A Brave and Somber Exploration of a Musician’s Troubled Life

(image: http://www.slate.com)

“A life lived for art is a life never wasted.” – Macklemore.

He should know.  Art has always been born from blinding struggle and life experience.  Every good novel stemmed from a bitter breakup.  Every quality comedian dealt with pain through humor.  Music is no different.  A melodic transcription of the performer’s personal strife, passion, pain and joy.  The life of a small time artist can be at times exhilarating and crushing.  For good work to blossom, sometimes it has to be.

Enter Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country For Old Men, Fargo) to put low level troubadours at the center of their latest project, Inside Llewyn Davis.  A challenging and heartbreaking black dramadey, Davis doesn’t rank at the top of the duo’s canon but remains a stern reminder of their impressive filmmaking chops.

Oscar Issac plays the title character, a rambling folk artist making this way through the sixties Bleeker & MacDougal folk scene.  He crashes on couches, plays the occasional gig at Greenwich Village’s Gaslight Café and struggles to keep his crumbling personal life from hitting bottom.  In the role of Llewyn, Issac’s biggest strength is his musical skills.  By writing and performing the bulk of the extensive soundtrack, Issac adds authenticity to an emotionally stoic role.  When not singing, Issac’s uncertain and borderline bumbling Llewyn reminded me of Larry from 2009’s A Serious Man in a good way.  He’s far from a perfect person and his flaws make him relatable even when he’s being a jerk.  He’s a talented everyman whose zeal for making it in the biz clouds his judgment on everyday affairs.  Easily one of the most interesting characters written this year.

Oscar Issac with his dynamite feline co-star. (image: whatculture.com)

Surrounding the melancholy guitarist are friends Jean (Carey Mulligan), Jim (Justin Timberlake) and the wonderfully cantankerous Roland Turner, played by a Walter Sobchak channeling John Goodman.  Goodman’s random inclusion during a long drive to Chicago is a shot of comic energy exactly when the audience is starting to fidget.  Mulligan is the only chink in the supporting cast armor as she again makes no attempt to connect with the other actors.  I know I’m a broken record, but she has two speeds: overdone anger or dull indifference.  And if I had to give an honorary Best Supporting Actor award, it would be to the cat Llewyn carts around.  A near “purrrfect” performance.  (groan).

Fortunately, the Coen’s are at the helm and they’re nowhere near as hacky as my puns.  Proving once again they are elite filmmakers, the duo expertly blends their benchmark humor with gut wrenching drama.  While the tone is one noted and there’s a serious lack of character arc, the depiction of the 1960’s folk scene is spot on.  The world created by the Coen’s is a captivating vortex of rejections, bar gigs and personal pressure in which Llewyn fails to deal with.  The result is the singer’s slow and painful personal decent, a spiritual drain anybody who’s ever climbed a career hill can identify with.

When the credits rolled, my initial reaction was one of cautious appreciation.  Nothing comes easy for audiences.  There’s no hero arc.  No shoved in love story, no cliché moment of redemption, no cinematic attempt to maintain interest.  It’s a film only the Coen’s would be brave enough to make with studio money and as the trials and tribulations of Llewyn stewed in my mind, my reservations evaporated.  Inside Llewyn Davis is a brutally wonderful view into the world of a struggling artist with all the humor, pathos and filmmaking mastery that’s made the Coen Brothers the kings of American cinema.

Score:  9 out of 10

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Surprisingly Sensational

Jennifer Lawrence scopes the competition in the first Hunger Games. (image: theguardian.com)

When you write film reviews, it’s easy to be elitist.  Your critical peers talk lovingly about Jean-Luc Godard, Kurosawa and Dogma 95.  The drive is to hang with your peers and in doing so, I’ll sometimes miss out on the bigger picture.  Thus is my story of The Hunger Games.

When my girlfriend borrowed the book set, I picked up the first novel, read two paragraphs, poo pooed the first person narrative and tossed it aside.  What me?  How could I, a film critic looking for respectability, possibly entertain the notion of reading a series that looked like it was penned by a high schooler.  I put the book down, ignored the movies and never thought twice about it.

