CERTIFIED COPY (Copie Conforme, Fr)

April 26, 2011

 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.

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Posted by David Ferguson

OUTSIDE THE LAW (Algeria)

February 26, 2011

 Greetings again from the darkness. I am certainly not qualified to offer an expert opinion as to the historical accuracy of the film, but I can say that it provides a seemingly realistic view of the horrible situation and struggles endured by the Algerians during their fight for independence from France during WWII.

The story is a sequential sequel to director Rachid Bouchareb‘s film Paths of Glory and centers around 3 brothers who are separated during the horrible massacre at Setif. Messaoud (Roschdy Zem, who was the best thing about The Girl from Monaco) goes off to fight as a soldier for France; Said (Jamel Debbouze) takes his mother and moves to Shantytown in France and becomes quite the street hustler; while Abdelkadar (Sami Bouajila) is imprisoned and absorbs all that he sees.

 Each of the brothers endures much hardship until circumstances serve to reunite them in Shantytown.  That’s when the real mission begins. Abdelkadar becomes the driving force behind the Algerian’s FLN movement. He is the local figurehead and brains, while his brother Messaoud acts as the muscle and bodyguard. Brother Said continues his pursuit of money through shady night clubs and as a boxing promoter, but he is never far from his brothers’ sides – even if he isn’t quite as politically motivated.

I found all three brothers interesting in their own right, but the film is just so downbeat as it tells this story, that I just never felt engaged. That’s not to say the mission of the Algerian people during this two decade period isn’t amazing, because it certainly is. It’s just this film doesn’t really offer much in the form of telling the story. This one is nominated by the Academy for Best Foreign Film, so obviously many thought better of it than I.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF:  you want to keep your streak intact of seeing ALL Oscar nominated movies (yes, that’s me)

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF:  a downbeat movie about the Algerian struggle during WWII is not the pick-me-up you are seeking right now.

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE ILLUSIONIST (L’illusionniste)

February 6, 2011

 Greetings again from the darkness. While this animated feature absolutely stands on its own, a little background makes it even more interesting.

Jacques Tati is legendary among cinephiles. He is responsible for a small, but fascinating clump of films that span 25+ years. His best known are Mr. Hulot’s Holiday and Mon Oncle, the latter of which makes a quick appearance in this film. Tati wrote the original script in the 1950’s just prior to his career exploding in popularity. He intended the script to be filmed as a live action production, but he died in 1982 without ever getting around to making the film. Instead, his daughter held onto the script and eventually gave it to filmmaker Sylvain Chomet, who is responsible for the fantastic 2003 animated film The Triplets of Belleville.

Mr. Chomet’s animated version is quite the tribute to Tatis. The lead character shares not only Tatis’ birth name (Tatischeff) but also his look and mannerisms. He is a technically adept magician whose time has come and gone … his sly skills and popularity replaced by the obnoxious noise of rock stars. He is now confined to run down music halls and finally a department store showroom window. A true relic on display … ironically hocking the hottest items of the day.

 Along the way “down” he meets a girl who seems to worship what magic he has left. She cooks and cleans and caters to him. Her attention leads him to spend what little money he has on buying her new shoes and clothes. A sad spectacle played out in real life entirely too many times. The girl’s presence does give him a reason to go on … if for no other reason that to keep up with her whims.

Of course, nothing last forever. Neither the magician, nor the girl’s adoration. The details of Edinburgh and the characters are a tribute to both the Tatis script and the brilliant eye of Chomet. It is a rather sad and bleak story told with a most unusual pace and nearly no dialogue. The characters movements and the beautiful score leave little doubt what is occurring with each character and in each scene. This is wonderful animated filmmaking and it certainly deserves it’s Oscar nomination.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you have an appreciation for animated world cinema OR (like me) you believe The Triplets of Belleville to be one of the finest animated films ever made.

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you believe animated films need to be very wild, noisy and colorful to hold attention

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Posted by David Ferguson

ANOTHER YEAR

January 30, 2011

 Greetings again from the darkness. How DARE he? Mike Leigh is such a non-compliant filmmaker. He just refuses to follow the rules … and film goers are the benefactors of his daring. Mind you, his daring is not in the regards of special effects, stunt work or trick photography. No sir. His daring is with the subject, theme, tone and characters. He is … GASP … unafraid of real people! If you have seen Mr. Leigh’s work in Happy-Go-Lucky or Vera Drake, you understand that his films can be simplistic on the surface, while carrying multiple layers of commentary and observations. He also has the classic British sense of humor in that very few “punchlines” exist. Instead the humor comes in allowing the viewer to recognize the characters as someone they know, or God forbid, even their own self!

