Summer in Berlin

SUMMER IN BERLIN - Nov. 30, 2010
A decent film about a single mother in Berlin and what happens to her over the course of a summer.  The film was well made an enjoyable enough, but nothing particularly memorable (it's a few months later -- I'm lazy -- and it's already pretty much exited my brain entirely).  **1/2

Faster

FASTER (2010) - Nov. 27, 2010
Though the marketing would lead you to believe that the film consists entirely of the Rock kickin' ass and takin' names, a couple of subplots get as much time as he does (and one of them, featuring a hitman on the Rock's tail, never really goes anywhere, and could have easily been lifted right out of the film).  Decently directed and basically enjoyable, the film feels a bit leaden and not nearly as much fun as it should be (e.g. the long, effective build-up to an anticlimactic bathroom brawl that lasts about two seconds, the fact that both the Rock and his hitman antagonist drive badass cars and never get into a car chase, etc.).  **1/2

Naked Lunch

NAKED LUNCH (1991) - Nov. 27, 2010
See Videodrome entry.  **

Videodrome

VIDEODROME (1983) - Nov. 26, 2010
Both movies center around men who begin to hallucinate and perceive the world in increasingly strange ways. I found that this worked very well in Videodrome, and not-so-well in Naked Lunch. Videodrome, for all its weirdness, always maintains some semblance of reality amidst the chaos; there is an intriguing element of trying to discern between what is real and what is imagined. Naked Lunch, on the other hand, almost immediately disposes of reality altogether, plunging head-first into a bizarre, dream-like (or nightmare-like) world in which pretty much anything goes (such as the famous image of a typewriter turning into a giant cockroach). Because of this complete disconnect from reality, I found it hard to ever get particularly involved in the film (beyond, at least, marveling at the ingenuity of Cronenberg’s visuals). The movie feels more like a series of loosely connected set-pieces than a cohesive story.   Videodrome, on the other hand, always manages to strike a good balance between the off-the-wall stuff and the real world. There’s also an interesting undercurrent of mystery (what is Videodrome? Who’s behind it?) that helps to keep the viewer interested. There’s no such through-line in Naked Lunch, which basically feels like an excuse for Cronenberg to indulge his penchant for the bizarre, without much pulling it together in any meaningful way. I also thought that James Woods gave a pretty fantastic performance in Videodrome, which is definitely a reason why the movie works as well as it does (Peter Weller is fine in Naked Lunch, but he just doesn’t have all that much to work with).  ***

Shivers

SHIVERS (1975) - Nov. 26, 2010
A decent though exceptionally low-budget horror film about a strange parasite that is unleashed in an apartment building that eventually turns its victims into sex-crazed zombies.  The whole thing is basically entertaining and effectively made by David Cronenberg despite the obvious budgetary constraints -- but none of the characters are particularly well developed, making it tough to care too much when they start getting turned into zombies by the crazy parasite.  **1/2

My Winnipeg

MY WINNIPEG (2007) - Nov. 25, 2010
Absurdly pretentious, I really can't say much about this film as I fell asleep pretty much as soon as it began.  NO RATING

Animal Kingdom

ANIMAL KINGDOM (2010) - Nov. 24, 2010 (Second Viewing)
Yep -- this is an exceptional film, and definitely my favourite of the year (so far -- but I can't imagine that anything in the next month or so will top it).  It's just so good on every single level, from the performances to the direction to the cinematography to the haunting and memorable score.  ****

127 Hours

127 HOURS (2010) - Nov. 20, 2010
Well made by Danny Boyle and quite compelling despite its seemingly limited premise, this was about Aron Ralston, the adventurer who famously had to cut his own arm off to free himself from a rock that was pinning him down.  Boyle does a great job of really putting you in Ralston's head, and the now-infamous scene in which he cuts off his arm is quite intense, if not quite as unwatchably gory as many people are making it out to be.  Like pretty much all of Boyle's films, I found this good but not great.  ***

