Quantum of Solace

While trying to corner the members of the shadowy organization responsible for Vesper's death, James (Daniel Craig) crosses paths with a beautiful secret agent (Olga Kuryleko) acting as a mistress to a ruthless entrepreneur (Mathieu Amalric) seeking to corner the Bolivian water market. Dominated by overblown kinetic action sequences in vogue a decade ago a la Jason Bourne, Quantum of Solace is lazily written which lends itself to a hard to follow 007 entry that clumsily follows up on storylines from Casino Royale, its superior predecessor. However, it doesn't overstay its welcome like many films in the series and contains a malignant villain in Amalric and one of the most stunning Bond girls in Kurylenko.

** 1/2 out of ****

Departures

With his Tokyo symphony closing a young man (Masahiro Motoki) is forced to sell his cello, return home with his doting wife (Ryoko Hirosue), and find work. After answering a misleading want ad, he finds undesirable work that gives him great meaning in encoffinment, that is delicately and tenderly preparing corpses in a showing before cremation. Oscar winning Japanese foreign film is calculated with forced, unearned emotion but not without depth and a conclusion that is admittedly moving. The main actor is cartoonish but is surrounded by talented supporters.

*** out of ****

Cloverfield/10 Cloverfield Lane

Cloverfield

A scaly, Godzilla-like creature strikes Manhattan during a going away party held by twenty-somethings, and as a group of them attempts to escape the carnage, they catch fading glimpses of the monster on their hand held camera. Though the characters are extremely unlikable and the queasycam approach wears thin quickly, Cloverfield has its moments of shock and stretches where it soars.

** 1/2 out of ****

10 Cloverfield Lane

(spoilers)

In a barely related plot and a totally different kind of thriller, a young woman (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is run off the road by a paranoid (John Goodman) who takes her into his custody in a self-sufficient bunker with claims of nuclear war ongoing outside as signs point to the fact that he is more crazy and calculating than initially let on. 10 Cloverfield Lane is a solid thriller, with a surprisingly talented cast that goes over the top in its still competent finale with a killer that won't die scenario and even more outlandish occurrences. 

*** 1/2 out of ****

My Winnipeg

Guy Maddin's hypnotic, dreamlike pseudodocumentary is comprised of interwoven memories, fantasies, and legends of his titular hometown and capitol of Manitoba. My Winnipeg is an impressively constructed and often disarmingly funny film with Ann Savage as the mother in the childhood recreation scenes and the civic legends bit as particular highlights.

*** 1/2 out of ****

Mad Men

SPOILERS abound. Again, its hard to write about a serial without discussing the plot.

Season 7, Parts 1 & 2 (2014, 2015)

As the 60s fade and the 70s are ushered in, Don stares down another failed marriage, termination from his partnership, and his continuing, wayward calling existential crisis as SC&P faces consolidation into advertising juggernaut McCann Erickson. The final season of Mad Men travels down its own path, moving at its own speed, unconcerned with sensationalism, histrionics and easy resolutions, and providing its characters with deserving, surprisingly uncynical, and even tender endings. While so many shows seem to lose steam, spinning their wheels long after ideas or interest has run out, Matthew Weiner’s unprecedented series remained continually assured, surprising, intelligent, and engaging, a glowing example of how good television can be.

**** out of ****

Season 6 (2013)

It is a tumultuous 1968 and Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce finds itself chasing several major accounts while being party to a major merger. Pete Campbell finds himself several outrageous entanglements, one involving his mother and a new mystery man at the agency. Peggy finds her stock rising, yet still subject to the whims of the male colleagues, and Don continues his tumble into the abyss, engaging in a tryst with a neighbor that results in what may be his ultimate low point. What can be said about Mad Men that hasn't already been said. This latest season is a continuation of excellence that hasn't wavered since its foundation. All the excellent elements (acting, story, production values, etc.) are still intact and the addition of James Wolk playing Bob Benson, another charming, alliteratively named abstruse ad man adds some more fun to the proceedings. Watching this season, I realized how nice it is to be able to watch a show without worrying about its quality, knowing it will be great, and sitting back to enjoy the fall.

