Well, 2010, the year of cinema sadness continues. "Blue Valentine" is a good film that will make you want to belt down bourbon and listen to Billie Holiday. If that sounds appealing to you, then this film that deconstructs a failing relationship, is just what the doctor ordered, Really. It's a very good film. Sigh.
"Blue Valentine" cuts back and forth in time to look at a young couple played with ferocious honesty by Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling. In their older parental phase, we see them at the end of a downward spiral, trying last ditch efforts to keep their failing marriage afloat, a youthful version of George and Martha from "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe", except here it's the male character (Gosling) that verbalizes the marital frustration. He badgers Williams verbally, almost to the point of abuse, because he knows that any real communication will eventually lead to the inevitable. Williams, by far the more intelligent of the two, broods in silence, with any attempt at honest communication rebuffed.
But the poignancy of the piece comes in flashback, as we see the birth of their love affair, two likable people suited to each other, falling in love. A scene where Gosling sings "You Only Hurt the One You Love" to an impromptu tap dance by Williams is heartbreaking in its sweetness, mainly because you know where it's leading.
Honest is the best word to describe this film, and if you have ever had a love affair that became something else, you may well recognize parts of your own story in theirs. It's the strength of the film.
This film is NC-17 because the sex looks like real people having the kind of sex that real people have. That's fine. It's a film meant for adults. It just points out that the ratings board is a bunch of misguided juveniles who probably should get laid more.
Addendum: The MPAA relented and gave the film an R rating. Still, the MPAA is rapidly becoming archaic, useless.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Biutiful
This is not exactly an uplifting year in the cinema. I don't know, but it seems to me there were a lot of unhappy directors making sad, sad films this year. Many of them were good films but cripes, wasn't anyone happy about having a job in the industry during the Great Recession? Of all the down trodden directors making down beat stories this year the prize has to go to Alejandro Inarritu for his elegy on death and the act of dying, "Biutiful". That's right, you heard me. Elegy on death and the act of dying.
I don't want to give anything away but when Javier Bardem's character gets terminally ill in the beginning of this film, it's the happiest thing that happens for two hours. Have I scared you off? Don't let me.
This is a very good film that has at it's center an extraordinary performance by Bardem as a Spaniard eeking out a living in the slums of Barcelona. His downward spiral and eventual death is a fascinating look at the limits of human endurance in the face of tragic circumstances. Inarritu, who directed the excellent "Babel" a few years ago, dedicates the film to the memory of his father, and the work feels personal and heartfelt in a deep-down achy way. And Javier Bardem is just outstanding, with an outside shot at an Oscar nomination. But really you have to be in the mood for subtitles and misery. Maybe you can plan a double feature and follow it up with something from say.... Pixar, perhaps.
I don't want to give anything away but when Javier Bardem's character gets terminally ill in the beginning of this film, it's the happiest thing that happens for two hours. Have I scared you off? Don't let me.
This is a very good film that has at it's center an extraordinary performance by Bardem as a Spaniard eeking out a living in the slums of Barcelona. His downward spiral and eventual death is a fascinating look at the limits of human endurance in the face of tragic circumstances. Inarritu, who directed the excellent "Babel" a few years ago, dedicates the film to the memory of his father, and the work feels personal and heartfelt in a deep-down achy way. And Javier Bardem is just outstanding, with an outside shot at an Oscar nomination. But really you have to be in the mood for subtitles and misery. Maybe you can plan a double feature and follow it up with something from say.... Pixar, perhaps.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Another Year
This is a slice of life character study by director Mike Leigh but you might actually get more enjoyment if you stare at a slice of pizza for two hours. I think they call it "Another Year" because you start watching it in one year and it feels like another year before the damn thing is over. As you can tell, I am not fond of this film.
But I will stipulate that there are many critics and even a movie friend (John) who's taste I respect who found a lot to like about this film. They're wrong, but I stipulate to the disagreement as a matter of taste.
