On this day in 1961 Julia Louis-Dreyfus was born. She, of course, played Elaine on Seinfeld, who is possibly my favorite female television character of all time!
LE VIDEO SHELF: a love letter to all things film
13.1.12
SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS (2012)
LCD Soundsystem is a great band. So I'm told! No, I've listened to them a bit and they are really great, I just never got huge into them. That being said, this documentary about the run up to their last show ever looks pretty compelling! I like band documentaries, especially when they are behind the scenes-y and this looks like a really beautiful one of those. I'm putting this on my list!
12.1.12
THE ARTIST (2011)
What more can I add to the roar of applause for this fantastic film that has come out of the woodwork? I was interested when saw the trailer this past summer. It seemed like a crazy idea--black and white, silent, with two unknown (in North America anyways) leads. Maybe not so much of a crazy idea for the smaller art-house circuits, but it has hit the mainstream, and now it is so highly and widely praised, and even the O word--Oscar--is being tossed around. And it's French! I mean, personally I think the French have made some of the finest films ever made, think of the films of Melville, Truffaut, Renoir, Malle, and Godard. Here is another film to add to the amazing canon of French cinema.
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| George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) and Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) |
It is a straightforward plot, but it is so poignant in so many ways. When we came out of the theatre, my girlfriend Maria said "That's exactly what Hollywood needed." And I couldn't agree more! With all the talk about digital this and 3-D that, it is easy to lose sight of what is most important: the story. George fought and lost a battle to the new sound generation. Many are fearing today that "2-D" films are on their way out, along with celluloid film itself, replaced by high-tech digital and computer motion capture devices. But despite what technology is de rigueur, the main thing required in film is good story and characters. One can add as much CGI or 3-D effects, but if it does not have that central idea driving it, it is dead in the water. Sure, there are many great new digitally filmed (including this one, if I'm not mistaken!) and even 3D films out there! But for ever great one like THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, there are ten crappy CLASH OF THE TITANSs etc. I may sound like an old fuddy duddy, but there is battle going on in the film world today. The hype about the technology is so deafening, it's easy to forget why we are all there in the cinema in the first place. We want to be entertained. And THE ARTIST is one of those great, smart films (Oh and did I mention it is also hilarious?) that comes along and sweeps you away into the magic of it all, reminding you that in the end all you need is a simple black and white image. This film knows what it is, and at times draws attention to its own silence. Of course saying it is a silent film isn't exactly true, it isn't entirely silent, just like the original silent films that were always accompanied by music, or someone performing sound effects. There is accompanying music, which is subtle, but so effective (at the climax Bernard Hermann's "Scene d'amour," from Hitchcock's VERTIGO!). And it also makes smart use of a few sound effects a key moments. And then it uses deafening silence at other key moments.
I really feel like this is an important film. I think it is a milestone in cinema, one of those moments where audiences the world over will surprise themselves. They might acquiesce and find themselves possibly enjoying a French, black-and-white, and silent film. I've heard that in parenting one finds themselves at times with "teachable moments." I think this is a cinematic teachable moment. It is a film that challenges one to reconsider their preconceived notions. I'm sure that if this becomes nominated for an Oscar (Best Picture?), and heaven forbids, wins (!), it will have many people scratching their heads. But those will be the people who have either not seen it, or are so stubborn as to refuse to open their minds, to reconsider what they know, or at the very least, refuse to let in the magic of cinema. But those who get it, who "get" THE ARTIST, who are willing to let something foreign (literally and figuratively) into their eyes and ears will be rewarded. This is a movie about learning how to say "yes" to new things, and like George Valentin, when you do, and take a chance, you will be rewarded.
MOONRISE KINGDOM (2012)
Here is the fresh trailer for Wes Anderson's new film MOONRISE KINGDOM! Yay! Brilliant! Looks great. Hope it is everything we all hope it is! Cast looks great, so does the premise. I like it!
9.1.12
Happy Birthday Lee Van Cleef
Today is what would have been Lee Van Cleef's 86th birthday. He was born this day in 1925. I know him most from Sergio Leone's spaghetti western masterpiece THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (1966), but he also appeared in many other westerns, for Leone and for others, including Fred Zinnemann's great HIGH NOON (1952), Leone's FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE (1965), John Ford's THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962) and had countless small roles in western TV shows including "The Lone Ranger," "Laramie," "Gunsmoke," and "Branded." But I will always remember him most as Angel Eyes, in TGTBATU.
8.1.12
PROMETHEUS (2012)
I really hope this is good! It looks very interesting and slightly terrifying! Ridley Scott in classic form, it would seem.
5.1.12
Looking forward into 2012
So 2011 was a tremendous year for film, I think we can all agree. Despite it not being a banner year for box office receipts, it was for emerging talent and innovative concepts. The studios may not have been happy, as there was no Batman sequel or INCEPTION-like tentpole from Christopher Nolan, nor was there a runaway summer superhero or action film, in fact many of the much-hyped titles all but flopped. Instead, we see character driven movies, smaller independent stories, and sophomore efforts from promising filmmakers emerge once it was clear capital-H Hollywood had little to offer. We saw rise of Jessica Chastain, Ryan Gosling, and Michael Fassbender, we saw Werner Herzog take documentary filmmaking to new heights and dimensions, and many auteur filmmakers added titles to their respective oeuvres: Woody Allen, Terence Malick, Alexander Payne, Lars von Trier, and Errol Morris. Hollywood struck back in December, compensating with their lackluster summer, with huge titles like Spielberg's THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, Brad Bird's MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL, and David Fincher's THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, which are all fairly safe projects for the studios given the bankable stars, directors, and subject matter.