But then, I got a wakeup call.  A friend of my girlfriend’s father asked me what I thought about the most recent installment in the Hunger Games trilogy.  Being all cinematic and too cool for the room, I responded, “Naaaaah.  Haven’t seen it.”  His shocked response?

“What kind of movie critic are you?  You HAVE to see it!”

While he was half joking, he was right.  The Hunger Games has permeated modern culture, made Jennifer Lawrence a star and has millions upon millions of fans.  And let’s face it.  The general public could care less about my opinions on The Cremaster Cycle.  They’re more interested in what I think about films they actually want to see.

So, I dived in, popped it on Netfilx and learned an important lesson.  The Hunger Games may rely on some standard tropes of the teen action genre, but the end result is so well directed and exhilarating, I’m hungry to see the entire series.  In short, I was a bit of an ass for putting it on the shelf.

The Hunger Games takes place in the nation of Panem, a dystopian society consisting of a highfalutin capitol and twelve poor districts.  In celebration of a quelled rebellion, the country hosts a yearly Hunger Games competition where a boy and a girl from each district are thrown into a competition of death and survival.  Imagine a combination of The Running Man, Lord of the Flies and the Truman Show.  Got it?  You’re halfway there.  After her sister is chosen to compete, Katniss Evergreen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers in her stead and takes on a seemingly impossible challenge.

As I said in the opening, The Hunger Games made Jennifer Lawrence a star and for good reason.  She’s exceptional as the young, skilled and likable Katniss.  Whether she’s dodging fireballs, outsmarting fellow combatants or simply connecting with fellow cast mates, Lawrence’s character balances vulnerability and survival skill to great effect.  She especially shines when forming a shaky alliance with a fellow contestant and dealing with the personal tragedies of mortal combat.

Supporting Lawrence’s good work is some exceptional direction by screenwriter/director Gary Ross.  With an expert sense of pacing and eye catching costuming, Ross elevates the film beyond my meager expectations of a Hollywood blockbuster.  The movie also has a fine supporting cast including a wonderful Stanley Tucci as the game’s MC and Woody Harrelson as sponsor and mentor for the teenage protagonists.  The filmmakers also managed to inject some honest themes in to the screenplay.  Notes of corporate exploitation, loyalty and betrayal run through the movie, providing more meat than I originally expected.

Of course, things aren’t perfect on the dangerous utopia of Panem.  Some of the CGI used to create the world is downright jarring, most noticeable in the film’s climax.  The screenplay is also fairly predictable and not because I’m aware of the two sequels.  And of course, this is teen fiction and with the genre comes some standard clichés that make my thirty year old brain cringe.  It was written for young people and some of the relationships and character arcs show the influence.

But when the final curtain draws on the first Hunger Games, I had nothing but nice things to say.  The action is well choreographed, there’s genuine tension and, most importantly, I walked away anxious to see the second installment.  I’ve talked about my critic hat before and how tough it can be to let go of preconceived notions.  The Hunger Games not only reminded me that good things can come from popular places, but it’s OK to grab some popcorn and give in to the hype.  To the gentleman who prompted me to see this, I’d like to thank you.  Not only was The Hunger Games worth my time and attention, you taught me an important lesson in critical humility.  In other words, shut up and enjoy.

Score:  8.5 out of 10

McConaughey Shines Again

Leto and McConaughey work out their philosophical differences in Dallas Buyers Club (image: pastemagazine.com)

You know what?  Part of me hates Oscar season.  Why?  There’s nothing here to complain about.

Let’s face it.  People love a biting review and with all the great movies coming out this month, there isn’t much to dump on.  The film fan in me is thrilled we’re having a great fall, but my critic side is in a bit of rut.  Much to my expectation, the latest movie by director Jean-Marc Vallee (The Young Victoria, Café de Flore), is a solid entry to the Academy awards season.  And yes, I’m perfectly fine reviewing this entering and well-made Matthew McConaughey vehicle.

Dallas Buyer’s Club is the third major McConaughey film this year and like Mud, he knocks it out of the park as Ron Woodroof, local cowboy and electrician.  To call Ron a wildfire is an understatement: he loves to drink, shoot dope and engage in unprotected sex with a wide variety of rodeo groupies.  After passing out from one of his binges, Woodroof learns he has HIV and is given thirty days to live.  Unable to legally secure an experimental drug called AZT, he turns to outside sources for his meds and quickly drums up a lucrative underground business.

