Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008, G. del Toro)

All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Jason Buchanan
Ron Perlman returns to the role of the big red BPRD agent in this sequel to 2004's Hellboy, directed once again by Guillermo del Toro and scripted as before in collaboration with original Hellboy creator Mike Mignola. For centuries, an ancient truce has kept the naïve citizens of the human race safe from the horrors of the invisible realm -- but that's all about to change, and fast. A ruthless leader has emerged in the invisible realm, a tyrant just as comfortable walking the surface realm as he is living in the land of fantasy. When this power-mad ruler defies his bloodline to assemble an unstoppable army of fantastical creatures that he will use to wage a supernatural war on humanity, it begins to appear that humankind's days are numbered. But Hellboy (Perlman) isn't about to stand idly by as the planet is purged by a demonic despot, and with a little help from his team at the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, he may just be able to send our otherworldly overlords packing. Of course, Hellboy's pyrokinetic girlfriend, Liz (Selma Blair), is always willing to conjure up an inferno or two when things get desperate, aquatic Abe (Doug Jones) is prepared to dive headlong into any battle, and protoplasmic mystic Johann (voice of Thomas Kretschmann) proves an invaluable companion in times of inter-dimensional conflict. Now, as the creatures who inhabit the spiritual realm gear up for an all-out attack on the human plane, the only one capable of saving the Earth is a tough-talking hellspawn rejected by both worlds.

First things first: Guillermo del Toro is a masterful technician. And I don't mean that in any kind of Andrew Sarris-type of disrespect. I'm serious. Between Pan's Labyrinth and now Hellboy II: The Golden Army, del Toro has shown impeccable taste in set, lighting and costume design, interesting-without-being-distracting camera placement and movement, and special effects direction. The guy is obviously very talented and gifted, and I enjoy his boisterous and giving personality in interviews. So, why am I destined to only enjoy his Spanish-language films?

Don't get me wrong. I don't want to sound like all those other film critics out there who look down on superhero/comic book films; because that's not who I am at all. But, if you've followed del Toro's career, you can see the dividing line between his Spanish language, atmospheric ghost stories/fables ("Cronos","The Devil's Backbone", "Pan's Labyrinth") and his English language mainstream film projects ("Blade II", "Hellboy"). The Spanish films are slower paced, creepy, and pitched within some historical/political context that give them a bit of gravity. The English films are completely different (and good for that, but...): they enjoy loudness, exciting fight choreography, and humor, which del Toro is great at. But they also suffer from clunky and/or less meaningful storytelling and themes.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army" is the perfect example of his strengths marrying his weaknesses. The film looks amazing. The costumes and special effects are always convincing and extremely creative in their conception. Some of the creatures look like they could've come out of "Pan's Labyrinth", but are probably faithful to Mike Mignola's comic (full disclosure: never read an issue). But the storyline line basically amounts to: Bad Guy on the loose, misunderstood Good Guys chase Bad Guy & fight, rinse & repeat. There is a subplot with Hellboy having to learn to grow up because of Liz's impending pregnancy. Del Toro states in the film's commentary that he put all sorts of signs and clues to the pregnancy in the background of the film (in the form of street signs, words, fertility goddesses, the baby Hellboy has to rescue), but the story should've reflected this change thematically a little better. About half way through the movie, all these ideas are forgotten in order to focus on special effects-driven fighting and destructive mayhem.

Once again, the special effects and the destruction is done very very well. The success of "Pan's Labyrinth" has given Universal the confidence to supply del Toro with enough money to capture his vision; and he uses every single dollar on the screen. But without a strong emotional hook to hang onto, it means absolutely nothing. Del Toro is completely capable of providing that emotional attachment.

Del Toro has put together a good cast. He wisely got rid of the "audience-identification" character played by Rupert Evans in the first film. Tambor's humor quotient has been upgraded, as has Perlman's, yet Doug Jones and Seth McFarlane are left humorless. I have been enjoying Selma Blair in NBC's "Kath & Kim", but she doesn't have much to work with here, which is disappointing.

Though there was something about a scene where Hellboy, Liz, and the others are getting attacked by the Tooth Fairy creatures. Liz clams up, turns on her fire ability, and just uses it to protect herself (knowing that she was pregnant before anyone else did?). That was an interesting moment within the whiz! bang! of an otherwise typical action sequence.

Other thoughts:
-- The opening animated/puppet prolouge was a great way to tell that backstory of the evil creatures. I enjoy sequels that like to investigate and tell stories from a character's past.
-- Guillermo Navarro's photography is very fluid and exciting to watch. It does not call attention to itself. But there are several instances where the way the camera moves within a room to disclose different pieces of information and then to surprise; and it is very effective.
-- The ending of the film does not overstay it's welcome. Once the status quo is restored; the film hurtles towards a close. And Del Toro ends the film with a great line/exchange and a hard cut. Fantastic!
-- "I'm not a baby, I'm a tumor".

This director is a major talent and everything he does will be worth looking at, I just will find myself pining for another Spanish-language film to come down the production schedule...

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008, N. Stoller)

All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Jason Buchanan
In desperate need of a vacation after being unceremoniously dumped by his TV-star girlfriend, a man travels to a lavish Hawaiian resort to nurse his wounds and forget his heartache, only to discover that his ex and her handsome new boyfriend are currently staying at the exact same island hot spot. Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) may be just another struggling musician, but for the past six years he's been dating Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), one of the hottest stars on television. Sarah is everything in the world to Peter, so when she kindly but firmly tells him that they should each go their separate ways, he is absolutely devastated. Later, after attempting to salvage his ego by awkwardly attempting to become a womanizer and nearly losing his job because of a nervous breakdown, an emotionally fragile Peter attempts to put the past behind him by escaping to the sun-soaked beaches of Oahu. While at first it seems as if Peter has discovered the perfect prescription for a bad case of lost love, his plan soon turns to dust when Sarah and her new rock-star boyfriend, Aldous (Russell Brand), turn up at the exact same resort. Though accepting Sarah's lavish new lifestyle won't be easy for the crestfallen Peter, the laid-back companionship of flirtatious resort employee Rachel (Mila Kunis) -- not to mention a continuous regimen of fruity cocktails -- goes a long way in mending the wounds of a broken heart. Forgetting Sarah Marshall was penned by Segel and produced by Judd Apatow. Fun with Dick and Jane screenwriter Nicholas Stoller makes his directorial debut. The cast also includes Paul Rudd, Bill Hader, Jack McBrayer, and Jonah Hill.

The thing about predictable stories is how they hit their marks and what new inventive things they can do with the structure. Did they do that here? Not really. But as was the case with my recently viewed "Baby Mama", it is the cast that saves the film from it's standard Rom-Com archetypes. Especially the supporting cast.

I have praise for Jason Segel, whom I have enjoyed since watching "Freak and Geeks" for the first time . My interest solidified after his portrayal as the overly-emotive possessive boyfriend Eric on "Undeclared". I suffer through the strained "Friends"-wannabe How I Met Your Mother every week because of Segel's winning personality and my desire to see him succeed as an actor (though co-star Neil Patrick Harris has all the funny lines). I am glad that he had some success with this film as a actor and as a writer (he is slated to pen a new Muppets film). But, when I finally caught up with this film on home video, I was disappointed. I guess I was expecting something a little more...something.

It is hard to pinpoint what that something is. The film is funny. The cast is solid. The supporting even more so. Bill Hader and Paul Rudd both steal their respective scenes. Jonah Hill, who should be grating/wearing out his welcome by now, is solidly funny. Jack McBrayer needs to be in more things period.

