Solipsisticblog Reviews

There Will Be Blood (2007)

A brutal original is one of the year's best

[10/10 · 21 January 2008]

A brutal, dazzling film. One of the year's best and a unique, uncompromised vision of evil. Director Paul Thomas Anderson's (Boogie Nights, Magnolia) latest film tells the story of Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day Lewis), a self-proclaimed "oil man" whose only engine is to acquire and export oil. Plainview is not as concerned with wealth as he is conquest. He wants to subdue the earth and have dominion over it. Accompanying him on his mission is his young son HW, a loyal, trusting boy and excellent prop with which to give the illusion of family values to prospective business partners.

Daniel's quest takes him to the struggling village of Little Boston, California which he hopes contains previously untapped oil wealth. Before he can possess the land, however, he must contend with the charismatic evangelist Eli Sunday (Paul Dano) who has his own plans for the town of Little Boston.

The performances, as in previous Anderson films, are phenomenal. Daniel Day Lewis once again allows his role to completely possess him and displays the same intensity and hatred that defined his Bill the Butcher character--the main reason to see Scorsese's muddled The Gangs of New York. Paul Dano, who played the son with the vow of silence in Little Miss Sunshine, amazes as the evangelist determined to subdue Plainview. Their power struggle provides the film's primary conflict and when the two share the screen, you are transfixed. The film's score by Radiohead guitarist Johnny Greenwood is insistent, overwhelming, and ominous. Like the film it accompanies, it is unique and exquisite.

There Will Be Blood will not be admired by all. Many will find it emotionally distant, its vision of humanity too bleak, its rhythms odd and off-putting. But Anderson has constructed a singular and completely new work unlike any that has come before. This will either make you supremely uncomfortable or amaze you in its audacity.

Highly recommended.

Year of the Dog (I) (2007)

"Year of the Dog" avoids the easy route

[8/10 · 21 May 2007]

More than a few critics have blamed the new Mike White film about a pet owner who loses her way with pulling its punches. But how refreshing to have a comedy that's about love, care, and a search for meaning that doesn't reach the sad, cynical conclusion that it's all BS to begin with. Sometimes a bracing satire where everything falls apart and a character's life spirals into total destruction can be invigorating, but at this point it's de rigeur for indie films. How much more subversive it is to make a film where happy endings are possible and love is not a pipe dream.

All this to say, I enjoyed "Year of the Dog". It's great to see Molly Shannon ("SNL" most notably as schoolgirl superstar Mary Catherine Gallagher) again and her performance is extraordinary. It's a difficult role that asks us to be at times sympathetic toward and simultaneously horrified with her character. She refuses to turn her animal loving heroine into a caricature. The film also features a great supporting cast including John C. Reilly, Regina King, Peter Saarsgard, and Laura Dern.

A very solid film worth checking out.

Once (I) (2007)

"Once" thrills

[9/10 · 10 May 2007]

"Once", the Audience Award Winner at this year's Sundance Film Festival, is a gem of a movie. I had the pleasure of seeing the film last night at the Tivoli Theater with the film's leads and director in attendance. Hoping for great word of mouth, they are touring around the country with their film answering audience questions and performing songs from the film.

"Once" is a musical but not as you might expect. There are no scenes of passerbys bursting into song and dance as the leads fall in love or swelling string sections as the lovers embrace. Rather, director John Carney fashioned a stripped down, more "realistic" musical where the songs emerge from the leads as they perform on street corners, for friends, and in recording studios. Carney informed the audience that the film was made in only seventeen days and for only $150,000. The leads are professional musicians, but have never acted before. No one will mistake this for a big budget feature, but in the rawness of its presentation and performances the film gains extraordinary power.

Carney's film--which he also wrote--is a love story about waiting and deferring gratification. It's about the struggle of making ethical decisions when caught up in the fever of new love. Musicals are frequently larger than life odes to seizing the day and falling in rapturous love, so much so that you can't help burst into song. Carney subverts our expectations of the musical and presents a film about quiet, reserved lovers-to-be who struggle with the consequences of what a rapturous affair would mean to those they love.

But don't think the movie is a bore. Rather, it is a spellbinding and fantastic romantic film. Glen Hansard, lead singer of The Frames, stars alongside Czech singer and Dublin resident Marketa Irglova. Their musical performances are raw and powerful. Their harmonies are otherworldly and fantastic. The music is reminiscent of Damien Rice. Hearing them perform live after the film, I realized how little the recordings we hear in the film have been altered. Fans of Rice and singer/songwriter performers will enjoy this film.

After the multiplexes have beaten you in to a pulp striving to entertain you this summer, you would do well to seek out the quiet, haunting "Once". It sticks with you and has you humming on your way out of the lobby. It'll certainly make a bracing tonic to the sure-to-be-overstuffed "Hairsprapy".

Meet the Robinsons (2007)

3D elevates so-so film to a perfectly enjoyable one

[7/10 · 4 April 2007]

Though "Meet the Robinsons" doesn't offer fantastic storytelling--it feels like an original feature from the Cartoon Network--it is a technical and design marvel. The storytelling is just good enough to keep all ages entertained, but the character design is quite good and the 3D presentation is a wonder to behold. The film is preceded by a classic Disney cartoon that, while in 3D, looks very flat. The characters look like paper cutouts which actually diminishes enjoyment of the cartoon. The 3D flattens the on screen characters and makes them look more artificial.

But when "Robinsons" starts, you immediately note the contrast between classic 3D and the new Disney technique. The film opens with a gee whizzy rainstorm that's very effective. Rain falls in the foreground, while in the background a mother places her child on the steps of an orphanage. Though the scene is a dramatic staple, the effective 3D technique breaths new life into this clichéd moment.

