Looper - the quick & dirty review

I never actually took the time to write up a "real review", but here's the bottom line(s):

Looper was great - go see it!  It works as a neo noir, science-fiction film, and classic action movie (complete with Bruce Willis butt-kicking) all wrapped up into one.  Really well done, clever storytelling with plenty of memorable sequences.

Also, is Joseph-Gordon Levitt becoming the next Leonardo DiCaprio?  He's been attached to a number of lucrative films recently, and there are some interesting parallels to their careers...

The Cabin in the Woods - Review

 "DO NOT read the Latin!"

The Cabin in the Woods makes for a great time at the movies.  Its success depends largely on a knowledge of basic horror stereotypes.  As in any run-of-the-mill horror movie, we're presented with "the whore, the hero, the scholar, the fool, and the virgin" (the movie's vocabulary).  The filmmakers use these and other familiar horror staples to flip the genre on its head... and then some.  Right from the get go, we're clued in that this is no typical horror movie, but we don't know what's in store for the next hour and a half.  To say the film takes an unexpected turn is quite the understatement, but it's hard to say too much else without spoiling the fun.  Suffice it to say that we essentially get a metaphorical peek behind the curtains into the imagination of horror film directors.  The film poses the question of free will in horror films.  Are the characters in horror films really given the option of free will, or are they stock characters who essentially are written to do drugs, drink alcohol, have sex, and then get killed?  The film poses this and other questions as it picks apart the horror genre to create a film that's both imaginative and fun.  I love and appreciate movies that surprise viewers with something unexpected.  The Cabin in the Woods certainly does just that.

They're not like something from a nightmare.  They're something nightmares are from.

SPOILER ALERT: In The Cabin in the Woods, the facility employees in the film act as stand-ins for the film's creators, pulling the strings along the way to manipulate the characters.  The "ancient ones" could be the horror film audience itself.  We've been around for years (as long as the genre has existed), and we've grown accustomed to the typical horror film.  As Marty states in the film, maybe it's time to give some new life a chance.  Filmmakers like Goddard and Whedon are certainly allowing exactly that - breathing new life into the horror genre and subverting it to no end.  The film was fittingly released on Friday the 13th.

5 out of 5 (because it's just so darn fun)

Lawless - Review

"We're survivors.  We control the fear.  Without that fear, we're as good as dead."

At the beginning of Lawless, we meet three brothers who have reached legend status in a small, southern town.  But they aren't the "good guy" type of legend.  Just the opposite is true. They have instilled a fear in the townsfolk that sparks whispers of their wildly brutal actions.  The brothers subscribe to a sort of self-fulling prophecy of immortality - if believe themselves to be invincible, they become invincible.  These strikingly different men are brought to life by three similarly distinct actors - Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, and Jason Clarke.  Tom Hardy shines again as a quietly terrifying yet sympathetic character, while Jason Clarke's character is more openly dangerous and wild.  Shia does a fine job as the youngest and most innocent of the brothers; obviously his character has the biggest arc as violence surrounds and consumes him.  Surprising things happen to each of the brothers, and their dream of "immortality" becomes more and more uncertain.  Each one's fate is perhaps the biggest surprise of all.

However, these characters exist in world where plot is secondary to style and mood.  It's largely OK for the plot to be a bit flimsy in a genre that depends much more heavily on atmosphere.  I do wish the film had fleshed out the Gary Oldman-as-a-badass-gangster plot.  It felt like the talented actor was included in the world of Lawless almost as an afterthought and wasn't given his due screen time.  The film also makes it difficult to root for the characters at times.  Luckily, the female characters (Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska) create a great foil for the brothers and help establish some balance to the otherwise male-dominated genre.  It's never unclear who we're supposed to root against (clearly the flamboyant Guy Pearce character).  But the brothers commit such violent acts that we feel a little guilty condoning their vengeful deeds.  Regardless, the film creates several nice set pieces and successfully creates the stylized world of the western.  While Lawless doesn't reach the level of immortality that it sets out to, it's still a great exercise in genre and atmosphere.

3.5 out of 5

Celeste and Jesse Forever - Review

You want to be right or you want to be happy?

