Movie Loner

Anyone familiar with writer/director Tom DiCillo’s phenomenal Living in Oblivion is well aware filmmaking can be excruciatingly painful. I’m amazed most movies don’t turn into disasters. In particular independent films are always at risk for falling apart. Without deep Hollywood coffers, a smaller project can be ruined by one or two bad days of shooting. For that reason I am appreciative of a movie like Box of Moonlight, DiCillo’s eccentric follow-up to Living in Oblivion.

Straight-edge electrical engineer Al Fountain (John Turturro) has just finished installing a factory gas turbine somewhere in the middle-of-nowhere rural America. Instead of going directly home to Chicago Al rents a car and sets out to rediscover Splatchee Lake, a quaint water park he once visited as a kid. Al’s perfect memory is spoiled when he finds an abandoned Splatchee sitting on a contaminated lake. Disappointed, Al hits the road and nearly crashes into a broken down car belonging to a local named Bucky (Sam Rockwell), aka The Kid. Al’s boring, joyless existence is about to get very interesting.

Al begrudgingly agrees to tow The Kid’s car home. Once there, Al is anxious to leave, but Bucky passes out so Al is forced to spend the night. A breakfast of milk and Hydrox cookies leads to a fun-filled day for Al and Bucky. Their list of activities include taking a dip in a gorgeous swimming hole, engaging in a tomato fight, and running from the cops. Free-spirited Bucky and by-the-books Al become fast, albeit unlikely, friends. Al’s short stay is extended into a 4th of July vacation as he sheds his rigid ways and injects some much-needed fun into his life.

Box of Moonlight festively illustrates how friendship can result in positive change. Al and Bucky have no friends which enables them to learn much from each other. The Kid shows Al how to cut loose; Al teaches The Kid a little bit of structure goes a long way. Turturro has made a career playing staid characters, but he adds a deadpan goofiness to Al Fountain. Rockwell never fails to impress in his comedic roles. His portrayal of the Davy Crockett attired oddball Bucky The Kid is original and hilarious. Box of Moonlight is an strange little film that will grow on you.

A scene from Box of Moonlight:

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There’s been a lot of chatter lately about the career decline of both Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Last week’s 88 Minutes did nothing to dispel the notion that Pacino is finished, and the negative grumblings surrounding the upcoming Righteous Kill won’t help either Al or Bob. Two old-timers who continue to churn out great performances in interesting films are Jack Nicholson and Michael Caine. One such film is Blood and Wine, a gritty noirish thriller that proves there is no honor among thieves.

Nicholson plays Alex Gates, a philandering Miami wine dealer looking for a big score. Alex has his eyes on a priceless necklace stashed away in a wealthy client’s palatial estate. To nab the jewels Alex partners with Vic Spansky, a short-fused safecracker dying of lung disease. Once Alex and Vic get their hands on the necklace things begin to go awry. A domestic tiff between Alex and his wife Suzanne (Judy Davis) leaves Alex unconscious. Suzanne grabs a bag, unaware it contains the stolen goods, and flees with her son Jason (Steven Dorff).

Suzanne and Jason head for the Keys with Alex and Vic in fast pursuit. The venomous Vic will do anything to reclaim the jewels. Standing in his way is Jason, who cleverly pieces together the scheme and devises a plan of his own. It’s every man for himself as Alex, Vic and Jason vie for possession of the diamonds. Self-preservation takes grip as the lure of immense riches consumes the trio of thieves.

People often complain about not liking any of the characters in a particular movie. I find that criticism ridiculous. Since when do characters have to be likable? Blood and Wine is about loathsome criminals. We’re not supposed to identify with or cheer for scumbags like Vic and Alex. Quentin Tarantino made it cool to like bad guys, but real bad guys are pieces of shit that we should abhor. Blood and Wine works because its villains get what’s coming to them. Special praise goes to Michael Caine for his spot on portrayal of the repugnant Vic.

A scene from Blood and Wine:

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I have no idea if Ed can resurrect the Hulk franchise but the guy is a terrific actor. I caught him yesterday on The Opie and Anthony show and he mentioned the film Pride and Glory, which apparently got lost in the shuffle of New Line Cinema’s absorption by Warner Bros. Movie stars Norton, Colin Farrell and Jon Voight and looks damn good. Thing has been in the can for months but the rumored release date isn’t until early 2009. Take a look at the trailer:

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I’d bake a cake but blowing out 4.5 billion candles would not be environmentally friendly. I know, Earth Day doesn’t really celebrate Earth’s birthday, but it should. Leave it to dopey humans to pick one day a year to pay attention to the place that allows us to be alive. Thankfully we have millionaires like Al Gore looking out for us. Of course, maybe if the guy had shown a spine and fought to be president back in 2000 gas wouldn’t be $4.00 a gallon. The truth isn’t inconvenient, it’s just sad. Humans care about saving humans, not the planet.

