The Devil's Backbone (2001)

a.k.a. El Espinazo del Diablo (Spanish title)
Directed by: Guillermo del Toro
Format: On Demand
Starring: Íñigo Garcés, Eduardo Noriega, Federico Luppi, Irene Visedo, Fernando Tielve
Trailer

I'd first seen a trailer for The Devil's Backbone some years ago in an art haus theater. I don't remember what I'd gone there to see, but I remember keeping this Spanish movie in the back of my mind. So, on a dark and stormy recent night after a few martinis, I'd only barely convinced myself not to stop at the video store on the way home. On Demand, I reasoned, would have to suffice in the name of my budget (Grey Goose martinis are seldom cheap). But, I was lucky that night and happened upon The Devil's Backbone in the horror menu. It was just the perfect selection for my mood and one I'd seemed to have put off for too long. I remember seeing del Toro in person, at a special screening of an early film in Austin. Of course, he went on to direct Pan's Labrynth, so the credentials behind this movie are substatial.

Somewhere, in a rural area of war-torn Spain, there is an orphanage. An old widow, Carmen (played by Marisa Paredes), runs the boy's home with the gold left behind by her late husband. After, Carlos (Tielve) loses his father, family friends leave him in the care of Carmen. With his stash of comic books and wind-up toys, the boy makes fast friends. Jaime (Garcés) is the resident bully and he's not terribly impressed with Carlos, and maybe a little jelous. During his first night, Carlos learns that the orphanage harbors a secret - there's a ghost roaming about. He also learns that the young handyman, Jacinto (Noriega) has a thirst for gold. The war hovers nearer their doorsteps and yet their greatest threat may come from inside. Is it the little boy's ghost or the greedy Jacinto that will ruin them all? What horrible secret is Jaime privy to? Where is the gold hidden and who will come out of this place alive?

History not being my strong suit, I couldn't begin to tell you which famous Spanish war is raging in The Devil's Backbone. del Toro knows though, and he seems fond of showing its effects on children. In both this film and in Pan's Labrynth, he depicts the orphans of this particular entaglement. While not concentrating on the fighting itself, he chooses to explore the lives of who may have been left behind. I tend to sympathize with his choice. Often, history is told of heroes and noble generals, not the underestimated courage of people on the fringe. His focus is poinant and special.

No matter what language, good acting shines through. For a child actor, Ferando Tielve does an impressive job. The majority of the boys do what they do best - be boys. The best character by far, was Irene Visedo. She plays a tough, amputee widow with dignity and grace. Íñigo Garcés was a little less convincing and I think he was chosen mostly for his eye-candy factor (if you're into that sort of thing). His girlfriend, Conchita (played by Irene Visedo) is a noble character, but really little more than an ornament in this film. All around, half of the cast acted suburbly and the other half was so-so.

The Devil's Backbone is really a story within a story. The dual plot keeps things interesting and the perspective of the young characters makes the film refreshing. I liked the way the movie was shot, with plenty of dusty browns and shadows. I think the bomb might have been developed a little more as an aspect of the film. It's hinted at and maybe some of the symolism escaped me, but it could have played a bigger part. This movie is not as fanciful, even considering the ghost, as Pan's Labrynth and I believe that there was more room for that fantastic aspect. One thing's for certain though, I shouldn't have waited so long to see The Devil's Backbone.

Overall Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Hottie Rating: 1, maybe

Alternate Recommendation: Pan's Labrynth
Official SiteIMDB Page
The Austin Chronicle's review

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Atonement (2007)

Directed by: Joe Wright
Format: On Demand
Starring: Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, James McAvoy, Romola Garai, Juno Temple
Trailer

**The movie is a Gummi Awards nominee for the Most Offensive Example of Animal Testing/Cruelty category.**

One of the great things I've discovered since I began The Gummi Awards contest is that I've been pushed outside my usual boundaries. Because I have committed to watch and review every movie nominated, I find myself venturing into genres I never would have otherwise. In fact, as much as I adore film and as often as I watch them, there are plenty that slip under my radar. I'd never even heard of Atonement prior to its nomination. It's not a movie I think I would have thought to see. I do enjoy drama, but only every so often and usually when it involves my favorite actors. I also steer clear of war movies in general and while Atonement doesn't center particularly around the war, it's a substantial aspect of the plot.

This movie takes place in London during the early part of the 1940s. Young Briony (Ronan) is a clever 13 year old girl. She was born into wealth and spends her time writing plays. She's got a crush on Robbie Turner (McAvoy), her elder of about 10 years, who works for her family. Robbie has fallen in love with Briony's older sister, Cecilia (Knightley). When Robbie writes a note to her, he gives it to Briony to deliver. But, it's the wrong note and when Briony sneaks a peek at it, she gets the idea that dear Robbie is a bit depraved. That very same night, she stumbles across the scene of a crime. Her cousin Lola is being raped and she catches the assailant in the act. Although she catches only a brief glimpse of the man, she tells the authorities that she's sure it was Robbie Turner.

Robbie is arrested and sentenced on Briony's testimony. Faced with doing time or joining the war effort, Robbie goes off to fight the Germans. Cecilia, who returns Robbie's love, commits to wait for him to return and shuns her family. Realizing what she's done by accusing the man her sister loves, Briony denys an education at Cambridge and enrolls in nursing school. While Robbie and Cecilia yearn to be together, Briony leads an almost nun-like existence, still writing and still hoping to make things right.

Make no mistake, Atonement is a serious drama. There's no comic relief and no airy atmosphere to distract from the tragedy. The love affair between Robbie and Cecilia is a tortured one full of longing, hope, and pain. Briony doesn't have it easy either. She is learning the full scope of consequences resulting from her action. Really, the story isn't about the pair of lovers, even though they get the majority of the screen time. It's truly about young Briony growing up and trying to cope with her actions. The plot is solid, well told and very moving. It's also inventive and original.

Atonement is superbly acted as well. I thought Ronan did the best of the three actresses who portray Briony. She's intense but childlike at the same time. McAvoy is so utterly charming that it's impossible not to fall in love with his character. Knightley is an actress that I haven't decided whether to like or not. I enjoyed her performance in The Jacket, but could barely stand her in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Her portrayal of Cecilia in Atonement has swung her once again toward the positive verdict. Even the supporting cast does a wonderful job in each of their various roles. Lola is a veritable Lolita, but innocent all the same.

This movie was very depressing. Not on the scale of Eternal Sunshine, but close. However, I appreciate a film that makes me feel something over a bland romantic comedy. The love between the two main characters is palpable and I wanted every moment for them to be together. While it's Briony who's caused all the trouble, it's difficult to hate her completely. The ending was nicely done and unexpected. I love the originality of Atonement and the fact that it portrayed the horrors of war without making the leap to become a "war movie". It's a beautiful film and one that I recommend, as long as you have a box of tissues and a bottle of Prozac handy.

Overall Rating: 4
Hottie Rating: 4 1/2 (for the library scene)

Alternate Recommendation: The Illusionist
Official Site
IMDB Page
Salon.com review

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Almost Famous (2000)

Directed by: Cameron Crowe
Format: DVD
DVD Features: making of, production notes, cast, filmmakers, trailer, Rolling Stone articles, music video
Starring: Patrick Fugit, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Philip Seymour Hoffman

**This movie has received a Gummi Award nomination for Most Inappropriate Musical Sequence.**

Have you ever wanted to shirk your responsibilities, leave your job, leave your life and run off to follow your favorite band? The Dead Heads did it back in the day. If I was skinnier, prettier and 10 years younger, I'd run off and follow mine. Have you ever waited outside a tour bus, hoping you'd see your favorite singer, your favorite drummer and maybe, just maybe they'd take special appreciation of you and ask you to come on board? If I won the lottery, I guarantee you that I'd be following a tour bus (and blogging the whole while).

In Almost Famous, William Miller is a young boy when his older sister decides to leave home and tour the world aboard an airline. As she departs, she whispers to William that his future is awaiting him under his bed. There, he discovers a suitcase stocked with a prime selection of rock records (most of them, I recognize from my parents' collection that I used to raid as a kid). Years later, in 1973, he meets music critic Lester Bangs (Hoffman) who becomes his mentor. William publishes his writing through an underground magazine and one fateful day, Rolling Stone takes notice. They offer him $1k to follow the band Stillwater on tour.