What follows is pretty standard animated fare about time travel, following your dreams, finding a place in the world, etc. The film borrows pretty liberally--pays homage(?)--to many other films including a climactic chase with moments ripped directly from "Return of the Jedi" and "The Matrix".

But the character design is fantastic, filling the movie with interesting caricatures that are practically Dickensian in their lovely grotesqueness. Two favorites include the lanky arch villain and the hyper-jock gym coach. These characters are comic inspirations brought to life by the 3D effect. "Robinsons" takes the gimmick of 3D and uses it to elevate a so-so film to a perfectly enjoyable one.

300 (2006)

A tedious bore

[4/10 · 19 March 2007]

What's this movie about? Who the hell knows. Various critics have accused director Zack Snyder of producing a fascist tract or a glorification of the destructive policies of the Bush administration, but I think more than anything its a paean to CGI. The film is a tedious two hours and feels like a demonstration piece to help move home entertainment centers at Best Buy. It's devoid of emotion or drama and hopes to win audiences over solely through the steady bombardment of hyper-stylized bloodletting.

The film fails fundamentally by not creating a world we believe in. Snyder has tried to bring painterly comic book presentation to screen, a la "Sin City", and in this he succeeds. This movie world looks crisp, sharp, and perfectly composed. And lifeless. The hordes of CGI soldiers, meant to evoke fear in their might and number, don't emerge as real but merely as computer-generated hordes. The world looks artificial as do many of the soldiers. There's nothing at stake because we don't believe in the film's reality.

As in last Spring's big budget comic adaptation "V for Vendetta", the heroes of this tale, the 300 brave Spartans, are nearly invincible. These guys are mighty and as a whole nearly untouchable, and don't display any vulnerability until the script needs them to. There's no oomph to the battles because the 300 are so supernaturally mighty. They crush everyone in balletic slo-mo. Yawn. The story's brief moments of political turmoil away from the battlefield are predictable and seem culled from a different film.

If the film is guilty of any sin, it would be in trying to sell warfare as awesome and the enemy as relatively faceless and soulless. Hopefully the movie's presentation is so fantastic and ridiculous as to not sell anyone on the cruel, bloodthirsty code of the Spartans.

"300" is a bore and tedious. In IMAX, as I saw it, it's flaws were glaringly apparent.

The Host (2006)

A fresh and invigorating take on the "monster-on-the-loose" story

[10/10 · 14 March 2007]

Forget all of your expectations of what a horror should be and prepare to be amazed by the latest high profile Korean import "The Host". When viewing an American horror film, whether it be the monster-on-the-loose or slasher variety, you generally know what to expect. Surprises are hard to come by and we are usually treated to tired retreads of the same formula, scenes, and dialogue. By now "Halloween" and "Alien" feel like the old standards and most new horror entries seem like karaoke night at the Holiday Inn.

Director Joon-ho Bong's film is likely to make some viewers uncomfortable because he keeps dashing expectations and taking his story in unexpected directions. The director generates tension by taking the monster movie and throwing the rules out the window. He keeps you on your toes. Telling the story of a gigantic hungry amphibious creature that wreaks havoc along the riverbanks of Seoul's Han River, "The Host" is a wonder. It's primarily the story of a father searching for his daughter who may or not have been killed by the monster. His family aids in the search and along the way they laugh, grieve, and deal with old wounds. It's sort of like "Little Miss Sunshine" meets "Alien".

The film is subtitled which is likely to limit its success in American markets, but those willing to do a minimum amount of reading will be rewarded. You will want to see the film for its odd, invigorating moments such as a scene where the family grieves for the little girl they love and assume killed by the monster. Their grieving reaches such a fevered, ridiculous pitch that the scene, which we assumed sad, becomes insanely comic. "The Host" is full of these moments that manage to be sad, scary, and comic all at once. That Joon-ho Bong can sustain this wild tone without becoming ludicrous is quite a feat.

Like the original "Godzilla", "The Host" is partially a cautionary tale about the dangers of environmental recklessness. I won't give away the monster's origins, but they are hilarious. In the creation of the monster, the special effects staff makes a pretty good use of a limited budget. By the film's climax, when the monster faces off against the determined, battle-hardened family members, we accept the reality of the creature.

Go see this one. It's fun, odd, and invigorating. And it's closing moments, perfect and touching, make the entire journey worth it.

Zodiac (2007)

Slow burn procedural rewards the patient

[10/10 · 13 March 2007]

The new David Fincher ("Seven") film is as good as you have heard. Based on the book by Robert Graysmith, "Zodiac" is the true story of several San Franciso residents who become obsessed with discovering the identity of the serial killer calling himself "Zodiac." Robert Graysmith--played in the film by Jake Gyllenhaal in a subdued, fascinating performance--is an editorial cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle who gets caught up in the hunt after the killer sends a coded letter to his employer.

Also on the hunt are crime reporter Paul Avery--a mesmerizing performance by Robert Downey Jr.--and homicide detectives Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and Armstrong (Anthony Edwards). Toschi, Avery, and Graysmith each become obsessed with finding Zodiac and this obsession slowly begins to take over their lives and destroy them. Graysmith, while preparing a book about the killer, slips into paranoia. Audiences accustomed to the rhythms of the serial killer film will first accept and applaud Graysmith's paranoia. We know that with just a little more hunting, the vigilant reporter will crack the case. If he can just discover that one clue. We don't quickly realize that Graysmith's obsession and vigilance are unhealthy.

