Summer movie blowout

Here's a quick recap of some summer movies I had the chance to see recently.

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army - in theaters now -

To complete my recent Guillermo-obsession, I saw the original and now the sequel. I enjoyed both of them a lot. Del Toro has a great visual style, loving the whimsical and fantasy but using it the right way. He also knows this series deserves a sense of humor, and it delivers. I don't know about the bad guys, but the heroes are great.

Wanted - in theaters now -

Another comic book adaptation, but this one is all flash and not much else. I like James McAvoy, and he does well as a loser who finds out he's actually special. This has some crazy action sequences, but it might have the most annoying script I've heard in a while. The dialogue and most of the story is grating, but the action pulls it out just enough for it to be decent.

Mamma Mia! - in theaters now -

N wanted to see this, and I can't argue with a rock musical. If you like ABBA, you'll like it. It's boisterous and fluffy without ever getting too serious.

The X Files: I Want to Believe - in theaters now -

A lot of people have been complaining about this because it's not very groundbreaking. While I do agree that it is mostly just a longer regular episode, I like that. I never thought they were great at continuing story lines; I just went for the freak of the week. This has some juicy developments on Mulder and Scully, but it's mostly just one more story of someone creating weird problems somewhere. Billy Conolly is creepy as a priest with dark secrets and maybe psychic powers. It might be a long episode, but it's a good one, and I was happy to see Duchovny and Anderson back on screen.

Step Brothers - in theaters now -

A great pairing of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly trying to outdo each other in ridiculousness, this doesn't have much structure but is hilarious for the most part. The guys do everything they can to be destructive and immature, although it nearly falls apart in the end. Add in some great cameos, and it's a lot like Apatow's recent hits: great humor, some slow spots, not much story, relationships, and male genitalia.

The New World - 2005 -

I never sat down and watched this long epic throughout, but I'm glad I did. Terrence Malik is a visual master who doesn't mind if he takes too long, because he wants to get a beautiful picture and mood down. Colin Farrell is surprisingly toned down as John Smith, early pioneer, and Christian Bale arrives halfway to keep things interesting. This was shot by Emmanuel Lubezki (Children of Men), so it's worth it just for the cinematics.

Lars and the Real Girl - 2007 -

As with many offbeat indies, this film has an eccentric main character, who lives in a small town and has a nowhere job... but this time, the protagonist has a real delusional problem: he's in love with a doll. It sounds silly, and it is, but of course the gentle townsfolk don't want to hurt him, so they play along. It's easy to be cynical of this movie, but the acting is good enough that you can believe it. Ryan Gosling, one of the best young actors there is, throws himself into the main role, and damned if he doesn't make you feel for him. Emily Mortimer and Paul Schneider are his family that have to put up with him. This is a sweet tale with some comedy, but it wants more touching and acceptance than all-out laughs. It's hard at times to play along, but the people in the film do, and it creates a nice indie piece.

Fido - 2006 -

Here's another offbeat indie that had a goofy premise: what if there was a big zombie outbreak, but we figured out how to control them and made them slaves? Yeah, it sounds kind of like the ending and bonus material of Shaun of the Dead, but with a satiric take on corporate life and false 50's life.... so I guess it's ripping off Pleasantville as well. But it's got some nice gags and swipes at society.

It begins as a young boy gets his first zombie (Billy Conolly, making quite a career for himself). His parents, the underrated Dylan Baker and a feisty Carrie-Ann Moss, are mixed. The dad doesn't like it, but the mom grows to understand why the boy needs him. They are threatened by new neighbor and big brother honcho Matt Czerny, who is high up at the all-powerful zombie corporation / dystopian force. Throw in a solid Tim Blake Nelson as another nutty neighbor, and this faux-50's but also post-zompocalypse neighborhood is a strange place. When the zombie (affectionately named Fido) eats the neighbor, it creates a panic, and the boy has to save him. It's a nice mix of humor and horror, but not nearly on the same level as SOTD. It's a bit too smarmy for its own good, and although writer/director Andrew Currie is cleverly trying to make a social commentary, it doesn't have the success of other new mixes. But it's a good shot, and a nice early effort for him.

films in brief

Once again, some short reviews of things I saw recently.