A Little Bit of Freedom

A LITTLE BIT OF FREEDOM (2003) - Nov. 19, 2010
A decent film about a young Turkish immigrant in Germany, and the friendship that develops between him and another immigrant.  Decently made if somewhat forgetable, I really don't have much else to say about this film.  Seriously, it's the next day and I can already barely remember it.  **1/2

Daybreakers

DAYBREAKERS (2009) - Nov. 18, 2010
About a future society in which almost everyone has been turned into a vampire save for a few humans (who are hunted for food).  The somewhat futuristic vampire society was a unique setting for the film, which was well directed by the Spierig brothers.  There were some well-executed action set-pieces, as well as above-average performances (Sam Neill as a smarmy executive was a definite highlight).  ***

Kissed

KISSED (1996) - Nov. 18, 2010
Pretentious and kind of unpleasant, this was a pretty mediocre film about a woman, obsessed with death, who starts doing it with the corpses at the funeral home in which she works.  Molly Parker was quite good, as was Peter Outerbridge, but there was really little else that I liked about this film.  The whole thing feels pretty artificial and inauthentic, from the dialogue to the way people act to just the way the film looks.  You're always aware you're watching a movie (and a bad one at that).  *1/2

2 or 3 Things I Know About Him

2 OR 3 THINGS I KNOW ABOUT HIM (2005) - Nov. 16, 2010
A well made documentary about a guy and his family coming to terms with their father's history (he was a Nazi officer who was ultimated hanged as a war criminal).  The film was fairly interesting, particularly in the way that the various family members deal with what their father does (including one sister's outright denial that he did anything wrong).  The film consists mostly of talking heads and ultimately can't really sustain its feature-length running time, but it was still decent enough.  **1/2

Head-On

HEAD-ON (2004) - Nov. 14, 2010
Well acted and decently made, this was a moderately engaging film about a tumultuous couple who meet in a suicide ward.  Honestly, it's a few months later as I write this, and I'm having a hard time remembering specifically what I thought about this film.  I remember liking but certainly not loving it.  **1/2

Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT TIME TRAVEL (2009) - Nov. 13, 2010
A surprisingly enjoyable film about three friends who wind up jumping around in time (all revolving around their local pub).  Sort of like Timecrimes meets Shaun of the Dead (though it's not on the level of either of those movies), this was actually quite time travel-heavy, and is the type of thing that probably rewards repeat viewings (though it is far, far more straightforward than something like Timecrimes).  The film was obviously shot on a low budget and almost entirely revolves around the pub, but it definitely manages to weave an intriguing time travel story.  Though not exactly laugh-out-loud hilarious, the three main characters were all quite affable and had definite chemistry (you buy them as long-time friends) and the film was briskly-paced and entertaining throughout.  ***

Unstoppable

UNSTOPPABLE (2010) - Nov. 12, 2010
Almost absurdly entertaining and relentlessly and admirably single-minded, this was another winner from Tony Scott and Denzel Washinton about the race to stop a runaway train.  Expertly crafted by Scott, the film gets going almost immediately, and pretty much doesn't let up until the end credits roll.  Features a really efficient screenplay which sets up the two leads and gives them personal conflict in the most brisk way possible, the film quickly sets up the whole runaway train dealio and manages to remain engaging for pretty much the whole time.  This is a film that knows exactly what it is, and goes for it with gusto.  ****

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist

NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST - Nov. 11, 2010
An enjoyable film about the misadventures of guy and a girl (along with their friends) over one long night as they try to find the location of a secret concert.  Featuring charming lead performances from Michael Cera and Kat Dennings (and despite the internet backlash, I still think Cera has great comic timing and makes for an affable and unconventional leading man.  I don't care if his persona is always pretty much the same -- many great actors have a recognizable persona that they bring to each role, so I don't know why it's seemingly such a crime when Cera does it).  Fast-paced and fun, this was yet another winner in this particular genre.  ***

