Review: Australia

AUSTRALIA (2008)
starring: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Brandon Walter, Jack Thompson, Bryan Brown
Dir. Baz Luhrmann

They are saying this is Australia's Gone With The Wind. I'll say sure, since I didn't care much for Gone With The Wind. This is a georgoue looking sprawling epic that isn't very epic since it feels so small and isn't very sprawling because I never felt like we strayed far from a back lot or green screen. That isn't entirely fair, there are quite a few scenes that take advantage of the sprawling outback, but all you end up remembering is the confectionery creations that Baz Luhrmann and his team cooked up in a computer somewhere.

There is a very good film in the 165 minutes that flash across the screen with quit edits, continual camera movement and Nicole Kidman making noises every second to prove that she is acting. The good film is in the telling of Brandon Walter's character Nullah, a half white half aboriginal boy who narrates the tale as well as giving the most compelling performance. It's actually his movie, but Luhrmann decides to focus on the romance between Kidman and Jackman, sidelining Nullah's story at every turn. Had the project refocused to be about the persecution of "Creamys", a derogative term for Nullah's mixed blood, you'd have an amazing movie. But Luhrmann is a showman and he needs to keep it about love, loss, more love and big frothy compositions. It is cinematic, theatrically cinematic, but cinematic.

Luhrmann makes it epic for epics sake. It's like he just learned the word and wanted to prove it to everyone. The story keeps rolling along and could have easily been about any one of the many events but instead, jams it into a giant tale that never gives enough respect to any of them.

Kidman's portrayal of Lady Sarah Ashley are fingernails on a chalkboard. Perhaps she has to keep huffing, puffing and making rancid squeaks to show emotion because her botox wouldn't allow it to come through her face. Jackman is passable. I like the guy, he has a certain charm. Ladies, People magazine devotees and homosexuals across the land will enjoy the way Luhrmann's camera molests his body at every possible moment. Jack Thompson is back playing the heavy for Baz. Much like his character in Moulin Rouge! (2001), he twists his lips and furrows his brow in melodramatic overkill. The only word that kept popping into my mind when he'd show up on screen was, "blech".

Now, with all of this bad mouthing, I won't say I didn't enjoy myself. I couldn't understand why until I thought about it a bit. I realize and now understand how Luhrmann works his magic. It is through a type of hypnotism. All of his films are structured the same way. The first twenty minutes are designed to toss you back and forth and make the viewer wonder if they are going to enjoy it. Then he shifts gears and mellows out. It lulls you into a sense of enjoyment and makes you think the final product is much better than it actually is. It's like rolling on ecstasy. When the initial kick of the drug stars to hit you're a little worried and fear an ugly ride. Then that moment arrives (minute twenty in his films). it becomes more of a mellow feeling and you enjoy it. But it's just a drug and there is nothing more to it than being a drug. None of what you felt was honest.

So enjoy the trip. Remember that it could have been so much more. A dessert that could have been a meal. Sometimes though, it's nice to let the drugs take over and just go along for the ride.

For a better film that takes a look at the plight of the mixed-race Aboriginals, I am told Phillip Noyce's Rabbit Proof Fence (2002) is quite good. I haven't seen it myself, so no guarantees.

4.5 out of 10

On The Boulevard: Ida Lupino

Ida Lupino is one of those women that, in my book, has it all. She had looks attitude and a brain. That is an awsome package. Just look at her cute as a button nose and you'd never know she could play hard ass femme fatales or even have the nerve to start her own production company and succeed as a director for the second half of her career. She's a pretty amazing woman in my book, but then again I tend to romanticize.

For me it was movies like They Drive By Night (1940) and High Sierra (1941) that showed me she could hold her own and even control scenes against the likes of Humphrey Bogart and George Raft. In Moontide (1942) she gave a layered performance of a tough girl who wanted real love and found it in Jean Gabin. In Roadhouse (1948) she made me fall in love with her singing, if it was her. If not, I'm in love with someone out there. Last but not least she tamed a savage Robert Ryan (his best performance) as a sensitive blind woman in On Dangerous Ground (1952).