There is a nice working class couple in England. They have a grown son, friends at work, old school chums, some relatives that they don't see often. They talk, garden, have get-togethers, garden some more, and chat about some stuff that happens to them all in the course of two hours. OH MY GOD! I was ready to wash down a handful of valium with a bottle of scotch by the end of this voyeuristic snoozefest.
Mike Leigh is a respected director, the actors are fine, including Jim Broadbent, Ruth Sheen and Leslie Manville, who is being considered for an Oscar (not by me, baby).
Read a review by one of the snooty critics who like this movie and decide for yourself. But I'm telling you, The Emperor is naked and he's boring and irrelevent.
But I will stipulate that there are many critics and even a movie friend (John) who's taste I respect who found a lot to like about this film. They're wrong, but I stipulate to the disagreement as a matter of taste.
There is a nice working class couple in England. They have a grown son, friends at work, old school chums, some relatives that they don't see often. They talk, garden, have get-togethers, garden some more, and chat about some stuff that happens to them all in the course of two hours. OH MY GOD! I was ready to wash down a handful of valium with a bottle of scotch by the end of this voyeuristic snoozefest.
Mike Leigh is a respected director, the actors are fine, including Jim Broadbent, Ruth Sheen and Leslie Manville, who is being considered for an Oscar (not by me, baby).
Read a review by one of the snooty critics who like this movie and decide for yourself. But I'm telling you, The Emperor is naked and he's boring and irrelevent.
Made In Dagenham
Alrighty, let's get caught up on a few films that may or may not get some nominations when the Oscars pick and choose.
You might not have heard a lot about "Made in Dagenham" yet. It only opened in limited release in November and hasn't garnered much attention. But this is one of those smaller films that when you see it next year on HBO or put it on your Netflix queue you might find a good watch.
Sally Hawkins is one of 187 women working as skilled labor in a Ford assembly plant in Dagenham, England in the late 1960's. They're unionized but when they are downgraded to unskilled labor even their Union has trouble working up enough anger to support them. Except for Bob Hoskins, their local rep who champions a strike and recruits Sally Hawkins to lead the way. Soon the issues become larger and basically we see the birth of the "equal pay for equal work" movement that not only swept through Europe but eventually worked its way to the States, much to the chagrin of Ford and other large corporations. Basically this is "Norma Rae" with a working class British accent but the story is compelling, the characters interesting and Sally Hawkins gives another outstanding performance that sits right on the edge of major awards recognition. If she doesn't get the nomination, it will be her second "almost". That would be a shame. Find this film if you can.
You might not have heard a lot about "Made in Dagenham" yet. It only opened in limited release in November and hasn't garnered much attention. But this is one of those smaller films that when you see it next year on HBO or put it on your Netflix queue you might find a good watch.
Sally Hawkins is one of 187 women working as skilled labor in a Ford assembly plant in Dagenham, England in the late 1960's. They're unionized but when they are downgraded to unskilled labor even their Union has trouble working up enough anger to support them. Except for Bob Hoskins, their local rep who champions a strike and recruits Sally Hawkins to lead the way. Soon the issues become larger and basically we see the birth of the "equal pay for equal work" movement that not only swept through Europe but eventually worked its way to the States, much to the chagrin of Ford and other large corporations. Basically this is "Norma Rae" with a working class British accent but the story is compelling, the characters interesting and Sally Hawkins gives another outstanding performance that sits right on the edge of major awards recognition. If she doesn't get the nomination, it will be her second "almost". That would be a shame. Find this film if you can.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
The King's Speech
Say you want to make a great film that will be around come Oscar season. Where do you find your story? Sports movies? Maybe. You've got "The Blind Side", and boxing movies are always good. Musicals? Ahhh...hit or miss. Maybe a good comedy or Western? Well, maybe not. Actually the answer is easy. Head straight for the British Royal Family.
It's practically a yearly event, these glimpses into royal life. Sometimes three or four pop up. This year's entry into the field deserves the pomp and ceremony it received in the run-up to the season.
"The King's Speech" looks at The Royal Family circa 1933. George V is King. His son David (soon to be Edward VI and then an ex-King) is a playboy with bad taste in women.
