Monday, December 3, 2007

New Film Reviews

A Mighty Heart

Not my cup of tea. This movie feels like watching the news. A bunch of middle eastern babbling about a missing guy. No development, suspense, or interest at all. The editing is what really ruins the movie. There isn't one scene more than four or five seconds long. It's impossible to think about whats happening when the edits are so quick and annoying. I imagine the director or editor got his start at MTV. Angelina Jolie is boring. Just because she styled her hair differently and does a bad accent does not make her performance note worthy. This movie sucked.

Bug

This was an interesting film about paranoia and schizophrenia. Very bad title decision as it has almost nothing to do with bugs. They are a metaphor for one mans insane delusions and a woman's drug induced hallucinations. It's directed by William Friedkin, who did The Exorcist and based on a play by Tracy Letts. Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon give excellent performances. If you have ever known anyone crazy or totally strung out, this film might get under your skin. If you haven't it probably will too.

Zwartboek (Black Book)

This is about a group of Resistance fighters in Holland towards the end of World War Two. A woman's family is wiped out by Nazis and she goes undercover to free some captured comrades. It's a long movie but interesting developments occur enough to keep you locked in. If you have a problem with subtitles, beware, this is in Dutch and Hebrew and the plot moves quickly. But I suggest you learn to read better, because most interesting films are in other languages. There are a couple bullshit moments that are worth just looking past, but most of this film is pretty engaging.

No Country for Old Men

Whoa. The Coen Brothers are back. They have created one of cinemas great villains in Anton Chigurh, played by Javier Bardem in a phenomenal performance. This dude is evil. Deranged. Smart. Psycho. The haircut!! What an inspired call! (Aparently from an photo of a Texas brothel patron from the 1890's). His clothes and weapon round out the freakishness. The way the Coens build suspense is incredible. It's not so much what the film's about, but the way they do it. I really like how they left a lot to the imagination. So much so, that at my showing people booed at the end. I guess they were excepting a tidy Hollywood ending and instead they got thoughtful, provoking dialogue. One of my favorite parts is the fade to black they use after Llewelyn Moss meets the girl by the pool. That was one menacing fade out.

Rescue Dawn

Werner Herzogs telling of Dieter Denglars story. It is the true story of a man shot down and taken prisoner in Laos in the 60's. I wont tell you more, just see it. This one isn't as stylized as Herzogs other features, as he ops to tells Denglars story strait up. No war movie bullshit here, it is barely about war. It is about survival. Mind blowing acting by Jeremy Davies, Christain Bale, and Steve Zahn. Herzog does it again. Do not miss these masters at work.

The Future is Unwritten

This is about the life of Joe Strummer. For a movie about the Clash just watch Westway to the World. It's awesome. If your really into Strummer or the Clash watch this. It details his entire life. From his hippie beginnings to his hippie endings. And a whole lot of punk in the middle. My favorite part was the end when he got into dance music and raving. There's some rad footage of him getting down around the campfire at parties. An inspiring story.

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