By this time in the week, the aftermath of the Oscar ceremonies have settled down. Unused speeches and once-used glamour gowns are now cast aside as the winners and losers both answer the question of most cinematic importance: "What's next?". It seems that there is an inevitable cycle that exists in the world of the creative arts. Those that sit and revel in their past accomplishments flounder too much to be able to contribute too much for the future, while those who let the works of the past remain there are able to keep that driving force going with the momentum of a fat child at an ice cream bar. I do have to say that there were few surprises in the mostly tepid evening. Though I maintain my opinion that "The Hurt Locker" won solely on it's political and not artistic merit. Personally, I fell asleep twice while watching it. "Precious", on the other hand, had me riveted to the screen long after the movie was over.
My apologies for taking a week off. Last week marked my third funeral for 2010. Somber as this year has turned out thus far, I do find comfort and solace in the fact that there is still breath in my own lungs, and that neither disease nor hubris has managed to take me down...yet. I suppose it's sufficient to recognize that in spite of the travails this new decade has brought, there are still some mighty good perks. Sexy Viewing Companion is always a great source of good-feeling. Though she lives elsewhere now, I do look forward to having her share in some of the relentless movies that keep waging war on my DVD player.
So, speaking of movies, I suppose I should move on to the real matter at hand and get on to the reviews. Today's post gets us a little further into the "A"s and includes a few gems that have eluded me for a while.
9.) ALIEN NATION
James Caan will always and forever be Sonny Corleone, but there are moments when his gruff Irish-Italian exterior plays gently into the role of burdened everyman. I've seen this movie on shelves of video stores for years. My love/hate relationship with science fiction has managed to steer me away from picking this up, and opting for the next installment in the Police Academy series instead. Fortunately, this project finally afforded me the opportunity to face my apprehension and pop this one into the machine. I was glad I did. I kind of wish I had seen it years ago. It might have altered my experience of watching District 9. Here the aliens do speak English, and there's a more human quality to them. Mandy Patinkin is great as Caan's otherworldy partner. The latent themes of racial inequality, and tolerance are less than awkward, but enjoyment is still quite capable of occurring. Plus, Terrance Stamp shows up as an alien....that's not Zod. Go figure!
10.) ALL THE LITTLE ANIMALS
This indie from across the pond is fairly trite. It does bost some good star talent in the likes of Christian Bale and John Hurt. Here we have the tale of a young heir to a department store dynasty. His dear mother has died, and he's now at the hands of his wicked stepfather (a truly original concept, thank-you very much). There's only one problem, our protagonist just happens to have some sort of mental deficiency. We're never really sure just how mentally handicapped he is, though. Christian Bale seems to play him as somewhere between Rain Man, and an extra from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Our simpleton decides to escape the abuse of his stepfather and journey out into the harsh cruel world of the verdant English countryside. Along the way, he meets an amateur conservationist and roadkill funeral director played by John Hurt. His mission is to see to it that all of God's little creatures should be afforded the dignity of a decent burial, even if they have become street pancakes. What makes all of this even more confusing is the fact that Bale's character also acts as voiceover narrator. You're never really sure just how much of this is put on, or not. I kept watching in the hopes that I would see some elements of Batman or John Connor surface, but my dreams were picked apart by the carrion that was this terrible waste of a good two hours.
11.) ALL THAT JAZZ
I have to admit that I am a fan of the American Musical (especially the ones written by Brits.) This auto-bio pic tells the somewhat fabricated story of Bob Fosse's alter-ego (played with exuberant pinache by Roy Scheider. The musical numbers are bright, splashy, daring, and a little sexy. This was one of those great movies that made me more conscious of my own artistic origins. I felt inspired by watching his tireless work ethic. And I felt that tug of warning as his excesses threatened to tear his world apart. Of all the movies that this project has presented me up to this point, this movie really made me sit up and take notice. There I was watching Chief Brody tackle a behemoth more deadly and vicious than any shark: the critics of a Broadway musical. Ann Reinking is brilliant as his on-again-off-again lover. This movie is one that will definitely find a repeat viewing in the near future. Having been a fan of Fosse's work, I especially enjoyed the personal reflections of his life that can be found in his movement. Plus, I am reminded as to why I started dancing in the first place: beautiful girls in tight, skimpy clothing. What could be more artistic than that?
12.) ALL THE KING'S MEN
I have spent a great deal of time with the novel upon which this film is based. Sean Penn is captivating as he portays a simple man caught up in the very corruption that he sought to fight by running for office in the first place. With an all-star cast featuring James Gandolfini, Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins, and Kate Winslet, this is a fairly impressive film adaptation of a book that has given me many a good naps. Having grown up in the South, I can see the progression that Penn's Willie Stark was fighting for. I grew up seeing the vestigial remnants of the Old South, the land of broken dreams. I remember being thankful that I wasn't born 60 years prior. This movie does have that inspirational message that rings out like a faulty accent. It's one that's easy to hear, but disconcerting to listen to.
13.) ALPHA DOG
Oh to live the tortured existence of a young wealthy disillusioned kid in the well-to-do suburbs of L.A. I was honestly expecting this to be movie that would cause me to reach for my glasses to correct my vision from too much eye-rolling. I was met with a film that was more fascinating than I expected. Detaching from a reality that allows these schmucks to fully exist, I was able to watch this movie and enjoy some pretty good performances. The most surprising turn came from Justin Timberlake. His drug dealing first lieutenant to Emile Hirsch's character was fierce, and sensitive. He was deceptively one-note until some real depth was required, and he showed up in full force. As always, Ben Foster came to play. He was frightening as the rival drug dealer who engages Hirsch's character in a full-on war that does not end well at all. While this movie could have easily been a petty attempt to make a Pulp Fiction for the teenie set, it ended up being of more substance and thought than I was initially going to give it credit.
I promise that I will have more reviews up soon. While my posting time has been limited, I can assure you that I have not been neglectful in my viewing duties. Pass the popcorn, this is going to be a long week!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment