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June 22, 2009

Fight Back to School

Posted by Jordan Richardson under 1991, action, comedy, crime, entertainment, foreign, movies, trailers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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fight back to school

As a superstar of Hong Kong entertainment, Stephen Chow is the master of mo-lei-tau comedy. Mo-lei-tau can be translated to mean “with no source” or “makes no sense.” Chow, typical for mo-lei-tau comedy, uses a lot of double entendres, puns, and nonsensical parodies and contrasts in his films. If you’ve seen Kung Fu Hustle or Shaolin Soccer, you have a rough idea as to what mo lei tau can be.

But for a real sense of Chow using mo-lei-tau to a more understanding target audience, you need to dig back further in Chow’s career. That’s where 1991’s Fight Back to School comes in. A nonsense comedy in just about every sense of the word, Fight Back to School can be a little tricky at first. In Hong Kong, however, it was extremely popular and spawned two sequels and a spin-off.

Directed by Gordon Chan, Fight Back to School is one of Chow’s more successful films. He stars as Star Chow, a cop about to be kicked off the force. Luckily the police commissioner (Barry Wong) gives him one last chance after he loses his gun. The clues to the gun’s whereabouts lead to the Edinburgh High School in Hong Kong, so it’s up to Star Chow to go undercover as a student to find the thing.

Star is partnered with Uncle Tat (Ng Man-Tat), an aging police detective already stationed at the school. The mission is further complicated by the usual trappings of high school, but luckily Star Chow makes a friend in Turtle Wong (Gabriel Wong) and falls in love with the school’s guidance counsellor Miss Ho (Sharla Cheung). Once a gang involved in arms-dealing is discovered in the school, it’s up to Star Chow and Uncle Tat to spring into action.

The slapstick is really the top selling point for Fight Back to School. There’s not much point in ruminating about the plot or its details, nor is there any real character development or great script to speak of. Fight Back to School is simply a very zany comedy, done up Hong Kong-style with a little touch of action and gunplay to help wrap up the plot’s loose ends (somewhat) during the final frames.

Chow is entertaining as Star Chow, as you’d probably expect. His command of slapstick is very amusing, from battling with flying chalk erasers to attempting to play hero during the movie’s final action sequence. Chow as Chow is convincing, too, and his facial expressions help give us a sense of who he is without unnecessary monologues or “why me?” speeches. Instead, Chow’s proof is in the pudding and his interactions with the other characters tell us all we need to know.

Fans of Hong Kong cinema, especially some of Jackie Chan’s stuff, will catch a lot of the parodies in Fight Back to School. The opening sequence is lifted from Chan’s bizarre Sammo Hung-directed Heart of Dragon, while another scene owes a lot to Police Story. The entire premise of the picture is based somewhat on 1987’s Hiding Out, a comedy about a stock broker hiding out in a high school.

For a real sense of mo-lei-tau and a great look at the master of the nonsense comedy genre in Hong Kong, Fight Back to School is the best place to start. It is fast-paced, hilarious, oft-perplexing, and out-and-out silly like a Looney Tunes cartoon. It’s a great precursor to the hilariously awesome Kung Fu Hustle, too, and demonstrates why Stephen Chow is so popular in Hong Kong.

7.6/10

Trailer: (sorry, no subtitles):

 

June 16, 2009

Manhattan Murder Mystery

Posted by Jordan Richardson under 1993, comedy, crime, entertainment, movies, mystery | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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Woody Allen’s 1993 film Manhattan Murder Mystery is a fun sort of gumshoe detective movie with a nice twist about marital bliss and showing interest in your significant other’s, well, interests. The screenplay for Manhattan Murder Mystery started out as the screenplay to Annie Hall. Woody felt the piece was a little too lightweight, however, and wound up shelving it for a few years.

Allen’s life was in turmoil during this period, as he was engaged in the stuff of tabloids on an almost daily basis. This comedic mystery was a way for him to unwind and concentrate on something less serious. It is a light comedy, for certain, with plenty of laughs and quick-witted lines and even a touch of physical comedy. It is also very sweet, especially towards the conclusion of the film, as the characters begin to find their places in life again.