**** out of ****

Season 5 (2012)

Its 1966 and Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce has, quite quickly, revealed the monster it has become and how its depravity knows no bounds in the efforts seal a Jaguar clientele. Don continues his surprisingly faithful and seemingly empty marriage to Megan, Roger trips on LSD, Pete pursues an acquaintance's fragile spouse, Peggy reaches the end of her rope, as does Lane in a more literal sense following financial straits. After a long wait, the most brilliant series on television returns with a dark and brutal season as the audience along with the characters seem to get kicked in the teeth on a weekly basis. From the larger happenings discussed above to smaller ones, such as Paul Kinsey's pathetic return to Betty's weight problems, the sense of melancholy and longing seems deeper than ever. The cast is excellent once again. I liked where they took Peggy and Joan's stories this year, and Jared Harris was remarkable in where he was able to take his character throughout his run. In Season 5, Matthew Weiner gets closer to the heart (or lack thereof) of his characters and involves us once more in a sad and sinuous journey.

**** out of ****

Season 4 (2010)

1964 is coming to a close and Sterling, Cooper, Draper, and Pryce is struggling to take off. After bungling an interview with the New York Times, recently divorced Don Draper begins a decline where he sees the death of his friend in California, struggles with his drinking, and faces more problems with his secret identity. Peggy, Pete, and Joan face discontent at work while Roger's attitude towards a major client may just bring down the entire agency. Season 4 of Mad Men is a continuance of excellence for a show that started off wonderful and somehow seems to constantly get better. The regulars shine as bright as ever and there are some humorous new additions to the cast including a couple of buffoons in creative and an ambitious executive at a rival agency. Season 4 helps prove that television can be literate and entertaining at the same time and that most other shows aren't even trying.

**** out of ****

Season 3 (2009)

It's 1963 and the Brits have invaded Sterling Cooper. Shaking up management and making changes throughout the company, Pete Campbell and Ken Cosgrove are thrown into competition for the Account Manager Position. Don has acquired the desirable Hilton account but it may be more trouble than its worth. On the home front, his father-in-law comes to live with his family, a new baby has arrived, and an older gentlemen causes Betty to rethink their continually troubled union. Then, that sad fateful day in late November arrives when the world stops and reflects on the great tragedy that has befallen them. Season 3 of Mad Men continues the elegant melancholic brilliance that was established in the first two seasons. With pacing that is both leisurely and thoroughly exciting, Mad Men keeps raising the bar for television excellence. Matthew Weiner and his staff keep writing wonderful dialogue and situations and all the great actors, lead by the enigmatic John Hamm continue to wow as well.

**** out of ****

Season 2 (2008)

The second season of Mad Men picks up in the smoky and booze filled corridors of Sterling Cooper in the spring of 1962 with historical moon orbits, devastating plane crashes, high profile celebrity suicides, and the threat of nuclear war on the loom. As for the members of Sterling Cooper, a new executive will offer lofty promises, cost a tenured and liked exec his job, and possibly jeopardize the entire company for the sake of self promotion. Peggy Olson's career has skyrocketed while in her free time she reflects on the repercussions of her surprise pregnancy and has made the acquaintance of a young visiting priest. Ms. Halloway has become happily engaged but is somewhat discontented with her role at the office. Harry Crane has been made the head of the newly formed television department, Paul Kinsey has become involved in social activism with his new girlfriend, and Pete Campbell has found a way to capitalize on a family tragedy while struggling to conceive a child with his wife. Don Draper's affair with an older woman will lead to a separation from his wife, serve as an inspiration for boss Roger Sterling to leave his, and cause Don to head to California to do some soul searching which may lead to some answers regarding his mysterious past. Mad Men continues its excellency with wonderfully realized storylines and dialogue, while getting to the core of the discontent of its characters who seemingly have everything but who are still somehow empty.

**** out of ****

Season 1 (2007)

"How could anyone be unhappy with all of this"