So what does 2012 hold? Who will rise and triumph, and who will crash and burn? Hollywood has a promising slate: possibly the biggest film of the year will be Christopher Nolan's much hyped final chapter in his Batman saga, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. Although the AMAZING SPIDERMAN, yes a re-launch of that series, might have something to say about that. There will be an AVENGERS movie, which will also no doubt be a huge box office draw. But what else is there? What am I looking forward to in 2012? (Aside from TDKR) I will tell you:
LOOPER, directed by Rian Johnson.
Johnson directed one of the great neo-noir films, 2005's BRICK, a gripping mystery set in a high school setting, with all the noir archtypes present: detective, kingpin, femme fatale, etc., and it worked incredibly. He followed BRICK up with 2008's THE BROTHERS BLOOM which I enjoyed, but did not love. LOOPER re-teams Johnson with BRICK star Joseph Gordon Levitt who has since exploded on the scene. This time they are leaning towards sci-fi more with a story about a hitman who is sent into the future to do a hit and encounters his future self (Bruce Willis) who is waiting to be knocked off. Or something. That is basically what I have gleaned from the paltry amount of info on this movie. Johnson has been running a LOOPER tumblr blog, posting post-, pre-, and production stills, as well as concept art there so it is an interesting browse! Looking forward to this showing its face in October.
MOONRISE KINGDOM, directed by Wes Anderson.
What can I say? The Texas-born auteur returns in 2012 with another undoubtedly-charming film called MOONRISE KINGDOM, the plot of which IMDB says is so: "A pair of lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them." It is fairly safe to say it will be funny and quirky, and will have a wonderful soundtrack full of rare Bob Dylan or Beatles or Lou Reed b-sides. That's just speculation, but one thing that is known for sure is his ensemble cast is as big and varied as ever, including Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray (yeah!), Frances McDormand, Harvey Keitel, and Jason Schwartzman. Plus I wouldn't be surprised if a Wilson brother or two made an appearance. Personally, I feel Anderson peaked early in his career with BOTTLE ROCKET, RUSHMORE, and THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS. I will admit I did not love either THE LIFE AQUATIC nor THE DARJEELING LIMITED, but FANTASTIC MR. FOX was amazing and restored my faith, so let's hope he is on the rise to a second peak in his career, this time staying there for good.
PROMETHEUS, directed by Ridley Scott.
I love Ridley Scott's films when I get the sense he is completely submersing himself in a project. Now that may seem ridiculous, because he is a professional director, but some of his films are different, think BLADE RUNNER, ALIEN, GLADIATOR. There is something in these films that sets them apart, and for that reason they have become landmark films in their respective genres: sci-fi, sci-fi/horror, and historical action, respectively. I deeply hope, that PROMETHEUS can be added to this trope. PROMETHEUS is the prequel/sequel/different-story-same-universe to Scott's 1979 classic ALIEN, (along with the three other titles in this series), which has prompted much speculation and rumoring about the content. There is talk it will reveal clues to the origins of the Aliens of title, of man himself, and even the universe. Most interestingly perhaps, it will reveal some back-story about the enigmatic and unexplained "Space Jockey" seen in Scott's 1979 film. The trailer swept through just before Christmas and provided some suspenseful imagery; I think it is safe to say the Alien series is being taken back into the sci-fi/horror genre. The cast also looks excellent with Noomi Rapace (the original Lisbeth Salander), Michael Fassbender, Patrick Wilson, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, and Guy Pearce. Let's hope this turns out to be as good as we all want it to be!
GRAVITY, directed by Alfonso Cuarón.
Cuarón is responsible for one of my favorite films, the epic CHILDREN OF MEN, as well as the very excellent Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, so naturally I perked up when I heard he was doing another sci-fi film, this time with George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. Rumors have also been swirling around this one, of a wildly technologically ambitious film told through motion capture, 3D, and most recently, of it being told in one long take, something Cuarón dazzled me with in CHILDREN OF MEN. No doubt if it is "one long take", there will be cuts hidden digitally here and there, but it will be quite impressive. I wonder if that means the story will be in real-time also? Another news item that has recently come up is that Cuarón has said "no" to his actors wearing make-up in the film. Interesting! I'm sure this film will get a lot of press for its innovations when the publicity campaign ramps up in the months before its alledged November 21 release date.
So what does 2012 hold? Who will rise and triumph, and who will crash and burn? Hollywood has a promising slate: possibly the biggest film of the year will be Christopher Nolan's much hyped final chapter in his Batman saga, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. Although the AMAZING SPIDERMAN, yes a re-launch of that series, might have something to say about that. There will be an AVENGERS movie, which will also no doubt be a huge box office draw. But what else is there? What am I looking forward to in 2012? (Aside from TDKR) I will tell you:
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| Director Rian Johnson with what may appear to be a time-traveling machine. |
Johnson directed one of the great neo-noir films, 2005's BRICK, a gripping mystery set in a high school setting, with all the noir archtypes present: detective, kingpin, femme fatale, etc., and it worked incredibly. He followed BRICK up with 2008's THE BROTHERS BLOOM which I enjoyed, but did not love. LOOPER re-teams Johnson with BRICK star Joseph Gordon Levitt who has since exploded on the scene. This time they are leaning towards sci-fi more with a story about a hitman who is sent into the future to do a hit and encounters his future self (Bruce Willis) who is waiting to be knocked off. Or something. That is basically what I have gleaned from the paltry amount of info on this movie. Johnson has been running a LOOPER tumblr blog, posting post-, pre-, and production stills, as well as concept art there so it is an interesting browse! Looking forward to this showing its face in October.
