A Prophet

As brutal and harrowing as you'd expect a prison drama to be. I had to turn my eyes away from the action several times. Tahar Rahim is brilliant as the wide-eyed young prisoner trying to find his way in life. The supporting cast is also excellent. "Un Prophète" is not for the faint of heart!


Written 8/25/10

Up in the Air

The time flew by watching this. George Clooney is a king of smug banter. He seems to float through each scene. In other words, he plays emotional detachment exceedingly well. The lead character in "Up in the Air" is perfectly tailored to his strengths. Minus a couple of weak interludes that strain believability, this is a strong film chock full of themes snatched from the daily lives of working men and women everywhere.


Written 8/25/10

Facing Ali

It is highly entertaining hearing all these old-timers reminisce about facing Muhammad Ali, one of boxing's all-time greats. There are a surprising number of poignant moments, too. Particularly affecting is the footage of Joe Frazier, a sweetheart of a man who still bears scars from the verbal abuse and taunting Ali leveled at him. There's no doubt Ali had a dark side. "Facing Ali" is a documentary filled with remarkable men and remarkable stories.


Written 8/13/10

Aziz Ansari: Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening

Aziz's best bits kill, but on the whole this filmed set is uneven. It is refreshing to encounter a comic from a "non-traditional" ethnic background. Ansari lampoons his Indian-American ethnicity frequently. Probably the funniest bits involve anecdotes about his naive cousin. One wonders how well some of these jokes will age. Ansari's repeated references to Facebook and "emoticons" probably won't translate in 10 years' time. We'll probably be on to other technology-based diversions by then.


Written 8/3/10

The Room

"The Room" fits squarely into the "so bad, it's good" camp. I could watch Tommy and his screen buddies pass around their football at extremely close range all day. But I probably don't need to see any more shots of his naked arse. Let's be honest: this film is terrible and incoherent. But it's so flawed that it's actually entertaining to watch. Every viewer will rightly question everything they are seeing and wonder aloud, "Why, Tommy? Why?".


Written 8/3/10

Burma VJ

Another film that will make you thankful to live in the United States. This is harrowing viewing. The Burmese monks prove themselves a force to be reckoned with. Their appearances en masse in "Burma VJ" are exhilarating. The military regime in Burma is shown in all its oppressive ignobility. One hopes that this brave documentary, shot by endangered Burmese citizens, will bring truth to light for a wide, global audience.


Written 7/13/10

A Serious Man

Once again, the Coen brothers have created a world. In "A Serious Man" that world is a mid-1960's midwestern town populated by neurotic Jewish people. I loved every minute of this film. It's an imaginative spin on the Bible's book of Job. More understated and less populist than other films in the Coen's oeuvre. Certainly not everyone, but I was engaged the entire way.


Written 7/13/10

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

Spotty and uneven. Kind of a drag to watch people throwing their lives away in the pursuit of drugs and illicit financial gain. There is a great movie in here somewhere, but the execution is sloppy. Nicolas Cage is eminently unlikable here, so I guess he played the "Bad Lieutenant" role very well indeed. There are a few gripping moments, but on the whole this is grotesque, unnecessary filmmaking.


Written 6/29/10

An Education

"An Education" is stunning. The screenplay and director deftly execute what would have been a maudlin story in lesser hands. The cast is brilliant and believable throughout. Peter Sarsgaard is especially strong. Methinks this film deserves all the accolades it has received.


Written 6/14/10

Where the Wild Things Are

There are many bizarre and horrific moments in this film adaptation of Maurice Sendak's famous children's book. Childhood is presented here as a labyrinthine ball of confusion and emotional difficulties. I'm thankful I couldn't relate to the lead character, Max. He's a challenged dude. All the same, the characters and dialogue are striking in their naked honesty. You may be tempted at times to click "stop" and give up on "Where the Wild Things Are" as a film, but press on and you will be rewarded with a heart-warming ending. One ought to know going in that this is not a children's film.


Written 6/14/10

Crazy Heart

I was surprised at how much I loved this film. Jeff Bridges stars as Bad Blake, an over the hill country singer who is perpetually on the road and can't seem to get his life in order. The music in "Crazy Heart" is outstanding; I found myself humming the tunes long after the film had ended. I only wish they had cast an actress older than Maggie Gyllenhaal as Bridges' love interest. Their romance wasn't entirely believable due to their substantial age gap. Still, the actors do their best to sell it. Music fans rejoice: this is a film that respects musicians and portrays the music business as it really is - that is, usually slimy and cutthroat. Watching it all unfold is a rare treat.


Written 6/1/10

Broken Embraces

Somehow this just isn't memorable. Sure, it stars Almodovar's regular muse Penelope Cruz and features his usual wild array of characters and fantastically-colored sets, but something is missing. Mind you, this is still a strong film with a strong point of view, but it's lacking in areas I find hard to pinpoint. I'm glad I watched "Broken Embraces" once, but will probably never feel compelled to watch the film again.


Written 6/1/10

Fantastic Mr. Fox

This is the same old Wes Anderson. His approach is tiresome to me because it never varies. Sterile, perfectly framed shots. "Quirky" characters with mental problems who eventually (by the end of the film) figure out how to exist in the world. An abnormal family dynamic. The stop-motion animation is beautiful and gives the film a great lift, but unfortunately the director is too busy aping his own body of work.


Written 6/10/11

Tetro

The film "Tetro" has so many flaws. It is visually stunning, and that covers many ills. But that's not enough. The storytelling strives for realism for awhile and then throws the viewer a succession of curveballs that are entirely unbelievable. I love Vincent Gallo; I want everything he touches to turn to gold. His work is good here, but Francis Ford Coppola's screenplay needs rigorous editing. It's a shame too, because Coppola has not lost his eye for a great shot. In "Tetro", his meandering story is what lets him down.


Written 5/22/10

Tell Them Anything You Want: A Portrait of Maurice Sendak

Maurice Sendak, author of many famous children's books, including "Where the Wild Things Are", is a cranky dude. I didn't find him endearing, but I guess others do. If listening to an extremely talented and blessed elderly man complain about his life for 40 minutes sounds like an excellent time, then this film is for you.


Written 5/18/10

The Hurt Locker

A tense, knotty thriller that delivers. Worthy of its "Best Picture" award. Unfortunately I didn't find the subplot involving the young Iraqi boy to be believable. If they could have axed that, this film would be near flawless. Still, a remarkable achievement. The drama is gripping throughout.


Written 5/7/10

The Damned United

Michael Sheen is great as Brian Clough, a larger than life character. It helps to have some understanding of British football and the passion it engenders in its devotees prior to watching this film. Some of the conflict in the story is not entirely gripping. And the way the film ends was unsatisfying for me. Still, a good film about the beautiful game with Mr. Sheen at the top of his game.


Written 4/19/10