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christhecat
Reviews
No Country for Old Men (2007)
The Key to the Movie is. . .
So, you saw the film, and you didn't get it, or maybe you thought "there was nothing TO get!" Well, I too love a good action movie with lots of unbelievable chase scenes and explosions and nice clean ending that wraps everything up neatly, and you can watch this movie and enjoy the action and the thrill of the hunt/chase which is really well filmed/edited (although there's not nearly enough to call this an "action" movie), but THAT is not what this film is really about.
And I'm not sure I should really tell you what it's about, but I will direct you how to get there.
The key is Tommy Lee Jones' dialog throughout the film, especially his voice-over at the very beginning (that you forget all about once the movie is going), but also his various interactions with his co-workers and friends. If you can watch the movie on DVD you should NOT tune out his dialog, you should pay very close attention to it. There are certain key phrases that come up that are deep and true and ring out like a Bible verse or a haiku. The movie is not about two men fighting over money, the movie is about Sheriff Ed Tom Bell; the rest of the action is a musical counterpoint to him. I suspect a lot of people get it backwards and come away confused.
There are some other themes in the movie (chance, fate, justice) that I find less important, but certainly they are there and shouldn't be ignored.
I have watched this film over and over the last few weeks, and come away every time with a strange feeling inside, a kind of "existential spiritualism" that I can't quite put a finger on. The movie is that deep if you give it the chance.
The Departed (2006)
Good, Entertaining, but NOT Scorsese's Best.
A good movie, entertaining crime thriller, well filmed as are nearly all Scorsese films, but something was missing and I can't say just what.
That said, the performances from Damon, Farmiga, Winstone, and O'hara were superb, while the others (mostly big-name actors) were "OK", not incredibly convincing but good.
I hate to bad-mouth Scorsese, and I DO think this is an enjoyable movie, but I guess I expect more from him. It's ironic that this is his first Oscar win; compare this to Raging Bull or even his remake of Cape Fear (which adds a lot to the original version, as opposed to this remake of Internal Affairs which adds little). This almost seems like a tossed-off quickie of a movie for Scorsese.
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
Painfully Funny, It mocks the whole of the Human Race, and We Deserve it
Yes, it's offensive. Yes, it belittles Jews, Gypsies/Roma, Kazaks, Uzbeks, Eastern Europe in general, and Americans. Yes there is lots of juvenile toilet humor.
And yes, it raked in huge box office receipts the first week, and rave reviews.
On one level "Borat" is mo more offensive than the old Candid Camera TV show-- it has just taken it to a new level (nobody ever complained about the gags on Candid camera being "staged"-- they were OBVIOUSLY staged). To enjoy the movie you have to relax, put your ego in check, and give a little willful ignorance to what is being presented; if you can read Cyrillic alphabet you know that about half of the "Russian/Kazak" text presented is complete gibberish, but I didn't let that bother me.
On another level "Borat" is deliberately offensive, tricking Americans into saying things they probably wouldn't say in other public forums (the rodeo organizer clearly stating how he'd like to kill all the homosexuals, or the entire scene with the frat-boys)-- are we offended by what Borat says, or by what WE say when he goads us? The Americans who come off the best are the ones who are easy going and not offended: the driving instructor being the best example. I got a kick out of the New Yorkers threatening to punch Borat -- I laugh, and yet I would probably act exactly the same.
Possibly the only thing that truly offended me was the extra-movie information on the Romanian village they used for the Kazak scenes, knowing that they are desperately poor and received little in compensation made me disappointed in the producers. They were mocked no more than the Americans in the film, but kicking someone when they're down isn't something I approve of.
A History of Violence (2005)
What is within us all
"If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?" --Solzhneitsyn So it is in this film, Tom Stall thinks he has killed his former evil self (his wife even says "You are the best man I have ever known") but it comes back to haunt him and his family. Ironically, that same evil self is also the same man that saves his family's life.
A remarkably subtle/understated film for Cronenberg.
The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966)
Wonderful film, perhaps classic. Treasonous?
I remember watching this as a child with my parents and enjoying it. I watched it again recently and enjoyed it more because I understood a lot of the humor I missed as a child, even laughing out loud in some parts. It's perhaps a little slow in parts, but maybe because I've grown used to modern, non-stop-wise-cracking comedies.
There are some aspects that are remarkably unrealistic: a Russian sub captain wanting to "sneak a peak" at the USA, a Russian Sub captain threatening to shell a town instead of using diplomatic detente (really-- I'm sure ALL the sailors knew how serious the tensions between the two powers were).
There are some aspects that are remarkably realistic: how the rumor of invasion grows wings and develops purely invented details, how quickly mob mentality takes over, how everyone thinks they know what's going on but clearly do not (I note that the Russians are maybe more scared than the Americans, as they always seem to be perspiring.) Indeed-- one of the themes of the film seems to be mis-communication, and how quickly misunderstanding can turn into war.
I was also thinking about "treason" while watching the film. The idea is brought up at least twice on screen. Carl Reiner's "Whittaker Walt" clearly is just trying to be a good samaritan, and doesn't want to see anybody get hurt, neither Yankee nor Slav. By the end of the film I was reminded of that sappy Sting song with the lyric "I'm sure the Russians love their children too"-- clearly the whole town has come to the same conclusion, and decides it's maybe better to be (perhaps) treasonous against their own country than to be (definitely) treasonous against their own humanity. (Besides-- how would it aid the US to go to war over a minor misunderstanding caused by a bumbling sea captain?)