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| Wes Anderson, in typical garb. |
What can I say? The Texas-born auteur returns in 2012 with another undoubtedly-charming film called MOONRISE KINGDOM, the plot of which IMDB says is so: "A pair of lovers flee their New England town, which causes a local search party to fan out and find them." It is fairly safe to say it will be funny and quirky, and will have a wonderful soundtrack full of rare Bob Dylan or Beatles or Lou Reed b-sides. That's just speculation, but one thing that is known for sure is his ensemble cast is as big and varied as ever, including Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Tilda Swinton, Bill Murray (yeah!), Frances McDormand, Harvey Keitel, and Jason Schwartzman. Plus I wouldn't be surprised if a Wilson brother or two made an appearance. Personally, I feel Anderson peaked early in his career with BOTTLE ROCKET, RUSHMORE, and THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS. I will admit I did not love either THE LIFE AQUATIC nor THE DARJEELING LIMITED, but FANTASTIC MR. FOX was amazing and restored my faith, so let's hope he is on the rise to a second peak in his career, this time staying there for good.
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| Ridley Scott and xenomorph |
I love Ridley Scott's films when I get the sense he is completely submersing himself in a project. Now that may seem ridiculous, because he is a professional director, but some of his films are different, think BLADE RUNNER, ALIEN, GLADIATOR. There is something in these films that sets them apart, and for that reason they have become landmark films in their respective genres: sci-fi, sci-fi/horror, and historical action, respectively. I deeply hope, that PROMETHEUS can be added to this trope. PROMETHEUS is the prequel/sequel/different-story-same-universe to Scott's 1979 classic ALIEN, (along with the three other titles in this series), which has prompted much speculation and rumoring about the content. There is talk it will reveal clues to the origins of the Aliens of title, of man himself, and even the universe. Most interestingly perhaps, it will reveal some back-story about the enigmatic and unexplained "Space Jockey" seen in Scott's 1979 film. The trailer swept through just before Christmas and provided some suspenseful imagery; I think it is safe to say the Alien series is being taken back into the sci-fi/horror genre. The cast also looks excellent with Noomi Rapace (the original Lisbeth Salander), Michael Fassbender, Patrick Wilson, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, and Guy Pearce. Let's hope this turns out to be as good as we all want it to be!
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| Cuarón on the CHILDREN OF MEN set. |
GRAVITY, directed by Alfonso Cuarón.
Cuarón is responsible for one of my favorite films, the epic CHILDREN OF MEN, as well as the very excellent Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, so naturally I perked up when I heard he was doing another sci-fi film, this time with George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. Rumors have also been swirling around this one, of a wildly technologically ambitious film told through motion capture, 3D, and most recently, of it being told in one long take, something Cuarón dazzled me with in CHILDREN OF MEN. No doubt if it is "one long take", there will be cuts hidden digitally here and there, but it will be quite impressive. I wonder if that means the story will be in real-time also? Another news item that has recently come up is that Cuarón has said "no" to his actors wearing make-up in the film. Interesting! I'm sure this film will get a lot of press for its innovations when the publicity campaign ramps up in the months before its alledged November 21 release date.
31.12.11
The Top 10 Movies of 2011 I Have Seen
The title says it all right there. Yes, there are glaring omissions in this list, but that is only because I haven't seen some very obvious choices! And how can I really plug something I haven't seen? I'm dying to see THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO and yes, I still plan on seeing THE ARTIST, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN, THE DESCENDANTS, SHAME, etc etc., but as of the writing of this list I have not seen these, sadly. But here goes, in no particular order!
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: SECRET OF THE UNICORN
dir. Steven Spielberg
Well, I saw this very recently so it is freshest in my mind, but it would probably kick off my list regardless. I have been a huge fan of Tintin ever since elementary school, and when someone tries to take something you treasure so much and up-convert it into a Hollywood motion-captured animated 3-D movie, well I don't know about you, but it put me on edge. But if there is one filmmaker out there who can do it well, it is Steven Spielberg (partnered with Peter Jackson). The film they have created is so full of love and respect for the style, stories, and characters that Herge created so many decades ago. From the first frame of the opening credits to the last iris-out on Snowy's (Milou's!) nose, I was completely captivated! The credits are that wonderful Saul Bass inspired style that Spielberg also used in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN that befits a globe-trotter like Tintin, and from there to the first scene involving a portrait artist (looking awfully like Herge himself) I knew we were in good hands! It is a tremendously beautiful film that again proves what a master filmmaker Spielberg is. His use of 3D is so unobtrusive that I was able to sink into the film and just sit agog as he transported us across oceans and deserts. The characters--Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, Thompson, Thomson, Allan, Nestor, etc.--were all pitch perfect. Of note, definitely, was Andy Serkis as Haddock, who after playing various apes and Gollum, has perfected the artistry of body- and facial-recognition acting. His voicing was also perfect (I never thought of Haddock as a Scot--but it's perfect!), as were Jamie Bell as the boy reporter, and Nick Frost and Simon Pegg as the bumbling Interpol twosome Thompson/Thomson, and Daniel Craig as Sakaran. Do yourself a favour and go and see this immediately! I have so much more to say about this so expect a full write up in the days to come!
