BUG (2006) - SEPT. 25, 2007
Oh, the humanity. This started out decently enough -- though its origins as a play couldn't be more obvious (both in the confined setting and the artificial theatricality of the dialogue), for the first half or so this was a basically enjoyable look at the blossoming relationship between two damaged characters. But then the movie just starts getting more and more silly and over-the-top, and by the end anything even remotely resembling authenticity goes out the window. The same can be said of the performances, particularly Ashley Judd; by the end of the film her whole performance essentially consists of screaming and babbling incoherently. The film also stops being even remotely entertaining at around the half-way point, so it becomes harder and harder to sit through. Blech. *1/2
Short reviews of all the movies I see, rated out of four. Reviews containing spoilers are marked with an (S).
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Eastern Promises
EASTERN PROMISES (2007) - Sept. 22, 2007
David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen are on a roll. After the above-average A History of Violence, this is another very good film from the pair. Mortensen, sporting an absolutely convincing Russian accent, gives one of his better performances as a mysterious driver for the Russian mob. The other performances are equally good, and the film is quite well directed. Good stuff. ***1/2
David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen are on a roll. After the above-average A History of Violence, this is another very good film from the pair. Mortensen, sporting an absolutely convincing Russian accent, gives one of his better performances as a mysterious driver for the Russian mob. The other performances are equally good, and the film is quite well directed. Good stuff. ***1/2
Friday, September 21, 2007
Shoot 'Em Up
SHOOT 'EM UP (2007) - Sept. 21, 2007
A way over-the-top action film about a British tough-guy who takes it upon himself to protect a baby from a legion of assassins, lead by a sinister Paul Giamatti. The film is cartoonish and overblown, and features almost no down-time between action sequences. It's never all that great, though for a while it's engaging enough -- but then it starts to wear out its welcome. It doesn't help that while the action is competently done, there's nothing really special about it (it's actually kind of bland once you get past how ridiculously over-the-top it is). Clive Owen was good (though I still don't know if I buy his American accent), though Paul Giamatti was definitely the highlight. **
A way over-the-top action film about a British tough-guy who takes it upon himself to protect a baby from a legion of assassins, lead by a sinister Paul Giamatti. The film is cartoonish and overblown, and features almost no down-time between action sequences. It's never all that great, though for a while it's engaging enough -- but then it starts to wear out its welcome. It doesn't help that while the action is competently done, there's nothing really special about it (it's actually kind of bland once you get past how ridiculously over-the-top it is). Clive Owen was good (though I still don't know if I buy his American accent), though Paul Giamatti was definitely the highlight. **
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Sukiyaki Western Django
SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO (2007) - Sept. 15, 2007
Another almost indescribably bizarre film from Takashi Miike. A western about two competing gangs who converge on a small town due to its proximity to some kind of gold mine. There were a few good moments here, but they were completely lost amongst all the weirdness and the superfluous interludes. *1/2
Another almost indescribably bizarre film from Takashi Miike. A western about two competing gangs who converge on a small town due to its proximity to some kind of gold mine. There were a few good moments here, but they were completely lost amongst all the weirdness and the superfluous interludes. *1/2
L'Ora di Punta
L'ORA DI PUNTA (2007) - Sept. 15, 2007
It's been about a couple of weeks since I saw this film, and I've already pretty much forgotten the whole thing. That tells you how good it is. The main problem with it (from what I remember) is that the main character is a sleazeball and a jerk; the film seems to be trying to give him a Michael Corleone-esque downfall, but since he starts out as a jerk, the fact that he's a slightly bigger jerk by the time the end credits roll doesn't quite make the impact that I'm sure the director would like it to. Aside from that it was reasonably well made and well acted, but it was slow and not particularly interesting. **
It's been about a couple of weeks since I saw this film, and I've already pretty much forgotten the whole thing. That tells you how good it is. The main problem with it (from what I remember) is that the main character is a sleazeball and a jerk; the film seems to be trying to give him a Michael Corleone-esque downfall, but since he starts out as a jerk, the fact that he's a slightly bigger jerk by the time the end credits roll doesn't quite make the impact that I'm sure the director would like it to. Aside from that it was reasonably well made and well acted, but it was slow and not particularly interesting. **
The Visitor
THE VISITOR (2007) - Sept. 15, 2007
This started out really really well, and ended really really badly. About a college professor whose life is changed when he goes to New York and finds a young couple living in his apartment. For the first forty-five minutes or so I was loving this film. Richard Jenkins gives a perfect performance in the main role, and the characters become people we really care about. It's really well directed and well written, and the whole thing just works. But then, in an embarrassingly cheesy scene that seems to come from another movie (the first of many), the main character's friend gets arrested after a misunderstanding in a subway station. It's all downhill from there. The film goes from a wonderfully understated character study to a ham-fisted Message Movie. It's clear that the director has some very strong opinions on the way immigrants are treated in post-9/11 America, and he pretty much spends the rest of the film cramming them down the viewers' throats in the absolute least subtle way possible. It's never boring I suppose, but it's a definite shame because it could have been a great movie. **1/2
This started out really really well, and ended really really badly. About a college professor whose life is changed when he goes to New York and finds a young couple living in his apartment. For the first forty-five minutes or so I was loving this film. Richard Jenkins gives a perfect performance in the main role, and the characters become people we really care about. It's really well directed and well written, and the whole thing just works. But then, in an embarrassingly cheesy scene that seems to come from another movie (the first of many), the main character's friend gets arrested after a misunderstanding in a subway station. It's all downhill from there. The film goes from a wonderfully understated character study to a ham-fisted Message Movie. It's clear that the director has some very strong opinions on the way immigrants are treated in post-9/11 America, and he pretty much spends the rest of the film cramming them down the viewers' throats in the absolute least subtle way possible. It's never boring I suppose, but it's a definite shame because it could have been a great movie. **1/2
