Salty Popcorn

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

An Exciting Film to Love...and An Important Film to Look Forward To

I'm so blown away by this film, I can barely type. Like the magic that happens when a certain group of musicians get together (The Beatles?), every bit of The International is exquisite. It's like watching a master symphony at work.

But you won't notice that. Instead, you'll be caught up in this thriller, catapulted on a ride from New York to Berlin to Luxembourg to France to Italy to Turkey and back to New York (not necessarily in that order). With spot-on direction, brilliant, never-faltering performances, and plot twists and turns, I can not imagine it would be possible not to enjoy the ride. And then there's the Guggenheim. The esteemed New York museum has been recreated. Yes, the Guggenheim recreated, for a chilling clash of forces. Only on the DVD extras do we get to see the work that went into this feat.

While many international espionage/thrillers get caught up in their own web of complexity, Eric Singer's script keeps things razor sharp. A mega-powerful international bank gets intimately involved in funding war. Clive Owen, an Interpol agent determined to expose this extensive racket, delivers an Oscar-worthy performance. Truly, he is one of our greatest contemporary actors.

I searched out the director, Tom Tykwer, whose name didn't ring a bell. Silly me. Not only is he the director of the much-praised, Run Lola Run, but he is also an accomplished composer—creating a chillingly effective and original soundtrack for this film.

But a quick gander at his IMDB profile reveals something that has me giddy with anticipation. Listed under "In Development," is "What is the What," Dave Eggers' staggeringly beautiful story of the experiences of Sudanese refugee, Valentino Achak Deng. So Valentino's unbelievably heart-breaking yet triumphant life will be brought to the big screen. We can only hope. The world will be a better place for knowing Valentino's story.

Monday, July 27, 2009

Tim’s summer reruns: Reviews of non-new releases

I have seen a few new releases but nothing spectacular of late so I decided to go back to my Netflix review vault and give you a bakers’ dozen of old release reviews never put on this blog. It’s a nice cross-section of DVDs of the past couple of years in no particular order. Seattle is in the midst of a heat wave so my mind is more fried than usual but being a surviving catholic I felt guilty about not posting. :) Stay cool people!

Lady in the Water (2006) One salt Shaker.
Half-baked folklore, cartoon creatures and a pale redhead astound an apartment complex. Boredom and malarkey shattered by the cliché loud soundtrack jump-scares. Good actors wasted by a crazed egomaniacal filmmaker- you know his name- it's plastered over the credits like spam. See “Night of the Hunter” instead.

28 Weeks Later (2007) Three salt shakers.
What this film lacks in originality, entertainment and character development, it more than compensates for in severe, quick edits with shaky cam. Scenes that may have been horrifying are jazzed up as this method is taken to its zenith. Oh and when someone has been exposed to the deadly virus and is a sole survivor worthy of study- I'm pretty sure she'd be monitored and guarded. And when "dad' keeps appearing all over the map, it's more like a comedy than a horror flick. A sad follow-up to such a classic original, kind of like “Halloween II” was.

All About My Mother (1999) Two salt shakers.
I had found it hard to believe that a teen-age boy is so transfixed by an actress in "Streetcar" that he frantically dashes after her cab in the rain. Then the nun getting AIDs after being impregnated by a transvestite? Another pal, a transsexual and the main character then switch roles as the assistants to the lesbian actresses. Suddenly there's an "All about Eve" twist as the all female cast again talk about their lives and then ….my gaydar just exploded. Pedro A, your films are just too ridiculous to merit the heaping praise.

Disturbia (2007) Three salt shakers.
If you're looking out your window at your neighbors and your friggin lights are on- they can see you. How basic is that? What would be a cool update of "Rear Window" loses steam from a strong setup and becomes yet another bland, predictable wanna-be thriller. The lead actor, Shia LaBeouf, does his best though which spring boarded him to fame.

The Host (2006) Three salt shakers.
Would be slimy monster fun if it didn't get weighed down in they typical Asian cinema broad comedy along with heavy-handed social statement. Whenever the slime monster is off-screen it stalls. Then a non-crowd-pleasing death spoils the end.

I Think I Love My Wife (2007) Four salt shakers.
Chris Rock tones down the smartass to make a nice stretch as a bored, middle-aged, sexual frustrated buppie. Better than expected and a cool step as a mature filmmaker/performer.