Fincher continually subverts our expectations of the genre. Though like a police procedural--a story about the detective work that leads to capture of the villain--"Zodiac" is the anti-procedural, the anti-"Law and Order". While "Law and Order" makes us feel safe and shows us a neat and tidy justice system that successfully weeds out the guilty from the innocent, "Zodiac" is about the limits of justice, forensic work, questioning, and detection. Sometimes the justice system comes up short. Sometimes we can't detect and ascertain the guilty. And it is this uncertainty that wears on the hunters at the center of "Zodiac".

The film is deliberate and methodical and is going to disappoint those looking for another exploitative entry in the slasher genre. There are several moments of horrific violence in the film that are among the most haunting ever filmed, but this is not a film that gets its jollies from carnage. Instead it shows it an unflinching, efficient, and brutal fashion. These moments, while horrifying, help us understand the fear of the people of San Francisco and the obsession of those who want to locate the killer.

Unsettling, expertly crafted, and full of outstanding performances, "Zodiac" is a drama that respects the intelligence of audiences. It asks us to pay attention, frees itself from genre conventions, and takes its time to tell its tale. Certain to alienate viewers who want a quick bloody thrill, "Zodiac" is nonetheless the year's first great film.

Blades of Glory (2007)

"Blades" is surprisingly funny

[7/10 · 9 March 2007]

Will Ferrell and John Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) as figure skating partners. Sounds like a bad SNL skit? Right? I wasn't expecting much from this comedy whose trailers looked dull and uninspired. It seemed sure to bore. So when I sat down in the theater, I went in prepared to hate this movie. But then the credits began to roll, I was pleasantly surprised by the roll of names: William Fichtner, Craig T. Nelson, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett (Gob on Arrested Development), Rob Corddry, Jenna Fischer (The Office), and Romany Malco (The 40 Year Old Virgin). So I knew that even if the movie stunk, it would be fun to see the actors together on the screen. Also surprising was to see that Busy Philipps (Freaks and Geeks) had a role in creating the story.

The story is simple: arch rivals Chazz (Will Ferrell) and Jimmy (Jon Heder) are forced to become figure skating partners after they are banned from competing in singles skating. With the help of their coach Craig T. Nelson--in David Carradine mode--the men try to put aside their differences and compete for gold.

Will Ferrell does another variation on his Ron Burgundy/Ricky Bobby character: clueless egotist full of machismo. But he does it incredibly well and this time adds the wrinkle of being an insatiable sex addict. Not surprisingly, he gets the movie's biggest laughs and successfully carries the movie. Jon Heder is okay. He doesn't get in the way of Ferrell and surprisingly, given his monotone acting, scores a few laughs as a cherubic man-child. Amy Poehler and Will Arnett compliment the movie well with their absurd comic turns as brother and sister skating partners and arch-enemies to Chazz and Jimmy.

The film has a surprisingly light touch and at times feels like a live action feel gooder from Disney. But Ferrell as sex-addled Chazz dispels any notion that Blades is family fare.

The movie is instantly disposable, but very funny. Audiences are gonna enjoy this one.

Inland Empire (2006)

Wow

[10/10 · 4 March 2007]

Wow.

The new David Lynch film will not win him any new admirers and will likely alienate many longtime fans, but those willing to give themselves over to this frightening journey into the subconscious of a damaged woman will be awed, frightened, and deeply rewarded. As theme parks create films and rides that try to help you physically experience a film--you're flying with ET, you're riding in Doc Brown's Delorean--Lynch has created a film that helps you to experience a complete psychological break. Or maybe it is just a long, horrible dream. Either way, it's a journey into a very damaged psyche that is both thrilling and haunting.

The film eschews logic pretty quickly and the only way to enjoy it is to let go. Let the film wash over you and get caught up in its weird rhythms, frightening imagery, great performances, and fantastic music. Some of you will hate this film with a passion, but others will be awed. Don't call this film pretentious. Lynch isn't trying to impress anyone--does he really need any more artistic cred?--and isn't trying too hard. He's simply laying his unique and uncompromised vision on film.

There are shades of narrative coherence, but this is employed in order to confuse and disorient you even more. Just when you're saying "I think I've got it," Lynch rips the rug out from under you and demands that you sink further into the confusion.

The movie is a bracing experience that must be seen to be believed. Go in with the right attitude and this movie will reward you greatly. And scare the hell out of you.

Idiocracy (2006)

Meandering, drab comedy scores some big laughs

[7/10 · 27 January 2007]

Mike Judge's follow-up to the cult hit "Office Space" was held onto by 20th Century Fox for well over a year before it was finally dumped into a few theaters in the late summer. Fans of "Office Space" cried foul and lambasted the studio, but after seeing the movie, I can sympathize with the studio. "Idiocracy" is intermittently funny and hilarious at points, but it is a drab (purposefully so), bizarre film that will likely even leave many fans of Judge's work dissatisfied.

"Idiocracy" is the story of a shiftless Army private (Luke Wilson) and prostitute (Maya Rudolph) who get drafted into a top secret military hibernation project. They'll be put to sleep and reawakened in one year, perfectly preserved. But, of course, this plan goes awry and they don't awake until the year 2505. The future is ugly, coarse, and incredibly stupid.

The movie, like many dystopian stories, is not so much about the future as it is about poking fun at the present. Think "Futurama" meets "Transmetropolitan". The film is primarily a reflection on our tendency to celebrate the inept and lowbrow. Do you spend most of your evenings watching "Flavor of Love" reruns and eating biggie size fries? These actions will have dire consequences for future generations.

"Idiocracy" is under an hour and a half and mercifully so. The future is so unappealing and the people so stupid that we are happy to be out of their company sooner than later. The movie also lacks much in the way of narrative drive. It has many funny ideas that never coalesce into a sustainable narrative.