Nocturna
NOCTURNA (2007) - Sept. 15, 2007
An enjoyable if somewhat slight cartoon about a young boy who, over the course of a long night, tries to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of a disappearing star. It's very fantastic and Miyazaki-esque, though even at 80 minutes it drags in parts. It's really well animated, though, and is almost always compelling just on a visual level. ***
An enjoyable if somewhat slight cartoon about a young boy who, over the course of a long night, tries to solve the mystery behind the disappearance of a disappearing star. It's very fantastic and Miyazaki-esque, though even at 80 minutes it drags in parts. It's really well animated, though, and is almost always compelling just on a visual level. ***
Friday, September 14, 2007
Romulus, My Father
ROMULUS, MY FATHER (2007) - Sept. 14, 2007
Umm... Well, I was tired, what can I say? Within minutes of starting this film, the tiredness hit me like a punch to the face, and as much as I tried to fight it I was asleep within the first twenty minutes. I was pretty much asleep on and off for the rest of the film, which seemed well acted but really slow. I would like to see it again at some point, hopefully when I'm a little less tired. NO RATING
Umm... Well, I was tired, what can I say? Within minutes of starting this film, the tiredness hit me like a punch to the face, and as much as I tried to fight it I was asleep within the first twenty minutes. I was pretty much asleep on and off for the rest of the film, which seemed well acted but really slow. I would like to see it again at some point, hopefully when I'm a little less tired. NO RATING
Flash Point
FLASH POINT (2007) - Sept. 14, 2007
Wow! After the terrible SPL, the most I was expecting out of this film was one or two good action scenes. But man! Everything about this movie was about a trillion times better than SPL. The plot, involving a gritty cop and his undercover partner trying to take down a group of thugs, was pretty cheesy, but it was like Serpico compared to SPL. It at least -- and this is all you really need in a movie like this -- kept things moving between the action scenes. And unlike SPL, the movie managed to have a fairly decent action scene every fifteen minutes or so. And pretty much all of the action was really exciting, and really well done. And then -- oh man -- there was the last action scene. Sweet Jesus. It was, quite literally, one of the best things I've ever seen in my entire life. It was amazingly exciting, and brutal, and gritty, and it just keeps going, and every time you think that both characters have certainly had enough, it goes on even longer. It was awesome. It was better than awesome. It was certainly one of the best action scenes I've ever seen. I just... wow. That's all I can really say about that scene. ***1/2
Wow! After the terrible SPL, the most I was expecting out of this film was one or two good action scenes. But man! Everything about this movie was about a trillion times better than SPL. The plot, involving a gritty cop and his undercover partner trying to take down a group of thugs, was pretty cheesy, but it was like Serpico compared to SPL. It at least -- and this is all you really need in a movie like this -- kept things moving between the action scenes. And unlike SPL, the movie managed to have a fairly decent action scene every fifteen minutes or so. And pretty much all of the action was really exciting, and really well done. And then -- oh man -- there was the last action scene. Sweet Jesus. It was, quite literally, one of the best things I've ever seen in my entire life. It was amazingly exciting, and brutal, and gritty, and it just keeps going, and every time you think that both characters have certainly had enough, it goes on even longer. It was awesome. It was better than awesome. It was certainly one of the best action scenes I've ever seen. I just... wow. That's all I can really say about that scene. ***1/2
Boy A
BOY A (2007) - Sept. 14, 2007 (Second Viewing)
Yep, this is definitely my favourite movie of the festival so far, and I really doubt that anything I see tomorrow will be able to top it. It's just so well made, and well directed, and well written, and well acted. Peter Mullan is really good, but it's Andrew Garfield who really knocks it out of the park in the main role. It's a really impressive performance, and I think we'll certainly be seeing more of him in the future. There's just so many things I really like about this movie, from the strong performances to the way it unfolds to the powerful ending. ****
Yep, this is definitely my favourite movie of the festival so far, and I really doubt that anything I see tomorrow will be able to top it. It's just so well made, and well directed, and well written, and well acted. Peter Mullan is really good, but it's Andrew Garfield who really knocks it out of the park in the main role. It's a really impressive performance, and I think we'll certainly be seeing more of him in the future. There's just so many things I really like about this movie, from the strong performances to the way it unfolds to the powerful ending. ****
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY (2007) - Sept. 13, 2007
About a magazine editor who had some kind of stroke and subsequently suffered a rare form of paralysis which left him unable to do anything but blink with his left eye, this was a reasonably well made film, but I can't say that I found it particularly entertaining. There were some things I liked about the film -- the opening series of POV shots did a good job establishing the grim claustrophobia of the character's new post-stroke world, and there were a few effective scenes (the scene towards the end, where the main character has his stroke while in the car with his son, was powerful and a definite standout), but for the most part I found this film oddly unengaging. It doesn't help that the movie is visually unappealing, thanks (I can only assume) to Janusz Kaminski. Here he takes all the stylistic quirks that have given Spielburg's films over the last decade or so their distinctive look, and multiplies them tenfold -- the film has a muggy, washed out look and an unappealing colour palette. It's pretty ugly looking, for the most part. And while the protagonist's plight is interesting for the first little while, it soon becomes clear that he just isn't a very interesting character. Maybe it would have been more effective if it were shorter, but after the hundredth time listening to the man's assistant recite the alphabet in order of use, I was tired of it. **
