Movie Loner

I usually avoid movies about dogs or starring dogs. Lassie, Benjie, Hooch, aren’t what I look for in a protagonist. A friend over at StumbleUpon recommended The Dog Problem so I took the bait. It’s been awhile since I’ve laughed-out-loud watching a comedy, but this little nugget of gold had me guffawing throughout. This film is one reason why I ask people to share their personal favorites.

Giovanni Ribisi plays Solo, an out-of-work writer with a penchant for self-loathing. Lonely and in need of distraction Solo heeds his therapist’s advice and buys a dog. His idle existence is turned upside down the moment the lovable mutt enters his apartment. In an attempt at bonding, Solo takes his nameless pooch to the dog park where he meets a celibate exotic dancer named Lola. An incident involving Lola’s dog sends Solo to the vet and ends in him owing Lola money.

Solo considers giving the dog up, until a low-rent hood (who he also owes money) and a flighty puppy broker take a deviant interest in the little tyke. Dodging his pursuers, Solo crashes at his buddy Casper’s place. A budding romance with Lola is interrupted by the disappearance of his four-legged friend. The dog’s sudden absence makes Solo realize he finally cares for something besides himself.

Known for playing tough guys in movies like Boiler Room, American Outlaws and Dallas 362, Writer/Director Scott Caan (Jimmy’s kid) tones it way down in this sharp little farce. Casting himself as the assured Casper, Caan complements Ribisi’s insecure Solo wonderfully. Ribisi deserves credit as well for giving Jimmy the Dog center stage. Jimmy’s indifference to his owner is priceless. Need a few good laughs, check out The Dog Problem.

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When I saw this movie I was the only one in the theater. I remember thinking what I have gotten myself into. This thing is going to stink. But how often does one get a private screening at the multiplex? Try never. I was going to enjoy the experience even if the film was garbage. Turns out Alfonso Cuaron’s retelling of the Dickens classic is an inventive adaptation that really works.

Set in modern times Great Expectations tells the story of Finnegan Bell, a shy little boy with an artistic eye. After his sister splits, Finn is raised by her boyfriend, Joe, a fisherman/handyman. A landscaping job leads to Finn being “hired” by Ms. Dinsmoor, the eccentric proprietor of Paradiso Perduto, a dilapidated mansion beset by nature situated on the coastal waters of Florida. Ms. Dinsmoor requires Finn to draw pictures and dance with her young niece Estella, a pretentious seductress in training. Finn becomes immediately smitten and as he grows so does his love for Estella.

After high school, Estella moves to Europe while Finn goes to work with Joe. Finn leaves behind his childhood, his desire for Estella, and his will to draw. One day a lawyer shows up with a plane ticket to New York City and the promise of an art gallery opening. A mysterious benefactor wants all of Finn’s dreams to come true. Finn accepts the offer and heads for the Big Apple. He resurrects his drawing and his feelings for Estella, who he meets one day in the park. Now engaged, Estella resumes toying with Finn’s emotions. Unable to resist, Finn pursues the elusive Estella risking heartache once again.

Cuaron shoots this gorgeous looking film with a palette of green. The color symbolizes natural growth; growth in the characters as they maneuver through the stages of their lives. It also represents envy; Finn’s envy toward the wealth and privilege awarded Estella, and her envy toward his ability to love passionately, without malice. Great Expectations features an incredible cast that includes Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Chris Cooper, Robert De Niro and the late Anne Bancroft, who glows as the manipulative, broken-hearted Ms. Dinsmoor.

A scene from Great Expectations:

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I’d like to offer up some praise to the Sundance Channel and IFC. If you love lesser-known films like I do these two outlets are invaluable to discovering underground celluloid. I consider myself relatively knowledgeable but I never heard of Punishment Park until I saw it on Sundance. Considering its controversial subject matter I’m not surprised it’s been buried for so long.

In a fractured United States of America government dissidents are dragged before a tribunal. The guilty are then given a choice: serve a mandatory sentence in Federal incarceration or participate in a cruel gauntlet called Punishment Park. Those who select the latter must endure a brutal fifty mile trek through the desert with law enforcement in fast pursuit. At the end of this race awaits an American flag and the promise of freedom.

Following the inmates and cops is a British documentary film crew who conduct interviews with both sides in an attempt to understand this bizarre penalty. A straightforward expose on American crime and punishment gradually turns ugly as the television crew (and us) learn that law enforcement has no intention of allowing the prisoners to reach their destination. In fact, they have no intention of letting the prisoners live.

Punishment Park was directed by British documentarian Peter Watkins. I doubt an American filmmaker could have gotten away with this. Made during the Vietnam era, the film’s depiction of a dystopian society ruled by an unforgiving police state painfully resembles America during the late 60s and early 70s. The characters are given no voice. Pacifism and radicalism are deemed culpable offenses. Also called into question is the responsibility of the media; can and should the press remain impartial after witnessing such atrocities? Is a camera ever really objective? Punishment Park is a searing film that should not be ignored. If you can find it, see it.

