to mention the fact that Joe's courtroom speech when he finally tells the truth would have been cut short by numerous objections from the defense lawyer.

Still, it is interesting enough to be worth a look, especially if you like "uplifting" (i.e simple) resolutions to your films. If you want to see a truly challenging and heart-rending version of death and loss, please watch Atom Egoyan's The Sweet Hereafter.

A Mighty Wind (2003)

Mighty Good

[11 May 2003]

You can count me in with the people who really liked this one, especially because it deviates from Christopher Guest's old formula. The way Waiting for Guffman skewered the pretensions of the residents of Blaine, and the way Best in Show skewered its dog owning protagonists certainly had a bit of poison in it. In this film, the audience can empathize at some of the characters while laughing at them, Mitch and Mickey being the best examples. I think it's a big risk for Guest to take in a satire, and for the most part, it pays off.

A couple of sidenotes: One aspect of this film that I loved was its realism, something missing from Hollywood these days. The Folksmen dressed like ex-hippie Baby Boomers, right down to the Birkenstocks, and Fred Willard's office had all of the little knick-knacks that one sees in the offices of smarmy people like him. I think these little details make it easier for the audience to get into the film despite its obvious artifice.

Also, I think that the humor in the film can appeal to a wider audience than one might think. I saw it in a three-quarter full theater in downstate Illinois -hardly a place brimming over with "mockumentary" fans- and the place was rollicking with laugher. Despite the fact that most people there probably had little connection to folk music, they loved it. Almost the entire audience sat through the credits just to hear some more of the music, which is awfully catchy. I take it as a sign that Hollywood should stop underestimating the intelligence of the movie-going public, and hence put films like this in more theaters instead of giving 2000 screens to offal like The Real Cancun and Daddy Day Care.

The Year My Voice Broke (1987)

Well worth it

[29 April 2003]

Australia seems to have an incredible knack for turning out beautiful films about real life situations fraught with meaning and mystery. This one is no exception. Like the Peter Weir classic _Picnic at Hanging Rock_, the landscape seems to come alive on the screen, and the sense of Australia's isolation does as well.

What I especially liked is that many of us (myself included) can empathize with Danny, but he's not perfect. The film really gets across the pain of falling for someone that you can never have. Trevor also embodies the kinds of guys that inexplicably attract strong-willed women like Freya. Despite the fact that one might not like his character, he's shown to have genuine feelings for Freya, and to be somewhat understanding of Danny. The major strength of the film is that the characters are fully fleshed out, with their own virtues and vices.

Instead of watching the cruddy teen movies that Hollywood churns out nowadays, give this one a try.

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

Pictures these days have gotten small compared to this

[11 March 2003]

*possible spoilers*

What can I say in praise of this wonderful film that others haven't already? Certainly the acting's amazing, and the direction creative. The script contains many unforgettable lines others have already quoted here.

What I can say is that this film is modern in a way no other film of its time really is. Each time I've seen it I can't beleive it's from 1950, its thematic elements just seem so fresh. Sunset Boulevard may seem familar to us with our current cultural obsession with celebrity and especially celebrity downfalls. We watch the E! True Hollywood Story, Star Dates, and the lowest nadir of all, Celebrity Boxing. I don't any other film, fact or fiction, has equalled this film in treating the theme of Hollywood's dangers.

At the end of the film Norma Desmond, with the newsreel cameras on her, is sickly elated at being back in the celluloid eye, despite the fact she'd just killed her lover. The fact that celebrities today humiliate themselves on second rate cable networks and Fox spectacles attests to the outright addiction of fame.

William Holden's character also attests to the oft-invoked "Boulevard of broken dreams." This is a theme explored recently by David Lynch in Mulholland Drive (which I think owes something to Sunset Boulevard), though not as successfully.

So, to add to the praises others here have heaped upon it and Billy Wilder, I would say that this film's surprising relevance could make it accessible to those who might not fancy older films. If you want to start watching classics but are looking for a good starting point, look no further.