About a magazine editor who had some kind of stroke and subsequently suffered a rare form of paralysis which left him unable to do anything but blink with his left eye, this was a reasonably well made film, but I can't say that I found it particularly entertaining. There were some things I liked about the film -- the opening series of POV shots did a good job establishing the grim claustrophobia of the character's new post-stroke world, and there were a few effective scenes (the scene towards the end, where the main character has his stroke while in the car with his son, was powerful and a definite standout), but for the most part I found this film oddly unengaging. It doesn't help that the movie is visually unappealing, thanks (I can only assume) to Janusz Kaminski. Here he takes all the stylistic quirks that have given Spielburg's films over the last decade or so their distinctive look, and multiplies them tenfold -- the film has a muggy, washed out look and an unappealing colour palette. It's pretty ugly looking, for the most part. And while the protagonist's plight is interesting for the first little while, it soon becomes clear that he just isn't a very interesting character. Maybe it would have been more effective if it were shorter, but after the hundredth time listening to the man's assistant recite the alphabet in order of use, I was tired of it. **
Blood Brothers
BLOOD BROTHERS (2007) - Sept. 13, 2007
There's pretty much nothing fresh about this film, which features the exploits of three best friends from a small town who find themselves moving up the ranks for a local mob boss after moving to Shanghai. It all unfolds pretty much exactly as you'd expect it would, and it's a bit more melodramatic than it should be, but it's stylishly directed and mostly entertaining throughout. If nothing else, it's worth it if only for the spectacularly violent finale, which almost reminded me of the ending of Commando. **1/2
There's pretty much nothing fresh about this film, which features the exploits of three best friends from a small town who find themselves moving up the ranks for a local mob boss after moving to Shanghai. It all unfolds pretty much exactly as you'd expect it would, and it's a bit more melodramatic than it should be, but it's stylishly directed and mostly entertaining throughout. If nothing else, it's worth it if only for the spectacularly violent finale, which almost reminded me of the ending of Commando. **1/2
Paranoid Park
PARANOID PARK (2007) - Sept. 13, 2007
After the moribund Last Days, which looked great but moved at a snail's pace, Paranoid Park proves to be a very pleasant surprise. Shot in the same style as Gus Van Sant's last three films but easily the most plot-heavy (well, it has a plot, which automatically makes it more plot-heavy than the last three), this was about a young teen involved in the accidental murder of a security guard. I don't think anyone is going to be calling this film fast-paced, but like Gerry and Elephant (it's better than the former but not quite as good as the latter) it has an odd, hypnotic appeal which keeps it absolutely entertaining throughout. The film is told in a somewhat non-linear fashion, which keeps things mysterious and definitely works, and features the same flowing camera movements and dream-like tone that have characterized Van Sant's last few films. Good stuff. ***1/2
After the moribund Last Days, which looked great but moved at a snail's pace, Paranoid Park proves to be a very pleasant surprise. Shot in the same style as Gus Van Sant's last three films but easily the most plot-heavy (well, it has a plot, which automatically makes it more plot-heavy than the last three), this was about a young teen involved in the accidental murder of a security guard. I don't think anyone is going to be calling this film fast-paced, but like Gerry and Elephant (it's better than the former but not quite as good as the latter) it has an odd, hypnotic appeal which keeps it absolutely entertaining throughout. The film is told in a somewhat non-linear fashion, which keeps things mysterious and definitely works, and features the same flowing camera movements and dream-like tone that have characterized Van Sant's last few films. Good stuff. ***1/2
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Redacted
REDACTED (2007) - Sept. 12, 2007
If Brian De Palma wasn't personally present at the screening I attended, I would have seriously questioned whether he even directed this film at all. This movie goes wrong on so many different levels I'm not even sure I can list them all. For one thing, it is directed with absolutely none of De Palma's usual style. The whole thing is meant to have a documentary-like feel, with most of the footage supposed to be shot by one of the characters. But De Palma is clearly the wrong man for this type of style, as the whole thing looks unappealing and artificial. The dialogue ranges from clunky to laughable (a lot of it was supposedly improvised, which isn't surprising), and the characters are all broadly-drawn and two-dimensional. Perhaps if the actors had been good they could have elevated the material, but they were all quite terrible. Then there are the little things, like the supposed clips from a French documentary which seem very out of place, and the fact that most scenes are bridged by intentionally amateurish looking transitions (such as a page wipe and similar effects). There is a very (very very) heavy-handed anti-war message here, and I suspect that if people embrace this film it will be more for the message than the actual content (I can only assume that the best director prize at Venice had something to do with this, because this is inarguably a bad-looking film). I thought that the Black Dahlia was the nadir of De Palma's career, but boy was I wrong. Stick to the riffs on Hitchcock, De Palma. *1/2
If Brian De Palma wasn't personally present at the screening I attended, I would have seriously questioned whether he even directed this film at all. This movie goes wrong on so many different levels I'm not even sure I can list them all. For one thing, it is directed with absolutely none of De Palma's usual style. The whole thing is meant to have a documentary-like feel, with most of the footage supposed to be shot by one of the characters. But De Palma is clearly the wrong man for this type of style, as the whole thing looks unappealing and artificial. The dialogue ranges from clunky to laughable (a lot of it was supposedly improvised, which isn't surprising), and the characters are all broadly-drawn and two-dimensional. Perhaps if the actors had been good they could have elevated the material, but they were all quite terrible. Then there are the little things, like the supposed clips from a French documentary which seem very out of place, and the fact that most scenes are bridged by intentionally amateurish looking transitions (such as a page wipe and similar effects). There is a very (very very) heavy-handed anti-war message here, and I suspect that if people embrace this film it will be more for the message than the actual content (I can only assume that the best director prize at Venice had something to do with this, because this is inarguably a bad-looking film). I thought that the Black Dahlia was the nadir of De Palma's career, but boy was I wrong. Stick to the riffs on Hitchcock, De Palma. *1/2