Perhaps it's the A story which is the problem, and this is no disrespect to Segel as a writer (because the film is very funny). It works as a disservice to the film to make Kristin Bell so unlikeable because she is very gifted comedienne. This does not get exhibited in this film, partly because she is saddled with the bitch ex-girlfriend role and because there are no jokes written for her. It's great to see her with a big role in a major motion picture, but I feel her talents are wasted here.

I feel similarly strained about Mila Kunis. It's great to see her as the main love interest in a big movie. Funny as the aggressive Jackie on "That 70's Show", she gets to exhibit a softer personality in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and it works in her favor. But the film does her a disservice, by having some out-of-character moments concerning an ex-boyfriend. Maybe the film is trying to say something about "not knowing everything about someone". It just feels like a character inconsistency that isn't explored enough to make that point.

It's these kind of out-of-character and ridiculous moments of the film; like Russel Brand's character and music, Segel falling off a cliff, playing the Dracula musical to a receptive crowd in a bar, -- that do a disservice to the genuine moments of the film. I was especially turned off by the "joke" which was Segel allowing Bell to blow him near the end of the film. The motive and intentions behind these actions are mystifying and not really in keeping with the rest of the film. While the film may be aiming at having a scene that proves Segel has finally "lost feelings" for Bell, it's executed as if only to provide a complication to Segel and Kunis' budding relationship.

These "misunderstandings" that serve as the final conflict in most romantic comedies seem to be the hardest to pull off realistically, lately. Modern crowds are becoming more aware of them, most often because they do not reflect real life and/or if they are ridiculous are not effectively sold. By and large, romantic comedies traffic in the ridiculous. The writers of these films (and television shows) need to become more adept at being able to effectively sell their conflicts. Because this deficiency is continuing the be the death knell for the genre.

I don't want this to sound as if I'm dissing Segel's talents as a writer, because I'm not. I'm a champion for his kind of off-color humor, especially when it's dressing up what feels like a golden-age era screwball comedy. I wish him luck with the Muppets film. I'm just trying to help push for a smarter romantic comedy era to emerge. Love is complicated in the modern age and there are many funny things that can be explored.

Baby Mama (2007, M. McCullers)

All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Jason Buchanan
Former Saturday Night Live "Weekend Update" co-anchors Tina Fey and Amy Poehler co-star in this baby-fever comedy about a single, career-oriented woman who previously put parenthood on hold, and is forced to hire a surrogate mother when she discovers there is only a one-in-a-million chance that she will be able to get pregnant. Kate Holbrook (Fey) is a 37-year-old business executive who has always put her professional life before her personal life, but these days her biological clock is ticking louder than ever before. As with everything else she has accomplished in life, Kate is determined to have a child on her own terms. Unfortunately for Kate, the chance of her ever becoming pregnant is slim to none. Undaunted, a willful Kate drafts South Philly working-class girl Angie Ostrowiski (Poehler) -- a woman who may just be her polar opposite -- to be a surrogate mother. Subsequently informed by the head of the surrogacy center (Sigourney Weaver) that her surrogate is indeed pregnant, the excited mother-to-be soon purchases every child-rearing book she can find and excitedly begins the nesting process. But life hasn't quit throwing Kate curveballs just yet, because when a pregnant Angie shows up on her doorstep with no place to live, the woman who once thrived on order finds her life descending into chaos. Now, as Kate attempts to transform Angie into the ideal expectant mother, this odd couple will discover that families aren't always biological, but occasionally formed through friendship as well. Writer Michael McCullers, who authored the screenplays for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and Undercover Brother in addition to working on Saturday Night Live, makes his feature directorial debut with a self-penned screenplay.

While the above indicates a three-star premise (and the film boasts three-star direction), there is four-star talent involved that makes the film watchable with chuckles. Those awaiting the motion picture followup to Fey's "Mean Girls" will be somewhat disappointed as she didn't write this script, but there are inspired lines and pieces of humor that must've come from improv sessions with the cast. It is this group of comedians and these bits and characterizations that save the movie from being just a bland, safe baby-comedy.

Fey and Poehler have great chemistry together and their give-and-take is really the heart and soul of this picture. Fey's slow-burn straight man to Poehler's off-the-wall character is the comic basis of the film and they're up to the challenge. They have many great scenes together and those scenes manage to outweigh the rest of the film comically. Whenever Fey is not around Poehler, you sometimes wish they'd be back together so the film could be unpredictably funny again.

Not that some of the rest of the cast isn't funny. Steve Martin, in a minor role, plays a very "earthy" entrepreneur and is the best film role he's had in years. The things that come out of his mouth are almost as hilarious as his ponytail. Dax Shepard is serviceable as Poehler's boyfriend/husband. Sigourney Weaver is very funny and makes the most of her few times on screen. Her work in this and in "The TV Set", have proven her obvious skills at comedy and I'd like to see her do more.

Fey's budding relationship with Greg Kinnear is the subplot of the film that doesn't work so well. It's not that the two of them don't have great chemistry; they do. And Kinnear is very likable. It's just that their story feels rather obvious, obligatory, and not very funny. It exists so that there may be a misunderstanding between them adding yet more conflict for Fey's character to resolve. It makes you long for a return to the Poehler storyline when you should be enjoying the romance story.

But the movie is fun and funny because the cast is game for the material. It's not going to change the world, but it is something to chuckle along to. Pregnant couple may find it funny. And it's not bad to turn on late on night when you should be going to sleep, but get caught up in something on cable instead.

Son Of Rambow (2008, G. Jennings)

All Music Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Jason Buchanan
As the summer sun shines down on England in the early 1980s, two boys who couldn't be more different are brought together by a mutual love of cinema and a desire to emulate their favorite action movie icon. Will Proudfoot (Bill Milner) is a well-mannered schoolboy being raised in an ultra-religious community that deplores such corruptive distractions as television and seeks to maintain its purity by severely limiting contact with the outside world. In order to exorcise his creative inner demons, Will has taken to sketching imaginative drawings and complex illustrations. Lee Carter (Will Poulter) is the school terror, a rampaging hellion whose overaggressive behavior has made him an endless source of frustration to the faculty, and a source of fear to his fellow classmates. As fate would have it, Will is in the school hallway avoiding exposure to the classroom television when a fed-up teacher ejects Lee from the classroom. Though at first it appears as if Lee is about to torment timid Will just as he does the rest of the student body, the two form a tight bond after Will convinces Lee to view a bootleg copy of Rambo: First Blood. When Lee informs Will that he wants to shoot a homebrewed version of the violent action film for an upcoming amateur filmmaking contest, a sudden streak of rebellion prompts his sheltered classmate to readily agree. As the summer wears on the two boys set out to create the ultimate no-budget action movie, but their grand vision hits an unexpected hitch when a busload of French exchange students arrive at the school and the leader of the pack attempts to hijack the production.

I saw this film back in September. I was excited to see it, as it was the first original creation/production for the filmmaker team of Hammer & Tongs (director Garth Jennings and his partner producer Nick Goldsmith) after their adaptation of 2005's The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. It was their past (and present) work as music video directors, not their previous film, that contributed to my interest in this film. I liked their sensibility and tone in their videos; like for Blur's Coffee & TV and Supergrass' Pumping On The Stereo. While the whimsical special effects side of their personalities was utilized for Hitchhiker's Guide, I was hungry for a film that came completely from their own creation.