TAKE SHELTER
dir. Jeff Nichols
As my review earlier this year summed up--this is a fantastic film. One of the best of the year. The acting is as good as it gets, with Michael Shannon as the tormented Curtis, and Jessica Chastain as his baffled, yet determined wife Samantha. Curtis, who begins having increasingly terrifying visions and dreams, believes a storm unlike any other is coming. He sets about refurbishing his family's disused tornado shelter, much to the alarm of his family, friends, and employer. Is the world ending, or is Curtis succumbing to mental illness? This is a taut, tense, beautiful film, that left my head spinning after the semi-ambiguous ending which I loved. Grab some popcorn and someone's hand to squeeze and watch this! Thrilling filmmaking at its best. Definite Oscar bait for the performances.
DRIVE
dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
I would be remiss to not include this fantastic modern take on the classic nameless protagonist (in this case a getaway driver) made popular by people like Clint Eastwood as The Man With No Name. Ryan Gosling stars as the wheel-man whose quiet, tough shell is cracked by oh-so-sweet damsel Cary Mulligan. The Driver becomes so attached to her and her son that even once her (gentleman) thug husband returns from the clink, he vows to help and protect all of them, driving him to extreme violence and car chases. Some found the violence too graphic (it was prettttty gnarly), the pacing too artsy, and the car chases too few, but I thought it was a perfect stylistic blend of 80s tackiness, Euro-poppiness, and urban-desolation. This film's soundtrack and its cinematography is enough to make this a recommended movie, and an unquestionable (for me!) purchase when it comes out on Blu-Ray this January. Great performances for all, especially a breakout one for newly-minted badass Albert Brooks.
HUGO
dir. Martin Scorsese
Many master filmmakers tried their hands at 3D this year, and if Spielberg is number one, then Scorsese is definitely a close second. I'm still on the fence with 3D for all the obvious reasons (cost, brightness, you have to wear glasses, the inferrence that a "normal" "2D" movie is lacking something), but these two filmmakers have demonstrated what is possible. The key, as Spielberg showed us, is basically to make a fantastic, beautiful film, that just happens to be in 3D. It shouldn't distract. And despite how counter-intuitive it might seem to make a comic strip 3D, bringing something "2D" like Tintin to life works. Scorsese's application of it is interesting in an entirely different way. While most of HUGO could work perfectly viewed non-3D, it was absolutely fascinating to see the real Méliès and Lumière Bros. films from the late 1890s brought to life in colour and 3D (A Train Entering the Station in 3D might emulate for some how an audience allegedly reacted in 1895). It was a staggering, stunning, reach across a century of film, tying us to them, akin, to me, of that mindblowing transition in Kubrick's 2001 from prehistoric bone to satellite--you know the one. If Spielberg's film is a tribute to Saturday afternoon adventure serial nostalgia (and possibly recompense for INDIANA JONES 4), then Scorsese's film is an ode to film, all films, especially the origins. Scorsese is not only paying homage to this pioneers, but also bowing deeply in respect to all who have come before him, after him, and have ever been touched by the magic of cinema. The sequence in the library where Hugo and Isabelle review the previous years of film history gave me goosebumps. I'm serious! Seeing Buster Keaton in 3D was too much to handle! In a good way.
HANNA
dir. Joe Wright
I had a feeling I would like this film, but I must say it really exceeded any expectations I had! As I wrote in my blurb about this earlier this year, the action movie world is overrun with protagonists on the run who can do everything and outsmart everyone (Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt, Batman even), but HANNA was smart and original. I found parts to be very reminiscent of Tom Tykwer's RUN LOLA RUN, and Wright's direction was fresh and exciting in a genre that is oversaturated with cliche and convention. Saoirse Ronan as the pale but capable character of title was wonderful, and the strong supporting cast of Eric Bana as her secret agent father, Cate Blanchette as a CIA black-ops woman (channeling George W. Bush--I know, but it works!), and many other familiar faces: Jason Flemyng, Tom Hollander, Olivia Williams. I also loved the Chemical Brothers' soundtrack which drove the film across continents and through subway stations and cargo ports. Highly recommended. Local fun-fact: the script was written by Seth Lochhead, a Nanaimo native and VFS student.
THE DEBT
dir. John Madden
Here is another great film (that I wrote about earlier this year) that came out of the proverbial woodwork and impressed me. If nothing else, 2011 was the year of Jessica Chastain, who starred in no less than 7 films released in the calendar year, including TAKE SHELTER and Terrence Malick's THE TREE OF LIFE. She, her publicist, and her agent must be incredibly smart people because in the span of less than a year they have made her a household name with some serious street cred. And I would not be surprised come Oscar time if she was nominated more than once. Chastain is America's answer to Kate Winslet and for her a bright future I do see. Now: THE DEBT. An exciting, thrilling film about three Mossad agents hunting for an infamous Nazi doctor, that jumps back and forth across decades, from Cold War era Berlin to modern day Israel and beyond. What impressed me, aside from the captivating performances, was the way director John Madden kept everything coherent. It really is a testament to him (and his editor Alexander Berner) how I managed to keep track of three different characters, each portrayed by two actors in two different time periods without much trouble. It didn't hurt that Madden also had, along with the aforementioned Chastain, some stalwart character actors: Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, and Ciarán Hinds (pronounced "Keer-en"--he's Irish) as well as Jesper Christensen, as the creepy Doktor Bernhardt. Thrown into the deep end with this talented pool of actors, is Sam Worthington who well proved his worthiness by playing the most mentally tortured of the young Mossad agents. Worthington, who is most known for turns in action films such as AVATAR, TERMINATOR: SALVATION, and CLASH OF THE TITANS, shows that he has true actors grit, and was definitely a highlight in THE DEBT.