Yet, the movie has enough very funny moments, is short enough, and features some good performances from the leads. Luke Wilson carries the movie with his easygoing charm and Maya Rudolph ("SNL") gets solid laughs without trying too hard. It's definitely worth a look on video. Because hardly anyone has seen the film, expect high praise in some corners. It's obscurity and treatment by the studio will lead to overvaluing by many film geeks.

Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)

Rich palette can't save dramatic dud

[4/10 · 14 January 2007]

Make no mistake, Zhang Yimou's ("House of Flying Daggers") latest movie has some of the most beautiful set and costume design that you will see on screen this year. It's a sumptuous feast for the eyes.

But it's also a poor excuse for dramatic film-making. The plot is convoluted and relationships between characters murky, making the task of keeping up with who is backstabbing whom needlessly complicated. The film grinds on towards its inevitable conclusion which much like the director's "Hero" ends in a way surely to be unsatisfactory to Western audiences. It all boils down to very expensive, lush agitprop.

But at least "Hero" had verve and fantastic fight scenes. "Flower" feels more like a stiff exercise and the fight scenes so clearly augmented by CGI as to lose suspense. Like the recent "Star Wars" episodes and both "Matrix" sequels, the CGI-heavy action scenes betray any sense of reality, making the fight scenes consequence-free. The multitudes of faceless soldiers squaring off against one another look artificial so we fail to invest in their fate. Who cares if another amalgam of pixels is deleted from the green screen.

"Curse" is a slog that's a poor imitation of the director's own work and other recent epic wire-fu imports. The movie, however, will make a perfect film to demonstrate home entertainment systems. The film's rich palette and epic bombast is gonna help move widescreen plasmas.

The Holiday (2006)

Romantic trifle

[4/10 · 8 January 2007]

Trying to be a team player, I went to see this movie with my wife and sister-in-law. I thought I would hate it--not because I hate romantic comedies--but because I find formula boring and tedious. And this film was all formula. Pure product. This movie is all about showing pretty people wearing nice clothes, living in nice surroundings, and making cute small talk. A perfect bore, but will serve as comfort food for many romantic comedy fans. The final moment of the film--the money shot of trifles such as this--shows the two happy couples dancing around in a perfectly furnished living room and it evokes magazine liquor ads. ("Good times. Good friends. Maltsby's Scotch.") This is the most egregious moment in an empty, predictable film that feels more like filmed a J Crew catalog than movie.

Sweet Land (2005)

Meditative, passionate romance is one of year's best films

[10/10 · 3 January 2007]

Here's a little gem of a romance about two European immigrants trying to make a life together in a small farming community. Set in 1920, "Sweet Land" is a gentle, meditative, and disarmingly sexy look at love deferred. Due to some complications that I won't spoil here, recent émigré Inge (Elizabeth Reaser) cannot go through with her arranged marriage to Olaf (Tim Guinee), a farmer seeking a helper and companion.

Olaf is aloof and possesses a strong desire to become more American, avoiding the use of his foreign tongue. He is visibly embarrassed by Inge who is clearly alien in her language and attire. Inge, a German, is also feared by much of the town who have a lingering anxiety toward Deutschland. She does, however, find kindness in the home of hapless farmer Frandsen (Alan Cumming) and his wife Brownie (Alex Kingston).

It will be no surprise to viewers that the two begin to warm to one another, but how they get there will be. Olaf is almost immediately attracted to the beautiful and kind Inge, but it takes time for him to fall in love. Their consummation is deferred, but it is during this time that the two begin to admire and then fall for one another. The final moments before their consummation--occurring off-screen--are the most passionate filmed moments of the year.

The cast is uniformly excellent, including John Heard as a rigid pastor and Ned Beatty as an unforgiving banker. The performances by Reaser and Guinee are kind and assured. Reaser as Inge delivers a particularly strong performance. Through much of the movie we cannot understand what Inge is saying--she barely speaks English--but Reaser expertly conveys exactly what Inge is feeling. These relatively unknown actors will stun you and completely win you over by film's end.

"Sweet Land" is one of the year's best film's.

Blood Diamond (2006)

Performances give "Diamond" its luster

[8/10 · 30 December 2006]

The name Edward Zwick makes me a little uneasy. This is the director who brought us the Harlequin-ready "Legends of the Fall" and the overwrought "The Last Samurai". He also gave us the outstanding "Glory" and the intriguing "Courage Under Fire". His films are rarely subtle and often leave you feeling browbeaten in their attempts to move you.

But his film "Blood Diamond" works. Why? First, Djimon Hounsou gives a raw and mesmerizing performance as Solmoan Vandy, a fisherman swept up in the civil war and violent diamond trade of Siera Leone in 1990. The opening moments of the film are startlingly similar to those of "Apocalypto" as Solomon tries to rescue his family from a rapacious crew invading his small village. Solomon eventually finds himself on a mission to recover his family after they are separated in the escape. This mission brings him into contact crafty diamond smuggler Danny Archer (Leonardo DiCaprio) who learns that Solomon knows the location to a large pink diamond that will make its owner a very rich man.

The two form an uneasy alliance and enlist the help of danger-seeking and principled reporter Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly) who is trying to write a damning expose of the African diamond trade. As the film progresses, we see the violent destruction wrought by roving militias, largely made up of children and teenagers, at the service of vicious mercenaries who provide diamonds to legitimate, established diamond wholesalers. The full extent of the destruction wrought by the scheme is horrifying, particularly in the toll it takes on the country's young men. This is a message movie, but it is not polarizing. This isn't a left or right-leaning film, rather it is one that asks us to consider the consequences of our purchases.

