Movie Loner

I very rarely use the word “beautiful” to describe a film. Perhaps I’ve seen too many movies in my 36 years. Maybe I’ve become jaded after enduring a glut of disappointments and disasters. Well, once in a while I am completely taken by surprise and see a movie that reaffirms my belief in the medium I love so much. All it takes is a little ingenuity and a lot of heart. You can tell when a filmmaker is passionate about his/her project and not just going through the motions to land a fat paycheck. Writer/Director Sean Ellis turned his 2004 short Cashback into a feature in 2006. In doing so, he created a beautiful film with a beautiful sentiment.

Art School dropout Ben Willis just dumped his girlfriend Suzy. The fact that Suzy moves on so quickly isn’t sitting well with Ben. He has contracted a severe case of insomnia. His inability to fall asleep leads to a nightshift job at a local supermarket. The clock moves slow in the wee hours of the night, but Ben has a unique way of dealing with it: He freezes time. This odd trick of the imagination allows him to study the female form up close and personal. His latest object of desire is a sweet checkout girl named Sharon, who dreams of traveling to foreign lands. She and Ben form an immediate bond. Ben’s initial fascination leads to a crush. He wishes to bring Sharon into his frozen world and share the artistry that only he can see. However, a surprise encounter with ex-girl Suzy could ruin his relationship with Sharon before it gets started.

I’ve seen more than my share of movies about young love. Most fall somewhere between awful and tedious. Cashback separates itself from the rest by being original and offbeat. Sean Ellis conducts a symphony of sumptuous images aided by an ethereal soundtrack. Watching Ben navigate his static existence in silence, save his poetic narration, is spellbinding. It might appear gimmicky at first glance, but Ellis wisely limits the sessions, which adds to their effectiveness. Ben is not your typical lovelorn sap pining away for some unattainable goddess. He is circumspect and mature; a true romantic who appreciates everything about women – especially their innate beauty.

Sharon’s significance to Ben is twofold: she is the target of his affections, but also a muse for his art. Ben sees her completely. He imagines her in a sexual fantasy, but admires her ambition to travel to South America. She is the definition of a “true love” type figure and therefore represents something that none of the women from Ben’s past has. His feelings for her are a departure from the control he possesses within his frozen world. There, he can position his models as he sees fit, as if pieces on a chess board. In the real world, this is an impossibility. Fear, insecurity and jealousy dominate reality. These emotions cannot be halted or eradicated. Life and love cannot be put on pause. But if we take the time to notice the beauty that surrounds us, life can be much more pleasurable.

Sean Biggerstaff’s portrayal of Ben is quite compelling. He brings a natural charm to the character. one could label label Ben as a creep, but Biggerstaff sells him as an eccentric who marches to his own beat. A colorful cast of supermarket co-workers provide plenty of laughs to an otherwise serious story. Stuart Goodwin is especially memorable playing Ben’s lascivious boss, Mr. Jenkins. As I stated before, movies detailing the angst of young love are a dime a dozen. Most inevitably fall short of capturing the real emotion all of us have encountered. Count Cashback among the select few that get it right. Also be on the lookout for Sean Ellis, a gifted filmmaker with a promising future.

The trailer for Cashback:

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I’m always amazed at the subjects that make for interesting documentaries. On first thought, an expose on a video game popularized during the 1980s wouldn’t seem to be compelling fodder for a film. Sure, video games have become a permanent part of the pop culture lexicon, but watching introverted nerds play with their joysticks isn’t my idea of fun. That being said, I’m glad I’m not a closed-minded person unwilling to sample movies outside my wheelhouse, because Seth Gordon’s The King of Kong is one helluva documentary. It has drama, intrigue, humor and yes, I’m not joking, a villain. You don’t have to know anything about video games to enjoy this award-winning movie.

In the early ’80s, Billy Mitchell set what seemed an insurmountable record on the video game “Donkey Kong.” Mitchell held the record for nearly 25 years and parlayed his “fame” into icon status in the realm of gaming. Flash forward to 2006. Recently laid off teacher Steve Wiebe decides to dedicate himself to toppling Mitchell’s record. Upon purchasing a Donkey Kong arcade machine for his garage, Wiebe masters the game on his way to becoming the undisputed champ. Or so he thinks. What ensues is a fascinating and perturbing journey into the incestuous, corrupt world of professional video gaming. A world where Wiebe is viewed as an outsider. He soon learns that Billy Mitchell will do whatever it takes to keep his spot on top.