Le Confessionnal

LE CONFESSIONNAL (1995) - Nov. 11, 2010
About a man who returns home when his dad dies, and starts to help his messed-up adopted brother figure out who his real dad is -- there is also the story of the same family a generation ago, which ties in with the contemporary stuff.  Though this was a reasonably well made film (and some of the transitions between the two time periods were particularly inventive), I just did not find it interesting.  At all.  I was quite bored, in fact.  Though they tied in really well plot-wise, the two stories never really gelled from a narrative/pacing standpoint, and the whole thing just felt kind of clunky and poorly-paced.  *1/2

One Week

ONE WEEK (2008) - Nov. 10, 2010
Fairly well made and featuring a really compelling performance from Joshua Jackson, this was a decent film about a man who embarks on a cross-country road trip when he finds out that he has terminal cancer.  The whole thing was sort of episodic, with some sections working better than others.  My main beef with the film was its omnipresent narrator, which got to be a bit oppressive after a while.  **1/2

Prison Break: The Final Break

PRISON BREAK: THE FINAL BREAK (2009) - Nov. 9, 2010
Meh.  About Michael and the gang getting back together again to bust Sarah out of jail, this was basically enjoyable if somewhat mediocre -- I'm kind of hesitant to even classify this as a movie, as it essentially just feels like a long episode of the show.  In fact it kind of feels like they took what was supposed to be an entire season's worth of plot and crammed it into two episodes, as quite a lot happens, and the film sort of feels like it's rushing through everything to get to all of the story beats.  I was pretty much always a fan of Prison Break, even in the last couple of seasons, so it's kind of sad to see it end on such a mediocre note (and the decision to kill of the protagonist of the show still feels unsatisfying and cheap).  **1/2

The Tin Drum

THE TIN DRUM (1979) - Nov. 8, 2010
Off-putting and kind of unpleasant, I didn’t much care for this the first time I watched it, and watching it again, I still don’t particularly care for it. I don’t hate this film; it’s decently made, the performances are fine, and it’s reasonably well acted. But its status as a classic does somewhat confuse me, as I just don’t find it to be particularly compelling.  As with some of the other films on the list whose appeal goes right over my head, I decided to check the book to see what’s (supposedly) so great about this movie. Even the book can’t really explain it, as the entry for this film simply summarizes the plot and states that the film “shocks and confuses.” And that’s a good thing… how? Yes, the film is different, I will give it that, but I’m not sure if that alone should automatically make it a must-see. I think that the authors of the book realized that they had to include this film (like it or not, it is a classic), but they didn’t necessarily like it themselves (and thus seem to be unable to really explain its appeal).  The film is, in parts, somewhat Fellini-esque, so perhaps the appeal of this movie is just going over my head the way that Fellini seems to go over my head. Who knows. I will say this: if you’re going to watch this movie, I wouldn’t plan on eating any sardines for at least a few days afterward. I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that a can of sardines get eaten in the most off-putting way imaginable. You’ve been warned.  *1/2

Aimee and Jaguar

AIMEE AND JAGUAR (1999) - Nov. 7, 2010
A somewhat slow-paced but well made and well acted film about the affair between two women -- one married, one Jewish -- during the Second World War in Germany.  There's nothing particularly special about it (it's pretty bland), but it was well made and enjoyable enough.  **1/2

Narrow Margin

NARROW MARGIN (1990) - Nov. 6, 2010
A fairly crackerjack thriller about a DA who winds up protecting a witness on a train, with a couple of assassins out to get them.  Though there's nothing particularly special about the film, it features assured direction and moody cinematography from Peter Hyams, as well as an above average performance from Gene Hackman (who seriously needs to start acting again -- he is missed).  ***

Back to the Future

BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985) - Nov. 6, 2010 (Umpteenth Viewing +2)
Good times.  ****

