Greetings again from the darkness. Suspenseful thrillers, when well done, are just about as much fun as one can have at a theatre (unless you are Pee Wee Herman). The debut film from director Giusseppe Capotondi is very well acted, and pretty well written and filmed. It has some similarities to, but is not quite at the level of one of my Top 5 movies from 2008 – Tell No One.
Filmed in Italy (with English subtitles), the film does a terrific job of sucking us right in. Guido (Filippo Timi) and Sonia (Ksenrya Rappoport) meet at a speed dating event. He is a former cop now security guard, and she is a Slovenian immigrant working as a housekeeper at a swanky Italian hotel. Love blossoms for these two until the story takes a very dark turn. That’s when all the twists and turns and misdirection begin.
Both lead actors are tremendous and I will seek out more of their work. Really not possible to talk too much about what happens (without spoilers), other than to say the characters and events aren’t always what they seem. I really enjoyed the first two acts of the movie, but felt letdown a bit by the final act. Some of the visuals are very good, but the wrap up is just a bit disappointing. Still, the first 80 minutes or so are terrific and make the film worth watching.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are addicted to suspense dramas, especially those involving personality twists and elaborate plans gone wrong
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you are only willing to read subtitles if the payoff is life-changing
Greetings again from the darkness. This is a terrific little art-house character study with comedic elements, fine acting and superb writing. The creative force is Mike Mills, who was also the writer and director on another excellent little movie from about 5 years ago called Thumbsucker. When I say “little movie”, I mean intimate and poignant with a nominal budget.
Three interwoven time periods are presented to an effective end. One period shows us Oliver (Ewan McGregor) as a young kid interacting with his mother (Mary Page Keller). Another period shows Oliver’s 75 year old father Hal (Christopher Plummer) confessing to him that he is gay (this is a few months after the mother/wife dies). The third period has Oliver trying to forge a relationship with Anna (Melanie Laurent) whom he met at a costume party.
While that may sound like a simple set-up, I assure you that the complications created by these characters are realistic and head-spinning. It turns out Hal knew he was gay prior to marrying Oliver’s mother, but claims she promised to “fix” him. Once he proclaims his gayness, Hal jumps in with both feet to all causes gay. He thoroughly enjoys himself and even clicks with a new, younger lover. And just when he admits to joy, inoperable cancer is discovered in Hal’s lungs. This begins the second major secret of his life.
The scenes from Oliver’s childhood provide crucial evidence on why he is so solemn and afraid of relationships. He suffers quietly just as his mother did. Things begin to shift for him when, dressed as Freud, his costume party sofa becomes occupied by Anna – a beautiful, alluring French actress who, it turns out, is just as messed up emotionally as is Oliver. They make the perfect threesome … including Arthur, Hal’s Jack Terrier, who (speaking through subtitles) lets us know when things are either OK or not. Arthur takes a great deal of the heaviness away, though not in a slapstick manner.
There are many elements of this film that I really like. The houses of both Hal and Oliver are full of as much personality as either of the characters. The look and pace of the film is meticulous and steady given the material. It seems to be naturally lighted from windows and interior sconces. Nothing even comes close to looking like a Hollywood set.
Ewan McGregor plays his part very close to the vest and conveys the pain and uncertainty that Oliver has learned over the years. His defenses are up! Melanie Laurent was my favorite part of Inglourious Basterds (she was the cinema owner on a mission) and here she offers both hopefulness and melancholy. To me, the heart of the film is Christopher Plummer’s performance. He portrays an elderly gay man with grace and then takes it to another level in his “cancer” scenes. He is a wise man who may or may not understand how selfish he was, but is intent on showing Oliver that it’s never to late to be a “beginner” in love.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you can appreciate the special moments that a well made arthouse film can deliver OR you want to see the leader in the clubhouse for Best Supporting Actor (Christopher Plummer)
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF:Thor or X-Men is more your cup of tea, as the only chase scene involves McGregor catching a flight to apologize to Laurent.
Greetings again from the darkness. Rare are the times that I find myself lacking words to express my opinion on a movie just watched. But writer/director Terrence Malick does not play fair. First of all, what director makes only five films in 40 years? Who makes a film about CREATION, life, evolution, spirituality, death and existence? What director seems to thrive when no real story is needed to make his points? Which director can so mess with the viewer’s head through visual artistry never before seen on screen? The answer to these questions, of course, is Terrence Malick. And I hold him responsible the fact that I remain in somewhat of a semi-conscious fog four days after watching his latest masterpiece.