But it's his younger son, Bertie, that we're most concerned with here. He's the Duke of York and should be destined to live out his royal life as the man who wouldn't be King. All this is fine with him since being King means lots of public speaking which he hates. Why? Because he has a b-b-b-bad stuttering problem. A microphone is the enemy. Daddy the King is a bully (Which might be the root of the problem). King George's answer to the stammer is "Get over it". Not helpful.
Enter Lionel Logue as played by Geoffrey Rush, a rather unconventional speech pathologist. He has some ideas that are, well, unorthodox especially for a Prince.
The Duke of York, played by Colin Firth with a shaky arrogance, and spurred on by his rock solid royal wife (Helena Bonham Carter) engages Logue and the fireworks begin. It would be fun to watch a great actor in a great role, but to watch these two great actors spar with each other is a delight and amazement for any one lucky enough to buy a ticket. Firth's desperation and Rush's jocular insistence at familiarity provides the best cinematic moments of the year. They are a wonder to see. And Helena Bonham Carter, who most recently showed us her loony side in the Potter franchise and her husband's (Tim Burton) off-beat work, reminds us that she has kick-ass classical training as the Queen Mother. When it becomes clear that older brother would rather get laid than be King, the stakes get raised and things really heat up. (Part of the fun here is that the King and his American lover are not portrayed with any of that "romance of the century" crap. It's more like the royal party boy and the slut)
Seldom do films fire on all cylinders but this one does, the look of the film is dazzling, the acting impeccable, the story a delight. Films like this take home gold statues in bunches. This one just might. Only two films have a shot at the big prize, "The King's Speech" and "The Social Network". Man, that is one tough call.
It's practically a yearly event, these glimpses into royal life. Sometimes three or four pop up. This year's entry into the field deserves the pomp and ceremony it received in the run-up to the season.
"The King's Speech" looks at The Royal Family circa 1933. George V is King. His son David (soon to be Edward VI and then an ex-King) is a playboy with bad taste in women.
But it's his younger son, Bertie, that we're most concerned with here. He's the Duke of York and should be destined to live out his royal life as the man who wouldn't be King. All this is fine with him since being King means lots of public speaking which he hates. Why? Because he has a b-b-b-bad stuttering problem. A microphone is the enemy. Daddy the King is a bully (Which might be the root of the problem). King George's answer to the stammer is "Get over it". Not helpful.
Enter Lionel Logue as played by Geoffrey Rush, a rather unconventional speech pathologist. He has some ideas that are, well, unorthodox especially for a Prince.
The Duke of York, played by Colin Firth with a shaky arrogance, and spurred on by his rock solid royal wife (Helena Bonham Carter) engages Logue and the fireworks begin. It would be fun to watch a great actor in a great role, but to watch these two great actors spar with each other is a delight and amazement for any one lucky enough to buy a ticket. Firth's desperation and Rush's jocular insistence at familiarity provides the best cinematic moments of the year. They are a wonder to see. And Helena Bonham Carter, who most recently showed us her loony side in the Potter franchise and her husband's (Tim Burton) off-beat work, reminds us that she has kick-ass classical training as the Queen Mother. When it becomes clear that older brother would rather get laid than be King, the stakes get raised and things really heat up. (Part of the fun here is that the King and his American lover are not portrayed with any of that "romance of the century" crap. It's more like the royal party boy and the slut)
Seldom do films fire on all cylinders but this one does, the look of the film is dazzling, the acting impeccable, the story a delight. Films like this take home gold statues in bunches. This one just might. Only two films have a shot at the big prize, "The King's Speech" and "The Social Network". Man, that is one tough call.
Monday, December 20, 2010
True Grit
An open meadow in the rocky region of the west; Four outlaws on horseback face off across the field against one oversize hulking rider named Rooster Cogburn.
The outlaw leader says "What do you want Marshall?"
"I aim to kill ya today."
"That's big talk for a one eyed fat man."
Cogburn's good eye widens an he shouts "Fill yo hand you sunovabitch!"
They ride toward each other, guns blazing.