So says Don Draper, the debonair advertising executive for Sterling Cooper, one of the most successful firms on Madison Avenue. Yet under the surface of the characters on Mad Men, the brilliant series by Matthew Weiner, lies a melancholy and a desire for something other than the items they superficially promote. With the smell of change in the air, Sterling Cooper's executives are something of a dying breed as they drink, smoke, engage in infidelities, and occasionally put in some work hours and draw in clients while the women wish to succeed on their own but seem hopelessly dependent on men in a male dominated world. At the top sits Draper (Jon Hamm), a natural at his job and a good family man as well. Regardless, his beautiful wife (January Jones) seems unhappy, has childish tendencies, and has recently been placed in psychotherapy. He doesn't seem contented, and sees his way into the arms of a Greenwich village woman (Rosemarie DeWitt) who hangs around beatniks. Also, developments occur that suggest that he may not be who he says he is. Then there is Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) the perky and intelligent secretary with greater ambitions but seems to fall prey to the advances of Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), the snaky junior executive who will stop at nothing for self-advancement. Overseeing are the partners Roger Sterling (John Slattery) and Bertram Cooper (Robert Morse), the former more concerned with boozing and womanizing and the latter a pragmatist and seemingly straight and narrow kind of guy. Mad Men is a show that is intimately familiar with its time and setting, and it shows in the resulting period detail. The actors are wonderfully cast and believable in their roles. It is brilliantly conceived and intelligently written and sets the bar for what primetime television should be.

**** out of ****

Doubt

Doubt is a loving portrait of Catholic grade school that addresses the issue of sex abuse with ambiguity, which I think is the right approach to take. The film opens in 1964 Brooklyn as a local community makes its way to the parish of St. Nicholas one Sunday morning for mass. The newly arrived priest, a progressive from the new wave of Vatican II priest, is giving a sermon on doubt, and how it can be as reassuring as faith. The following day, as the children arrive at the school, we meet Sr. Aloysius, a stern and traditional nun and principal of the school as well as Sr. James, a fresh faced and optimistic member. As the days go on at St. Nicholas, Sr. James sees something odd take place between Fr. Flynn and the sole black child at the school. She reports it to Sr. Aloyisus, who soon accuses the priest of wrongdoing. What follows is a verbal showdown between the two, and the viewer is left to his own devices to decide what really happened. Written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, Doubt has every detail about Catholic school down to a t, from the stern nun who detests berets and ballpoint pens, to the bright eyed nun who believes she'll change the world, to the friendly priest whom the kids look up to. The script is wonderfully written and carefully devised, not letting the viewer off easy and causing him/her to think. The film also serves as an acting showcase for Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis who shines as the boy's mother in an extended devastating scene. Doubt is a great film that holds reverence for an institution that it knows needs to be changed.

Shine a Light

The Rolling Stones have played on the soundtrack of many of Martin Scorsese's classic films, and the authoritative bands' music has clearly been an instrumental part of the director's adult life. In this 2006, two night concert held at Manhattan's Beacon Theatre, these monumental figures of the last half century of film and music collaborated for the first time (well technically Ron Wood appeared in The Last Waltz) in a rigorous (the introductory staging shots are very telling), high energy show. In their mid-60s at the time, the group doesn't sound particularly sharp, but Mick Jagger still moves with a sinuous virtuosity and Keith Richards, Wood, and Charlie Watts all still emit the exuberance of performing. They also receive a nice boost from guest performers Jack White, Christina Aguilera, and especially Buddy Guy and interspersed excerpts from vintage interviews are also a highlight.

Picasso and Braque Go to the Movies

Picasso's The Young Ladies of Avignon and Louis Lumiere's Danse serpentine

As the movies began to burgeon around the turn of the Twentieth Century, Pablo Picasso and George Braques were two of the many people who started to fall under their spell. Picasso and Braque Go to the Movies argues that from these early cinematic experiences, the two young artists gained the inspiration to craft many of their works. Presented and narrated by Martin Scorsese, PABGTTM is a revealing documentary, offering many side by side comparisons of the artists' work and their supposed inspirational sources.  The material does seem slight however, even at only an hour running length, and the film does ultimately grow as repetitious as those Cubist paintings that the early movies spawned. 

Breaking Bad

Season 5, Part 2 (2013)

Hank’s revelation about the dark truth concerning his brother-in-law causes him to go rogue and spurs a collision course leading to a catastrophic showdown between Walt, Jesse, and everyone else that comes in their path. The ultimate show for the instant gratification generation comes to its conclusion in a leave nothing to the imagination fashion that is sure to please its attention deficient minions (thank God they didn’t leave things open and make you think like The Sopranos!). For the high dramatics required for this concluding half season, Aaron Paul and especially Dean Norris are not up to the task while Bryan Cranston, an actor I’ve criticized for his one-note portrayal, pulls off something wondrous in generating sympathy for his despicable character. Vince Gilligan and company continue to misuse their female actresses while presenting flashy photography and plotlines that get way more credit than they deserve. All said and done, I must admit that it has been fun these last several weeks to have a TV event that seemingly everyone has been discussing, but now that the dust is settling it will be a relief to see the conversation draw to a close.