Any attempt to explain this film would be futile. It is so ripe for interpretation and quite a personal, intimate journey for any viewer who will open themselves up to the experience. What I can tell you is that much of the film is focused on a typical family living in small town rural Texas in the early 1950’s. Brad Pitt plays Mr. O’Brien, the stern disciplinarian father and husband to Jessica Chastain‘s much softer Mrs. O’Brien.
Near the beginning of the film, we get Mrs. O’Brien as narrator explaining that when she was a child, the nuns informed that in life one must choose between Nature and Grace. Nature being the real time of real life, whereas Grace is the more spiritual approach. Clearly, Mr. O’Brien has chosen Nature, while his wife embodies Grace. Watching their three boys evolve in this household is quite a cinematical treat – and is done with so little dialogue, it’s almost shocking to the senses.
One of the many things that jumped out at me was the set and production design of Jack Fisk. Mr. Fisk is a frequent collaborator with Mr. Malick and is also the husband of Sissy Spacek, who starred in Malick’s first knockout film Badlands. Unlike many films, I did not have the feeling I was watching a movie about the 50’s. Instead, the look is directly IN the 50’s … slamming screen doors, tree houses, and family supper time! But don’t think for a moment that this is a story about the O’Brien’s and their sons. This family is merely Malick’s vessel for showing the earthly connections between the universe and each of the particles within. If you think this sounds a bit pretentious, you should know that Mr. Malick graduated from Harvard with a philosophy degree, became a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, and a professor at MIT. This is a thinking man and an artist.
Actually I would describe the experience as viewing an art exhibit and listening to poetry. Even the use of Smetana’s The Moldau River is an example of music melding into film. It really sweeps over and through you, and takes you on a trip of introspection. So many human emotions are touched – the need to be loved, appreciated and respected. We see the oldest O’Brien son later in life. Sean Penn plays him as a very successful middle aged adult who still struggles with the death of a brother and communication skills learned from his childhood. This is an odd sequence but provided to give balance to the flurry of emotions the younger boy survives.
This was the 2011 Cannes Film Festival Palm d’Or winner and that means little if you don’t let go as you walk into the theatre. It’s a contemplative journey that you can either take part in or fight. My advice is to open up and let this beautiful impression of all life take your mind places it may have never been before.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are ready and willing for an emotional and intellectual and spiritual journey that will have you contemplating life for many days after you leave the theatre.
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you found The Hangover Part II to be too heavily intellectualized for your movie tastes.
Greetings again from the darkness. I am a sucker for coming-of-age stories based in the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s. So all it took was seeing the trailer once for me to catch up with first time director Anthony Burns’ film set in 1983 in a small east Texas town. No matter that I spent almost no time in a skating rink growing up. The basic time and place was enough to lure me in.
Pet Peeve Alert: I have stated this many times, but I can never understand why directors feel the need to cast twenty-somethings as high schoolers. Immediately I am on the defensive. That’s not to say that Shiloh Fernandez, Ashley Greene and Haley Ramm aren’t fine actors, because they certainly are. They just aren’t believable as 17 or 18 year olds. Same with Heath Freeman (the film’s co-writer). As Brent, he is cast as the older guy who still parties with the high schoolers when on break from his time as a dirt bike racer. Mr. Freeman is talented, but looks to be pushing 40 years old! Remember Matthew McConaughey in Richard Linklater‘s excellent Dazed and Confused? At least he didn’t look 15 years older than the other kids. There are elements of that film, as well as Almost Famous and American Graffiti, present here. Unfortunately, Skateland never comes close to the detail or emotional strength of any of those three films.
For the first hour, I kept holding out hope that the film would find itself and really present something new and special. It has the look of important commentary; however, it just leaves us holding an empty bag.
Certainly all the pieces are here … wannabe writer, inspirational sister, broken family, rich and poor friends, cool and uncool students, hangers-on, local thugs, etc. Even Skateland itself has a real look and feel. For whatever reason, these pieces never jell … they just lay there expecting us to assemble a meaningful, completed puzzle.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you attended high school in a small town in the early 1980’s OR skating rinks hold a special place in your heart
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you have the chance to watch American Graffiti instead
Greetings again from the darkness. Seeing this film back-to-back with Mel Gibson‘s The Beaver was a mistake. Following up manic depression with severe alcoholism and mild depression is just a bit too much weight in such a short time. But I guess that’s the point of this one. Will Ferrell stars as Nick. He loses his job, punctures his boss’ tire, and finds out his wife not only left him, but also locked him out of the house with all his belongings in the front yard. That’s in the first 8 minutes of the film.