It seems that Son Of Rambow has been a long time coming to US theaters. It initially premiered at Sundance in 2007, but because of legal rights with music/trademarked Rambo name held up release until earlier this year. I missed it when it played theatrically in Seattle, and at the SIFF before that, but moved it to the top of my Netflix queue when it was released on DVD.

My hopes paid off. This is a film that focuses solidly on characters, not the special effects of Hitchhicker's; but that's not to say that special effects aren't employed, because they are. But they are used tastefully and in service of the story and to help flesh out emotional ties between the audience and the characters. Tonally, it's very melancholy with dashes of whimsy and genuine humor.


I loved the french kid.

He was a great balance to the story. I gotta admit that I prefer him and his crew better when they were providing the comic relief, than when he joined up with Will & Lee making the film. He then is used as the "third wheel"/catalyst in order to tear Will & Lee apart. While I like that he becomes a bigger part of the story, his humor somewhat disappears.

At the end, when the French were returning back home, was the "popular" French kid really supposed to be a loser amongst his French peers?

After being hooked on to Spaced , it's nice to see Jessica Hynes in another type of role. I need to seek out more films that she is in. Any suggestions?

I also thought that the score was used well. It gave off a vibe that Amblin Pictures had back in the 1980's, preferring orchestral instruments over synthesizers. This helps with the melancholic tone. The 1980's New Wave songs were tastefully selected and deployed as well.

This is the type of movie I would have loved to see on HBO after I had come home from school when I was the age as the characters in the film. I would've made my own version of Rambo at home too! I look forward to seeing this film again, and can maybe revisit that feeling on a sick day.

Thank God; The Election's Over!!!

Well, kinda...depends which state you live in, seeing as there are still contests being counted in Alaska, Minnesota, Georgia, and Missouri. But, the 24-hour worrying, the constant news and poll checking, the constant loop of MSNBC is being retired. Or at least I'm weaning myself away from it all. Because let's face it: we won!

Obama won! There is a feeling of optimism in the air. I'm feeling it, at least, and I'm going to use it to uplift me and help me become more active in my own life. That includes writing on this webpage some more. Over the last few days, I got my first comment from a reader! A really nice, albeit short, comment, but it is much appreciated.

Now that the election is over, I'm going to focus on watching many more films than usual. I am going to make it my duty to write a reaction, whether long or short comments, to everything I see for at least one year. That is my new goal. The next few posts may be short stabs at a couple movies I've seen in the last month and a half. I've also finished books on/by Slash, and Juliana Hatfield, which I may post about later (probably in conjunction with the release of The Chinese Democracy, which comes out in...less than a week).

House Of Games (1987, D. Mamet)

AllMovieGuide Synopsis:

by Linda Rasmussen
In his directorial debut, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Mamet creates a stylish cinematic puzzle of games within games, as con men are joined by a psychologist in creating the perfect caper. Dr. Margaret Ford (Lindsay Crouse), the writer of psychological self-help books, meets Mike (Joe Mantegna) as she attempts to help a patient who owes heavy gambling debts. When she herself is the victim of a con, she becomes intrigued by the psychological drama of the con game and joins in a complicated scam involving a suitcase of cash. Mamet directs his extremely complicated plot with skill and complete control until it is impossible to tell who is the con and who is the victim. The suspense builds to an amazing surprise ending which is both reasonable and believable but completely unpredictable. Crouse and Mantegna are outstanding as are all the supporting performances. Mamet and his cinematographer Juan Ruiz-Anchia create a visually stunning, compelling film that does justice to Mamet's superbly written screenplay

You could call me a minor dabbler in Mamet's work. I'm a fan, but I'm not obsessed with Mamet nor have a breadth of knowledge on the man and his style. I've read a few of his theory/teaching books and have always been more a fan of his ideas than his execution (save for his writing; which is consistently top notch). His last film I was wowed by was the underrated Spartan, which is a great spy film dealing with Mamet's themes of persona's, identity, lying, and the art of "the act". Basically, conning people.

What Mamet film is not about conning people?* He is fascinated with how people behave around others to get what they want. He loves the "acts" that people will perform to manipulate another person; whether it's a con game, a film set, a CIA interrogation room, the White House, etc.

House Of Games is no different. I had never seen this early film of Mamet's before the Criterion edition DVD and was surprised to find that it was filmed in Seattle, where I currently live. I didn't really recognize any of the buildings and only once noticed a street sign, but Mamet says in the supplements that it was his intention to keep it kind of nondescript, no landmarks, and an older part of the city in which parts may have changed(?)**.

Listening to the commentary, it's obvious that Mamet doesn't think too highly of the Psychiatry profession. Pairing psychiatry with "The Art Of The Con" and examining its similarities seems to be this film's intention, with Mamet not making it so painfully obvious that psychiatry could just be a big head game. The "transfer of Confidence" applies not only to street-level con games but to the office of the Psychiatrist. Being a "doctor" gives the patient a feeling of confidence to explain their problems to this total stranger, when they normally cannot even say these same things with their most trusted family member.

I would like to read more about the art of 'Confidence' because I think that you could apply some of its ideas to everyday life, not just to conning people. Parts of it have to do with attitude and persona, how you make others feel and how you can get them to trust you by how you behave. I would like to use this power for good.

There was some nice contemporary noir lighting in the film, out on the night streets and in the smoky pool halls (before the Smoking Ban!). There is also a nice camera move/moment after Margaret secretly sees the gun and the walkie-talkie on the mark she thinks they've set up. There is a slow walk back as we follow her back to tell Joe. Just a nice suspenseful moment and something a little different than the rest of the film. Pure Cinema.

Mantegna has a nice death scene to with his sarcastic quoting of Oliver Twist: "Thank you sir, may I have another!?" Margaret has stopped him, but she hasn't stopped from changing. Perhaps she can live a little more freely and enjoy her success, now that she knows what control is like. But I think it's also possible that her fears about herself could've been confirmed by her relationship and exploration in the film.

Solid first film. I can look over some of the patients' wooden acting (I think the supplements said Mamet wanted it this way too). But I was expecting some elementary camera placement/work and that was certainly not the case, as I've noted above (especially that walk-back shot). It breezed by, so well done editor!




*I'm just kidding. I've haven't seen all his work, please enlighten me.

** Once again, please enlighten me. I am new to the city and don't know much about the history.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008, W. Allen)

AllMovieGuide Synopsis:

by Perry Seibert
Woody Allen's romantic drama Vicky Cristina Barcelona stars Rebecca Hall and Scarlett Johansson as best friends Vicky and Cristina. As the movie opens, the pair of twentysomethings travel to Barcelona so that Vicky can work on her post-graduate degree. The two meet the charming artist Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), who offers to take them on a vacation and make love to them. Vicky, being a happily engaged young woman, refuses, but Cristina is eager for this life experience. A love triangle begins to coalesce, and things grow more complicated when Juan Antonio's passionate, unstable ex, Maria Elena (Penélope Cruz), arrives to stay after a suicide attempt.

As the latest "Woody Is Back!" film, I expect Vicky Cristina Barcelona to make much more money than his last five films. Possibly combined! Why do I think this? Not only do I agree with the critical consensus out there, that this film is top-notch, but I saw the film in a theater with a packed audience that was completely in touch with every word, whim, and witticism. This film played, and to a young audience! Perhaps the prospect of a girl-on-girl kiss is what drew the youngin's in, but it was the humor and nicely told story that got them to stay and become involved.