Like many of the big Oscar contenders this season, the draw is in the acting and McConaughey fails to disappoint.  While I found his role in Mud to be a bit more nuanced, he’s a blast as the unhinged Ron Woodroof.  McConaughey’s arc from homophobic man of the Texas 80’s to sympathetic sufferer feels genuine.  The surrounding cast, including a great turn by newcomer Bradford Cox, nicely compliments the overarching story.

Nope, that’s not CGI. Jared Leto lost 30 pounds for his role as Rayon (image: zap2it.com)

Jared Leto also impresses as Rayon a transgender AIDS patient.  Even without the impressive weight loss both actors endured for the role, Leto perfectly complements McConaughey’s backwards thinking.  The two make a great platonic pair and supports Woodroof’s character arc.

Unfortunately, things tail off around the two thirds mark.  Much of the momentum of Ron’s search for a cure loses steam in favor of predictable plot points and heavy handed preaching.  A major theme happens to be “drug companies are bad” and while this may be true enough, the constant reminders muddle the good character work.  There’s also a connection between Ron and his doctor (Jennifer Garner) which is simply not believable.

As far as Oscar contenders go, Dallas Buyers Club ranks squarely on the B list.  Academy voters will probably give both Leto and McConaughey Oscar nominations but the main attraction may be left wanting.  Despite this, Dallas Buyers Club is a film worth watching, full of interesting characters, humorous moments and a dose of heart.  It may be draining to be so positive but as long as quality work gets released, I’m a happy critic.

Score: 8 out of 10

Dazzling and Confounding In A Thousand Wonderful Ways

Amy Seimetz reaches for the heavens in Upstream Color. (image courtesy of http://www.reelgood.com.au)

Ever look into a kaleidoscope?  One of those mutli-faceted lens toys that presents the viewer with a maddening collage of colors and broken images.  For me the magic of it was the combination of familiar and abstract.  Real and surreal.  While everything was crisscrossed and jumbled, my mind wanted to find order in the chaotic beauty.  Upstream Color, the second film by director Shane Carruth, is a perfect example of complex done correctly.  While I walked away with more questions than answers, the wonder of the film’s story and execution drove me to learn even more.

A simple framework, Upstream Color is a story about connection and uses some impressive metaphors to tell a powerful story.  Amy Seimetz plays Kris, a successful advertising agent who is kidnapped and placed under extreme hypnosis.  Once out from under the spell, she finds herself trying to rebuild her life with the help of Jeff (Shane Carruth).  The two connect on a number of different levels and for the sake of intrigue, I’ll leave it at that.

The root of the tale is one of connection and how different people react to the multitude of umbilical cords we attach on a daily basis.  While the film attacks this premise with an almost science fiction mentality, the main lessons are poignant.  Mrs. Seimetz is crucial to the success of the film and she pulls off a complex character with ease.  Carruth is also solid as the new man in her life, difficult when juggling both the director’s chair and the lead part.  There’s also a third part of the triangle, a strange pig farmer known only as the Sampler (Andrew Sensenig), who adds some important intrigue to the convoluted plot.

Seimetz’s gives her best steely gaze in Upstream Color. (image courtesy of rvanews.com)

But what a wonderful bird’s nest to be stuck in, especially when done so well.  The camerawork and cinematography is, in a word, fantastic.  Using a combination of quick cuts and long, smoldering shots of random beauty, Carruth keeps the audience on their toes and fully ingrained in the story.  Many may find the themes a bit abstract but thanks to deft direction, the film never feels over-arty or pretentious.  Much of this is due to the also excellent script and the focus on characters weaving their way through a difficult and emotionally draining situation.

As many may know, I’m not the biggest fan of “art films”.  They tend to be too cool for the room and focus on esoteric visuals to elicit audience emotions.  With a focus on people, Upstream Color perfectly balances both sides of filmmaking with quality character draped in stunning imagery.  Nothing comes easy in Shane Carruth’s world but for those who don’t require spoon feeding, Upstream Color has plenty of meat to warrant the hard work.  Sometimes those kaleidoscopes do make sense and when they do, it opens up a whole other world of wondrous possibilities.

