24601-6 Reviews

The Anniversary Party (2001)

The Party has unfortunately attracted a number of Party-haters to it who just don't get it.

[3 March 2002]

If you are reading these comments, then you may be looking for some insight before you rent this movie or after you had just seen it. Most of the unfavorable comments arise from the perspective of Ryan Rose, played by Denis O'Hare, the neighbor or outsider of the Hollywood business and the "audience" of the movie. The entire movie shot in digital video (DV), is like this loud barking dog, represented by critics acclaiming the movie as one of the years' best, and the audience just can't stand it. They want to just kill the dog (see How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog) and go on to the next movie.

Well, if you feel that way, so be it.

I think this movie is a real gem. If you're looking for a real plot--you won't find much here, except some surprising character revelations. This film is shot in a dogma-magnolia-tenebaums style where the moments and emotions fuel the movie rather than a specific character transformation from point A to point B. It's a comedy, where the actors' and directors' intent is to poke fun in their own lives and world. If you're looking for sympathetic characters with no flaws--you won't find any here, except maybe the neighbors who are the outsiders. Then again, these characters were not made to be sympathetic, but for you to take them as who they are.

The film starts out very slowly, like the preparation of any party. While the leads do not take any part in the actual preparation, a glimpse into their lives are seen. The camera and directing moves around like a voyeur into different rooms and conversations when the partygoers arrive. The directing style is very close and personal, intimate and claustrophobic at times, but raw and real.

Real and as real as it can ever get in Hollywood. For example, two couples are played by actors who are married to each other in real life (Kline and Cates, the Golds; and Hickey and Posey, the Adams). Kline and Cates' real life children also participate in some very, very adorable scenes which may lend to their future acting careers. The photographs on the wall were taken by Jennifer Beals, who has photographed the couple a lot in preproduction--though you can't see them up close. Otis is Jennifer Jason Leigh's dog outside of this film and in this film. Even the yoga instructor and props are part of Leigh's life. Cumming and Leigh wrote the scripts with these SPECIFIC actors and actresses in mind, thus giving them mannerisms they actually do on film and also, not on camera. There is this portion in the film where the guests came up with toasts, celebrating Cumming and Leigh's anniversary. However, these toasts were not scripted but improvised or written by the characters themselves to "surprise" Cumming and Leigh. The toasts themselves were very creative and yet within their characters. Cumming even signs his own book in real life, called Tommy's Toy, for a neighbor. Cumming claims in the DVD that he will finish that book sometime this year.

Yeah, whatever.

Sure, all this seems very self-important, indulgent, stereotypical Hollywood glamour, but I haven't seen any "authentic" casting like this in any other movie. Even though, they are all actors playing actors who are close friends in real life, it is an effortless and authentic kind of feeling you get when you watch them interact with each other. If you didn't know that beforehand, then maybe you won't be able to tell the difference.

I enjoyed this one scene when they were playing Charades. I guess actors take this game seriously, because in a way, it is their craft, so they pick these obscure titles from novels, songs, or whatever for the other team to guess. But in one scene, Jerry Adams, the business man plays by Hickey, goes absolutely ballistic and overly competitive. Like a whining critic cursing at a bad movie for cheating him out of his money and time, he hilariously verbally jumps on his own teammates for not going on to the next syllable or not getting the point. Don't you know someone like that when you are playing this friendly board game or party game?

*Possible spoiler ahead.

There is no real plot, but two points the movie attempts to get across. First of all, everyone is flawed--the dialogue scathingly points out the scratches on every character. These flaws are mainly demonstrated in the Hollywood perspective of deciding to have a child. Second, the choice of having a career versus having a child and family is the centerpiece of this film. The issue is brought out in the interactions between Jane Adams (child but still working and stressed), Cates (two children, not working and happy?) and Leigh (working, but going downhill, but her husband wants a child). This depends on the maturity of the characters--(i.e. whether or not they are still thinking they are 10 years younger than they really are) and the flaw in Leigh's character not willing to give up her career and her desire to play some role she can no longer play. Though it also seems Leigh's character's personal life (in the film) is affecting her acting career in her latest project, it is an introspective look on the choices we make in our personal lives in terms of drawing a line between the workplace and home. If the line becomes blurry or it doesn't exist in this glass house they live in, then, how would you cope with it if you were in their shoes? Are their shoes any different form ours?

The ending seems somewhat forced and abrupt, but overall, for a 19 day shoot, I guess they did the best with what they had. 7/10. I was pleasantly surprised.