Now, I've never thought that Woody had lost it. Cassandra's Dream, which opened earlier this year to far less enthusiasm, is just as good if not completely different. It has been a while since Woody has made a romantic/sex farce type film, and I don't think anyone would have guessed that he would be so successful at it this late in the game. But the film is very funny, without being typically "Woody Allen"-punchline funny. Especially winning is Penelope Cruz, who I have not seen this good in anything.

Rebecca Hall is a find as well. Is she really British? She plays a good American and the uncertainty of her character is the most interesting/layered of the whole film.

Hot Fuzz (2007, E. Wright)

AllMovieGuide Synopsis:

by Jason Buchanan
A top London cop who is so good at his job that he makes his fellow officers look like slackers by comparison is "promoted" to serve in the sleepy village of Sandford in this contemporary action comedy from the creators of Shaun of the Dead. Police constable Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) always gets his man, but these days his impeccable record seems to be more indicative of his fellow officers' shortcomings than his own formidable skills as a keeper of the peace. Loathe to stand idly by as their once respectable track record is steadily soiled by the hyper-competent actions of one lone overachiever, Sergeant Angel's superiors at the Met soon determine to remedy their problem by relocating the decorated constable to the West Country village of Sanford -- where tranquil garden parties and neighborhood watch meetings stand in stark contrast to the violent crime and heated gunplay of the city. As Sergeant Angel does his best to adjust to the relative calm of his new environment, his oafish new partner Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) strives to gain the respect of his fellow constables while sustaining himself on fantasies of his favorite action films and police shows. Later, just as it begins to appear as if Sergeant Angel has been relegated to an uneventful existence in the relative calm of the countryside, a series of horrific "accidents" lead him to suspect that the tranquil hamlet of Sanford has fallen prey to a sinister plot which reeks of foul play. Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton, Steve Coogan, and Martin Freeman co-star in the Edgar Wright film.

In order to get ready for the US home video release of Spaced: The Complete Series, I rewatched Hot Fuzz and enjoyed it even more than I did last year.

Wright uses the hyper-montage stylings of Tony Scott not only as parody of that style, but uses it effectively to also further the story. The opening two minutes of the film is a quick-cut montage that successfully introduces Angell as a character. The killing of the theater director is also done in this quick manner. It is never too busy to not notice what is going on in the scene. It's as if Wright only has enough time to tell his story, so he effectively trims down to the neccessities the little pieces of the story that don't need a longer scene to get its point across. This is a parody of the Bruckheimer/Bay style of editing but Wright uses it to tell story instead of show off style. He shows us everything that we need to know and moves on.

I liked the bit when Angell pulls over the theater director for speeding. He writes down in his little book all of the director's "excuses", making the guy increasingly upset the more he writes. They end up having to go to the "homage of Romeo and Juliet" and it actually looks like a homage to Luhrman!

A nice mirror in the story is when Butterman is showing Angell "Bad Boys 2" and "Point Break". Will Smith says "Shit just got real!" as the film also shows the real murders (with explosions!) happening at the same time.

I also like that this film addresses that fact that there would be a "considerable amount of paperwork" for everything that transpires in your typical action film. I would love for once to see a film in which the cops have to second guess everything they do because they'll be a slave to their typewriter and a courtroom for the next five months. It would be nice to see a movie focusing on the aftermath of a huge cops/robbers city blowout, with the cops mired in paperwork and courtroom drama while the city has to clean up the mess.

Note On "The Karate Kid (1984, J. Avildsen)"

I was flipping through channels recently and stopped on The Karate Kid. I haven't seen it in a while and it was near the end. Daniel was making up with Elizabeth Shue (my first crush!) and he was getting ready for the tournament. I kept watching so I could hear the "You're The Best (Around)" song. But upon watching the film to end, I picked up on a solid emotional beat that I believe helped make this story so inspirational and successful.

After LaRusso gets his leg swept during a tournament fight, he is laying in pain asking for Mr. Miyagi for help. Daniel wants to make it to the last fight. Miyagi doesn't understand. but LaRusso pleads that having the girl, the car ("status"), and the Karate knowledge is not enough; he wants to go all the way. He wants to prove that those guys can't pick on him anymore. This is a genuinely effective scene and just the kind of character journey endpoint that Daniel (and Miyagi) needs to reach.

This is a very Rocky-ish theme, which should come as no surprise considering KK's director Avildsen. But credit should also go to screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen and Ralph Macchio/Daniel LaRusso, for being able to sell this beat without (too much) schmaltz.

Sure, Miyagi's mystery "hand rub" saves LaRusso's leg and he wins the big fight, but it is earned. Most films would delight with the success being LaRusso's tournament victory, but this film is the richer for having him realize that his true victory is to "go all the way!"

Where Eagles Dare (1968, B. Hutton)

All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson

An expensive but enormously profitable war picture, Where Eagles Dare centers upon a daring rescue and even more daring escape. Disguised as Nazi officers, commandoes Maj. John Smith (Richard Burton), Lt. Morris Schaffer Clint Eastwood and six other courageous souls parachute behind enemy lines. Their mission: to rescue an American general, held captive in a supposedly impenetrable Alpine castle. Aiding and abetting the commandoes are Allied undercover agents Mary (Mary Ure) and Heidi (Ingrid Pitt). Also on hand is a British officer (Patrick Wymark), who masterminded the mission. Somewhere, somehow, someone amongst the Allies is going to turn out to be a traitor. There's also a neat plot twist in store when the commandoes manage to reach the American general -- which leads to yet another twist. The vertigo-inducing climax has made Where Eagles Dare one of the most sought-after of "early" Eastwood starring features. The film was written directly for the screen by espionage novelist Alistair MacLean.

This Men On A Mission film is one of the more profitable of the genre, but, except for two sequences, not one of the most exciting. I had read about this film whenever reading about WWII movies and their subgenre of Men On A Mission movies. Films like The Dirty Dozen and The Guns Of Navarone make up this sub-genre. Quentin Tarantino plans on making his own contribution to the genre with his upcoming Inglorious Bastards.


The film takes its time getting going, introducing the characters, the side characters, outlining the mission, gearing up to go, and parachuting out of the plane. For the first hour or so, we are making our way towards the castle. Not a lot is exposed about our characters which only lessens the film and our care for the characters.

There are two nice sequences:
1. Where a German watchman is listening to the radio and switching the stations as Eastwood is trying to sneak up behind him. He turns the music off, on, scratchy static, off, on scratchy static, then he turns off the music... Nice Sequence.

2. When the soldiers try to make their escape via the Air Trolleys you can see in the top poster, there is a lot of in/out/in/out while escaping. It is a well paced suspense and action sequence.

All in all, this wasn't as exciting as others in the genre but was worth watching on a lazy Saturday afternoon. I leave you with a crazy foreign poster for the film I found online:

Sneakers (1992, P. A. Robinson)

From All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Matthew Tobey
In this tech-thriller from director Phil Alden Robinson, a group of five renegade computer hackers, led by Martin Bishop (Robert Redford), are hired by the government to steal a black box, containing a code-breaking machine, from the mathematician who invented the device. The government is able to persuade Martin to take the job by convincing him that they will drop a decades-old federal warrant for his involvement in computer fraud. Martin agrees and he takes his team on the mission, eventually taking the box. Shortly after the hackers have stolen the device, the mathematician turns up dead. Before long, the quintet realize that they've gotten themselves into more than they'd originally bargained for, as Bishop's old rival Cosmo (Ben Kingsley) enters into the fold. The eclectic ensemble also includes River Phoenix, Sidney Poitier, Dan Aykroyd, David Strathairn, Mary McDonnell, and James Earl Jones.