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Here’s some guys and gals I feel are operating at the top of their game. They might not be pumping out films like Indie icons Steve Buscemi and Parker Posey, but their work is exceptional in every way.

5) Allesandro Nivola - Broke onto the scene playing Nic Cage’s little bro Pollux Troy in Face/Off. Has done mainstream fare like Jurassic Park III and most recently starred alongside Jessica Alba in The Eye. However, Allesandro shines when he dons the indie garb. Give him a quality character and he’ll run with it.

Essential viewing: I Want You, Best Laid Plans, Laurel Canyon, Junebug

Best role: Rock-star lothario Ian McKnight in Lisa Cholodenko’s superb Laurel Canyon. Holds his own next to Frances McDormand and showcases a credible singing voice.

4) Joesph Gordon-Levitt - The 27 year old cut his teeth as Tommy Solomon, alien genius disguised as a teenager, on TV’s “3rd Rock from the Sun.” He’s come a long way since those days. Unafraid to bare his soul, Gordon-Levitt has carved out a solid niche in independent cinema. Those days may unfortunately be ending as upcoming projects include GI Joe and Akira.

Essential viewing: Manic, Mysterious Skin, Brick, The Lookout

Best role: Tortured gay hustler Neil McCormick in Greg Araki’s powerful Mysterious Skin. Sheds all inhibitions playing a self-destructive teen haunted by sexual abuse.

3) Lili Taylor - I first noticed Lili Taylor stealing scenes as John Cusack’s best friend Corey in Say Anything. Her resume since then is chock full of memorable performances. She nails comedy, drama, and crazy with ease. A couple Emmy nominations for HBO’s “Six Feet Under” and an Independent Spirit Award are deserving accolades.

Essential viewing: Dogfight, Short Cuts, Household Saints, I Shot Andy Warhol, High Fidelity

Best role: Crazed feminist-Nazi Valerie Jean Solanas in Mary Harron’s I Shot Andy Warhol. A truly scary portrayal, Taylor embodies the spirit of the man-hating radical whose claim to fame was the attempted assassination of Andy Warhol.

2) Peter Sarsgaard - Often referred to as a young John Malkovich, Sarsgaard has built an incredible body of work in a very short period of time. Known for selecting off-beat parts in smaller films and delivering stand-out performances it seems likely an Oscar is in his future.

Essential viewing: Boys Don’t Cry, Center of the World, The Salton Sea, Shattered Glass, Kinsey

Best role: Murderer/rapist John Lotter in Kimberly Peirce’s stunning Boys Don’t Cry. His frightening turn as a raging homophobe is not to be missed.

1) Patricia Clarkson - Got her start playing opposite Kevin Costner in The Untouchables and Clint Eastwood in The Dead Pool. Twenty years later she continues to impress playing disparate, often scarred women from drug addicts, to housewives, to hippies. This slender, deep-voiced talent grows more beautiful with age.

Essential viewing: High Art, The Safety of Objects, Far From Heaven, Pieces of April, All the Real Girls

Best role: Bitter, laconic dope fiend Greta in Lisa Cholodenko’s High Art. One of the most realistic strung-out characters I’ve ever seen.

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Movies about Hollywood are either hit or miss. The Player and Swimming With Sharks are home runs. Bowfinger and The Pickle go down swinging. I find it interesting when filmmakers get introspective and turn their camera on the maddeningly silly business that is showbiz. One of my favorites is Brian De Palma’s Body Double, an engaging romp about voyeurism, murder, and pornography. What’s not to like?

Struggling B-actor Jake Scully is having a bad week. First he finds his girlfriend on top of another guy, then he gets canned from a cheap Vampire flick after suffering a bout of claustrophobia. Drowning his sorrows at a Hollywood watering hole Jake bumps into Sam, a guy from his acting class. Aware that Jake needs a place to crash, Sam offers up an outlandish octagonal bachelor pad on stilts in the Hollywood Hills. A grateful Jake accepts the house-sitting gig, just as long as he remembers to water the plants.

The house is loaded with perks: big-screen TV, fully stocked bar, and a telescope pointed into a neighboring bedroom where a sultry brunette performs a nightly striptease. Jake immediately becomes infatuated with the raven-haired beauty and her erotic routine. The spy game ultimately leads to murder, so Jake takes on the role of detective in search of a strange disfigured Indian. His probing lands him in the sleazy world of adult films where he meets porn starlet Holly Body (Melanie Griffith), who holds the key to this Hollywood murder mystery.

Body Double is a stylish thriller with a clever, twisting plot that never disappoints. De Palma once again borrows from Hitchcock, this time paying homage to Rear Window in a masterfully constructed cat-and-mouse chase sequence. Dramatic lighting, skewed camera angles, and a tense musical score heighten the suspense. Craig Wasson is ideal as Jake Scully, a schlub-like hero who we want to see win in the end. Griffith is also terrific; her portrayal of the ditsy, straight-shooting Holly Body is hilarious. I can’t get enough of this movie.