THE IDES OF MARCH
dir. George Clooney
Almost everything Clooney touches turns to gold and when paired with it-person Ryan Gosling he is an unstoppable force. Clooney's fourth directing effort is a slightly pessimistic, but surely realistic, look at the run-up to the primary election of one Democrat candidate. Clooney plays said candidate, a seemingly idealistic and forward-thinking individual who is gathering momentum. Gosling is his chief press manager, a master of spin, who also wouldn't mind rising in the ranks in his own way. But when scandal inevitably shows its ugly face Gosling is forced to reassess his loyalties and goals. Along with Clooney and Gosling, the cast is incredible: Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti, arguably the two best character actors out there, as competing campaign managers; Marisa Tomei as a crafty (read: devious) reporter; Evan Rachel Wood as a pretty and crucial intern; Jeffrey Wright as key senator weighing his options on who to throw his support behind. THE IDES OF MARCH is a dark film, and as I mentioned fairly pessimistic, but it is a good portrayal of how politics is all about compromise, for better or for worse.
MONEYBALL
dir. Bennett Miller
Brad Pitt plays the MLB's Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Bean in this great drama about a total revolution in the way a sports team is managed. With the help of talented young analyst Peter Brand, Beane starts seeing players, not as commodities to be worshipped, but rising and falling stocks, to be assessed almost purely on their statistics and performance projections. Much to the dismay of an old-guard of baseball scouts, Beane sets about to turn his beloved Athletics around from a group of zeroes to a team of heroes by flouting the time-honoured traditional methods. Pitt is great as Beane, but the real stand-out for me was Jonah Hill as Brand, the young analyst and recent college grad. My one complaint is that I wanted to the film to centre more on the Jonah Hill character, I feel like he was the intriguing part of the story: like, what is his background? Why is he so interested in the numbers of baseball? Is he actually a genius? But the Pitt character is the more obvious ingress for American audiences, a once over-hyped failed baseball prospect whose salvation lies in his success at managing a pro team. America loves second-chance stories. This is a great film that finally saw the day of light after a troubled pre-production progress. At some parts it is even reminiscent of JERRY MAGUIRE in the sports-as-business sense, and that is a good thing. Watch for Spike Jonze in a small role as Beane's ex-wife's new husband.
SENNA
dir. Asif Kapadia
(NOTE: I just realized this film was officially released in 2010, but not in Canada until August 2011. But I am keeping it here because, well, this is my blog!)
2011 was a year of great documentaries--so I am told. I am a huge fan of documentaries, but am ashamed to say that I saw a woefully small number of them. Ones yet to be seen that have received much acclaim include THE INTERRUPTERS, THE CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS and INTO THE ABYSS (both by the prolific Werner Herzog), PINA (in 3D, by Wim Wenders--apparently stunning), and BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK to name a few. Roger Ebert has a great list on his website. I think 2012 will be a great year for documentary rentals. But one fantastic documentary I did see was SENNA, about the legendary and ultimately tragic life of the great Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna. The passionately Brazillian Senna was one of those rare people to come along who could easily stand beside Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, and Michael Jordan, as an athlete who changed their sport forever. Senna was a fearless race car driver, one who thrived in the rain, did not fear corners or crashes, and was determined to win no matter what, even if it meant running himself and/or his teammates or competitors off the track. As a revered as he was for his bravery, he was also reviled for his ruthless and at times reckless driving style, not least by teammate and rival Alain "The Professor" Prost. Despite his arrogance on the track, Senna sometimes displayed incredible humility and humanity: at a race in Belgium in 1992, Senna stopped his car and jumped out, risking his own life, to assist a driver who had crashed in front of him. SENNA is a film that documents the driver's life, warts and all, in a way, I believe, that even someone who has never watched F1 in their life can enjoy. It is also window into the glory days of Formula 1 in the 1980s when the cars were insanely powerful, lacked traction control, as well as many of the safety provisions drivers use today. This is a captivating portrait of one of the most enigmatic and fascinating sports figures of recent history.
BRIDESMAIDS
dir. Paul Feig
BRIDESMAIDS is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time! It also turned me from a Kristen Wiig fan into a Kristen Wiig super-fan. Her comic timing, I think, is the best there is, and she easily stands beside Amy Poehler and Tina Fey as one of the funniest female comedians working today. Many also called this film a game-changer, proving a nearly all-female cast with a female-oriented story could entertain audiences of both genders. It's a sad reality that in 2011 we are praising a successful film for being female-driven. In the hugely lucrative "gross-out comedy" genre the films are largely written, directed, produced, and starring young-to-middle-aged males with a target audience of young-to-middle-aged males (See: THE HANGOVER 1 & 2, HORRIBLE BOSSES, 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN etc. etc.). BRIDESMAIDS was co-written by Wiig, and though she is the clear star, her band of friends form a formidable comic posse, including SNL's Maya Rudolph, The Office's Ellie Kemper, and a standout performance by the hilarious Melissa McCarthy as Megan, the bride's future-sister-in-law. The few male roles in it were also marvelous: Chris O'Dowd as the handsome (and Irish?) police officer love-interest, and Jon Hamm as Wiig's awful and arrogant sometimes-lover. Just writing about this makes me want to see this again!