The Passage
THE PASSAGE (2007) - Sept. 12, 2007
This started out quite badly, and I was pretty much ready to write it off as a complete waste of time, but somewhere around the midpoint the thrillerish elements started kicking in, and it actually did improve quite a bit. It was never all that great, but by the end it was downright watchable, which is much more than I can say for the first half. The film is about an American, traveling through Morocco with his British friend (or his "mate" as he keeps awkwardly calling him, which just sounds wrong when it's coming from Stephen Dorff), who meets an intriguing Moroccan girl who invites him to see the sights with her. Eventually they end up in a dark, labyrinthine series of tunnels, in which he only has a few candles with which to see, and then only the flash from his camera. This whole sequence was actually quite well done, and pretty suspenseful. The problem is everything that precedes it, which is really slow and pretty much not interesting at all. Much of this can be attributed to Stephen Dorff's remarkably wooden performance. He's the focus of the movie, but he doesn't have even a fraction of the charisma required to pull a role like this off. He's like some kind of charisma black hole. He has zero chemistry with the Moroccan woman, which makes all their scenes together a complete wash (which is pretty much the entire first half of the film). Plus, I thought the twist at the end of Shadows was obvious, but if there's anyone who is actually surprised by the twist at the end of this movie, I'd have to seriously question their intelligence. **1/2
This started out quite badly, and I was pretty much ready to write it off as a complete waste of time, but somewhere around the midpoint the thrillerish elements started kicking in, and it actually did improve quite a bit. It was never all that great, but by the end it was downright watchable, which is much more than I can say for the first half. The film is about an American, traveling through Morocco with his British friend (or his "mate" as he keeps awkwardly calling him, which just sounds wrong when it's coming from Stephen Dorff), who meets an intriguing Moroccan girl who invites him to see the sights with her. Eventually they end up in a dark, labyrinthine series of tunnels, in which he only has a few candles with which to see, and then only the flash from his camera. This whole sequence was actually quite well done, and pretty suspenseful. The problem is everything that precedes it, which is really slow and pretty much not interesting at all. Much of this can be attributed to Stephen Dorff's remarkably wooden performance. He's the focus of the movie, but he doesn't have even a fraction of the charisma required to pull a role like this off. He's like some kind of charisma black hole. He has zero chemistry with the Moroccan woman, which makes all their scenes together a complete wash (which is pretty much the entire first half of the film). Plus, I thought the twist at the end of Shadows was obvious, but if there's anyone who is actually surprised by the twist at the end of this movie, I'd have to seriously question their intelligence. **1/2
Bill
BILL (2007) - Sept. 12, 2007
This generally isn't the type of film you expect to see at a film festival, but it was enjoyable and a welcome change of pace. About a working-class schlub, under the thumb of his rich father-in-law and brother-in-law, who dreams of more for his life -- specifically, to own a franchise of a Krispy Kreme-esque donut store. Aaron Eckhart was quite good in the main role, and the movie had some memorable supporting roles (Timothy Olyphant was a standout as a smug news anchor). There wasn't anything particularly memorable about this film, but it was entertaining (though it does wear out its welcome a tad near the end) and had some genuinely funny moments (particularly one part, which I have been chuckling about for pretty much the entire day). ***
This generally isn't the type of film you expect to see at a film festival, but it was enjoyable and a welcome change of pace. About a working-class schlub, under the thumb of his rich father-in-law and brother-in-law, who dreams of more for his life -- specifically, to own a franchise of a Krispy Kreme-esque donut store. Aaron Eckhart was quite good in the main role, and the movie had some memorable supporting roles (Timothy Olyphant was a standout as a smug news anchor). There wasn't anything particularly memorable about this film, but it was entertaining (though it does wear out its welcome a tad near the end) and had some genuinely funny moments (particularly one part, which I have been chuckling about for pretty much the entire day). ***
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Shadows
SHADOWS (2007) - Sept. 11, 2007
Hmm. That was odd. I was expecting a drama, but this turned out to be a horror movie, or at least a horror/drama. About a young man who gets into a serious car crash, and then one year later starts seeing some pretty odd things (such as a weird old lady crying in his kitchen). This doesn't really work as a horror film, because it isn't scary or suspenseful (I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be), nor does it work as a drama, because the main character isn't very interesting and we never really learn much about him. Another problem is that the big "twist" at the end couldn't be more obvious, and pretty much right from the start, too. It's also overlong by at least half an hour. Overall, a pretty big disappointment, especially coming from Milcho Manchevski, who directed the excellent Before the Rain (or at least I remember it being excellent; it's been a while). **
Hmm. That was odd. I was expecting a drama, but this turned out to be a horror movie, or at least a horror/drama. About a young man who gets into a serious car crash, and then one year later starts seeing some pretty odd things (such as a weird old lady crying in his kitchen). This doesn't really work as a horror film, because it isn't scary or suspenseful (I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be), nor does it work as a drama, because the main character isn't very interesting and we never really learn much about him. Another problem is that the big "twist" at the end couldn't be more obvious, and pretty much right from the start, too. It's also overlong by at least half an hour. Overall, a pretty big disappointment, especially coming from Milcho Manchevski, who directed the excellent Before the Rain (or at least I remember it being excellent; it's been a while). **
The Girl in the Park
THE GIRL IN THE PARK (2007) - Sept. 11, 2007