Diane Keaton stars as Carol Lipton and Allen is her husband Larry. They meet their neighbours, Paul (Jerry Adler) and Lillian (Lynn Cohen) House. Paul bores Larry with his stamp collection, while Carol is happy to meet some new people in the building. After a night out on the town, Larry and Carol come back to find that Lillian has suffered a heart attack and died.

Through a series of prompts and pushes thanks to their friend Ted (Alan Alda), Carol becomes obsessed with the idea that Paul killed his wife. She soon drags Larry into it as well and they take to solving the mystery themselves. This leads them into some interesting situations and sheds light on the reality of their relationship, especially illuminating Ted’s interest in Carol and Larry’s interest in Marcia Fox (Anjelica Huston).

Keaton and Allen are essentially reprising their roles from Annie Hall, which works to an extent. Allen is still neurotic and paranoid, while Keaton is still holding it down in the balance and brimming with energy and pluck. They work well off of one another, thanks in large part due to their natural chemistry, and the movie soon becomes a game of egging one another on to seek out the eerie results of this murder mystery.

Manhattan Murder Mystery works as a nice return to comedy for Allen after doing a string of dramatic pieces. Allen’s work shooting Manhattan is impeccable, as usual, and the city streets become characters of their own. It is interesting how he utilizes the concept of space and proximity to drive the story, as the Lipton’s propinquity to their neighbours sets up a sort of “window to the soul” that makes Carol all the more curious as to what happens.

Along with being a film about neighbours and late night suspicions, this is a movie about marriage. Allen’s Larry joins with Carol in her suspicion only after he determines he is losing her to Ted. He loves her and she loves him, but they haven’t done anything exciting in years and Carol fears that they are drifting apart and into a pair of “old shoes.” This turns out to be the driving force behind Larry’s involvement with her in solving the mystery.

Manhattan Murder Mystery is fun stuff, that’s for sure. It’s an enjoyable romp and, while it seems to escape Allen’s grasp during some sequences and bends a little too much to solve the “mystery,” it’s still a great time and far better than most modern comedies. The performances are top-notch, the chemistry between Allen and Keaton can’t be beat, and the shots of Manhattan are beautiful.

7.9/10

 

May 15, 2009

Paul Blart: Mall Cop

Posted by Jordan Richardson under 2009, action, comedy, crime, entertainment, family, movies, trailers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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There’s really no reason on earth to take Paul Blart: Mall Cop the least bit serious. This is an inoffensive, cute, amusing, entertaining little comedy that performed extremely well at the box office considering its lack of A-list stars and crude humour. It was panned by critics, to be sure, with a few exceptions like Roger Ebert spotting what was really going on with the Steve Carr-directed comedy and letting it go for a few laughs.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop comes courtesy of producer Adam Sandler and has that typical Happy Madison Productions vibe with a bit of a family movie spin. Indeed, Blart lacks the crudeness of the majority of today’s modern comedies and actually preserves a touch of slapstick for modern audiences while still being self-aware enough to pass off as decent. Naturally Carr’s movie isn’t an earth-shattering piece of cinema, but it never sets out to be. As to what it does set out to accomplish, it’s pretty safe to say that Blart lands the target.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop features Kevin James in his first feature film starring role. James, who most people will recognize from the television series King of Queens, does a pretty darn good job carrying this comedy and has the charisma and physical comedy chops to garner some big laughs. And I’ll say this, perhaps just to beef up the controversy: he makes for a much, much better comedic leading man than Seth Rogen. Yeah, take that.

James stars as the title character and he’s a lovable lug. We meet Blart as he’s training to become a police officer in New Jersey. Unfortunately he fails at the last minute after collapsing from hypoglycaemia. He is shown to be a competent candidate, however, and it appears that his condition is all that is keeping him from a career as a police officer. Blart heads back to his job as a mall security guard and life continues as normal.

Blart apparently lives with his mother (Shirley Knight) and his daughter Maya (Raini Rodriguez). Maya was left to Blart after her mother ran out on him once she got her green card. Blart is working on getting back into the dating scene and he develops somewhat of a crush on the cute wig girl Amy (Jayma Mays). He also must train a new employee, Veck Sims (Keir O’Donnell), who eventually turns out to have something to do with a ridiculous plot to steal from the mall. It is Blart who winds up needing to spring into action to save Amy and the mall from sure destruction…or something.