Score: 10 out of 10

McCarthy + Scott = A Mishmash of Convoluted Nonsense

Click below to view the review on Pantheon Magazine!

It’s Hammer Time

In the Marvel movie hierarchy, Thor is a middle of the pack hero.  With a limited skill set and a heavy Shakespearian style storyline, the Nordic looking hammer wielder doesn’t have the heat of the true Avengers star, Iron Man.  Back in 2011, I gave the original Thor a rather friendly 80% due to the likeability of star Chris Hemsworth and the interesting far off space world of Asgard.  Thor: The Dark World, directed by HBO alumnus Alan Taylor, fixes some of the problems from the original movie but with every step forward, he takes another step back.  The end product delivers more of the same with different tasty ingredients to make it worth trying again.

In the opening back story sequence, we learn a race of creatures known as the Dark Elves were at war with Asgard eons ago.  Lead by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), the plan was to cast the nine realms into darkness using the Aether, a mystical CGI generated liquid that oddly looks similar to a melted T-1000.  Thanks to the warring Asgardians, the Dark Elves are defeated, Malekith puts himself into hibernation and the Aether is buried where nobody will be able to find it.  I’ll give you three guesses where that is but you’ll only need one.

And you’ll never guess who discovers the all powerful goop.  None other than Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman).  An improvement from the original, Portman has a bit more to do here than simply play a damsel in distress.  With her knowledge of gravitational fluxes and mumbo jumbo science, she actually has a purpose this time around.  The rest of her cohorts, Dr. Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard), Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) and newcomer Ian (Jonathan Howard) are only there for the occasional, cornball comic relief.  For every working joke, there are three stinkers.  Alan Taylor is no Joss Whedon.

Of course, when Dr. Foster discovers the stuff, it sets the rest of the film in motion.  Malekith somehow awakens from his slumber and attempts to pull the same trick he tried a millennium ago.  Foster also stumbles upon an event known as the convergence.  Evidently, when the realms align, they get their gravitational strings tangled, creating random portals which connect to random realms, unless the script needs to move the plot along.  When that occurs, the mystical space gates appear wherever the writers want them to.  Fantasy movies are not reliant on reality, but the screenplay needs one too many Magical McGuffins to keep the farfetched story together.

Loki and Thor make every moment count in Thor: The Dark World.

Luckily, reason doesn’t have to factor in too strongly in a November superhero flick.  The bulk of the action takes place on Asgard, which is more visually interesting than the one horse cow town of Thor 1.  When the movie moves closer to home for the final act, the drab scenery and grey skies deaden the drama of the final fight.  Unfortunately, the fight itself doesn’t have much punch to it either.  Relying on sight gags, predictable hammer play and a jumpy, confusing cat/mouse game involving the aforementioned gravity portals, the last confrontation is devoid of any tension.  It may be a strained reference, but imagine the video game Portal without any of the logic and that’s essentially the movie’s coda.

So why the 80% score?  The movie’s best moments are when Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Thor share the screen.  The two don’t get a ton of screen time but when they do, the interplay is perfect.  In fact, I would love to see a feature film where they get to tag team a potential baddie or go on an adventure together.  The chemistry between Hemsworth and Hiddleston is natural and convincing, making this sequel worth seeing.

The above line sums it up.  Thor: The Dark World, despite some issues, is a worthwhile entry in the ever expanding Avenger universe.  While it doesn’t break new ground, it makes some improvements to the formula and sets things up, once again, for more films in the Marvel canon.  Thor may not be the shining star of the Stan Lee solar system, but that doesn’t make the movies any less enjoyable.  Sometimes, it’s not the worst thing in the world to be second fiddle, especially when you’re a part of a kick ass symphony.

Score:  7.5 out of 10

NOTE:  This movie was screened in standard 3D (no IMAX).  While there are one or two moments where extra dimension is used effectively, there’s no reason to pay the extra $5 to see it 3D.  Regular Digital 2D is perfectly fine.