The Rapture (1991)
Is this REALLY a "pro-Christian" film?
I saw this when it came out in 1991, and again recently, and it amazes me how many people see this as a purely pro-Christian film. I've always thought it was as much an indictment of fundamentalist Christianity, as "pro-Christian." Consider this: if it is such a pro-Christian film, why does the protagonist unapologetically refute Christianity at the end? And ask yourself: will this film really convert any non-believers? (Mimi Rogers' character begins the film empty inside, and ends the film just as empty-- that will hardly convince anyone who is looking for answers.)
The Rapture presents a simplified version of the millennial view that fundamentalist Christians believe and so fundamentalists see it as pro-Christian. Conversely, if you come to this film as an atheist or agnostic you will get all the bitter distaste religion already gives you in spades. I suspect anyone with a purely open mind (including non-fundamentalist Christians) will come away confused, and ponder the film for some time (indeed, that's how I felt the first time I saw it).
This film was the first to give me the notion that fundamentalist Christians have essentially given up on this world, and can't wait for The Rapture: Mimi and her co-believers have a bunker mentality, they gather together, listen to the young prophet, perhaps try to convert others, and are filled with joy that the world is coming to an end (are their lives that empty that they can't wait for the world to end?) I was reminded of this again recently (in 2006) when Israel attacked Hezbollah in Lebanon, and hundreds of posts appeared on Christian message boards from Christians who "felt like dancing" because they thought it was the beginning of the end. Such a small view of God. I would think God was infinite, and thus the universe were infinite, rather than revolving around one tiny planet, with everything predetermined, and the end coming like a carefully crafted stage-play, with the true believers cowering before the Lord, praying that their sinful neighbors all go to Hell.
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Incredible, Powerful, Degrading, Depressing, Amazing.
I bet a lot of the people who hated "My Dinner With Andre" would love this film: they're both nothing but guys talking, and yet "Andre" is intellectual/philosophy, and "Glengarry" is completely UN-intellectual-- cursing, intense acting, memorable characters (Lemon's "Shelly Levene" is the obvious inspiration for the Simpson's "Gil" the hapless salesman), and not much else. What I find most amazing (besides the acting, which is nearly flawless throughout) is how much of the dialogue is really trite and meaningless: cursing, shop-talk, complaining, boasting, avoiding the subject, and YET it is still so engrossing-- a testament to the talented actors who breathe life into it. Pacino's final scene with Pryce is perhaps my favorite-- he is desperately trying to keep Pryce on the hook, to the point of playing dumb, and makes Pryce's character look like an idiot.
I find NONE of the characters at all admirable; they all have a layer of slime on them, even Lemon's Shel "The Machine" Levene, who has a certain humanity to him (desprately trying to help his sick daughter) becomes nothing more than a greasy salesman/con man once he picks up the phone (note how his tone of voice immediately changes-- no wonder people hate salesmen so much).
My favorite line is one most people won't notice or remember (most people focus on Baldwin's haranguing or Pacino's curse-fest)-- towards the end, Arkin picks up the phone, mutter's "God, I hate this job" and dial's up a potential customer-- priceless, that says it all.
"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation."-- Thoreau (although in this case, they're not so quiet about it).
Blade Runner (1982)
Future Noir
When I see pages upon pages of comments I feel I should refrain from adding anything (what more can possibly be said?) But this film is probably the only modern noir film that keeps to the true spirit of the original "film noir" genre; you could take away most of the future-dystopia setting and it would still be a respectable gumshoe mystery thriller. Weirdly darker than the original noir feel, and yet somehow uplifting at the end too. Oddly, the original noir films were shot with very minimal settings; they made the most of simple city scenes and sets, and yet here the city has been dolled-up like some compu-TV-robot-whore, and it still works. The scenery is like another character in the film, similar to "nature" being a character in some wilderness films.
Paris, Texas (1984)
Zen Masterpiece, a haiku shot on film.
To fully appreciate this film you need to be in the right state of mind. Yes, it's a very slow film, but "boring?" I don't know-- do you find your own life boring, and need to see car chases and explosions for enjoyment? Well, then maybe it's not for you. This film almost painfully digs into the psyches of its main characters: watch Harry Dean Stanton's little tics and self-realizations (the shot where he sees himself in the mirror for the first time in years, and immediately turns away, for example); if you find it boring you're not looking close enough, not paying attention. Like Hemmingway or a haiku the simplest lines of dialog are rife with inner meaning (Walt to Travis: "You mind telling me where you're headed, Trav? what's out there?. . . . There's NOTHING out there.") Is it "like watching paint dry"?-- I don't think so, more like watching someone come back from the dead; perhaps slow, but still amazing. I found it odd that some people feel it's "pretentious"; I've always thought of it as completely unpretentious-- it IS what it IS (what is more 'zen' than that?). It presents an honest story with a minimal of bells and whistles, special effects, odd camera angles, etc. Easily one of Wender's best, and one of my all time favorites.