4 out of 5. Maybe recommending Nicolas Winding
Refn's film DRIVE is a bit out of character for me but I'd hate for
this to be missed. This is an excellent example of deliberate control in
filmmaking. This is an iconic tone poem
about the 80s. A love for Michael Mann films...like Thief and
Collateral...and an excellent blend of holding on shots. Waiting for the
right moments. Film school is open!
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4 out of 5. Don Bluth's THE SECRET OF NIMH is
one of the first films that proved that animation could be taken so much
more seriously. Go ahead, rewatch it and you'll be taken with the
lushness of it. The animation...the
backgrounds, direction, character development. This film has so much
going on that it's endlessly rewatchable. So much to learn about staging
and light. Anyway, check out what Pixar got hip to early on: STORY. If
it's not bullet-proof then you're just building on a bad foundation.
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4 out of 5. The stark timelessness of Andrew
Dominik's THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD is
both artful and refreshing. Thankfully Andrew Dominik has a way of
showing us a well-worn genre that offers
a meditative view of a legendary figure. The acting is quite
compelling, especially that of Casey Affleck. Knowing the ending ahead
of time certainly doesn't get in the way of the journey. This is perfect
Sunday movie watching. Contemplative and open.
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4 out of 5. Writing the previous review made
me think of this other easily forgotten gem by David Fincher, ZODIAC.
The sound design was rich, the film was dark and punishing. The
characters were almost as scary in their
intensity as the killer they were chasing. You can see how the tidal
wave of mysterious terror overtakes their lives slowly and pulls them
under before it's too late. Probably not an easy one to rewatch but a
great reminder of how compelling Fincher continues to be as a filmmaker.
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3 out of 5. John Hillcoat's THE PROPOSITION
expands on the Western even though it was filmed in The Outback. The
landscape of Australia is brutal hell on Earth and it's characters are
tied to it by their deeds. Even the
innocent is guilty of something and no foul deed goes unpunished by man
or element. All this comes across in a fairly poetic manner with nods to
Peckinpah other directors of great Westerns.
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4 out of 5. Speaking of musicals, Baz
Luhrmann's MOULIN ROUGE! knocked my socks off when it first came out
over decade ago. The fantasy world built by him and the two leads was
quite mesmerizing. I really dig
high-production values used in small ways. His earlier film STRICTLY
BALLROOM was another favorite of mine. But this film showed a sense of
style, composition and the ability to make a fun film. Also: JIM
BROADBENT whom I cannot get enough of.
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4 out of 5. It's hard to be objective about
Terry Gilliam's TIME BANDITS as it was the first of his films I'd ever
seen. The production design alone is what makes this film so rich. I'm
also a huge fan of time-travel and
history so as a kid and an adult this really entertains. Part of
Gilliam's trilogy of man, this film has the same imaginative and
dangerous underpinnings as Brazil and The Adventures of Baron
Munchausen. The characters are splendid and the acting with various
cameos is a lot of fun. Easily the second-most quotable movie for me
next to Spinal Tap.
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5 out of 5. I'm sure mostly everyone has seen
this by now but Fernando Meirelles has a goldmine in CITY OF GOD.
Everything about this film is high-voltage energy. I'm not one to watch
too many films more than once, but
especially hard-biting dramas like this but man, I have to see it again.
Maybe it's because the soundtrack comes up no my Ipod quite a bit and I
start thinking about the editing and shots and story...and before I
know it I'm feeling the vibe of Brazil. If you ever liked the grit and
rawness of THE WIRE...this one is a dynamo.
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3 out 5. John Boorman's POINT BLANK with Lee Marvin and Angie Dickinson is a bad-ass
flick. If you like the era of tough no-nonsense guys who take care of
business and don't take lip from a woman. This is exactly that kind
of film. Watch this back-to-back with Lee Marvin's remake of THE
KILLERS and you'll need to send your loved-one away on vacation just so
you can man-out. Solid filmmaking, nothing fancy and it delivers the
goods with sand in your teeth. Also Steven Soderburgh and John Boorman are on the commentary track. Fascinating stuff!
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3 out of 5. You might have missed this little
gem by director Paul McGuigan, but if I were you I'd put down my money
on LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN. Everything is not what it seems here and the fun
opportunity of mistaken identity goes
awry. Killer performances all around. Smart writing and stylish
directing make for a rollicking good time. So if you want a good Friday
movie and something with the energy of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking
Barrels check it out.
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3 out of 5.
Lone Scherfig's AN EDUCATION was a tour de force of writing and acting. The
directing was really quite good too with some excellent shots that
seemingly try to sneak by. Overall a very positive film about family
matters being taken down a notch with the entrance of an acceptable
gentleman caller. Some nice plot twists and some really great dialogue
throughout. The lead, Carey Mulligan is believable in her arc of an
isolated teenager to one who grows a backbone through harrowing
circumstances to become a sound young woman. I would have scored this
higher but while the story and dialogue was quite good the structure of
the script toward the end felt a little too satisfying and quick.