Celeste and Jesse Forever gets off to a great start.   We're presented with a montage of images that give us the bullet points of the title couple's relationship.  It's like flipping through a photo album where the people start off happy and deeply in love, separate, and then attempt to regain happiness together as best friends.  Celeste and Jesse still love each other, but are no longer IN love.  Their friends don't understand and disapprove of their post-break-up relationship.  The film begs the following question: can two people stay together ("forever") even after breaking up?  It's like a character study, but for a relationship.  Both members of the partnership explore new potential lovers (some with shockingly bad results), but can't seem to totally avoid one another.  The story is refreshing and attempts a level of honesty that many films do not.  There are a few sub plots that could've been withheld and wouldn't have been missed, but the originality and outstanding soundtrack distract from the film's flaws.  Of course I won't spoil what the relationship status of Celeste and Jesse is at the end of the film.  That's not really the point anyways.  It's about two people who discover new ways to find each other and continually redefine their relationship.

4 out of 5

10 Must See Movies for Jazz Lovers

I love movies.  And I love jazz.  So all of the films below deserve high marks and would easily receive 5/5 stars in my book.  Each is uniquely stylized and set to an appropriately jazzy score.  These films feel like jazz itself.  If you haven't heard of or seen any of them, I encourage you to look them up.  You won't be disappointed.

Sweet Smell of Success (1957) Directed by Alexander Mackendrick

Sweet Smell of Success has one of the best screenplays of all time.  Its snazzy, biting dialogue ricochets from one character to the next.  The film speeds along breezily, relying on strong characters and an involving story with multiple mini sub-plots.  Mackendrick's film brings 1950's NYC to life on the big screen, utilizing characteristic film noir lighting techniques to complement its equally sharp script and cast.  This is truly a classic.  "I love this dirty town."

Elevator to the Gallows (1958, French) Directed by Louis Malle

Absolutely brilliant from start to finish.  Elevator to the Gallows takes a familiar narrative and revitalizes it with plot twists and an excess of noir style.  Miles Davis famously recorded the film's legendary improv soundtrack.  Malle's direction and Dacae's cinematography infuse ETTG's Parisian setting with suspense and suspicion.  As in any good noir, we're rooting for characters who are duplicitous murderers.  And we want them to get away with it.  It's elaborately crafted and efficiently told, while maintaining the freshness of the French New Wave.  Elevator to the Gallows stands the test of time and ranks among the best of film noir.

Breathless (1960, French) Directed by Jean-Luc Godard

Considered by many to be one of the most influential movies of all time.  Its impact can be seen directly in Bonnie & Clyde and countless other films.  Breathless, along with other French New Wave films, helped changed the rules of cinema.  The film came as a reaction to Hollywood's crime genre, blending homage with dark comedy and smart screenwriting.  It takes a rigidly controlled genre and transforms it into something unpredictable.  It's innovative, fresh, and light on its feet.  A masterpiece.

The Hustler (1961) Directed by Robert Rossen

Paul Newman is one of Hollywood's classic cool guys.  His existence in The Hustler is a shaky one as he gets involved with some shady characters.  Though the film revolves around the pool table, its message could easily be extended to any number of "hobbies" that end up consuming one's time, rather than passing it.  As Newman's character, Fast Eddie, puts it, "you can play the game the way nobody's done it before."  Robert Rossen did just that when he crafted this work over 50 years ago, and Newman's cool hasn't aged a day.

Taxi Driver (1976) Directed by Martin Scorsese

One of the darker, more unsettling films on this list, but great just the same.  Taxi Driver places the viewer precariously inside the mind of Travis Bickle, the intriguing anti-hero of the film.  We're presented with a dirty, messy view of NYC juxtaposed with a romantic, jazzy soundtrack.  Such contradictions define Travis, as he struggles to interact with the people and city around him.  The film is a stylish character study that features some of the best talent in Hollywood.

L.A. Confidential (1997) Directed by Curtis Hanson

L.A. Confidential is one of the best neo noirs ever made.  The film effortlessly weaves between its three central characters (Crowe, Pierce, & Spacey), connecting them to each other throughout.  Featuring an appropriately jazzy score and a fair amount of gritty violence, it doesn't require black & white photography to evoke the feel of the best 1940's thrillers.