Enough about politics. We talk celluloid here at MovieLoner. In the spirit of the environment Edward Norton narrates a new series on PBS called Strange Days on Planet Earth. It starts tomorrow so check your local listings.

Here’s a preview:

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Don’t be thrown by the weird title. In Thai it translates to “A Story About 6 and 9.” I actually prefer the translation but for some reason they went with 6ixtynin9 for English audiences. Anyway, I dig it when I stumble upon a movie I’ve never heard of and thanks to IFC Channel this hidden treasure popped up on my radar. Grab your popcorn and strap in for 6ixtynin9, a dark comedy with a high body count.

Tum (Lalita Panyopas) just got fired from her finance job. Bad news for sure, but life is about to get worse for Tum. After a night filled with suicidal dreams, Tum awakens to discover a mysterious box outside her apartment door. The box contains $25,000. Tum stashes the loot and calls her friend Pen. To keep or not to keep, that is the question. Before Tum can reach a decision two thugs knock on her door looking for the box. Not buying her feigned ignorance, the two hoods get a little rough. Not a smart move because they end up dead.

Stolen money and dead guys complicate things for Tum. She quickly devises a plan: ditch the bodies and skip town with the dough. Of course the best laid plans never go smoothly. More interested parties drop by Tum’s place. A bevy of street toughs, a nosy neighbor, and a cop all pay her a visit. Gun-play and violence ensues. The demure Tum finds herself entangled in a bloody mess. Will she escape with the cash or will her illicit activities catch up with her?

Writer/director Pen-Ek Ratanaruang nimbly keeps the laughs coming despite a brutal storyline. Tum’s improbable plunge into darkness never rings false. A ridiculous series of events powers the plot forward offering a fair share of twists along the way. Lalita Panyopas delivers a pinpoint performance as Tum, an unlikely criminal mastermind. Her striking face reveals a myriad of emotions from innocence to rage and everything in between. 6ixtynin9 was a pleasant surprise and I love to share my surprises. If you don’t mind a lot of blood, give it a watch.

The trailer for 6ixtynin9:

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What do Sid Vicious, Lee Harvey Oswald, Ludwig van Beethoven and Dracula have in common? Two words: Gary Oldman. The great British thespian has portrayed each person at one time or another. I realize I’ve been trashing the Oscars here lately, but it seems appropriate to question their validity when an actor as gifted as Oldman has never received a nomination. His explosive performance in State of Grace went unnoticed because the movie somehow slipped through the cracks. Hopefully, this review will help right a wrong.

After a ten year absence, Terry Noonan (Sean Penn) returns to the tough streets of Hells Kitchen. Reunited with childhood best pal Jackie Flannery (Oldman), Terry resumes a lifestyle of drinking and carousing. A reputation for being a “shooter” lands Terry a spot in the Irish mafia, run by Jackie’s brother Frankie (Ed Harris). A major deal between Frankie and the Italian mob is contingent on Frankie keeping loose-cannon Jackie under control, but the grisly murder of a friend sets an unstable Jackie on a path to revenge.

Terry’s trip down memory lane includes rekindling a romance with first love Kathleen (Robin Wright), who happens to be Jackie and Frankie’s sister. Balancing his feelings for Kathleen and his loyalty to Jackie causes Terry inner turmoil. No amount of booze can drown his demons. Terry reveals a secret that will force him to betray the Flannerys. While dealing with his own duplicity, Terry uncovers another betrayal that threatens Jackie. Terry soon finds himself at odds with Frankie, leading to a bloody St. Patrick’s Day confrontation.

Once you’ve seen The Godfather all other mob movies pale in comparison. However, Coppola’s over-romanticized vision of the mafia is far from reality. The gritty, low-rent picture painted in State of Grace is much more accurate. There’s no ostentatious estates or tailor-made suits to be found. Cramped apartments and cheap leather jackets define Hells Kitchen. Phil Joanou proficiently directs a smart script by Dennis McIntyre. Penn, Harris and Wright are all excellent but Oldman makes the movie. His dead-on portrayal of hotheaded Jackie is among his best. State of Grace is a dynamic film that shouldn’t have been overlooked.