Sigourney Weaver gives a really good performance in this film about a mother who loses her three-year-old daughter in a park. Flash forward to 16 years later, and she's still completely messed up. The bulk of the film is about a possibly unhealthy friendship she strikes up with a young woman. The film is well made and entertaining throughout, though I'm not sure I buy that the loss of a daughter could mess a person up so thoroughly, even 16 years later (she's pretty much insane). Other than that, it was pretty good. ***
Sigourney Weaver gives a really good performance in this film about a mother who loses her three-year-old daughter in a park. Flash forward to 16 years later, and she's still completely messed up. The bulk of the film is about a possibly unhealthy friendship she strikes up with a young woman. The film is well made and entertaining throughout, though I'm not sure I buy that the loss of a daughter could mess a person up so thoroughly, even 16 years later (she's pretty much insane). Other than that, it was pretty good. ***
Love Comes Lately
LOVE COMES LATELY (2007) - Sept. 11, 2007
A slow-paced film about a writer who goes on a trip to give a lecture. This seems to be a framing device for some short films; I say "seems to be" because I'm not sure, because I fell asleep for pretty much the entire second half. The film didn't seem that great from what I saw, but obviously I can't be too sure since I missed more than half of it. NO RATING
A slow-paced film about a writer who goes on a trip to give a lecture. This seems to be a framing device for some short films; I say "seems to be" because I'm not sure, because I fell asleep for pretty much the entire second half. The film didn't seem that great from what I saw, but obviously I can't be too sure since I missed more than half of it. NO RATING
Monday, September 10, 2007
Juno
JUNO (2007) - Sept. 10, 2007
An enjoyable comedy about a sixteen year old girl who finds out that she's pregnant, and decides to give the baby to a couple she finds in a newspaper. The film is actually quite funny, and features an engaging lead performance from Ellen Page, who couldn't be more different than she was in Hard Candy. Michael Cera is a scene stealer as her would-be boyfriend, and Jason Reitman's direction is pretty good for the most part (though the choice of music in many parts seems like it's chosen more for what will make a "cool" soundtrack, rather than how it complements the visuals). ***
An enjoyable comedy about a sixteen year old girl who finds out that she's pregnant, and decides to give the baby to a couple she finds in a newspaper. The film is actually quite funny, and features an engaging lead performance from Ellen Page, who couldn't be more different than she was in Hard Candy. Michael Cera is a scene stealer as her would-be boyfriend, and Jason Reitman's direction is pretty good for the most part (though the choice of music in many parts seems like it's chosen more for what will make a "cool" soundtrack, rather than how it complements the visuals). ***
Chrysalis
CHRYSALIS (2007) - Sept. 10, 2007 (S)
It was mentioned in the introduction for this film that Julien Leclercq, the film's director, is friends with Xavier Gens, the director of the terrible Frontiere(s). They must have a lot to talk about. Namely, how they both stink at directing. Though this film wasn't quite as bad as that one, it was still quite mediocre. The film's convoluted plot had something to do with a cliched gritty cop (he even gives in his gun and badge at one point, and he has an odd habit of submerging himself in the bathtub and timing it to see how long he can hold his breath. I wonder if that skill will come in handy later on...) who's investigating a mysterious murder case while trying to deal with the death of his partner. I don't know. It's pretty muddled. Leclercq's idea of making the film look futuristic mostly involves giving everything a silvery-metallic sheen, and the whole film otherwise basically looks like a poor-man's Minority Report. The movie does feature a couple of pretty decent fight scenes, and it's never all-out boring, but aside from that it's not too great. **
It was mentioned in the introduction for this film that Julien Leclercq, the film's director, is friends with Xavier Gens, the director of the terrible Frontiere(s). They must have a lot to talk about. Namely, how they both stink at directing. Though this film wasn't quite as bad as that one, it was still quite mediocre. The film's convoluted plot had something to do with a cliched gritty cop (he even gives in his gun and badge at one point, and he has an odd habit of submerging himself in the bathtub and timing it to see how long he can hold his breath. I wonder if that skill will come in handy later on...) who's investigating a mysterious murder case while trying to deal with the death of his partner. I don't know. It's pretty muddled. Leclercq's idea of making the film look futuristic mostly involves giving everything a silvery-metallic sheen, and the whole film otherwise basically looks like a poor-man's Minority Report. The movie does feature a couple of pretty decent fight scenes, and it's never all-out boring, but aside from that it's not too great. **
No Country for Old Men
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007) - Sept. 10, 2007
An expectedly well made film which, though probably not quite up there with the Coen Brothers' absolute classics, is still really good. Although this is Joel and Ethan Coen's first adaptation of someone else's material, it still definitely feels like a Coen Brothers film (a highlight, and a clear bit of Coen goodness, is the scene where Javier Bardem terrorizes a hapless store clerk, forcing him to gamble his life in a coin toss. It's a perfect example of the Coens' brilliance in dark comedy and suspense, and is probably one of the best scenes I've seen in a long time). The performances are all really good, particularly Bardem as the gleefully sinister yet oddly principled killer. Visually, it looks great (no surprise there), and features quite a few fairly riveting scenes. It starts out a tad slow, but that's a pretty minor complaint. ***1/2
An expectedly well made film which, though probably not quite up there with the Coen Brothers' absolute classics, is still really good. Although this is Joel and Ethan Coen's first adaptation of someone else's material, it still definitely feels like a Coen Brothers film (a highlight, and a clear bit of Coen goodness, is the scene where Javier Bardem terrorizes a hapless store clerk, forcing him to gamble his life in a coin toss. It's a perfect example of the Coens' brilliance in dark comedy and suspense, and is probably one of the best scenes I've seen in a long time). The performances are all really good, particularly Bardem as the gleefully sinister yet oddly principled killer. Visually, it looks great (no surprise there), and features quite a few fairly riveting scenes. It starts out a tad slow, but that's a pretty minor complaint. ***1/2
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Frontiere(s)
FRONTIERE(S) (2007) - Sept. 9, 2007