The plot is ridiculous enough, but it gives James enough room to rumble as he fires up his Segway and springs into action to take on the mall baddies. He utilizes plenty of mall goodies, too, and gets creative with a venting system. Using the continuity of Blart’s hypoglycaemia, we’re able to feel as though there is some risk to the action sequences as well and this thickens up the movie somewhat.

Overall, however, most people are going to check out a film like Paul Blart: Mall Cop for the laughs and there are plenty of those. James makes for a great physical comedian, knowing how to draw the line effectively and never overcooking his sequences. He does well as an awkward oaf, too, and comes across as genuinely likeable. It is easy to cheer for his Paul Blart and it feels good when he prevails, if even for a moment. The relationship between Amy and Paul may be blown off by some cynics as being unrealistic, but who cares? It’s a movie.

Paul Blart: Mall Cop demonstrates that comedies can still be made without copious amounts of rude humour and profanity. It is preposterous, fun, and ultimately satisfying and I wouldn’t mind seeing a franchise spring out from James’ character. With such great box office results, I think you can bet on a second run through and I, for one, wouldn’t mind a bit.

7.3/10

Trailer:

 

April 26, 2009

Pépé le Moko

Posted by Jordan Richardson under 1937, crime, drama, entertainment, foreign, movies, romance | Tags: , , , , , , |
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Julien Duvivier’s Pépé le Moko is perhaps the earliest example of film noir. The 1937 French film teems with complex characters and dark set pieces, telling a story of crime and love. More than that, however, Pépé le Moko is a film about being away from where one feels most comfortable or where one feels one belongs. This is shown especially in the final frames of the motion picture.

Jean Gabin is tremendous as the titular character. He’s a thief, a good one, and he’s been forced to live out his days in the Kasbah in Algiers. The police are hunting him perpetually and the Kasbah is the only place he can find safety. The swirling cultures, labyrinthine streets, and confusion is enough to throw the police off of his scent. Pépé le Moko is a suave, sophisticated thief; he’s the type of guy that might be played by George Clooney in a modern context.

Pépé le Moko is well-liked in the Kasbah and gains protection from various friends and family members. He hides out in the homes of women he beds and is endlessly pursued by the likeable Inspecteur Slimane (Lucas Gridoux). Gaby Gould (Mirielle Balin), a Parisian playgirl who reminds Pépé le Moko of home, is used as a lure to bring him to the city and out into the open where he can be captured. The thief finds the prize of returning to the “civilization” of Paris overwhelming and, tired of the Kasbah, is prepared to risk it all.

Duvivier’s motion picture is lavish, exotic, and imposing. It is somewhat like Casablanca in its presentation, offering smooth character types amid an exotic and exciting backdrop. Romance, intrigue, adventure, and thrills abound but Duvivier coats it with delicious tension, regret, and pain. Pépé le Moko struggles, especially with the demise of Pierrot (Gilbert Gil), and shows his humanness as well, giving his character and the movie more complexity and depth.

Pépé le Moko is shown as a tremendously flawed character. He is a womanizer, a thief, and possesses a significant temper. He is also a drinker. At the same time, Pépé le Moko is respected and those around him have banded together in his protection. Many a “good thief” archetype was doubtlessly based upon Gabin’s character, with elements such as the neat suit and clean-cut look utilized in similar roles to this very day.

Film noir became what it was because of the atmosphere of the pictures. Typically crime-themed, the film noir genre has been mined to this day with the likes of Sin City paying homage to some of the greater pieces in the genre. Duvivier’s Pépé le Moko stands as a bold sort of bridge between the darker noir of the American crime genre and the poetic romanticism of much Parisian art. This is a very romantic picture in the purest sense of the word: it is about the pursuit of want, desire, and need.

Without giving anything away, it is that final scene of the ship sailing away and of the protagonist’s actions that really cements the philosophy of Duvivier’s piece. That feeling of lost opportunity, of another missed moment, is too much to bear. It colours Pépé le Moko with a shade of grey and layers the character with mystery and darkness.