Catch Me If You Can (2002) Directed by Steven Spielberg

Perhaps Spielberg's coolest movie in his impressive canon of work.  Catch Me If You Can finds the director tackling the crime/comedy genre with great success.  From its nicely done opening credits sequence, we know we're in for a treat.  The film introduces us to some familiar faces (Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Amy Adams, Jennifer Garner, Christopher Walken to name a few), and they're all in the unique cinematic world that Spielberg has created in Catch Me If You Can.  It's extremely clever, stylish storytelling that's worth revisiting over and over.

Matchstick Men (2003) Directed by Ridley Scott

Nicholas Cage turns in one of his finest performances.  OK, maybe that's not saying a whole lot.  But when he isn't completely insane (i.e. The Wicker Man), he can actually do a hell of good job acting.  In Matchstick Men, he plays an OCD con man.  Think of Monk meets Danny Ocean (sort of).  He's immensely entertaining.  Add that to the jazzy, Sinatra-filled soundtrack and Ridley Scott applying his skill behind the camera to the crime/comedy genre and you get an amazing film.

Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) Directed by George Clooney

A film's opening moments often establish its personality.  After the opening montage in Good Night, and Good Luck, I knew I'd enjoy the film.  The camera delicately introduces us to some of the film's key players, but through unique means.  We don't yet hear the characters, but the images and music do the talking for them.  What follows is a stylish dissection of the CBS news team that went after Senator Joseph McCarthy.  Their argument was that television could be used as a tool for the greater good in a time when it was only considered a form of entertainment.  Never before has a history lesson looked better.  I read that the film is punctuated precisely every 23 minutes by Dianne Reeves and her beautiful jazz accompaniment to match the run-time of the very television program around which the plot follows.  Brilliant.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) Directed by Shane Black

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a loving homage to the noir genre.  It's densely (and cleverly) plotted but entertaining and funny at the same time.  The film lifts the cinematic curtain to expose some of the very devices at play (i.e. Robert Downey Jr. announcing himself as the narrator and addressing the audience directly, stopping the reels to backtrack on itself, etc.).  It has a sense of humor about itself that feels fresh and helps keep some of the violence from becoming too unsettling.  It's a smart satire that stands firmly among the best of them.

Note: The films are presented in chronological order based on theatrical release date.  I attempted to find a still from each film that featured a character smoking or holding a gun.  It was not difficult.

Beasts of the Southern Wild - Review

"The whole universe depends on everything fitting together just right. If one piece busts, even the smallest piece... the entire universe will get busted."

If ever a movie could be considered alive, it's Beasts of the Southern Wild.  This is a movie that must be seen, heard, felt, and experienced.  There's an energy throughout the film that's unlike any other I've seen.  It's powerful.

The film is teeming with ideas, teeming with life itself.  Its inspiring, central character is a 7-year-old called "Hushpuppy."  She reflects, "I see that I am a little piece of a big, big universe."  But there's nothing little about her presence in the film.  She's a fierce child of nature, exploring and discovering the world around her.  The film presents us with a blend of her vibrant imagination and the stark reality of the world in which she lives - a fictional bayou known as "the bathtub," perhaps because of how quickly it fills up with water during the storm.  


There isn't a moment in Beasts of the Southern Wild that doesn't feel magical or uniquely enchanting.  The music, the non-actors, the imagery.  It all registered with me on an emotional level.  The film appeals to the animal within and offers us a totally original cinematic experience.


Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF7i2n5NXLo

5 out of 5

Total Recall (2012) - Review

I'd be upset, too, Arnold.

Total Recall is instantly forgettable and unnecessary.  Why can't movies exist as a product of the time in which they were created?  Not every film necessitates a remake (in fact, very few do).  Say what you will about Schwarzenegger as an actor, but his films are fun and entertaining.  This one trades out Arnold's goofy charm for an overly serious tone and forced political overtones.  Filmmakers should utilize advances in technology to take us somewhere we haven't been before or even reinvent a series.  I'm fine with remaking a film into one that seems totally unique and fresh.  But we should aim to create new worlds in cinema, not recycle old ones.  Perhaps Total Recall is meant to act as a memory test to see if audiences can remember a 'similar' film that was released about 22 years ago?  Hmm...

This is a great video comparing old and "new": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIduDF61WlM

1 out of 5