** 1/2

Season 5, Part 1 (2012)

With the eradication of Gus Fringe, very little (some questions of supply, and about a baker's dozen of Fringe's constituents) stands in way of Walter's ascension to the methamphetamine throne of the southwest. Now his real contenders are his disaffected wife, persistent brother-in-law, increasingly conscious driven partner and, of course, himself. The first half of the final series (why they're splitting a show that covers such a short time span is beyond me - Walter Jr. looks like he's 30 for god's sake) is essentially just fallout and wheel spinning from the spectacular finale of the altogether lackluster previous season. Walter continues to evolve into an increasingly dubious and unrealistic creature and I still stand by my statements that Bryan Cranston is a one trick pony not up to the task (same still holds for Aaron Paul too). Anna Gunn's melancholic turn has also brought her likewise insufferable character to a whole new level of unbearableness. Creator Vince Gilligan continues to shoot himself in the foot (e.g. a well constructed train heist followed by a ludicrously abominable act) and mask his lack of artistry and vision with a series of kitschy time-lapse montages which have typified the series. Great moments of frenzy and disorder, where the show should rest its focus, are few and far between and Gilligan opts for sheer improbability and implausibility in both plotting and characterization.

**

Season 4 (2011)

The fallout from season 3 places Walt and Jesse in a contentious spot, not only with their employer Gus, but also amongst themselves. As Walt continues his approach into utter amorality and Jesse into a spiral of addiction and despair, the crippled Hank begins to pick up the scent, and a major confrontation looms for all involved in the Albuquerque crystal meth trade. For "Breaking Bad", the motto has become "shock at all cost, character development and believability be damned". Although containing few great moments, the series is beginning to resemble a Saturday morning cartoon more so than a great piece of art, which many would have you believe. Although we remain invested in the characters of Walt and Jesse, Bryan Cranton and Aaron Paul's performances have grown redundant and tiresome and their characters have grown so erratic, I have a hard time buying any of their choices. I don't find Giancarlo Esposito's Gus to be as passively menacing as commonly held and Jonatahan Banks' more fleshed out role is not as refined as I had earlier supposed. Anna Gunn continues her turnaround and delivers good work this season, Dean Norris is viable as Hank, Bob Odenkirk continues to amuse as Saul the attorney. I thought creator Vince Gilligan wrapped things up well (perhaps a bit too neatly) but overall this past season functioned in fits and starts. With 16 episodes to go, hopefully Gilligan can deliver something that is not only hard hitting and riveting, but also in the limits of believability. 

** 1/2

Season 3 (2010)

Albuquerque is in mourning following the plane crash. Walt is now separated from Skyler and Jesse is struggling with his loss as well as sobriety.  Not wishing to cook anymore, Walt finds it hard to turn down a lucrative offer from Gus, and events from the past invite two strangers from south of the border who may not only jeopardize Walt's life, but may also threaten his family as well. Season three of Breaking Bad sees the show getting full of itself and getting out of hand. I did not believe one of the turns of the show and found myself shaking my head in disbelief more often than not, not being able to buy any of the character's choices. Bryan Cranston's much praised work I find to be one note (although he hits it well) and his character's transformation is so ridiculous that his antics in these scenes almost mirror his character in Malcolm in the Middle. Also, the scenes involving the two Mexican brother assassins is just too close to "No Country for Old Men" not to say anything. There were some elements I liked, including some intense sequences handled extremely well. The cast is very good as well. Aaron Paul continues his fine work. I was surprised to appreciate Anna Gunn and Betsy Brandt, whose work I had disapproved of in the prior two seasons. Dean Norris continues his stellar work as well and Bob Odenkirk continues to be a hoot as the slickster attorney. Finally, Giancarlo Esposito does nice work as an atypical drug lord and Jonathan Banks is effective as a "cleaner." As far a television goes, Breakinng Bad is still a good show. The problem is that the people behind the show know it's good and let it show.

