R.I.P. Steven Bach

Steven Bach (1938-2009)


Steven Bach was a producer for United Artists back in the day. As a matter of fact he ended up being the fall guy for the destruction of UA when Michael Cimino's film Heaven's Gate (1980) sent the company into bankruptcy. Out of it though came an amazing book penned by Bach.

Final Cut: The Dreams and Disasters in the making of Heaven's Gate is a must read for anyone who wants to know about the behind the scenes dealing of UA during this period. It doesn't only deal with the egos and the endless battles over the movie, but all of the side stories that Bach was involved in during that time at UA.

He moved on to teaching and writing including biographies on Marlene Deitrich and Leni Riefenstahl. In his earlier years he had produced what are considered minor classics today like The Parallax View (1974) and The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three (1974).

Mr. Bach passed away on Friday from cancer at the age of 70.

The Eclectic Choice: The 10th Victim

The 10th Victim (1965)
dir. Elio Petri


Before Schwarzenegger was The Running Man (1987). Before reality TV saturated us to the gills with varying degrees of fecal matter. Before something else that has relevance to this argument I'm trying to make, there was Marcello Mastroianni and Ursula Andress in a hunt to the death on national television. It has twists and turns and a who's scamming who that keeps changing up until the closing credits.

In this entertaining satire about the future of television, everyone gathers around to see who will live and who will die as one hunts and one runs. It's a lot of fun and Mastroianni is suave and charming and just one of the cooler guys who ever walked the planet. Andress is sexy and animalistic and could tare a guy apart and every guy would want her to do that. They make a charismatic couple and the chemistry is top notch as they cat and mouse back and forth. It also has some of that fun 60's "In The Future" production design where everyone is wearing hip clothes and lots of bubbles in the set design. It's not as over the top as Danger Diabolik (1996), but still what the kids would call "Retro" today.

Well worth addingto the collection if just to have playing in the background during a swank cocktail party.

R.I.P. Maurice Jarre

Maurice Jarre (1924-2009)


Mr. Jarre passed away on Sunday at the age of 84. He was a composer who helped bring to life so many types of films it's hard to believe the same man who did the amazing score for Lawrence of Arabia (1962) also did the wacky comedy Top Secret (1984).

The man moved through all sorts of musical realms. Starting with classical orchestrations, he moved into electronic and acoustic, then started mixing it all up to find sounds fitting for the film. He grew as a composer to find what worked with the project and didn't pick projects that worked with his style. Sure, some scores worked better than others, but considering he worked on 164 projects, the odds of batting a thousand are slim.

Some of my faves are Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Professionals (1966), The Man Who Would Be King (1975), The Year Of Living Dangerously (1982), Witness (1985), Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, and After Dark My Sweet (1990). I also give him some major points for doing the film Solarbabies (1986), just because he'd say yes to a sci-fi film about kids on roller skates.

He leaves behind a wealth of great music that generations will continue to enjoy.

Review: Tokyo Sonata

Tokyo Sonata (2008)
starring: Teruyuki Kagawa, Kyoko Koizumi, Yu Koyanagi, Inowaki Kai, Koji Yakusho
dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa


In the states, Kiyoshi Kurosawa is known mostly for his contribution to the J-Horror movement. Now he brings us a peek into the psyche of a dysfunctional family and delivers what may be his best film yet. He takes what would turn into half baked cliched ideas in an American film and delivers a sincere, at times frightening and funny look into a family that hits bottom, then struggles and fights to be reborn.

The performances are elegant and layered. Kyoko Koizumi is sublime as a mother who quietly suffers and finally explodes in a way that you rarely see on screen, but feels sincere in her hands. Kurosawa staple Koji Yakusho has a smaller part in this film, but he is hysterical as an inept thief.

Kurosawa has not altered his visual style for this film and it's stunning to see the nuance running though his frame in various sequences. As the film builds, the emotional catharsis is not a bang, but a sprint as the characters attempt to run away (literally) from situations they no longer want to face or even attempt to fix. But life always has other plans and the universe responds in small or large ways as the family ends up at the same table we've witnessed them eating at several times throughout the film.

The final scene may turn out to be one of the years most emotionally satisfying. It is pitch perfect and does not pander or explode with an uplifting hurrah. Instead it is a victory that is quiet and keeps us as engrossed as the people in the scene witnessing what is the birth of a new begining.

9.5 out of 10

Clip Art: Dersu Uzala

Dersu Uzala (1975)
dir. Akira Kurosawa


It is not secret that Kurosawa is my favorite filmmaker. Of all his films, one shot that always stays in my mind is one that takes place half way through this clip. Long before CGI, nature had to be captured and not made. That's what makes this shot so outstanding to me. I also love Dersu's philosophies about life. His simple language reminding us how we are all a part of nature and we must respect all of those things that are around us.

This is a really beautiful film about friendship, examining different cultures and how modernization continually pushes us into smaller and smaller boxes may not be the best thing for us as human beings.

This is a movie that came out in what most people consider a "lesser" period in Kurosawa's career. It's a pretty ridiculous statement considering the quality of his body of work. Even though he was struggling in a time when the Japanese film industry was changing around him and audiences were beginning to see him as antiquated, Kurosawa created films that stand the test of time, even growing stronger.

