BADLANDS (1973)

I was just watching one of the real estate videos that I shot last week, and the stock music my editor chose to overlay on the soundtrack totally reminded me of the xylophone music from this wonderful Terrence Malick film from 1973, BADLANDS.  I watched this when I was in school several times, and if I do recall, had to do a sequence analysis on a section of it for a final exam.

Anyways, it is certainly high time that I rewatch this, as it is a beautiful film.  This is also Malick's debut feature film.  The trailer below basically gives you the plot line.  Also the music I'm referring to is in there too.  Take a look!  And then go rent it!

The Good Thief (2002)

THE GOOD THIEF is a both great character film and heist film.  They call it a "retelling" of Jean-Pierre Melville's classic film BOB LE FLAMBEUR about an aged gambler and heist orchestrator who wants to pull the fabled "one last heist." He is is drawn to a misguided teenaged girl who is at risk of going down all the wrong paths -- drugs, alcohol, and prostitution.  Bob assembles his crew of heisters and together they plot to rob a casino, although it never goes quite as planned.  In typical Melvillian fashion (as in the filmmaker, not the author), there is an equally interesting detective who knows Bob is planning a big job and is determined to catch him.  Many of Melville's films offer up two foils: one criminal, and one police, and shows us how they are often two sides of the same coin, seperated only by their job descriptions, but are basically driven by respective desires to be the pursued and the pursuer.  This is a theme that was also explored in films like HEAT, and even THE DARK KNIGHT.

Up until now, everything in the description above could be applied to either BOB LE FLAMBEUR or THE GOOD THIEF.  The basic stories are quite similar, but after that they part dramatically.  While Melville told his story mainly in and around Paris, director Neil Jordan sets THE GOOD THIEF in Monte Carlo and Nice.  But make no mistake, this isn't the picturesque Cote D'Azur you might imagine, it is the seedier world of the backstreets, dingy apartments, dingier nightclubs, and bars.  Not to mention drug use, violence, prostitution, illegal immagration, racial tension, and the less glamourous side of gambling.  Jordan's film resonates with contemporary France, a country struggling with a massive North African population of both legal and illegal immigrants, all trying to find their road to success, in varying degrees of legitimacy.

Nick Nolte as Bob.

The Bob character in this is also a little rougher around the edges.  Nick Nolte plays Bob here, a sort of ex-pat gambler junkie, who, like Nolte himself, appears as though he has woken up from a 30 year alchohol-gambling-heroin binge.  When he is straight, Bob is a talented gambler, and an even more talented thief (those both seem to go together so well).  But he knows he that his luck is just about gone.  In Anne, a young Russian immigrant, he sees a sort of redemption.  While he is old enough to be her grandfather, he is drawn to her, in primarily a paternal way, although she enjoys teasing him with her nubile sexuality.  Determined to pull off a last big job and to--we can extrapolate--possibly set up Anna for life, rescuing her from a (short) life of prostitution and drugs.  So Bob decides to clean up, he handcuffs himself to his bedframe, and with the help of his friends and Anna, curbs his heroin use.

Nutsa Kukhianidze as Anne.

Several days later, and with a slightly clearer head, he assembles his team of heisters and plans to rob a Monte Carlo casino of its 80 million francs the night before the Grand Prix, or its priceless paintings, or... both.  This is where the film holds its cards close to its chest by letting us into most of the heist plot, but slowly revealing twists and turns as the supporting cast of eccentrics go through their trials and tribulations. Despite their familiar roles: locksmith, strongman, inside man, techy guy, they are all interesting variations on what now is sort of a cliched heist team--take Philippe, for instance, the body builder who we quickly learn has gone through a sex-change operation, and now goes by Phillipa.