** 1/2

Season 2 (2009)

The second season of Breaking Bad picks up with Walt and Jesse's premium batch of crystal meth being a booming success and everything else going wrong. They both have to contend with their psychopathic distributor who has big plans for his employees. Problems accrue with all members of their distribution crew, leading to their retainer of a high priced shyster attorney. Women problems occur for both men, one even turning tragic. Walt is still battling his severe lung cancer while Jesse battles drug addiction. Then there are those mysterious teasers that play before the credits, building up to an unpredictable occurrence. Vince Gilligan's series steps its game up for its second time at the plate. Bryan Cranston is still great in the lead, always wearing that sense of dread. Aaron Paul makes strides as Jesse, as his character sinks into addiction and a toxic relationship. Dean Norris is great as well as his DEA character gets a promotion that may not be all its cracked up to be and the series benefits greatly from the additions of Bob Odenkirk as the scumbag lawyer and John de Lancie as the father of Jesse's new girlfriend. I still have a problem with some of the contrivances of the show and it should be mentioned that the credited females on the show, Anna Gunn, Betsy Brandt, and Krysten Ritter, are terrible. Still, Breaking Bad is among the upper echelon of television programming and is a tense and entertaining way to spend 47 minutes.

***

Season 1 (2008)

Walter White's life is not going as he would like it too. Once a chemistry prodigy with a successful future ahead of him with limitless possibilities, he is now reduced to teaching the Periodic Table to bored high school students in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He even has an after school job at the car wash to help make ends meet. The passion has gone out of his marriage and his disabled son mouths off to him so when his doctor informs him he has stage 4 lung cancer, he seems curiously impassive and more concerned with the mustard shirt on the doctor's smock. Not wanting to leave his family in dire straits, and with a little inspiration when hearing about a drug bust from his DEA agent brother-in-law, Walter decides to seek out one of his old students and current drug dealer and cook crystal meth. Breaking Bad is a strange show that doesn't (really) moralize the situation its lead character has thrust himself into. Bryan Cranston, a TV veteran whom most remember as the dad in Malcolm in the Middle, hits all the right notes as the internalized and Aaron Paul is just as fine as he reveals an intelligent person in his seemingly idiotic drug dealing character. I wouldn't call the writing great and situations are often contrived, but this is highly original, entertaining, and engaging programming.

sidenote: This inaugural season was a victim of the writer's strike and was unfortunately cut short to 7 episodes. It does feel somewhat condensed and does not have the feel of a full season.

***

Me and Orson Welles

In 1937, an affable teenager (Zach Braff) ditches class, heads to the big city, and scores a minor role in the Mercury Theater production of Julius Caesar directed by Orson Welles (Christian McKay), the Boy Wonder who was on the cusp of unprecedented successes in radio, theater, and film. Me and Orson Welles is a fabulous coming-of-age story made in a 1930s screwball vein by the ubiquitous Richard Linklater, a filmmaker who placidly moves from genre to genre to the point that his talent has gone somewhat unsung. McKay is phenomenal in embodying the gusto and personage of Welles and Braff is actually pretty good in a well-cast role.

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter S. Thompson created his own brand of journalism, most notably in covering the Hell's Angels and his novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and became an icon for the counter culture in the process. While railing against what insulted his ideas of patriotism, Thompson became something equally detestable in promoting his own American brand of feckless, drunken, drugged out buffoonery. "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson"  is another superb entry from Alex Gibney, who shifted focus from larger topics in "Enron: the Smartest People in the Room" and "Taxi to the Darkside" to cover the outlandish journalist. Gibney works from a wealth of Thompson's own personal archives and interviewees who present what feels like a balanced reflection on the life of an abstruse individual.

Che

Steven Soederbergh's two-part biopic of the iconic Argentinian doctor/revolutionary (Benicio del Toro, excellent) first shows his efforts in successfully uniting the people of Cuba to overthrow the government and install his friend Fidel Castro (Demian Bechir, also good) into power followed by his similarly mounted, but doomed campaign in Bolivia. In response to attacks on this film, Soederbergh decried the hypocritical damned if you do, damned if you don't situation where critics and audiences will chastise conventionialism in films then demand something more to the norm when they are presented with something totally off base. While I am inclined to agree with the eclectic director, I would also add that either way, a narrative drive is crucial, which is missing almost entirely from this four plus hour movie. I wouldn't even call "Che" a good documentative recreation (which is what it is striving for) because even nonfiction filmmakers know that their films must move to some end and hold some modicum of interest. Soederbergh's style is versatile and deep, but he stumbles greatly when he feels the need to (over)experiment (see "Bubble" or "The Girlfriend Experience". Or don't rather). Also, the film is so fawning, and although I am not an expert on Mr Guevara's life or politics, if what we are led to believe is true he was either an inerrant saint or we have been presented with a one-sided, incomplete though interminable portrait of a frankly uninteresting anarchist