DiCaprio continues to mature as an actor and lends the standard role--mercenary who is forced to grapple with his conscience--vitality. He adds to the richness of this film that will surely move even the most jaded of moviegoers.

We Are Marshall (2006)

Maudlin film falls short

[5/10 · 29 December 2006]

If you like your sports films extra maudlin, then you'll love "We are Marshall". In 1970 almost the entirety of the Marshall football team, coaching staff, and many football parents and boosters were killed in a plane crash while returning from an away game. It was a horrible tragedy and the school nearly decided to kill the football program. But due to the urging of the remaining players and students, the program was given a reprieve.

Enter spunky, gonzo coach Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConnaughey) who wants to keep the program afloat. To do so, he enlists the help of assistant coach Red Dawson (Matthew Fox), the lone surviving coach who is resistant to return to coaching. Dawson has profound guilt--he gave up his seat on the doomed plane to another coach who wanted to return home to see his daughter--as well as the sadness at the loss of all his players, staff, and friends. Powerful men like college trustee Paul Griffen (Ian McShane), who lost his son in the crash, want to see the program die a quiet death. Griffen's son was to marry cheerleader Annie Cantrell (Kate Mara) and after her fiancé's death, she becomes devoted to caring for and grieving with Griffen.

This is all well and good and the first half hour of the film gives you great hope for its potential. Once Lengyel arrives, the movie takes on a gonzo energy and we are treated to a fun montage of player recruitment and early practices--standard sports movie fare. But then this energy is sapped as the film engages in another hour and a half of grief. The characters and townspeople don't change, evolve, grow. They just wallow and we have to watch the whole thing.

Good films can be made about a failure to come to terms with tragedy (see the fantastic "In America". If you haven't, rent it now. It'll floor you.) But "We are Marshall" with its steady stream of sports film clichés and thin characterization doesn't have the machinery to pull it off. I was fully ready to forgive the movie its clichés. I like sports films even many of the lesser ones. Rising above adversity and winning just makes for good cinema. But "Marshall" fails under the weight of a script that runs in circles.

If you stick around through the closing moments, though, you will be treated to a truly inspiring epilogue. By keeping the football team going, Lengyel paved the way for a program that would have great success in the future. Kate Mara, a very good performance in an underdeveloped part, recounts this success in a voice over and it's the most inspiring moment of the film. You want to admire the film because it's ultimately about the importance of perseverance, but the movie is too bathetic to win the hearts of viewers.

Volver (I) (2006)

An adventurous, eclectic film with flashes of greatness

[8/10 · 28 December 2006]

Art house favorite Pedro Almodovar's "Volver" is an odd mix of comedy, mystery, thrills, and melodrama. At times the director seems to be paying direct homage to Hitchcock, similar to the director's "Bad Education", right down to the Herrmann-inspired score. The film's first half hour is electrifying as Almodovar establishes a mystery involving ghost sightings and introduces a lascivious father(Antonio de la Torre)--and husband to Raimunda (Penelope Cruz)--who we soon peg as the villain of the piece. With the ghost sighting, the violin heavy score, and the introduction of the ill-intentioned father, we believe we are about to watch a thriller.

But then Almodovar takes a ninety-degree turn and begins to tell the story of Raimunda's attempt to make a better life for herself and her daughter (Yohana Cobo). We also get a little bit of farce involving Raimunda's sister's (Lola Duenas) attempts to conceal a giant secret. The film's climax involves the unloading of this secret and others and it is here that the film takes on the mantle of melodrama. Note: I don't think melodrama is necessarily a pejorative term. Case in point--the films of Douglas Sirk.

These tonal shifts are both jarring and invigorating. It is clear that Almodovar is not playing by any rules and is going to tell this story as he chooses. This movie follows no established blueprint and this will prove to be fun for the seen-it-all moviegoer. Unfortunately, these tonal shifts also keep this movie from working as a cohesive whole. We are left with a very good film, but not a great one.

This film is definitely worth seeing for the masterful presentation. The colors are so clean and vibrant and the visual composition is flawless. The female leads, this film is populated almost entirely by women, look fantastic and Penelope Cruz shows the star quality that her American efforts have never utilized. The performances are also noteworthy--never forced and always believable.

An adventurous, eclectic film with flashes of greatness.

Dreamgirls (2006)

Hudson lifts musical to greatness

[9/10 · 27 December 2006]

If the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences--the folks behind the Oscars--gave an MVP award, this year's would go to Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls". She is going to be largely responsible for the film's sizable box office--particularly for a musical--and the love come awards season. This film belongs to her and when she is on screen she makes everyone look better--much like perennial NBA MVP Steve Nash. Will her follow-up projects be as outstanding? Who cares. With her performance of "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" she has earned her spot in Academy Awards montages for decades to come.

"Dreamgirls" looks amazing, sounds incredible, and has long been a dream project for producer David Geffen. And yet, the film's story often lacks punch. Its story will be immediately be familiar to anyone who has ever watched an episode of "Behind the Music". The story follows girl group the Dreamettes as they crossover from R+B success to pop radio while Berry Gordy-like producer Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jaime Foxx) reaps the financial windfall. As the Dreamettes court suburban radio listeners, they have to sacrifice their R+B roots and become more bland in appearance and sound. This leads to a power struggle between diva Effie (Jennifer Hudson) and Taylor.

The film doesn't hold many surprises and therefore has trouble sustaining its running time. Beyonce Knowles, playing Dreamettes member Deena Jones, has to do a good bit of the dramatic heavy lifting and is only passable. We understand that the character's malleability and blandness makes her ideal for the pre-fab made for pop radio hits Taylor wants to produce, but this fact also makes her a less than mesmerizing lead. I suspect that this problem has more to do with the script than Knowles performance.