Duvivier’s Pépé le Moko really is a remarkable motion picture. It is so much more than just a heist or crime saga set in an exotic locale. It is a story of longing, darkness, romance, and complexity. Required viewing for anyone with even a passing interest in noir, Pépé le Moko is a masterpiece.

10/10

 

April 7, 2009

The Godfather

Posted by Jordan Richardson under 1972, crime, drama, entertainment, movies, trailers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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It’s difficult to review older movies sometimes, as the trouble of bringing some sort of new insight and context to the classics is often insurmountable. In the case of one of the most popular movies of all time, that difficulty level skyrockets. That’s why, in cases like these, I embrace the vainness of bringing something new to the table and damn the torpedoes. Talking about great movies should be fun and stimulating, I think.

1972’s The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is based on the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo. Coppola’s film trimmed some subplots from Puzo’s 1969 book and left off the flashback story of Vito Corleone’s early life. The flashback was included in the sequel to The Godfather, of course. Puzo’s massive novel included more texture than the film adaptation, which is often the case. The novel explored the characters in greater depth and offers different motivation for Michael’s behaviour adjustment, with Michael telling Sonny that “They made it personal when they shot Pop.”

At the core of Coppola’s film is that behaviour amendment. The Godfather is a story of change more than it is a simple mafia movie. It grants its characters incredible depth, breaking the mould of similar pictures. Interestingly, Coppola had worried that his motion picture would glorify the characters and the lifestyles of mafia members, but he was able to make a connection to the material after viewing it as a metaphor for American capitalism.

Marlon Brando stars as Don Vito Corleone. He is the head of the Corleone crime family. The Corleone family is the most powerful of the New York families, but their influence is beginning to diminish. The Godfather famously opens with the wedding reception of the Don’s daughter, Connie (Talia Shire), and Carlo Rizzi (Gianni Russo). As is customary among Sicilians, the Don cannot refuse any requests on his daughter’s wedding day so he spends the majority of the wedding day in his office with family lawyer and consigliere Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) handing various requests from members of the community.

The Don’s youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino), has arrived home from World War II service with his girlfriend Kay Adams (Diane Keaton). Michael assures Kay that he is different from his family. Soon enough, however, Michael is tested and must side with his family for the sake of his father’s life. He takes on a critical role within the organization, leading to a departure to Sicily, the death of his brother Sonny (James Caan), and other events that test his character.

One of the extraordinary aspects of The Godfather is the cinematography. The motion picture looks gritty and often shadowy, proposing a sense of realism callously at odds with a more theatrical, enchanting vision. These men are not presented as laudable figures. Instead, through the use of lighting, camera angles, and colours, they are presented as profoundly conflicted souls that act in harmony with their lot in life. The mob is a family and there is a certain set of rules and roles to play.

The performances are marvellous, becoming more remarkable and nuanced with each time I watch the movie. Brando’s Vito isn’t the main character as he is in Puzo’s narrative, but the performer gives the Don an awful lot of sparkling grain. He is a man that no longer needs to convince others of his power; he no longer needs to play games, to posture, to puff himself up. Vito’s repute precedes him and we are convinced of this for the simple fact that we know better not to doubt him.

A compellingly triumphant period piece, The Godfather earns its stripes as one of the finest movies of all time. Its three-hour runtime sails by like a light breeze, with every moment appealing, every character stimulating, and every event intensely fascinating. It is a story of an elaborate crime dynasty, of conversion, and of baptism by fire. Essential viewing, The Godfather is one of the greatest movies of all time.

10/10

Trailer:

 

March 6, 2009

Perfect Blue

Posted by Jordan Richardson under 1997, animated, crime, drama, entertainment, foreign, movies, mystery, thrillers, trailers | Tags: , |
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Finally, an update! Sorry for the wait, I’m back watching movies again!

Fandom, obsession, change, and psychological issues are explored in Satoshi Kon’s brilliant 1997 film Perfect Blue. Kon is quickly becoming one of my favourite filmmakers and is certainly making a name for himself in the anime genre, weaving intelligent tales that blur the lines between fantasy and reality without coming across as pretentious or patronizing. Perfect Blue has all the makings of a Hitchcockian thriller and features tremendous animation, excellent pacing, and some truly nerve-wracking sequences.