Nick Nolte: No Exit

In "Nick Nolte: No Exit", the the gruff method actor/once sex symbol who has more often than not found himself embroiled in controversy partakes in this series of unrestricted conversations with no less than himself conducting the interviews. Through clips and discussions of his greatest successes ("48 Hours", "The Prince of Tides", "Affliction"), approaches to his craft, and reminiscences on various antics and romantic trysts, Nolte frankly discusses his personal and professional life. As a feature length (albeit short) film, "No Exit" is an unjustifiable publicity stunt. But for what it is, the film is an honest and engaging profile of a consummate actor, who comes off as curt but probably more together than the tabloids have led on in recent years.

Wallander

Series 3
Season 3 of "Wallander" sees the depressed Ystad detective track a religious arsonist, travel across the Baltic Sea to investigate police corruption in Latvia, and investigate a body washing up in his own backyard whose murder investigation, through his own malfeasance, will lead to the severe injury of an endeared colleague. Kenneth Branagh delivers his finest performance yet in the series and while the mysteries remain standard, connect-the-dot whodunnits, Branagh never ceases to be anything less than captivating as the existential inspector.
***

Series 2
As Wallander continues to undergo difficulties with his infirmed father and dismissive daughter, a line of duty shooting leaves the existential sleuth's conscious more reeling than ever as he deals with three more mysteries of an extremely execrable nature. "Wallander's" sophomore outing is a marked improvement over the first season with a brand new batch of Henning Mankell's mysteries that play out to greater intrigue in each of the self-contained episodes. Also, Kenneth Branagh still continues to shine, even during darker or less inspired moments of the series.
***

Series 1

Police detective Kurt Wallander is undergoing a midlife crisis following his separation from his wife and the news that his father is suffering from Alzheimer's, and seems to be empathizing with the victims of the bizarre crimes that have plagued his idyllic small town of Ystad. "Wallander" is a British television adaptation of a highly successful series of Swedish crime yarns by author Henning Mankell, which have also been translated to Swedish TV to equal acclaim. With "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series, "Let the Right One In", and "Headhunters", Scandinavian thrillers are in high demand for screen translation and I think the secret is central characterization. While I found the stories in "Wallander" to be routine crime procedurals, Kenneth Branagh delivers a dynamic lead performance that is unlike anything we'd expect from the hero of a cop drama. Branagh does everything he can to make his character seem like a normal guy, while make adding existential, melancholic, and inept qualities, all welcomed attributes for this kind of hero. Like the recent Scandi thrillers, intriguing and atypical leads are also a tradition in British TV and like Jane Tennyson, and John Luther, Kurt Wallander stands up nicely alongside them.
***

Synecdoche, New York

A local playwright and theater director in upstate New York receives an illustrious grant, moves to the city, and, inside the confines of a massive dome, begins to stage his interminable, ever expanding, and autobiographical masterpiece. "Synechdoche, New York" is the extremely ambitious, largely incomprehensible, and endlessly fascinating directorial debut of eccentric screenwriter Charlie Kaufman who creates another analytical, intellectually stimulating masterpiece. As the equally neurotic and physically decaying playwright, Philip Seymour Hoffman is excellent in an arduous and incredibly demanding role, where he is given great support from his impeccable female cast which includes Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton (delightful), Michelle Williams, Hope Davis (hilarious), Emily Watson, and Dianne Wiest. When I first saw this film upon its release, I thought Kaufman had made an incomprehensible film solely for himself. Upon a second viewing, however, much becomes evident while, like Hoffman's constantly aggrandizing opus, more questions continue to arise.