Super High Me - 2007 - on DVD now

Doug Benson once made a joke that he should stop smoking weed, then smoke nonstop for 30 days and make a documentary out of it like Morgan Spurlock's Super Size Me. Well, a couple weed-loving producers decided why not do it? And so ever-stoner Benson quits smoking, sees the results, and then goes all out and compares. In between, he does stand up, chats with pals like Paul Tompkins, Patton Oswalt, all the UCB guys, and the like, and also gives a brief history of medical marijuana and how easy it is to get in California (uhh... reallllly easy.... why didn't anyone tell me this?). This is a funny take on personal docs, but it also has more information than I expected about the fine line between legal weed and not (which has been a controversial topic out here). If you can put up with a million stoner jokes, it's a great doc/expose, funny and interesting.

Sex and Death 101 - 2007 - on DVD now

Speaking of the great Mr. Oswalt, his appearance in this film prompted us to look it up, along with an interesting premise. A man (Simon Baker) finds a list that has every woman he's ever slept with on it, but then it also has many more names, so it appears it can predict the name of every woman he will ever sleep with too. This causes him to freak out and end his engagement, while questioning fate. Meanwhile, Winona Ryder stars as a black widow woman who puts lothario men in comas... and may factor into his life.

For such an interesting premise, this doesn't live up to it, going in many weird directions. I like indie movies that take chances, but this goes way off track too often, trying to mix in romantic satire with R-rated slapstick, serious questions about fate and love, goofy sci-fi, and a host of other things that just don't quite work together.

Iron Man - in theaters now

So much has been said, so I can't add anything. For all the people who doubted Robert Downey Jr. as the lead, he's by far the best (maybe only) reason to watch it. It's a solid comic action movie, with good humor, and one of the best to come out recently.

But I overlooked some of those, like...

Hellboy - 2004

I never paid attention to it when it came out, but my new obsession with Guillermo Del Toro led me to watch this in full. He's the real master of comic books now, mixing in great visuals with fun and humor and not getting full of himself. Now I'm excited for part 2, which is right around the corner.

Gerry - 2002

As part of Gus Van Sant's avant-garde movement this decade, he has been making some minimalist films with non-actors or few actors, very long takes, minimal dialogue, long shots, and open endings. This was the first entry in that strand, but it at least has real name people in it (Matt Damon and Casey Affleck). Basically, two guys named Gerry get lost in the desert. Why did they go? What is the point? Why does one... That's up to you to decide.

Return to Me - 2000

Bonnie Hunt's directorial debut is a romantic comedy without a ton of comedy, but a lot of feeling. David Duchovny stars as a man who loses his wife, and after a long grieving period, meets sparky waitress Minnie Driver, happy to be living with a heart transplant. What they don't know is that her heart came from his wife. Sounds cheesy? It's light and heartfelt, and serious at times, and it works. Hunt puts herself and some other random people to work surrounding these two and pushing them towards each other. One of the better chick flicks, even if it sounds like a too-Hollywood premise.

Across the Universe

I was wrong.

I was initially excited about this after a mind-bending trailer popped up last year. Others warned me that it would be lame and a bit silly, but I was hopeful. You can't keep down the Beatles, right?

Well, the songs were mostly good, but the actual film was .... what? Pretty much nothing. There is a generic plot about the 60's and the crazy stuff that happened that tries to connect musical segments, but it doesn't go anywhere and leaves huge holes. The idea of naming characters after songs is.... awkward. The dialogue that's not sung is ... incredibly awkward. The trippy musical segments are not nearly as cool as I thought they'd be visually, and don't really add anything to the plot, since there really isn't one. I did like some of the covers various actors and singers did. No, it's not worth watching; I'd just download two excellent covers by the Secret Machines - "Flying" and "Blue Jay Way". Also, I liked "Falling," "I Want to Hold Your Hand," and "Dear Prudence," just how they sounded. They might be worth your time... the feature is not.

It was a good.... no, it wasn't a good idea, but I think their hearts were in the right place. Just please come up with something more for a story next time.

films in brief

Here's a few quick reviews of some things I saw recently.