Ferrell proceeds to get drunk … while sitting in his La-Z-Boy in the front yard. He clearly has hit bottom and shows no signs of recovering. At least not until he partners with a lonely, young, bike riding boy named Kenny (Christopher Jordan Wallace, son of Notorious B.I.G.). This partnership consists of Kenny doing most of the work for the yard sale while Ferrell sleeps and drinks.
Rebecca Hall plays a pregnant woman who is moving in across the street. “What kind of man makes his wife move across country alone?“. That’s the question Ferrell asks Hall … and along with the viewer, these two characters understand the answer would be a man just like Ferrell.
What I like about the film is that there are numerous signs of real human emotion throughout, yet none of the main characters overplay their part. If you are unaccustomed to seeing Mr. Ferrell in anything but slapstick comedies, I encourage you to see Stranger Than Fiction. He really does have dramatic acting skills on top of his amazing comedic talent.
The film comes from first time director Dan Rush and short story writer-extraordinaire Raymond Carver. The script does capture much of the emotion that goes with feeling rejected and searching for numbness in a bottle … or in this case, a Pabst beer can. Supporting work from Stephen Root, Laura Dern and Michael Pena are solid, but the best scenes are between Ferrell, Wallace and Hall. Don’t show up expecting to laugh much. This is a serio-drama that makes you think … there but for the grace of God …
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you want to see Will Ferrell bring humanity to a gut-wrenching situation OR you are just looking for some ideas on how to live in your front yard
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you are expecting Step Brothers or Anchorman
Greetings again from the darkness. Clearly, depression is no laughing matter for anyone who suffers from it, or their friends, family or co-workers. But a puppet? Speaking as someone who is not qualified to speak on the topic, I do see how the puppet thing might be good therapy for someone who is depressed and has lost their “voice”. But a movie about it?
The good news … IF I were going to make a movie about a depressed dude who talks through a puppet, I would cast Mel Gibson. If the premise is ever going to be believable or watchable, Mel is the man to make it happen. Director Jodie Foster fully understood this and was willing to take the financial risk of having PR-nightmare Gibson attached.
The frustrating part is that he almost pulls it off, despite the fact that he is TALKING THROUGH A PUPPET most of the movie. We get to see a puppet co-star in a heavy-handed drama, not a comedy like what would come to your mind when you think of a puppet movie. This puppet shares family meals, board meetings, and love-making. Yep, really.
Mr. Gibson proves again what a terrific actor he can be, though at times, I had difficulty not thinking of his real life personal escapades as the on screen drama was playing out. The opening shot of a beleaguered Gibson adrift in a pool makes it impossible to separate fact from fiction. Plus I found Gibson’s choice of mimicking Ray Winstone‘s voice for the puppet to be quite distracting.
I actually found the sub-plot with the oldest son, played by Anton Yelchin (Star Trek) to be far more interesting. His rogue business and pursuit of cheerleader/valedictorian Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) was very intriguing. Ms. Foster not only directs, but also plays the wife/mother who provides far more patience and trust than her husband probably deserved.
Seeing this movie back-to-back with Everything Must Go just about sent me into depression overload. All the puppet movie really showed me was that Gibson can still act and that Foster is still a fine actress and director, despite the material … and a puppet.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are fascinated by the train-wreck known as Mel Gibson OR you have a “thing” for puppets
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you think the movie MUST be better than it looks in the trailer OR you can’t wait to see a puppet teach some manners to Mel.
Greetings again from the darkness. The latest of the monthly 1970’s film screenings hosted by Dallas Film Society and The Dallas Morning News was the classic Chinatown. It was shocking to see 35-40% of the hands go up when host Chris Vognar asked how many had never seen the film. I felt a combination of guilt, pride and envy since my viewings number approximately 15 or 16, not counting “pit stops” while channel surfing. This is truly a classic film that should be seen by all lovers of movies.
This is a chance to see the work of three film greats at their absolute peak: Jack Nicholson, Roman Polanski (director) and Robert Towne (writer). I have previously discussed Nicholson’s work in the 70’s (Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail,Chinatown, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest). He is so confident and assured and expert in his manner and delivery. It is so much fun to watch the perfect actor in the perfect role. Regardless of what you may think of Roman Polanski the man, he is unquestionably an excellent director (Rosemary’s Baby, The Pianist, The Ghost Writer). His visual flair is on full display with cars, wardrobe, colors, and camera angles. It is obvious he adores the source material. Robert Towne has some terrific screenplays on his resume (The Last Detail, Shampoo), but none better than this one. Along with Network (Paddy Chayefsky), this is one of my two favorite screenplays of all-time. It is outstanding!
