Farewell, My Lovely

Philip Marlowe is in his hotel room in LA eagerly following DiMaggio's hit streak while ducking the police who want him on questioning for a handful of murders. He tells us about a big galoot client and how the search for his girlfriend has led him down a path involving blackmail, prostitution, and murder, all leading to the beautiful young wife of a wealthy older judge. Farewell, My Lovely is the third filmization of the hard boiled Raymond Chandler novel following 1942's The Falcon Takes Over and 1944's Murder, My Sweet. Here Robert Mitchum is an ideal Marlowe, just as frank and rigid, but maybe a little worn and more compassionate. He was significantly older than Humphrey Bogart and Dick Powell when they played the roles, and it is a pleasure to see how he plays it at his age. The story here is just as engaging as the 1944 version (haven't seen the '42 one) and director Dick Richards nicely captures 1940 Los Angeles as well as the noir atmosphere. Farewell, My Lovely is a fine detective story and a wonderful showcase for Robert Mitchum who fits into Philip Marlowe's shoes like a glove.

Cars 2

Enjoying his time away from racing in Radiator Springs, Lightning McQueen is goaded by his best friend Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) into entering the World Grand Prix, which takes place in Tokyo, Rome, and London. At the first event Mater embarrasses McQueen and then goes on to cost him the race. Depressed, the lovable tow truck soon meets two secret agents (Michael Caine and Emily Mortimer) and soon becomes involved in a complex espionage mission. The original Cars was probably the weakest link in Pixar's titanium chain, but it still offered a story that adults could enjoy. With Cars 2, the animation company breaks their string of sturdy offerings that appeal to adults and children alike, and makes a feature that is just like every other inane computer animated film. Yes, the visuals are of the highest quality and the company was wise to hire Michael Caine for voicework to replace the late great Paul Newman, but the story is not strong enough to maintain interest and the jokes are geared towards little kids. This isn't so much of a sequel to Cars as it is a spinoff of that movie for the Larry the Cable Guy's character, whose in it for so much and whose voice is only tolerable for so long. Although this is not on the same level as the other Pixar work, it is a modest and watchable entry, and with three new interesting titles in the work (a fourth Toy Story, a second Monster's Inc., and Brave, an original) I'm sure the studio will be working at the same level it made its reputation on.

The movie opens with a short featuring the Toy Story characters called Hawaiian Vacation where Ken and Barbie aren't taken along with the family for their vacation, and are treated to a holiday anyways courtesy of the other toys. It is well made and funny and made me long for some of the other Pixar titles while the feature played.

The Doors: When You're Strange

The Doors created hypnotic and lasting music that captured the spirit of the 1960s. When You're Strange documents the band's fairly quick rise to stardom, and their alienation of their fans and much of America due to the perplexing antics of their talented lead singer Jim Morrison, who not only remained enigmatic until his 1971 death at age 27 in a Paris bathtub, but up until this day. The film focuses a lot on Morrison, including his childhood and his years before the band formed. This really is a fine assembly of The Doors' music as well as a documentation of the band's history. Narrated by Johnny Depp, his casual voice works nicely calling attention to the material rather than himself. The Doors and Jim Morrison's story is a strange and complex one indeed, and it is nicely captured here in a film that paints a fine picture of a troubled man and a great band.

Beginners

Oliver has always lived a maudlin life. Now his father has passed away and he has met a young French actress and has really taken a liking for her. He begins to reflect on his relationships with his free spirited mother and his father, who announced he was gay after her death and began living a fully engaged lifestyle. Hopefully his parents' examples can guide him to not push away his new girlfriend as he has done with all his other relationships. Beginners is Mike Mills sophomore effort as writer/director following Thumbsucker, and is told in the same light and whimsical way. Mills' style can be a little fanciful at times, but the movie is carried throughout by the strength of his cast. Ewan McGregor does fine work in another strong performance as Oliver and Melanie Laurent (Inglorious Basterds) contributes nicely as his girlfriend. Mary Page Keller is wonderful as Oliver's mother and Christopher Plummer, who has had a career rebirth in his later years, is great as Oliver's father who has spent most of his life concealing his true nature and blossoms when he is finally allowed to be himself. Beginners is pleasant entertainment where you can sometimes appreciate the auteur's sensibilities and can always admire the acting.

