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  

The Dark Knight Rises - Review

Each character's prominence in the shot accurately indicates his amount of screen time.

The Dark Knight Rises completes one of the epic trilogies of modern cinema.  Without reading any further, you will have probably already seen the movie or know if you want to.  So my writing, as always, is meant to be a reflection on the film, not a way to convince you whether or not to see it.

My initial reaction to the film was posted as a Facebook status: "The Dark Knight Rises is a flawed but spectacular film."  Having now seen it a second time, I stand by this reaction.  But... the scale tipped in favor of spectacular for the second go around.  The flaws I mention didn't go away, but I guess I chose not to care about them as much.  They mainly include the influx of a slew of new characters whose main purpose is plot filler/to be killed off, a slightly bloated runtime (cut out 20 minutes and some of the aforementioned new characters), it gets a little too "talky" at times, and some scenes that weren't properly underscored as they could've been.  The film sometimes struggles to slow down from its lightning pace to let some of its key moments set in (i.e. a sad parting of ways for two main characters at the film's halfway point, a major character's departure towards the end of the film, silent shots of a Gotham in disarray, etc).  These are moments which Nolan should drive home to pack a bigger punch, but they sometimes get bulldozed over by the next scene in the queue.  TDKR is immensely ambitious, perhaps to a fault.

However, there's just so much that's great in TDKR.  And it's pretty hard to complain when that Hans Zimmer score kicks in with the action, especially in the third act.  The imagery is stunning, and I loved the scenes in the pit.  Michael Caine turns in another outstanding performance as Alfred - both witty and emotional.  Anne Hathaway makes for a brilliant femme fatale and was the most fun to watch.  Tom Hardy (whose mask forces you to read his eyes) plays an intelligent, but still brutal Bane.  Christian Bale plays a quieter, reclusive Bruce Wayne.  His Batman is broken and must rise up to become the symbol for the city that he set out to be.  TDKR doesn't feel like "the third Batman film", but rather a fitting exit for Gotham's watchful protector.

Selina Kyle is a classic femme fatale... on a Bat Pod.

Nolan's Batman films are particularly effective because they speak to themes Americans hear about constantly in the news: terrorism (TDKR opens with a hijacking), privacy issues ("clean slate" software, cell phone tracking in TDK), and their setting in what is clearly NYC.  The films are set in post-9/11 America and call for a hero to rise up from the masses to combat the terror at her doorstep.  "Batman can be anybody," we're told.  These are compelling examples of modern filmmaking that hit home with audiences and critics alike.  Hollywood can turn on the bat signal Nolan has left for us.  He'll be sure to answer with another fantastic blockbuster for years to come.  Job well done.

4.5 out of 5 

The Watch - Review

"Look at him and understand me. Look at both of us, but understand no one. Listen to my words, and hear his face."

The Watch gets spoiled by the trailers.  The interrogation scene pictured above makes me laugh no matter how many times I see it.  However, many of the film's best moments are given away in its trailers.  The best comedies don't reveal their hand during their marketing efforts, and save the big guns for showtime.  This is not one of the best comedies.  Unlike many critics, I found the mix between sci-fi horror and raunchy humor to be a fun idea.  Though there were some sequences that were well done, the overall execution could've been better.  Ben Stiller has been one of my favorite comedians since I saw him in Heavyweights, but it's newcomer Richard Ayoade who steals many of the scenes.  Ayoade is the director of the wonderful Submarine which came out last year.  I absolutely recommend seeing that film.  As for The Watch, if you haven't seen the trailers, you'll probably enjoy yourself more than I did.  

2.5 out of 5

3 Movies Worth Seeing... that you probably haven't heard of.

Safety Not Guaranteed

4.5 out of 5

"Stormtroopers don't know anything about lasers or time travel.  They're blue collar workers."

Clip: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi430350873/

Safety Not Guaranteed has heart and intellect.  It's simultaneously funny & original.  Mark Duplass is completely believable and genuinely talented.  Really the only problem is tracking down a theater that it's playing at!  What a shame.