Bobby (2006) Three salt shakers.
This is a very flawed film! Ashton Kutcher as a hippy and Demi Moore as a drunken lounge singer both overact badly written parts. Harry Belafonte and Anthony Hopkins play chess. All of the performances seem stereotyped and unreal. However it's obvious throughout and especially toward the end that Estevez is passionately relating the death of the optimism and hope that succumbed after this "3rd" assassination and grew darker as Vietnam dragged on. To hear the speeches and to imagine 'what if' is depressing but a message that is important. The social value of this tribute outweighs it's "Love Boat"-like feel.

300 (2006) Four salt shakers.
Crazy, silly, and totally comic book- this film captures the pulp, style and amazing energy of the comic and takes it up a notch. As a pencil-pushing office rat - I felt my lost savage awakened in amazing battle scenes of stop action bloodletting! This is pure escapism and catharsis for anyone who has felt isolated while fighting a losing battle. Amazing visuals, stunts and sound make this an instant classic.

Catch a Fire (2006) Three salt shakers.
Like "Blood Diamond" this should have been a great film but somehow comes across as formula. I think Tim Robbins didn't blend into his heavy role enough and the long-winded opening of domestic tranquility seemed too forced. When the dark torture of apartheid finally occurs, the main character's transformation is overnight - like a "Rocky” training montage. (Even though this is a true story) Strong story- so why does it never catch fire?

District B13 (2004) Three salt shakers.
The incredible acrobatic foot chases, Parkour, elevates this- like Matrix stunts without the CGI. But the clichés are too deep and the plot too dumb- like anime characters rehashing 'Escape from New York'.

Breach (2007) Three salt shakers.
Depicting the FBI as a drab bureaucracy filled with office politics seems dead-on and Chris Cooper plays the hypocrisy of his role well. We needed more of him and less of Ryan Philippe.

Old Joy (2006) One salt shaker.
A condescending dullard and an unkempt hippy go camping and have about 15 minutes of dialogue- that leaves an hour or so of random scenery shots including multiple minutes of footage shot from a moving car at the passing scenery. ‘Chuck & Buck’ meets your stoned pals' bad camping home videos. No joy in this mumblecore. See “Mutual Appreciation” instead.

Crank (2006) One salt shaker.
Everything that's bad about filmmaking today: the clichés, the desperate attempt to be hip, the over-stylized direction...see “Run, Lola Run” or even ‘Speed.’ Yes the sequel is out this year, so yet another in a trend of sequels to bad films.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

8 Reasons to Love Twilight Or Why Millions of Screaming Teens Can't be Wrong

1. Depth of story/character. For example, from the very beginning, Bella's opening lines address dying. Not shopping. Or boyfriends.

2. "Bella" (Kristen Stewart). She is natural, pretty, smart, real, independent. She loves the old, beat up pickup truck her Dad gives her. She'd rather go to a bookstore than try on dresses.

3. Writing. Some quotes:
"One of the best things about Charlie—he doesn't hover." (Bella, about her Dad)
"Your mood swings are giving me whiplash." (Bella, to Edward)
"What if I'm not the hero? What if I'm the bad guy?" (Edward, to Bella)
"I tell you I can read minds and you think there's something wrong with YOU?" (Edward, to Bella)
"I don't have the strength to stay away from you anymore." (Edward, to Bella)
"Your scent. It's like a drug to me. You're like my own personal brand of heroin." (Edward, to Bella)
"So you're worried, not because you'll be in a house full of vampires, but because you think they won't approve of you." (Edward, to Bella)
Edward: "You better hold on tight, Spider Monkey. Do you trust me?"
Bella: "In theory."

4. Direction. The initial scene between Edward and Bella is marked by repulsion, fascination---the meeting of two people who know they will forever affect each other in some way. And the big revelatory plot point, when Bella confronts Edward about his 'nature,' is a sweeping, yet intimate, intense forest scene. This director defines romanticism.

5. Color. The color grading (color changing and correcting done in post production) is superb, doing what color does best: setting mood. The cool rainy blues. The color that goes into and out of Bella's face.

6. Originality of vampire concept, incorporating Native American legends regarding wolf tribes vs. vampire tribes. This is most certainly not another vampire flick.