The Da Vinci Code - 2006 -

Yes, it took me this long to watch it. I'm kinda played out on all the conspiracy flicks (which this helped cause), but I see why it was addictive and popular. It's a nice thriller, very exciting and all, and it's one of the better blockbusters to come out recently. I was wondering where Audrey Tatou went, so that's cool. I just thought it was hilarious that Hanks got to costar with Ian McKellan, whom he is starting to look like more and more.

In America - 2001 -

Jim Sheridan's modern immigrant tale is a heartfelt light drama, with lots of emotion. Paddy Considine and Samantha Morton are poor Irish who come to New York looking for something and end up in a junkie-filled tenant. Their cute daughters, though, have fun exploring the new world, making friends with reclusive artist Djimon Honsou. This is a very sweet and touching tale, with strong performances from the young cast.

At the Death House Door - 2008 - on IFC now -

IFC presents this stunning doc about capital punishment, focusing on the intersecting lives of a man who was most likely innocent but had a raw deal and was executed, and the longtime prison chaplain who saw his last day. As they present the facts in the case of Carlos De Luna, the filmmakers also go over the life of the pastor who consoled him and hundreds of other convicted men. It all took place in one of the most famous prisons in Texas, where lots of executions happened.

This is a biased piece, for sure, but it's not deceitful. It's presenting a case against the death penalty, through factual evidence from the case, and adding emotional testimony from the pastor (who now campaigns hard against it). The police overlooked a lot of obvious things in the De Luna case, and it now looks pretty clearly like he was innocent, and in fact knew the man who did it. It's a powerful argument in a very strong political doc.

Wristcutters: A Love Story - 2006 -

I had the chance to see this indie film at Sundance two years ago, but I didn't, mainly because it was getting mixed reviews. Now I see why. Despite a very interesting premise and the potential for sharp dark comedy, it drags at times. The idea here is that suicide takes you to an afterlife that is a lot like real life, just slightly worse. Everyone in this world (which looks like the crappiest parts of this country) is dull and disillusioned... which makes sense, because they all killed themselves. But in a weird way, they're at peace with suffering. The black humor they aim for at the start fades when protagonist Patrick Fugit learns his ex-girlfriend may have killed herself too, in guilt over his death. He sets off on a quest to find her, but runs into Shannyn Sossamon, who claims to have not killed herself on purpose.

The film drags for a while and then tries to look positive, undermining its dark comedy. Despite great cameos from Tom Waits and Will Arnett, it's uneven. The world they set up is bleak, but it also looks like they didn't have the money to do much else. It was a cool idea, but it just doesn't work out as well.

In the Valley of Elah - 2007 - on DVD now -

Paul Haggis' military drama was overlooked last year, but it did get some award notices. Tommy Lee Jones got a surprise nom for best actor, so critics were high on it, even if audiences aren't watching anything Iraq-themed. Ironically, I think it's much better then Crash, which won it all several years ago (I still don't know why). Jones is stoic as usual, but shows a lot of pain as man whose soldier son disappears after he comes home. Being a former police officer and an army man himself, he sets on a mission to find out what happened. The local police chief, Charlize Theron, doesn't appreciate him getting in the way of her investigation, but he has some good insights. The military base and its officials are being shady, causing them to wonder if there's something up.

This is a solid mystery with a lot of emotional pull. It starts to push an anti-war feeling toward the end, but it's a good film

Recount (TV movie)

HBO couldn't resist, in this election year, to make a definitive film about the 2000 election nuttiness. Even though it might not be fairly balanced, it's really good. They skip over most of the election to just what happened after Election Day, and though it is a great ensemble cast, the protagonist is clearly Kevin Spacey. Ah, I missed the Spaceman. Really bad. He's excellent as Ron Klain, a guy who helped Gore through the recount even as he was having issues with the VP. On his side are Dennis Leary, John Hurt, and Ed Begley Jr. (natch). The opposing side comes with Tom Wilkinson, who plays James Baker a little bit too boss-villain-y, and Laura Dern, who makes Katherine Harris look overwhelmed. Bob Balaban is the only nice guy on the GOP side. I mean, I felt it could be real, but I'm biased.