Review: Knowing

Knowing (2009)
starring: Nicholas Cage, Rose Byrne, Chandler Canterbury, Lara Robinson
dir. Alex Proyas

This is not a movie that can be simply dismissed. It advertises itself as, "man figures out that awful things are going to happen and must stop them." Which it is, but it goes way beyond that and in the end, no matter how flawed this movie is, it becomes something that is interesting and worth talking about.

Cage delivers another unbearable performance. I'm not even sure why anyone casts him anymore. He seems like a guy who wants to find interesting things in characters, but can't translate it into anything resembling a competent performance. But all of the performances in this thing are routinely bad. It almost makes me wonder if that's what Alex Proyas was going for, subversion though crappy acting. It really is a cavalcade of things not to do when trying to present a character on screen. They receive no help from the dialog that is clunky and sometime hammers you over the head while not giving you enough information at others. That is the dialog mind you, not the script.

The structure and final outcome of this movie is quite fascinating. It delves into science and religion without ever giving enough information to side with one or the other. Loaded with allegorical imagery and a look at human psychology that would make Jung stand and applaud.

This is not a good movie, not by any stretch. It is a very interesting movie though and not the common commercial fare that it promotes itself to be. Proyos is a very good director and seems to be a relatively smart guy. He is always adding a little something to even the more consumer based movies to give us something to chew on. Knowing has quite a bit to chew on, but unfortunately it is delivered to us in a rather ugly package.

6.5 out of 10

POV: Ki-duk Kim

I recently discovered the films of Ki-duk Kim. This guy is amazing. I've only seen three films, but I've loaded them up in my queue and started with his first film to watch his progression of style and themes. I watch one a week so I don't run out too quickly.

I started with 3-Iron (2004) and was blown away by the assured of his storytelling. How he develops relationships and characters. His willingness to use silence. Hell the guy creates characters that never say a word to each other. I couldn't tell you how much dialog is in 3-Iron, but there is very little and almost none by the two leads. It's all done with glances and simple actions that create a relationship that you can believe in.


His visuals can be simple or complex, but both create a feeling of a higher plain. There is a spirituality to it, even when he delves into the grotesque. Like his characters need to descend into hell before they learn how to fly. These are compositions that suck you in and you eat it up waiting for what you'll see next.

In the simplest of terms, he creates pure cinema. Check him out if you haven't seen his work already.

Crystal Ball: The Future Of Distribution

When I had the opportunity to interview Patton Oswalt at Sundance this year, we had a very interesting conversation about many films and filmmakers. One of the sound bites that was unfortunately cut, was his perspective on what could be considered artistic distribution.

Here is his short yet fascinating prediction:

That could be fun, Hit n' Run movies.

The Eclectic Choice: King Of The Zombies

King Of The Zombies (1941)
dir. Jean Yarbrough

During World War II, three men searching for a missing Army Admiral are involved in a plane crash in the Caribbean. They come across a spooky castle run by Dr. Sangre. The area is filled with mindless zombies and Dr. Sangre is actually after secret plans to help his unnamed country win the war. He uses the zombies and voodoo in an attempt to make this happen.

This is a real wacky film and goofy fun. The main character isn't any of the broad shouldered white guys, but Mantan Moreland who plays Jeff, the African American "sidekick" to the white guys. Jeff runs around bug-eyed and whoopin' up a storm as he plays a Skip N' Fetchit creating all of the comedy in this film. Could it be considered racist by today's standards? Hell yes, which is part of what makes it an entertaining film. It helps that it was an intentional comedy/horror, but you laugh today for a whole different set of reasons. Though, to his credit, Moreland delivers some very funny lines in a manner that catches you off guard in their subtlety.

Clocking in at barely over an hour this is still a lot of fun today and an interesting look at low budget horror films and how racial expectations created comedy.

Well worth a purchase since it is double featured with Revolt Of The Zombies (1936), which isn't that great, but has a few moments.

Review: I Love You, Man

I Love You, Man (2009)
starring: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jon Favreau, Jamie Preslly
dir. John Hamburg

I feel like we've reached a tipping point with this latest movement of comedy. It's still ten times better than the Epic Movie (2007), Date Movie (2006), Meet The Spartans (2008) schlock that we can expect every year, but there seems to be a level of diminishing returns.

Don't get me wrong, I think Paul Rudd, Jason Segel and the rest of the cast are comic gems. They understand timing and how to deliver a gag without it feeling jokey. They are very good at improv and adding a little extra oomph to a scene. But I'm starting to feel that it's their ability to improv that is starting to bog these things down. It makes me feel like there is laziness in the script and decide they can fix it while shooting. Yes, things change while shooting, but with each passing film, they're starting to falter more and more.

The plot and structure itself could have been worked out on single post-it note and there is very little for anyone to do other than our two leads. There are also several set ups that lead to weak payoffs, Lou Ferrigno being the biggest disappointment.

In the end it's not the best entry in this Judd Apatow inspired comedy movement, but it's not awful by any stretch. It's a painless jaunt and entertaining to watch Segel and Rudd charm us and each other. It also gets points for not being raunchy. It's a bit of fresh air and the odds of anything being as funny/raunchy as Superbad (2007) is slim to none. There are better, but there are a lot worse. A lot worse.

7.6 out of 10

Clip Art: Arrival Of A Train At La Coitat

On December 28th, 1895 Louis and Auguste Lumiere screened several short films in a small cafe in Paris. This was quite a novelty since there had never been films projected on a screen before this. That's because the Lumiere Brothers were the creators of not only a way to shoot moving images using a special camera, but also a device that could project them onto a screen. This short film known to the folks who speak french as L' Arrivee D'un Train A La Coitat is one of the most famous.