A Quietly Intense Portrait of Italian Organized Crime

For as long as cinema has been a recognized form of entertainment, gangster films have been one of the most popular genres.  From D.W. Griffith’s The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1915) to modern classics like The Godfather and Goodfellas, audiences have been astounded by the exploits of organized crime.  There’s something escapist about everyday fellas making good at the expense of established society.  Brought to America by the modern day king of the genre, Martin Scorsese, Gomorrah is a patient, and somber entry into the overcrowded mafia genre.  While it doesn’t have the bombast and energy promised in the trailer, the documentary style approach separates it from the pack.

Gomorrah is set in a small lower class section of Naples, Italy in the midst of a brewing gang war between the established crime syndicate and the “separationists”, a group of young criminals looking to carve their own niche.  The film tracks five different stories, each highlighting a different perspective:  a garment maker who receives funding from the mob, two Scarface quoting teens looking to buck the system, a young package boy who has to choose a side, a corporate mogul who uses mob influence to dump dangerous chemicals and an old school don trying to scrape by.

While each story is interesting and has its own moments, the tale of the garment maker is by far the most interesting one.  When asked by Chinese competitors to train their factory workers, he’s caught between loyalty to the people who fund his business and the admiration (and deep pockets) of his Asian pupils.  This story has the most tension and provides some of the film’s best moments, including an exceptional conclusion.  The other pieces tend to meld together, but the experience, as a whole, is more fascinating than exciting.

Ciro (Ciro Petrone) stares down a potential score in the slums of Naples.

In fact, some of the movie is borderline boring.  If I had to choose one thing I took away from Gomorrah, it would be this: gang life is just as mundane as your legit 9 to 5 job.  Want to be a foot soldier in the Italian mob?  Get ready for hours of pacing around waiting for nothing to happen.  Glitz and glamour in a poor section of Southern Italy is rocking a designer t-shirt or cruising around in a modern car.  There are no steady cam shots of Ray Liotta walking through the Copacabana’s kitchen or large Italian weddings.  The world of Gomorrah is gritty and realistic, making for a genuine but slow moving 137 minutes.  If you’re going in expecting gun battles, big heists and swimming pools of cash, you will be sorely disappointed.

Much like City of God, Gomorrah eschews large set pieces for a more honest portrayal of criminal life.  The result brings us into a world few knew existed and while it may not be the pulse pounding crime film advertised, it’s still an intriguing and harrowing look into everyday criminal activity.  For those who like their thieves with some swagger and hutzpah, you may want to leave this alone, but if you want a more realistic look into what it’s like to be a gangster, Gomorrah is a great place to start.

Score: 8 out of 10

A Lackluster Adolescent Road Trip

Who needs a cab when you have a shopping cart and a grandson?

Walking to the theater to see Bad Grandpa was like sneaking through the swinging saloon doors to the adult section at the local video store.  The tickets were purchased online and picked up at the kiosk.  The guy who ripped my stub gave me a sideways glace.  When the overly friendly girl at the popcorn counter asked what I was seeing, I answered with a long sigh.  There’s not much pride in seeing a Jackass production.

But why not?  I grew up with the skate punk antics of the Jackass crew and the thought of Bam BMX jousting or Knoxville badly bull riding puts a juvenile grin on my face.  Like I said in my Jackass 3 review, the idea of a group of malcontents acting like buffoons was groundbreaking back in the day.  No YouTube, no smartphones, no pre-teen copycats launching themselves off of rooftops.  It was pure adolescent silliness and they pulled it off nicely.

But now it’s a decade later and the MTV shtick hasn’t worn well.  While watching somebody face plant is a humor that speaks directly to our DNA, the effect diminishes with time.  Eventually, your tastes mature and you grow up.  After Jackass 3, I was convinced this would be the last go-round for the boys, one final salute to the days of NOFX and highflying tomfoolery.  So, what do they do?  Take the crew’s most marketable star, put him in his best role and pull a Borat.  The result is Bad Grandpa, a solid attempt to make Jackass a more relevant that inevitably falls flat.

Johnny Knoxville reprises his famous role of Irving, a crotchety old geezer who likes women, booze and overall social misbehaving.  After the death of his wife and the sudden departure of his drug addled daughter, he’s tasked with driving his grandson, Billy (Jackson Nicoll), to North Carolina to stay with his equally drugged out dad.  This allows the two to get in a variety of public skirmishes and misadventures as they travel eastward.