According to Wikipedia, Lupino is uncredited as director for On Dangerous Ground. There is no reference to it other than that so I don't know how valid it is. But Lupino did direct several great films. She had grown tired of the fact that women’s issues were never portrayed accurately on screen, so she decided to do it herself.

Outrage (1950) dealt with a woman who was raped. Hard, Fast and Beautiful (1951) dealt with a woman deciding over a career or love. She is also considered the first woman to direct a film noir with the B classic The Hitch-Hiker (1953). She also directed the young ladies classic Trouble with Angels (1966), but I've never seen it so I can't comment. She'd go on to a directing career in television where she worked on The Twilight Zone, Batman, The Untouchables and Gilligan's Island just to name a few. That alone is an impressive resume.

She'd continue to act and direct until the late seventies and passed away in 1995 at the age of 77 from a stroke. At the time she was undergoing treatment for colon cancer, so it seemed she was gonna-get-got one way or another around that time. But it was a hell of a life and career she lived the way she wanted to. That's more than most people can say.

Lupino actually has two stars on the Boulevard, one for her work in television and one for her work in film. Beat that.

POV: Some Boetticher And Scott Love

I just finished watching Decision at Sundown, a Budd Boetticher western starring Randolph Scott and I have to admit, it may be the most depressing yet uplifting western ever put to film.


It’s about Bart Allison (Scott) spending three years tracking down the man he feels is responsible for his wife’s suicide. When he catches up with Tate Kimbrough, really well acted by John Carroll, Allison comes to discover that not everything is as it seems and the price tag way too high.

Through the course of events, these really interesting psychological and sociological themes bubble to the surface. What is the price of revenge and how do we use it to mask our own denial about our lives? That is the biggie on the psychological front and on the sociological front, how do we as a society allow tyranny and injustice to rule over us when all we have to do is stand up together and reject it?

The answer to the second question is: you are pushed to the point of being unable to take it any more and you finally do something about it. This makes for a very uplifting ending where a town silently ruled by a man who uses money to control is finally cast out. The first question though ends with the destruction of the soul for our main character. Allison is broken as he rides out of town even though the town itself will praise his name for showing them how to stand up for themselves. It is very reminiscent of Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai where the real winners are the farmers not the samurai.

This is a film that plays with expectations and wears its questions on its sleeve, but never gets pretentious or soapboxy. The visual style is simple and clean, as most of Boetticher’s films are and allows for performances that carry a level of nuance while still being very upfront about the message being delivered.

Scott is solid as always and the supporting cast holds its own. As I mentioned earlier though it is John Carroll who really breaks out thanks to a well constructed character. Kimbrough is a rich scumbag, but is willing to stand up when he has to. He has a code of honor that he respects and when crunch time comes, takes care of his own business. Carroll handles it with a charisma that I wouldn’t call charming, but you feel he has earned his right to be smarmy. Noah Beery Jr, who most people will remember as Rocky in The Rockford Files, plays Scott’s reliable and full of life sidekick. Beery tries to play the voice of reason to Scott and does so with a heart and compassion that never becomes melodramatic.

This is a gem of a movie that is in the new Budd Boetticher Box Set that was recently released on DVD. So far every film in this set has been a winner and I hope it helps bring some praise to Boetticher and Scott who are long overdue for their contributions to cinema.

The Eclectic Choice: Simon King Of The Witches

Simon King of the Witches (1971)
dir. Bruce Kessler


This is an odd and exciting find. When I rented it I expected some crazy exploitation movie with drugs, sex and maybe a wacky psychedelic sequence. I got all of those things plus an incredibly engaging lead performance that keeps this film moving and awkwardly grounded in a sense of reality. Simon is played by Andrew Prine with a charm and sense of humor that wins you over pretty quickly.

Simon is on a quest to become a god , but along he way meets and befriends a hustler named Turk who introduces him to a society of hipsters, fake Wiccans and free lovin' hippies. Simon is accepted by some, doubted by others and ends up reciting a curse that sticks it to the man. It's all groovy, baby.

This isn't a horror film as much as it is a satire about the sixties and all of the craziness going on behind closed doors. There is one fabulous scene where they crash a Wiccan ceremony that Simon breaks up with humorous fervor. It it very reminiscent of Frank Langella's performance in The Ninth Gate. I would not be surprised if it was inspiration for the scene.