It lacks a certain sense of story or characters, but you do get everything the title teases you with. This film is more famous than, Barque Sortant Du Port (Boat Leaving The Port) which was also screened that evening, because of the legend it carries with it.

The story goes that when the audience saw the train coming towards the camera, they ran from the cafe out of fear of being run down by the train. This is just a myth and was used in as an advertising ploy. Personally, I'm not sure why they felt they needed a hook to get more people to see it. The promise of seeing moving pictures seems pretty enticing to me.

R.I.P. Natasha Richardson

Natasha Richardson (1963-2009)

There isn't much that I can add that hasn't already been said. This is a tragic situation and just plain sad. It's best to remember that she had a loving husband and family. That she also gave birth to some incredible performances and that is what actors want, to leave something behind that can be shared by all.

For me, the two that stand out are Gothic (1986), a Ken Russell film centered around the booze and drug induced weekend that spurned imaginations to create characters like Frankenstein's Monster and the legend of the Vampire. Richardson played Mary Shelly in this sometime over the top, but very atmospheric and enjoyable film.

Next was her incredible, in my opinion best, performance in Paul Schrader's Patty Hearst (1988). This was a stylish and very subjective film and Richardson was incredible in the title role. It's one of those performances that must have left her emotionally exhausted by the end and it can be felt through every pore. This is out of print on DVD, but is available for streaming on Netflix. Well worth checking out.

Ms. Richardson was the daughter of great talents as well. Her mother is the well known actress Vanessa Redgrave and her father was the great filmmaker Tony Richardson. Both of whom have several films worth looking into.

My deepest condolences to her family and friends.

Not On DVD: China 9 Liberty 37

China 9 Liberty 37 (1978)
starring: Warren Oates, Fabio Testi, Jenny Agutter, Sam Peckinpah
dir. Monte Hellman

Now I know that some people are going to say this film is out on DVD. Well, it is, but not in the way it should be. What exists in at least four versions (that I can find) is a truncated, edited for television, pan and scan version. This basically means that this film is not out on DVD.

I know very little about this movie other than it was directed by Monte Hellmen, it has an impressive cast and it was co-scripted by Jerry Harvey, the ill-fated program director of the now defunct Z Channel.

(I'm taking a basic plot description from IMDB here, so please forgive any errors.)

The central plot is about a condemned gunman who is given a reprieve on the condition that he murders a Rancher to help out the railway company. This is just the first act, as the Gunman can't bring himself to kill the Rancher and all sorts of things fly off the handle after that.

Hellman's work has always been a bit of a crapshoot on DVD. There are a ton of different prints of The Shooting (1966) running around and Ride In The Whirlwind (1965) as well as Cockfighter (1974) go in and out of print with variations of quality. It seems that only Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) has gotten the DVD release it deserves. It's a shame because it is a very interesting body of work and well worth viewing. But all of the above mentioned titles have been released uncut and letterboxed at one point in time.

So why not China 9? It's a good question and I have no idea. It seems that it has enough history and name power for geeks to want it. I can't say if the film holds any artistic merit since I've never seen it. That doesn't mean it shouldn't see its day in court. Like all things put on trial, it should be represented in the best possible way, uncut and letterboxed in the way the filmmaker originally intended.

Everyone Is A Critic: WaltDinLV

One of the things I love about Netflix are the member reviews. When I find someone who interests me I add them to my followers list and keep an eye open for any new reviews.

This week we say hello to WALT D IN LV. I appreciate his air of mystery by keeping his back to the camera.

WALT D IN LV


I love finding GREAT films,and talking about 'em even MORE. My Friends list is full, but you can SAVE to FAVES me, and e-mail me at mywife@cox.net so I can send you my notes/reviews as they come out.

(These are direct quotes, nothing has been changed to alter the review.)

DEFIANCE
"I had no interest in seeing this, but the wife wanted to, so.. Wow! This is an amazing true story not at all holocaustally sad like Schindler's List or The Pianist (both great movies).. This nerve-racking uplifting tale was action, great story, fantastic! So different from most World War II stories, really original, AND it's based on actual people and events! I really recommend seeing this action-packed movie." rated: 5 stars (I give him kudos for inventing the word, "holocaustally" while then using it to offend an entire culture in a single moment.)

EAGLE EYE
"This was one of my most favorite films of the summer (2008). I loved that it had a thrilling story, non-stop action, cool technical mumbo-jumbo, and great acting from these up and coming young stars. Fun stuff! Grab the popcorn, sit back and enjoy!" rated: 5 stars

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS
"Think of this as Star Wars 2 1/2! It fits perfectly between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith as another story of Star Wars. All the prequel main characters are here, and the story is just as good as Star Wars 1 and 2, while not as good as 3 (Sith). A good story with even better action and effects, this is well worth seeing for all Star Wars fans. Don't let the animation keep you from it: This is a REAL Star Wars story! My only lament is that they didn't use the original Star Wars music and theme song or have a John Williams score." rated: 4 stars

THE HAPPENING
"Not nearly as bad as the press would have you believe. In fact, this is downright SCARY at times! The Happening was just as suspenseful-make-you-jump as any Shyamalan film and DESERVES it's R rating! Wahlberg is great bringing all his good-guy type charisma. Spooky, suspenseful, and not for young kids! Good stuff!" rated: 4 stars (Wahlberg has charisma?)