Incendies

A set of Canadian twins, male and female, of Middle Eastern descent, learn at their mother's will reading that her last wishes include both of them delivering letters to their thought to be dead father and a brother they never knew they had. Separately, the siblings embark on a journey that will reveal dark secrets about their family's past, and as these discoveries are revealed we see the tumultuous path their mother's life took up until her passing. Canadian export and Foreign Film Oscar nominee Incendies is a powerful film from director Denis Villeneuve that wonderfully tells a harsh story through the use of a complicated dual narrative structure which it pulls off well. Lubna Azabal is excellent as the mother and must undergo a wide range of emotions on her brutal journey which she conveys superbly. It's been quite awhile since a film's twist has taken me aback, yet this film's secret is shocking and unexpected. Incendies is an example of filmmaking that tells a great story yet challenges at the same time.

Soundtrack for a Revolution

Soundtrack for a Revolution covers key moments from the Civil Rights Movement, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, The March on Selma, The Freedom Rides, and the assassination of Martin Luther King while stressing the importance of music during these times. I found this to be a weak entry in the American Experience series because instead of focusing on the events, we are shown interviews of participants in the events saying how important the music was, yet we don't even get to hear that much music! I thought the topic had been better covered in the films Freedom Riders and Roads to Memphis and although they have good material hear, it is not properly utilized.

Freedom Riders

Freedom Riders follows the men and women who boarded buses and headed to the Deep South in the early 60s to engage in sit ins and protests to fight racial segregation. Fought with opposition from locals and politicians ranging from local government all the way to the governor's office, the participants were often victims of horrific violence. Their perseverance lead to the White House opening their eyes to the situation, the eventual passage of the Civil Rights Act, and the end of Jim Crow in the South. This documentary offers footage of the events and interviews with many of the riders themselves and even has an interview with Alabama governor John Patterson who opposed the riders' actions. Freedom Riders is a fine entry in the American Experience catalog and frighteningly captures an important moment in our nation's history.

The Green Hornet

The son of a newspaper tycoon lives a directionless life until his father dies mysteriously. Deciding to give meaning to his life, he decides to team up with his father's industrious servant and fight crime with one catch: they gain notoriety by posing as criminals in the effort to stop evil. Director Michel Gondry's film is another entry in his resume of films replete with style but devoid of any substance whatsoever. I though the film's opening, with an exchange between villain Christoph Waltz (who is amusing throughout) and James Franco (in a cameo), was funny and I hoped the film would carry on in this same tone, which it does during early set up scenes. Quickly, though it devolves into mind numbing and headache inducing action sequences which serve no purpose whatsoever. Tom Wilkinson as the father and Waltz are good but underused and I had no idea why the studio picked up Cameron Diaz's fee for an unimportant role that could have been played by anyone. As for Seth Rogen, he has worn out his welcome both as an actor and a writer (he cowrote here with friend Evan Goldberg). His style was funny when he first appeared on the scene, but has quickly grown old and stagnant. Now, it seems that he has no business in the film industry and this latest entry is proof of that.

Insomnia

A disgraced Swedish detective and his partner, who are based in Oslo, are sent north to a small town in Norway in what is know as the land of the midnight sun to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. While setting a trap for the murderer, the two men give pursuit through the fog and the man accidentally shoots his partner. Deciding to cover up the shooting, he continues to work the case while becoming too involved with the suspect and the victim's best friend and not being able to sleep due to the constant sunlight and his nagging conscience, which in turn cause him to make mistakes and invite the suspicion of a female investigator. Insomnia is the debut film from Erik Skjoldbjaerg and is a very effective psychological thriller that makes great use of its Nordic locations and atmosphere. Stellan Skarsgard does fine work playing an off putting character. This movie was remade by Christopher Nolan in 2002 with Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank in the leads in another effective thriller, but I think think one is superior due to a few changes including a better ending and a sky ride taken between Skarsgard and the suspect which reminded me of the great Ferris Wheel scene in The Third Man (in Nolan's version it took place on a ferry). Either way, this is very good material pulled here by Skjodbjaerg and his company in fine, if disconcerting fashion.