Blech. Another disappointment. You'd think, given the premise (a group of French criminals are terrorized by a family of Neo-Nazis), that you wouldn't be able to go wrong. Nope. The film is exceptionally derivative, and everything it steals has been done better elsewhere. But the film's lack of originality is actually the least of its concerns. Its main problem is Xavier Gens' mediocre direction, who has no idea how to properly direct action (whenever there's any action, the old shaky-cam/quick-cut trope rears its ugly head), and gives the rest of the film the same ugly greenish-gray visual look featured in too many recent mediocre horror films (such as the Texas Chainsaw remake). The main characters are all either underdeveloped or downright unlikable, making it pretty hard to care when they start getting killed off (and they make some pretty stupid choices, even for idiotic horror movie characters -- such as heading into a dark cave when they should be trying to run away). As for the bad guys, they're all generic and bland. There were a few good scenes here (a scene involving a table-saw is probably one of the best horror movie kills I've ever seen), and the film improves somewhat near the end (right around the aforementioned table-saw scene), but the film is otherwise unpleasant and barely entertaining (though again, I had a chance to think about how good Boy A was). *1/2
Blech. Another disappointment. You'd think, given the premise (a group of French criminals are terrorized by a family of Neo-Nazis), that you wouldn't be able to go wrong. Nope. The film is exceptionally derivative, and everything it steals has been done better elsewhere. But the film's lack of originality is actually the least of its concerns. Its main problem is Xavier Gens' mediocre direction, who has no idea how to properly direct action (whenever there's any action, the old shaky-cam/quick-cut trope rears its ugly head), and gives the rest of the film the same ugly greenish-gray visual look featured in too many recent mediocre horror films (such as the Texas Chainsaw remake). The main characters are all either underdeveloped or downright unlikable, making it pretty hard to care when they start getting killed off (and they make some pretty stupid choices, even for idiotic horror movie characters -- such as heading into a dark cave when they should be trying to run away). As for the bad guys, they're all generic and bland. There were a few good scenes here (a scene involving a table-saw is probably one of the best horror movie kills I've ever seen), and the film improves somewhat near the end (right around the aforementioned table-saw scene), but the film is otherwise unpleasant and barely entertaining (though again, I had a chance to think about how good Boy A was). *1/2
Starting out in the Evening
STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING (2007) - Sept. 9, 2007
A disappointment. Frank Langella is literally the best thing about this movie, as he gives a really good performance and proves that he should certainly be getting more work than he does. His performance is far better than the movie actually deserves, as it is otherwise unspectacular and egregiously overlong (it particularly drags towards the end). The whole thing just seems trite and somewhat cheesy, particularly the whole subplot with Lili Taylor as Langella's daughter. Oh well. At least, during the slower stretches, I had a chance to think about how good Boy A was. **
A disappointment. Frank Langella is literally the best thing about this movie, as he gives a really good performance and proves that he should certainly be getting more work than he does. His performance is far better than the movie actually deserves, as it is otherwise unspectacular and egregiously overlong (it particularly drags towards the end). The whole thing just seems trite and somewhat cheesy, particularly the whole subplot with Lili Taylor as Langella's daughter. Oh well. At least, during the slower stretches, I had a chance to think about how good Boy A was. **
Boy A
BOY A (2007) - Sept. 9, 2007
An exceptionally well made character study about a young man, recently released from prison after committing a notorious crime as a child, who tries to make a new life for himself. The film is really well directed and written, and is anchored by a stunning lead performance from Andrew Garfield, who -- if there were any justice -- would certainly have an Oscar in his future (or at least a nomination). The film alternates between showing us Jack (his new name) in the present, and snippets of the past, leading up to the crime. This structure works perfectly, building up a fair amount of tension as we wonder what it is exactly that Jack did. It's only at the end that we finally find out; by then Jack has become a very sympathetic character, despite his previous misdeeds. Yet near the middle of the film we see Jack lash out violently at man who attacks one of his friends, hinting that there is still something somewhat sinister beneath Jack's shy exterior. Basically, Jack is a really interesting character, and this is a really interesting film. I loved it. ****
An exceptionally well made character study about a young man, recently released from prison after committing a notorious crime as a child, who tries to make a new life for himself. The film is really well directed and written, and is anchored by a stunning lead performance from Andrew Garfield, who -- if there were any justice -- would certainly have an Oscar in his future (or at least a nomination). The film alternates between showing us Jack (his new name) in the present, and snippets of the past, leading up to the crime. This structure works perfectly, building up a fair amount of tension as we wonder what it is exactly that Jack did. It's only at the end that we finally find out; by then Jack has become a very sympathetic character, despite his previous misdeeds. Yet near the middle of the film we see Jack lash out violently at man who attacks one of his friends, hinting that there is still something somewhat sinister beneath Jack's shy exterior. Basically, Jack is a really interesting character, and this is a really interesting film. I loved it. ****
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Under the Same Moon
UNDER THE SAME MOON (2007) - Sept. 8, 2007
A heartwarming film about a young boy from Mexico who decides to travel to America to be with his mother. The film was melodramatic and unabashedly sentimental, and quite predictable too, but I still really enjoyed it. Maybe it was the fact that I had just been subjected to one of the most pretentiously boring films I've ever seen (or at least part of it), but I found this movie to be quite delightful. It helps that the performances were all superb, and the characters become people that we really care about (it's pretty much impossible not to root for the kid in his quest to reunite with his mom, particularly when everything starts to go wrong). It's not a very subtle film, but it was an enjoyable one; I wouldn't be surprised if this became a minor hit at the box office (it's a definite crowd-pleaser). ***1/2