Some people refer to this as “the Nose movie”, thanks to the scene where Polanski, in a cameo as a tough guy, teaches Nicholson a lesson about sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. What I love about the story and the movie is that we are along with Gittes (Nicholson) for the whole thing. There are no shortcuts … no narrators … no flashbacks … we get to solve the mysteries right along with him. Too many movies make it easy for the viewer. I prefer to work a little. And trust me, this one makes you work. Is it a whodunit? Is it a kidnapping? Is it a political power play for control of water? Is it just outright corruption? The answer is YES to all of these!
If you have seen it before, watch it again and pay attention to the absolutely perfect mood score from Jerry Goldsmith. Check out the wardrobe – the number of suits worn by Nicholson is crazy. The same holds true for Faye Dunaway’s dresses. Pay attention to the multiple “eye” references right up to the final two … Dunaway in the car and John Huston shielding his “granddaughter” from the grisly scene. You may have missed the supporting work from John Hillerman, Diane Ladd, Rance Howard (Ron’s dad), Burt Young (Paulie in Rocky) and James Hong. James Hong? If you are a “Seinfeld” fan, you’ll recognize him from the Chinese Restaurant scene where he pages “Cartwright”. Especially pay attention to the powerful performance of John Huston as Noah Cross. And no matter how many times you have watched it, the “nose” scene will still make you cringe.
If you have never seen the film, I urge you to set aside some time to watch this classic. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted. Take it all in and then … “Forget it Jake. It’s Chinatown.”
Greetings again from the darkness. As is customary, the Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language film finally makes it to Dallas in April, AFTER the awards show is long forgotten (well, except for the half-assed hosting job by James Franco). Denmark’s entry, directed by Susanne Bier (Things We Lost in the Fire), is overflowing with every human emotion one can imagine. However, the battle between two specific emotions is most prevalent: misplaced revenge and forgiveness.
At it’s core, this is a story of two fathers and two sons. The presentation is quite odd in that it tries desperately to tie in all spectrum of human emotion and economic standing. Anton (Mikael Persbrandt from the excellent 2008 Everlasting Moments) travels back and forth between an African refugee camp where he serves as a doctor, and his upscale Denmark home where he is separated from his wife and trying to set a good example for his son Elias (Markus Rygaard).
The other father is Claus (Ulrich Thomsen) whose relationship with his son Christian (William Johnk Nielsen) is flat out terrible. Christian’s mother recently lost her battle with cancer and it has caused a rift between these two … and lit one heck of a fire of anger in young Christian.
Soon enough Christian stumbles upon Elias being bullied at school. His flaming temper sets the bully straight with a violent act, creating a bond between Elias and Christian. Sadly Christian continues to spin off axis and he drags Elias along.
As a doctor in the camp, Anton constantly strives to repair the truly despicable acts of the local town bully. This is used to contrast with what’s going on with his own son at home. There are many parts of the film that are difficult to watch, especially as Christian just loses his grip on reality.
While I certainly see the excellence in the film, I believe the filmmakers tried too hard to stage the contrast. The story of the boys was plenty powerful enough to carry a film. Also, the doctor in the camp could have made a chilling movie on it’s own. Instead we gets bits of each and that’s fine … just not what it might have been.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you just haven’t seen enough struggling marriages or lousy father-son relationships OR you would like to witness what may be the longest list of human emotions ever seen in one film
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you believe horrible acts of human nature should be confined to the local and national news and that movies are purely for entertainment purposes.
Greetings again from the darkness. OK, I feel terrible. This movie is a darling of the critics. Juliette Binoche won the highest acting award at Cannes for her performance. It’s the first film from outside of Iran by legendary writer/director Abbas Kiarostami (Under the Olive Tree). It is a technical masterpiece filled with various philosophies on art, love and life. It’s filmed in one of the most beautiful and historic areas in the world. The one thing it didn’t do very well was capture my interest. I know … I feel terrible.
In my defense, this is a very odd film. Is it about two people courting each other? Is it about two people role-playing? Is it about two people trying to re-capture or deflect a previous relationship? Is it all of those things? To make matters worse, it plays a bit like a grown-up Before Sunrise or Before Sunset. Brace yourself … I didn’t much like either of those Richard Linklater classics. Again, I feel terrible.
Pretty much everything I have to say about this movie is positive. Ms. Binoche is outstanding and captivating. William Shimell is a long way from his British Opera fame, but does an admirable job as the less-than-enchanting writer and object of Ms. Binoche’s attention. The quaint Tuscan town of Lucignano comes off beautifully as the locale that newlyweds flock to for romance and photo ops. The sound editing is spectacular: birds chirping and flapping, water dripping from fountains, footsteps clattering … all of these make up the realistic backdrop for the barrage of verbal tangling. Even the camera work is expert. Sometimes we are POV with one of the characters, while other times we are the eyes unto which they gaze. Both effects are startling.