Essentially Kon has crafted a psychological thriller that is ahead of its time, especially in a Western sense. We meet Mima, our heroine, as she is leaving the pop group CHAM! after a successful career. Mima wants to be an actress and this news does not sit well with her countless fans. Her first job is in a drama series. Mima begins as a sort of background actress, but quickly becomes a major character after a pivotal rape scene grants her a larger part and subsequently undoes her pop princess image. Sound eerily familiar?

Mima learns of a website online called “Mima’s Room” on which somebody impersonates her and describes her feelings, daily activities, and other personal information. The person behind the website begins to plant the idea that Mima is unhappy with her new career choice and decides that Mima is actually an imposter. A run of grisly murders begin to take place and the targets are involved with the drama series’ rape scene. As Mima becomes confused with her new role, her fixated fans, and a strange stalker named Me-Mania, her grasp on reality fades.

Perfect Blue presents a surprising account of fandom and the idea that fans of a particular performer hold a personal stake in his or her actions. This notion was a surprising thought in the late 90s, when the internet wasn’t so trite and the initiative of celebrity didn’t seem to be at such a fever pitch. In today’s world of reality shows and the New American Dream seeming to be a raw lust for fame of any kind, Kon’s motion picture has audacious and terrifying new weight.

Take for instance the alarming sense of betrayal that the fans of Mima feel when she takes a different route with her career. I have seen countless message board posts and pieces of fan mail from crazed individuals obsessed with keeping stars and famous people as they are. One slight change, such as the decision by Avril Lavigne to adopt a slightly sexier way of presenting herself, and the shit can truly hit the fan. Ask Anne Hathaway about the backlash for doing Havoc after a series of “princess” pictures.

Kon’s exploration of the concept of fame is remarkable, as he is pitch-perfect in presenting his scenes and unfolding the drama. The story is startling enough as an account of fans, stalkers, and Mima’s struggle with a new career direction. But on top of this, Kon adds another layer and has Mima questioning reality. She is shattered from the rape scene, yet feels a need to take this new direction. One thing leads to another and Mima is taking nude photographs and presenting an even sexier representation of herself.

Kon explores her mystification and anxiety with lucidity, offering marvellous depth to the character while still keeping the other plot arcs moving. He does an awful lot within the film’s 80 minutes, creating more raw emotion and frightening sequences out of animation than many current directors could hope for out of “real actors.” As such, Satoshi Kon’s Perfect Blue is an absolutely stunning psychological thriller. Its exploration of fans, stardom, celebrity obsession, and culture is incredibly pressing and fascinatingly pertinent.

8.7/10

Trailer (Japanese, sorry):

 

February 14, 2009

Miracle at St. Anna

Posted by Jordan Richardson under 2008, crime, drama, entertainment, historical, movies, trailers, war | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
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Spike Lee is an audacious, intelligent filmmaker. His hard-nosed nature is the stuff of legends, and audiences can always count on him to deliver his movies his way. With 2008’s Miracle at St. Anna, Lee takes his time with a war epic and the results are mystifying and convoluted. His storytelling abilities feel forced into a box, as the manifold avenues of this saga really deserve better treatment on the whole. Perhaps a miniseries format would have accomplished a more scrupulous telling.

Miracle at St. Anna focuses on the diverse sides of the Second World War. The focal point is a quartet of black soldiers in the 92nd Infantry Division. Staff Sergeant Stamps (Derek Luke), Sergeant Bishop Cummings (Michael Ealy), Corporal Hector Negron (Laz Alonso), and Private First Class Samuel Train (Omar Benson Miller) are stationed in Tuscany and soon find themselves trapped behind enemy lines after Train risks his life to save an Italian boy (Matteo Sciabordi). Lee follows the foursome as they spend time in a Tuscan village.

The movie is bookended with an interesting chronicle. We are introduced to Hector in the 1980s as he is living a normal but friendless life. He is indignant towards the lack of black soldiers in a John Wayne war movie (perhaps a nod to Lee’s conflict with Clint Eastwood) and heads to work at a post office selling stamps. A patron approaches and Hector recognizes him. He shoots the man. Later, Hector is interviewed by a reporter (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and we are introduced to the aforementioned Buffalo Soldiers. An antique bust remains a an integral link to the past.

