College classics: Adaptation.

I thought I'd take a look back on Adaptation, since it was almost 10 years ago. College students should take a look at everything Charlie Kaufman has written, and I think many of them will. This one is especially needed, because it deals with the struggles of filmmaking and screenwriting. Also, it might be nice to remind kids (with Season of the Witch and some other awful thing just around the corner) that Nicolas Cage can be good.... if he applies himself....

The creative minds that brought us Being John Malkovich have created another unique cinematic experience. Director Spike Jonze and writer Charlie Kaufman team up again to show how Kaufman’s alleged troubles in adapting a book to the screen cause all sorts of adventures.
Nicholas Cage stars as Kaufman and his twin brother, Donald. The brothers are both struggling to get into the screenwriting business. Charlie, the shy one, timidly tries to adapt Susan Orlean’s book, The Orchid Thief. Donald, the partying, outgoing one, comes up with action filled but extremely typical plots. Charlie watches with horror as Donald gets all the recognition, and all the women.
The movie then shifts to Orlean’s perspective as she tries to write her book. Meryl Streep does well as the polite but internally dreamy Orlean. She travels to Florida to find John Laroche (Chris Cooper), a man obsessed with orchids. Laroche has been arrested several times for going into Florida swamps and poaching orchids. Orlean is fascinated with his love for the flower.
Meanwhile, Charlie struggles with his writer’s block to adapt Orelan’s novel. He thinks he needs more to make a full-length script out of it, so he and Donald plan to investigate Orlean for more information. Charlie keeps struggling while Donald gets more and more recognition. Charlie, the anti-Hollywood iconoclast, eventually gives up and attends a seminar hosted by famed screenwriter Robert McKee (Brian Cox in a hilarious cameo). He takes the advice.
Much of the film is really an assault on typical Hollywood formulas. Kaufman shows the divide between art and popularity beautifully with his twin brother. Charlie’s refusal to do typical things like car chases and drug scenes only emphasizes his distaste for popular cinema. The ending of the film itself is a play on these ideas. From start to end, this film has a lot to say about the current state of film in general.
Kaufman could not have found many better actors for his strange story. Cage does an amazing job as two separate characters. He pulls off the shyness and impudence of Charlie as well as he does the easygoing manner of Donald. A good chunk of the film, really, is him talking with himself as two different people. Streep shows Orlean’s obsession with a man who really knows what an obsession. Cooper steals the scene with his hilarious performance as Laroche, especially when the good-natured yokel has to get serious. There are quite a few recognizable cameo appearances, like Cox and Ron Livingston, that add to the weird humor of the film.
Jonze shows once again why he is one of the hottest young directors in Hollywood. He takes Kaufman’s multi-dimensional story and goes boldly into each dimension with ease. From serious conversation scenes to Charlie struggling to car crashes and action-packed sequences, Jonze handles it all while keeping in mind the errant humor of the script.
This is easily one of the best films of 2002, but it may not reach all audiences because, really, of what its main point is- it is not your typical Hollywood formula piece. It is a wild ride through unconventional waters, and it pokes fun at what isn’t. It is a funny, strange, and unpredictable way to experience the world. Kaufman and Jonze know how to make us laugh and scratch our heads all at the same time. Adaptation is a film that needs to be understood in relation to the norm of films today to get its wonderful lessons.

Charlie says hi

Charlie Kaufman, in public

Stardust

I almost saw this in theaters a few years ago, but reviews were shaky. That's not fair, because I liked it. I think the constant comparisons with Princess Bride were unnecessary. That's just an absolute classic that no one can match now. This is different; even though it's basically the same kind of film - a snarky, comical fantasy for kids and grown ups - it has a different tone and pace than the old Rodents of Unusual Size flick. I enjoyed it, not as much, but enough to recommend. It's a little more adult and slightly darker, but it has enough funny moments. Ricky Gervais is a lot better in his short cameo than Billy Crystal was, for one. Robert DeNiro and Michele Pfeiffer have fun hamming it up for Matthew Vaughn (who helped make the early - i.e. good - Guy Ritchie films.) It's got a nice mix of fantasy, tragedy, suspense, and comedy. Maybe it's not Princess Bride, but it's way better than all those wannabe Harry Potter flicks coming out right now.

Sunshine: Point / Counterpoint

The debate is on for Danny Boyle's 2007 film Sunshine. I didn't go to this when it premiered at the LA festival because a. I wasn't getting a free pass, b. it seemed a little too much like The Core, with an even more impossible task, and c. people were harsh on it. Now I can understand why people were so harsh, but I love it.

To me, this is a bold project that has a lot of things that could go wrong. Chris Evans is the heroic one, and I wouldn't trust him to save anything besides the keg at a Phi Kap parity, let alone Kim Basinger on a cell phone.... or in this case, humanity. He's no match for the great Cillian Murphy. But this strange crew mixes, and when they don't, it makes for intrigue. Their mission seems more than impossible, and they know it. But will that drive them? Can they get through the idea that they don't matter, and yet, are the only thing that matters?