Three Short Films from Errol Morris

I came across a short film from Errol Morris recently entitled "El Wingador" and was once again taken by the idiosyncratic documentarian that I decided to watch two of his other shorts I hadn't seen and create a posting about them. Morris, and the immediacy provided by his self created Interrotron camera, is one of the most hypnotic and engaging of filmmakers, having crafted such intriguing works such as "Gates of Heaven", "The Thin Blue Line", and "The Fog of War." With the three I've included here, "El Wingador", "The Umbrella", and "Survivors" we are given brief must immensely entertaining pieces on a food eating champion, a Kennedy assassination chronicler, and cancer survivors. As with all his films, Morris looks deep into the heart of his subjects and elicits deep, personal, and often profound responses. You can watch all three of these shorts at the following links or YouTube posts:

El Wingador (2012)

The Umbrella Man (2011)

Survivors (2008)

Ip Man

In 1930s China, the town of Fo Shan was an epicenter of the martial arts, where students traveled from miles away to study under the various disciplines. Of all the teachers in all the schools, the most skilled was Ip Man, a courageous master who practiced the art of Wing Chun and defended the townspeople from invading forces. When the Japanese overran their town, Ip Man and the rest of the villagers were resorted to a life of destitution, hunger, and misery. Soon though, a sadistic general and his brutal lieutenant's need for sport will give the great master another opportunity to demonstrate his supreme talents and fight against injustice. "Ip Man" is an entertaining and kinetic martial arts movie about the man who eventually train several Kung Fu legends, among them Bruce Lee. As the title hero Donnie Yen, an unknown to me, is absolutely magnetic and in addition to a stunning arsenal of moves he also brings an intense likability to his character. The film's subject is somewhat broad and more concerned with the action sequences than the plot (as are most of its viewers). Still, "Ip Man" serves its purpose thanks in large part to an outstanding lead performance.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Vicky and Cristina are two friends who share similar interests and beliefs except when it comes to matters of the heart. So, while summering in Barcelona at Vicky's aunts home, their responses to a sexy local artist's brazen offer of an immediate dalliance on a small island wildly differ, the engaged Vicky becoming grossly offended and Cristina urgently accepting. While Christina fling turns into something slightly more serious with the magnetic Spaniard, things start to become complicated when Vicky grows discontented with her betrothed and the artist's estranged, beautiful, and unstable enters the picture. "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" is further evidence of Woody Allen's seemingly endless talents, a hot and sultry romance set against the beautiful backdrop of its varying Spanish locations. It features scene stealing work from Javier Bardem and especially Oscar winning Penelope Cruz who upstage lead actresses Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson who do not sound natural reading Allen's intellectual dialogue. Christopher Evan Welch's overly informative and amateurish narration is also a detraction. Still, "VCB" offers many of the sly affectations we expect from Woody and, surprisingly, some of the other goodies we don't.

A Christmas Tale

When Abel and Junon's eldest child became sick with bone cancer, neither themselves, their daughter Elizabeth, nor their recently arrived son Henri could save their sickly child. After the arrival of another son Ivan, the Vuillard seemed to carry the weight of this terrible tragedy. As an adult, Elizabeth is inexplicably unhappy married to a wayward husband and mother to a mentally ill son. After paying ne'er-do-well Henri's debts and saving him from a prison sentence, she insists that they never speak again. After five years of estrangement, the news that Junon has contracted the same cancer that killed their son brings the family together when Henri is found to be compatible. Now the troubled family are forced to face years of guilt and resentment in the face of this new hardship. "A Christmas Tale" is a wonderful film from French director Arnaud Desplechin, a film that follows no ordinary routes in a story that just begs for a standard treatment. I could just imagine the American version, replete with flatulent jokes, unearned sentiment, and a rushed artless feel. Instead, Desplechin constructs a beautiful cinematic film, filled with a variety of music and film techniques, that makes no easy compromises with its well developed characters. The great Catherine Deneuve gives a sublime performance as the matricarch of the family and Mathieu Amalric is equally wonderful as the shiftless Henri. I imagine most shudder when they hear the term 'holiday family comedy'. "A Christmas Tale" is the perfect antidote to those tired and routine yuletide offerings.

The Wire

Season 5 (2008)

After a year of pursuing the Stanfield crew to no avail, the Major Crimes unit is severely limited as the Mayor focuses his funding on education. A frustrated McNulty decides to take matters into his own hands, and soon the Baltimore Sun is involved on a citywide manhunt to track down a vicious serial killer of homeless men. The fifth season of "The Wire" is an exemplary and fitting swan song to one of the finest series in television history. Instead of taking us to the places we've grown accustomed to American entertainments to take us, creator David Simon leads us down a mostly dark, and disturbing path that always follows a logical thread. Among the standouts in this final season are Dominic West, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce, Michael Kenneth Williams, and newcomers Clark Johnson and Thomas McCarthy who play a Sun editor, and his unscrupulous reporter, respectively. Season 5 is an incredible and realistically sad sendoff to one of the finest series to ever be conceived.

