Movie Loner

One of my favorite films is Fight Club. If you haven’t seen it, shame on you, but if you haven’t stop reading because I’m going to give away the story. The movie is about a paranoid schizophrenic who wages a crusade against capitalism and everything associated with the “establishment.” Despite the presence of Brad Pitt the film is quite subversive, taking shots at everything from self-help groups to IKEA furniture. I dig subversive movies; they are becoming a rare breed in American cinema. Luckily, European filmmakers still have balls. From Germany, I give you The Edukators.

Peter and Jan are best friends and budding revolutionists. Their method of sticking it to the “man” consists of breaking into mansions and rearranging furniture. To top it off, they leave mundane notes that read “you make too much money,” signed The Edukators. Jule is Peter’s girlfriend. Drowning in debt, Jule is forced to give up her apartment and move in with Peter and Jan. After Peter leaves on a trip to Spain, Jan and Jule begin hanging out. Jule soon takes a liking to Jan’s idealistic ways. Jan reveals his late-night transgressions to Jule, prompting her to press Jan into infiltrating the estate owned by the man she is indebted to, a man named Hardenberg.

Carelessness leads Jan and Jule to be discovered by a returning from vacation Hardenberg. Jan and Jule panic, knock out Hardenberg, then call Peter for advice. Peter arrives and the three decide the best course of action is to kidnap Hardenberg. They head for a remote mountain cabin to hide out until they figure their next move. Hardenberg is chastised for his extravagant lifestyle. Jan and Jule try to conceal their romance from Peter. Their cozy retreat becomes a hotbed for political debate as the two sides expound philosophies only to learn that they share much in common. The older, content Hardenberg rediscovers his defiant past. Jan, Jule and Peter accept responsibility for their youthful misdeeds. Everyone receives a much needed education.

Director Hans Weingartner deserves praise for keeping the story tied to reality. Intelligent discourse as opposed to needless violence steers the plot. Weingartner gives his characters time to fully develop, allowing the audience to witness each one’s transformation from start to finish. Fine performances are delivered by the four leads, in particular a convincing Daniel Bruhl who plays the rebellious Jan. The Edukators is about combating the system, but it’s also about friendship, young love, and the complacency of wealth, making it a complete film worth seeing.

The trailer for The Edukators:

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The 1980s catches hell for being a shitty decade for movies. Hard to argue the point after notorious bombs like Heaven’s Gate and Ishtar left a foul stench permeating studio backlots. Not to mention four of the worst Best Picture Winners in ten years with the likes of Ordinary People, Chariots of Fire, Driving Miss Daisy, and Dances With Wolves. Alright, so the 80s sucked. However, a lot of quality flicks by great directors went unnoticed without reason. William Friedkin’s To Live and Die in L.A. is one such film. Violent and provocative it stands as one of the decade’s best crime thrillers.

U.S. Treasury Agent Richard Chance (William Peterson) just lost his partner at the hands of elusive counterfeiter Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe). Chance, along with new partner John Vukovich, embark on an obsessive mission to bring down Masters. A distraught Chance eschews procedure and will stop at nothing to exact vengeance. His reckless behavior causes tension with Vukovich, but Chance’s experience and charisma are enough to convince his reluctant partner to join him on a path toward personal and professional destruction.

Chance and Vukovich go undercover to get close to Masters. They set up a deal but need $50,000 to buy in. Unable to secure cash from the Agency Chance devises a scheme to rob a drug mule. A simple plan implodes, leaving the drug mule dead, and Chance and Vukovich racing the wrong way down the L.A. freeway with armed gunmen in chase. Narrowly escaping with the 50K the duo secure a meeting with Masters to purchase funny money. A late night rendezvous leads to a bloody and shocking climax.

No one gets out of this movie alive or unscathed. Questions of morality are aplenty as the line between “good” and “bad” is constantly crossed. Everyone breaks the rules, everyone is in it for themselves. I can’t remember seeing a more engaging group of dishonest scumbags in one film, except maybe Pulp Fiction. William Peterson carries the story as the driven, arrogant Chance and Willem Dafoe provides a chilling turn as the serpentine Rick Masters. Friedkin never takes his foot off the gas pushing the action-filled plot forward, highlighted by an intense car chase rivaling the one from his masterful The French Connection. To Live and Die in L.A. belongs on the list of great 80s cop movies alongside 48 HRS., Year of the Dragon, and Lethal Weapon.