Sure this film can be lumped into all of those occult movies that were coming out in the late sixties early seventies that were made for a few bucks and hoping to "blow your mind"; but Simon King of the Witches is a surprise for anyone hoping to have a film to laugh at. Instead, you'll end up laughing along with it and even find something to chew on when you come to a conclusion that can cause some discussion.

It's well worth the purchase. It's like having cloves in your spice rack. You may not use it all the time, but it's cool to have around.

Review: Twilight

Twilight (2008)

starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Nikki Reed, Peter Facinelli, Cam Gigandet

dir. Catherine Hardwicke

Yeah, I get it, I'm not the target audience. If I was a thirteen year old girl I'd be going nuts over this movie or shaking my head wondering why it couldn't be as good as the book. So for what it's trying to be it's fine. But I have problems with it none the less.

I won't discuss the performances. I can't say they were good or bad. They were forgettable, which it the worst you can do in any film. If you're gonna go over the top, go for it. Make it something that Timothy Carey would applaud, or go the other direction if you've got the chops. I have a gut feeling there are very few chops in this. 

The love story itself has logic issues. At one point Edward our dreamy vampire goes off on how he is a creature designed to be desired. His scent, looks, voice all work to draw people to him (I have the same problem). If that is the case and there is no key scene where we can see why she finds him attractive for reasons other than those stated above. Therefore it may not really be love, right? That's what I took from it. I never saw a clear moment where she said, "I like this guy, he's funny." Every reason had to do with what he was, not who he was. At least they explain why he loves her, he is unable to read her thoughts. This either means he finds comfort in her, or she's dumb as a stump. 

My big issues are all technical. I thought it was visually uninteresting and there were goofy flourishes where none were needed. The exception being a shot of Edward and Bella on the top of a giant pine tree. If it was real, I'd like to know how they got them up there. If it was CG, someone deserves a bonus. But over all, there was very little tension built through framing or cutting and the entire piece felt plain and derivative. It's that kind of thing that really makes me dismiss the film. It gives the impression that the producers felt success would come from the brand, not the filmmaking. It's just lazy and uncinematic. That is the biggest crime. You have a love story and vampires, two things that have visual storytelling written all over it and they couldn't care less.

The other technical issue I've got is not just with this film, but any movie where they have people climbing walls or trees or running up hills at fast speeds. Limbs never match the speed of movement and there is always the feeling or being pulled by wires. It just seems tacky to me. A cheapness that they live in denial about.

In case you're concerned, yeah, I got the whole abstinence theme but who cares. Most horror films tend to lean to the right, especially vampire movies. I'm not going to get into any political diatribe about teenage sexuality and when someone should or shouldn't have sex. Too each his or her own, just don't be a lousy lay.

So for me, the movie is a big failure. For the audience it is intended for, good job. Keep up your quest for more money and eternal virginity.

5.0 out of 10

Review: Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionare (2008)

starring: Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Freida Pinto

dir. Danny Boyle

co-dir. Loveleen Tandan

Danny Boyle is one of those filmmakers that I forget about constantly and then as soon as I am reminded of him, I remember how great of a filmmaker he is. The guy can tell a story and has a visual style that he adapts to each project, but still remains cohesive across all his films. Slumdog Millionaire is no exception to this rule.

The basic gist is Jamal (Dev Patel) is one question away from winning 20 million rupee on India's version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. He is accused of cheating and questioned/beaten by the police. During his interrogation we flash back through his life to discover where he gained the pieces of knowledge that supplied his answers as well as showing his relation ship with his brother Salim and love of his life Latika. It is a well drawn story that earns every emotional moment and never delves into sentimentality or nostalgia to earn our heart.

This may also be Boyle's most visually stunning film to date. Anthony Dod Mantle has shot two other films for Boyle as well as several films for the Dogme 95' movement, but here he seems to be channeling Christopher Doyle through Bollywood. Incredible colors and framing create an atmosphere out of a Wong Kar-Wai film. There isn't a shot wasted and Mantle captures beauty in a world that is knee deep in squalor and suffering. If this doesn't get a nomination for best cinematography at this years Oscars I might as well toss my hands up in defeat, which makes typing very difficult.