Your Sister's Sister

4.5 out of 5

"Whatever you think is helping you, I have a responsibility as your friend to tell you that it's not."

Clip(s): http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2012/06/18/4-clips-your-sisters-sister-emily-blunt-mark-duplass-rosemarie-dewitt/

An engaging drama that's often funny and consistently smart.  The direction stood out the most for me; it emphasizes the dialogue without detracting from it.  I love the focusing choices - really superb.  The characters are all fleshed out nicely and avoid cliches.  Another great hole-in-the-wall find at "select theaters."

To Rome With Love

3.5 out of 5

"I have an IQ of 140."

"Yes, but that's in euros."

Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJtaMnwjNLg

Alec Baldwin and Woody Allen himself are the true highlights, without question.  It's great to see the neurotic Allen and the suave Baldwin on screen in the same film, though never together.  Baldwin is reminiscent of the "Bogart" character in Play it Again, Sam and just as entertaining.  The rest of the characters are fine but are out-shined by those guys.  Too much time was spent with the shower singing nonsense.  Regardless, we still get the cleverly crafted romance vs. intellect love entanglements that define many Woody Allen flicks.  Not his best work, but as Woody once said "even the worst orgasm I ever had was pretty good."

The Amazing Spider-Man - Review

Look out!  Here comes the Spider-Man... again.

The Amazing Spider-Man is a fun, but flawed film.  If you can overlook these flaws (see below), you'll be entertained.  I was entertained.  Maybe I'm being a glass-half-full kinda guy on this one because I love Spiderman so much.  This is one instance when I know the movie isn't perfect and missteps often but I still have a good time watching it.

It will be understandably difficult for viewers to not play the "let's compare this one to the original series" game.  Don't.  Like comparing books to movies based on books, they're different animals and should be judged accordingly.  Of course, you'll probably like one more than the other, but that doesn't mean both can't be good or bad.  It's in their nature to be simply be different... because they are.

I decided to review this one atypically because I had such mixed reactions to the film.  One second I would be loving it, and the next I'd be shaking my head.

The Good:

• The chemistry (science pun) between the leads is fantastic.   
• I also liked the Dr. Connors/Lizard villain.  It's a sort of extreme version of Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde.  
• The film boasts many great set pieces.  Notable action sequences include Lizard roaming about an abandoned Oscorp, the sewer sequences, and a showdown at Parker's school.
• Martin Sheen and Sally Field make for a nice Uncle Ben and Aunt May.
• We get to see much more of Oscorp, a place teeming with innovative science and an area left unexplored by the previous Spidey flicks.
• The film is wonderfully shot on the latest digital technology, which makes it easy on the eyes (unless you experience 3D discomfort).  Speaking of which, it was a great one to see in 3D!   
• The Stan Lee cameo.

The Bad (and the Ugly):

• Judging from the many trailers, a TON of footage (including entire scenes and plot points) were cut from the theatrical release.  Some parts of the film felt like they weren't given their due time on screen while others felt dragged out.  The editing seemed off to me.
• I hated skater Peter Parker.  Parker is supposed to be a likable, intelligent nerd who becomes a superhero.  I didn't get that vibe here.
• No J. Jonah Jameson?  Disappointing.
• The basketball and crane scenes were silly.
• For me, the film didn't deliver on all of its grand promises of "the dark backstory never been told about Peter Parker's past."  We get little hints of it here and there, but it's all really just a tease until they figure out an inevitable sequel.  Even the scene during the credits sequence gives us very little information.  You can probably guess who the man in the shadows is, but that's not really tremendously helpful.
• I hope the quickness with which Hollywood decided to re-boot this series will not predict more re-boots in the near future.  I'm looking at you, Twilight series...

Despite all the nonsense, I still enjoyed the film.   

4 out of 5 (because I'd recommend seeing it and overall it was more good than bad/ugly)