Greetings again from the darkness. Show or tell … films tend to lean one direction or the other. Visuals are obviously the key to the popularity of superhero movies and comic book adaptations, while on the other end of the spectrum we have ‘Mamet-speak.’ David Mamet is a Pulitzer Prize winning writer who has been nominated for Oscars, Tonys, and Emmys. Best known for his rapidly-paced labyrinthian dialogue, Mamet is known for both his stage and screen projects.
His 1976 play “Sexual Perversion in Chicago” was adapted into the film, ABOUT LAST NIGHT (1996), while possibly his best known stage-to-screen adaptation was GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS (1992), which was directed by the recently deceased James Foley). Other well-known Mamet screenplays include THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1981), THE VERDICT (1982), THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987), WAG THE DOG (1997) and HANNIBAL (2001). Mamet has also directed some of his own screenplays: HOMICIDE (1991), THE SPANISH PRISONER (1997), and STATE AND MAIN (2000). I also must mention one of my favorites, his underappreciated 1987 film, HOUSE OF GAMES.
Since it’s been about 17 years since he last directed a feature film, it seemed fitting to post a bit of a David Mamet history lesson. For this one (he again adapted from one of his plays), he directs a small cast working with an enormous script of dialogue. There are basically four sequences, the middle two combine for Act II. A mesmerizing 23-minute opening sequence finds Mr Barnes (Chris Bauer, “True Blood”) in a rapid-fire debate with his employee, the titular Henry (Evan Jonigkeit, wearing what I believe to be Mamet’s eyeglasses). The conversation is two-sided as the men discuss the finer points of the law, among other things – including a decision Henry made regarding an old friend. As the scene ends, we viewers and Henry get a big surprise from Barnes.
The next two sequences find Henry taking in the philosophy and life lessons from his cell mate Gene (Shia LaBeouf). This follows Barnes’ comment from earlier when he reminded that one of the signs of a psychopath is immense charm. Henry is clearly taken in by all Gene has to offer – both in their cell and in the prison library, as they analyze the role of fear and other crucial lessons that master manipulator Gene is inclined to share. The final sequence is a tense standoff with an armed Henry holding prison guard Jerry (Dominic Hoffman, Mamet’s REDBELT, 2008). Again, we find someone offering advice and counseling to Henry, who seems mostly capable of being taken advantage of and making poor decisions. Henry tells him, “Do what you want – people generally do.” And I do hope Mamet lovers will check this one out and bask in the Mamet-speak that we are too rarely treated.
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Greetings again from the darkness. Purchasing a home is often called ‘The American Dream.’ For Josh and Rachel, it’s even more special when their son, 6-year-old Max, refers to their new place as “a mansion”. Sometimes (especially in movies) dreams turn into nightmares, and that’s exactly what happens in this film from writer-director Jason Buxton (his first feature since his debut BLACKBIRD, 2012). Adapted from the short story by Russell Wangersky, this film is billed as a psychological thriller – which it is, yet it’s also an enigmatic character study.
Greetings again from the darkness. Fourteen years spent teaching advanced degree architectural students at Columbia led to her being denied tenure, so Ada Karmi-Melamede did what any self-respecting and incredibly talented architect would do … she quit the job and bet on herself. It’s a bet that has resulted in numerous high-profile projects in her homeland, Israel.
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It’s been almost ten years since this film from director James Gray was released, and I’ve recommended it many times to folks who were unfamiliar or unaware. The film is expertly photographed by cinematographer Darius Khandji (a two-time Oscar nominee) and is based on the book by the absurdly talented David Grann, whose books also include one of my personal favorites, “Killers of the Flower Moon”. The screen is filled with green and golden hues (similar to OUT OF AFRICA), providing a sense of realism and a touch of romanticism to the true adventures of the bold explorer, Percy Fawcett.
Greetings again from the darkness. There are a few actors who regularly take on roles that leave us hoping they are nothing like those characters in real life. Willem Dafoe comes to mind, but the president of that club would be Nicolas Cage. Over the last 18 years or so, no actor has more often regaled us with emotional and mental unraveling on screen. Keep in mind it’s been thirty years since he won his Oscar for LEAVING LAS VEGAS.
Greetings again from the darkness. Documentarian Alan G Parker is not the British director Alan Parker who was twice Oscar nominated (MISSISSIPPI BURNING, 1988; MIDNIGHT EXPRESS, 1978), but he is the same Alan G Parker who has directed numerous music-based documentaries, including projects on The Sex Pistols, The Beatles, Status Quo (I’d like to track down that one), and KISS. As the title makes clear, his latest work is a focused look at John Lennon’s final years in New York, leading up to his murder in 1980.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 