Everyone is good in this. There are three actors each for Jamal, Salim and Latika through different periods in time and they work seamlessly. Patel walks away with the show of course as he portrays Jamal with a level of honor and dignity that never leans into cartoon heroism. Anil Kapoor, a veteran Bollywood star plays the game show host with a hidden agenda brilliantly. This is a roll that easily could have become a mustache twirling scenery chewer, but Kapoor keeps it tight and puts Regis Philbin to shame.

In a recent interview, I was listening to Boyle talk about his casting director Loveleen Tandan, who had ended up helping so much and being such a benefit to Boyle, she received a co-director's credit from Boyle. The guy is cool, admit it.

An all around great movie, Slumdog Millionaire deserves all of the praise it is getting and reminds people that Danny Boyle is a filmmaker not to be taken lightly.

8.25 out of 10

Eclectic Choice: The New Centurions

The New Centurions (1972)

dir. Richard Fleischer

Based on the novel by Joseph Wambaugh, this is a character driven film that looks at the routines and effects of the Los Angeles Police in the 1970's. If you're looking for any semblance of a plot, this is not the movie for you, but for those wanting to see interesting characters and some excellent acting, it's worth a look.

George C. Scott delivers another solid performance as Kilvinski, the veteran cop who is partnered with idealistic rookie Fehler, played by Stacey Keach. We watch these mens lives unravel as the job becomes more important to them then the rest of their lives. 

Yes, it may seem a bit slow since they aren't out to solve a murder, or deal with corruption, but it's also a breath of fresh air as we see a profile of cops that doesn't rely on the tropes of every other film in the genre. This movie doesn't praise cops or punish their decisions, rather it takes an objective look at the life and consequences, emotional and physical, from the decisions they make. 

Review: JCVD

JCVD (2008)

starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Francois Damiens, Zinedine Soualem, Karim Belkhadra, Jean-Francois Wolff, Anne Paulicevich

dir. Mabrouk El Mechri

Jean-Claude Van Damme has feelings. Lots of them. Now, he's decided it lay them out there for everyone to see. I've watched him travel through time, do the splits on chairs and countertops, even fight a giant penguin, but  in his latest film he makes his gustiest move yet. He becomes a human being. This is not a satire as you might expect, but a "what if" scenario. What if a fading action star is thrust into a real life hostage situation? The answer is, "JCVD, dumbass!"

In JCVD (his initials for the slow folks out there), he plays himself. Not just himself, but a warts and all self. He's broke, stuck making bad movies to pay bills, fighting for the custody of his child and has a sketchy track record with drugs and women. This is not the invincible high kicking hero that we've seen in the past.

To shake off his woes, he's decided to go home to Brussels to get his act together. Almost instantly, he accidentally gets involved in a post office/bank robbery, taken hostage and mistaken by police as the criminal . It hasn't been a good day for Van Damme.

This is where it becomes a fascinating character study of the Muscles from Brussels. By using a tried and true formula, we are given an opportunity to witness a human being whose screen persona would solve this type of problem with a few high kicks. JCVD rips away the layers of the action hero to expose a man who has worked hard, been successful, made mistakes and been ridiculed by the same people who built him up in the first place. 

What really makes me appreciate this film is how gutsy Van Damme is. JCVD is a project that could have easily been laughably bad. At times it almost treads into territory of Van Damme asking to be taken seriously as an actor, but saved by the fact that he is so good. It is tough to portray emotional truth on screen. It's tougher to play an emotional truth that exposes yourself and not a character. Van Damme not only shows us who he is, but brings it back into the framework of the plot so we understand why he is confessing these feelings to us.

The films structure is solid as well, using non linear storytelling helps build tension as well as fill in all the missing pieces and points of view to create a cohesive narrative and helps us to understand the trials and tribulations that Van Damme deals with on a daily basis. Sure it does have some visual flaws that creates confusion at times, but in the end it is about looking at a man that we have already washed our hands of.

This is an art house film with an action star. Odds are, people who are not fans of his previous work will enjoy this much more than folks walking in hoping to see Bloodsport Redux. But everyone should give it a chance and let Jean-Claude Van Damme state his case.

7.75 out of 10