William's mother reluctantly allows him to flee the nest, provided that there are "no drugs" involved. Along the way, he meets rock legends, a girl named Penny Lane, almost dies in a plane crash and learns about life on the road. He's torn between telling the objective truth and becoming one of the groupies. But his publisher warns him, "We already have Hunter Thompson". His mentor reminds him to always be, "honest and unmerciful".

Although the movie takes place in the Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin days, there isn't a heavy focus on period dress or psychodelic drugs. It's not without its celebrity look-alikes, mind you, but the film doesn't focus on the crazy hippie aspect of Rock 'N' Roll the way Stone's The Doors did. One odd symbol that I noticed was Lester's red telephone. It's like the Bat-phone in the Adam West series, the one that Commisioner Gordon picked up whenever there was trouble.

The acting in Almost Famous is sturdy, but not spectacular. One of the best characters, Penny Lane (Hudson), has a great line. In regards to her "non-groupie" brigade of girls and their rock-star relations, she says, "I always tell the girls, 'Never take it seriously. If you never take it seriously, you never get hurt. If you never get hurt, you always have fun. And if you ever get lonely, you just go to the record store and visit your friends." Despite the great line, Lane doesn't follow her own advice. But, they could have gotten anyone to fill Penny Lane's shoes. The best acting was given by the Stillwater members themselves - well, Billy Crudup as the guitarist Russel Hammond (not a real band member?) and Jason Lee as the vocalist Jeff Bebe.

I really enjoyed Almost Famous. It takes the viewer on a tour behind stages, but without all of the drugs and debauchary that most rock-band movies rely on. The main character, William, never loses his nievete and innocence. From the perspective of a rock fan, it's a vicarious journey no matter which band you adore. From the perspective of a critic, it shines a little ray of hope. And from the viewpoint of a movie lover, although not as deep and thoughtful as some, this film is a winner. It might even make it into my permanent collection.

Overall Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Hottie Rating: eh...2 stars (props to the groupie life)

Alternate Recommendation: Velvet Goldmine
Official Site
IMDB Page
Rolling Stone review (and yes, I'm aware of the irony)

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Premonition (2007)

Directed by: Mennan Yapo
Format: DVD
DVD Features: Commentary, deleted scenes, gag reel, making of featurette, precognition featurettes, previews
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon, Amber Valletta, Peter Stormare

**This movie has recieved a Gummi Awards nomination for Most Abrupt and/or Confusing Ending.***

Premonitions; visions of the future. Believe it or not, I've had them. No, I don't claim to be psychic. I can't tell you who you're going to marry or what's going to happen tomorrow, but I have had dreams that came true. My grandmother has too. She dreamed about Kennedy. I dreamed about 9-11. Sounds kind of loopy, I know. The trouble is, I can never tell if it's just a dream or if it will happen. It's unreliable. But, if you watch the precognition featurette on this DVD, you'll find out that some people's visions are much more dependable. It presents a paradox. Is the future certain? Can you alter it if you know about it? Would you choose to have this ability if you could? Would you like to know the future, even if you couldn't change it? There has been a lot of research on the subject, a lot of speculation, and a lot of movies. Premonition is one of them.

Linda Hanson wakes up one morning and goes about her homemaker routine as usual. She takes the kids to school, she does the laundry and she goes for a jog. Then, there's a knock at her door. The officer on her portch tells her that her husband has been in a fatal car accident. Predictably, she's in shock and grief sets in. That night, she falls asleep on her sofa and the next morning, everything has changed. Not because her husband is gone, not because her children are fatherless, but because her husband...is in the shower! The next morning, she walks downstairs to find a funeral and the next, her husband is cooking pancakes for the kids. Is she going mad, she wonders? She seeks help. She tries a doctor, she tries a priest, and when she realizes that she's not insane, she tries to stop it. But, after she finds out why her husband has been so distant, does she still want to?

Although there isn't much to the movie visually (i.e. special effects, period costume), there is a lot of symbolism in Premonition. Images of crows are consistent throughout the film and Linda's daughters are working on a jigsaw puzzle in the story. The crows, naturally, giving a feeling of forebodeing and the puzzle metaphorically representing the clues and events that Linda is piecing together in the plot. The two symbols also serve to show the relative time involved. Little things like that really help the viewers in movies like these, but aren't terrbily subtle in this film.

The premonition that Linda has in the movie feels less like visions of the future and more like time travel. She moves through the movie with memories intact, while people she saw yesterday, don't know her name the next. Which, of course, presents certain paradox, just like the time travel theory. If you can see the future, can you change it? And if you can, then does it really mean you predicted the future? Premonition gets through the maze of "what if?"s fairly easily, but we're left with some questions. Whether or not she can save her husband is a big one, but not something I'm going to give away here. Some of mine were, "Who's really that close to their life insurance agent?", "What churches have cushioned pews?" and, "Why the Hell doesn't she call 9-11?"

I've never been a Sandra Bullock fan, nor counted her as one of the world's great actresses. However, I think she does a decent job in Premonition. Bullock convincingly portrays a woman dealing with great loss, motherhood and a failing grip on sanity. It's easy to take her seriously in the role of Linda Hanson; put yourself in her shoes. Her husband, Jim (played by Julian McMahon) is mostly a prick. The couple are having the usual marital issues. McMahon is passable in the role, but not extraordinary. Playing Linda's doctor, is Peter Stormare. You might remember him as the homicidal kidnapper in Fargo. With that association, I can never see him in a film and not consider him a "bad guy". And really, he isn't such a "good guy" in Premonition either. McMahon is good at what he does, but he doesn't seem to have much range.

When I went to the video store to check out this movie, I was thinking that, for some odd reason, this was the one about the lake house with Keanu Reeves. When I plugged it into the DVD player, I realized that I'd already seen this movie! So, it's an amusing side note that I was renting a movie that I'd seen in the past. For a Hollywood film, with a fairly tame plotline, Premonition wasn't half bad. It even raised some ponderous questions. At one point in the film, Linda is talking to her priest (Jude Ciccolella) in an attempt to get some direction. He mentions the theory that "nature abhorrs a vaccuum, even spiritually", basically amounting to her visions being gifted to her because of a lack of faith. I found that an interesting subject and not totally off the wall, even considering (or maybe more due to) my athiesm.

In the end, I don't think Premonition was a complete waste of time. It won't make it into my personal collection, but my initial chagrin at having rented it twice didn't sustain itself. If you want to see Bullock in a reputable role and you want a drama that's not overwhelmingly deep, Premonition might be the rental for you. It was thought-provoking on some levels, but lacked the sort of spice, style and excitement that makes truly entertaining cinema. And thusly, I endow the following rating.

Overall Rating: 2 1/2 stars
Hottie Rating: 0 stars

Alternate Recommendation: Memento
Official Site
IMDB Page
Reel.com review

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The Notorious Bettie Page (2005)

Directed by: Mary Harron
Format: DVD
DVD Features:
Starring: Gretchen Mol, Lili Taylor, Chris Bauer, Jared Harris

I’m always surprised when I meet someone who doesn’t know who Bettie Page was. In my mind, it’s like not knowing who Marilyn Monroe or Jim Morrison were. Bettie was a pin-up girl and fetish model during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. She was never photographed having intercourse or in any scenes with men, so by today’s standards, she might not qualify as a “porn star”. During that era, full-frontal nudity could get a cameraman in trouble. It’s interesting to see how society has changed with regards to the human form. Bettie’s also famous for her iconic cropped bangs and black hairstyle. Featured these days on everything from notebook covers to air fresheners, even tattoos, Bettie’s image is everywhere. Her resurgence in popularity is likely one reason that Mary Harron decided to make her Notorious film.

The Notorious Bettie Page is a look at the model’s life during her career in pin-up. In this film, we’re first introduced to Bettie (Mol) as she’s waiting to be called to testify at the Kefauver Hearings (hearings in the late 50’s to determine the effects of certain materials on Juvenile Delinquency). Following that, a few short scenes allow a glimpse into Bettie’s childhood and teen years. Around the time she begins college, the picture slows down again to summarize her marriage and subsequent divorce from Billy Neal (Norman Reedus). Then, while strolling down the beach in Coney Island, she meets Jerry Tibbs (Kevin Carroll), who asks to take her photograph. From that point forward, her career takes off. In-between scenes of her posing, the movie shares her struggles with acting and with relationships. When the story circles around to the trial again, it’s near the end of Bettie’s career and the beginning of her devotion to Christianity.