A heartwarming film about a young boy from Mexico who decides to travel to America to be with his mother. The film was melodramatic and unabashedly sentimental, and quite predictable too, but I still really enjoyed it. Maybe it was the fact that I had just been subjected to one of the most pretentiously boring films I've ever seen (or at least part of it), but I found this movie to be quite delightful. It helps that the performances were all superb, and the characters become people that we really care about (it's pretty much impossible not to root for the kid in his quest to reunite with his mom, particularly when everything starts to go wrong). It's not a very subtle film, but it was an enjoyable one; I wouldn't be surprised if this became a minor hit at the box office (it's a definite crowd-pleaser). ***1/2
The Man from London
THE MAN FROM LONDON (2007) - Sept. 8, 2007
Sweet Jesus. What was that?? More of a cinematic endurance test than an actual movie, though I suppose that I can't really judge it since I walked out after only an hour. I would have stayed (though this was an awful, awful movie, I'm sure I've seen worse -- though I can't think of too many titles off the top of my head), but I made a scheduling snafu and would have almost certainly missed the next movie if I had. It was fairly clear that the movie wasn't going to improve, so I did what had to be done. But man. What was the deal with this movie? Even after sitting there for an hour there was only the vaguest whiff of a plot, and not a single character (though there were a couple of people who I guess were there most of the time, they weren't developed in the slightest). The movie consisted of ridiculously long shots in which almost nothing happens, with maybe a little bit of slow camera movement. It makes Antonioni look like Paul Greengrass. The camera would focus for minutes on end on things like a guy eating some stew, or the back of someone's head, or a building, or (and this was the first shot, and an ominous warning of things to come) a close up of a boat. Not the whole boat, just the front part of it. For about five minutes. Oh man. NO RATING
Sweet Jesus. What was that?? More of a cinematic endurance test than an actual movie, though I suppose that I can't really judge it since I walked out after only an hour. I would have stayed (though this was an awful, awful movie, I'm sure I've seen worse -- though I can't think of too many titles off the top of my head), but I made a scheduling snafu and would have almost certainly missed the next movie if I had. It was fairly clear that the movie wasn't going to improve, so I did what had to be done. But man. What was the deal with this movie? Even after sitting there for an hour there was only the vaguest whiff of a plot, and not a single character (though there were a couple of people who I guess were there most of the time, they weren't developed in the slightest). The movie consisted of ridiculously long shots in which almost nothing happens, with maybe a little bit of slow camera movement. It makes Antonioni look like Paul Greengrass. The camera would focus for minutes on end on things like a guy eating some stew, or the back of someone's head, or a building, or (and this was the first shot, and an ominous warning of things to come) a close up of a boat. Not the whole boat, just the front part of it. For about five minutes. Oh man. NO RATING
Persepolis
PERSEPOLIS (2007) - Sept. 8, 2007
About a young girl's experiences growing up in revolutionary Iran, this was a really well made, enjoyable film. Beautifully animated in a simple, stark black-and-white style that suits the material perfectly, the film manages to have a fairly epic feel without seeming overlong. It also does a really good job of developing the main character and making her someone we really care about. Marjane Satrapi, the co-director of the film and the writer of the comic memoir on which it is based, deftly mixes comedy and drama -- the movie is quite funny at times but it never feels forced or undercuts the drama. I think Ratatouille is going to have some serious competition for best animated film at next year's Oscars. ****
About a young girl's experiences growing up in revolutionary Iran, this was a really well made, enjoyable film. Beautifully animated in a simple, stark black-and-white style that suits the material perfectly, the film manages to have a fairly epic feel without seeming overlong. It also does a really good job of developing the main character and making her someone we really care about. Marjane Satrapi, the co-director of the film and the writer of the comic memoir on which it is based, deftly mixes comedy and drama -- the movie is quite funny at times but it never feels forced or undercuts the drama. I think Ratatouille is going to have some serious competition for best animated film at next year's Oscars. ****
Friday, September 07, 2007
The Pope's Toilet
THE POPE'S TOILET (2007) - Sept. 7, 2007
A disappointingly dull film about a man from a small, ramshackle village who cooks up a scheme to build a public washroom and then charge people to use it (the village is expecting thousands of people to come to see the visiting Pope). The movie may sound wacky or even lively, but it is not. It's a slow-moving character study in the vein of Italian neorealist films from the '40s and '50s, but even compared to those, it is slow. The film does a pretty decent job of developing the central characters, particularly the main schemer, but the film's pace is too big of a hurdle to get over. *1/2
A disappointingly dull film about a man from a small, ramshackle village who cooks up a scheme to build a public washroom and then charge people to use it (the village is expecting thousands of people to come to see the visiting Pope). The movie may sound wacky or even lively, but it is not. It's a slow-moving character study in the vein of Italian neorealist films from the '40s and '50s, but even compared to those, it is slow. The film does a pretty decent job of developing the central characters, particularly the main schemer, but the film's pace is too big of a hurdle to get over. *1/2
The Mother of Tears
THE MOTHER OF TEARS (2007) - Sept. 7, 2007
A very silly, cheesy and sort of mediocre horror film punctuated by moments of extreme gore (very extreme -- this is quite possibly the goriest film that I've ever seen). But it's all so silly that it's hard to ever really get into. It also doesn't help that the performances are bad all around. It definitely delivered in terms of gore, but aside from that it was a bit of a dud. **
A very silly, cheesy and sort of mediocre horror film punctuated by moments of extreme gore (very extreme -- this is quite possibly the goriest film that I've ever seen). But it's all so silly that it's hard to ever really get into. It also doesn't help that the performances are bad all around. It definitely delivered in terms of gore, but aside from that it was a bit of a dud. **
Glory to the Filmmaker!