Mr. Leigh has a history of making films without a script … only broad based outlines for the characters. The actors then work to fill in the details of the individuals, which in turn, forms a story. This explains why the story does not follow the traditional arc. In fact, the story has no real beginning or ending. What we see are the interactions of people who are friends, relatives, co-workers, acquaintances and strangers.

The foundation of the film, as well as the foundation for most of the other characters in the film, is the happily married couple of Tom and Gerri, played by the terrific Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen. This is a couple who not only love and respect each other, but also enjoy being together. Their friends and family come in and out of their lives, but their bond is strong.

 Key amongst this group is their friend, and Gerri’s co-worker, Mary (Lesley Manville). Mary is someone we all recognize. She is single, not getting any younger, desperately trying to avoid loneliness (too often with a bottle), masking her fear through fake excitement, and latched onto the security blanket offered by Tom and Gerri’s friendship. Many felt Ms. Manville deserved an Oscar nom for this role, and I will say she is outstanding.

When family friend Ken (Peter Wight) makes a move on Mary, she shuns him because of his lack of perfection. She always thinks she can do better. When she begins fixating on Tom and Gerri’s son Joe (Oliver Maltman), we really feel her pain but just want to slap some sense into her. The relationships all take a hit when Mary shows up for dinner and is introduced to Joe’s new girlfriend … a wonderfully charming and talented Katie (Karina Fernandez). Mary acts the selfish fool and it drives a wedge between she and Gerri. There is even a line of dialogue earlier on … “never come between a mother and her son“! Another character we are witness to includes the great Imelda Staunton as a depressed middle-aged woman who comes to Gerri for professional guidance. We also meet David Bradley as Tom’s older brother, Ronnie, whose wife has recently passed. Mr. Bradley will be recognized as Argus Filch from the Harry Potter movies.

All of these situations and personalities are balanced by Tom and Gerri as they provide a stable environment … it’s as if they are a fountain of sanity from which everyone wishes to drink. As an added touch, none of the characters are Hollywood beauties. Broadbent and Ms. Sheen would never be mistaken for Brad and Angelina. Rather they are more likely to look like someone you know … and better yet, their characters live like people you WANT to know. So again I ask … How dare he?

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you don’t mind a quick glance at characters who probably mirror you and your friends OR you can appreciate the British way of squeezing some humor out of someone’s pain

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you prefer fantastical stories and “big” Hollywood films to the intimacy of characters who could actually exist.

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Posted by David Ferguson

BIUTIFUL

January 30, 2011

 Greetings again from the darkness. If anyone tells you this film is a bit of a downer, never trust them again. It may be the bleakest, most dismal film I have ever seen (and that’s saying a lot!). A bit of downer does not do it justice. Still, I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. Javier Bardem is captivating and truly encompasses the character of Uxbal – a father of two, who has a connection to the dead, and is headed there himself (quickly).

Already I am sure many are turned off by the subject matter and the fact that it’s not an inspirational, feel-good movie. I would make the point that despite the despair, it does show the journey of a man seeking redemption and trying, with everything he has, to do right by his kids.

Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu is a master filmmaker as evidenced by his work in 21 Grams and Babel. He gives us a real feel for the grungy and claustrophobic world that these people inhabit. We absolutely feel their pain and resolve and desperation and panic. We feel it for the entire 2 and a half hours running time.  I should also mention that the film has what may be the most unusual score/soundtrack of any film in recent memory.  There is no real continuity, it’s as if music was written for individual scenes, rather than for the entire film.  Very effective, but very non-traditional.

 If you can take the filmed depression, the pay off is watching Bardem work. I have often recommended his fascinating work in The Sea Inside, but as much as it pains me to agree with Julia Roberts, his performance here is somehow better. It’s no wonder why he felt the need to escape with Eat Pray Love after filming this one. It should be noted that Bardem is the first ever Lead Actor nominee for a full Spanish speaking role.

SEE THIS MOVIE IF: you want to see a masterful performance by Javier Bardem OR you thought 21 Grams and Babel were just a bit too funny and light-hearted.

SKIP THIS MOVIE IF: you couldn’t care less about acting proficiency and just want your movies to be feel good and uplifting

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Posted by David Ferguson

BRAN NUE DAE (2009)

September 12, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Gosh! Enough already! How many Aboriginal musicals featuring a VW hippie van being pursued by a priest must we endure? OK, so maybe the premise isn’t all that common. Based on an extremely popular Australian play from the 1990’s, director Rachel Perkins screen adaptations features the deserts of NW Australia and a loony priest played by Geoffrey Rush.