This is an enjoyable entertainment. Pure and simple. It is a caper film with a good sense of fun and wit with a great cast who all get to have fun. Tobolosky is awesome. Aykroyd gets to play the conspiracy guy, Strathairn a blind guy, Phoenix the young goof, Poitier the old wise ex-CIA, and Redford as the old-school leader. Almost every scene managed to balance drama/suspense/spy stuff with well placed touches of humor. This kind of entertainment, not unlike North By Northwest, is rare these days. Worth a queue position on your Netflix.



One Surprising Sidney Poitier Line: "Motherfuckers mess with me, I'll split your head!"

Lars And The Real Girl (2007, C. Gillespie)

All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Derek Armstrong
Lars (Ryan Gosling) and Gus (Paul Schneider) are the grown children of a father who died recently and a mother who died giving birth to Lars. But as brothers, they couldn't be more different. While Gus lives in the family home and has a loving wife (Emily Mortimer) and a child on the way, Lars leads a more reclusive existence in the family's garage, hiding in plain sight of his small, wintry hometown. Painfully shy and eccentric, Lars fails to recognize that his co-worker Margo (Kelli Garner) has a major crush on him, and he picks up on a casual reference made by his cubicle mate, who mentions a website where you can order life-sized, anatomically correct sex dolls. But instead of seeing a sex object, Lars sees in this doll a potential life partner and the only kind of social "peer" he can relate to. So Lars orders a doll, whom he names Bianca, and begins treating her with utmost gentlemanly respect -- and as though she's his real-life, flesh-and-blood girlfriend. As he begins bringing Bianca with him everywhere he goes, the townspeople have to find just the right balance between supporting Lars' unusual romance and trying to introduce him to a more conventional partner. Lars and the Real Girl was written by Six Feet Under scribe Nancy Oliver and directed by Mr. Woodcock's Craig Gillespie.

Lars And The Real Girl is a film with many attributes (good cast, pacing, location) that are squandered by certain things in the film's writing that are impossible to go along with. I am surprised that this film was nominated for a Screenwriting Oscar.

First of all, we've got a crazy guy as our lead character and Gosling milks it with back-and-forth pacing, eye twitches and all. This guy has serious issues with his family, being physically touched, and whatever you call it when you fall in love with an inanimate object (Objectophilia?). I don't understand what we are supposed to see in him in order to care for his character. Creative Screenwriting Magazine's Jeff Goldsmith asked screenwriter Nancy Oliver this question during his podcast interview: "What is the character Margo supposed to see in Lars, because (...) he has some serious issues?" And Oliver actually says, "Well, he's really cute." (!?!?!)

While this statement is astonishing, coming from the screenwriter, it makes complete sense after watching the film. This is why Lars is played by someone like Gosling and not by Dan Fogler or Jonah Hill (uh... no offense, guys?). His stuttering and crazy talk is supposed to be "cute" and his social proclivities are completely okay because he hasn't exhibited violent tendencies. Okay...

From the above synopsis:

As he begins bringing Bianca with him everywhere he goes, the townspeople have to find just the right balance between supporting Lars' unusual romance and trying to introduce him to a more conventional partner.

That isn't exactly correct. The townspeople do nothing to introduce him to a more conventional partner after he starts bringing Bianca around. It is the exact opposite of this which brings about the more unbelievable aspects of this picture. The writer wants us to believe that the townspeople are coming to love Bianca (and in turn Lars) because they want her to "help out" at various places; like at the church, the hospital, a school, as a shop window model, etc. Later, we learn in a tossed off line that Bianca was elected to the School Board (!?!) The filmmakers want us to believe that this is the townspeople's way of showing Lars love, but if comes off first as the townspeople using Bianca, and then later as something that could not logically happen.

Where is the media while all this is happening? When a sex doll is elected to the School Board? This would be one of those AP Stories Of The Year. This film wants to play this off as a tossed-off joke but it undermines the credibility the film needs when actually dealing with Lars' illness, which the film doesn't wholly do. We understand he's the way he is because his parents died, he has had an estranged relationship with his brother, he lives in the garage, etc.; but this is all undermined by the silly Bianca nonsense. We don't ever really get to see the inside of that garage or Lars living in it. What does he do in there? Why is living in the garage so demeaning?

This movie would be a lot more interesting if it was about the brother and not about Lars. The brother character and his conflict with Lars and his own wife is much richer than Lars' pop-psychology brainfuck. Paul Schneider is very good in this role and reminds you that he should be in more movies.

The filmmakers did not pull off their intended balance of whimsy and pop-psychology drama but it was nice to see a movie set in a small town (though not as small as the filmmaker would like you to believe) that really doesn't get to be a setting in a mainstream movie anymore. This isn't the worst movie in the world, just highly disappointing considering the amount of people who've drunk the Kool-Aid, and the talent involved.

Step Brothers (2008, A. McKay)

Plot Synopsis (really, this and the poster is all you really need to know):

Two spoiled guys become competitive stepbrothers after their single parents get hitched.

Where's the love? It seems that there is a bit of "too cool for school" backlash out there (internet/friends/media/etc.) against ol' Will Ferrell. I don't get it. Sure, he may be a little overexposed with a movie coming out every season. But he is still an incredibly gifted comic performer and be at least interesting in anything.

I seem to be more a fan of his team-ups with his long-time co-writer/director Adam McKay. I am a huge fan of Anchorman and it's compulsive rewatchability. But I'm more of a fan of how it goes in very absurd places. Couple that with Ferrell's (has to be) improv wordchoice/delivery, and you've got very funny and singular comedy.

I have a feeling I'll be watching this a lot on cable, where it will flourish late-night.

With a "R" rating and the seemingly low-budget, I had a feeling that Step Brothers would be more Anchorman and less Semi-Pro. And I was right; for the first 45 minutes.

For that first 45 minutes, the film is just as surreal in what the characters are saying than anything in Ferrell's already weird repertoire. And it is filthy. One of the reasons the trailer failed a bit is most of the jokes contain crazy dirty language and could not be used in the trailer. You feel like the film can and will say/do anything during these first 45 minutes until the brothers have to "learn to grow up". When the film starts heading towards it's ending, it turns more conventional and loses the outrageous laughs much the same way Wedding Crashers lost its steam during its third act stretch.

What is undeniable is the chemistry between Ferrell and Reilly. One of my favorite moments is right after they've built their bunk-bed. They enthuse about the space they now have and all "the activities" they could do. They really do match each other equally with bizarre and effective word choice humor. They really should do more movies together and I hope they find a role for Reilly in the planned Ron Burgundy sequel.

Explorers (1985, J. Dante)

AllMovieGuide Synopsis:

Explorers turns out to be much ado about nothing, but it's so sublimely assembled we're willing to overlook the sappy climax. Young sci-fi geek Ben Crandall (Ethan Hawke) (could he possibly be based on director Joe Dante?) would give anything to travel in space. Thanks to his computer-happy pal Wolfgang Muller (River Phoenix), Ben gets his wish, together with best bud Darren Woods (Jason Presson). In the Great Beyond, the boys encounter an extraterrestrial (Robert Picardo), whose knowledge of earth is limited to what he's gleaned from 1960s TV sitcoms (this is unusual?) Lots of outer-space fun ensues before the film's inevitable downward spiral. Moderately successful in theatres, Explorers had a healthy second life on video and cable TV, especially after director Dante rethought the film and rearranged a few scenes for better dramatic (and comic) impact.