GLORY TO THE FILMMAKER! (2007) - Sept. 7, 2007
A really bizarre film by Takeshi Kitano -- or more accurately, a series of bizarre short films. About a director (also named Kitano) who looks back at the various films he has made. This whole framing device is really only there to get to the shorts, as it maybe has five minutes of screen-time total. The movie starts out engagingly enough, with several short parodies of various genres, including the gangster films Takeshi is known for, samurai films, horror films, and even the films of Yasujiro Ozu. But then there's a film which I guess is supposed to be a parody of coming-of-age dramas, and it goes on way too long. And then, the final film, which is probably about half the length of the entire thing (but feels WAY longer), is just way too bizarre. It's about, I think, a couple of weird ladies (I think they may be mother and daughter, though it's never made clear) and their various oddball adventures. It's weird beyond description, and it just gets weirder as it goes on. And not weird in a good way, weird in a "I'm getting really sick of this" way. *1/2
A really bizarre film by Takeshi Kitano -- or more accurately, a series of bizarre short films. About a director (also named Kitano) who looks back at the various films he has made. This whole framing device is really only there to get to the shorts, as it maybe has five minutes of screen-time total. The movie starts out engagingly enough, with several short parodies of various genres, including the gangster films Takeshi is known for, samurai films, horror films, and even the films of Yasujiro Ozu. But then there's a film which I guess is supposed to be a parody of coming-of-age dramas, and it goes on way too long. And then, the final film, which is probably about half the length of the entire thing (but feels WAY longer), is just way too bizarre. It's about, I think, a couple of weird ladies (I think they may be mother and daughter, though it's never made clear) and their various oddball adventures. It's weird beyond description, and it just gets weirder as it goes on. And not weird in a good way, weird in a "I'm getting really sick of this" way. *1/2
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Halloween
HALLOWEEN (2007) - Sept. 5, 2007
The latest in a long line of unnecessary/inferior horror remakes, this definitely wasn't as bad as something like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but it certainly wasn't good, either. One of the film's main problems is the whole first chunk of the movie, with Michael Myers as a child. All that stuff works fairly well on its own (though it does feel a bit overlong once Myers gets to the mental hospital), but as part of a Halloween movie it is unnecessary, and worse, makes Myers a far less compelling villain (part of what made him so creepy in the original was that he had no motivation to do what he did, he was just evil -- pure evil). Then there's the rest of the film, with Myers as an adult. The problem here is that there aren't really any compelling characters, and the film essentially goes from one scene of Myers killing teens to the next (Myers kills a ridiculous amount of people -- this seems like an odd complaint for a slasher film, but the movie doesn't really create much suspense or make us care about any of these people, because it's too busy killing them off every five minutes). I didn't hate this movie; I was never all-out bored, and I thought Rob Zombie's direction was pretty good (aside from his tendancy to get a bit too jittery during action scenes). It could have been worse, basically. But it could have been a lot better. **
The latest in a long line of unnecessary/inferior horror remakes, this definitely wasn't as bad as something like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but it certainly wasn't good, either. One of the film's main problems is the whole first chunk of the movie, with Michael Myers as a child. All that stuff works fairly well on its own (though it does feel a bit overlong once Myers gets to the mental hospital), but as part of a Halloween movie it is unnecessary, and worse, makes Myers a far less compelling villain (part of what made him so creepy in the original was that he had no motivation to do what he did, he was just evil -- pure evil). Then there's the rest of the film, with Myers as an adult. The problem here is that there aren't really any compelling characters, and the film essentially goes from one scene of Myers killing teens to the next (Myers kills a ridiculous amount of people -- this seems like an odd complaint for a slasher film, but the movie doesn't really create much suspense or make us care about any of these people, because it's too busy killing them off every five minutes). I didn't hate this movie; I was never all-out bored, and I thought Rob Zombie's direction was pretty good (aside from his tendancy to get a bit too jittery during action scenes). It could have been worse, basically. But it could have been a lot better. **
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Hard to Kill
HARD TO KILL (1990) - Sept. 4, 2007
A cheesy and surprisingly slow-paced film about a cop whose family is killed and who, after coming out of a coma seven years later, vows revenge. Aside from a pretty good scene in which Seagal takes down a bunch of thugs in a convenience store (which has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the film, but which is still probably the highlight), pretty much nothing happens for the whole first hour. The film is blandly directed and badly dated (particularly the score). Steven Seagal's performance essentially consists of him squinting and whispering all his lines, which makes it kind of hard to really care about his character. There's some decent action towards the end, but it can't quite redeem the film. **
A cheesy and surprisingly slow-paced film about a cop whose family is killed and who, after coming out of a coma seven years later, vows revenge. Aside from a pretty good scene in which Seagal takes down a bunch of thugs in a convenience store (which has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the film, but which is still probably the highlight), pretty much nothing happens for the whole first hour. The film is blandly directed and badly dated (particularly the score). Steven Seagal's performance essentially consists of him squinting and whispering all his lines, which makes it kind of hard to really care about his character. There's some decent action towards the end, but it can't quite redeem the film. **
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Death Sentence
DEATH SENTENCE (2007) - Sept. 1, 2007
That was a bit of a let-down. There was some really good stuff here (the scene in the parking garage is clearly the highlight), but the film is undone by its cheesy script and its ill-advised attempts at depth -- I don't want to see Kevin Bacon wrestle with the moral ambiguities of revenge in a silly movie like this. It doesn't work. The film is at its best when it's not taking itself too seriously, which is unfortunate, because this had the potential to be really really good. **1/2
That was a bit of a let-down. There was some really good stuff here (the scene in the parking garage is clearly the highlight), but the film is undone by its cheesy script and its ill-advised attempts at depth -- I don't want to see Kevin Bacon wrestle with the moral ambiguities of revenge in a silly movie like this. It doesn't work. The film is at its best when it's not taking itself too seriously, which is unfortunate, because this had the potential to be really really good. **1/2
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