Above Freezing (1998)

Above room temperature

[21 July 2000]

Above Freezing is an above average film that covers the basics of many romantic stories that Hollywood punches out like clockwork every year. If you watch this film, you will witness a man who is not ready to commit to someone. His uncertainty is due to the timing of his own life and not due to the woman he wants to marry. The story is told within a sitcom-like viewpoint with quick lines and phrases that reiterate, and yet place a different spin on the cliches that are so-often heard in American movies. The ending is unique a la Soprano style, as everything falls into place after an hour of agony in a refrigerated florist vault.

The film is short, keeping the agony to a minimum and yet satisfying the viewer with a quick flick about love, commitment, flowers, and mobsters.

4/10

Pushing Tin (1999)

Pushing the Envelope

[1 December 1999]

Pushing Tin lacks the title and actors to attract a broader audience, but the story and its characters make up for that difference. The main characters are airplane traffic controllers who compete with each other through different viewpoints. Pushing Tin focuses on these two characters and how they deal with each other. The movie lacks a strong plot, depth in the other supporting characters, and witty dialogue. However, the symbolic paradigm behind the whole storyline that intertwines these characters into a tension-filled web is very captivating and fascinating once you see the forest and not the trees.

If you have ever strove to be the best in something at any cost, then you may probably relate to the characters in this movie. Don't read any further if you haven't watched it yet--the following contains comments on character development.

Nick Falzone, played by John Cusack, is a John Cusack type of character. He's a fast-talking, fast-driving, hot-shot tin-pushing top gunner who thrives on the stress-errorless nature of his job. The stress he faces is deflected by his self-confidence. He believes that he is the best man at his job and his nickname "the Zone" is what his close friends must call him. When he meets Russell Bell for the first time on a motorcycle, there is an imminent, obvious hostility. Like two wild animals defending their territory, these combatants are prepared to fight their little war. Contrary to other movies where two guys are trying to one-up the other (i.e. Top Gun, Face-Off), the approach of the two characters is the most interesting aspect of the movie.

This testosterone pumping movie with fast cars, big jets, young ladies, and basketball resemble all the elements in a macho men showdown. These men push each other as hard as they push tin. Falzone is usually the aggressor, the initiator of the push. Russell Bell receives his push and deflects it by avoiding him. Russell Bell's approach is similar to the "I'll let you slap my other cheek" idea. He is so much at peace with himself that nothing perturbs him. At least, not on the surface. The supporting characters are merely undeveloped and in the background. Russell's wife, Mary--played by a Charlize Theron double Angelina Jolie, is either seen draped all over Russell or throwing down a couple of vodka shots. Connie Falzone, played by the Australian Cate Blanchett, is either trying to exert her independence or getting laid by her husband--literally and physically. Nevertheless, the audience never has a chance to understand or relate to these characters because they may be merely pawns in this game between Russell and Nick.

In addition, casting Billy Bob Thornton as Russell Bell is a good choice, but making him a half Native American is a little far-fetched like Morgan Freeman's character Red, who is an Irishman in the Shawshank Redemption.

The film can be very ambiguous--but maybe the screenwriters intentionally made it so. For example, I don't believe Connie when she said that she slept with Russell. It doesn't make sense after Russell's transformation when he and his wife had a breakthrough with each other. If Connie did sleep with him, why was she so upset at Nick when she initially found out that he cheated on her and then reverse her feelings while she was drunk on a plane. I believe that Connie was willing to sleep with Russell, but their initial interactions seemed merely harmless. I think that she was just playing on Nick's paranoia that she was sleeping with him. On the other hand, she may have because we don't hear anything about that from Russell--or do we?

Despite these shortcomings, the main point of the movie is clearly made. Consider the scene where Russell is back in Colorado fishing in a cold stream as an allegory for the entire movie. He catches a big fish when Nick arrives and rather than taking a picture of it, scaling and cooking it, telling stories about it, he merely lets it go. When asked by Nick why he did that, Russell replied "He knows I caught him... so I'm letting him go."

When Russell arrived in NYC, he is only concerned with doing his job. However, he runs into Falzone and they become competitors. Nick is constantly biting at his line, and Russell is simply reeling him in slowly. First he does a better job than Nick and then he shoots him up on the court. He's just being himself when singing songs and learning French. His eccentric background makes him a novelty in the eyes of Connie Falzone. He stalls Nick's plane, which infuriated Nick, to save a passenger. At that point, Nick is caught--and he doesn't know it. Russell tries to throw him in the water, but Nick refuses to swim away. It takes a whiplash from a 747 for Nick to get the point.