The previously mentioned 80's List preparation and the continuing thread on Joe Dante at The Criterion Forum has sparked something of a Dante renaissance recently. I always watch Gremlins at Christmastime and The Howling in October, but I haven't seen some of his filmography in quite a while. I revisited Innerspace a couple weekends ago and that will be a subject of a future post, but this post is all about Explorers.

Explorers is not a film I saw much in my youth. In fact, I can't remember if I ever even saw it beyond the VHS box cover at the video store. I find it hard to believe, as I was a slave to HBO back in the day and have seen anything Amblin produced roughly a billion times. But if I had watched it back then; I believe the film would've gotten me more into science. I was already playing "Cardboard Box Spaceship" when I was little but I feel this would've compelled me to build a real spaceship in my backyard with my friends. The Goonies made me want to go treasure hunting and The Monster Squad made me want to start a club to hunt vampires; I feel this film would've had the same impact. I think I could've ended up more like River Phoenix's character when in actuality I was probably more like Ethan Hawkes: all excitement and naivety.

Thoughts While Watching Explorers:

If made today, I feel like the kids would've taken they first spaceship test/trip twenty minutes earlier than they did. It was about 40-45 minutes before the kids tested the thing out. I think the film is better for it; there is more character development to make the test more exciting.

There's a not so subtle reference to Star Wars in the film. The only sci-fi film that Presson watches, on television at home that isn't a pre-existing film, resembles the Lucasfilm as the lead character is referred to as "Starkiller" (no-brainer) and when Starkiller says "he was my father" (no-brainer as in there's no brain).

When the kids meets aliens, one of the aliens spouts out nothing but pop culture sayings like "What's up, Doc?" and sings the Mr. Ed theme song. This particular alien character (as the other is well-spoken) seems to get all his information on the earth culture from the television; not unlike kids nowadays as well as the Presson character (although he doesn't go about quoting TV shows).

When an alien listens to Presson's Walkman, the looks at the boy questioningly. Either Presson or Phoenix says "It's 80's music. It's cool!" I laughed out loud. You would think that this would be a time-stamp on the film but I think that a number of people would still say that phrase (including myself).

It was moving when the kids land and they watch their spaceship sink.

And what's with the girl at the end? When Hawke sees the spaceship appear in the classroom and the kids go flying (literally, not in the spaceship), the girl is there and she kisses Hawke midair Superman-style. But why is she there? Is this a dream and she's the girl of his dreams and...? She saw the kids land in the spaceship, so she believes them and can go flying? The ending is simultaneously baffling, poetic, cheesy, and satisfying without being so.

I wish I had seen this more when I was younger, but I love it anyways. It's an 80's movie; it's cool!

Fandango (1985, K. Reynolds)

From All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Eleanor Mannikka
The still unknown Kevin Costner carries this film that involves five college roommates on a last "fandango" before they separately face the harsh realities of an unpredictable future. It is 1971, and the Vietnam War has not yet ended. Gardner Barnes (Costner) has extended his college years by six semesters in an attempt to stave off the rapidly approaching future, Kenneth (Sam Robards) has just canceled his wedding in a drunken look at reality, Lester (Brian Cesak) loves alcohol and tags along with the group just to have a good time, Dorman (Chuck Bush) is devoted to existentialism and flights of poetic fancy, and Phil (Judd Nelson) is barely a member of the group because he is consorting with the enemy: he is a member of ROTC. This unlikely mismatch cavorts through several classic college pranks, among them taking bets on daredevil acts like skydiving into the middle of nowhere. As their high jinks continue, it becomes apparent that their real desire is not to live a wild life for its own sake, but to postpone the moment when they will have to leave school and its lifestyle behind them.

I watched Fandango for the first time last night, in order to prep for my eventual "80's List" submission on The Criterion Forum. I sought it out because I thought I had read a poster in the 80's thread (thought, because now I can't find it) say he enjoyed it more than Levinson's "Diner". Tarantino also calls it one the best film writer/director debuts ever.

Now, I wouldn't go that far (on either statement; "Diner" is a better directorial debut). But it is a fairly enjoyable on-the-road/coming-of-age film bolstered by an ensemble cast including Kevin Costner, Sam Robards, Judd Nelson, and Chuck Bush as college grads on one last road trip before the 1971 Draft. There's some other dude that is asleep/nursing a hangover with them the whole time, but I honestly forgot about him for most the movie.

The use of this cast and how they frame them is what I enjoyed most about the film. Costner is in full swagger mode , Robards' character is the one who makes bad decisions, and Nelson is the whiny one who must learn to toughen up. They all have to mature and it's fairly typical, but what saves it are:

A great understated performance by Chuck Bush as "Dorman". He's the fourth of the four/five (yeah, that sleeping kid who's not in the poster. He's five, right?) guys taking the road trip and has no back story compared to Costner, Robards, and Nelson. He's just around to read Sartre and Gibran, and help out physically. He just barely has more of a character arc than the sleeping hangover kid. Which is too bad, because I enjoyed him the most. More so than the whininess of Robards and Nelson. This movie came out the same year Nelson was in "The Breakfast Club" and "St. Elmos Fire" (which I haven't seen in forever), which now looks like kind of a peak year for the Brat Packer.

With so many movies having trouble with their endings these days, I was honestly suprised that Reynolds ended the film like he did. Affectingly melancholic indeed. And no "Where Are They Now" title cards at the end!

I found a website dedicated to the film,Howaboutafandango.com, and I learned that a plane/helicopter sequence was filmed above the highways of my old hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma! Alot of the movie was filmed around Marfa, Texas ("Giant" is referenced in the film), the same location as recent films "No Country For Old Men" and "There Will Be Blood". I swear a gas station the Groovers stop at looks like one that Anton Sugur does.

The film is set in 1971, but really has that eighties feel to it. I can't really explain it any better than to point out it is produced by Amblin, at which point I feel like they were at a high point. Maybe it's Costner's mullet in a flashback/dream(?) sequence, or Robards' fiancee having crimped hair at one point...the airplane pilot goes to pick up Robards' fiancee in a big-house suburban type nighborhood...

But I digress; I enjoyed this film and was wondering who else has seen it. I don't think it adds anything new to it's genre(s), but is a great lazy afternoon hangout type flick to put on. I may be giving it a special pass because I enjoyed these types of films popping up on HBO, growing up in the eighties. I completely missed this one back then.

Reynolds went on to "Prince Of Thieves" and "Waterword", but I've heard that "The Beast" is worth watching. Has anyone seen it? I also read that Reynolds wrote the original script for "Red Dawn" which John Milius rewrote(re-Righted).

Election Year Film Watch 2008

I've decided to try and watch as many political films about the presidency as I can before the General Election in November. "Head Of State" (see the post below) kicked off such viewing and I plan to watch things like "Wag The Dog", "The Candidate", "Dave" and the like. If anyone (is reading this) has any suggestions for my viewing menu, let me know in the comments. These posts will be spaced out throughout the year amongst my usual posts on films, albums, and otherwise.