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Slice of Life Filmaking at its Best

[9/10 · 16 February 2003]

It's hard to believe that this movie came out ten years ago, when I myself was a senior in high school. I can't say that this film brings back any happy memories of high school, mainly because I hated my high school and the small Nebraska town I grew up in. I mention this because Dazed and Confused is enjoyable even if your own high school experience differed from the one presented here. (My own personality resembled that of Adam Goldberg's character, so you can see what I mean.)

Richard Linklater seems to specialize in making films that weave several stories into one tapestry of life. The film isn't so much about one or two characters as it is about a place and time. In fact, his forays into films with more straight-forward plots have been less successful. The Newton Boys and Before Sunrise lack the vitality of Waking Life, Slacker, and especially Dazed and Confused. I am usually a sucker for ensemble films, especially those of Robert Altman, so my comments here should be taken with a grain of salt by those who haven't seen the movie. In fact, this is one of the few ensemble-type films (along with Boogie Nights) that can really come close to Altman classics like Gosford Park, Short Cuts, Nashville, and M*A*S*H*.

Some scenes have an amazing realism about them that one rarely sees on the screen. There's more than one scene of girls and boys talking to each other awkwardly in ways that counteract the bland romantic platitudes one sees in mainstream films. Other scenes perfectly capture the laconic nature of those hours on a Friday spent after work or school and before the big party begins.

The best part of the film, though, is its characters. The film isn't long enough to completely flesh them all out, but each has a defining characteristic that sticks with you, whether it be the stoner Slater or the quarterback Randall "Pink" Floyd.

My only problems would be with some of the acting, as Wiley Wiggins shows himself to be an amateur in some of the ways he tries to communicate his dislike of O'Bannion. Of course, Ben Affleck (younger and with more weight) has the same annoying vocal ticks in this movie as he does in his later ones

Human Nature (2001)

Not brilliant, but worth seeing

[12 February 2003]

I was surprised that this film did not get more studio support and promotion, namely because it is thought provoking and it contains a couple of Hollywood stars. While I agree that this script isn't as enjoyable as Charlie Kaufman's earlier work on Being John Malkovich (but then again, what is?) it certainly contains its fair share of surreal comedy moments. The sight of Rhys Ifans' Puff being trained to make witty comments at the opera or his father screaming "Apes don't kill their presidents!!!" just killed me. For me, Human Nature's greatest faults and virtues lie in its attempts to say something about what separates human beings from other animals. Every day we all control our natural urges to conform to the rules of human society, and not always for the best. However, I don't think the film was entirely successful in making its statement, perhaps because of the need to keep the audience laughing. Also, while the performances of Ifans, Tim Robbins, and Miranda Otto are excellent, Patricia Arquette seems to drag down a lot of the scenes she appears in.

All in all, this is an original and funny film with a few flaws. I give it 7.5 out of 10.

Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)

Absolutely Stunning

[10 February 2003]

I've just got done watching this movie for the first time, and I already want to see it again! The cinematography and haunting score really serve to transport the viewer into another world. Of course, I am not completely sure about what it means, but I guess that's why I find the film so intriguing.

It certainly doesn't appeal to all tastes. I myself am a sucker for cinematography and heavy symbolism, things that I can't blame too many people for valuing less than an involved plot and clear resolution. My friend who viewed it with me liked it, but she said it only worked on an "intellectual" level for her. I guess that's a warning for people who are less inclined towards these types of films.

For those of you who enjoyed _2001_ or _Mulholland Drive_, this is right up your alley, though. Some commentors have noted that the mysteries surrounding the girls' dissapearances can't possibly be resolved, and see this as an impediment. As the viewer, I find it much more interesting to have a film that gets my mind working and lets me do the thinking, instead of a film that thinks for me by giving me a false resolution. To those who might be put off by the film's opaqueness, realize that life itself contains mysteries and uncertainties, and that a world without these uncertainties would be a boring one indeed.

I give it a 9 out of 10, with my only objection being that the very end (which you will have to see for yourself) is a bit of a let down.