If the above description is not your idea of a good time at the movies do not see the Coen Brothers latest adaptation of the western classic "True Grit". I loved every frame but at least four women and one gay man have told me how much they HATED this film. It must be a cultural thing. They don't get it. I do.
Only the Coen Brothers would have the bravado to attempt this kind of a remake. The original, adapted from a novel by Charles Portis, was iconic, winning John Wayne his only Oscar. He really deserved it, playing Rooster Cogburn as a parody of the western character that he invented. But that version was tongue-in-cheek, more comedy than cowboy.
This version is truly grittier, more influenced by the novel. A young girl wants to hunt down her father's killer. She's only 14 but she talks like she's 34. She manages to bully the giant Rooster Cogburn into seeking justice on her behalf and against better judgment she insists on going along. The role is played by an amazing young actress named Hailee Steinfeld (the original cast a much older actress) who all but steals the movie. Really, she's a blast to watch.
Jeff Bridges plays Cogburn as an aging mountain of backwoods justice, barely able to keep his deteriorating body involved in the hunt. Along with a Texas Ranger who happens to be after the same man (Matt Damon), this trio rides for justice, payback and a cash reward.
The Coen Brothers use a heightened, stylized dialogue that works because the rest of the film is a reminder of just how tough life really was in the West. You can smell the sweat and horse manure in almost every frame. "True Grit" isn't just a title, it's a feel. The grit is tangible. Bridges is destined to follow up an Oscar win with at least a nomination, although his tendency toward mumbling (ala Brando) may cost him a repeat win. And Steinfeld is an Oscar-worthy revelation.
OK, the Coen Brothers aren't for everyone and Westerns aren't for everyone but if you're a fan of either the artists or the genre, you're in for a hell of a ride.
The outlaw leader says "What do you want Marshall?"
"I aim to kill ya today."
"That's big talk for a one eyed fat man."
Cogburn's good eye widens an he shouts "Fill yo hand you sunovabitch!"
They ride toward each other, guns blazing.
If the above description is not your idea of a good time at the movies do not see the Coen Brothers latest adaptation of the western classic "True Grit". I loved every frame but at least four women and one gay man have told me how much they HATED this film. It must be a cultural thing. They don't get it. I do.
Only the Coen Brothers would have the bravado to attempt this kind of a remake. The original, adapted from a novel by Charles Portis, was iconic, winning John Wayne his only Oscar. He really deserved it, playing Rooster Cogburn as a parody of the western character that he invented. But that version was tongue-in-cheek, more comedy than cowboy.
This version is truly grittier, more influenced by the novel. A young girl wants to hunt down her father's killer. She's only 14 but she talks like she's 34. She manages to bully the giant Rooster Cogburn into seeking justice on her behalf and against better judgment she insists on going along. The role is played by an amazing young actress named Hailee Steinfeld (the original cast a much older actress) who all but steals the movie. Really, she's a blast to watch.
Jeff Bridges plays Cogburn as an aging mountain of backwoods justice, barely able to keep his deteriorating body involved in the hunt. Along with a Texas Ranger who happens to be after the same man (Matt Damon), this trio rides for justice, payback and a cash reward.
The Coen Brothers use a heightened, stylized dialogue that works because the rest of the film is a reminder of just how tough life really was in the West. You can smell the sweat and horse manure in almost every frame. "True Grit" isn't just a title, it's a feel. The grit is tangible. Bridges is destined to follow up an Oscar win with at least a nomination, although his tendency toward mumbling (ala Brando) may cost him a repeat win. And Steinfeld is an Oscar-worthy revelation.
OK, the Coen Brothers aren't for everyone and Westerns aren't for everyone but if you're a fan of either the artists or the genre, you're in for a hell of a ride.