JUMPER
"This movie was far from perfect, but doggone it was really good. The more I think back to it, the more I like it. Doug Liman has a knack for making great movies. Hayden Christensen is not winning any awards for his acting, but he is capable in this role. This is popcorn action flick fun with an original story idea that's not at all predictable. I wish it had done better financially so we'd be assured of a badly needed and deserved sequel. I think it would do to this what Terminator 2 did to The Terminator (expand the story to another level). I really enjoyed this film." rated: 4 stars

and finally

HALLOWEEN (2007)
"Exactly what a horror movie should be: Suspense, Violence, Gore, Nudity, all built around a great, intense, gripping story. I gave the original Halloween only 3 stars because I felt it was boring and had no good story. Rob Zombie is a new master director." rated: 4 stars (At least he was honest about not caring for the original.)

Pistoleros (2007)
dir. Shaky González


Yet another entry in the Tarantino/Ritchie inspired gangster genre. The last one I looked at was Matando Cabos (2004) from Mexico and now here is one from Denmark. Don't be fooled by the title and name of the director, it is a Danish film.

This film attempts nonlinear storytelling, which technically it achieves, but lacks a certain cleverness in its telling. Several characters are after a a bag of loot that was taken from a train robbery. All of this is being told in two levels of flashback. Yes, two. The first level is the story being told to a young filmmaker and his Hottie producer. The second level is within the story as the story is being told to a greasy low level hood who ends up getting involved in the hunt for the cash. (Was that confusing or just poor sentence structure?) Some of the performances are fun and whenever the film seems to want to slow down, a comedically violent contrivance is thrown at us to keep things moving. It also decides to pay direct homage to the westerns of Sergio Leone by using music from A Fistful Of Dollars (1964) throughout.

It wants to try and play with the conventions of urban myth and how truth and fiction can become warped, but doesn't really sell it by the end. There is also an odd moment where the young filmmaker being told the story thinks he sees one of the main characters in a bar. It makes no sense since he'd have no idea what the guy looks like. I think it's there to drive home the idea of how myths grow, but ends up being ridiculous.

It's worth a look if you're bored some evening and need some escapist fair, but don't expect anything deep or emotionally involving. I recommend it for some of the acting, but be prepared for some major leaps in logic. The nice part is you'll be able to say to people how you just checked out a film by Shaky González. It's a fun name to say when using your best Don LaFontaine voice.

R.I.P. Ron SIlver

Ron Silver (1946-2009)


Ron Silver first entered my field of vision with a triumvirate back in the late 80's, early 90's. Blue Steel (1989), Enemies A Love Story (1989), and Reversal Of Fortune (1990). Since then, if I saw his name in the credits of a movie or TV show, it was a sign there would be one good thing going for it. He has always been an actor who added something special to anything he was in.

An excellent character actor on screen and leading man on stage, Silver excelled at playing greasy executives and politicians. For most people he's probably best known for his recurring roles in TV like, The West Wing (2001-06), the short lived but excellent Chicago Hope (1996-97) and (gulp) Veronica's Closet (1998-99). But it was films like Time Cop (1994) and The Arrival (1996) placed him securely in geek mythology.

Mr. Silver passed away after a two year battle with esophageal cancer at the age of 62. He will be missed.

Review: Wendy And Lucy

Wendy And Lucy (2009)
starring: Michelle Williams, Wally Dalton, Will Patton, Larry Fessenden, Lucy the Dog
dir. Kelly Reichardt


I have a few friends who are going to think this movie is a boring waste of time. Why they think this way I don't know. It might be a lack of curiosity about simple events and how we relate to the people in those events. It's a shame really, it makes me think there is something missing in their humanity. Basically I hang out with a bunch of soulless bastards and needed to vent for a second. Sorry.

Wendy and Lucy is as simple as a movie gets. A young woman on a tight budget is trying to get to a place where she can earn a living and start a new life with her dog. Every penny counts and every minor set back becomes cataclysmic when you can barely afford to eat. This is the genius of this film.

Most of us at some point in time have had to decide whether we eat or do laundry. We've been stuck in a chaotic limbo when the car breaks down and need to figure out how to afford getting it fixed. These are real human events that are easy to relate to. It's those ideas that propel this film forward and make it so emotionally touching by the time you reach the end.

Michelle Williams gives a deep and profound performance as she deals with these problems while searching for her missing dog Lucy. It would be easy to say that if she had made a different decision everything would have gone okay, but it's not that simple. Life always steps in and things never go as easy as they are supposed to. Over the two days that she is looking for Lucy we watch as she comes to understand what she is capable of handling and what she isn't.

A complaint I've heard is that Wendy has no back story. Why did she decide to hit the road and look for work in Alaska? It doesn't matter. This isn't a film about what propels us to escape, it's what propels us to survive moment to moment. That the most important thing in a world gone awry is love, compassion and knowing when it is best to walk away.

Director Kelly Reichardt creates some beautiful images and never dwells on anything too long. She doesn't worry about creating a film of length and it's the running time of the that shows she wants to deliver a concise story and focus on the characters, rather than bog it down with subplots or heavy handed social messages.

