Vivisection

This review is about a romantic comedy.

Wait…Please don’t go.

I know what you’re thinking. I’ve sat through a lot of crap too but trust me this isn’t one of THOSE movies. You gotta remember that those two words can also be used to describe: Annie Hall, Harold & Maude, Buffalo ’66, Punch-Drunk Love & Chasing Amy.

OK. You’ll stay? Thank you. Here we go.

Sorry Zach Braff & Natalie Portman, you have both just been usurped. You are no longer the reigning hipster film couple. That title now belongs to Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Zooey Deschanel the stars of the heartbreaking and touching (500) Days of Summer.

I could spend paragraph upon paragraph discussing the unconventional structure, soundtrack and alienating devices but what’s the point? Even without those elements this would still be a successful film. Strip everything away and it is still an emotionally true and heartfelt story. The film geek stuff is just icing on an already delicious cake.

INSANE IN THE MEMBRANE!

My lady and I recently re-watched Martin Scorsese's documentary on American Cinema. Dear Lord that man loves movies! High brow or low brow he loves them all equally. From the looks of the trailer to his new film it seems like he's getting the chance to get his B-Movie on. I can't wait!

A Tiger In Your Tank

Last summer I had high expectations for Pineapple Express. I envisioned this magical melding of low-brow Cheech & Chong comedy with beautiful & nuanced mise en scene. What I got instead was this bi-polar over-long mess with sincere intentions yet few big laughs.

Though it is clearly no great piece of art, The Hangover succeeds in many of the ways that Pineapple failed. The title sequence alone shows more skill than Brett Ratner's entire filmography. And fear not - it's funny. Howlingly so. Filthy, dirty jokes done intelligently.

Hopefully this film will lead to Zach Galifianakis overtaking Dane Cook as America's #1 comic. OK. Is that asking too much? How about this: Hopefully this film leads to someone allowing Zach to headline his own film? It'll probably bomb with pop audiences but at least it will exist.

Bound For Glory

I am very saddened to report that Oscar nominee & cult film legend David Carradine has died. He was 72.

I'll let the news sites relate to you the details of his passing. Here we just want to focus on the amazing career of a notoriously awesome and notoriously difficult actor.

I think part of the reason why this death is hitting me so strongly is the fact that I just watched him get killed two days ago in his cameo in Mean Streets. How can he be dead when I just watched him on my television machine? But I guess in the end that's what celluloid and DVD are for. As long as they're around he's not really dead.

I highly recommend honoring him with a triple feature of Boxcar Bertha, Death Race 2000 & Kill Bill Vol. 2

Mortgage Meltdown!

I honestly cannot remember the last time I was excited to see a horror film. Ever since Saw hit in 2004 horror films have grown increasingly more oppressive. Each film trying to out-do the next in terms of sadism and fucked-upedness. Now I’m not saying that films like this are evil “torture porn” and should not exist (I for one enjoyed both of the Hostel films) but what I am saying is a little variety never hurt anyone.

Thank God for Sam Raimi! After six years of being caught up in all things web-head, Mr. Raimi has returned to the genre that made him a star with subtly titled – Drag Me To Hell. If you like BIG scares, BIG laughs and people getting hit on the head with BIG anvils this is the movie for you. Yep that’s right – comedy in a horror film! Not since Slither have I laughed so much (with not at) a horror film.

Watching this film makes me yearn for more Raimi-horror. I want more floating possessed people, more geysers of blood and more 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88s. Unfortunately we’re gonna have to sit through another Spider-Man film before we get there. But at least it’s good to know that the home fires are still burning.

Palms of Gold

This has definitely been an interesting year for Cannes. When the line-up was announced everybody was atwitter about the strength of the slate. Many legendary auteurs were represented.

Cut-to: the actual screenings.

Many of the films were reviewed as either so-so (or in the case of Antichrist absolutely horrible). The worm had turned and we were left with no stand-out film. So how were the awards finally doled out?

Special Lifetime Achievement Prize - Alain Resnais (who had the film "Les HerbesFolles"in competition)

Best Actor - Christoph Waltz for "Inglourious Basterds"

Best Actress - Charlotte Gainsbourg for "Antichrist"

Director - Brillante Mendoza for "Kinatay"

Scenario (Best Screenplay) - "Spring Fever" (Lou Ye)

Jury Prize - tie, "Thirst" (Park Chan-Wook) / "Fish Tank" (Andrea Arnold)

Camera d'Or - "Samson and Delilah" (Warwick Thornton)

Short Film - "Arena"

Grand Prix (second prize)- "Un Prophete" (Jacques Audiard)
The Palme d'Or - "White Ribbon" (Michael Haneke)

Quite the diverse slate. Though I find Charlotte Gainsbourg to be a great actress and have yet to see Antichrist, I can't help but feel that the jury gave her the prize for putting up with director Lars Von Trier. And as if I wasn't already psyched enough for Inglourious Bastards, it now has an acting award to its' credit. Only here could you have a sadistic Austrian film win best picture.

Cannes you never cease to surprise me. Too bad ALL of these films will be ignored come Golden Globe/Oscar season.

This Is Not The Future My Mother Warned Me About

As far as genres go, the action film is arguably the oldest (does documentary count as a genre?). Films like The Life of an American Fireman and The Great Train Robbery were trailblazers that pushed the limits of what the medium was capable of. Multiple shots, parallel action, etc. were all techniques pioneered in action films.

Unfortunately in the intervening years, action films have fallen behind the curve. Nowadays all the great innovations come from art films with action playing catch-up. The best example of this is McG’s latest opus Terminator Salvation.

While the film was still in production Mr.G (?) describe his ambition thusly: an action film shot like Children of Men. That simple statement sent many people's interest in the film from -5 to 2. Perhaps this film would amount to more than cinematic a get rich quick scheme. Sadly that is not the case.

While Señor G’s film is extremely successful stylistically, it is as empty as a Madoff investor’s bank account when it comes to content. What we get instead is an unfocused narrative about freedom (maybe?) and humanity (possibly?) filled with elements from other more successful action films. Giant Transformer robots, Road Warrior car chases and grease smeared little girl who wants to be Newt from Aliens.

Great sci-fi makes leaves audiences filled with questions about life, the universe and everything. This film leaves audiences wondering why Christian Bale thought this film was important enough to go ape-shit on a DP over?