Head Of State (2003, C. Rock)

From AllMovieGuide.Com:

Plot Synopsis by Mark Deming
Can a high-attitude African-American politician who says what he thinks stand a chance in a presidential campaign? Mays Gilliam (Chris Rock) is a straight-talking alderman representing a inner-city neighborhood in Washington, D.C. In the midst of a hard-fought race for the White House, the Democratic presidential and vice-presidential candidates are killed in an airline crash, and with little time to prepare a new campaign, the Republican candidate, Vice President Brian Lewis (Nick Searcy), seems all but guaranteed to win. With practically nothing to loose, party head Martin Geller (Dylan Baker) approaches Gilliam and asks him to stand as the Democrat's presidential candidate. While Gilliam is dubious at first, before long his streetwise style and willingness to face the issues head-on earns him surprising figures in the polls, especially after he persuades his short-fused older brother, Mitch Gilliam (Bernie Mac), to join the ticket as vice presidential candidate -- a big jump for a bail bondsman. Gilliam's love life also becomes more complicated as his ex-girlfriend Kim (Robin Givens) decides she wants him back now that he has a shot at the White House, even though Gilliam only has eyes for Lisa (Tamala Jones). Head of State marked the directorial debut for comic and actor Chris Rock, who also co-wrote and co-produced the film.

With Rock's up and down film career, I hoped that his directorial debut would play to his strengths. His politcal/topical humor is amongst his strongest in his stand-up routines and "Head Of State"'s subject matter seemed the perfect vehicle. I wonder went wrong.

It's not to say that the film is bad or unfunny. Because its watchable and has very funny jokes and performances. I was expecting a different plot to the movie (my own fault) and it that lies some of my disapointment. I thought the movie would be about Rock being an actual black president and running things. The film is actually about him running forpresident. Rock says in the commentary that he wanted the film to have a real "campy feel" like Putney Swope, but is neither as biting or as surreal as Downey Sr.'s film. Rock's trademark humor may have been tampered by the studio a little bit (his 2007 interview with Elvis Mitchell alluded to a bit of that), but I do not know for sure.

His running for president plot is where the movie misfires. The opposing candidate is not very threatening. Especially throughout the begining of the race as he refuses to debate Gilliam (Rock). Gilliam and Mitch, his vice-presidential candidate, resort to ambushing Lewis with the press in tow, in order to get him to debate. You would think a seasoned politician (a Vice President!) would relish the oppurtunity to debate an inexperienced alderman. Whatever, plot mechanics...



What was fun about watching this film, was seeing how things Rock and co. wrote about that have seemed to pop up in the current political election. The main argument that the opposing Lewis' campaign has against Gilliam is that he's "inexperienced". Magazine covers show his face with the questions: Are We Ready? Is He Ready? These would be fairly obvious similarities to what Barack Obama has been facing, given the subject matter of the movie, but I was suprised to see a lot more similarities. Gilliam, as an alderman, was dealing with a lot of inner city and lower income people and families. Obama started out doing the same. Lewis is a war hero, as is John McCain. Gilliam's "That Ain't Right" seems to be a more outraged cattle call version of Obama's "Yes We Can!"

But most of all, Rock's message of the film, is being practiced by Obama currently. With "Head Of State", I believe that Rock is trying to say that the people of American wants a president that is going to talk to them like grown-ups and actually listen to what the people have to say. Once Gilliam starts using "his own voice" in his speeches, his approval goes through the roof. Obama's recent speech on race was a real-life example of this, and proves that we have a candidate that shares Rock's hope. That we can have a president talk to us about very sensitive issues, without talking down to us, but inspiring people with the words to actually try to do something different with life.

Nightfall (1957, J. Tourneur)

All Movie Guide:

Plot Synopsis by Bruce Eder
Commercial artist James Vanning (Aldo Ray) and his friend, Dr. Edward Gurston (Frank Albertson), are on a hunting and fishing trip in Wyoming when they stop to help two men whose car has crashed. The pair, John (Brian Keith) and Red (Rudy Bond), turn out to be escaped bank robbers, on the run with 350,000 dollars in stolen cash after a clean getaway, and they don't plan on leaving any witnesses -- Gurston is shot dead by Red, using Vanning's hunting rifle, but Vanning survives by accident, knocked cold but alive. He awakens to discover the stolen money, accidentally left behind, and runs with it from the returning killers -- he gets away but loses the bag in the blizzard that hits. He manages to make it to the nearest town, but not before the doctor's body is found, with a bullet in it from Vanning's rifle. Now the prime suspect in the murder, Vanning takes it on the lam, hiding out for months -- unbeknowst to him, however, he's been under observation for most of that time by Ben Fraser (James Gregory), an investigator from the insurance company whose policy covered the bank that was robbed; and has been found by John and Red -- and all of them think that Vanning can lead them to the missing money. But John and Red are perfectly prepared to torture and even maim Vanning to get the money, and they get their chance when he lets his guard down one night to talk to Marie Gardner (Anne Bancroft), a young model he meets in a bar. He manages to get away from his captors after a fierce struggle and makes his way to her place; after convincing her that it's not the police he's running from (which is not entirely true), they take off together, with Fraser and the two hoods only a half-step behind, headed to Wyoming and the spring thaw so he can hunt for the bag and the missing money and prove his innocence.

"Nightfall" is a solid B-level budgeted Noir picture that Jacques Tourneur directed in the late 1950's. I read that this was somewhat of a rare Tourneur picture, never released on a home video format. So I jumped at the chance to see it on Turner Classic Movies when they aired it recently. It is your typical noir storyline; guy on the run from something tragic that happened in his past. Add a girl and some bad guys: voila! But Tourneur keeps the pace chugging along and has some good set pieces; amongst them Aldo Ray and his partner's first encounter with the bank robbers, and a shootout amongst the snowlands. I can't believe I've never seen Aldo Ray in anything before. I looked over his resume on IMDB and nothing looked familiar; I may have to do some deep digging. His voice reminds me of Marty Funkhauser on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Anne Bancroft plays the not-quite-femme-fatale and it was nice to see her in something other than Mrs. Robinson.

VOTE FOR OBAMA

I caucused in Seattle for Obama. It was the first caucus I've ever taken part in as Oklahoma only participated in primaries. It was a very unique experience and the vibe that afternoon was very positive with people exercising their democracy and right to vote. This election cycle has proven to be very exciting and entertaining. I will post relevant political posts as I feel them important. But right now, I'm fired up and ready to go!!!

Top Ten Albums Of 2007

Short bursts. Not a lot of insight. Sorry guys. I'm getting these lists out late, and I'm sure you're as tired of reading them as I am. But I just want to get them out there. For posterity. So I can look back and cringe...




1. The New Pornographers "Challengers"

They are on a roll right now. I love the laid back, easy going songwriting this time around.



2. The Apples In Stereo "New Magnetic Wonder"

They're back! And poppier than ever. Mangum and Bill Doss even make appearances! This just might be their best album. I'm suprised that this slipped under so many radars this year. Do you like pop music? Don't be a jerk.




3. The White Stripes "Icky Thump" & "Conquest EP"

Fresh from The Raconteurs, White reaffirms the Stripes live and live large. The album was a solid work but what really appealed to me were the down home (Beck's home) recordings found on the "Conquest EP".




4. Britney Spears "Blackout" & Fall Out Boy "Infinity On High"

Some hold their nose to pop. I believe you must know what is popular is you truly want to be on the pulse of all things music. Both of these albums you must immerse yourself in. They have crazy lyrics, wacko song titles, and melodies that stick in your head for days. "Blackout" also gets the honor of representing Britney musically through this mental-breakdown period.



5. Radiohead "In Rainbows"

Most Accessible album since...? OK Computer? What a nice suprise when it came out, no Hype!