Most of Harron’s movie is shot in black and white. It’s an effective technique for lending The Notorious Bettie Page the overall feeling of an era gone by. The scenes in which the director chose to use color still convey the sensation of an old postcard or a Technicolor film. All of Page’s most famous shots are re-created, including her jungle poses with the jaguars (who almost upstage her) and the Playboy Christmas card.

Mol is a fairly good doppelganger for the real model, which is an essential piece of pulling off a convincing biography. She even nails the innocence and carefree attitude that the real woman was said to have. I kept getting the feeling she was being taken advantage of and yet, she doesn’t come off as being stupid. Aside from Mol, most of the acting was mediocre. I once thought that Lily Taylor was a pretty solid actress. I’ll never forget her in The Addiction. But, after seeing her fake her way through this movie and The Haunting, I’m not so sure. She reminds me of a teenager lying to her parents – not very convincing. By contrast, the man who plays Irving Klaw (Chris Bauer), her brother in the movie, is very believable. Only two more characters, Bunny Yeager (Sarah Paulson) and John Willie (Jared Harris) were even remotely entertaining.

As is probably a danger when recreating someone’s life onscreen, this biography of Bettie Page was rather dry. As a fan, I had been curiously awaiting the film’s release. I was hoping that the icon’s memory would be honored and that the filmmakers would not take too much liberty with her tale. In that regard, I wasn’t disappointed but The Notorious Bettie Page ends up being something of a snore. It works well as a study of the shifts in society since that era, which is interesting, but it’s almost like reading a text book. If you’re curious about the woman, the pin-up style or just like to see nude models, this film might be a good bet. Anyone looking for some excitement will be sorely disappointed.

Overall Rating: 2 ½
Hottie Rating: 3

Alternate Recommendation: I Shot Andy Warhol
Official Site
IMDB Page
Creative Loafing Review

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A Soul Haunted By Painting (1994)

a.k.a. Hua hun

Directed by: Shuqin Huang
Format: DVD / Mandarin with English subtitles
DVD Features: (coming soon)
Starring: Li Gong, Fang Cen, Shen Hairong, Shichang Da

I often boast that I have seen over 200 Hong Kong films. It’s true, of course, but I haven’t had nearly the same degree of experience with films from mainland China. Although both places are neighbors on the globe, their cinematic styles are worlds apart. While Hong Kong is home to action superstar Jackie Chan and comedic giant Stephen Chow, the films from China itself are generally more dramatic, artistic and subtle; what you might call “art house”. I have rarely ventured beyond those films which have gained popularity on Western shores; films like Raise the Red Lantern (Da hong deng long gao gao gua) and Fairwell My Concubine (Ba weng bie ji). So, in an effort to round out my Chinese film experience, I decided to rent A Soul Haunted By Painting.

This movie is based upon the life of Pan Yuliang, one of China’s early controversial and ground-breaking painters. As the film begins, a young Yulaing is living in a brothel, in training to become one of the hired girls. On her first night as an official prostitute, she is raped. Terrified, she runs away from the brothel and begs local official Xiao Lan, for whom she was originally to entertain, to help her. He takes her in and the couple soon fall in love. Shortly after Xiao takes Pan as his second wife, he leaves to take part in a political uprising. While he is away, Yulaing entertains herself by learning to paint.

She finds that she has an affinity for the art and begins to study at a local Chinese school. But, the school is shut down for using nude models. Since it’s clear that her homeland is too conservative, she travels to France with a classmate to continue her studies. After meeting with some success there, she returns to China to be with her husband. Much to their chagrin, however, the couple discovers that Yuliang is unable to bear children. Recognizing the importance in their culture for a man to have a son, Yuliang writes to Pan’s first wife, inviting her to come and stay with them. As can be expected, the situation soon becomes unbearable for Yuliang and she returns to Europe.

The story continues in this fashion, back and forth between countries and cultures, throughout Yuliang’s lifetime. As is typical of some Chinese film, much focus is put on the tragedy and pain of existence. So, the film isn’t particularly upbeat, but no less interesting and important, if only for its biographical content and social commentary. Pan Yulaing is clearly an important historical figure and the filmmakers of Hua hun paint the woman as strong-willed in the face of a very restrictive and male-centric society.

Aside from its significance as an historical piece, the film isn’t particularly interesting. Many tales from China seem to begin in brothels and end in tragedy. So, it wasn’t terribly exciting or original. It also seemed to drag on forever and I kept checking the clock, wondering how much more of it I would have to endure. I think that the film could have been much more exciting while still maintaining the same degree of historical accuracy (or inaccuracy?).

My impression of Hua hun wasn’t helped by the low production quality of the DVD. The only mildly appealing feature on the disc (aside from the film itself) was an introduction that was obviously taken from a British television program that, at one point, must have featured this film. It points out some of the cultural highlights, which doesn’t actually help if you watch this feature after viewing the movie. The picture itself is very poor. The film is grainy and washed out and, in some scenes, it’s even difficult to make out what the actors are doing. Not being able to see the movie definitely detracts from enjoyment of it!

The most positive attribute of A Soul Haunted by Painting was, by far, the acting. While I don’t agree with the profoundly popular opinion that Li Gong is one of the most beautiful actors in the world, I do agree that she’s one of the more talented. She plays a fantastic Pan Yuliang, until the character becomes elderly. After which, she is less convincing. However, that version of her character is a very brief part of the film and the rest of her performance is passionate and committed. Her male counterpart, Fang Cen, is talented as well. Watching their two characters interact is the most absorbing element of Hua hun and without these two, I think the film might have been quite a bit less bearable under most circumstances (wine and Vicoden make almost any movie bearable).

I like the character Pan Yulaing and I think she’s an important historical figure, especially from the viewpoint of women’s rights. However, this depiction of her life failed to move me and if it weren’t for the earnest efforts of its actors, I think I may have panned the film completely.

Overall Rating: 2
Hottie Rating: 0

Alternate Recommendation: Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams
Official Site (none found)
IMDB Page
SplicedWire DVD mini-review (the only other review I could find!)

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No Country for Old Men (2007)

Directed by: Ethan and Joel Coen
Format: Theater
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Kelly Macdonald

There was only one movie nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture this year that I actually had the chance to see prior to the ceremony. However, if I had it to do over again, I would have chosen the same film. After all, No Country for Old Men may not have been the most hyped movie of 2007, but it walked away with the most statues.

Deep in the heart of Texas, Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) is shootin’ at some food, when he catches sight of an injured dog in his scope. Following the dog’s trail of blood back to its origin, he discovers a cluster of pickup trucks and a collection of fresh corpses. It appears to be the scene of a drug deal gone sour and when Llewelyn finds a suitcase full of money, he doesn’t stick around to ask the dead any questions. He’s a clever fellow and he knows that someone will be looking for the cash. What he doesn’t know is that the “someone” is Anton Chigurh (Bardem), and Anton Chigurh isn’t exactly the most well-balanced individual in town. In fact, during one of the earliest scenes, Anton gives us a good healthy dose of just how nuts he really is. You might laugh at the haircut, but hardly any who cross paths with the man is laughing, or ever will again.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who thought that Javier Bardem played an excellent hired killer. He did, after all, earn himself an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for this role. I loved the cool brand of insanity he put forth as Anton. His character isn’t Mickey & Mallory crazy, but smooth and sinister like James Bond if he had roomed with John Wayne Gacy in college. Tommy Lee Jones plays the small town cop trying to get a handle on the madness involved with his new case. Jones is one of those actors, to me, who can be either really terrible, or fairly solid, depending on what movie he’s in. In this one, he does a good job. His character is basically just watching from the sidelines though and primarily works to help the audience glue the pieces together and reflect on the bigger picture. Harrelson appears in a brief role as Carson Wells, the second hit man sent out to recover the suitcase full of cash. But, he talks a big talk without backing it up with anything impressive. The only purpose I could see for Wells was as a foil for Chigurh; to offer up an example of another hired man for the main killer to contrast against. Although well played, I didn’t feel that Harrelson’s character was necessary. I was engrossed in Josh Brolin’s character most of all. Llewelyn had that “common man” appeal, but with an unexpected edge of cunning. So, he was easy to root for as the protagonist. Even though I thought Anton Chigurh was a force to be reckoned with, I kept hoping Moss would get the jump on him.