Marvin Gaye: What's Going On

Marvin Gaye achieved monumental success as Motown's foremost artist and was an admired sex symbol for much of his life. Despite his achievements, he was forever haunted by his shy demeanor and an abusive father and descended into bankruptcy and drug addiction until he was murdered by his father on the night before his 40th birthday. Marvin Gaye: How Sweet It Is is a wonderful and loving remembrance of Gaye's life by the people in his life filled with clips of his music. Gaye's troubled life along with his genius he shared with the world makes for a wonderful biography that delves deep into a fascinating life.

Murder, My Sweet

Philip Marlowe is in a tough spot. A handful of people involved in a missing persons he was investigating are now in the morgue and the hard boiled P.I. is a prime suspect. With bandages over his eyes, Marlowe explains to detectives how his case involving a hulk of a man searching for his old flame evolved into a case of multiple murders involving local gangsters, a millionaire, and his sultry young wife. Directed by Edward Dmytryk, Murder, My Sweet is a nice little twisty detective noir from the Raymond Chandler novel Farewell, My Lovely. Dick Powell, who oddly plays Marlowe in a lightly comic fashion not at all resembling Humphrey Bogart's version, is surprisingly effective. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the plot in this movie that gets more and more engaging up until its wonderful ending.

Bad Teacher

Bad Teacher has been panned as a Bad Santa ripoff. I don't think the problem lies with nicking that film's premise in so much as it does so so poorly. It tells the story of a teacher who wants nothing more than to marry a rich man and get breast implants. When she is dumped by her fiancé she returns to her job in the same lackluster fashion until she learns that the teacher whose students score highest on the state gets a bonus. She then schemes to achieve this feat while fending off the goody two shoes fellow teacher who has her in her sights. The biggest flaw with Bad Teacher is its star Cameron Diaz. Although I liked how the movie was not about her character's change, Diaz does nothing to have us rooting for her character and much of her character's behavior. The film does have its moments as well as a fine supporting cast including Justin Timberlake, John Michael Higgins, and Jason Segal whom I usually dislike but does good work here. Reno 911's Thomas Lennon and Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet are particular standouts in hilarious sequences. Director Jake (son of Lawrence) Kasdan has made another comedy which is very funny in parts but again is lacking on the whole. Recognizing that making solid comedic films is no small task, hopefully Kasdan can fashion the great comedy he seems to have in him.

The Secret in Their Eyes

A recently retired criminal court investigator can't stop thinking about a case from 25 years ago so he decides to write a book about it. Unable to find the right words, he visits his friend who is now a judge, whom he has always carried a torch for, who helped him work on the case. Together they recount the brutal rape/murder and the corrupt justice system they encountered. They begin to realize that the case and their unspoken love is still alive today. The Secret in their Eyes is a wonderful film from Argentina that won the Foreign Film Oscar. The brilliant film is hard to get a handle on but is wonderfully realized and told. One scene stands out, which involves a manhunt at a soccer game. This is the kind of work that defies conventional story telling and offers the viewer with a challenging and rewarding experience.

6/15/2010 Well I did get to a second viewing and the film does improve greatly. Though I still think the storytelling is jumbled, everything comes together wonderfully in the end. Like the protagonist, the film has a great story to tell, is not sure how to tell it, and in need of a great ending. Well, it does get its ending.