Although the heist is the climax of the film, it is not the really the main theme.  It is sort of the engine which drives the plot forward, but it really is a device which enables them to reveal their fears, anxieties, and passions to each other and to us.  When the heist finally goes down, Bob is in the casino gambling with Anne, as an alibi, and he is telling her his rules of gambling.  And while this is part of The Plan, we get the sensation that this is really the point of it all for him, to pass on wisdom to this young woman, to impart something on her that will make her take her life in a new and healthier direction.  And this is really where Jordan's strengths are, in the intimate interactions between mismatched characters.

It is also a very stylish film--even if it feels a little dated now--with the dramatically expressive colour palette, and the 90s new agey soundtrack (some Leonard Cohen and U2 b-sides there), but is is a definite worthwhile watch.  This is the role that Nick Nolte was born for, and with an excellent supporting cast of European actors, an interesting locale, and some smart plot work, Jean-Pierre Melville would probably be proud of this thoughtful reinterpretation of his classic French crime story.

(EDIT: The last paragraph I originally got the age of the film mixed up!  I thought it was older, a more 90s film.  But it was 2002.  I guess time flies when you're having fun!  Anyways, I've altered that paragraph to reflect that.)

THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO (1998)

Written, produced, and directed by Whit Stillman.

Well, I've had a run of great movies lately, and I've finally gotten a chance to write about them!  Something I seem to touch on regularly is how many wonderful films there are out there on the shelves, in the stacks, the depths of the internet, or wherever it is you look for films.  It is always such an incredible joy to be reminded that there is basically an endless supply of films out there that one has never heard of, and further, among those, there are bound to be numerous treasures waiting to be (re)discovered!  Being a sucker for some slick packaging and presentation, the Criterion Collection is a place I return to, and it is also a fantastic place for anyone interested in film to start looking around.  Their website is a treasure trove of information that can lead to discoveries of all sorts of genres, filmmakers, and foreign film industries in which lie many of the great films of the world.  Case in point, I came across one of America's (largely uncelebrated) great filmmakers, Whit Stillman. The writer-directer is also responsible for METROPOLITAN (which I have seen) and BARCELONA (which I haven't).  The former earned him a nomination for a Best Original Screenplay Oscar.

While METROPOLITAN focused on a young man attempting to move up a social level into a more "intellectual" class of white, rich, snobby (and yet slightly endearing) Manhattan college kids, THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO follows primarily a young woman Alice (90s It-girl Chloe Sevigny), and her white, upper-middle-class, slightly snobby friends (also kind of endearing), as they live their professional lives in Manhattan, renting apartments they can't afford (at least not without parental support), spending their days working for ad agencies or publishing houses, and their nights frequenting Studio 54-style nightclubs.  And of course, this all takes place -- you guessed it -- during the last days of disco, the very early 1980s.  In many ways a continuation of the characters found in METROPOLITAN (though chronologically this takes place years before that storyline), it discusses many of the themes found in that earlier film.  These young WASPy kids are coming to terms with themselves, and while, maybe not having existential crises, they are grappling with where they fit in the world, what to do with themselves, and what kind of relationships they want to have.  I should add as a disclaimer that, while rich white people may not necessarily be the kind of people who deserve the most sympathy, they are still a demographic which exists, and whose situation deserves an examination once in a while.  And Whit Stillman's writing walks this line smartly.  He never asks us to cry for them, but rather allows each one to exist and develop as they grow and learn about themselves.  Oh, and Stillman isn't afraid to make fools of his characters for our gratification.

Charlotte (Kate Beckinsale) and Alice (Chloe Sevigny), two 1980s yuppie socialites looking for love.

Stillman is a filmmaker who is especially known for his writing, and the dialogue in this film is smart and interesting.  Like many characters spawned in the 1990s (both in the time when the film was made, but also, I suppose, in the time period it is set, the 1980s) they relate to each other through cultural references.  While his characters in METROPOLITAN largely related to each other through passages of literature and classical novels, the people in THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO are more media saturated, and a heated conversation and analysis of the meaning of film like LADY AND THE TRAMP can reveal something about each person.  While not hugely recognized by the masses, Stillman's influence can be felt in filmmakers ranging from Wes Anderson, to Quentin Tarantino, to Noah Baumbach.  His films emerged in the incredibly fertile 1990s indie scene, a time when audiences where fascinated by the concept of characters sitting down and having a conversation about movies, music, or social norms.  Today, this kind of writing feels indulgent.  But back in the 1990s it was very fresh. 