Ever since Raising Arizona, I’ve been enamored of the Coens’ filmmaking. As if that film isn’t already a fine example, they went on from there, directing Blood Simple, The Big Lebowski and Fargo (another Oscar winner). I could go on for ages about the other films I’ve enjoyed from their filmography. However, the Coens are not infallible. In 2000, there was O Brother, Where Art Thou? , which was thoroughly disappointing. When they fell short of the mark again in 2004 with The Ladykillers, I was beginning to think they’d lost their touch. But, then came No Country for Old Men. At last, my faith was restored! It has everything that I’d come to love from the Coens; good dialogue, interesting characters, and just a little touch of oddity. No Country also has a more ethereal theme that overlays the entire film.

Since I actually braved the theaters for this movie, I had the opportunity to judge crowd reaction to the film. During the majority of the picture, there wasn’t the usual obnoxious rustling of popcorn bags, inconsiderate glowing of cell phones or irritating chatting going on. There was only silence, as if everyone was on the edge of their seats. This tells me that the movie did a great job of holding everyone’s interest. At the conclusion of the movie, there was audibly disappointed gasping. Personally, I enjoy an open-ended finale from time to time. However, it seems that this audience (and maybe you as well) doesn’t approve of endings that don’t arrive in neatly tied-up packages.

Overall Rating: 5
Hottie Rating: 3 (for Javier and his voice)

Alternate viewing recommendation: Miller's Crossing
Official Site
IMDB Page
San Francisco Chronicle review

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M (1931)

Directed by: Fritz Lang
Format: DVD (German w/English subtitles)
DVD Features:
Starring: Peter Lorre, Otto Wernicke, Friedrich Gnaß, Georg John, Gustaf Gründgens

I had heard of M years and years before I rented it. It’s a legendary bit of cinema and one that film connoisseurs hold in high regard. Yet, once I finally received it in the mail, it sat around for at least a month before I decided to sit down and watch it. I imagined the movie as excessively drawn out and serious and to watch something like that, especially in German, I have to be in a certain type of mood. So last night, faced with the option of trodding out in the freezing weather to search for some suitable viewing matter or rewatching something in my collection that I’ve probably seen a million times, I decided that M was the best choice. However, it certainly wasn’t what I expected.

A murderer is on the loose. Not only a murderer, but a killer of children. Little Elsie Beckman is on her way home, amusing herself with a ball, when she meets a stranger. That night, her dinner plate goes unattended. Since she is only the most recent victim in a string of serial murders, the police are frantic to find the culprit. They begin searching door to door and methodically combing the parks and neighborhoods. It’s when they empty out a local gambling hall that the underground element of the city decides it has had enough. To stop the police from interfering with their operations, the crime boss decides, they must catch the killer themselves and bring him to their version of justice.

The most notable actor in the film is, of course, Peter Lorre. He plays the disturbed killer, who is by far the character with the most personality. I had thought Lorre was creepy when I saw him in Casablanca. His performance at the culmination of M is what many hail as one of the greatest onscreen performances in cinema. None of the other characters in the film are really very remarkable. The gang of criminals is certainly more colorful than the police force and have their individual identities to a degree, but the central focus is clearly on Lorre.

From an artistic standpoint, M is Film Noir to it’s core. The movie isn’t just black and white, but effectively uses shadow and form to convey an atmosphere of menace. The echoing, strangely clean streets hold a creepy uneasiness that’s hard to deny. While none of the actual murder is shown onscreen, Elsie’s ball, rolling to a stop alone in the grass is eerie enough. I think that showing the gorey details may have actually detracted from the mood of the film. There’s something to be said about the use of sound as well. M was Fritz Lang’s first “talkie” and as such, there isn’t a great deal of sound involved. In fact, there are several periods during which there is no sound at all. But, that actually adds to the eerie effect as well.

It was interesting to see how many elements of M, made way back in 1931, are still in use. For instance, the note that the killer sends in to the press is analyzed by the police investigators. They scrutinize his handwriting, identify the texture of the paper and writing utensil, and try to pull prints. They also pour over lists of hospital releases and stacks of addresses. It was very much like the crime dramas currently on television, like CSI and Cold Case. I wonder if this movie is where Son of Sam got the idea to send his letters to the newspaper. The door to door police searches reminded me a little of the Gestapo and their hunt for hidden Jews.

One of the best elements of the movie was the criminal underground. They tracked down the killer more effectively than the authorities and their plan (although I won’t spoil it for you) was so simple, it was genius. They even decide to hold a trial for the killer, complete with defense counsel. Not what you’d expect from your average hoodlum, but these guys are organized. Each specialty has its own division. There are the pickpockets, the burglers, the beggars and the prostitutes, who almost seem unionized. But, they all cooperate when their own idea of morality is violated and their way of life threatened by an outsider.

M is a movie that truly surprised me. I had wanted to see it simply because it is so widely respected and I felt that it was a requisite for my own personal “film education”. My expectations were for something dry, slow and hard to appreciate. Fritz Lang also directed the silent film Metropolis, which, although also highly regarded, bored me to tears (I much prefer the animated version that it inspired). However, M was an amazing film! There were times when I was at the edge of my seat, biting my nails because the suspense was so palpable. There are a few moments at the beginning that lag a bit, but most of the film moves at a gratifying pace. The overall atmosphere, accentuated by the simplicity of such early cinema, was eerie and absorbing, without feeling forced or contrived.

If you like a suspenseful crime drama, with a bit of classic style, definitely see M. Even if you’re the type of person who feels daunted by subtitles and black and white film, I encourage you to at least give it a chance. The film isn’t so artsy and high-brow that you have to be a movie guru to enjoy, but don’t expect Hollywood explosives, big breasted women and cheesy romance (or any romance at all) either.

Overall Rating: 5
Hottie Rating: 0

Alternate recommendation: Wait Until Dark
Official site (none found)
IMDB page
Filmjerk review

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Great Expectations (1998)

Director: Alfonso Caurón
Format: DVD
DVD Features: movie trailers
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Cooper, Anne Bancroft
Trailer

I took this movie home on loan from the same friend who watched The Count of Monte Cristo with me. Originally, Great Expectations was a novel by Charles Dickens. It has been adapted many times for the big screen and the small one. This 1998 edition is the most recent of all of the movie versions. I have seen the cover of the movie countless times, but never considered renting it, as it’s not my typical cup of tea. Also, having not read the Dickens story, I can’t be sure how close the movie mirrors his original plot. However, I do like to step outside of my general sphere of film watching from time to time and experience something different, especially upon a recommendation.

Young Finn Bell (Jeremy James Kissner) is a boy of 10, living in Florida with his older sister and Uncle Joe (Chris Cooper). Aside from helping Joe out with odd jobs around town, Finn spends much of his time with a sketchbook and a pencil. One day, a rich eccentric woman hires Finn as company for her young niece Estella (Raquel Beaudene). Every weekend, he visits their mansion to dance with Estella and otherwise entertain the old woman. But, even though the crazy dame warns Finn that Estella will eventually break his heart, he falls madly in love with her as the years pass.

One day, Estella disappears without much of a goodbye. Finn, now in his twenties (Ethan Hawke) is devastated. Determined to forget her, he throws himself into work on a fishing boat and leaves his drawing behind. Quite unexpectedly, an attorney shows up at his door and tells him that an anonymous benefactor wishes to send him to New York to show his work in his own studio debut. Bell flies off to The Big City, where he runs into the beautiful Estella (Gwyneth Paltrow) again. She serves as his muse and sparks a series of artwork for the show. However, she is on her way to becoming another man’s bride.

Paltrow does a magnificent job of portraying a wealthy young woman who’s been raised most particularly to break a man’s heart. She is constantly teasing Finn and allowing him just a taste of what he’s been longing for his whole life before pulling away. I have only enjoyed the actress in one other film (The Royal Tannenbaums) and she surprised me in Great Expectations. Hawke makes the transition nicely from being the naïve small-town fool, to being a mature and perpetually heartsick artist. Both of the children playing the characters as their younger selves did a superb job as well. The mad old woman in the film, Ms. Nora Dinsmoor, is played by Anne Bancroft. Granted, she is a little strange, the actress didn’t quite reach the edges of insanity and wickedness that it seemed the role called for. Her repentance at the end was hardly convincing either. Chris Cooper slid into the role of Uncle Joe with ease and fit the bill completely. Then, of course, we have Mr. Robert DeNiro, who plays an escape convict that Finn helps on more than one occasion. This actor almost never disappoints and didn’t let me down with this movie either. There’s a reason the man is a legend.