It really is a movie of the times. When unemployment is at an all time high and foreclosures are happening on every street corner, Wendy And Lucy shows the struggle of everyday life and the emotional upheaval that can occur with even the smallest of setbacks.

9 out of 10

Clip Art: Angel Heart

Angel Heart (1987)
dir. Alan Parker


It's funny that Mickey Rourke has made a comeback. I was a big fan of his when I was younger and watched Angel Heart over and over. I thought it was such an amazing looking movie and the way noir was melded with witchcraft, voodoo and satanism was just cool. Yes, I did like seeing Lisa Bonet naked, but once you see the entire film and know the whole story it loses a lot of it's sexual appeal, but adds to the disturbing atmosphere.

I'm always shocked when I run into people who haven't seen the film. I thought it was part of growing up. The film was so taboo when it was released I'd have thought everyone saw it. Now there is a whole new generation of people who don't even know about it. They need to be introduced to it now that Rourke is apparently entering the second phase of his career. We can hope he sticks around because he's really good stuff and plays well off of De Niro in this scene.

Portions of this scene were used a lot during it's release, but it's pretty damned fantastic in its entirety. The precision of the direction and how De Niro and Parker use action and editing to punctuate everything he says. Rourke is on the other side of the spectrum with something that is natural and out of place in this type of situation. The bit where he tosses the salt over his shoulder feels so right. It always reminds me of Brando plucking a feather out of the air in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951).

24 Frames: Breathless

I have a friend who is not a fan of Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless (1960). He doesn't see what the point is. He describes it as a jumbled-up bunch of pieces that want to be a great movie. I tell him that's the very reason that Breathless is a a great movie. He usually waves me off and calls me pretentious.

First, yes I can be pretentious. Second, my snobbishness has nothing to do with why Breathless is a great movie. There are a ton of reasons why it is so enjoyable. Like the way Jean Seberg walks down the middle of the road pivoting on the balls of her feet, selling the New York Herald Tribune. Or Jean-Paul Belmondo dangling a cigarette and tipping his fedora trying to imitate Bogart. The fact that it's not Belmondo imitating Bogart, but his character Michel wanting to be a Bogart character, adding another level to the whole thing. The amazing 360° shot in the bank when Seberg is being questioned by the cops. The jump cuts, locations, sound design, Melville cameo, just the whole damn thing.













It was, is and shall always be, a barometer of hipness. It broke so many rules and spoke in a cinematic language so pure that nothing has been able to touch it since. Truffaut, Chabrol and Bazin may have helped lay the corner stones and the rebar, but it was Breathless that provided the concrete for the foundation of modern filmmaking.

It freed up not only the way movies could be made, but the way we watched them. Godard's dedicating the movie to Monogram Studios helped open the doors in what we could consider a classic. Cinematic art didn't have to be about how much money was put into it or who the stars were. It was about the end results and what was trying to be accomplished. A low budget movie could have just as much if not more to say than it's big budget counterparts. It opened up realms of possibilities and brought filmmaking to the streets. This is what Breathless represented and still represents. It's what Godard passed on to us from what he had learned from all of those small American b-movies. Anyone can do it and anyone should if they have something to say.

All pretentious pontification aside, what it all boils down to is a film that is entertaining. It's a fun ride even though you're following the adventures of an out-of-touch-wanna-be-gangster. Love, betrayal, murder, sex, joy, literature and cinema. It's a movie that is as modern today as it was when it first flickered to life on movie screens almost fifty years ago. Believe that it's archaic, or think that it is a minor note in a much bigger symphony. Give it another watch and maybe you'll come to see it as I do. It's a pitch perfect crystal clear aria. An ode to cinema that speaks volumes in one simple jump cut.

POV: Watchmen Gaffe

I had read about this on a comments page, I think on AICN, and had to see for myself.

It does look like they missed taking out a shot of Billy Crudup in his motion capture suit. For a brief moment, Dr. Manhattan is doing his best Tron impression.


I'm planning on seeing the film again, so I can check it out for sure on the big screen.

Profile: Tony Leung Chiu Wai

I had the luck of watching Red Cliff (2008) recently and even though it may have moments that are uneven or at times undone by its own CGI, I was very caught up in the characters and story. Watching it, I marveled at the always incredible Tony Leung. Leung is an actors actor, he is surely one of the best working today in any language and I'm more than willing to put him amongst the top actors ever. From action to drama to comedy, Leung always delivers a performance that makes you feel there is so much more going on under the surface.

Just look at In The Mood For Love (2000). What he and equally gifted Maggie Cheung give to the audience in that film is as close to transcendental as it gets. They do so much without saying a word that the mind races and eyeballs almost explode to keep up with it. Wong Kar-Wai's camera works so beautifully with what they are displaying that it almost reaches cinematic nirvana.

So without further lamentations, here is a photo tribute to Tony Leung Chui Wai.

INFERNAL AFFAIRS (1998)

HERO (2003)

IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (2000)

LUST CAUTION (2007)

2046(2004)

HARD BOILED (1992)

RED CLIFF (2008)

Do I have a bit of a man crush on the guy? Sure, but it's hard not to when someone can display such charm and a sense of ease on the screen that can be matched by very few. He is an actor who is under appreciated in this country and it is a real shame considering all of the talentless celebutards that we pay to see up on the screen.

(My apologies for the use of celebutards. It is from way to much time spent working at TMZ.)