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Before The Matrix made Neo and Trinity household names there was Crash Override and Acid Burn, the hacker handles used by Jonny Lee Miller and a young Angelina Jolie. Hackers is a guilty pleasure for me; the script is thin, the acting over-the-top, and the cyber-geek characters a little too cool and little too perfect. That being said, the movie is loads of fun to watch.

Miller plays Dade Murphy, a teen wunderkind with a punkish wardrobe, who years before got busted by the Secret Service for writing a computer virus that crashed over 1000 systems in one day. Little Dade’s punishment resulted in his computer privileges being taken away until his 18th birthday. Well, you can’t keep a good hacker down, so Dade hooks up with a group of fellow cyber savants called the “elite.” Chief among them is Kate Libby (Jolie), a steely eyed vixen with a mean set of fingers. Naturally, Dade and Kate are immediately attracted to one another.

Things get serious when Dade and Co. uncover a dastardly plot by corporate pirates to steal money by unleashing a devastating virus. These nefarious villains are led by a security expert known as ‘The Plague’, a trenchcoat wearing, skateboard riding super-nerd joyously played by Fisher Stevens. With the Secret Service in hot pursuit, the gang of hackers try to bring down The Plague in an intense cyberspace duel where laptops are the weapons of choice.

Hackers was one of the first films to introduce the underground cyber counterculture. The story is somewhat implausible, but inventive graphics and a pounding electronic soundtrack make the movie wildly entertaining. Director Iain Softley injects the plot with large doses of cool, from tricky cinematography to cutting-edge costumes. Hackers doesn’t claim to be an authority on hacking protocol, it just tries to be fun. That’s where it succeeds.

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When I was twelve years old I got lost in the woods. I had explored these woods hundreds of times before, but one day I decided to venture further. My bearings were askew and I couldn’t find my way. Panic set in. I started mumbling, naively trying to convince myself I knew where I was. After about thirty minutes I located a familiar tree. Not a crisis, but it freaked me out. I was reminded of that day while watching Gerry.

Two friends (Matt Damon and Casey Affleck) go for a hike in a desert park. Supplied with only a can of soda and a lighter they set off down the trail in search of some unnamed landmark. A turn here, a twist there, and the two men, who refer to themselves only as Gerry, are lost. Night falls, they build a fire, smoke cigarettes, and spin tales of video game dominance. The next morning they trek off again, fully confident they’ll discover their way back.

One day turns into two, then three. A hilly, brush strewn topography gradually transforms into sandy, barren desert. The two Gerries climb rocky cliffs and scout a sprawling nothingness before them. They say very little, electing to move forward rather than accept their terrifying fate. The pounding heat takes its toll; dehydration and exhaustion set in. Frustration turns to anger, anger turns to paralyzing fear. Will they escape their desolate prison? Will they survive?

Director Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting) paints a disturbing canvas with an experimental brush. Unusually long takes combined with sparse dialogue reinforce the characters’ isolation as well as ours. Endless shots of walking lead nowhere on purpose. Van Sant wants us to be lost along with the two Gerries. A compelling sense of dread hangs over this film. It’s not easy to watch, but it’s difficult to take your eyes away. Gerry is definitely an acquired taste but if you don’t mind different, give it a shot.

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It’s refreshing when filmmakers get it right. Make a comedy you should have some genuine laughs. A horror flick better include a few good scares. Movies about young love are tricky; they’re often cliche-filled melodramas wrapped in happy-endings with bows on top. Love isn’t that simple. Writer/Director David Gordon Green’s All the Real Girls poetically shows us love is great, love is special, and love is damn confusing.

Paul is a twenty-something small town slacker known for his womanizing ways. He hangs with his buddies Tip, Bo, and Bust-Ass (yeah, that’s his name!). Together they fix old cars and swap tales of sexual conquests. Then Paul meets Noel, the younger sister of best friend Tip. The virginal Noel just returned home after years away at boarding school. What begins as friendship quickly evolves. Innocent Noel falls for reckless Paul, and Paul feels something foreign to him. Love.

Thrown by his feelings, Paul seeks advice from his mom and uncle, who both warn him to be careful. He listens but can’t help but confess to Noel how deeply he cares for her. Noel decides to trust Paul with her heart. However, Noel’s weekend trip to the lake threatens irreparable damage to her relationship with Paul. Trusting someone comes at a price. Paul learns this lesson the hard way.

David Gordon Green understands the film medium. He shoots the bucolic North Carolina landscapes with a keen, caring eye. He also writes real characters, funny yet flawed. A scene between Paul and Tip, where Tip admits to his glaring immaturity, is quite poignant. High praise to Paul Schneider and Zooey Deschanel for putting the exact right amount of emotion into their portrayals of Paul and Noel. Their chemistry makes the movie. Remember the name David Gordon Green. He gets it.

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