The cinematography in Great Expectations is beautiful. From the wide-open ocean landscapes to the rainy streets of Manhattan, Emmanuel Lubezki graces each scene with cool shades of blues and greens. Practically every shot is worthy of a postcard or a picture book. Francesco Clemente is the true artist behind all of Finn’s doodles and gallery work. While it’s not conventional portraiture, it has a genuine appeal and humanity about it. The song “Siren”, performed by Tori Amos floats along in the backdrop from time to time and lent a lot to the atmosphere of the picture.

I normally don’t enjoy this type of film, but I was pleasantly surprised to find both the plot and the acting quite satisfactory. There was a great sort of sorrow and eroticism in the relationship between the main characters that I enjoyed. In fact, I actually found myself a bit choked up during Hawke and DeNiro’s final scene. It’s a movie that I might not have given a chance had it not been talked up by my friend, so many thanks to him. But, ladies be warned that it might be a bit of a struggle to get your S/O to agree to.

Overall Rating: 3 ½
Hottie Rating: 3 (for the nude Gwyneth scene)

Alternate Viewing: The Illusionist
Official Site
IMDB Site
The Austin Chronicle review

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The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

Director: Kevin Reynolds
Format: DVD
DVD Features: deleted scenes, audio commentary, featurettes
Starring: James Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Richard Harris, Dagmara Dominczyk
Trailer

I like getting movie recommendations from friends. I rarely watch movies with friends, so it’s really nice to have that experience as well. What’s triply nice is when I get to sit and watch with a friend and they don’t insist on talking through the whole thing or trying to make out with me. Granted, there are certain movies that just beg to be made out to, like Crash with David Spader, for instance. And if I’ve seen the movie a bazillion times, like The Princess Bride, it’s okay to talk through it. But, when I see movies, I generally want everyone to shut the hell up and let me watch. The Count of Monte Cristo was a film I got to see with a friend, a quiet one.

Edmond Dantes (James Caviezel) is a young man who’s making his way in the world. He’s got a beautiful fiancé and has just gotten a promotion. Fernand (Guy Pearce) is a friend of Edmond’s, noble born and exceedingly jealous. Edmond is happy-go-lucky until he is shipped off to prison on the island of Chateau d’lf , framed for treason. He’s held captive there for 13 years (which reminded me of a Korean movie called Oldboy). Fortunately for him, Edmond meets up with another captive, Abbe Faria (Richard Harris), who trains him in the arts of combat, teaches him to read, and enlists his aid in digging a tunnel out of captivity. And eventually, after so many long years, Dantes finds a way out of Chateau d’lf and into a large fortune. Bent on revenge, Edmond Dantes takes on his new persona, The Count of Monte Cristo, and quickly infiltrates the social circles in which Fernand travels. Not even Mercedes (Dagmara Dominczyk), Edmond’s former love is safe from the vengeful wrath of The Count.

It took me a moment to realize where I’d seen Guy Pearce before. I recognized the face, but just couldn’t remember a plot or character to connect him to. That’s when my friend reminded me – Momento. Momento was a terrific film and so, I was expecting a similarly stellar performance from Pearce in this movie. Sadly, it didn’t get what I was hoping for. In fact, most of the cast did a mediocre rendition of the characters in this classic tale. I certainly wasn’t impressed by Pearce, Caviezel, Faria or anyone else.

Although it wasn’t a horribly trashy film, The Count of Monte Cristo was dulled beneath a thick glaze of Hollywood treatment. There wasn’t anything particularly edgy or revolutionary in this take of the story. The segment of the film in which Dantes meets Faria and builds himself up to the task of seeking revenge would be familiar to any fan of classic kung-fu films. I was reminded of countless subtitled features wherein the lead character suffers great losses, meets an old master, undergoes training and comes out better and stronger than before. There is a fairly entertaining fight at the end, when The Count takes on his enemies and there is hardly a moment when it doesn’t seem that Dantes’ revenge isn’t deserved. I just imagine that the same story could have been much more exciting considering all of the elements present which could have been developed richly had someone else been directing it and/or another cast acting in it. The basic story was full of potential, but (and no offense to my friend) it was lacking anything special.

Overall Rating: 2
Hottie Rating: 0

Alternate Viewing: A Knight’s Tale
?Official Site?
IMDB Site
Crazy 4 Cinema review

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The Jacket (2005)

Director: John Maybury
Format: DVD
DVD Features: added scenes, alternate endings, trailer, featurettes
Starring: Adrien Brody, Kiera Knightly, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kris Kristofferson
Trailer

The Jacket is a film that I’ve owned for a while now. I found it on my neighborhood video store’s discount shelf. I’m always looking for horror films and anything that looks intriguing that I don’t mind paying a cheap price for. Usually, I buy a few films I’ve seen before, and end up with another one or two undiscovered films to round out my “4 for 20” purchase. Surprisingly, I haven’t been burnt often. There are a handful of actors and directors that I collect, in a way. Adrien Brody is one of those actors, but more on him in a minute.

Jack Starks (Adrien Brody) is dead…well, maybe. He barely survived a grievous head wound while serving in Desert Storm. After being released from medical a year later, he’s hitchhiking down a rural road when he comes across a woman and her little girl having car trouble. He’s just managed to fix their truck when the severely inebriated mother chases him away from the child. But, Starks leaves his dog tags with the girl Jackie (Laura Marano). A bit further down the road, a young man in a station wagon offers him a ride. The driver either has trouble with the cops, or is just plain nuts because, when they’re unexpectedly pulled over by the local PD, the man starts firing on the officer. Jack is caught in the crossfire and is unconscious with a dead cop and a recently fired weapon when the authorities find him. Since Jack’s memory is Swiss cheese, and there were no witnesses to the crime, he is sentenced to treatment at a hospital for the criminally insane.

Quite unwillingly, Jack becomes the subject of Dr. Becker’s (Kris Kristofferson) radical experiments. They involve a lot of medication, being strapped into a filthy straight jacket, and then being shoved into a morgue locker. However tortuous the “treatment” might be, it affords Jack an unexpected peek into the future. It’s during his first trip that he meets a young woman (Keira Knightly) who offers him her couch to sleep on for the night. While casually browsing her apartment, Jack happens across a pair of dog tags. When he reads the name engraved on them, he’s shocked to discover that the name is his. Starks spends the rest of his time flashing back and forth between the year 1995 and, when he’s in the jacket, 2007.

Nobody in The Jacket looks pretty. Jack is emaciated and hollow-eyed. The older version of Jackie is a binge drinking chain smoker who wears dark makeup and doesn’t seem to care about much, let alone her hair and clothing. All of the doctors at the hospital seem like they were pulled straight from the set of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. That is, except for one Dr. Lorenson (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who doesn’t look like she’s gotten a wink of sleep in years. Combined with grainy camera shots, oddly disturbing score (by Brian Eno) and a bleak, snowy landscape, The Jacket has an atmosphere of misery, which is a perfect backdrop for the storyline.

I mentioned Adrien Brody earlier. Aside from having that genuine East Coast attitude and killer good looks, the man is an amazing actor. In 2003, he became the youngest actor ever to win the Best Actor Academy Award for his role in The Pianist. He’s also got a history of taking on unconventional roles, a quality that I have always admired in great actors. So, I was gratified with his appearance in The Jacket. He truly seems tortured and yet, has everyone else’s best interests in mind. Keira Knightly is terrific as the older Jackie. She does such a magnificent job as a tragic, self destructive beauty that I wish she’d play such characters more often. Don’t forget solid performances by Krisofferson and Leigh that really round out the cast.

One problem that I’ve got with this movie is the rapid pace at which Jackie and Starks develop a romantic relationship. It almost seems as if part of the movie was cut out. One moment, she’s kicking him out of her apartment for “snooping” through her things and the next, she’s driving him around the countryside, helping him figure things out. Granted, Jack doesn’t have much time to play with in the movie, but they seem to “hook up” awful darned fast. I guess it’s that Brodie charm.

Overall Rating: 4
Hottie Rating: 5 (Knightly and Brody are both smokin')

Alternate Viewing: Summer of Sam
Official Site
IMDB Site
Planet Sick-Boy review

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Hard Candy (2005)

Director: David Slade
Format: DVD
DVD Features: trailer, commentary, deleted scenes, DVD-ROM, featurettes
Starring: Ellen Page, Patrick Wilson, Sandra Oh
Trailer

My father recently asked me how I choose the movies I get in the mail. "Usually," I told him, "I look for recommendations based on the movies I’ve already rented." Sometimes, too, I will see a movie trailer that grabs my attention and I’ll put that movie on my list. In the case of Hard Candy, I happened to be walking past the television while my dad was watching Ebert and Whatshisname. They gave Hard Candy a great review. It wasn’t really the opinion of another movie critic that made my decision – I’ve said that I don’t read movie reviews much – but it was the subject matter of the movie and how they described it that peaked my interest. And to be honest, their review was a little misleading. But, I didn’t know that before my weakness for Indie films drew me in.