Lee’s motion picture is difficult. It is often compelling, offering scenes with bitter honesty. Unfortunately, others feel as though they belong in a different movie, as the director’s attempts to tell multiple stories crowds out the film’s potential for impact. We’re left with a composition that feels jumbled and long-winded, leading Lee to present a conclusion that is tacky and hurried despite the movie’s 160-minute runtime.

Miracle at St. Anna is based on the novel of the same name by James McBride. The stories are gripping and the fundamental themes are well worth examining in detail. Regrettably, I’m not sure Spike Lee did that with this production. While he does touch on moments of antipathy, self-indulgence, retribution, heartbreak, expectation, and even sexuality, it simply feels too perfunctory. Lee’s attention is far too divided for Miracle at St. Anna to focus strongly on much of anything.

The use of flashbacks really impacts the ability to focus. While the entire story is told with this tactic, there are also a few flashbacks within the flashback that sidetrack from the overall arc. While a trip to Louisiana allows us to momentarily experience the intolerance the 92nd felt, it does little for story progression and could have been told in a crisper and more focused manner. The other flashback is potent, but feels tacked on and diverts from the flow of the film.

The performances are quite good. Michael Ealy, who some might remember from the Showtime series Sleeper Cell, is the standout as Bishop. Alonso does a splendid job as the core of the piece, Hector, and his character adds an appealing dynamic. As love interest Renata, Italian actress Valentina Cervi provides the perfect quantity of fiery sexual tension.

Lee’s work with the battle sequences is good, but his affinity for music-driven melodrama dampens the bulk of the movie. Scenes feel mislaid or out of order, as though the film’s editor was snoozing on the job. While Lee tries to cover various perspectives in regards to the war, he ends up crowding the movie with scenes and flashbacks that baffle and fail to enchant.

Sadly, Miracle at St. Anna is an awfully average effort from a generally dependable director. It is one of his weakest motion pictures in years and would have been better served as a miniseries, which is a system Lee excels at. As a motion picture, it feels congested and exceedingly pushy.

4.6/10

Trailer:

 

February 9, 2009

Burn After Reading

Posted by Jordan Richardson under 2008, comedy, crime, entertainment, movies, trailers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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Joel and Ethan Coen follow up No Country for Old Men with Burn After Reading, a convoluted black comedy that has little impact and sounds much better than it actually is. The film features two scenes in which a CIA official (David Rasche) attempts to explain the events of the plot to his boss (J.K. Simmons). The boss reacts much in the same way I did, rolling his eyes and wondering what in the hell the whole ordeal is all about. Perhaps that’s the point…

John Malkovich is CIA analyst Osborne Cox. He’s a drinker but doesn’t consider himself an alcoholic because he waits until 5:00 to start boozing it up. When we’re introduced to him, he is in the process of being demoted because of his drinking problem. Cox quits instead and elects to write his memoirs, much to the chagrin of his wife, Katie (Tilda Swinton). She is planning to divorce him anyways and is sleeping with Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney). Harry is a Treasury agent with a sex addiction and he is married to Sandy (Elizabeth Marvel).

Anywho, Katie prepares files for her divorce that consist of information about her husband. There is a mix-up, of course, and the files soon end up in the hands of two bumbling gym employees (Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand). The pair, not knowing what is really on the files and assuming it is important confidential CIA information, tries to get some sort of reward by presenting their findings to Osborne Cox. All hell breaks loose, as you might imagine.

For some reason, however, none of this actually works all that well as a film. Burn After Reading contains many more convoluted plot details that add even more disorder to the events, such as one character’s desire for plastic surgery or another’s invention of a sex chair. While some of the material is indeed very funny, such as the unfortunate scene between Clooney’s Harry and Brad Pitt’s character, most of it falls flat due to a lack of cadence and consistency.

It’s hard to find a point to all of this, too, and the conclusion suggests that there is no point. It seems as though the Coen brothers have elected to create a throwaway motion picture off of the strength of the brilliant and perfect No Country for Old Men. Burn After Reading feels like a massive pompous scam starring A-list actors. And in many ways, that’s exactly what it is, as the script plays fast and loose with the spectators until the proverbial rug is pulled away in the last frenzied and bizarre act. While normally I might congratulate such cheek, in this case it just rings hollow.