The Fighter
Boxing movies are a genre that sticks pretty close to convention. You know more or less what you're going to get goin' in. Mark Wahlberg's passion project, "The Fighter" is no exception. Wahlberg wanted to do this film partly because the real life boxing brothers came from the same streets that Wahlberg punked around on in his youth. In this case, the Ward brothers, Dickie and Mickey, are from Lowell, Mass., a suburb of Boston, which Wahlberg called home. These are pretty mean streets, a working class neighborhood at best, and Wahlberg knows them well. It gives this film the same kind of authenticity that the years other Boston-based drama (Affleck's "The Town") had. The streets of Boston are the new streets of New York.
Mickie Ward is the younger brother of a local legend. Dickie Ward's claim to fame is that he knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard (a dubious claim, it was more of a slip). Now Mickey is getting some attention in the boxing world as a welter weight. But as long as his tough-as-nails Mom is his manager and Dickie is his trainer, Mickey is going nowhere. His Mom still treats Dickie like a fair-haired hero and is all but blind to Dickie's crack addiction and the downward spiral that it's caused. These are the obstacles to Mickie's rise and the central conflict. How will Mickey reconcile his family and his ambition? The answer comes in a series of boxing sequences. They don't exactly stretch the genre, but they don't give it a black eye either.
Wahlberg's performance is middle of the road which is actually where it should be. He's the guy stuck in the middle, squarely between his screwed up family and his dream. Wahlberg doesn't have the emotional range for...oh say, The Lovely Bones, but here he's in his comfort zone. It's a role that demands physicality rather than emotionality and Wahlberg fills the bill. But the supporting characters, well that's another story. They have range in spades. Christian Bale is just this side of brilliant as the talented crackhead brother, full of manic kinetic energy, rage and charm. And Melissa Leo's messed-up Mom is a wonder to watch as she undermines Mickey's opportunities and falls victim to Dickie's manipulations. Amy Adams sheds the sweet and innocent tag for a turn as Mickey's salt and vinegar love interest.
Maybe my favorite thing in the movie is how the Ward sisters (all seven of them) are handled. They always appear together, a solid wall of blond bitchiness, without an effort at separate characterization. It's as if the witches from Macbeth (plus four) had grown up in Southie.
This is straight forward filmmaking, well paced and easy to watch. No new ground is broken, though. Still should be a slew of Oscar nominations coming out of this one.
Mickie Ward is the younger brother of a local legend. Dickie Ward's claim to fame is that he knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard (a dubious claim, it was more of a slip). Now Mickey is getting some attention in the boxing world as a welter weight. But as long as his tough-as-nails Mom is his manager and Dickie is his trainer, Mickey is going nowhere. His Mom still treats Dickie like a fair-haired hero and is all but blind to Dickie's crack addiction and the downward spiral that it's caused. These are the obstacles to Mickie's rise and the central conflict. How will Mickey reconcile his family and his ambition? The answer comes in a series of boxing sequences. They don't exactly stretch the genre, but they don't give it a black eye either.
Wahlberg's performance is middle of the road which is actually where it should be. He's the guy stuck in the middle, squarely between his screwed up family and his dream. Wahlberg doesn't have the emotional range for...oh say, The Lovely Bones, but here he's in his comfort zone. It's a role that demands physicality rather than emotionality and Wahlberg fills the bill. But the supporting characters, well that's another story. They have range in spades. Christian Bale is just this side of brilliant as the talented crackhead brother, full of manic kinetic energy, rage and charm. And Melissa Leo's messed-up Mom is a wonder to watch as she undermines Mickey's opportunities and falls victim to Dickie's manipulations. Amy Adams sheds the sweet and innocent tag for a turn as Mickey's salt and vinegar love interest.
Maybe my favorite thing in the movie is how the Ward sisters (all seven of them) are handled. They always appear together, a solid wall of blond bitchiness, without an effort at separate characterization. It's as if the witches from Macbeth (plus four) had grown up in Southie.