Hayley Stark (Ellen Page) is a 14 year old girl and she’s been chatting for several weeks with 32 year old photographer Jeff (Patrick Wilson) online. After several flirtatious advances, the two of them deicide to meet at a local café. Hayley is clearly very bright for a girl of her age and Jeff is more attractive than she expected. Despite her honor roll integrity, she’s still a bit shy and naïve. After a bit of conversation, Jeff convinces her to come back to his house to listen to some music. When they arrive, Hayley browses the photographer’s portfolio pictures displayed on the walls. She notices that they’re all photos of underage girls in provocative positions. Jeff offers her a glass of water and she responds by saying that she was taught not to drink anything she hasn’t mixed herself. She finds some vodka in his freezer and mixes them both screwdrivers.

Briefly afterwards, Jeff wakes up to find that he’s been tied to a chair. Both he and the audience begin to realize that Hayley is not the innocent child she pretended to be. It seems that she’s been planning their rendezvous for a while now, right down to the activities of his neighbors. While he watches helplessly, Hayley tears his house apart, looking for evidence of pedophilia. After an exhaustive search, she locates a hidden safe and figures out the combination. It seems that what she discovers inside confirms her suspicions and affirms her course of action. Jeff blacks out again and this time, when he comes to, he’s been tied down to a steel operating table, his pants removed and a bag of ice resting on his crotch. And now, Hayley tells him, she’s going to castrate him as punishment for his misdeeds.

The most astonishing part of Hard Candy, however, is not the castration scene. It’s Ellen Page’s phenomenal performance. However young the actress might be, she plays the role of Hayley to absolute perfection. She has command of even the most subtle facial expressions and nuance of character. I was completely amazed by this young actress and I hope to see her in many films to come. Patrick Wilson does a stand-up job as Jeff. For the majority of the movie, it’s really hard to tell if he’s actually guilty of pedophilia or innocently mistaken. It’s difficult not to feel sorry for the guy as he’s strapped down, begging for his manhood. Fans of Grey’s Anatomy will recognize Sandra Oh in her brief appearance as Jeff’s neighbor.

On the one hand, it’s great to see Hayley as an avenging angel for all of the molested children out there. On the other, it’s sometimes difficult to tell if she’s just plain psycho or not. On the one hand, if Jeff really is a sick child molesting bastard, he is well deserving of what he gets. On the other, is this poor guy just taking the rap for a crime in Hayley’s past? Hard Candy is beautifully filmed, superbly acted, and entertaining through every moment. I think it’s one of the best movies that I’ve seen all year.

Overall Rating: 5
Hottie Rating: 1/2 (situational)

Alternate Viewing: Kids
Official Site
IMDB Site
Roger Ebert review *spoilers*

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11:14 (2003)

Director: Greg Marcks
Format: DVD
DVD Features: trailer, commentary, deleted scenes, featurette
Starring: Patrick Swayze, Shawn Hatosy, Rachael Lee Cook, Hillary Duff
trailer

If there’s a moral to the story of 11:14, it’s that idiots shouldn’t drive. And if there’s a second lesson to be learned, it’s that if you find a body, don’t try to hide it.

11:14 is about the mishaps of five (or six, or four, depending on which review you read) different people living in Middletown, Rural America. The significance of the time mark indicates the point at which their stories intersect. Each story is presented, and then, time reversed so that another tale can be told, all culminating in the moment when the their connection is clarified.

Our first victim of circumstance is Jack (Henry Thomas). He’s just finished a phone conversation when, out of nowhere, a body lands on his car. Since he’s been drinking, he decides that it might be a good idea to hide the evidence. A passerby stops to ask what the trouble is, and assumes that the driver has hit a deer in the road. But, when the cop who reports to the scene opens up the trunk, a mad chase through the woods ensues.

Flash back to Frank (Patrick Swayze), who’s watching his daughter leave from the window of their home. He decides to take his dog out for a walk through the cemetery. His discovers his daughter’s keys on the ground and then runs headlong into a body, its skull crushed beyond identification. Thinking that it was his daughter who committed the murder in self-defense, he decides to protect her by getting rid of the corpse.

Enter Eddie (Ben Foster), Mark (Colin Hanks) and Tim (Stark Sands). They’re a trio of drunken misfits out for a joyride, setting things on fire and hucking stale donuts at passing cars. When one of them decides that to hang his manhood out of the window instead of making a pit stop, he winds up seriously regretting it.

Then, we have Duffy (Shawn Hatosy), who is Cheri’s boyfriend (and who totally reminds me of my ex) and he’s gotten himself into quite a fix. His girlfriend is pregnant and the only way he sees to get the money for her abortion is to rob the convenience store he works at. Buzzy (Hilary Swank), the girl on night shift, doesn’t want to cooperate. But, when she realizes that she might lose her job for accidentally busting a window, she elects to take a bullet wound to make the robbery look convincing.

Cheri (Rachael Lee Cook) is Frank’s daughter. She’s also Duffy’s girlfriend, with a couple of tricks up her sleeve. Not only does she have Duffy running her errands, she’s got two more boyfriends under her thumb and a plot to make it out of town with some cash. It’s Cheri's story that finally wraps everything up and ties all of the tales together.

Even though she’s not the main focus of this movie, Hillary Duff plays her role fantastically. Her tendency to take on characters which make her look neither sexy nor glamorous really earns her a bit of credit in my eyes. I think that it shows that she’s built her career on solid acting skills rather than a huge rack and a family fortune. Swayze, who usually annoys the hell out of me, fits perfectly into the role of overprotective father. The entire cast of 11:14 impressed the hell out of me. I was totally convinced of each and every character and it was one of the best features of the film. The character around which all three stories ultimately spawn is Cook’s. Even though she’s the town tramp, this little chick’s a bit more clever than I expected.

For an inexperienced director, Marcks does a heck of a job with 11:14. Even though I’ve read a series of glowing reviews of this film, I don’t remember it getting much attention in the press at all. While the storytelling technique in his movie has been used before in movies like Momento, Pulp Fiction and Amores Perros, it doesn’t appear tired and uninspired here. It’s true that 11:14 could have taken a more serious spin, trying to teach lessons about morality and consequence, but it doesn’t take on such a lofty attitude. On the contrary, the entire adventure is treated with a comic touch. Nobody in the film is without blame, but there isn’t anyone to hate all the same. It’s a whole lot of fun and doesn’t try to preach.

Overall Rating: 4
Hottie Rating: 2 (for Cook and her outfit)

Alternate viewing: Run Lola Run
Official site
IMDB site
The Onion AV Club Review

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Marie Antoinette (2006)

Director: Sophia Coppola
Format: theater
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Asia Argento,

I first became aware of Sophia Coppola as the director of The Virgin Suicides. Shortly before the movie was released in 1999, I had finished the novel of the same name by Jeffrey Eugenides. I was very pleased with Sophia’s remarkable adaptation of the book. When Lost in Translation came out in 2003, I was starting to get the idea that the young Coppola might be a good director to keep an eye on. So, finally, Marie Antoinette appeared in theaters and some friends and I made it a point to go. It looked refreshing, offbeat, and it had the Sophia Coppola stamp (she wrote and produced this film as well). Kirsten Dunst was another draw for me and I was looking forward to the modern soundtrack.

As you may have guessed from the title, this movie is about the life of the infamous Queen of France in the 18th Century. It covers the period from her marriage to Louis XVI at the age of 14 until The Fall of Versailles in 1789. In the beginning of the film, Marie (Kirsten Dunst), in the process of her transition from Austrian archduchess to French royalty, is stripped of her possessions, her clothing and even her dog, as a symbol of her new loyalty to France. That event marks the beginning of her discontent. She is married off to the young Louis (Jason Schwartzman) who shows no signs at all of wishing to consummate their union and therefore denying Marie’s hopes of validating her position by bearing a royal son. She is despised by the king’s consort, Cometesse du Barry (Asia Argento), scolded by her mother, and embarrassed daily by being forced to dress in front of an audience. The only things that seem to lift her from depression are gambling, partying and shopping, the three of which she does with fabulous indulgence.