***1/2

5/25/10 The Secret in Their Eyes is the 2009 Argentinian film that won the Best Foreign Film Oscar in a year when two other films were predicted over it to take that prize. Now, that it is given its American release, many critics have given it praise, but some like me find its storytelling confounding. It tells the story of a recently retired investigator who is still haunted by a rape/murder from 25 years earlier. In order to attain some closure, he begins to write a novel about his investigation which the film flashbacks to and leads up until the time it is finally solved. I do not have a problem with confusing movies. Films like Michael Clayton don't let you know precisely what's going on but you still have a handle. Here, at least I felt completely lost and did not feel entertained. I also felt that the film was marred by overlength as well. However, it is extremely well filmed with some great visuals and it may be due a second viewing.
**1/2

Gettysburg

On the first three days of July of 1963, the Union and the Confederacy engaged in a battle that would turn the tides of war and lead to the South's eventual downfall. On that battlefield in that small Pennsylvania town more men would be lost then in any battle fought in the western hemisphere. Gettysburg is the History Channel's recounting of those brutal events focusing on battle tactics, the functioning of the machinery, and the general conditions. It is fascinating to see how the weapons of the day functioned or hear about decrepit makeshift hospital conditions or just to learn if individual soldier's stories. The program does suffer though from the use of the usual History Channel format of recreating events. Still this is an interesting look at the pivotal battle in American history.

The Sting

The Sting reunited Paul Newman and Robert Redford with their Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid director George Roy Hill. The result was a stylish and remarkably entertaining and clever con man picture that went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Set during the Great Depression on the south side of Chicago, small time confidence man Hooker (Redford) along with his mentor Luther con a numbers runner out of a couple thousand. Little do they know the man works for Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), a ruthless Irish mob boss. Lonnegan has Luther bumped off, and Hooker wants revenge. Seeking out Henry Gondorff (Newman), the greatest con man in the world according to Luther, the duo seek to create a sting, a major operation involving many con men in order to put Lonnegan in his place. The Sting is a delight as well as a challenge from start to finish. With period detail to a T and Marvin Hamlisch's arrangement of Scott Joplin's ragtime music (which may be what is remembered best about the picture-see video below), The Sting places a twisting plot from a screenplay by David S. Ward on top of exquisite detail. Newman and Redford are wonderful in the leads, and seem to be having as much fun as we are watching. Shaw is great as well as the heavy and card scene with Newman is simply magnificent. I did have a few minor quibbles with small plot contrivances that just don't make sense, but overall this is a great film that is on top of its game in so many arenas.

Casino Jack and the United States of Money

Jack Abramoff was known as a super-lobbyist in Washington, D.C., and his favor extended to both houses and both parties and even as far as The White House. Bribing politicians such as Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay with lavish gifts and taking over a casino from a murdered mobster, Abramoff and his associates made a killing until he started fleecing Native American casinos and his house of cards collapsed. He was indicted and convicted on several counts and served three and a half years in a federal penitentiary. His story has inspired no less than two movies, and have caused people to open their eyes toward the behavior of lobbyists. Casino Jack and the United States of Money is a frightening tale of corruption in our political system and greed at its most fundamental level. Director Alex Gibney recognizes a fact that many documentarians seem to forget in that documentaries are movies too and should be entertaining. Instead of filling his film with charts and graphs and experts to make it resemble a class lecture, which is the common method for documentary filmmakers, Gibney uses film clips, newspapers, and interviews with actual participants from the documented events. Casino Jack and the United States of Money is a document of unabashed greed and corruption, but it is also an entertaining film as well. It is to Gibney's credit that he was able to be successful on both fronts.

A Raisin in the Sun

In a cramped apartment on the south side of Chicago lives a black family consisting of a matron, her daughter and son, and his wife and young child. When the patriarch passes away, his widow receives a $10,000 check from the life insurance company. Now, all members of the family have different ideas as to how the money should be spent, and what results in this socially conscious drama will say a lot on race and sex in America, not just in 1961 but also today. Lorraine Hansberry's play, which she adapted for the screen where it was directed by Daniel Petrie, is a powerful and intelligently written discourse on African-American life. It features a wonderful and angry performance from Sidney Poitier as the fed up and impulsive Walter Jr. Also delivering fine performances are Claudia McNeil and the stalwart matron and Ruby Dee as Walter's wife. A Raisin in the Sun is a fine film on several levels: as a play adaptation, for its performances, and as a statement on the state of racial affairs in this country.