Take a look at Whit Stillman's THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO.  I really enjoyed it, and it has some great music, some charming characters (and some wonderfully despicable ones -- see Kate Beckinsale's Charlotte), and a great story.  As well, I think the final scene/shot and end credits are one of my new favorites.  I still have "Love Train" in my head.

Trailer:




End scene/credits (slight spoiler -- but if it gets you interested then maybe it's worth it!):

HOUSE OF GAMES (1987)

Written and directed by David Mamet.

If you are familiar with Mamet, you know that he is known for his incredible smart and intricate plots, as well as his colourful dialogue, and in HOUSE OF GAMES, his debut feature film, he shines.  I just watched this and it was brilliant!  I'm trying to remember where I heard about it, but I'm glad I put it on my "to-watch" list when I did because this is truly a hidden gem of a film.  It is a sharp and witty neo-noir, steeped in expressive lighting, paranoia, twists and turns, and dynamic characters.  It is a world where it is impossible to know who to trust, and even the protagonist's motives are dubious.

Straight-edged Dr. Margaret Ford (Lindsay Crouse)

The story is that of a successful therapist who has recently hit it big with a best-selling self-help book.  Dr. Margaret Ford (Lindsay Crouse) has everything: a successful career, burgeoning fame, money, and respect from her peers, but something seems to be missing in her precise and regulated life.  She is a workaholic, and has become so engrossed in her cases that she has begun to blend her own life with that of her subjects.  A friend suggests she step back and take time to enjoy life, to do something that excites her, now she has accomplished some life goals.  Taking this advice, she follows up a lead and visits a man, Mike (Joe Montegna) who is putting one of her clients under extreme personal stress.   Her patient, a gambling addict, appears to owe Mike twenty-five thousand dollars, and he's threatened to kill him if he can't return it by the next day.  From here Margaret crosses over into the world of the confidence man.  She becomes obsessed with learning the motives of a man like Mike, and wants to learn more about how a morally ambiguous person like him operates day-to-day.  To Mike, and herself (superficially, it would seem), she claims her curiosity is driven by her profession as "a writer".  But deep down inside they both know that she lusts after some excitement, an edge to her life that can give the rest of it all meaning.

A younger Joe Montegna is a smooth-as-ice cardsharp.

What follows is a twisty and turny mystery story, where it is impossible to say where reality ends and a con begins.  Margaret becomes involved in a confidence scheme, but who is really being fleeced?  Characters come and go, but who knows whether they truly are strangers, or just accomplices in on the take?  It is also a intriguing look into the world of the confidence man.  This is not a new or original topic to be explored in film, but under Mamet's expert scripting, it becomes a fascinating film to watch.  Mamet is primarily known for his theater, but his is an art that translates effectively to film.  At times it feels like it is theater, but it doesn't matter, his dialogue is immersing.  His actors deliver the lines theatrically, and I mean this not as a criticism, but rather an observation.  Like many great films, where the actors speak in ways that people likely wouldn't normally -- for example old film noirs like THE BIG SLEEP or THE MALTESE FALCON -- the dialogue is so liquid and rich, it doesn't matter.

For anyone interested in Mamet, film noir, mysteries, stories about confidence men, or poker, take a look at this film.  Criterion recently put out an excellent DVD of it.  It is a fascinating film, and one that will leave you questioning things up to -- and beyond -- the last frame.

Trailer:
 

SKYFALL (2012)

The first teaser trailer for SKYFALL just came out and I am very excited!  It does just what a teaser should: it whets the appetite!  Big time!