The trailer for To Live and Die in L.A.:

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Writer/director Hal Hartley helped shape independent cinema in the 1990s. Films like The Unbelievable Truth, Trust, Simple Men, and Henry Fool stood out for their unique consistent styles. Deadpan dialogue and oddball characters defined Hartley’s peculiar method of filmmaking. Be it emotionally unstable loners or undiscovered geniuses, Hartley never failed to craft memorable screen personas. His best film, in my opinion, is Amateur, a clever little caper about pornography and nymphomaniac nuns. Seriously, I’m not kidding.

World famous porn star Sofia just pushed her notorious porn kingpin husband Thomas out the window. Sofia, believing Thomas to be dead, flees to the streets of NYC. Thomas, not dead, wakes up with amnesia and stumbles into a diner where he meets ex-nun turned erotic writer Isabelle. Bored and starving for experiences, Isabelle takes in Thomas in part to help him discover his identity. Meanwhile, Sofia calls old friend Edward and sweet talks him into revealing Thomas’ boss Jaque, a corporate tyrant who doesn’t like loose ends.

A naive Sofia gives Jaque a ring claiming she has some incriminating floppy disks in her possession. Jaque dispatches a couple nattily attired hitmen to take care of Sofia and collect the disks. Edward gets tortured by the hitmen. One of the hitmen gets whacked by Sofia. Then Isabelle, Thomas and Sofia head upstate to hide out with the one remaining hitman, a crazed Edward, and a bevy of NYPD in hot pursuit. Oh yeah, in between all that Isabelle professes she’s a nymphomaniac (even though she’s a virgin) and falls for Thomas.

Did you get all that? This is a typical Hal Hartley narrative, nonsensical but absurdly funny. Hartley regulars like Martin Donovan and Elina Lowensohn fill out an eclectic cast. Scant set pieces and a minimalist score are signature Hartley and it’s these simplicities that make his films original. His budgets have always been super-low and Amateur is no exception, but he’s always manages to squeeze the most out of every dollar. Amateur, like all Hartley’s movies, is an acquired taste but I promise it’s worth sampling.

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Back in 1995 Sean Penn wrote and directed The Crossing Guard. The movie starring Jack Nicholson was about a tortured father seeking vengeance against the drunk driver who killed his daughter. Like most of Penn’s directing work it was a maudlin exploration of human suffering. Not awful, not exactly provocative either. Red Road covers similar ground but exchanges depressing tonalities for thrilling intrigue.

Kate Dickie plays Jackie, a quiet, lonely woman who works as a CCTV operator in Glasgow’s Red Road slum district. She spends her days observing rows of monitors in an effort to curtail neighborhood crime. One day she eyes a man she recognizes, a man who awakens disturbing memories. The man is Clyde Henderson, a locksmith with a criminal past. At first, Jackie uses her job to track Clyde’s movements. Once her obsession escalates, she begins to follow him on foot. Jackie remains fearful but her dogged pursuit ultimately brings her face-to-face with Clyde.

Jackie crashes a party, befriending Clyde’s roommate Stevie, before dancing intimately with Clyde himself. Battling disgust, she nevertheless becomes attracted to her lecherous tormentor. Unable to control her desires an inevitable sexual encounter occurs, leading a panicked Jackie to spring a trap on Clyde with an accusation of rape. Clyde’s tragic connection to Jackie is finally revealed. After years of hiding, Jackie confronts her hatred in hopes of burying it forever and finding a path to forgiveness. To do so is to live again.

Writer/director Andrea Arnold’s debut feature-length film packs a wallop. Set at a methodical pace, the story unfolds like an old-fashioned mystery. Who is Clyde Henderson? What does Jackie want with him? Hints are dropped along the way but the picture is clouded until the powerful ending. Kate Dickie, who I’ve never seen before, delivers an impressive performance as the haunted, withdrawn Jackie. She carries the film admirably. The best thing about Red Road is its sparseness. No over-the-top acting, no over-dramatic score, no shocking climax; just a tightly woven plot that reaches a satisfying conclusion. In other words, what movies should be.