****


Season 4 (2006) 

After the fall of Stringer Bell and the Barksdale and the regulation of the Major Crimes Unit, the ruthless Marlo Stanfield crew has taken hold of the Baltimore drug scene and found an inventive way for disappearing bodies. Meanwhile an unlikely councilman makes a serious go at the mayoral seat, while four young street kids go their divergent paths. Season 4 of "The Wire" is a heartrending gut shot and further evidence of excellence in television programming. All characters new and old and drawn so sharply and so credibly that we are drawn into their lives and celebrate their minor victories but mostly share their pain and losses. I particularly liked the work of the four young actors who played the street kids, all of whom contribute wonderfully in a way seldom seen by young performers. Among the other standouts include Wendell Pierce, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Robert Wisdom. Woven into another complex and engrossing web by creator David Simon and staff, season four continues to etch "The Wire's" name in television's wall of greatness.

****

Season 3 (2004)

After wrapping up the detail focusing on the stevedores, the unit is back on the streets investigating street level drug dealers in West Baltimore, while Detective McNulty still has the larger target of Stringer Bell in his sights. In other storylines, an old friend of Avon who has just been released may no longer have the stomach for the streets and seeks other avenues of success, a commander about to retire employs a radical maneuver to lower numbers in his district, and an ambitious white councilman begins to make a run for mayor, using some of these events as a springboard. After a second season that slightly sagged, "The Wire" is back in full swing doing what they do best. Dominic West, John Doman, Idris Elba, Wendell Pierce (who has a wonderful turn),  Michael Kenneth Williams, and the rest of the returning cast are all great including some newcomers, especially Robert Wisdom as the renegade commander and Chad Coleman as the parolee whose storyline is both touching and surprising. Show creator David Simon and his staff continue to wow me with their complex, realistic characters and storylines.

****

Season 2 (2003)

After the unspectacular results from the Barksdale case, a new detail is formed when stevedore union head Frank Sobotka takes the last spot on the church wall for a stain glass window that Sgt. Valchek wanted for his own donation. In order to settle the score, Valchek sets up a unit to go after Sobotka, and the old crew from the Barksdale case is rounded up again. Soon the case is blown open and includes drugs, international smuggling, and the murder of 14 eastern European women being brought over for prostitution. The second season of "The Wire" is a continuation of excellence with is engaging, intense, and demanding style. Shifting from street crime to the docks, this season has a different feel and it becomes clear that each season will focus on a different aspect of Baltimore crime. This dynamic created David Simon is an extraordinary and should make for a distinguishable feeling for each season. I did though find this season to be slightly less compelling and the casting of bad actors to play key roles as dock workers hurts as well. While I love the addition of Amy Ryan to the cast, I was disappointed by Dominic West's reduced role. Still, "The Wire" is one of television's most excellent programs and one of the few where I can actually feel my brain working when I'm watching it.

*** 1/2

Season 1 (2002)

A drug dealer beats a murder rap and the detective on the case visits his judge friend to complain and drops the name of a local kingpin the dealer is related to. Soon the judge is in the ear of the police deputy and a small detail is made for the sole purposes of appeasing the judge. A ragtag team is assembled and thanks to determination a case begins to build against the local Baltimore drug scene, which has implications that run up the ladder and repercussions for the entire department. David Simon's "The Wire" is an intricate and intelligent series that offers a realistic portrayal of cops and criminals. With sharp writing and nonstop pacing it is a series that helped set the bar for quality in television programming. The work of the large cast is phenomenal all around but to single out my favorites: Dominic West in a brilliant and intense portrayal of the lead detective on the case. Idris Elba as the business savvy right hand to the kingpin. Lance Reddick as the police lieutenant who finds red tape in his way at every turn. Clark Peters as a veteran detective who finds a new beginning in the case. Sonja Sohn as a dedicated narcotics officer. Michael Kenneth Williams as a scarfaced streetwise stickup boy. Where most shows are content to be mindless entertainment, The Wire is a demanding, probably the most demanding I've seen, show that challenges and stimulates the viewer for the entirety of its duration.

****