Flipside Movie Emporium

[beltmann]

10/13 ? 10/19

Good week:

Do Not Miss!

Mystic River (Eastwood, 2003)

Knife in the Water (Polanski, 1962)

Blue Car (Moncrieff, 2003)

Highly Recommended

Luther (Till, 2003)

Out of Time (Franklin, 2003)

Recommended

Marooned in Iraq (Ghobadi, 2003)

Intolerable Cruelty (Coen, 2003)

Run the Other Way

Secondhand Lions (McCanlies, 2003)

Hollywood Homicide (Shelton, 2003)

Wrong Turn (Schmidt, 2003)

The Criterion release of Knife in the Water also includes a bonus disc containing 8 short films from early in Polanski?s career (mostly student films). Two are astonishing; I?d rank them like so:

Two Men and a Wardrobe (1958)

When Angels Fall Down? (1959)

Break Up the Dance (1957)

Teeth Smile (1957)

The Lamp (1959)

Murder (1957)

The Fat and the Lean (1961)

Mammals (1962)

I was most surprised by Luther and Blue Car, both because they were more complex than I expected. I was most pleased with Out of Time, because finally we have a smart, genuinely suspenseful thriller, with a wonderful sense of place. Mystic River, though, was the week?s champ; it deserves every accolade so far laid upon its shoulders.

Eric

[Danny Baldwin]

Yet again, five:

Mystic River / 3 ? (out of 4)

A bold, daring, and dark picture, Clint Eastwood?s Mystic River is set in a Boston neighborhood, and portrays the lives of three childhood friends, once grown. When young boys, two child molesters, pretending to be cops, confronted Jimmy, Dave, and Sean when they were writing their names in wet, drying concrete on the sidewalk. The men asked where each one of them lived, in hopes that they would be able to take one hostage. Jimmy and Sean resided in homes right in front of where the incident took place, but Dave lived on a different street. They insisted that they would have to take him home, and being just a child, he hesitantly got into their car as requested. They kidnapped him, as intended, and tortured him for four days before he was able to escape. This event traumatized all three of the buddies for a long period of time. However, many years later, their once eventful relationships faded into casual acquaintances.

When Jimmy?s (Sean Penn?s) nineteen year-old daughter is suddenly murdered, the three are reunited, and begin to redevelop the deep bond which they once had. Sean (Kevin Bacon), now a homicide detective, is the primary investigator of the case. Dave (Tim Robbins) becomes a suspect for the killing, because of all of the evidence against him. While the story unravels, tremendous forces are at work. Mystic River becomes one of the most heartbreaking and touching movies in the history of cinema, and one of the finest of the year, at that.

Each member of the all-star cast delivers an excellent performance. Penn is insanely spectacular as the father, simultaneously mourning the loss of his girl and trying to find and annihilate her murderer before the police are able to arrest him. Bacon plays the role of Sean fairly straight, but is effective, nonetheless. Robbins is definitely the strong-suit of the entire film; though we, as the audience, never feel that he is guilty of the crime, the way he portrays his character?s interaction with those who do is incredible. Also worth mentioning are Marcia Gay Harden, Laura Linney, and Lawrence Fishburne. Harden and Linney play the wives of Dave and Jimmy; their bond is one of the most intriguing of the entire movie. Fishburne is Whitey, Sean?s detective partner, always keeping the audience captivated by his commanding work, every time he?s onscreen.

The sole flaw of Mystic River lies in its assembly. The way this film is strung together feels as though it?s been loosely woven onto a small and wearing thread. The scenes don?t match up together, in terms of mood or feel; while this movie is able to capture many emotions, the way in which they are connected is rough and jumbled. The transitions, from one passage to the next, are uneasy and misguided. However, the content itself is just as powerful, nonetheless. In the scheme of things, this is a small fault in a masterful picture.

While it may be rough around the edges in certain cases, Mystic River is still a powerful film. For those who do not mind viewing depressing tales, this is one of the few must-see motion pictures of the year. I will definitely be revisiting it many times in the future, for it?s one of the most emotionally complex and beautiful experiences I?ve had at the movie theatre, in the last decade.

The Rundown / 2

The Rundown categorizes itself as an ?action/adventure comedy?. While it often masters the former genre, this movie fails to make us laugh. It?s half-empty; fueling itself only on the tremendous fight sequences it has to offer. However, these are only able to push The Rundown along for a generous amount of time. For a solid forty-five minutes, watching this film is a wonderfully engaging experience. Sadly, when the plot begins to heat up, and the gigantic finale arises, the action is already tired. With no amusing jokes to help make up for the relentless and exhausting skits at the very end, The Rundown becomes close to painful. (I only laughed twice during the entire ninety minute running length). It does have some redeeming features, though. These are very helpful in keeping the audience somewhat interested and enthralled.