Kirsten Dunst seems to be a favorite of Sophia Coppola’s. She played the lead character in The Virgin Suicides as well, and did an excellent job. However, in Marie Antoinette, she failed to entice any strong feelings from me. I couldn’t bring myself to feel sorry for the moping teenage queen, especially because she didn’t seem to be trying to do much for her situation. Likewise, I was disappointed by Jason Schwartzman’s performance. He usually brings so much personality to a character. Seeing him as Louis XVI was, well, boring in comparison to his previous roles in movies like I Heart Huckabees and Rushmore.

Part of what makes Marie Antoinette different from other films that focus on this particular time period, is that it has a modern soundtrack. Amidst montages of fancy shoes and elaborate cakes you’ll hear music from bands like Aphex Twin, Air, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, and The Strokes. Sophia is not the first director to use this technique, of course. Brian Helgeland did something similar with A Knight’s Tale in 2001. The wardrobes in Marie Antoinette were amazing enough to earn an Oscar for Best Achievement in Costume Design at the 2007 awards. The set designs are likewise lavish and impressive. The colors used in the film are interesting. Most of the palette is a dusty pink or beige.

Marie Antoinette is not a terrible film and is even fun in moments. However, I found it terribly lukewarm and mediocre overall. I didn’t care much for the characters and didn’t feel sympathy where sympathy was clearly solicited. Sure, it was offbeat and different, but it really takes more to entertain me than excessive spending. In comparison to Sophia Coppolla’s previous films, this one was a real disappointment.

Overall Rating: 2 ½
Hottie Rating: 3 (Dunst is pretty and her soldier is a hottie too)

Alternate Viewing: The Virgin Suicides
Official Site
IMDB Site
Appreciating Great Trash review

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The Fountain (2006)

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Format: DVD
DVD Features: trailer, featurette
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Ellen Burstyn
Trailer

I have a cousin, close in age and remote in distance, whose life parallels my own in many ways. His, like mine, has been laden with a series of unhappy events (I call them Little Tragedies) and thus, he is always recommending tragic dramas for me to watch. Last time, it was Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. That one cut right to the heart. This time, it was The Fountain and I watched it with my grandmother and uncle. Neither of them seemed to grasp what the movie was about, and they expressed a sense of confusion at the conclusion. This cousin of mine is a writer, and thinks deeply on many levels, so I knew the movie was meaningful to him. I think I got a bit more from it than my companions did, but it is a highly interpretive film.

The “fountain” in the title refers to The Fountain of Youth in various senses. There are three storylines in the movie that parallel each other and each has to do with the search for immortality. In the primary storyline, Hugh Jackman plays Dr. Tom Creo. Creo is a medical researcher who is trying frantically to find a cure for the brain tumor that’s killing his wife. However, he’s spending so much of his time in this desperate quest that he’s missing out on the few precious moments he has left with her. She, however, has taken a more courageous view of her situation and prefers to consider death as the beginning of something new.

Creo’s wife, Izzi (Rachel Weisz), is in the process of writing a story, and this is where the second aspect of the movie comes into play. Jackman, this time, is a conquistador who is sent by his Spanish queen (also Weisz) on a quest for The Tree of Life. She hands him a ring and promises that when he’s returned successful, the two of them will join and the crown will be safe. He is relentless in his search for the Tree, to the point that his accompanying troops begin to believe that he’s gone mad.

In yet a third thread of The Fountain, Jackman plays a man traveling through space in an enclosed bubble of atmosphere. The only other traveler in the bubble is a large tree, from which he receives sustinence and companionship. His goal is to bring the tree to a nebula which will preserve the ailing tree’s life.

Aside from common theme and actors, the three tales are linked by two other elements. One is The Tree. It is The Fountain of Youth that the conquistador searches for. It is the man in the bubble’s only concern. It is also an ingredient that Dr. Creo uses in his experiments. The other associated object is a ring. In the main storyline, the doctor loses his wedding ring when he is washing up for surgery. It is also an object of promise from the Spanish queen. And in the bubble, the man has tattooed himself with rings signifying the years he and the tree have shared together. Eventually, some of these ingredients cross over from one stream of the story to another and the three become more entwined.

I cannot say enough good things about either Hugh Jackman’s or Rachel Weisz in this movie. Both of them make you care so much about their characters that it’s almost impossible not to become emotionally invested in what’s happening to them. Izzi is practically an angel and is so enlightened in her perspective but remains very human at the same time. Weisz as the Spanish queen is almost ethereal and likewise angelic. It’s hard not to sympathize with Creo, because it’s apparent that his every effort is expended on his wife’s behalf and that his love for her is very powerful. While there are a few supporting roles, none of them seem of any consequence compared to Creo and his wife.

As I mentioned earlier in this review, The Fountain has many different layers and I think that it can be interpreted in several ways. It can either be terribly depressing or gently uplifting, depending on your perspective. The overall message can be one of despair, or one of encouragement. However, there is a difference in the way I interpreted this film and the comments I’ve read online about it. Generally, people seem to view the three storylines as past, present and future. Contrary to that, I believe that the three stories indicate the same message and longing for discovery, but rather than being a difference in time, they are a difference in the way that Dr. Creo chooses to consider the battle between himself and his wife’s illness.

The main story is what happens in actuality. The story involving the queen and her soldier is a tale that Izzi had written in order to express to her husband how she perceives his quest for a cure. Finally, the man in the bubble is the doctor’s personal insight into his relationship with his wife and his urgent desire to hold on to her. I hesitate to delve further into my explaination for fear of spoiling the film, but that is the basic concept of the film as I saw it.

It seems that The Fountain has some really nice CGI. But, in fact, the director wanted to stay away from computer graphics. Instead, he used microphotography to create many of the effects. The lighting in the film is effective in giving the entire story a sort of fantasy quality. However, some scenes were shot so dimly that it was very difficult to follow the action. That is probably my only criticism of the entire film.

Because there are so many layers of meaning to The Fountain, it really depends on one’s interpretation of the film as to whether or not that person will find it enjoyable. The Fountain is definitely not a funny, happy-go-lucky movie. Neither is it for the kids. Don’t look to the film for high action or witty dialogue and don’t expect a clear resolution. I think that it will appeal to fans of Aronofsky’s other work, but may turn off much of the mainstream movie going audience. While the two main characters are played by popular stars, the movie strays sufficiently off the beaten path to resist appeal to a wide selection of Jackman and Weisz fans. Personally, I found it engaging, asthetically appealing, tragic and deeply meaningful. However, it’s not a movie I would watch all the time because it is so heavy on the heart and mind.

As a final note, I would like to mention that The Fountain does depict animal testing (specifically on monkeys) which is something that I neither endorse or condone. So, as a warning to fellow animal rights crusaders, some scenes may be difficult for sensitive viewers.

Overall Rating: 4 ½
Hottie Rating: 4 (Jackman with his shirt off)

Alternate viewing: Pi
Official site
IMDB site
Cinepinion review

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Runaway Jury (2003)

Director: Gary Fleder
Format: DVD
DVD Features: commentary, deleted scenes, featurettes
Starring: John Cusack, Dustin Hoffman, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman
Trailer

The latest trend arriving in my mailbox appears to be a series of John Grisham inspired films. Previously, I had never been partial to court drama. However, working in a law office has given me a bit of new perspective on the topic. I have also never been a reader of Grisham’s novels, although I haven’t intentionally avoided them. So, it seems slightly odd to me that at some point many months ago, I felt that I needed to add some legal material to my movie repertoire. It has become somewhat of an adventure to travel this seemingly random path I have chosen. It almost makes me wonder if I shouldn’t open up my Netflix queue to the general public just to see what I’ll end up with.

In Runaway Jury, Wendell Rohr (Dustin Hoffman) and Durwood Cable (Bruce Davison) are attorneys on opposing sides of lawsuit that will ultimately decide whether or not gun manufacturers can be held responsible for the deaths of people killed by their products. The plot thickens, though, when a third party surfaces offering to sway the jury to either side in return for a cool ten million (give or take a few mil). On each side of the case, is a jury consultant who makes his living trying to judge which jurors will vote in their favor.

