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.
=s=
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.
=s=
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.
=s=
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.
=s=