Though the idea is pretty creative, the film execution comes up lacking a bit. None of the songs are very catchy and the overall talent in the film is mediocre at best. Newcomer Rocky McKenzie in the lead role of Willie is pretty nondescript. Willie is forced by his mother to attend a school led by Geoffrey Rush in order to train for a life in the priesthood. Of course, Willie is a teenager and all he really wants is time to hang out with Rosie … they make flutter-eyes at each other. Sadly, Rosie falls under the spell of a honky tonk musician as Willie heads out to study God.

Jessica Mauboy plays Rosie and has the musical highlight of the film as she belts out “Stand By Your Man”. The downside is that the lip-syncing is so poor that I found it quite distracting. As expected, when Willie rebels and runs away from the cloth and towards Rosie, the fun begins. He hooks up with Uncle Tadpole (an energetic and slightly twisted Ernie Dingo) and a couple of traveling hippies. One of the hippies is played by recording artist Missy Higgins. They are unknowingly being chased by the priest as they try to get Willie back to Broome (and Rosie!).

Along the way they stumble upon a roadside shop run by the great Magda Szubanski, who was so memorable as Mrs. Hoggett in Babe. That’s just one of the challenges they face along the dirt highway. For the sake of comedy, there should have been even more.

The film has bits of Bollywood, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Grease, but the parts just don’t add up to a full musical comedy. The colors and setting are spectacular and the words to the songs often reinforce the plight of the Aborigine people, but everything just falls a bit short of the target. Even the climactic scene where all the pieces of the puzzle come raining down doesn’t compare to the similar type scene in City Island. It’s a sweet, simple enough film with just not enough to offer.

SEE THIS MOVIE:  if you want to tell all your friends you have seen an Aboriginal Musical.  Be forewarned: There are no guarantees they will be impressed.

SKIP THIS MOVIE: if you prefer musicals with catchy tunes or Australian movies featuring big knives and crocodile hunters.

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Posted by David Ferguson

MESRINE: PUBLIC ENEMY #1 (pt 2, 2008)

September 6, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. This is part two of director Jean-Francois Richet‘s tale of famed criminal Jacques Mesrine. As in part one, Vincent Cassel delivers a frightening portrayal of this psychopath who is addicted to the spotlight, danger, women and little else.

This second film drives home the point that Mesrine was little more than an ultra-aggressive hoodlum. What I mean by that is that he was no criminal mastermind. No real strategist. He just steals when he needs money and then quickly helps the press fill in the blanks on his escapades. Watching him swell with pride as he is pronounced France’s Public Enemy Number One is just plain creepy.

Ludivine Sagnier (so great in Swimming Pool) plays Sophie, his last girlfriend. Watching her reaction to her dog being shot in the final shootout tells you all you need know about her and her relationship with Mesrine.

Much of this part is based on the police chases and the efforts put into “catching” Mesrine and his accomplice. His new partner in crime is played by the terrific Mathieu Amalric (Quantum of Solace, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly). Amalric has the steely eyed stare and the acting chops to hang with Cassell.

While I truly admire Cassell’s performance in these two films and I find both extremely well made, I still feel a bit empty about the subject matter. Mesrine was a brutally violent criminal who managed 3 daring prison escapes, numerous bank robberies, kidnappings and killings. However, there is just not much depth to the man. Maybe it’s true … some people just want to see the world burn. No matter what, these two films should be seen as close together as possible. This is ONE STORY cut into two pieces. Set aside 4 hours and see the entire thing.

For my comments on part 1, please click on this link:

https://moviereviewsfromthedark.wordpress.com/2010/08/29/mesrine-killer-instinct-pt-1/

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Posted by David Ferguson

MESRINE: KILLER INSTINCT (pt. 1, 2008)

August 29, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Haven’t looked at next week’s new releases yet, but I am almost hoping for a rom-com after watching this film and Animal Kingdom back to back. That’s a couple of very rough, though well made films.

Jacques Mesrine was an infamous French outlaw/bank robber/kidnapper who actually began to feed on his media coverage. This film, as well as part 2, are based on his own writings while he was incarcerated. Somehow Vincent Cassel captures the pure evil of Mesrine and presents him as the charismatic and powerful figure he evidently was.

Having apparently lost his soul during the war in Algeria, Mesrine joins forces with a local crime lord played by French acting legend Gerard Depardieu. Their wake of criminal activity is only eclipsed by the pile of bodies. No surprise that Mesrine’s wife runs from him and he then hooks up with Jeanne, played by Cecile DeFrance. They seem to be the perfect match and quickly become known as the French Bonnie and Clyde. Only they are much more violent and brutal. In fact, Mesrine seems to thrive on risk and danger.

Mesrine manages a daring prison escape and even attempts to break back into the same prison to keep a promise of helping other prisoners escape. Director Jean-Francois Richet does an excellent job of displaying the menace of Mesrine and the absolute lack of morals he flashes.