This film has touches of great sci-fi thought like 2001 or Solaris, but it also has a basic story and action. Does it all mix? I think so. But you might say not.

I would like to print a respone from my friend Paul, who didn't like it:

"Here's why Sunshine didn't work. It had no idea whether it wanted to be a 2001/Solaris type sci fi with trippy, headache inducing brilliance and awesome effects. It didn't even decide if it wanted to be pure Alien style rock-em-sock-em horror or cult favorite Event Horizon. Instead, it was a confused mix of improbable and implausible headache inducing boredom. The scenes of conflict were boring, I didn't care about the characters and knew what was going to happen from the first few frames. Danny Boyle really let me down for the first time around."

Good points by Paul. Anyone else want to weigh in?

PHIL! HAPPINESS!

I don't know where this poster for Happiness came from, but it is awesome.

Retro: Insomnia

With all the excitement for Inception building, I thought I'd take a look at Christopher Nolan's remake of Insomnia in 2002.


Detective Will Dormer can’t get any sleep. Is it his conscience, or just the midnight sun?
Al Pacino stars as the famed Los Angeles detective Dormer in the thriller Insomnia. Director Christopher Nolan, who scored with last summer’s independent smash hit, Memento, takes a Norweigan thriller from 1997 and places it instead in a remote Alaskan village.
Dormer and his partner Hap (Martin Donovan) arrive in the small town of Nightmute, Alaska, to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. The two are happy to get out of Los Angeles, where they are the subject of internal investigations. Detective Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), a huge fan of Dormer’s, guides them on their search throughout the Alaskan inlets.
Hap and Dormer put aside their investigative disagreements enough to concentrate on the murder case. After discovering a key piece of evidence, Dormer develops a trap that will nab the killer. Unfortunately, the trap fails when the killer escapes into a thick fog. Dormer and Hap go after him, but Dormer accidentally shoots and kills Hap. Aware of the tarnished image he already has back at home, Dormer immediately covers it up and blames the shooting on the escaped killer.
Dormer spends the rest of the film in agony over his mistake. The constant sunlight eats away at his sleep, leaving him more and more confused. He feels awful for shooting Hap, but keeps to his story.
The killer, however, knows what really happened. He blackmails Dormer, trying to set something up where they can both get away. He wants to blame it on the victim’s loser boyfriend (Jonathan Jackson), who admits to beating the girl. Dormer jumps at the chance to find the killer’s identity. Surprise! It’s Robin Williams, in a stunning departure from his usual comedic roles. Williams is cool and chillingly calculative as Walter Finch, a local writer.
Finch and Dormer meet and discus their plans. Dormer wants to trick Finch into giving himself up with nothing on Dormer, but Finch is too smart for that. He plays Dormer’s game just as well as the detective does. Eventually, Dormer gets so caught up in playing this game that he misses details on the case. He also has to deal with Ellie, who heads up an investigation into Hap’s shooting. Dormer’s conscience tugs at him until he cannot tell what is real anymore.
Nolan captures the haunting glow of Alaska. From The Shining-esque opening shots to violent montages of the killing, Nolan portrays the emotions felt beautifully. His flashy sequences effectively show the increasing mental instability of Dormer, and he weaves the narrative to an exciting finish.
Pacino, after a string of several mixed performances, finally adds another strong role to his thick resumé. He expresses the self-doubt and increasing fatigue of Dormer extremely well. Swank performs ably as a detective who is initially star-struck, but eventually learns from Dormer and even uses his own advice against him. The supporting cast is strong, with Donovan, Jackson, Maura Tierney, and Nicky Katt making good use of their time. The real acting treat, however, comes with Williams. This is a role he hasn’t touched before, and he’s surprisingly creepy. If audiences can handle Peter Pan or Mrs. Doubtfire as a murderer, they can truly appreciate a thrilling detective story.

College classics: Man Bites Dog (It Happened in Your Neighborhood)

If I ever get to teach a class in film, and I hope I do, I will fight to the death to show this controversial film. There is so much we can learn from it.


I bought this early 90's French film at the behest of my friend Paul when he was out here, and I totally forgot I did that until last week when I was cleaning up. SUCH A DISCOVERY! This is a fantastic dark comedy way ahead of its time. It's a mockumentary about a serial killer who invites a poor, rag-tag film team to accompany him on his killings. The lead actor (Benoit Poelvoorde) is a wondrous psychotic, intelligent and charming if not a little prejudiced. The film takes on a new level when the pretend film crew (who are played by the actual director and co-writers) not only tape the killings without turning the man in, but help him in the act. The vain killer even offers to help them finance the film with the money he steals from his victims. Thus, this becomes an absurdly genius take on media and violence. It's harsh at times, and was supposedly banned in some countries, but it's fictional and darkly comedic, so it's not to be taken completely seriously. Still, this has to be one of the most creative mockumentaries (and that's saying something) ever, and a great satire on modern media. I can't recommend it enough.

Directed by:

Rémy Belvaux
André Bonzel
Benoît Poelvoorde
(in trio)