Definitely memorable regardless and worth a watch.
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3 out of 5. THE LIMEY with Terence Stamp and Directed by Steven
Soderburgh rises to the occasion through the simplicity of plot and
style. It avoids the cliches of the genre and feels fresh and appealing
throughout. Stamp owns the picture and maybe that's why I gave it a 3
instead of a 4. It's not groundbreaking cinema but it's still cool,
stylish and worthy a watch. If you like your revenge quiet and
cool...this is the movie for you.
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4 out 5. The original SOLYARIS by the great Russian filmmaker Andrei
Tarkovsky is almost what you'd call a space race of a film. Even though
Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey eclipsed it by a few years it
should be just as recognized as a winning film. The creativity and
design of Solyaris is memorable if not familiar with the "high tech" of
the time, yet it also has a timeless quality. It's creepy and cool like
only the isolation of space can provide. If you like the recent indy
film MOON, you will really like this. Great score too, and that
ending...not much different than the weirdness of Kubrick...makes you
wonder.
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4 out of 5. Ben Affleck's GONE BABY GONE is another one of those films that sneaks
passed you and you wonder why you missed it. Casey Affleck is easily
likable in this role but it's the very real people they use for extras
that ground this film. It feels "salt of the earth" and when you're
talking about a girl's kidnapping you want to feel the grit in every
frame. There's a voracious energy that seers through this film as we get
closer to the answer. The power is in the performances and the
relationships and the direction doesn't get in the way one bit. Finally,
Ben can affect us in ways his acting sometimes falls short of. If you
liked Mystic River you'll surely enjoy this.
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4 out of 5. Andrew Niccol and his Production Designer for GATTACA get high praise for
capturing sci-fi using the strength of great architecture and simple
design. GATTACA is a great achievement on many levels especially the
power to evoke so much with so little without cheapening the moment.
All the elements of a good cinematic experience are present and before
you know it, it's over leaving you wanting more. Luckily this wasn't
burdened with "franchise" possibilities. It's rare these days and movies
as good as this are rarer still. If you like smartly done
sci-fi you'll dig this.
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3 out of 5. Mario Bava is known for horror but DANGER DIABOLIK is a
very cool flick. I don't know what to say, the color the production
design, the soundtrack (Ennio Morricone) is all super-spy and even
superhero. It's based on an Italian comic by two sisters. The lead,
John Phillip Law is a great match for Marisa Mell...beautiful people
doing extraordinary things. If you like James Bond and a little
Euro-camp to wash it down with you will dig this groovy spectacle.
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4 out of 5. Billy Wilder is one of the few directors whose work
always has strong characterization and fresh-sounding dialogue an ACE IN THE HOLE is no different. This is a
rare treat as Kirk Douglas eats up the scenery with his loud
and boisterous unlikeable charm. He plays a real man's man reporter who
has the world on a dangerous tether that's pulled tight to the point of
snapping. There's a great undercurrent of America's love of
sensationalism and his character serves it up with brace of hard liquor.
There were two very surprising moments. A real joy watch. If you liked
Sunset Boulevard I have no doubt you will enjoy this.
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3 out of 5. In MAN ON WIRE James Marsh delivers an exhilarating spectacle that holds your attention from the first frame. Despite it's simple subject matter and some re-staging
elements this was a really well-made documentary. It builds up the same
tension of a heist movie. With its colorful characters and ample
beautiful footage from the central character, Philippe Petit's youth it
builds to an amazing finish but not nearly as amazing as the journey
there. Some touching moments are offered by friends of Philippe. Great
pacing and very enjoyable.
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4 out of 5. Duncan Jones' deceptively simple MOON shows a real sincerity to filmmaking. Really smart well-done sci-fi flick. The story is rich and
the attention to details respects the audiences intelligence. Sam
Rockwell does a great job in this difficult role. With possible nods
to Tarkovsky's Solyaris and Syd Mead the production design was a real
treat. There was still something about it that held it back from being a
GREAT film. It might have been the lack of deep emotional ties to other
characters. For fans of movies like Sunshine and Solyaris you will
revel in the sights and sounds of this well-crafted film.
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5 out of 5. Juan José Campanella's Academy Award Winning THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES is a very smart and masterfully shot film. Again, actor Ricardo Darin, pulls you right into the story of an unsolved crime that he's started writing about. Like any good mystery the closer he gets to the truth, the more danger he puts himself in. The directing and cinematography is stunning and sharp. And the ending is deliciously satisfying while leaving a pit in the bottom of your stomach.
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