I guess what one could really argue here is that Burn After Reading is an indulgent picture. The Coen brothers have a gift, they have arranged a slew of top-drawer performers and they are more than capable of stringing together a brilliantly sardonic and dark script. And yet here they have done none of what could have been, choosing instead to draw broad lines and give us ugly characters that reek with a sort of strangeness and ugliness. The performances aren’t really ever too good and I think the actors know that, choosing instead to ham it up for the cameras.

So what do you do with such a film? Is it worth recommending or is it worth closing the file on and, yes, burning? At this point, I’m not sure. As a motion picture, Burn After Reading is dreary, sluggish, tortuous, unsightly, and repellent at times. There are flashes of brilliant dark comedy, which serve to further elucidate the concept that we’re all being had. In their own self-satisfied and lofty way, then, the Coen brothers have created a long-winded prank with Burn After Reading. Were 2008 not such a brilliant year for film, I’d have an easier time recommending this. As it is, however, there’s just a lot more out there to see that actually works.

4.7/10

Trailer:

 

February 5, 2009

Saw III

Posted by Jordan Richardson under 2006, crime, entertainment, horror, movies, thrillers, trailers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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Jigsaw’s late October moralizing continues with 2007’s Saw III, directed by Saw II director Darren Lynn Bousman. Bousman continually insists that the Saw movies and others like it aren’t made for “mainstream critics,” adding that Saw audiences know and love what they’re going to get. Certainly there’s a case to be made for that, especially if tacky acting, dizzying camerawork, and childish plot strings comprise what the primarily male fans of this increasingly ridiculous series love to see.

That said, Saw III is a fair shade better than Saw II (not like that’s hard). In my continued insistence on subjecting myself to cinematic punishment, I took in the third instalment of the series with low expectations after the bland and tasteless 2006 forerunner. Astoundingly, Saw III did the trick in the gore column (finally) and provided some reasonably squirm-worthy moments. I actually had to turn away at one point, which pleased me deeply in my expedition for gruesome material.

The film opens right where we left off in the second entry. Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) is stuck in the bathroom. He has a smashing plan to escape his predicament, however, and we’re off and running on the right foot for the time being. The flashback-heavy narrative takes us to about six months after the capture of Mathews. We get in touch with the same crew of cops from Saw II as they’re investigating Jigsaw’s latest crime. There’s a difference this time, though, as the cops discover that this latest trap was inescapable. Hmm.

We’re then transferred to Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) and his partner in gore, Amanda (Shawnee Smith), as they begin to set up their next series of games. This time, a skilled doctor (Bahar Soomekh) and a father (Angus Macfadyen) obsessed with revenge against the drunk driver who killed his son are the targets. Jigsaw wants the doctor to help keep him alive while the father runs around completing various gory tests. If Jigsaw dies or the father fails, the doctor loses her head.

All of the elements that helped create such a shaky and stupid experience in Saw II are sorrowfully present in the third movie. Bousman’s work with cinematographer David A. Armstrong once again resembles a music video, with sound effects-laden cutaways providing some incredibly dumb shots. Bousman and Co. use echoes, edits, and other tricks of the trade to create “atmosphere,” but the layered screams and cries of various characters just come across as silly once they’ve been layered on top of one another. It seems that Bousman is either clueless in terms of suspense or deliberately sabotaging the film’s potential for thrills.

The performances are basically bizarre. Once again, the Saw series employs a cast of hams (no, not the liquefied ones) to help guide this ship through to its destination. Reactions are silly, with characters coming across as blathering idiots. While Bell’s Jigsaw remains the picture of calm, cold villainy, the other characters turn up the volume around him and become ludicrous in their attempts to outdo their competition. Soomekh’s facial reactions and daft fits of “emotion” are among the most over-baked in the movie, while Macfadyen doesn’t help matters with his trouble in finding safe ground between featureless and stupid.

Luckily, Bousman’s Saw III does exceed its predecessor in the gore department and this wins the movie some points. The disaster of Saw II was that it remained an extremely mind-numbing exercise and was extremely light on the bloodshed. This time around, Bousman features more than a fair share of gruesome sights. Best of all, a cringe-worthy ad hoc surgery sequence involving a power drill and, of course, a saw highlights the blood-spattered righteousness.