And yet, the movie is a must-see. Hudson is a revelation as is Eddie Murphy as the soul singer James Thunder Early. If both don't receive Oscar nominations, it will be a shock. I think critics may be tempted to overpraise the film because good musicals are so rare. And many film fans love the sheer escape and unabashed joy of the musical.

The movie definitely has third act problems, but when it succeeds, it soars. One of the year's best.

Babel (I) (2006)

An ambitious intimate epic

[9/10 · 26 December 2006]

Like a rich novel, Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu's new film is a multi-story globe trotting tale about mortality, language, xenophobia, coincidence, and fate. The film does not succeed completely, but its ambition, performances, and scope make it an intimate epic worth seeing.

Innaritu's film tells four separate stories--two Moroccan shepherd boys are given a rifle to guard their flock, two American tourists (Cate Blanchett and Brad Pitt) have their lives abruptly shattered by a random act of violence, a Mexican nanny takes her young American charges across the border to her son's wedding, and a deaf-mute Japanese teenager struggles to define herself during an evening of club hopping. As the movie progresses, the stories begin to converge and become one larger tale. This works less well with the story of the Japanese teenager whose connection to the larger story feels more forced, but in and of itself this segment is one of the film's best.

Innaritu creates a palpable sense of dread in each of the tales. We realize that no character is going to emerge from these stories unscathed and we anxiously wait to see the outcome of their galvanizing moment. It is an exhausting, fascinating experience that may be too intense for many viewers. For the brave and adventurous, however, this movie will be a welcome and exciting alternative to the calm, safe Oscar-bait of the season.

The Good Shepherd (2006)

Engrossing history lesson rewards the patient

[7/10 · 26 December 2006]

Robert De Niro's directorial follow-up to 1993's "A Bronx Tale" is a fascinating, deliberately paced story about the CIA and the WASP's that birthed it. This spy tale is paced more like an episode of "Masterpiece Theater" than "Bourne" and this will likely alienate many of star Matt Damon's fans.

Damon plays the fictional Edward Wilson, a careful, focused Ivy grad recruited by the US government to practice counter-intelligence during WWII as part of the OSS (Office of Strategic Services). After the war, President Truman wanted to create a national intelligence agency--before 1945, the responsibility of gathering intelligence was split among several agencies--and the CIA was formed. Wilson and many of his OSS colleagues become the CIA's first agents and directors.

Wilson is a fascinating character who does not so much choose the CIA as he is born into it. He is American royalty--a child of privilege, Ivy educated, and a member of the elite Skull and Bones fraternity. Wilson never appears to make his own destiny as much as he follows a pre-ordained path, tight-lipped and dutifully. Damon's performance is restrained and careful. It is one of the year's best.

Viewers looking for a cinematic jolt will be disappointed with this contemplative spy story that is more about the quiet subterfuge than explosions. It is a challenging film that examines the value of truthfulness and the steady erosion of character in face of overwhelming international threat. As Wilson compromises his values so does the U.S. Some viewers may find this gimmicky, but it is entirely believable that an individual as dutiful and secretive as Wilson is running our CIA.

An engrossing history lesson that rewards the patience and attention of its audience, "The Good Shepherd" is well worth you time.

Apocalypto (2006)

Brutal adventure tale is one of the year's best films

[10/10 · 11 December 2006]

Mel Gibson's cautionary tale cum action flick is an unrelentingly violent, mesmerizing achievement. Yes, Gibson's drunken hateful remarks and arrest for DUI were events deserving of scorn, but this movie should be viewed on its own merits. Gibson doesn't entirely succeed on selling the message of the movie--when a society begins to exploit others and the environment it is planting the seeds of its destruction--but as an adventure story, it is among cinema's best.

The film succeeds wildly in transporting us to a different world. It tells the story of Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood) and his nightmarish journey back home after being captured by vicious Mayan raiders. Given how alien so much of the environment and customs seem, the use of the Yucatec language, and the magnificent, terrifying Mayan city, the film plays more like a sci-fi or fantasy film than period piece. There is nothing stiff about this dip into history. (There is some heated dispute among scholars and peoples of the Yucatan as to the film's accuracy.) Some will balk at the film's violence and understandably so. This is the most brutal movie to play in shopping malls since "Saving Private Ryan." (This movie is yet another recent example of a violent movie that deserves an NC-17.) Is it too much? I will leave it to you decide, but I do think Gibson uses the violence well. It raises the stakes of Jaguar Paw's struggle. He is caught in a brutal conflict with high stakes. The steady display of viscera adds realism and terror. This makes us acutely aware of the horror and impending doom.

SPOILERS The first two thirds of the movie are fascinating and gripping. Gibson transports us completely to another world and then establishes a growing and oppressive sense of doom as Jaguar Paw's world is progressively shattered by the Mayan raiders. The second act of the movie is its most thrilling as Jaguar Paw becomes a participant in horrifying religious rituals and then seizes on an opportunity for escape. The third act is the film's most conventional as Jaguar Paw becomes the hunter. This film features a baptism scene much like "The Descent" and "Predator" when the prey emerges from a baptism of grime to become the hunter. This final third is good fun, but it finally shows us Gibson's hand. He's more interested in presenting a thrilling tale than making a profound statement. SPOILERS END

So be it. I haven't seen all this year's Oscar hopefuls, but its not likely that any other film this year will be such a confident display of a director at the top of his craft. This film is drawing some negative reviews, but most of these reviews are largely focused on Gibson the man and not Gibson the director. I think the two can be separated--I still go see Roman Polanski movies. Film lovers will not want to miss this mesmerizing, brutal adventure tale. If this film was created by a director with little to no name recognition, it would be heralded by critics around the world as a masterful achievement.