BARRY LYNDON (1975)

So I finally saw Stanley Kubrick's BARRY LYNDON and it was really enjoyable!  For a 3-hour costume period drama, I wasn't expecting to as much as I did!  Granted, I did watch it in a few segments.  And, like 2001, which I also re-watched recently, it has an intermission.  (I wish that was still a thing they did for longer movies).  It's hard to know whether the "Kubrick" factor was the big part of my enjoyment of the film--it did really feel like one of his films--but I do know that the story was compelling, the acting great, and the cinematography beautiful.  I had heard that most of the film, if not all of it, was shot using just natural and candle light, and it is very evident.  I myself am definitely a fan of using natural and available light, and in a period film like this, set in the 1770s, I find that the shadow of artificial movie lighting can really distract me and take me out of the story.  Instead, here we have gorgeous scenes where huge swaths of light stream in through tall palace windows, or gentle afternoon sunlight filters through the trees in a forest.  Kubrick was also said to be influenced heavily by the paintings of the era, and it is very evident.  There are many shots that I'm sure must be direct references to works of art, and the composition of a lot of scenes look quite art-like, with couples placed conveniently in corners of the frame having discussions, or maybe a sheep dog lying lazily in the foreground, a small group of people out rowing in a pond, or maybe a drunk luxuriating on a couch with his hat pulled over his eyes.  Aside from the technical and Kubrick-based aspects I like, I found myself really enjoying the story as well, which is never a bad thing in a film this length.  It follows Redmond Barry (Ryan O'Neal), an Irish lad who basically, through adventure and misadventure, winds up working his way up the ladder of European aristocracy.  He is a likeable character, but not without faults, and O'Neal was wonderful taking him through the years from naive country boy, to aged aristocrat.  So, if you have seen Kubrick's films and enjoy his style, his tracking shots, his occasional zooms, and his precise composition, then this is definitely recommended viewing.  It also won four Oscars, for, not surprisingly, Cinematography, Costume Design, Art Direction, and Musical Score.  Kubrick himself was nominated for Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Adapted Screenplay.  If you've never seen a Kubrick film before, maybe don't start with this, start with FULL METAL JACKET, CLOCKWORK ORANGE, or even THE SHINING, but if you are an avid filmgoer with a passion for beautiful composition in your shots, then this, I have a feeling, you will enjoy!

Kubrick on set.

SAMSARA (2012)

If you are familiar with the stunning and transcendent visual poetry of Ron Fricke's non-narrative documentary BARAKA (1992), his follow up film SAMSARA might interest you as well!  He filmed everything with 70mm film so I will no doubt be gorgeous.  I would write more about this, but part of the magic of Fricke's films are that they have to be seen and experienced, and preferably in a giant theatre.  Here is the trailer.

THE AMBASSADOR Trailer (2011)

Listening to CBC's wonderful show DISPATCHES with Rick McInnes-Rae--which is sadly being axed thanks to the recent cuts in CBC's funding--I heard an interview with Mads Brugger, the Danish filmmaker/star of this fascinating looking documentary.  It sounded like a really interesting story and now that I've seen the trailer I'm determined to find this film somewhere.  Brugger, a journalist, buys himself a title as an ambassador to the Central African Republic, one of Africa's least known countries,  and poses as a diplomat, involving himself in all sorts of dubious affairs.  The corruption of Africa is staggering, no thanks to years of European colonization, and the westernification of the continent means money can get you virtually anything, including an ambassadorship to a foreign nation.  I'm very eager to see this!  Have a look at the trailer:

THE ART OF FLIGHT (2011)

We watched this film last night and it was pretty incredible!  It is amazingly filmed!  The entire film is pure eye-candy.  From what I understand a huge portion of it was shot with RED cameras, and it shows.  Even if you aren't interested in snowboarding films, I feel it's worth watching for the cinematography alone!  Along with the epic snowboarding, the helicopter piloting is equally impressive!  Keep your eyes peeled for that shot of the chopper in a vertical dive.

PROMETHEUS (2012)

New PROMETHEUS trailer!  Looks even more awesome!