The two most notably wonderful things to be found in The Rundown are Dwayne ?The Rock? Johnson?s performance and Peter Berg?s direction. With this film and The Scorpion King, The Rock is proving himself to be the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the new millennium. He?s commanding and talented; offering both force and charisma when onscreen. While Scorpion may have been a better movie, Rundown better suits his talent. He?s in good hands, too; director Berg is very gifted, and provides this flick with a certain amount of stylishness. While the action may become tired by the end of the picture?s duration, it?s certainly better crafted then, than it is at the beginning of the film. This is respectable, to say the least. There?s undeniable potential in The Rundown, but the results are mediocre; all of the talent is taken advantage of.

This one serves as passable entertainment, and will be a quality rental for a Saturday afternoon. While The Rundown certainly lacks inspiration, it?s fun while it lasts. Let?s just hope that The Rock picks a better script next time.

Blue Car / 3 ?

Blue Car tells a tale that we rarely get to experience on film, one that?s so shockingly welcome and revolutionary; the concept in itself makes the movie worth seeing. It?s depressing and downtrodden, but ultimately leaves us amazed and enriched; I was tempted to watch the DVD a second time, instantly after the credits began to role.

Most of Blue Car?s success leaves leading actress Agnes Bruckner to thank. She plays Meg, an eighteen year-old girl in a troubled home, who begins to develop a strong bond with her high school English teacher, Mr. Auster (David Strathairn), never thinking twice about his feelings for her. In this role, she maintains an extravagant amount of power, and always strikes the audience with a fearless presence, while playing a vulnerably fearful character. Bruckner is tremendously gifted and her talent is extremely evident here; her work in this picture is flawless.

Awareness is one of the most predominant themes of Blue Car, and with such a successful execution, the audience is always able to grasp this concept. The story may be simplistic, but its true and earth-shattering contents never cease to astound us. This film is a must-see.

A View from the Top / 1 ?

Are you kidding me? I had no idea that Miramax, yes Miramax, would involve themselves with such a dopey, incoherent, stupid, asinine, and trashy project. A View from the Top is a putrid and overly moronic piece of fluff, which is only able to keep us remotely entertained for less than half of its running length. It contains desensitizing characters, pitiful dialogue, embarrassing performances, and an exhausting story. When viewing this movie, my mind was constantly bombarded by one question?how could so many tremendous talents take part in the making of such a ghastly motion picture? It?s hard to believe that there are actually people, living on planet Earth, who are air-headed enough to actually be able to enjoy such trash. While I will admit to finding a few passages of this one to be tolerable and fun, it?s certainly nowhere near joyous. Those who find A View from the Top likeable must be on crack. The eighty-seven minutes, which I spent watching it, would?ve been better used taking a nap.

2nd Viewing of: Holes / 3 ?

My brother was watching it, and I originally intended for it just to be background noise for making myself some food, but I got really intrigued in it for the second time, and actually like it a little more than I did the first. If anything, on home video it comes across as more subtle, which benefits the beginning and detracts from the end.
_________________
Danny Baldwin

View My Reviews

[Mark Dujsik]

10/13 - 10/19

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (Tarantino, 2003)

The House of the Dead (Boll, 2003)

Mystic River (Eastwood, 2003)

Rushmore (Anderson, 1998) (repeat)

Avoid House of the Dead unless you're really in the mood to test your "MST3K" skills.

Rushmore is such a nice film to just settle into. I like it slightly more each time I see it.

It seems I'm in the minority on Mystic River. Didn't find any of its characters to have much development after the inciting incident and only felt something for Robbins'. Robbins is outstanding in the collection of solid male performances here. I just never connected to any of it.

EDIT: Added link to review of The House of the Dead.
_________________
"Film lovers are sick people."

--Francois Truffaut

10 Best Films of 2006

Mark Reviews Movies

[matt header]

I think it was a really great week for moviewatching, for me personally (especially in the movie theater):

"Intolerable Cruelty" Not the Coens' best, but I think it still fits in with their style and is a rather unique addition to their works. Zeta-Jones doesn't have much to do, but I think Clooney is perfect for the Coens' style of nutty satire; his reaction shots by themselves are worth watching.

"A Mighty Wind" Really great - better than "Best in Show" or "Waiting for Guffman," I think. Some say that its fondness for folk music detracted from its satirical value, but I think that fondness turned it into an often funny, sometimes sad portrayal of a bygone movement. Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara are fantastic; I was surprised at how much I was effected.