This is straight forward filmmaking, well paced and easy to watch. No new ground is broken, though. Still should be a slew of Oscar nominations coming out of this one.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Let Me In
You won't hear me speak very highly of the horror genre or Vampire movies in this blog very often. The genre has become ugly with gore or sex-crazed soap opera (Twilight, True Blood). But last year there was a film from Sweden that really transcended the current confines of the genre. It was called "Let the Right One In" and it got a lot of attention from critic's groups, many of whom awarded it with "Best Foreign Film" honors. It was a master stroke to set the film in the icy landscape of urban Sweden, besides which those Swedes are some pasty-pallored mo-fo's---perfect for Vampire movies. But the real strength of the movie wasn't about spewing blood or chewing on necks. It was about loneliness and isolation and alienation-the underpinnings of all good horror.
So when they decided to do an American version of this great vampire flick, my stomach sunk. The horror.
Turns out that my trepidation was misplaced. The American version, "Let Me In", stays true to the original in some very important ways. It's not as good as the Swedish version, but it ain't bad. Here's why:
At the heart of both the original and this version is the relationship between a lonely adolescent boy and a really lonely adolescent vampire. When the boy asks the young female vampire how old she is, she answers "I'm twelve. But I've been twelve for a very long time". How these two children from different worlds come to live in a creepy symbiosis, feeding off each others emotional and physical needs is what gives this story such a unique slant.
The American version does however come up short in some key ways. The boys relationship to his divorcing parents is given short shrift and curiously some of the grisliest visions from the original are softened or ignored. This version instead focuses on the young boy's adolescent voyeurism and his mother's religious obsession. Sex and God-- America's favorite pass-times. It makes the American revival a lesser film by far. So rent "Let the Right One In" unless you're one of those that has no patience for subtitles. If that's the case, you'll still find a lot to like about "Let Me In".
So when they decided to do an American version of this great vampire flick, my stomach sunk. The horror.
Turns out that my trepidation was misplaced. The American version, "Let Me In", stays true to the original in some very important ways. It's not as good as the Swedish version, but it ain't bad. Here's why:
At the heart of both the original and this version is the relationship between a lonely adolescent boy and a really lonely adolescent vampire. When the boy asks the young female vampire how old she is, she answers "I'm twelve. But I've been twelve for a very long time". How these two children from different worlds come to live in a creepy symbiosis, feeding off each others emotional and physical needs is what gives this story such a unique slant.
The American version does however come up short in some key ways. The boys relationship to his divorcing parents is given short shrift and curiously some of the grisliest visions from the original are softened or ignored. This version instead focuses on the young boy's adolescent voyeurism and his mother's religious obsession. Sex and God-- America's favorite pass-times. It makes the American revival a lesser film by far. So rent "Let the Right One In" unless you're one of those that has no patience for subtitles. If that's the case, you'll still find a lot to like about "Let Me In".
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Stone
Stone is a psychological thriller without the thrill. That's sad because the script attracted talent like Robert DeNiro and Ed Norton. The premise sounds promising. A parole officer working in a prison meets an inmate who will not only say anything to get out but will do anything, including recruiting his wife to seduce the old guy. And when the old guy (that's DeNiro) gets a look at the wife (a sexy Milla Jovovich) well, why not? Who cares if he goes to jail, or screws up his pending retirement, or loses his family, or pisses off a psychopath? The behavior in this film by every single character just doesn't make sense. If anyone in this movie made one logical or honest choice at any point the movie would have been over a half hour in. That would have been a mercy.
The phrase of the day for "Stone" is heavy-handed. Ed Norton (a great actor) is over-the-top and annoying right from the get-go. DeNiro (beyond a great actor) ladles on the guilt-ridden angst with a trowel, and the incessant drone of conservative religious radio in almost every non-prison scene is as irritating as listening to that crap in real life. By the time "Stone" comes to its unsatisfying conclusion, I wanted to beat my head in with....well, a stone. Wasting talent like this should be a parole violation.
The phrase of the day for "Stone" is heavy-handed. Ed Norton (a great actor) is over-the-top and annoying right from the get-go. DeNiro (beyond a great actor) ladles on the guilt-ridden angst with a trowel, and the incessant drone of conservative religious radio in almost every non-prison scene is as irritating as listening to that crap in real life. By the time "Stone" comes to its unsatisfying conclusion, I wanted to beat my head in with....well, a stone. Wasting talent like this should be a parole violation.
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