6. Aqueduct "Or Give Me Death"

Amazing songwriting. I could be biased.




7. The Arcade Fire "Neon Bible"

This is a solid followup. Great songwriting. This is less anthemic than the debut, more mournful, but great nonetheless. Still an amazing live band, even in a festival setting.



8. Wilco "Sky Blue Sky"

I saw Jeff Tweedy walking around Lollapalooza alot this year, and all I wanted to shout at him was: "Hey Jeff! I don't care what Pitchfork says! Sky Blue Sky fucking rules!" Dad rock? What does that even mean?




9. Rivers Cuomo "Alone: The Home Recordings Of Rivers Cuomo"

Demos! Finally! Mastered! "Blast Off!" on CD/Mastered MP3! Solid songs, though I'm an apologist.





10. Of Montreal "Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?" & The Shins "Wincing The Night Away"

Indie Mania! Of Montreal gets freakier, and better. The Shins take their songwriting to that next level, up, up, and away! I really thought this would have a longer shelf life but...?

The Best Movies Of 2007

This is by no means my argument that these are absolutely the best films made in 2007. I must qualify that I have not seen everything that has been released this year. My touring schedule kept me on the road and away from the silver screen for about 1/4th of this year. I have not seen "Michael Clayton", "American Gangster", "Atonement", "The Diving Bell and The Butterfly", "Lars And The Real Girl", and others. Some of these on this list, I did not get to see in the theater. I completely missed "Zodiac", although it was one of my most anticipated.
These are my favorite films that I watched this year. All the usual suspects are present (except for that Alaskan girl), and I cannot add much to them at this time that hasn't been written about already. That will take a little more time and definently more viewings. There is an Apatow production on the list; though not one you'd suspect. Apatow had the golden touch this year and the backlash is in effect with the mildly negative critical and internet blogging/talkbacking of "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story". I must say before this list begins, that it pained me to leave "Superbad" off of the list. It was one of the best theatrical comedy-going experiences I'd had in recent years (measured up to the "Borat" experience), and further proves to me that certain (if not all) movies need to be seen with a crowd. A large post regarding that theory will be coming (much?) later, but for now...

1. No Country For Old Men (E. & J. Coen)


The Coens are back!(?)! I add that question mark because; did they ever really go away? I saw some of "The Ladykillers" on cable the other night and was sucked right in. It is odd (Coens=of course), with a deliciously strange performance by Tom Hanks and it got me thinking...What was all the hub-bub about them losing the plot circa. 2004...? There is not a wasted moment in "No Country For Old Men". The all-silent discovery of the Mexican shootout/money had me wondering what the Coen's all-silent movie idea would've been like. One of two movies I saw twice in the theater this year. The other being...

2. Grindhouse: Planet Terror & Death Proof (R. Rodriguez, Q. Tarantino)


Two movies that tasted great together. The fake trailers, the scratchy prints, the missing reels. Though "Planet Terror" should not be discounted (the Carpenter-like photography, the casting, and the creative genius that is Rose McGowan's machine-gun leg make this film incredibly watchable), "Death Proof" is another Tarantino masterpiece. And we didn't have to wait six years for it. I got to have good theatrical experiences for this both times I saw it. First, opening weekend at a multiplex in Times Square in NYC, pleasantly buzzed and with my band. Second, on the Cinerama, back home in Seattle, with a guy having a coughing attack next to me the duration of "Planet Terror".

3. Zodiac (D. Fincher)


I can never hear "Hurdy Gurdy Man" without thinking of the Zodiac coming out and killing me. Thanks alot Fincher. And thanks for giving Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo juicy roles.


4. The Darjeeling Limited / Hotel Chevalier (W. Anderson)


I don't understand the backlash towards Wes Anderson. Could it be due in part to the imitators of his filmmaking style that starting producing knockoff films and commercials complete with subject-centered photography and British Invasion soundtrack? The general backlash towards all things "twee"? Or when people outgrow their idols and/or move on to the "NEXT COOLEST!!" thing on the block to suck the blood from... I think this is a step up from "The Life Aquatic", whatever that means. I believe that you should watch the short film first, and then the feature. It fills out Schwartzman's character and adds a melancholy edge to him in the feature. I look forward to seeing this again on home video.


5. There Will Be Blood (P.T. Anderson)


My most anticipated. Tied with Tarantino, but I had all year to get excited. Then all Oscar season as the early critics came all over themselves over its magnificence. I was setting myself up for disapointment. I was at risk of learning about milkshakes and all, but managed to keep myself clear and clean. I was not disapointed in the least and saw the ending as a natural evolution of character. This was a great year for silent pictures, between "No Country" and this film's opening twenty minutes.


6. Runnin' Down A Dream (P. Bogdonovich)


I'm a Petty fan. Not hardcore or anything, but I own most the albums and hold him in very high regards as an excellent and consistent hit songwriter. He had hits through four decades and continues to conquer far and wide (witness 2008 Super Bowl). This documentary by Captain Ascot himself (who previously had not been a Tom Petty fan!), is an in-depth four hour look at the man, his band, and their long-running history and how they keep it going. While the Heartbreakers didn't leave a life of high drama and massive excesses, they do have an interesting story to tell. I learned alot about their early history and ties with Tulsa, which I had only passing knowledge of. Petty tries to keep his music honest and true to the fans and his constant battles with the record companies (on behalf of helpless ex-Byrds too!) are as entertaining as they are admirable. The guy just wrote great songs!


7. Breach (B. Ray)


I never thought a Ryan Phillipe movie would wow me. Like the Zodiac's story, Robert Hansen's story fascinated me when it broke on the national news in the late 1990's. I thought it woud be a great movie and was pissed when I heard one was being made (with Phillipe no less!). I didn't see this until home video, but was sucked in right away and it stayed with me for days after I finished watching it. Chris Cooper's performance is chilling as it seems like he is constantly judging everyone in scene. This film had a really great tone, and felt like one of those awesome political thrillers from the 1970's/80's I grew up watching on HBO.


8. The TV Set (J. Kasdan)



This Apatow production flew under the radar earlier this year. After watching Kasdan's other film released this year, the aforementioned "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" it seems to me like Kasdan has two parallel movie-directing careers. "The TV Set" seems like the true follow-up to his debut feature "Zero Effect" (in the fact that they are more subtle and biting with their humor), while "Dewey Cox" feels like a follow up to "Orange County" (both mainstream audience studio comedies), "Zero's" real-follow-up. Confused yet?
"The TV Set" has great performances by Sigourney Weaver and David Duchovny as programming executive and aspiring showrunner respectively. This is a deft satire on what it takes to get a show up and running through the network process and onto the air. The DVD audio commentary with Kasdan and Apatow, talking about their experiences on "Freaks and Geeks" and "Undeclared" is also worth its weight in gold.


9. The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (A. Dominik)


I have never seen "Chopper. It is now on the top of my Netflix queue. This film is more than it's photography. There are great moments for all the main characters involved in this film. That there are many moments given to actors like Paul Schneider and Sam Rockwell makes this film all the more meaty and developed. But, Roger Deakins does outdo himself with his photography. The "nightime train robbery/train coming down the tracks" shot should win him the Oscar alone.


10. Hot Fuzz (E. Wright)


What I liked was that this was much more subtle than the television advertising was leading me to believe. There is a lot of quiet (and layered) humor in this film. I would've loved to have seen this in a theater in a small town in England after a couple of pints.