And so it is, Saw III is an unconditional crapfest when one looks at the bigger picture of cinema. While I am proud, somewhat, of my endurance in watching both Saw II and Saw III in relatively close succession and while I am also proud of my penchant to use the word crapfest, there’s really no reason to experience this tribulation of a picture. It is an entirely laughable episode for all of its dour bluster, one only salvaged by a pretty sweet look inside the head of the one and only Jigsaw.

1.9/10

Trailer:

 

February 4, 2009

Saw II

Posted by Jordan Richardson under 2005, crime, entertainment, horror, movies, thrillers, trailers | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
1 Comment 

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Perhaps because I’ve been unwittingly trapped by a crazed cancer patient, I’ve decided to check out the Saw films in relatively quick succession. Having already watched Saw a while ago and being moderately entertained, something inside told me that I should take the opportunity to check out the second, third, and fourth instalments of the series as they slid across my desk. Fine.

That means that this whole ordeal begins with 2005’s Saw II. Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and given that greenish cinematography by David A. Armstrong, this sequel was rushed to completion and finished in 25 days inside one building save for externals. And believe me, it looks like it was done in 25 days. Using characteristically juddering and garish camera tricks and rapid-fire edits that would make most music videos seem cautious by comparison, Bousman and his Armstrong have concocted a movie that looks and feels really unsightly and meaningless.

Saw II opens with some poor unfortunate soul in a trap, of course. It’s a helmet locked around his head that will close up like a Venus flytrap should the bastard not find the key. Of course, the trap’s been set up by Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) and the key is behind the guy’s eye. As the situation ends predictably, we are introduced to Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) and his son Daniel (Erik Knudsen). Matthews and his son don’t get along, which probably has something to do with the fact that the cop can’t talk to anyone without yelling or flipping over a table.

Anywho, Matthews gets called to the scene of the crime with the helmet guy and he follows some clues to locate Jigsaw’s lair. Once there, he discovers a weakened Jigsaw – he has cancer, after all – and the fact that his son has been kidnapped to play one of the killer’s notorious “games.” Daniel is in a house with a few other people and the place is filling up with gas. Amanda Young (Shawnee Smith) is among the victims, as she’s been through this situation before. The story follows the people in the house as they bicker and try to find a way out. Meanwhile, Matthews and Jigsaw talk to each other about sports, needlepoint, and how the killer came to hold his worldview.

The Saw franchise is a big hit for a reason, I suppose. I’m told it’s because it appeals to fans of so-called “hardcore horror.” In my mind, there is nothing “hardcore” about Saw II. I found the whole ordeal rather tedious, with the dialogue and the performances doing nothing for the prospect of suspense. The encounter between Jigsaw and Wahlberg’s idiot cop was featureless and woolly, with Bell only sometimes reaching levels of interest. Wahlberg’s character’s basically just a tedious dolt and trashing things appears to be his only recourse when he isn’t yelling idiotically.

The character interaction inside the booby-trapped house is just as dim-witted. The characters squabble uselessly with one another, only half focusing on the actual task at hand. It seems that the writers want to portray these people as morons of the highest order and it works. The problem with such a rendering is that I found myself not caring if they got out of the bloody place or not. As if my apathy wasn’t enough, I found myself wishing for a quicker death once the actors really started hamming it up.

Stylistically, Saw II is a searing turd. Not only does Bousman’s direction grass on any actual sense of surprise with brainless cuts, camera pullbacks, zooms, and slash-and-dash editing, but the movie just looks soiled. I realize that part of the aesthetic is to give things a lifeless, shadowy sort of look. But things in Saw II just look grubby and childish, like subway bathroom grubby and childish. It doesn’t help that Bousman’s direction essentially consists of a mould of reaction shot-pullback-other reaction shot-pullback-zoom, either. After a while, I began to predict what he was going to depict next. I was always correct.

For thrills, chills, terror, and legitimate scares, Saw II just doesn’t cut it at all. It is, instead, a meaninglessly unenthusiastic exercise that isn’t even gruesome enough to make up for its weakness. If this is any indication as to the direction the series is going, I might start praying for that damn bear-trap helmet instead…

0.9/10

Trailer:

 

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