The trailer for State of Grace:

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I’ve never put much stock in the Academy Awards but I’m shocked that Paul Newman has only won 1 Oscar in his illustrious career. Believe it or not films like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Hud, Cool Hand Luke and The Verdict netted him zero wins. Not to mention he wasn’t even nominated for The Long Hot Summer, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting. His most recent and potentially his last nomination for Best Leading Actor was in Nobody’s Fool, a smart little movie that allowed Newman to showcase his incredible range as an actor.

Newman plays Sully, a set-in-his-ways odd jobber who calls the quiet hamlet of Bath, New York home. Upon the arrival of his son Peter (Dylan Walsh), whom he abandoned long ago, Sully’s routine existence is turned topsy-turvy. When he’s not participating in good-natured hijinks with town rival Carl Roebuck (Bruce Willis), Sully attempts to connect with his son and grandson Will. Being a dad-figure proves difficult for Sully; painful memories of his abusive father have left indelible scars. However, Sully’s gruff personality grows on people. Soon he forges a relationship with Peter and Will.

There isn’t much of a story to follow, but it hardly matters. Sully’s droll antics are more than enough to sustain a thin plot. Stealing a snowblower, flirting with Carl’s wife, punching a cop, and verbally sparring with everyone he encounters are some examples of Sully’s acerbic behavior. Gimping around on a bum knee and scowling at every chance, Donald “Sully” Sullivan never fails to entertain. I only hope I can be as cool a grandfather as Sully.

Writer/director Robert Benton has a storied career of his own. Two Oscars for Kramer vs. Kramer, another one for Places in the Heart, and he co-wrote Bonnie and Clyde. Nobody’s Fool is a well-conceived character study perfect for the likes of Newman. The role of Sully allows Newman to be charming, funny, tough, and conflicted. A quality supporting cast features Jessica Tandy, Melanie Griffith, Pruitt Taylor Vince and a young Philip Seymour Hoffman. If your a Paul Newman fan and you missed this exceptional movie, do yourself a favor and find it.

The trailer for Nobody’s Fool:

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Certain filmmakers distinguish themselves by their willingness to be unconventional. They don’t get bogged down in traditional narrative and plot devices. Instead, they tell their story the way they want to tell it. Writer/director Wong Kar Wai has established himself as one of the more original and inventive guys making movies today. Atmosphere, emotion, and nuance are staples of any Kar Wai film. In 2046, Kar Wai takes us on a hypnotic journey to 1960s Southeast Asia to explore the romantic entanglements of struggling writer Chow Mo Wan.

Tony Leung plays Chow Mo Wan, reprising his role from In the Mood For Love. Heartbroken from his affair five years prior, Chow returns to Hong Kong and takes up residence at a seedy hotel to pen exotic pulp fiction. One of his stories tells of a futuristic train that travels to the year 2046 to a place where people can recapture memories. When he’s not writing, Chow indulges in drink and women. Leery of emotional attachment he beds as many beauties as possible. For all his writing and womanizing Chow cannot forget the loss of his one true love, Su Li Zhen.

Three of Chow’s women take center stage. First, a black-gloved gambler (Gong Li) who reluctantly eschews his advances; second, a neighboring seductress (Ziyi Zhang) who falls under his charming spell; third, Chow’s landlord’s introverted daughter (Faye Wong) who pines for her Japanese lover. Chow pursues each woman for different reasons but none can heal his wounded heart. He refuses to search for solace. Instead, sorrow consumes his weakened soul. Chow doesn’t want to forget his past; to forget would be too easy; to forget would deny his love existed.

Smeared lipstick. A dancing trail of cigarette smoke. Lovers playfully wrestling. A woman’s anguished face. Just a few of the memorable images in 2046. Kar Wai sets a mood that delivers. From the claustrophobic hallways and rooms of the Oriental Hotel to crowded restaurants and cramped gambling halls, Kar Wai keeps his camera close. A confined atmosphere traps the characters in frame and exposes the uncomfortableness of their heartache. They can’t escape their damaged lives. The audience can’t escape either. Wong Kar Wai keeps us engaged throughout. 2046 is a haunting film about the lovelorn and the broken.

The trailer for 2046:

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