Like I said, it's not exactly a balanced story, but they are trying to paint the Dems as underdogs rising up in adversity. They had to push through public outrage and lots of legal difficulties, and they never had the "lead" as reported by media, which hurt. The film touches on the voter discrimination problems, but doesn't accuse too much. The worst facet probably is that the Republicans basically paid for their protesters and then encouraged them to riot in the local voting offices. This claim has been made before, so who knows. It brought back some bad memories for me, and of course, the last 8 years kinda... well, you know.

It may not be fair, but it's really good, and it's a great return for Spacey.

films in brief

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

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL - 2008 (in theaters) -

Just like most Apatow projects, this is a relaxed comedy with romantic tinges; a relationship story with some great gags. Jason Segal is a lovable lunk, and Mila Kunis steps it up as his new love interest. The comedy comes in moments here and there, and it's good but not overwhelming. I just love Segel, Kristen Bell, Jack McBrayer, and Paul Rudd too much to give it a bad name. It's decent comedy without much fanfare.


DOGVILLE - 2003 -

I'll be honest. I have no idea what to make of it. I wanted to see this for years and I finally got around to it and, well, let's just say that Lars von Trier is an intriguing director. This looks like a play, but it's a film: an original concept, shot on a stage, but with no audience, and with some of the set fixtures missing.... like, I don't know, WALLS! Yeah.... very strange way of filming, mixing theater standards with film and leaving that out. I think it could be comparable to dark stage plays like Ibsen. I also thought of William Faulkner, not that this is the same class as those great writers, but that's kind of the dark tone. It goes in weird directions, but the cast is amazing. Lauren Bacall jumped in and Nicole Kidman had just won an Oscar when she did this.

I'm torn because I think he could've done well if he shot it normally, but of course he won't, because he started that whole Dogma 95 movement and he has to be different. I found that a lot of people think it's anti-American, but it seems more to me like a dark examination of human nature, especially regarding the myth of small towns making good people. If you like indie or foreign pieces, it's def worth a look, but know that it's three hours long and a trip.

LUST, CAUTION - 2007 (just out on DVD) -

Ang Lee's erotic thriller is a strong period piece. In 1930's China, a woman caught up in rebellion tries to get close to a powerful government man. This starts a little slow, but picks up dramatically towards the end. Beautiful, intense, and emotional, this might have lost audiences because of its rough sexual scenes, but it's a very good drama.

THE BRAVE ONE - 2007 (just out on DVD) -

I skipped this Jodie Foster drama last year, skeptical of vigilante films, and it most certainly is that. But then I saw that it's also directed by Neil Jordan, who does a lot of sensitive and gender-confusing fare (The Crying Game, Breakfast on Pluto), so it shouldn't be totally macho. Foster, a popular NPR-type radio host in New York, goes into full revenge mode when some thugs kill her husband (Sayid from Lost). She also befriends a detective, Terence Howard, who starts to wonder about her intentions, while unknowingly steering her towards a crime boss he can't convict. This is emotional and pretty dark, and I'm not sure if the message is deeper than I want it to be. I can't imagine Jordan ever wanting to remake Death Wish with a female lead, but I get that feeling here. Maybe there's more than I see, and I suggest taking a look. It's gripping, but does it take sides too easily?

Sicko

I wanted to pair this with No End in Sight. It took longer to get to, but was similar: another nominated documentary, another guy telling me things I know. Really, Michael Moore, you think health care is a problem in this country? You think I didn't know that after my leg almost fell off and I had to triangulate three doctors in Orange County who didn't understand that my health insurance was fully transferable under my mother's work plan? Yes, I've been through it. I know it sucks. I know almost all of Europe has much better plans; that's not news, it's been well-documented for years.

I give him credit, however, for not taking the spotlight as much as he has done before. He focused on other people, and gave a lot of stories about how ridiculous things get. He's making his case, not as an impartial observer, but as a rabble-rouser, which is his real position. But that's okay. He's trying to get something positive done, and he's very clear in this that America's health coverage is s--t and we could do much better. Other countries that don't have the resources are thriving. Get on the ball and think about it in November. Yes, yes, I get it. Don't we all? I guess we need him to make this obvious to everyone else.