April 4-6, 2008

So recently in my other blog I made a post about three awesome movies I had seen. I liked putting that post together because it helped me organize my thoughts on those movies. I also mentioned how I watch three movies I rent from Netflix every weekend. So I got the idea for this blog. Basically writeups, great or small, on the movies I saw over the weekend. I can't say this blog will be particularly entertaining as it will be essentially movie reviews, but it'll help me and it costs nothing. So there we are. And perhaps months from now I'll be able to parlay it into a successful side career of a film reviewer and ditch this whole science gig. So anyways, on with the reviews.

Kill Bill, Vol 2. -

I'm coming to the opinion that Quentin Tarantino shouldn't be allowed near a movie camera. I saw this film described as "inventive". Well, it IS inventive at times, but it also is juvenile at times. And those two times seem to clash discordantly. Lots of the black and white filmed sequences are quite beautiful and well crafted. But then they are followed up by the "school role call" scene and I want to smack someone. The Kill Bill films are such a mishmash, incoherent goulash of genres and styles it almost makes me seasick. Sure, it can be fun to mix things, and I know he is paying homage to film styles he loves, but you just can't put them all in the same film.

Tarantino really is quite overrated, in my opinion. I know that will be unpopular with my readership, but he is. Ok, Pulp Fiction was well crafted. You will notice how the style of the various segments were internally consistent. But everyone went "oooooo look, non-linear storytelling, how avant garde!" Hate to tell you folks, but he's not the first person to think of it. And Reservoir Dogs was basically Pulp Fiction part II, just with more blood and nihilism. Not that I think these are bad films, just that they aren't all that everyone makes them out to be.

Back to Kill Bill Vol. 2. Two things really pull this film up from "mindlessly annoying" to "tolerable" for me. One, the acting job done by Uma Thurman. I'm not a big Uma Thurman fan. But I do admit she did quite a good job with her role, really imbuing a scripted two dimensional character with a third dimension. Kudos Ms. Thurman. The other thing? David Carradine being his awesome self. He was so fantastic as Bill in this movie, I almost started rooting for him. I was like, "damn, he's a pretty good father. I hope they works things out!"

Grade: C+

Glengarry Glen Ross -

I can see why so many people love this film. First off, it's written by David Mamet, so you know it's going to have interesting and well crafted characters in addition to sparkling if not slightly-unrealistic dialogue. The directing is....I think the best word to describe it is "sweaty", which is a good thing. It has a lot of noir-ish tendencies, with stark black and white framing, lots of action at night, lots of rain. It gives the feeling that everything is damp and oppressive, which is perfect for the tone of the film. The cast is an astounding assemblage of talent. And, I mean this truly, I simply cannot find a superlative good enough to describe the acting. It was uniformly heavenly. It was a little disconcerting to hear Jack Lemmon swearing so profusely, but it was perfect for the character. The actors didn't dig into their parts, they didn't wear them, or air them with subtlety. The actors BECAME their parts. I am in awe...AWE...of the acting of this film. I read where actors that didn't filming to be done on days still showed up on set just to watch other actors ply their craft. I can see why.

Yet, one thing really dampened this film for me. It was about salesmen. The protagonists were salesmen. They were supposed to represent the plight of the common working man, just trying to get through the day with a paycheck. But they were salesmen. To say I dislike salesmen is a vast understatement. I despise salesmen. I loathe them. I spit bile at them. They are parasitic leeches who's sole purpose is to convince me to do something I inherently don't want to do, to strip away my free will. I find them completely unsympathetic people. Therefore, I found it difficult to empathize with them (or as my film teacher would call it, suturing) when all I wanted to do is rip their throats out with my teeth.

Grade: B

Stranger Than Fiction -

I very much enjoyed this film. I went out and bought this film. But I'm not going to say that it is a good film. What do I mean by good? I realize this is a subjective term, but I will define a good film as one that I expect people with two brain cells to rub together will enjoy. A sort of universal enjoyability. What do you know, that's a word. Anyways, this film isn't good in that sense. The story is stilted at times, and lacks a sort of internal questioning; it takes too much for granted. The acting is uneven, particularly by Emma Thompson which is very disappointing considering that at this point she is probably my favorite actress. And let's not overlook the cognitive dissonance that arises from Will Ferrell playing a restrained and undertoned role. Don't get me wrong, he does a damn fine job with it, far better than I expected, but this is Will Ferrell we're talking about. He should be running around in his underwear, not playing a role with restraint. It's just confusing. You are going to have to get past these things to enjoy the film. But here's how you can do it.

For one, Maggie fucking Gyllenhaal. She is so rapidly climbing up the wall of my estimation it's scary. First her amazing turn in Secretary which I've already gushed on. Now this movie, where she plays a very minor character but does it with such depth and compassion. It would've been very easy to just mail this role in as a cliche, but she doesn't. Two, Dustin Hoffman being Dustin Hoffman. Nuff said. Three, and most importantly, the subtlety.

While the particulars of the plot mechanics stand out to most people, when you boil it down the story is as old as the hills. Milquetoast faced with the prospect of his demise suddenly rediscovers and reaffirms the glory and beauty of life. I was expecting the cliched things that come from this sort of plot. But they didn't really show up, not in force. Will Ferrells character, the milquetoast, does rediscover life. He does change. But he doesn't become a new person. He starts out a quiet, socially inept person, but then becomes a quiet, socially inept person with a quiet, socially inept zest for life. For example, one of his dreams is to learn how to play the guitar. So he goes out and buys a guitar. But he doesn't suddenly become a rocker or anything. He quietly and patiently teaches himself to play one song. Another example. He wants to woo the love interest. But he doesn't sweep her up in his arms and recite love poetry or bend her over backwards with a kiss. He makes a small, kind gesture, perfectly fitting with his person. It's such a subtle bit of characterization. He doesn't suddenly become this outgoing, extroverted bon vivant. He's still the same shy, quiet person, but now he's trying new things in a shy, quiet way. It's the most realistic vision of this kind of personal change I've seen. I have to give Will Ferrell credit. I was impressed as hell.

The ending was a bit "oh..well then. Ok." But it sort of fits with the story in a cutesy meta-sense. So yeah, I won't say it's a good film, but I really really liked it. It appealed to my person.

Grade: B-