"Kill Bill Vol. 1" As exuberant, fun, and abstract as movies come. Is story could be called weak, but the way that Tarantino elevates it onto a melodramatic mythical level is impressive. More than that, though, it is basically Tarantino's restless homage to all of the film styles that he loves, and as that, it's damn near perfect. (I didn't really mind it being split into two parts, either; it was done extremely well.)

"The Limey" (2nd viewing) Worse than the first time I saw it, but I still like it a lot. Its editing and temporal techniques are still dizzying and exciting, but some of its comic relief or side stories are just unsuccessful.

"Once Upon a Time in Midlands" Goofy, drab, and quite witty - sort of like "All or Nothing" with a dash of screwball comedy. There are times when it doesn't really juggle its various genres very well, and I didn't care for the final act leading up to the climax. But Kathy Burke gives a very funny and surprisingly warm performance, and I like the way it plays on spaghetti western cliches.

"Lost in Translation" (2nd viewing) Yes, this really is a superb movie; after seeing it a second time, I am just as astounded by its simple emotions. I wouldn't mind seeing this several more times; I just don't think it will grow old.

"Russian Ark" Very interesting and I can certainly appreciate its scale - one shot, one hour 34 minutes long, 200 actors, etc. - but I think Eric said something on one of these posts where it sort of removed the dynamics from a turbulent history. (Am I imagining that...?) Well, in any case, I agree: the fluidity and calm of the camera, gorgeous as it is, sort of turns Russia's complex history into a stationary "reenactment." But Sokurov's vision is grand, and the I found myself entranced, if not necessarily excited.

"Funny Games" (2nd viewing) I saw this with my girlfriend, who hated it and was angry at me for subjecting her to something so vicious. I actually think it's more disturbing and more powerful the second time, and I still think it's brilliant; it's the best movie from my week, I think. (God, that "mourning" scene is tough...)

[beltmann]

[matt header]

Well, I did watch "The Limey" in a large screening hall, which is certainly less intimate than a movie theater or even on DVD at home; I still enjoyed it a lot.

Actually, my girlfriend called "Funny Games" "vicious" (I think she also used cold and sadistic), and I tried to argue basically the same conceit: that it's a lot more "compassionate" than any other thriller/horror movies that don't even seriously consider the emotions of its characters. I guess a better term than vicious would be brutally honest, and isn't that always preferable?

[the night watchman]

10/19-10/25

Mark of the Vampire (Tod Browning, 1935) Turgid and just plain dumb flick ostensibly about vampires -- including Bela Lugosi in full Dracula regalia, though playing another vampyric count -- haunting a Czech castle. There is one remarkable moment in which a vampiress swoops in for a landing using batwings where arms should be. But that lone point of interest doesn?t rescue the film from its disjointed narrative, multiple cheats, lame jabs at comedy, and truly hare-brained revelation.

Vampire Hunters (Wellson Chin, 2002) Fun martial-artists-against-the-undead flick. This was my first exposure to Chinese hopping vampires, and I have to say the image of corpses bounding like strange bunnies was less silly than I?d expected it to be. The kung fu sequences are good, if occasionally confusing, but the movie supplies lots of laughs, both intentional and unintentional, and the floating cadaver that is the head vampire is pretty impressive.

Love and a .45 (C.M.Talkington, 1994) Kinda dumb flick apparently by a guy who thinks film noir is comprised solely of Wild at Heart, Natural Born Killers,and True Romance. He also throws in cult movie figures like Jack Nance, Jeffery Combs, and Peter Fonda, as if to say, ?Hey, check out who?s in my flick!? It fails mainly because it?s too self-consciously weird, and never really seems to go anywhere, particularly because it?s central character, played by Gil Bellows, is such a non-entity. Still, it ain?t boring, thanks especially to the presence of a nearly nymphomaniacal Renee Zellweger. There are certainly worse ways to waste 90 minutes, but there are better ways too.

Down With Love (Peyton Reed, 2003) I?ve never been a fan of those Rock Hudson/Doris Day sex comedies, but this affectionate send-up was pretty entertaining. David Hyde-Pierce steals every scene he?s in and is quickly becoming one of my favorite comic actors. I liked the brightly-colored sets and the almost-but-not-quite camp performances from Zellweger and McGregor. Definitely worth a look-see, at least for something different.