Intended to bolster the stunt forward framework of the usual series fare, the weak-sauce story only detracts from the pure fun.  Jackass has always survived on the energy the group brings to the pranks.  In previous entries, it’s obvious the boys are having a grand time being dolts and the joy is infectious.  By stitching the bits together with a threadbare story, the experience gets diluted.  You never get the sense of random madness Jackass is known for and as a result, the film has a long emotional flatline running through it.  It also doesn’t help that, aside from two moments of actual acting, Knoxville isn’t much of a thespian.

Knoxville inspects the damage from his latest bout of mayhem.

Of course, most people aren’t here for the story.  They’re here to watch everyday people getting shocked out of their shoes by a potty mouthed eight year old and his doddering granddad.  The stunts in Bad Grandpa run the gambit from standard penis jokes to some truly inventive physical comedy.  The bright spots include a genital run in with a vending machine, a male revue gone awry and a fantastic bit involving an explosive kiddie ride.  Sadly, most of the good bits are spoiled in the trailer, so if you saw any previews, there’s not much more to enjoy in the actual viewing.

In interviews, Knoxville and longtime director Jeff Tremaine mentioned the story was written as a way for the pranks to have structure.  After a screening of the final result, it’s obvious the tale of a grandpa and grandson bonding through irreverence was an afterthought.  While many may say I was expecting too much from a Jackass production, all I wanted at the outset was a breezy ninety minutes of reckless abandon.  If you try to elevate the film with a story and characters I’m supposed to care about, you have to make it worth the trip.  Sadly, Bad Grandpa fails to cement the theatrical with the visceral and as a result, flat lines as a filmgoing experience.  If you need your fill of juvenile shenanigans, do a Google search for kids launching themselves into bushes or Internet pranks.  Better yet, dust off those aged Jackass DVD’s and bask in the nostalgic glow of the good old days.  As much as I love Knoxville and the Jackass crew, sometimes simpler is better.  And a ton more fun.

Score:  5 out of 10

A Powerful Story of Art and Humanity

Artist Vik Muniz stands in front of his source of inspiration. (image: http://www.movie-film-review.com)

Take a look into your trash can and what do you see?  Junk mail.  Used paper towels.  The remnants of last night’s salmon mixing with stale turnips.  Now imagine your entire living room filled three feet deep with the stuff.  Every ten minutes, your window opens and more is dumped inside.  To reach the remote, you have to climb over piles of refuse.  Now pretend you need to pick through it to survive.  Locate empty plastic bottles, old car parts and other recyclables to pay the bills.

Now try smiling through the whole ordeal.

The above isn’t pure fiction.  It’s a way of life for thousands at Jardim Gramacho, the largest landfill on the face of the planet.  Called “pickers”, these people live their lives amongst the filth, bagging up what we throw away.  Waste Land is the documentary of renowned Brazilian artist Vik Muniz’s attempt to capture this area and these people with some truly original works of art.

On the surface, this looks like a standard art documentary.  Famous for using unconventional materials to create exquisite photographs, the doc tracks Muniz’s idea of taking garbage and making art from it.  To do so, he travels to Rio de Janeiro to the aforementioned landfill to realize his vision on a grand scale.

The beauty of Waste Land is in how it never gets in the way of Muniz’s journey.  Docs are tricky business.  A filmmaker can follow someone around for years and never find a narrative thread.  Director Lucy Walker wisely lets the artists do the talking and, more importantly, the people he encounters along the way.  Without giving anything away, Muniz quickly discovers his muse among the pickers and starts to tell their story through a series of stunning works of art.  While the pieces stand alone as incredibly beautiful achievements, knowing the people who inspired them make the work even more emotionally vibrant.  Walker augments this journey through smart interviews, patient camerawork and an eye for stunning photography.

While much of the film’s beauty is in the work of Muniz, the documentary’s soul lies elsewhere.  It’s the quest of creative discovery and the positive impact his pieces make on the workers that makes the picture special.  Thoughtful and patient, Waste Land is a beautifully filmed window into the human spirit and the transformative power of art.  Nominated for a Best Documentary Oscar in 2010, Waste Land will excite your senses and make your heart swell with the pure personal wonder of it all.  Not bad for acres of trash and a bunch of people picking it.

Score – 9.5 out of 10