R.I.P. Tullio Pinelli

Tullio Pinelli (1908-2009)


Federico Fellini is a cinematic legend. He created movies of originality and moves from neo-realism to his own dreamscapes with fluid strokes of a brilliant painter. But he had help. Tullio Pinelli was a long time friend and co-writer on almost all of Fellini's screenplays. He was there from Variety Lights (1950) all the way through to Ginger & Fred (1986). He was as important to Fellini as Giulietta Masina.

After spending an entire century on this planet, Mr. Pinelli decided to take his leave. His contributions to the artform of cinema is enormous and it is highly possible that the Maestro might have become a lesser filmmaker if it was not for Pinelli's support, talent and skills.

Tullio Pinelli passed away on March 7th of natural causes, because at the age of 100 things just don't work as well as they used to.

The Eclectic Choice: After The Wedding

After The Wedding (2007)
dir. Susanne Bier


Mads Mikkelsen is a really great actor. He did amazing work in the Pusher (1996/2004) movies and was first scene in the states as the baddie in Casino Royale (2007), but he's now in a whole different realm for me. I rented this film wanting to see him outside of the wheelhouse that I had created for him and he delivers with a performance that is touching, willing to be confused, scared and at times ugly only to find the acceptance that is needed to see why he has been brought into this drama.

The film itself is excellent as it pours on what could have been layer upon layer of cliché, but twists it and turns it into an honest look at a family and the flaws that make them exquisite human beings. It is almost impossible to go into a description about the plot without giving away any of the twists and turns that lead us through these characters lives. The basic concept is that Miklesen's character is asked to go to Denmark to meet a potential beneficiary that is necessary to keep the orphanage that Mikkelsen has started up in India. From there is just builds layer upon layer until you reach an emotional climax that seems like a damn breaking.

Mads Mikkelsen

Nominated for best foreign language film the same year as The Lives Of Others (2006) and Pan's Labrynth (2006), this one got a little lost in the mix, but you should check it out nowto see a really well made family drama as well as some outstanding work by Mikkelsen.

Review: Watchmen

Watchmen (2009)
starring: Patrick Wilson, Jackie Earle Haley, Billy Crudup, Malin Akerman, Matthew Goode, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Carla Gugino
dir. Zack Snyder


The film had been playing fro about ten minutes when I felt this was going to be a really good ride. And it is. Watchmen is a relatively faithful adaptation with a few really nice performances, a some solid visuals (minus meh fight scenes) and for a film close to 20 years in the making, I didn't walk away too disappointed. Are there things missing that, for me, gave the original graphic novel extra layers and a sense of depth that is missing from the movie? God, yes. Yet I'm going to hold off on final judgment until after I see the ultra huge extended addition that will be out on DVD later in the fall. The addition of the Tales Of The Black Freighter (a well know part to fans of the comic) will be important in fleshing out the themes. Admittedly one of the nice things about the DVD market is the ability to release extended cuts.

Anyway, It's a very good, yet flawed film. The new conceit for the climax is a bit of a clunker for me. The original is so simple and streamlined that this one seems to hide behind the complexity and hand wringing of a true "Bwahahaha" type of plan. Where does one find a tachyon disruptor these days? It seems to unravel the film a bit. Snyder mentioned that the original ending seemed a little light in today's post 911 world, but the new ending doesn't make anything heavier. It even seems to diminish it by creating an aftermath that is just destruction and not a blood soaked nightmarish loss of human life.

Some of the problems I kept running into was that things that felt other worldly and really risky in the comic just seemed like run-of-the-mill filmmaking when translated to screen. The entire Dr. Manhattan back story was a real shaker when it came out in it's structure and design, but all it seems to feel like when put in motion is a voiceover covering events. That sense of being in all places at once didn't really click for me.

I felt the same with the Comedian's back story at his funeral. If I remember correctly, it's the same as it was in the comic, but when translated to the screen, it feels a little cliché. Each character thinking back to a moment when the Comedian reveals more about who he through immoral action or some philosophical diatribe about existence. No one ever remembers the moment when he took a dump and forgot to flush the toilet. It' a minor quibble, but suddenly cracks can be seen.

In he comic, because we have so much more control over how much time we spend on something we can correct this. A single panel of Rorschach glimpsing an image from an inkblot can be assigned a millisecond in our mind, where in the movie, time needs to be given to let us take in the image and understand what is going on in Rorschach's mind. It's an interesting dynamic that I'm sure will be discussed more when specific comics start to move to the big screen.

Jackie Earle Haley and Jeffery Dean Morgan are fantastic. They are given the most to chew on and screwed up characters are always more interesting to watch than the straight laced. Haley and Morgan jump right into it without reservation and give us exactly what we'd hope for.

Patrick Wilson who is a really good actor seems to feel out of place. I always interpreted Dan Dreiberg as an overweight loser who's lonely and in a certain denial about who he is, just seems more like a nerd. The scenes with him and Akerman are almost painful at times. Akerman is extremely uneven, delivering the lines like a cardboard cut out. We are lucky that there is weight behind her back story, otherwise the entire scene with her and Crudup on Mars would have fallen flat and made the entire third act seem fruitless.

One of my big complaints is in some of the sound design. Every punch and hit sounds the same. A heavy baritone thud. It doesn't matter if someone is thrown against a wall, punched in the face or kicked in the balls. It is the same deep and painful thunk. It is there to make us feel pain, but starts seeming a little ridiculous after a while. I was waiting for someone to set down a coffee cup and hear that same thunk after a while.