So there you have it, ten great films from 2011. Honourable mentions for being standouts in their genres go to:
SUPER 8
TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY
SOURCE CODE
OUR IDIOT BROTHER
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL
Other films which I have not seen but I have either high hopes for and/or have much critical acclaim include:
THE ARTIST
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
THE TREE OF LIFE
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN
THE DESCENDENTS
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
YOUNG ADULT
THE MUPPETS
SHAME
MELANCHOLIA
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
LE HAVRE
and RANGO
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN: SECRET OF THE UNICORN
dir. Steven Spielberg
Well, I saw this very recently so it is freshest in my mind, but it would probably kick off my list regardless. I have been a huge fan of Tintin ever since elementary school, and when someone tries to take something you treasure so much and up-convert it into a Hollywood motion-captured animated 3-D movie, well I don't know about you, but it put me on edge. But if there is one filmmaker out there who can do it well, it is Steven Spielberg (partnered with Peter Jackson). The film they have created is so full of love and respect for the style, stories, and characters that Herge created so many decades ago. From the first frame of the opening credits to the last iris-out on Snowy's (Milou's!) nose, I was completely captivated! The credits are that wonderful Saul Bass inspired style that Spielberg also used in CATCH ME IF YOU CAN that befits a globe-trotter like Tintin, and from there to the first scene involving a portrait artist (looking awfully like Herge himself) I knew we were in good hands! It is a tremendously beautiful film that again proves what a master filmmaker Spielberg is. His use of 3D is so unobtrusive that I was able to sink into the film and just sit agog as he transported us across oceans and deserts. The characters--Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, Thompson, Thomson, Allan, Nestor, etc.--were all pitch perfect. Of note, definitely, was Andy Serkis as Haddock, who after playing various apes and Gollum, has perfected the artistry of body- and facial-recognition acting. His voicing was also perfect (I never thought of Haddock as a Scot--but it's perfect!), as were Jamie Bell as the boy reporter, and Nick Frost and Simon Pegg as the bumbling Interpol twosome Thompson/Thomson, and Daniel Craig as Sakaran. Do yourself a favour and go and see this immediately! I have so much more to say about this so expect a full write up in the days to come!
TAKE SHELTER
dir. Jeff Nichols
As my review earlier this year summed up--this is a fantastic film. One of the best of the year. The acting is as good as it gets, with Michael Shannon as the tormented Curtis, and Jessica Chastain as his baffled, yet determined wife Samantha. Curtis, who begins having increasingly terrifying visions and dreams, believes a storm unlike any other is coming. He sets about refurbishing his family's disused tornado shelter, much to the alarm of his family, friends, and employer. Is the world ending, or is Curtis succumbing to mental illness? This is a taut, tense, beautiful film, that left my head spinning after the semi-ambiguous ending which I loved. Grab some popcorn and someone's hand to squeeze and watch this! Thrilling filmmaking at its best. Definite Oscar bait for the performances.
DRIVE
dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
I would be remiss to not include this fantastic modern take on the classic nameless protagonist (in this case a getaway driver) made popular by people like Clint Eastwood as The Man With No Name. Ryan Gosling stars as the wheel-man whose quiet, tough shell is cracked by oh-so-sweet damsel Cary Mulligan. The Driver becomes so attached to her and her son that even once her (gentleman) thug husband returns from the clink, he vows to help and protect all of them, driving him to extreme violence and car chases. Some found the violence too graphic (it was prettttty gnarly), the pacing too artsy, and the car chases too few, but I thought it was a perfect stylistic blend of 80s tackiness, Euro-poppiness, and urban-desolation. This film's soundtrack and its cinematography is enough to make this a recommended movie, and an unquestionable (for me!) purchase when it comes out on Blu-Ray this January. Great performances for all, especially a breakout one for newly-minted badass Albert Brooks.
HUGO
dir. Martin Scorsese
Many master filmmakers tried their hands at 3D this year, and if Spielberg is number one, then Scorsese is definitely a close second. I'm still on the fence with 3D for all the obvious reasons (cost, brightness, you have to wear glasses, the inferrence that a "normal" "2D" movie is lacking something), but these two filmmakers have demonstrated what is possible. The key, as Spielberg showed us, is basically to make a fantastic, beautiful film, that just happens to be in 3D. It shouldn't distract. And despite how counter-intuitive it might seem to make a comic strip 3D, bringing something "2D" like Tintin to life works. Scorsese's application of it is interesting in an entirely different way. While most of HUGO could work perfectly viewed non-3D, it was absolutely fascinating to see the real Méliès and Lumière Bros. films from the late 1890s brought to life in colour and 3D (A Train Entering the Station in 3D might emulate for some how an audience allegedly reacted in 1895). It was a staggering, stunning, reach across a century of film, tying us to them, akin, to me, of that mindblowing transition in Kubrick's 2001 from prehistoric bone to satellite--you know the one. If Spielberg's film is a tribute to Saturday afternoon adventure serial nostalgia (and possibly recompense for INDIANA JONES 4), then Scorsese's film is an ode to film, all films, especially the origins. Scorsese is not only paying homage to this pioneers, but also bowing deeply in respect to all who have come before him, after him, and have ever been touched by the magic of cinema. The sequence in the library where Hugo and Isabelle review the previous years of film history gave me goosebumps. I'm serious! Seeing Buster Keaton in 3D was too much to handle! In a good way.
HANNA
dir. Joe Wright
I had a feeling I would like this film, but I must say it really exceeded any expectations I had! As I wrote in my blurb about this earlier this year, the action movie world is overrun with protagonists on the run who can do everything and outsmart everyone (Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt, Batman even), but HANNA was smart and original. I found parts to be very reminiscent of Tom Tykwer's RUN LOLA RUN, and Wright's direction was fresh and exciting in a genre that is oversaturated with cliche and convention. Saoirse Ronan as the pale but capable character of title was wonderful, and the strong supporting cast of Eric Bana as her secret agent father, Cate Blanchette as a CIA black-ops woman (channeling George W. Bush--I know, but it works!), and many other familiar faces: Jason Flemyng, Tom Hollander, Olivia Williams. I also loved the Chemical Brothers' soundtrack which drove the film across continents and through subway stations and cargo ports. Highly recommended. Local fun-fact: the script was written by Seth Lochhead, a Nanaimo native and VFS student.