The film never drags even while he is on the lam through Canada and the U.S. Since the film is broken into two parts (Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 will be released in a few weeks), I found it very interesting that the first film opens with what appears to be the end of part two. Maybe I am wrong, but that’s how it looks.

The score is terrific and Mr. Cassel delivers his best performance yet. He is riveting as Jacques Mesrine. Not sure I recommend it as a double feature with Animal Kingdom. They are both excellent films, but that’s an overload of crime and violence for one weekend!  Mesrine: Killer Instinct is French with English subtitles.

For my comments on part two, please click this link:

https://moviereviewsfromthedark.wordpress.com/2010/09/06/mesrine-public-enemy-1-part-2/

2 Comments | Drama, Thriller, World Cinema/Foreign | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

ANIMAL KINGDOM (2010)

August 29, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. An Australian movie that packs a wallop! Writer/Director David Michod delivers an unsettling look into one family’s life of crime and the corresponding order of things – the circle of life in the Animal Kingdom. Supposedly based on a true story, this is a tough family that you would not want as relatives.  These are not smooth operators like Scorcese provided in Casino or Goodfellas.  No, in fact, these guys are much worse.

The matriarch is played chillingly by Jacki Weaver. She is mother or grandmother to the guys (except for one outsider) in the band of crooks. While she messes with your mind through the story, it’s not until the final 15 minutes when she really kicks it up a notch and becomes flat out frightening in her power.

There are only a couple of actors that most people would recognize. Joel Edgerton is the outsider in the group, and the one trying to go straight by playing the stock market with his “earnings”. The other is Guy Pearce, who plays the detective trying to both solve the cases and rescue young Josh, played by newcomer James Frecheville.

Not only is this the type of story that sucks you in, it is a reminder of just how distracting movie stars can be to a film. The lack of stars allows us to really be absorbed into this family, or better, this world of crime, deceit, corruption and paranoia. There is not a single movie star – no one who can capitalize on his film history of characters and immediately generate recognition. Here, the viewer must get to know an entire family for who and what they are. This is powerful stuff for a film lover.

The winner for best psychopath is Ben Mendelsohn as Pope. His dead eyes will scare you. His demeanor will scare you. His actions will disgust you. There are two lines in the film that help us make sense of what occurs. Early on, the narrator tells us that “all crooks come undone” at some point. Later, the detective (Pearce) tells us that in the Animal Kingdom, you are either weak or strong. The lines seem pretty clear.

The focus of the film is on Josh (Frecheville) who gets plopped into this family of criminals after his mom dies of an overdose and he calls his long-lost grandmother (Weaver). Josh spends the rest of the film trying to blend in while staying clean. Of course, even his stoic mask doesn’t save him from the path of destruction created by Pope.  The only question is, can he find a way to survive or escape?

In the end, the film is about survival, adaptation and exploring what really defines strong and weak, good and bad. Are you weak or strong?  It’s not always easy to tell … and beware of the quiet ones.  If you enjoy powerful crime thrillers, this one is worth checking out … and be appreciative for the lack of Hollywood star power. That’s part of why it works!

1 Comment | Drama, Thriller, World Cinema/Foreign | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

THE CONCERT (Fr., 2009)

August 8, 2010

 Greetings again from the darkness. Typically when a film is billed is a “French comedy”, we can expect a farcical good time with self-centered characters who flitter their days away. Director Radhu Mihaileanu delivers something completely different and unexpected.

Two really fine performances drive this film. Aleksei Guskov plays Andrei Filipov, the one time conductor of the Russian Bolshoi orchestra, who lost his beloved job because he employed Jewish musicians during the harshest of Communist days. Nearly three decades later he finds himself as the janitor in the same hall where he once conducted. Because of this, an opportunity presents itself that allows him to seek redemption in his own life, and that of another.

Melanie Laurent, who was so outstanding as the theatre manager with a nasty plan in Inglourious Basterds, plays Anne-Marie Jacquet – a violin virtuoso who Filipov longs to have in his orchestra for a show in Paris. Ms. Laurent displays tremendous screen presence with minimal dialogue. She is quite a talent and I hope she spends more time in the U.S. making movies! The comedy portion of the film occurs as Filipov frantically assembles his orchestra from all over town. They have each gone their separate ways and some no longer even have their own instruments. Of course, none of the musical portion is believable, but as I said, this is a story of redemption.

The film climaxes with a wonderful onstage performance combined with a startling montage that deftly provides the details into the story that’s been skirted for the first 90 minutes. It is a wonderful ending to a decent film that really had the potential to be amazing.

Leave a Comment » | Comedy, Drama, World Cinema/Foreign | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson

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