All those pieces are very well done and technically expert. The two characters are interesting enough on their own, but the “story” or approach of having these two play-pretend just didn’t grab me. Yes, Yes, Yes … I feel just terrible about it.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you enjoy the endless jabbering between two people like what we heard in Before Sunrise and Before Sunset … only these two don’t play nicely.
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: a beautiful Tuscan setting is just not quite enough for you.
Greetings again from the darkness. Everyone loves the circus (except those who are scared of clowns). Everyone loves trains (except those who are scared of wrecks). Everyone loves performing animals (as long as they are a safe distance). Combine those elements with a best-selling novel, three popular actors and a twist on Titanic and you end up with a very watchable, though slightly mundane dramatic love story.
You are probably wondering where I came up with the Titanic reference. Allow me to explain. The story begins with an old man caught in a rain storm. We quickly find out Hal Holbrook is playing the Robert Pattinson character as an old man. Mr. Holbrook’s character corresponds to Gloria Stuart‘s character in Titanic. Both provide flashback detail to a love story engulfed in tragedy. On top of that, both have twinkly blue eyes! Paul Schneider is in the Bill Paxton role … trying his best to get the secrets of what really happened so many years ago.
The story is based on Sara Gruen‘s best selling novel and is set in depression-soaked 1931. Jacob (Pattinson) is sitting for his Cornell veterinarian finals when he is notified of a family tragedy. He promptly sets out on the road and jumps a train. Not just any train … the Benzini Brothers Circus train! He is taken under the wing of Camel, the old timer played well by silky-voiced Jim Norton. Soon enough he is summoned to meet the circus owner. A brief meeting leads first to the order to toss Jacob off the train, but he is saved by his knowledge of animal medicine – a valuable commodity in the circus world.
Now is as good of time as any to let you know that the great Christoph Waltz plays August, the circus owner. As in his Oscar winning role for Inglourious Basterds, Waltz’ August is alternatingly charming and chilling. He is a ruthless circus owner who values no man or animal. He values only making money and his star attraction and wife, Marlena (Reese Witherspoon). Oh, and just because he values her, doesn’t mean he treats her well. He is near-psychotic when he goes off on her or anyone or anything else. Pause … then a few minutes later, he is back to his charming self. Very frightening stuff.
Of course, it’s not surprising that Jacob is enchanted with Marlena (a bareback rider) or that she returns the affection. What is surprising is that they continue to push the boundaries of good sense while within the confines of the circus group – and August. You can imagine the confrontations and situations that arise, but Marlena’s insistence that no life exists for her outside the circus is a head-scratcher.
The story really picks up when the struggling circus purchases a performing elephant named Rosie. It didn’t take me long to figure out that Rosie may be the smartest character in the film. She is certainly the most crucial for Marlena and Jacob.
The screenplay is from Richard Gravenese who has a track record with this type of story. He was also responsible for The Horse Whisperer and Bridges of Madison County. What’s surprising is the director is Francis Lawrence, previously known for I Am Legend and Constantine. This movie has (thankfully)no resemblance to those films and his cast and crew obviously help him adjust to a more melodramatic storyline.
What I like about the film are the realistic characters and the setting. The trains, big top, circus performers and workers all seem real, as do the few circus scenes presented. Without the Christoph Waltz character and performance, this film would be truly just a run-of-the-mill dramatic love story. His element and the realistic circus life make this one worthwhile.
SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you are fan of the circus or the book or the three lead actors OR you thought Mr. Dark from Something Wicked This Way Comes was the creepiest Ringleader ever
SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you can’t handle a bit of melodrama with your trip to the circus OR a performing elephant who understands Polish is just a bit too far outside the comfort zone
Greetings again from the darkness. Suspenseful thrillers, when well done, are just about as much fun as one can have at a theatre (unless you are Pee Wee Herman). The debut film from director Giusseppe Capotondi is very well acted, and pretty well written and filmed. It has some similarities to, but is not quite at the level of one of my Top 5 movies from 2008 – Tell No One.
Both lead actors are tremendous and I will seek out more of their work. Really not possible to talk too much about what happens (without spoilers), other than to say the characters and events aren’t always what they seem. I really enjoyed the first two acts of the movie, but felt letdown a bit by the final act. Some of the visuals are very good, but the wrap up is just a bit disappointing. Still, the first 80 minutes or so are terrific and make the film worth watching.
Posted by David Ferguson 