Given a choice, would I rather read the book or watch the film? I'd rather read the book, but the film does satisfy on a lot of levels. Though at times, it seems to be futzing around on the surface where the book is layer upon layer of dissecting the superhero mythos, as well as the human condition. It's a problem with any literary source being translated to screen, so Snyder and company should be commended for accomplishing what most would consider improbable.

8.0 out of 10

24 Frames: Inspiration

Filmmakers find all kinds of inspiration from other visual mediums. Most recently I noticed a shot in the new Michael Mann film Public Enemies (2009) that drew from a photographic source.

First, from the film:

Now here is a photo by Bill Brandt, a 20th century British photographer who took this photo, Belgravia in 1951:

For those of you out there who are literal, the word being used here is Inspiration not Replication. It is the source from where new ideas are formed not copied.

One of the more famous inspirations is René Magritte's L'Empire des Lumières used as the source for a shot in The Exorcist (1973):

You'll notice the location of the lit windows in both as well as the lamp posts dead center placement. I don't think that Magritte intended to give off the feeling of evil, but the midnight foliage against the midday sky does create a bit of an ominous feeling.

The one that seems to be used quite often is Michelangelo's Pietà which has been incorporated into many death scenes, mostly gangster films. Here is an example from Raoul Walsh's The Roaring Twenties (1939).


These are, of course, just visual examples. Film is "The" great art form because it draws inspiration from every art from that came before it and incorporates every art form that has followed. It is always in evolutionary flux, attempting to reveal just a little bit more of the human condition and in response, inspires more people to create. It's Homer Simpson's Doughnut Shaped Universe Theory come to life. Now with extra sprinkles.

Review: Che Pt. 2 (Guerrilla)

Che Pt. 2: Guerrilla (2008)
starring: Benicio Del Toro, Franka Potente, Norman Santiago, Joaquim de Almeida
dir. Steven Soderbergh

Even though Mr. Soderbergh has intended Che to be one giant epic and has been shown as such in an original roadshow, the general audiences will see (theatrically) Che in two separate parts. Personally, I think it works because part one feels like a complete movie, as does part two. Both films portray a full story arc one being about the process of victory, the other being about the brutal process of defeat.

Guerrilla is about Che's Bolivia campaign. His drive to continue the revolution, even though the people of Bolivia are in no place yet to want revolution. The entire film feels like jumping out of an airplane and looking up to see giant holes in your parachute. You're falling too fast, you're looking for ways to make this a successful jump, but the closer you get to the ground, odds are you're gonna die. Almost right out of the gate you get the sense this is not going to be a positive experience for Guevara. Knowing any of the history, you know it's going to end in his death, but it's the process of getting there that is so painful. He keeps moving forward despite all of the signs that show it's not going well. Just like the first film, it doesn't matter what your beliefs about Guevara are, to watch a man of passionate beliefs fight, kill and die for those beliefs is pretty damned riveting.

Del Toro is still brilliant in this half, it is an inspired performance. A highlight, much like the first, is him meeting another doctor. In this film, instead of the moment dealing with giving up his past trade, this moment carries a certain intimacy and sense of loss of who he once was. There is almost a sense of reverence he has for the doctor. It is a shining moment that is pulled off with subtlety and all done in a single wide shot. Just watching Del Toro look up and take the doctors hand in friendship carries a weight and certain transcendence.

The new add to the cast this time around is a great Franka Potente as Tania. She's the connection to the outside world that ends up being more of a determent by the end of the film. I can't praise the talent of Potente enough. In a short career, she's proven herself over and over again. A native German actress, she's played a California girl, Armenian mob boss, now a revolutionary and all are seamless. She's a chameleon except when she gives that warm smile that is inescapable. She is a real talent who is a welcome addition to any movie she is in.

This time around, Soderbergh goes with a different style even though he continues to keep his distance. His use of handheld and smaller frame in this chapter of Guevara's story gives a sense of breakdown and decay that is taking place around him. Again, Soderbergh does not look to manipulate or fore a perspective that sides the audience against or for Che, but lets us decide for ourselves. This is a historical look, not a subjective look, given one brief exception.

I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying Che is executed after capture. There is a moment when the entire set of visual rules are broken and it is this one shot that brings the films home and lets us see, feel, think about everything that has taken place before. For something so simple, it is an incredibly powerful shot.

These films have been criticized for being cold and I don't believe that. they just isn't telling you how to feel. In a world where almost every movie cues us on when to cry, when to cheer or who to jeer at, this is a very welcome change.

9.5 out of 10

Everyone Is A Critic: Bravesfanc

One of the things I love about Netflix are the member reviews. When I find someone who interests me I add them to my followers list and keep an eye open for any new reviews.

This week we say hello to Bravesfanc. I appreciate his air of mystery by keeping his back to the camera.


BRAVESFANC




I'm 21 years old. Love to watch all types of movies. I just started rating every movie i rent, so if you ever want an opinion, add me.

(These are direct quotes, nothing has been changed to alter the review.)