Due Date

DUE DATE (2010) - Nov. 5, 2010
Essentially a loose remake of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, this was an entertaining film about a couple of wackily mismatched guys who go on a road trip across the country when they get placed on a no-fly list.  I was kind of iffy on the film at first, because the two main characters are both kind of unlikable, but eventually the film (and the characters) grew on me.  It's definitely not even in the same league as Automobiles, but it was enjoyable enough, and contained one of the funniest moments I've seen in a while.  ***

Frozen

FROZEN (2010) - Nov. 4, 2010 (Second Viewing)
Though perhaps not quite as electrifying as the first viewing (I think some of what made the film so tense on the first viewing was wondering how/if the characters were going to get out of their situation), this was still a very well made, very enjoyable film.  ***1/2

Water

WATER (2005) - Nov. 4, 2010
Meh.  A decent film about a young girl, arranged to be married, whose husband dies and who then must live in a weird convent with other widows, doomed to never really have a real life.  The film was decently made and well acted, though I was never particularly into it (the film's squashed projection in the class I was in probably didn't help matters).  **1/2

Fatal Attraction

FATAL ATTRACTION (1987) - Nov. 3, 2010
So why does this movie work as well as it does? For one thing, there is Adrian Lyne’s assured direction, which is stylish without being overly ostentatious, and which keeps things moving at a pretty good pace. The film takes its time setting everything up, and the slow reveal of the frightening extent of Glenn Close’s insanity is pretty much perfect. Of course, Close was nominated for an Oscar for her work here, which is definitely well deserved; it’s a chilling performance, and certainly, quite memorable. Anne Archer was rightfully nominated for an Oscar as well — she probably deserved the nom if only for the powerful scene in which Douglas tells her of his affair, but the rest of her performance was just as good. Douglas himself has a slightly more thankless role than the two women (and he went nomination-free), but he’s easily at their level.  There are a lot of great moments here, but the one that easily stood out for me is the final confrontation between Archer and Close. It’s set in a bathroom, and I’m fairly certain it’s meant to recall the famous shower scene from Psycho (but with a bath filling in for a shower), and it was pretty jaw-dropping. Certainly, Hitchcock would be proud. The direction, editing and score are all pitch-perfect, and the scene is electrifying. Of course, that whole sequence was famously a reshoot (much to Ms. Close’s chagrin); while the original ending may have been more thematically appropriate (I haven’t seen it, but I think that was Close’s objection), cinematically speaking, this one was pretty perfect.  ***1/2

Singin' in the Rain

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN - Nov. 2, 2010 (Fourth Viewing)
I don’t think it’s particularly bold or unexpected for me to say that I love this film; there’s a reason that it’s one of the most beloved musicals of all time. It’s delightful. If you don’t love — or at least like — this film, and if musical numbers like Make ‘Em Laugh, Moses Supposes and, of course, Singin’ in the Rain (among many others), don’t put a smile on your face, then I think you need to do some serious soul-searching and realize that you may just be dead inside.  This is such a great film; it’s cram-packed with delightful, memorable musical numbers, and it’s surprisingly funny — the audience I saw it with laughed throughout. Every role is cast to perfection; aside from the perfectly matched Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, the supporting players (such as Donald O’Connor and the hilariously oafish Jean Hagen) are just as good. The amazingly choreographed dance numbers are perfectly directed by Donen and Kelly, who wisely just pull the camera back and let the dancing unfold in mesmerizing long takes. The film has aged remarkably well, and even for a contemporary audience, it is enthralling throughout.  I know I’m being ridiculously superlative here, but this film is just such a joy to behold. I’m not even a particularly big fan of musicals (I mean, I like them just fine, but I tend not to seek them out), but this movie is just so perfect, and so enjoyable, it’s hard not to love it.  ****

The Edukators

THE EDUKATORS (2004) - Nov. 1, 2010
About a group of self-styled revolutionaries who break into and vandalize the homes of the rich; after a break-in gone bad, they wind up abducting a wealthy businessman and taking him to a secluded cabin.  I really shouldn't have waited so long to write this (it's February at the moment) -- the film was decent but unmemorable, so... yeah.  **1/2