The trailer for Red Road:

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One of my ex-girlfriends once called me a jaded son-of-a-bitch. I think she accused me of being emotionally detached. I was too busy laughing at her college level pyscho-babel to be certain, but she definitely didn’t like my attitude. Truth is I was emotionally detached from her because she was a whining bore. I’ll admit I’m a cynic, but my cynicism doesn’t carry over to the movies. After watching The Kite Runner I was reminded that life is filled with poignant stories of self-discovery capable of stirring emotions, even in asses like me.

It’s the late 70s in Kabul, Afghanistan. Amir, son of well-to-do businessman Baba, is best friends with Hassan, the son of Baba’s longtime servant, Ali. The boys spend their days wandering the streets, reading stories and flying kites. Hassan’s loyalty to Amir is unwavering; he fearlessly protects Amir from bullies and relishes his role as “kite runner”, running after kites that Amir cuts down. Amir is a timid boy, preferring to write and study rather than stand up for himself, much to the chagrin of his fearless father. Amir’s cowardice has devastating repercussions when he fails to step in while Hassan is brutally assaulted by older boys. The tragic incident fractures the boys’ friendship eventually leading to Ali and Hassan leaving Baba’s service.

Russia’s subsequent invasion of Afghanistan forces Baba and Amir to flee to Pakistan. Their journey takes them to Fremont, California where years later Amir graduates from college. While dreaming of becoming a writer, Amir falls in love with the beautiful Soraya and must endure his father’s failing health. In early 2001, Amir is called back to Afghanistan where he receives news of Hassan’s death. Amir’s guilt from his childhood betrayal is resurrected. A chance at redemption sends him back to Kabul to rescue Hassan’s orphaned son from the oppressive grip of the Taliban regime. Faced with real danger the grown Amir does what the young Amir could not — he risks himself to save another.

I’m not sure if it’s true but I read that Khaled Hosseini, the author of the novel The Kite Runner, was brought to tears after seeing a screening of the movie. That’s a ringing endorsement for any film adaptation. It’s always a challenge to adapt works of literature, especially those that span several years, but director Marc Forster and screenwriter David Benioff keep the crux of the story intact without any disruptive gaps in plot. High praise for Homayoun Ershadi who plays Baba, a proud and patriotic man who sacrificed much to make a life for his son. I may be a cynical SOB, but even I can appreciate movies with heart and The Kite Runner has a lot of heart.

The trailer for The Kite Runner:

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This movie got a lot of pub due to the gag order placed on cast and crew by wunderkind producer J.J. Abrams. Leave it to the creator of Lost to be vague. Everyone knew Cloverfield was a monster flick but the creature’s appearance was kept top-secret. Amazingly, in this information age, spoilers were kept under wraps until right before the release date. The film opened big but was quickly sucked into the pop-culture vacuum with little fanfare. No matter because this is an entertaining monster mash sure to spawn at least one sequel.

The story is told via a videotape recovered from Central Park after a surprise attack on Manhattan. The tape opens a month prior with longtime friends Rob and Beth basking in post-coital bliss. They playfully record one another while planning a day trip to Coney Island. Flash forward a few weeks to Rob’s ‘Moving to Japan’ farewell party. His brother Jason and Jason’s girlfriend Lily prepare for Rob’s arrival. Jason passes off the video camera to Rob’s best pal Hud and instructs him to shoot goodbye testimonies from the guests. Hud eagerly accepts his role as documentarian and commences annoying party goers. Rob arrives in a less than festive mood. Beth shows up later with a date. A frosty reception by Rob leads to a tense hallway confrontation between he and Beth. A shaken Beth quickly leaves.

The lover’s quarrel and slammin’ party is interrupted by a loud tremor. A check of the television confirms a possible earthquake in Manhattan. The gang head to the roof for a better look. In the distance a building explodes pouring a shower of flames across the city. Party over, dude. A panicked crowd flees the apartment building. Something is attacking the city. Lady Liberty’s head is hurled into the streets followed by a massive cloud of collapsed building dust. Soldiers and tanks race toward midtown to engage a 300 foot tall monster with a nasty disposition. Rob desperately tries to reach Beth. She is hurt and trapped in her midtown apartment. So Rob, Lily, a girl named Marlena, and cameraman Hud dash on foot to rescue Beth from the belly of the beast.