The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer

J. Robert Oppenheimer was a brilliant scientist who primarily devoloped the Atomic Bomb and helped America defeat the Japanese and win World War II. In return, due to his keeping of communist associates, the United States government stripped him of his security clearance in an embarrasing trial which resembled a kangaroo court. The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer is a fascinating look at the life of a very strange and gifted man who science and intelligence seemed to come to naturally, but couldn't keep an even keel in his personal life, particularly with the kinds of women he kept. David Straithairn plays Oppenheimer in exact recreations of the trial, in a very fine performance of another chain smoking Cold War figure, following his brilliant portrayal of Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck. The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer is an excellent historical look at an intriguing and complex life.

2011 Mid-Year Top 10 List

As the midway point of 2011 is already upon us, here is what has stood out at the box office so far this year:
Honorable Mention: Meek's Cutoff, Of Gods and Men, and X-Men: First Class.
10. Somewhere Sofia Coppola's well realized minimalist film about an actor spending time with his daughter and coming to terms with his meaningless existence.
9. Water for Elephants Wonderful and old-fashioned adaptation of the beloved novel following a young veterinary student who loses his parents, joins the circus, and falls for the boss's daughter. Christoph Waltz shines in another portrayal of a complex villain.
8. Souce Code Ducan Jones follows up Moon with another engaging and exciting, though less challenging, science fiction film involving the use of time travel to help solve a terrorist threat.
7. Incendies Challenging and powerful film about a set of twins' quest to fulfill their mother's dying wishes.
6. Rango Wonderful, atypical animated film geared towards adults and children alike and replete with many funny and well realized moments.
5. Cave of Forgotten Dreams Master filmmaker Werner Herzog brilliantly uses the abysmal 3D format to capture the first known human writings in a French cave.
4. The Tree of Life Terrence Malick's fifth and most personal and ambitious film strives to encompass everything from the Big Bang Theory to the meaning of life while telling the story of a young boy growing up in Texas features a wonderful performance from Brad Pitt and Malick's signature beautiful landscapes and contemplative tones.
3. Blue Valentine The beginning and end of a relationship are intercut in this heartbreaking film featuring excellent performances from Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.
2. Midnight in Paris Woody Allen blends several elements used in his previous films to make this magical film starring Owen Wilson about a nostalgic writer transported back to Paris of the 1920s.
1. Jane Eyre Cary Fukunaga's adaptation of Charlotte Bronte novel is beautiful, moving, romantic, engaging, everything you hope to see in a movie. Stars Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, and Judi Dench are all tremendous.

The Narrow Margin

Two police officers are escorting an icy mob bosses' widow by train from Chicago to L.A. to testify in a  racketeering trial. When they arrive to pick her up, one of the men is gunned down. Now it is up to one man to guard the uncooperative and unappreciative witness on the locomotive while dealing with assassins, bribes, a mysterious woman riding the train with her son, and other possible threats. The Narrow Margin is a fabulous motion picture and is often cited as one of the best B-pictures of all time. Directed by Richard Fleischer and starring Charles McGraw, it is an exciting motion picture that ratchets up the tension with great plotting and wonderful direction. There's not a slack moment or false note in this fine noirish movie.

The Hammer

From a story he wrote, The Hammer stars comedian Adam Corrola as Jerry, a 40 year old who has just lost his job and his girlfriend. Once a promising young boxer, he is approached at the gym by his old boxing trainer with an opportunity to train for a tryout for the Olympics. The unlikely boxer takes his chances and begins gearing up for the big fight, not knowing that he is being used by his trainer. The Hammer is a slight film that benefits tremendously from Corrola's dry, sarcastic sense of humor, something I have always responded well to. The story is not well realized, the same goes for the supporting characters, and the ending is laughable, but Corrola is able to carry the film to a certain level of enjoyment even if it isn't a total knockout.