For Your Consideration (2006)

Ensemble comedy reaches too far

[6/10 · 8 December 2006]

This is the first Guest ensemble comedy that misses the mark. With "A Mighty Wind," Guest created a more poignant film than his previous efforts, particularly in the performances of Catherine O'Hara and Eugene Levy as former band mates and lovers. O'Hara in "Consideration" also decides to forgo easy laughs and create a tragic portrayal in Marilyn Hack, an actress past her prime. Marilyn is starring in a goofy melodrama entitled "Home for Purim" with full knowledge that her chances at stardom have passed. Rumors of Oscar nominations for Hack find their way off the internet and onto the set and revive O'Hara's hopes for a career renaissance.

O'Hara, like most of the film's cast and crew, are unaware of the reliability of internet rumor. Strangely, these rumors seems to actually gain traction and somehow vault the film into serious awards consideration. There is a disconnect here. We can clearly see "Home for Purim" is wannabe awards bait, too hackneyed to move most audiences with a budget far too small to produce a picture of any quality. We think the cast is clearly delusional, like the folks of Blaine in "Waiting for Guffman," but somehow the movie becomes a contender. It even becomes the darling of an Entertainment Tonight type show. This show is also a problem. Hosted by an overbearing Fred Willard, it is too bizarre and bargain basement to make us believe it has the national reach it appears to have.

Alongside the tragic tale of Marilyn Hack, you have another goofy Guest farce with a full cast creating a host of goofballs. These two story threads don't mix well. In Guest's past films, he was looking at performing subcultures--community theater, dog show participants, and folk musicians. These communities were insulated and consisted of performers and a few devoted followers. The communities were small enough to allow the performers to sustain an overinflated sense of talent. In "Consideration," however, Guest casts his satirical gaze much wider and we have a hard time believing that this clearly poor film could ever win over a wide swath of critics and audiences--a necessary mix for Oscar consideration. Maybe we could forgive the movie these unrealities if it was a straight-up farce, but Guest is also trying to create a pointed satire and tragic tale. This is also the first Guest tale that actually seems to take joy in the demise of his characters. The final moments of the film are kind of bitter and are more reminiscent of Solondz than "Guffman." I probably wouldn't have spent so much time deconstructing the film if it had been funnier. (I do think some of its failure to evoke laughter has to do with the story problems.) Many of the actors seem to be working in separate films. We have our tragic cast--O'Hara, Parker Posey, Harry Shearer--alongside the bizarre goofballs--John Michael Higgins, Jennifer Coolidge, Fred Willard. These performances don't gel into one cohesive, funny whole.

Guest fans will want to see this film because it will be like a visit with old friends. For everyone else, the movie is worth seeing for the performances by O'Hara and Parker Posey who really own this film. There are also a few laugh out loud moments. Overall, though, the film is a misfire.

Happy Feet (2006)

An admirable, sometimes entertaining mess

[6/10 · 7 December 2006]

Here's a misguided, muddled film. George Miller, director of the inspired "Babe 2: Pig in the City" and the Mad Max series, returns to kiddie fare with this tale of a unique penguin who can't fit in with his singing brethren. Little Mumble can't sing, only squawk, so he can't perfect the necessary mating call--a heart song--needed to help advance the species. He can, however, do a mean tap routine. The heart songs, in a bizarre and off-putting twist, consist of contemporary pop hits. I love the Prince song "Kiss" but this steamy, definitely adult song is off-putting when coming out of the mouths of somewhat realistic looking penguins in a kids film.

These penguins aren't just concerned with wooing each other, but also with the decreasing fish population. There aren't enough fish to feed the penguins--a problem which eventually provides Mumble with his final triumphant quest. I don't object to the movie having a pro-environment message. (What? It's insidious to instill children with a desire for stewardship of their environment?) I don't object to the time honored message of respect others differences--see The Island of Lost Toys. I don't object to penguins singing. I don't object to the conventions of kiddie animated film--the voice of Robin Williams, goofy sidekicks, sly asides to keep the adults entertained. I don't object, even, to realistically rendered wildlife.

But all these elements together makes for a giant mess. Mumble has not one, but two quests--neither clearly defined--sucking all dramatic momentum out of the movies nearly two hour running time. He's surrounded by goofy penguins, lifelike penguins, and a Robin Williams penguin. There are chases, dance numbers, and messages galore. The movie is both fiercely original in its climax and tired in its reliance on genre staples. You won't know where this movie is headed, but you're also going to be looking at your watch.

There are individual elements to admire in the film. The animation is fantastic and looks terrific in IMAX. The final musical number is fun and there is a great chase sequence involving a sea lion, but the movie feels like a rough draft. The movie needs more focus and less characters. An admirable, sometimes entertaining mess.

Deja Vu (2006)

A race against time

[8/10 · 28 November 2006]

"A race against time."

That would have made a good, if pretty cheesy, tagline for this Tony Scott helmed Denzel Washington sci-fi actioner. This film is pure Scott--whiplash editing, a constantly moving camera, a grainy, color-saturated presentation. The film tells the story of ATF agent Doug Carlin (Denzel Washington) who stumbles onto an improbable murder in the wake of a terrorist bombing. (Denzel Washington turns in an accomplished performance.)

Carlin soon discovers that if he solves the murder, he'll also figure out who's behind the bombing. This discovery and his display of sleuthing acumen gains the attention of the FBI who enlist him in a top secret surveillance program. Through cutting and pasting satellite photography, the FBI is able to create a composite 360 degree surveillance video at a location four days in the past.