There are a lot of dual-sided elements to this film. Obviously, there is the conflict involved with the case itself. Then, just as obviously, there is the issue of gun control and constitutional rights. Two lawyers represent opposite sides of the case, two profilers attempting to aid either side, and two people working together to manipulate the case. But despite this black and white aspect to the film, the characters don’t quite balance each other out. Gene Hackman’s character, Rankin Fitch (I like the name), is working for the bad guys. He directs a team assigned to photograph, investigate and basically stalk all of the potential jurors in the case. After the jury is chosen, they continue to manipulate the lives of these people in order to convince them to favor their side of the case. Fitch is apparently an old hand at the business and his personality far overshadows that of Lawrence Green (Jeremy Piven), who is his counterpart on the good guy’s side. Rohr is counsel for the good side of the fight, but this is one of Hoffman’s weaker roles. Cusack is….well, typically Cusack. His girlfriend Marlee (Rachel Weisz) is a bit more hardcore than he is. Weisz is very strong in this role and gives an excellent performance. She is fast becoming one of my more favorite actors.

One particularly disappointing characteristic of Runaway Jury is that the filmmakers make it abundantly clear which side of the gun control issue the story favors. Hoffman and Piven are both the more humble, earthy type of people than their counterparts, who are greasy, big city men. The conclusion of the film, not just the verdict in the case, leaves no grey area as to how the audience should feel about the right to bear arms. I have not read John Grisham’s novel, and therefore cannot attest as to the accuracy of the movie, but I wish that Runaway Jury had shown more of a balanced argument. Regardless of my personal beliefs surrounding the issue, I always like to see both sides of a topic represented, giving more freedom to the audience; more respect for their right to make their own descisions.

I really did enjoy the story, aside from the weight so apparently shifted to one side. I did not see the ending coming (the verdict, yes, but not the true motives of Easter and Marlee), so it was refreshing to be surprised. The story is sufficiently intricate and most of the characters are very strong. I would recommend Runaway Jury if you are the type of person who enjoys a good court mystery. If you aren’t usually the kind to go in for this sort of thing, I don’t think it’s so distinctly different from the rest of the genre.

Overall Rating: 3
Hottie Rating: 2 (for Weisz and Cusack in general)

Alternate viewing: The Pelican Brief
Official site (I was unable to navigate to Runaway Jury at Fox’s site here, even though there is a link to it. Maybe you’ll have better luck.)
IMDB site
The Onion AV Club review

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The Weather Man (2005)

Director: Gore Verbinski
Format: DVD
DVD Features: trailer, featurettes
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Michael Caine, Hope Davis
Trailer

The latest batch of movies in my mailbox have all starred Nicolas Cage. Which means, several months ago, when I made my selection online, I must have felt that my movie watching menu could use a little dash of Cage. Although I don’t recall now what led me to that conclusion, I find that I’m enjoying the experience of having a Cage-Fest. What’s nice about viewing a series of movies headlined by the same actor, is that it’s easy to compare how an actor performs in certain roles, as opposed to others, and notice their progression in style at varying time periods.

In The Weather Man, Cage plays a middle-aged local weatherman. He is separated from his wife and struggling in relationships with his two children. He constantly feels that his ailing father (Michael Caine) disapproves of him; his career, his attempts at fatherhood, and the fact that he never has more than a dollar in his wallet. It doesn’t help that the general public takes delight in hitting him with fast food. Throughout the film, the viewer is given insight to David’s (Cage) thoughts via first person narration.

I found the vast majority of the film to be very depressing. Here’s our hero, David, trying his best to hold things together, and failing at every turn despite his best intentions. His failure is not set in a comical light, aside from the food throwing, but rather an all-to-realistic one. Some might feel that the realism of the picture is a credit to the filmmakers. However, for me it was a gloomy reminder of the mundane life most of us likely experience and would like to get away from. I suppose that I look to movies for an escape of sorts, and The Weather Man did not provide that for me. But, ironically, it’s the realism of the ending that I liked. All of David’s plans do not come together in a sugary Disneyland conclusion, but rather, it’s culminated in an inner realization that leads to David’s satisfaction with his circumstances.

Nicolas Cage performs well in an underdog role. I think that one of his best aspects is that the audience can sympathize with him and really feels a lift when his characters win. His casting in “bad ass” roles, like Ghost Rider and Wild At Heart are a testament to that. Michael Caine is always Michael Caine. His bread and butter is the stoic wisdom he so easily conveys, and it is rare to see him step outside that mold. Noreen (Hope Davis) is the quintessential ex-wife. (Although she’s a little bit more friendly than Kathleen Turner in The War of The Roses.) Their two children, Shelly and Mike are realistically remote and apathetic. The acting all around was solid and it wasn’t at all a negative aspect of the film.

Most of the movie takes place in Chicago during the winter, which makes everything all the more depressing. However, there are some wonderful shots of the ice and rain. Appropriate, of course, for a movie about a man who predicts the weather. Almost all of the scenes are cityscapes full of taxicabs and highrises. The movies takes place in the current time period, so it’s hard to get too creative with costume and wardrobe design. I will say that the change in Shelly’s dress was a vast improvement. In that regard, I think that the wardrobe was clever. Everyone else’s clothing realistically reflects the suit and tie world of the upper middle class city dweller; mostly greys and blacks and not much flare or attitude.

I think that The Weather Man could have used a bit of comedy here and there to lighten the tone. The movie would have been just as effective in getting the point across, but wouldn’t have been such a bummer to watch. Even the ending is hardly uplifting enough to make the previous 101 minutes worth sitting through. A horrible tragedy would have even given a refreshing change to the tone of the film. But, even when David loses his father, it’s hard to feel much of an emotional reaction. So, if you’re looking for an uplifting tale, The Weather Man is not the movie for you.

Overall Rating: 1 ½
Hottie Rating: 0 (bummer)

Alternate Viewing: Little Children
Official Site
IMDB Site
Frank’s Reel Reviews review

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The Prestige (2006)

Director: Christopher Nolan
Format: DVD
DVD Features: making of, Tesla documentary, featurettes, art galleries, trailers
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Christopher Bale, Scarlett Johansson, Miachael Caine
Trailer

Since the end of February, my father and I have been on an Oscar movie kick. Not surprising, as The Academy Awards is, after all, one huge advertising campaign. The Prestige is our fourth movie in the last two weeks that earned a nomination for 2006. It was nominated for best Art Direction (Nathan Crowley) and Set Decoration (Julie Ochipinti). The award, however, was lost to Pan’s Labyrinth.

In The Prestige, Hugh Jackman and Christopher Bale play two talented magicians who begin their careers as colleagues. A bitter rivalry is sparked between the two after one trick goes disastrously awry. After they go their separate ways, their careers begin to take off, each man competing to pull off the more impressive trick, while jealously guarding his secrets. Friends, wives, lovers and money all char in the fire of this obsession.

With a name like “The Prestige” the movie sounds more likely to be about a Harvard scholar or a Military commander; not about a magic act. According to the film, the prestige is the final piece of any trick – the part where objects reappear. Of course, the plot revolves around each magician performing disappearing and reappearing acts of one form or another. The problem is, after a while, it becomes tiresome watching the same trick repetitively. When the plot twists initially, it’s to be expected and a little amusing. When the plot twists the third or fourth time, it becomes tiresome and a bit insulting.

The cast is full of familiar faces. Michael Caine plays Cutter, the early mentor of both magicians and the long term supporter of Angier (Jackman). Scarlett Johansson is Olivia, the stage girl who gets tossed back and forth between the two men. Don’t miss David Bowie as the renowned scientist Nikola Tesla. Tesla’s assistant, Alley, might even be familiar, but I won’t give that one away. Each of the cast members gives a solid, although not astounding, performance. (and yes, we get to see Hugh Jackman with his shirt off)

The set designs and atmosphere of the movie were very nicely constructed. The best shots by the cinematographer in the film were in the field of lights scene. The atmosphere was completely believable and the costuming seemed authentic. It’s only because the fantasy realm of Pan’s Labyrinth lent itself more easily to impressive costuming that it won the Academy over The Prestige.

I would have been much more impressed with this film, had I not seen The Illusionist first. For two movies so close in theme and period, it’s amazing how much one sparkles more than the other. I didn’t feel the same emotional connection to the characters in The Prestige. I didn’t become breathless waiting for the next act. Suspiciously similar is the point in either movie wherein the magician elects to shut out his normal stage crew in favor of a gang of blind men (as in The Prestige) or a cluster of foreigners (as in The Illusionist). It makes me curious as to what the profession was actually like during the time period these two movies imitate. Did the filmmakers spy on each other, like the magicians in The Prestige, to learn each other’s secrets?

Overall Rating: 3
Hottie Rating: 2 (Jackman)

Alternate Viewing: The Illusionist
Official site
IMDB site
Stylus review

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