Marion Jones: Press Pause

Marion Jones: Press Pause is about 20 minutes of an intriguing story dragged out for the course of an hour. Directed by John Singleton, it tells Jones' story as a phenom athlete in high school to her unmeasured Olympic track and field success up until her downfall and disgrace when she was imprisoned for lying to federal investigators about her performance enhancement usage. Jones herself participated and its intriguing hearing her version of events. However redundancy begins to take over and certain points are hammered relentlessly. The attempt to depict her redemption by her showing her playing in the WNBA doesn't quite come off well either. 

The Office

In 2001 Ricky Gervais and collaborator Stephen Merchant introduced the world to their brand of comedy in the form of a mockumentary focusing on a group of employees at the paper company Wernham Hogg in Slough, England which is facing downsizing. Starring Gervais as regional manager David Brent, he is a man who is more concerned with his own popularity and comic stylings then with the performance of the branch. We also meet salesman Tim who longs for receptionist Dawn who is already taken by one of the warehouse workers. Then there is Gareth, the rigid paper salesman who is obsessed with the military and follows procedures to a T. The Office is an uproarious series, thanks mostly to Gervais' comic sensibilities. The romance story between Tim and Dawn is handled wonderfully. Running for two seasons and with a feature length special, this is the kind of quality in television rarely found, and not even scarcely seen in the American export which doesn't even begin to measure up to the riotous original.

Limitless

It opens on a slovenly composed man walking the streets of New York City. In his own narration, he says that he's surprised that the man you are seeing is not a bum. He's a writer with a book contract and a severe case of writer's block currently living off of his girlfriend. One day he runs into his pill pushing ex-brother-in-law who gives him a mysterious pill he says will increase brain function, awakening new neurons and causing more of the brain to work. Soon, the writer has finished his novel in a few days, has cracked the stock market, and is about to become part of one of the biggest mergers in history. However, he begins to feel the side effects of the unapproved drug and quickly learns that others who have taken it are dying. He is also contending with a ruthless Russian gangster who himself has grown accustomed to the drug and the police who have implicated in the murder. Limitless, directed by Neil Burger, takes a fascinating idea and uses many stylish and creative ways to demonstrate how the protagonist's mind is working. The script is well written and Robert De Niro is great as a shrewd tycoon who brings the young writer in on the major deal. For everything the movie does right however, star Bradley Cooper unravels. Cooper is such an uninteresting presence and poor actor. He brings nothing to the role and his laconic approach detracts from the material. All the other pieces are in place, yet due to poor casting in the lead role, this one is chalked up as a disappointment.

Green Lantern

This movie is ridiculous from the word go. It begins with thousands of space men who are part of a lantern clan that wears rings which they use to protect the galaxy. When an evil force called The Parallax mortally wounds one of the finest Lantern soldiers, the soldier journeys to earth to find the most worthy recipient of his ring before kicking off. The person the ring brings to him is cocky, reckless, and self-centered test pilot Hal Jordan who takes the ring, becomes the Green Lantern and the first human to don the ring, and protects the earth from The Parallax and his evil childhood friend who is now a doctor and has been infected by the the evil space people. Without really needing to say it, The Green Lantern is kind of a sorry excuse for a superhero. His world is uninspired and what fun is a superhero who can basically do anything. Ryan Reynolds is not as horrible as I expected as the lead and fits OK into the lanterns shoes. Blake Lively is delightful as the love interest, but her character's interaction with Reynold's mirrored too closely to that of Superman and Lois Lane. Additionally, I didn't know what was more unbelievable her beautiful, young, smart, and successful character or the The Green Lantern's will powered shape shifting ring. Peter Saarsgaard's character is disappointing in a poorly realized and underdeveloped role as the villain, and we have come to expect more from the actor. The movie is also loaded with inspirational speeches about courage and fear, which becomes too much to handle very quickly. For what it is this movie is so so. The effects in the final battle between The Green Lantern and The Parallax are impressive. Still, this is a lackluster superhero movie and should be a call to Hollywood to slow down on the churning out of comic book character films.