What an excellent film. Director Seth Gordon weaves an intricate tale of one man’s reach for greatness, and another man’s refusal to relinquish the last vestiges of fame. Finding interesting subjects based in reality is not easy, but Gordon struck gold when he found this bunch. Led by the mullet-haired Mitchell, we are introduced to a traveling circus of characters whose dogged pursuit of perfection and glory tests their sanity. Sympathizing with Wiebe is easy after witnessing the blockades he must endure just to break a stupid record. His tears of frustration are genuine. Meanwhile, the arrogant Mitchell and his band of spineless cronies bring new meaning to the term “pricks.”

Gordon deftly builds suspense throughout. Will Wiebe gain respect? Is Mitchell as big a fool as he appears? Will the two go head-to-head to claim the Donkey Kong crown? Films like this provide telling evidence to what dishonest assholes we as human beings can be. These guys aren’t acting; what you see is who they are. I’ve always wondered if people watch themselves after being interviewed for a documentary and realize how idiotic they sound. Do they not hear what they’re saying when the cameras are rolling? Do they even care? Watch The King of Kong and you’ll know what I’m talking about. This is a film definitely worth your time.

The trailer for The King of Kong:

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Does the name Jamie Bell sound familiar? If it doesn’t, it will very soon. Bell – at the tender age of 22 – has begun to carve a niche for himself in acting circles. His big screen debut was the Oscar nominated feel-good movie Billy Elliot, which provided a great showcase for the then teen actor to display his obvious talent. I first noticed Bell in 2004’s Undertow and a year later in the surprisingly good, albeit oddly titled, The Chumscrubber. His range of emotion and ability to dominate scenes was impressive. Recently Bell has tried his hat at mainstream fare such as King Kong and Jumper. The latter film was made watchable by his presence alone. One of the best performances of his young career was in the seldom seen Mister Foe, a nifty little thriller about letting go of adolescence.

Bell plays Hallam Foe, a Scottish teen living in self-imposed isolation since his mother’s suicide two years earlier. Hallam spends most of days in his wooded tree-house, obsessing over his mother and spying on everything and everyone. His most frequent spy subject is his stepmother Verity (Claire Forlani), who he believes killed his mother. Hallam has no desire to vacate his estate home, but a close encounter with Verity forces his hand. The odd youth moves his voyeuristic games to the big city where he takes to following Kate (Sophia Myles), a human resources worker who happens to be a dead-ringer for his deceased mother. After charming Kate into giving him a dishwasher job, Hallam makes her the new object of his affections and weirdness. A friendship develops as Kate declares her fondness for “creepy guys.” Hallam soon finds himself embroiled in an Oedipal relationship with the alluring Kate, which opens a vein of emotions and feelings never felt before.

Sexy, strange and warped best describe this dark but humorous story. Hallam’s lack of normalcy makes him a compelling lead character. His unpredictable behavioral patterns keeps a thin plot interesting, if not always believable. Myles is convincing as the wounded Kate, but the lack of glimpses into her past makes her character somewhat frustrating. Why is she drawn to Hallam? What in her history allows her to relate to Hallam’s peculiarities? Director David Mackenzie goes for shock value without providing adequate explanation. A few scenes of exposition would have gone a long way to better understanding the characters’ actions and motivations. That being said, Mackenzie’s fearless style fits the film perfectly as does his ability to capture sentiment. Extracting empathy from an audience can be a chore, but Mackenzie pulls it off without resorting to cliches.

Back to Bell. He brings a level of likability to weirdo Hallam. It would have been easy to dismiss the character after the twenty minutes, but Bell adds humor and charisma. Hallam’s issues are serious, however, it’s difficult not to root for the kid. It’s also refreshing to see Forlani play a femme fatale-ish type; she’s normally reserved to more demure, romantic roles. Myles is quite the find as well. She possesses a natural beauty that is rare in movies today. I’ve never seen her before, but I will look for her in the future. Lastly, a modern Euro soundtrack featuring “Hood,” “Sons and Daughters,” “Clinic,” and “U.N.P.O.C.”, complements the proceedings very effectively. Mister Foe isn’t without flaws, but it is intriguing and unusual. That should be enough to pique your interest.

The trailer for Mister Foe:

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