Atonement (in short)

This British adaptation is getting lots of critical attention. I can see this winning the big awards (it got the Globe for Best Pic). It has good acting, fantastic direction, a strong emotional pull, and it just feels like an English Patient or such type that could win. I'd be okay with that, I guess. It's not bad. But I wonder if people who don't like No Country for its nontraditional ending will go for this instead, because it's a curious last hour here as well.

No End in Sight

I realized recently that I hadn't seen any new docs this year, after plowing through a ton of great ones last year. 2006 might have been The Year of the Documentary, but I wanted to see some of the touted ones this year. This one is another Iraq doc, done by Charles Ferguson, who is not a normal filmmaker but just a concerned guy who had the cash to make this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/26/movies/26ferg.html?fta=y

I didn't need another doc to tell me that things are f----d up over there or that it was a big mistake. Kinda knew that, people. But this is interesting for its detailed list of how things went bad after Baghdad was "freed" and its impressive talking head cast. Ferguson managed to get interviews with a lot of key people who were over there, including Colin Powell's number one assistant. This is very in-depth on details that most didn;t pay attention to. The conclusion? Power brokers like Rumsfeld and Jerry Bremer didn't just f--k up, they really, really, really, really, REALLY f----d up after they thought it was over, even though they had people working for them who said otherwise. Terrific.

I Could Never Be Your Woman

I have always loved Paul Rudd, from his appearance in Clueless to his association with members of The State in films like Wet Hot American Summer and The Ten. He carries this film to a sweet level. You might have loved him before, but in the rare case you didn't, you will now. He's a struggling actor and the love interest of TV producer Michelle Pfeiffer, who is in charge of a Degrassi- type teen show. She leans on him as her new star (yes, he's playing an actor, who is playing a high schooler, when he's almost 40 in real life, which is part of the fun). She also leans on her daughter, Saoirse Ronan, better known as the young girl in Atonement, for hip new ideas and high school slang. This is a pretty funny satire of Hollywood, a charming rom com, and a warm family story all at once. Amy Heckerling, who directed Clueless and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, scores again with a fun look at life in SoCal that has heart. In fact, I'd say it's a lot like Clueless: cute, but also much funnier and more interesting than you expected.

So why, you may be wondering, haven't you heard of it? Well, basically, Heckerling got the shaft from studios. They bounced it around and never gave it a theatrical release, even though it's very deserving of one. Unbelievable. The only thing I can find wrong with it is a strange character played by Tracey Ullman, who acts like Pfeiffer's conscience. She's annoying, but that's about it. This is a really likable film, and you'd think they capitalize on Rudd's growing popularity. See it for him (and sweet cameos from Jon Lovitz, Fred Willard, Wallace Shawn, and the Fonz) and love the Rudd like never before.

I'm Not There

I'm Not There -

Todd Haynes' biopic on Bob Dylan is...ummm... a lot of things, really, but I'm not sure what to make of it yet. It seems like he realized after he started filming that he couldn't go with a docudrama, because there have been lots of documentaries, most of them very good, about the man. So he went into fantasy and metaphorical depictions of Dylan's life, most notably by using different names and actors for various stages of Dylan's career. It works sometimes, but other times it's weird (still don't get what the Richard Gere segment is all about). Maybe Haynes made this hard to define purposefully to emulate Dylan. I can see that.

There are some great performances and ridiculous cameos, and the music is great, but it's such a strange mix of elements. This is coming from someone who loves Luis Bunuel and Terry Gilliam.... I can love weird, but I don't know if I love this. Still, if you like Dylan, or you like offbeat films, I think it's a great choice. It deserves to be seen, and heard (some of the covers here are fantastic - Malkmus? Vedder? Tengo????)

Charlie Wilson's War

After a lot of hype and big names, this hasn't really been getting great reviews. For good reason: it's not nearly as rollicking as it promised to be. Tom Hanks is fine and squinty (is he turning into Ian McKellan?) as the title man, a boozing Texas congressman who gets help from annoying Julia Roberts to fund a war for Afghanistan. He then turns to Phil Hoffman as a CIA agent for know-how. Hilarity ensues. Kind of.

I'm disappointed that Mike Nichols, a theater guy who always gets great performances, let Hanks and Roberts waltz through this without any gusto. Phil is good, but that's just Phil. Amy Adams is wasted. The action scenes seem out of place. The idea of mixing comedy and tragedy works when it's dark, not fast and flashy. It feels more like a longer version of the West Wing, and you can see Aaron Sorkin trying a little too hard here to be snazzy. Somehow, every building has long hallways to walk through.... just like the Studio 60 set.... and the Bartlett White House... I'm just saying. A decent attempt, but really short of potential, especially in the end when they try to get serious about how they ignored Afghanistan and created more problems, and then it's just over. You can do better.

Juno

The parallels between this and Little Miss Sunshine are interesting. They were indie flicks with some good character actors and some decent names; cute, very cute; quirky and funny, in the modern indie tradition; with good scripts by first-time writers. I also, however, though they had some flaws, and shouldn't have made the Best Picture race. Apparently, this will be in the running.

Juno has a lot going for it, from Michael Cera's face to Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner surprising you to the ubiquitous J. K. Simmons. Ellen Page is a great and smart actress at such a young age. Sometimes, however, the dialogue veers toward overkill, and the conflict comes and goes. Don't get me wrong, it's very good; it's just not on par with No Country for Old Men and the top films of the year for me. I would absolutely recommend it, though. It caught me off guard in places with dramatic turns, and the soundtrack was cheerily strange.

films in brief

Here are some quick reviews for a few things I saw recently.

Once -

everyone has been glowing about this very low-key Irish film about two musicians struggling to make ends meet and fill happiness. I was surprised initially at how much there ISN'T besides singing, because it's not a stage musical, they're just playing songs here and there. But that becomes the main point, and it works. When they pour their souls out, it becomes a touching and deeply emotional story.

Sweeney Todd -

this seemed like the perfect project for Tim Burton. And Helena Bonham Carter. And Johnny Depp, once they were in. It all makes sense... but does it make sense as a film? It's the weirdest musical that comes from a normal musical setting, and Burton embraces that. While visually great, the story wanders a little, and musically... I guess that's how the musical goes. But every player is up to task, especially Sacha and his kid assistant, who has some great cockney numbers. Alan Rickman and the guy from Harry Potter are creepy as the villains, but I think one red herring that keeps popping up gives away too much. It's hard for me to judge, not knowing standard musicals all that well (especially this one), but I like their moxie.

December Boys -

this sweet nostalgia tale may not have gotten far if not for the casting of one Daniel Radcliffe. Yes, Harry Potter is expanding his serious scope, and he's doing good. He's one of four orphaned boys living in a lonely convent in 1960's Australia. He and three others, who have bonded over their near-Christmas birthdays, get to spend some vacation time on the coast. They hear that the ultra-cool young couple nearby might adopt one of them, and they begin amping for their love... but not the older Radcliffe, as he finds a teenage girl with a burgeoning crush. This may be an old standard of a looking-back tale, but it's good.