THE DEBT
dir. John Madden
Here is another great film (that I wrote about earlier this year) that came out of the proverbial woodwork and impressed me. If nothing else, 2011 was the year of Jessica Chastain, who starred in no less than 7 films released in the calendar year, including TAKE SHELTER and Terrence Malick's THE TREE OF LIFE. She, her publicist, and her agent must be incredibly smart people because in the span of less than a year they have made her a household name with some serious street cred. And I would not be surprised come Oscar time if she was nominated more than once. Chastain is America's answer to Kate Winslet and for her a bright future I do see. Now: THE DEBT. An exciting, thrilling film about three Mossad agents hunting for an infamous Nazi doctor, that jumps back and forth across decades, from Cold War era Berlin to modern day Israel and beyond. What impressed me, aside from the captivating performances, was the way director John Madden kept everything coherent. It really is a testament to him (and his editor Alexander Berner) how I managed to keep track of three different characters, each portrayed by two actors in two different time periods without much trouble. It didn't hurt that Madden also had, along with the aforementioned Chastain, some stalwart character actors: Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, and Ciarán Hinds (pronounced "Keer-en"--he's Irish) as well as Jesper Christensen, as the creepy Doktor Bernhardt. Thrown into the deep end with this talented pool of actors, is Sam Worthington who well proved his worthiness by playing the most mentally tortured of the young Mossad agents. Worthington, who is most known for turns in action films such as AVATAR, TERMINATOR: SALVATION, and CLASH OF THE TITANS, shows that he has true actors grit, and was definitely a highlight in THE DEBT.
THE IDES OF MARCH
dir. George Clooney
Almost everything Clooney touches turns to gold and when paired with it-person Ryan Gosling he is an unstoppable force. Clooney's fourth directing effort is a slightly pessimistic, but surely realistic, look at the run-up to the primary election of one Democrat candidate. Clooney plays said candidate, a seemingly idealistic and forward-thinking individual who is gathering momentum. Gosling is his chief press manager, a master of spin, who also wouldn't mind rising in the ranks in his own way. But when scandal inevitably shows its ugly face Gosling is forced to reassess his loyalties and goals. Along with Clooney and Gosling, the cast is incredible: Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti, arguably the two best character actors out there, as competing campaign managers; Marisa Tomei as a crafty (read: devious) reporter; Evan Rachel Wood as a pretty and crucial intern; Jeffrey Wright as key senator weighing his options on who to throw his support behind. THE IDES OF MARCH is a dark film, and as I mentioned fairly pessimistic, but it is a good portrayal of how politics is all about compromise, for better or for worse.
MONEYBALL
dir. Bennett Miller
Brad Pitt plays the MLB's Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Bean in this great drama about a total revolution in the way a sports team is managed. With the help of talented young analyst Peter Brand, Beane starts seeing players, not as commodities to be worshipped, but rising and falling stocks, to be assessed almost purely on their statistics and performance projections. Much to the dismay of an old-guard of baseball scouts, Beane sets about to turn his beloved Athletics around from a group of zeroes to a team of heroes by flouting the time-honoured traditional methods. Pitt is great as Beane, but the real stand-out for me was Jonah Hill as Brand, the young analyst and recent college grad. My one complaint is that I wanted to the film to centre more on the Jonah Hill character, I feel like he was the intriguing part of the story: like, what is his background? Why is he so interested in the numbers of baseball? Is he actually a genius? But the Pitt character is the more obvious ingress for American audiences, a once over-hyped failed baseball prospect whose salvation lies in his success at managing a pro team. America loves second-chance stories. This is a great film that finally saw the day of light after a troubled pre-production progress. At some parts it is even reminiscent of JERRY MAGUIRE in the sports-as-business sense, and that is a good thing. Watch for Spike Jonze in a small role as Beane's ex-wife's new husband.
SENNA
dir. Asif Kapadia
(NOTE: I just realized this film was officially released in 2010, but not in Canada until August 2011. But I am keeping it here because, well, this is my blog!)
2011 was a year of great documentaries--so I am told. I am a huge fan of documentaries, but am ashamed to say that I saw a woefully small number of them. Ones yet to be seen that have received much acclaim include THE INTERRUPTERS, THE CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS and INTO THE ABYSS (both by the prolific Werner Herzog), PINA (in 3D, by Wim Wenders--apparently stunning), and BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK to name a few. Roger Ebert has a great list on his website. I think 2012 will be a great year for documentary rentals. But one fantastic documentary I did see was SENNA, about the legendary and ultimately tragic life of the great Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna. The passionately Brazillian Senna was one of those rare people to come along who could easily stand beside Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, and Michael Jordan, as an athlete who changed their sport forever. Senna was a fearless race car driver, one who thrived in the rain, did not fear corners or crashes, and was determined to win no matter what, even if it meant running himself and/or his teammates or competitors off the track. As a revered as he was for his bravery, he was also reviled for his ruthless and at times reckless driving style, not least by teammate and rival Alain "The Professor" Prost. Despite his arrogance on the track, Senna sometimes displayed incredible humility and humanity: at a race in Belgium in 1992, Senna stopped his car and jumped out, risking his own life, to assist a driver who had crashed in front of him. SENNA is a film that documents the driver's life, warts and all, in a way, I believe, that even someone who has never watched F1 in their life can enjoy. It is also window into the glory days of Formula 1 in the 1980s when the cars were insanely powerful, lacked traction control, as well as many of the safety provisions drivers use today. This is a captivating portrait of one of the most enigmatic and fascinating sports figures of recent history.