The Seventh Victim (Mark Robson, 1943) Disappointing Val Lewton movie, especially because the first hour is so good. A woman (Frances Fallon) looking for her missing sister encounters a coven of ?devil worshippers? in Manhattan. The problem is that these cultists never really do anything worse than any other religious adherents (especially when one considers the current rash of death and abuse at the hands of fundamental congregations in the name of ?demonic exorcism?-- we are in the 21st century, right?), and in fact are comparatively civilized. Yet it seems the movie wants to condemn them for no other reason than not being Christian. A tad more character development might have lent more impact to the ending, too. Still, it?s atmospheric and suspenseful when it?s working (which it does most of the time), and is definitely worth seeing for fans of Lewton and horror in general.

The Unknown (Tod Browning, 1927) I have no idea why this movie bears this title, but it?s quite good, provided one overlooks the constant failure of melodramas of this type, which provides audiences with much more interesting villains than heroes. Can we be blamed for wanting to see Alonzo (Lon Chaney in a masterful performance), a thief and murderer who deceives everyone around him, get the girl (Joan Crawford) instead of the bland-as-white bread hero (Norman Kerry)? I felt the same way when I watched Phantom of the Opera -- am I the only one who wanted to see Erik emerge victorious, despite his considerable anti-social tendencies?
_________________
"If you're talking about censorship, and what things should be shown and what things shouldn't be shown, I've said that as an artist you have no social responsibility whatsoever."

-David Cronenberg

[beltmann]

10/20 ? 10/26

I made a concerted effort to do some catching up this week:

Runaway Jury (Fleder, 2003). I didn?t believe a word of this fast-paced Grisham hokum, but I had great fun. The Hoffman-meets-Hackman thing has been overstated; I remember Rachel Weisz stealing the movie from them and everyone else.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Nispel, 2003). Is making audiences squirm a worthwhile goal for art? I guess so, but it?s pretty low on my list of objectives that matter. I?m not a fan of the original either, but at least that one had a truer sense of evil. (I think it was Night Watchman who once rightly pointed out that in the original, the house itself became a character, a creepy repository of generational pain.) Although I detested nearly every minute, this new version has a nice visual sense, and also Jessica Biel, who seems a skillful scream queen.

Under the Tuscan Sun (Wells, 2003). The local color is laid on pretty thick, and unfortunately it has very little to do with Italy and everything to do with America's fantasy notions about an exotic culture. As the story begins to focus on supporting characters, it becomes insufferable. Is it preferable to Texas Chainsaw? Well, at least it mines optimism for its bully tactics.

Wait Until Dark (Young, 1967). Audrey Hepburn as a blind woman first being tricked, then tormented, by a gang of drug thieves (including the oily, quietly menacing Alan Arkin). Very capable, stylish suspense, but there doesn?t seem to be much going on here besides the roller coaster.

The In-Laws (Fleming, 2003). Albert Brooks, perhaps the funniest man in American movies, nearly saves the day. Nearly.

Owning Mahowny (Kwietniowski, 2003). Philip Seymour Hoffman delivers yet another convincing variation on his alienated schlub routine?he gets inside Mahowny?s tragic determination to keep rolling the dice; risk is his lifeblood but also the noose tightening around his neck. Still, this examination of gambling-as-addiction is familiar and endlessly repetitive. The story keeps advancing but the characterization doesn?t.

The Dancer Upstairs (Malkovich, 2002). Javier Bardem plays an honest detective in an unnamed Latin America country, now assigned to investigate a series of terrorist acts that seem orchestrated by a single man, a revolutionary called Ezequiel. What's interesting is that John Malkovich directs with an introspective, contemplative, distanced touch. Without losing sight of the detective?s eroding morality, he seems most interested in watching a nation collapse under corruption and violence. This is a patient, insinuating, mature work, about mystery, obsession, honor, truth, dignity, moral ambiguity, and political unease.

They (Harmon, 2002). Unwatchable. Even worse than Darkness Falls.

Scary Movie 3 (Zucker, 2003). Easily the best in the series so far, mostly because it prefers ZAZ-style gags to the nasty, punchless raunchiness of the Wayans brothers. It?s still a rude, crude, rather obnoxious affair, but much sweeter in its rapid-fire looniness. Too much plays as low-rent imitation rather than subversion, but I had a reasonably good time.

Naqoyqatsi (Reggio, 2002). Compares favorably to the first two entries in Reggio?s ?qatsi? trilogy, which began in 1983 with Koyaanisqatsi and continued in 1988 with Powaqqatsi (my favorite). I?ve always felt that Reggio?s philosophy was a little too doomsday, a little too Daniel Quinn for my tastes, but he has raised interesting, significant questions about how we ought to live life. This time around he asserts that technology has become the driving force behind life, replacing nature, government, and morality. The movie?s title is Hopi for ?life at war,? and its abstract, overlapping flow of images seems closer in spirit to Brakhage than to Reggio?s other two films.