Whatever your occupation may be, sometimes we find ourselves in a rat race where we have to be the best at everything in the eyes of others to make our point. We become intense, irritable, and jealous. Russell wears his feather in his cap when he works. He doesn't care what others think of him, but he competes with himself and only himself. That feather represents his own identity, and when Nick takes it away--Russell freaks out for the first time. The same goes for Nick's nickname, "The Zone." When he is not addressed that way, Nick loses his own version of that feather.

Maybe this rant is just a rambling about nothing. Maybe this film is about nothing. It all depends on what you can get out of it.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

10/10

[10/10 · 24 September 1999]

The Shawshank Redemption is a movie that many people can relate to, especially if you had to overcome an unexpected experience that left you institutionalized and scarred. People are not institutionalized only in prisons and hospitals, but in schools, colleges, broken families, society, and other organizations. Trying to liberate ourselves from our conservative past or beliefs is not an easy process.

The Shawshank Redemption is one movie that can help start that process. It's a movie that can be watched repeatedly and after each time, even the most savvy critic may be enlightened by the depth and development of the characters, the smooth yet scintillating story line, the reoccuring symbolic themes, the uninhibited realism, the scenes and music ranging from the cold gothic prison architecture to the oak tree from a Robert Frost poem, and many uninvited personal insights we hold dearly and secretly to ourselves. Watching the movie over and over again is similar to a religious baptism where your past sins and crimes are washed away by the never-ending hope that you'll be free to achieve your highest dreams. I'm not going to reiterate the plot, dialogue, and other highlights of the film. The movie speaks for itself.

The plethora of movies in this time makes it difficult to dig and find the very few movies that exuberate the same effect as the Shawshank Redemption. The purpose of these reviews (also under Leonardo (24601-6) and Leonardo) is to express my tastes and to invite anyone with similar opinions to recommend movies on the same caliber.

It is my all-time personal favorite movie--the only one I would give a 10/10.

Lovelife (1997)

To be in love is to be out of your life. Or not.

[4 September 1999]

If you were ever dumped in a relationship that you thought you were perfectly happy and you don't know what to do, this movie might help. On the other hand, it might not. Lovelife deals with relationships and when they are broken, the victims have a chance to get themselves together to see what kind of a relationship they were in. Some learn from it, others don't. The cast has three beautiful actresses- Burrows, Fenn, and Gugino. Even though most of the dialogue contained typical romance-comedy cliches, there were some interesting dialogue, lines, and moments in the film. One line sums it up--if you're in love with someone, you're either with the person or thinking about being with that person. A better soundtrack, script and directing would make this movie a must see.

5/10

Your Friends and Neighbors (1998)

Revolting and Refreshing

[4 September 1999]

Your Friends and Neighbors has a stellar cast with some biting, caustic dialogue that brings the devil out of you if you ever had a relationship that ended badly. The manipulative nature of this movie has its great bites of dialogue and scenes especially with Jason Patric's character, Cary. His dipole, Mary, played by Brenneman, seemed like his opposite in ever sense of the way. The other characters were fascinating in their own respects, but the entire plot was underdeveloped with many loose ends left untied. LaBute's second effort fails to match his first (In the Company of Men, 5) and there are other movies that investigate relationships on a more optimistic level (Lovelife, 5). The orchestral Metallica score was the only artistically redeeming part of the movie in my opinion.

4/10

The Sixth Sense (1999)

The After and Current Life

[3 September 1999]

Fascinating tale between a boy and a psychiatrist. The plot is a well constructed story that develops their relationship while they overcome their individual problems. Watch as how their roles as patient and psychiatrist interchange. Excellent cinematography by Fujimoto (Silence of the Lambs) whose contrasting light and colors in various scenes set the stage for the eerie settings. The camera work by the director, Shyamalan, is very deliberate and captivating. He moves it slowly throughout the suspense scenes--capturing every little detail and crack in the wall, so we can feel that we have a part in the movie. James Howard's score is reminiscent of his work in Primal Fear, like a subtle humming in the background. Osment gives a magnificent performance as well as the rest of the cast. Mischa Barton (Lawn Dogs) is also a delight to watch. As of August 1999, it is clearly one of the best movies of the year. 8/10.