BRIDESMAIDS
dir. Paul Feig
BRIDESMAIDS is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time! It also turned me from a Kristen Wiig fan into a Kristen Wiig super-fan. Her comic timing, I think, is the best there is, and she easily stands beside Amy Poehler and Tina Fey as one of the funniest female comedians working today. Many also called this film a game-changer, proving a nearly all-female cast with a female-oriented story could entertain audiences of both genders. It's a sad reality that in 2011 we are praising a successful film for being female-driven. In the hugely lucrative "gross-out comedy" genre the films are largely written, directed, produced, and starring young-to-middle-aged males with a target audience of young-to-middle-aged males (See: THE HANGOVER 1 & 2, HORRIBLE BOSSES, 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN etc. etc.). BRIDESMAIDS was co-written by Wiig, and though she is the clear star, her band of friends form a formidable comic posse, including SNL's Maya Rudolph, The Office's Ellie Kemper, and a standout performance by the hilarious Melissa McCarthy as Megan, the bride's future-sister-in-law. The few male roles in it were also marvelous: Chris O'Dowd as the handsome (and Irish?) police officer love-interest, and Jon Hamm as Wiig's awful and arrogant sometimes-lover. Just writing about this makes me want to see this again!
So there you have it, ten great films from 2011. Honourable mentions for being standouts in their genres go to:
SUPER 8
TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY
SOURCE CODE
OUR IDIOT BROTHER
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE
HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS
and MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL
Other films which I have not seen but I have either high hopes for and/or have much critical acclaim include:
THE ARTIST
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
THE TREE OF LIFE
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN
THE DESCENDENTS
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
YOUNG ADULT
THE MUPPETS
SHAME
MELANCHOLIA
MY WEEK WITH MARILYN
LE HAVRE
and RANGO
19.12.11
BRUTE FORCE (1947)
It is a nice coincidence that I watched Jules Dassin's BRUTE FORCE today seeing as how yesterday would have been his 100th birthday, had he not died in March 2008. Who is Jules Dassin you may ask? Despite having a distinctly European sounding name, he was a talented American born filmmaker who made several very successful crime movies in the US in the 1940s--THE NAKED CITY, BRUTE FORCE, and THIEVES' HIGHWAY (I've yet to see this one)--before he was blacklisted in 1950. He struggled to find work, and even after he went to Europe he had difficulty getting films made as American distributors threatened to boycott releasing any of his work. His next film wasn't until 1955's excellent and influential (and French) heist film RIFIFI, said to have inspired modern films such as OCEANS 11. It also informed his 1964 film TOPKAPI, which, when I caught the last half it on TV recently I noticed must definitely have influenced Brian de Palma in filming the CIA heist sequence in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE when Tom Cruise enters via the ceiling.
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| Director Jules Dassin |
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| Burt Lancaster as Collins (far right), and his cellmates. |
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| Hume Cronyn as Capt. Munsey. |
It is also interesting watching an older prison drama. Prison life has been rather white-washed in two senses, one, in a literal sense, most of the prisoners are white males (contrary to the massive number of African-Americans in prison in actuality), but also, two, this prison seems kind of cleaned up and humane. Life seems to be relatively liveable with movies screened and plenty of different job details for inmates. Five or six men crammed into a prison cell seem to be tolerable, and downright friendly with each other. There are no drugs and hardly any violence between inmates--except the "accidental" death of one informant (a person who betrays his brothers). So yeah, life seems fairly liveable here--that is until you're summoned to Munsey's office and he draws the blinds.
BRUTE FORCE is a fantastic film, a riveting drama and prison break story that truly culminates in an explosive climax. In a way, it isn't a huge stretch to see why it may have come to the attention of the HUAAC and gotten Dassin blacklisted. It is the story of one courageous young man, rising up with his oppressed brothers to overthrow the leader for the greater good; where the one sacrifices himself for the many. But despite your ideological leanings, it is a really well made film, with excellent performances by Lancaster and Cronyn, as well as Charles Bickford as Gallagher, the prison's newspaper editor who has seen it all, and Art Smith as Dr. Walters, as the prison's doctor, and sometimes moral conscience. Go find this at your local video store or library, Criterion has an excellent DVD of it out!
Trailer:
BRUTE FORCE is a fantastic film, a riveting drama and prison break story that truly culminates in an explosive climax. In a way, it isn't a huge stretch to see why it may have come to the attention of the HUAAC and gotten Dassin blacklisted. It is the story of one courageous young man, rising up with his oppressed brothers to overthrow the leader for the greater good; where the one sacrifices himself for the many. But despite your ideological leanings, it is a really well made film, with excellent performances by Lancaster and Cronyn, as well as Charles Bickford as Gallagher, the prison's newspaper editor who has seen it all, and Art Smith as Dr. Walters, as the prison's doctor, and sometimes moral conscience. Go find this at your local video store or library, Criterion has an excellent DVD of it out!
Trailer:
18.12.11
Happy Birthday Steven Spielberg!
On this day in 1946 Steven Spielberg was born! Movies have never been the same! Thanks for all the great pictures Mr. S!
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