Confidence (Foley, 2003). Yet another ?shell game? in the vein of Mamet and Nine Queens. Structurally this is solid stuff, and I liked the throwbacks to earlier noir, especially how the main character presumably narrates from the after life. Still, Foley aims for a ramped-up potboiler, letting the testosterone ooze across the screen in such ridiculous quantities that you feel ashamed for the actors--so buff, so full of 'tude, so convinced the F-word makes them tough. I couldn?t stand it.

Trembling Before G-d (Dubowski, 2001). A documentary about Hasidic Jews trying to reconcile their devout faith with their homosexuality. Dubowski makes their religious practices as relevant to their lives as their orientation, which is refreshing. This is a film that pines, optimistically and perhaps naively, for the day when these flipsides can co-exist. The movie gets at some fundamental human subjects, such as sexuality, the need for acceptance, the need to believe in something larger than oneself, self-hatred, self-acceptance, and happiness. It also takes us deep into the emotional turmoil of these individuals without taking aim at the Hasidic or Orthodox communities. Rather than intolerance, we instead see communities baffled by the "mystery" of homosexuality and the rigidity of Jewish law.

Home Room (Ryan, 2003). Badly directed, and so earnest you?ll want to throw up. Nevertheless, this drama about a community suffering the aftershocks of a school shooting (especially two girls, one an alienated loner, the other a hospitalized survivor of the attack) manages to win some genuine emotion in the final minutes, and steadfastly refuses to ?explain? the hows and whys of such violence.

Cat?s Cradle (Brakhage, 1959). Breakneck montage is the subject of this 6-minute short, as Brakhage, inspired by Eisenstein and the other early Soviets, rapidly cuts between two couples (including himself and his wife Jane), a cat, a fabric, and floral wallpaper. The effect is rather jarring, and I'm not sure that Brakhage has captured the feel of those Soviets--while their montage created a third meaning through the collision of two images, Brakhage seems to merely suggest linkages. (Perhaps a merging of the subjects? If so, he lacks the finesse and clarity of the Soviets.) Perhaps Brakhage means to expand upon what the others had mastered, but if so, I'm unconvinced his new grammar works. Of all the Brakhage pictures I?ve seen, this may be my least favorite.

Of those, I?d recommend The Dancer Upstairs, Trembling Before G-d, and maybe Naqoyqatsi (more so if you?re open to that sort of thing).

Eric

[Mark Dujsik]

10/20 - 10/26

Lost in Translation (Coppola, 2003)

Runaway Jury (Fleder, 2003)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (Shatner, 1989)

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Hooper, 1974)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Nispel, 2003)

Working on reviews of Chainsaw and Translation.

Now I've seen all the Star Trek movies, and yep, the fifth is worst. Ambitious but unsuccessful in every way.

EDIT: Added link to reviews of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Lost in Translation.
_________________
"Film lovers are sick people."

--Francois Truffaut

10 Best Films of 2006

Mark Reviews Movies

[Danny Baldwin]

Erg. I went to see School of Rock today, but the lines were all the way around the corner for Scary Movie 3, and I didn't have the patience or time before the show to wait it out (everyone was there because there's a giant fire and all schools are out; no one had anything to do, and you can't really go outdoors because of all the smoke).

This week, four--but I'll watch Willard tonight (which I'll consider next week, and see Veronica Guerin tomorrow morning, hopefully):

Highly Recommended

Sweet Sixteen

Recommended

Runaway Jury

Nicholas Nickleby

Not Recommended

Wrong Turn

My capsule reviews for all of these can be found at www.bucketreviews.com/review126.html
_________________
Danny Baldwin

View My Reviews

[mfritschel]

I know its a pretty pathetic week, but this is about as good as it gets for me. Corporate America does not really grant me that much more time.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Hooper) - I have to admit that I have always been a fan of the slasher/suspense genre, and this movie works really well in both cases Having only seen half of it back in early high school, I have to admit I really like this movie and wonder why they ever needed to make a remake. But alas, that is hollywood and so it goes.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (Leone) - loved it, just a great movie. I have always loved Leone's camera work and he was definitely at his best in this movie. The characters are just phenomenal and its really well acted.

In a side note Whale Rider comes out tomorrow on DVD and I am really looking forward to watching that sometime this week. Also, for all you Soprano fans (although i can't afford it yet0 - season four comes out tomorrow on DVD) whoohoo!!

Finally, I have to completely agree with you on The Dancer Upstairs Eric - I found that movie extremely well done and exceptionally well acted

[beltmann]

[Michael Scrutchin]

The past 10 days or so:

[Mark Dujsik]

[beltmann]