Like Scott's "Enemy of the State," this film features an interesting cast of nerdy techies including Cousin Pam from "The Cosby Show" (Erika Alexander), Elden Henson ("Freak the Mighty"), the welcome return of Adam Goldberg ("Saving Private Ryan"), and a very healthy-looking Val Kilmer. This crew guides Agent Carlin, and us, through the ins and outs of retro surveillance and quantum physics.

The first two-thirds of the film is an interesting detective story which Scott lets us play along with. We get to spot the clues and take an active role in putting together all the pieces. This is some sure-handed direction which lets you participate in the story and expertly keeps your attention. The first two-thirds of the film also has some fun with the problem of interfering in the past. Are you dooming your own future? Is the present inevitable? This all gets scrapped in the movie's final third when the film becomes a pretty straightforward action thriller. That's a shame, but the movie still manages to be pretty fun and gripping. Some critics have complained that the movie is implausible--well duh. Penguins don't sing either and there's no galaxy far, far away waging a magical civil war. This is a sci-fi story--fantasy propelled by some fantastical feats of science.

This is an entertaining film worth checking out

Marie Antoinette (2006)

"Marie" dazzles

[9/10 · 1 November 2006]

Here's a movie that's going to anger more than a few audiences. Some will find it boring, uneventful, vapid. (These were the same complaints leveled against director's "Lost in Translation.") Others will be angered at the anachronistic use of 80's new wave and modern garage rock. Still others, like the French at Cannes where the film premiered, will be angered that the film doesn't take an overtly critical view of Marie Antoinette's hedonism, funded by the taxpayers, and apparent callousness to the plight of her starving subjects.

I think these critics are missing the point. Director Sofia Coppola who is a master of mood and malaise presents us with a clueless Versailles court and defunct monarchy. Vapidity is their birthright. Marie Antoinette (Kirsten Dunst) is pretty clueless concerning the walls outside of Versailles. She is tended to, doted upon, constantly gossiped about, and given no higher charge than to produce a male heir with her disinterested, simple spouse Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzmann). She is insulated and given little to do. But she is young, vivacious, and needs an outlet for her energy. Coppola expertly captures Marie's boredom through long stretches of dreamy wandering--see "Lost in Translation"--and by depicting the grind of her courtly responsibilities.

When Marie lets loose in the film's second act she does so to the tune of Siouxsie and the Banshees. To those who bristle at the score, I should remind them that the Dion-influenced score of "Titanic" wasn't exactly authentic to the period, either. The music works well as an emotional cue. To a contemporary audience, "Hong Kong Garden" simply evokes a certain response not captured by chamber music.

The film benefits immensely from being filmed at Versailles. When the camera looks out across the grounds, Versailles appears completely isolated from the outside world. You have no sense of the angry, volatile nearby city. The costuming of the film is also fantastic. The clash of modern rock with 18th century custom and costume is bracing and inspired. (If you look closely during the shoe fitting montage, you'll see a Converse All-Star on the floor.) The opening sequence where Dunst shoots the audience a come hither look is immediately followed by the punk rock inspired credit sequence to the tune of Gang of Four's "Natural's Not in It." These moments get the movie off to a rousing start and will probably either fill you with dread or with anticipatory glee.

The cast is eclectic and accomplished. Danny Huston, Judy Davis, Rip Torn, Asia Argento, and Steve Coogan all deliver fine performances. SNL fans will be happy to see Molly Shannon as a gossipy courtier. Schwartzmann continues to show a growing range as the ineffectual Louis. The film belongs to Dunst, though, who both elicits sympathy and anger as we observe the obtuseness that leads to her demise.

A fantastic film that will divide audiences. Go see it.

The Prestige (2006)

"The Prestige"

[9/10 · 23 October 2006]

Another fall, another turn of the century tale of magicians. Seriously, why did we get "The Illusionist" and "The Prestige" in the same season? Don't confuse the two films, though. "The Illusionist" was a fun romp compared to director Christopher Nolan's ("Batman Begins," "Memento") take on showmanship, revenge, and evil. I would recommend not reading any more of my review if you want to be surprised by this impressive, haunting film.

While "The Illusionist" was a movie about sleight of hand and good triumphing over evil via craftiness, "The Prestige" is a study of craftiness destroying. Rupert Angier (Hugh Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Christian Bale) are magician's apprentices who both desire to someday be the greatest magician on the London stage. A tragedy early in the first act divides the men and leads to an escalating series of increasingly nasty and complicated revenge schemes.

The two performers spend the film trying to one up and destroy the other. When Borden devises a trick that seemingly allows him to transport himself from one closed compartment to another, Angier becomes obsessed with trying to figure out the secret of "The Transporting Man." This leads him on a journey to Colorado Springs where he seeks the help of electricity wizard Nikola Tesla (David Bowie in a fantastic, subdued performance) and begins delving into actual magic/science. As Angier becomes more focused on destroying Borden, his friend and production engineer (Michael Caine) tries to temper his destructive impulses.

The film uses a fascinating storytelling device that hops all over the place chronologically. Both men discover each other's diaries and this leads to a series of flashbacks upon flashbacks. Are the diaries reliable? Can we believe the stories they are telling us? As the film nears its conclusion, we keep waiting for the sleight of hand moment where we discover that the impending tragedy is just a device, a trick meant to enthrall and fool the audience. But Nolan is not Shymalan and he is crafting a genuine tragedy. No one gets out of this tale unscathed. It's a haunting film with fantastic performances and impeccable storytelling. It's a tragic epic that will alienate many audiences. They're gonna feel that they were owed a happy ending.

For the more adventurous, though, this movie is worth the price of admission. For storytelling acumen alone, "The Prestige" is a must-see.