RIGHTEOUS KILL
"Having both of these actors in the same movie is always a plus. I wasn't let down as I enjoyed most of this movie. A bit slow in the beginning but the pace quickly picked up. And I'm glad Pacino did this movie because the last movie that I saw him in '88 Minutes' was terrible. I was happy to see him do something smarter than that rubbish. De Niro plays his partner and you can tell they care for each other. Decent ending, answers your questions. Good movie." rated: 4 stars

PAUL BLART: MALL COP
"This is one of those rare times that a PG comedy had me laughing almost as much as an R rated comedy. Kevin James physical comedy carries this movie and had me laughing from beginning to end. Of course what he's able to do would never happen but that shouldn't bother you. This is great for the entire family. If you like Kevin James, then you will definately enjoy this movie." rated: 4.5 stars (he made note of the extra half star.)

WITLESS PROTECTION
"A decently funny movie. Not for everyone though. It's quite dumb so I don't think most adults would like it but if you're a fan of Larry the Cable guy you might enjoy this one. His analogies are pretty funny and there are a whole bunch of them in this movie." rated: 3 stars

HANCOCK
"Much better than expected. A good mix of action and comedy. I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this movie. One of the better action/comedies I've seen in awhile. Some people might think it's dumb but I think it was well made. Smith does a good job, and even though in the beginning you can side with the people about how he handles things are wrong, you grow to like him. Theron does well along with Bateman. A pretty good movie that the family can enjoy." rated: 4 stars

INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL
"If you liked the other "Indiana Jones'" then you will enjoy this one. You just have to look past the things that he is able to do at his age to enjoy it. Because really, even if he were younger, the things that happen in this movie aren't very believable, but it doesnt really matter because it's entertaining. It's a perfect length of 2 hours and Shia LaBeouf once again impresses me. I still think 'The Last Crusade' was the best of the series, but like I said, if you're a fan of the series, this won't disappoint." rated: 4 stars

and finally

RATATOUILLE
"I heard a lot of great things about this movie but didn't see why. It was clever and accurate but I was bored. The problem was that it wasn't funny and most Pixar movies I like are decently funny with a good story. I just couldn't get into it." rated: 2 stars (I'd like to know what he means by accurate. What is the accuracy scale for a film about a talking rat who wants to cook?)

The Eclectic Choice: Viva

Viva (2007)
dir. Anna Biller


This is an impressive debut from a woman who has a real eye for creating a world that is drenched in 0's nostalgia. I'm not just talking about bell bottoms and afros, this is a world of crappy cologne, tacky pantsuits, and macrame plant holders filmed so lovingly that it is almost creepy.

Falling somewhere between a John Waters' film and Louis Buñuel's Belle de Jour (1967), Viva tells the story of bored housewives trying to live life in the swinging 70's. With a rich palette that makes everything pop, this is a visually arresting send up of sexploitation movies right down to the camera placement and a Doris Wishmanesque visit to a nudist colony.

It does run long at two hours, meandering at times in order to revel in it's exploitative roots while working to deliver a fresh approach on feminist cinema. A tighter film would play better, but this is the first feature from a filmmaker with a ton of promise and it's worth watching just to see its exacting design and execution. Biller not only stars and directs the film, but also wrote, edited, designed costumes as well as the entire production. That's a hell of a lot of work so I'll let her indulgence slide on this one. When she learns how to let things go and fine tune, she'll be unstoppable.

I'd say it's worth the purchase just to be able to watch specific scenes whenever you want or show off some scenes to friends, which you will.

Review: Nightwing

Nightwing (1979)

starring: Nick Mancuso, David Warner, Kathryn Harrold, Stephen Macht, Strother Martin

dir. Arthur Hiller


Before Martin Cruz Smith would write his best selling Gorky Park, he wrote a smaller book about killer vampire bats accosting all living things on an Indian Reservation. It would be turned into a movie that was co-scripted by Smith and would quickly disappear only to find life on a small pay cable channel called HBO. It would play repeatedly and infect the minds of very young and unknowing filmgeeks.

30 years later on February 27th, the Nuart theater in Los Angeles held an anniversary screening and had several guests including stars Nick Mancuso and Stephen Macht in attendance. So how does a movie about killer bats hold up? About as well as you'd expect it to, but there are things that I see in it now that watching it as a kid flew right over my head (bad pun intended*).

After Jaws (1975) came out, everyone was scrambling to make the next killer animal movie. Grizzly (1976), Piranha (1978) and Orca(1977) were all variations on the man versus animal theme. Nightwing though tried to have a social conscious. It is blatantly aware of our (the white man) mistreatment of the American Indian and our continual raping of the environment. It also delved a little into homogenization and the loss of culture as the gods being worshiped have less to do with how we look at the world and more with the accruing of money. I'm being overly generous here. These topics are touched upon but never given enough room to breathe and really take hold.

It's still an interesting nostalgic romp. One of the big set pieces involving some christian missionaries being attacked by a fleet of bats is high camp. There is no tension, but you are reminded that when the shit hits the fan it's every christian for himself and screw anyone who gets in the way. An ugly statement, but more true than not.

I could bitch about the very Italian Mancuso being cast as a Native American, but why, it's Nightwing and railing against it isn't going to solve any equal rights issues. We live in a culture where every ethnicity is miscast and Mancuso delivers a certain charm in the role. He is one of those actors who is always dependable and probably doesn't get the notoriety he deserves.

This is not available on DVD for some odd reason, but it's worth a look if it plays at a revival house near you and the audience is excited with nostalgia about seeing it. You'll laugh, you'll guffaw, you'll wonder why Nick Mancuso can't button up his shirt.

7 out of 10

*assuming there are good puns