Memories of 9/11 can’t help but be conjured after seeing images of dust-covered people wandering in a daze after a terrifying attack on the city. This may be a monster movie but it’s an accurate depiction of the events of that fateful day in 2001. The herky-jerky handheld POV camera perfectly captures the frantic pace of this frightening tale. The Jaws method of less-is-more applies; we only get sporadic glimpses of the creature until the very end. The unknown cast does a credible job maintaining their fright throughout. The movie would’ve fallen apart if the characters didn’t seem genuinely freaked out. Cloverfield isn’t Alien but in a genre that lacks originality it proves to be a welcome entrant capable of delivering some good scares.

A kick-ass scene from Cloverfield:

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Getting old stinks. The aches, the pains, the medical probing and prodding. It would be nice to age gracefully with our faculties intact but some of us will inevitably become burdens. When this happens children often accept the responsibility of caring for their elderly parents. It’s far from easy for either party but we sacrifice for those we love. However, this whole process becomes increasingly problematic when the relationship between parent and children is strained. Watch The Savages and you’ll see what I mean.

Siblings Jon and Wendy Savage (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Linney) just received a phone call they’ve been dreading. Their aging father Lenny, who suffers from dementia, got tossed out of his Arizona home by his recently deceased girlfriend’s family. Lacking options, Jon and Wendy decide to bring Lenny back to Jon’s Buffalo home. Jon picks out a nursing home. Wendy battles mounting guilt. Complicating matters is Jon and Wendy’s painful memories of an abusive childhood at the hands of Lenny.

To help ease Lenny’s transition Wendy moves in with Jon. Sibling rivalry heats up as bro and sis bicker over each other’s personal and professional lives. Despite their differences, they come together to care for their father whose condition worsens by the day. Wendy and Jon also grow closer and gain a mutual respect for one another, while struggling to forgive Lenny for his past misdeeds. Dealing with the end of their father’s life forces them to grow up, face their own mortality and find the happiness that has sadly eluded them.

Hoffman and Linney are two of the best actors working today. Their choice in roles are both challenging and interesting. They rarely deliver false performances and watching them act side-by-side is absolute pleasure. Writer/director Tamara Jenkins balances a poignant story with moments of levity. Caring for the elderly is a tricky subject matter not often seen in mainstream film. The Savages provides a realistic examination of a scenario that many of us will confront at some point in our lives. It’s one of those smaller films deserving of a wider audience.

The trailer for The Savages:

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I’ve been writing a lot about 2007 movies for a reason. 2007 was a damn good year for film. In fact, it might have been the best year since 1999, a groundbreaking 365 days that included The Matrix, American Beauty, Fight Club, The Sixth Sense, Boys Don’t Cry, Being John Malkovich and Magnolia. WOW! What a list. But I digress, I’m supposed to be extolling 2007. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford may be guilty of a verbose title, but it is without question one of last year’s best films.

The story follows Jesse James (Brad Pitt) through his final years focusing on his odd relationship with Robert Ford (Casey Affleck), an ambitious young man who took part in The James Gang’s final heist. Ford grew up idolizing Jesse’s criminal exploits and believed a friendship with Jesse would lead to fame and fortune. Jesse, at first flattered by Ford’s fanaticism, soon grows weary of the obsessive behavior. Jesse would spend his post-crime life wandering Missouri in a constant state of paranoia fearing his inevitable capture or betrayal.

Jesse’s trust issues send him on a mission to eliminate anyone associated with the last robbery. That includes Robert Ford and his brother Charley (Sam Rockwell), who have devious plans of their own. Jesse sees through Robert’s innocent guise but does nothing to stop him. In the end, Jesse James welcomes his own death, tired of living a life on the run. For his part, Robert Ford achieves his desired stardom becoming one of the country’s most recognizable men. However, as time passes Ford’s heroic persona mutates into his true identity, that of a coward who gunned down a beloved American outlaw. The rest of Ford’s life would be one lived in shame.

Until this film Casey Affleck was always Ben’s little brother. Well, not anymore. His searing portrayal of Robert Ford earned him an Oscar nomination and permanent removal from Ben’s shadow. Great westerns are hard to find these days but writer/director Andrew Dominik paints a stark portrait of Missouri in the 1880s. Grim realism dominates a land where the code of criminals supplants the code of law. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford isn’t about elaborate gunfights or men with no names. It’s about the last days of a historic figure presented in a simple, yet effective manner.

The trailer for The Assassination of Jesse James:

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