7. Soundtrack. From Edward listening to Debussy's "Clair de Lune" to Radiohead's "15 Step," it sounds as great as it looks.

8. Casting. Edward (Robert Pattinson) is heart-stoppingly beautiful and sheer perfection in this role. Kristen Stewart is a likeable, natural beauty. We care for her because of who she is and live vicariously through her point of view. "Jacob" (Taylor Lautner) is another lovable force who will be more visible in the next Twilight series film, "New Moon."

Friday, July 17, 2009

Stores, Lies and Credit Card Tape

Whenever one has a visceral, repugnant reaction to something, there's usually more of one's self at issue, rather than the external stimulus. So yeah, look within when you're seething about someone or something, right?

Confessions of a Shopaholic brought not only those groans one makes when watching a really bad film, but it also struck hard at my anti-fashion/anti-bimbo sensibilities. Constant predictability. Cartoon-like, exaggerated characters. Trite story line. A painfully depressing depiction of female characters (lying, superficial, marginally talented).
Then there's the obsession with designer everything (a debt we will forever owe to "Sex in the City"). And this simplistic view of women as either fashionistas or shlubs. Thanks for that message. I'm sure that does wonders for young women everywhere!

Sure the timing of this film couldn't be worse. In current financial times, is anyone able to relate to a free-spending addict who racks up credit card debt like designer handbags? That's just so...early 2000s. There's no blame attributable to the film for our current economic mess. But when reaching the major low point of the character's journey, and feeling nothing short of glee, I'd say some finger pointing in the filmmakers' direction is warranted.

Unlike "Elle Woods" in Legally Blond, whose fashion sense was merely part of a unique character with brains and drive, "Bets" has nothing for us to fall in love with. Her relentless lying might perhaps be more of an issue (and make a more interesting story) than her relentless shopping.

And when I look inward, I can confess: movies about fashion have never been very impressive to me. Eating disorders and tortured animal skins are not my cup of tea. But any great film should transcend subject with good story. (So you don't need to be a rock star to appreciate Spinal Tap.) This one didn't.

And confession number two: I tried to read this book when it first came out. I don't think I made it through the first chapter. Maybe that's just me, though. Off-the-rack-wearing, overweight, plain old me. Talk about a feel good chick flick!

Friday, July 3, 2009

Love & War

As an audience member you really shouldn’t be too ahead of your characters or they come across as idiots. Just as in horror movies where it’s a constant battle of dumbness with folks going backwards into dark rooms, splitting up and of course assuming the maniac is dead and not kicking their weapon away or shooting them again. James Gray’s “Two Lovers” doesn’t have any murders- just the predictability. Leonard (Joaquin Phoenix) is supposed to be a manically depressed, but often witty, regular-Joe. He has it half-down not seeming to be any fun in the least and almost “Sling Blade” slow. He also is just not believable as a middle-class Jewish boy (nor is Isabella Rossellini- yeah you heard me, as his mom.) Predictably Vinessa Shaw is the nice Jewish girl who would save him versus the fragile and exploitative shiksa played by Gwyneth Paltrow doing her best to sell the “New Yawk” accent. This film has received good reviews and I did find the camera work atmospheric and the mood appropriately downbeat. However the all star casting goes against it making it seem a little like an SNL skit- though if I could just transplant Adam Sandlers’ character in “Reign over Me” into Phoenix’s place we may have had the likeability we needed as we watch this dude stumble through his love life. Robin Williams also did a great job in a similarly toned, little known film “Seize the Day” twenty years earlier –so I think Phoenix’s performance was the problem. Then he went on Letterman in that prank deal- Oy Vey!

Having given thirty choices for best releases this year so far, I am happy to give my first recommendation for the second half of 09. “Waltz with Bashir” is an “animated documentary” about the 1982 Lebanon war as seen by the Israeli foot soldier. Director Ari Folman is the basis of the main character who has his own repressed memory of the war jarred after a friend tells him of a recurring nightmare which features the many dogs he killed during that war coming back to get him. The animation seems to be rotoscoping (painting over a filmed image), but supposedly it is not. Actors were filmed for reference only. I think the animation serves its’ purpose, adding to the unreality and dreamlike nature needed as various characters recount their war stories. It also captures the absurdity and odd juxtapositions of war (creepy dead horses, an attack in an orchard, apartment dwellers watching a firefight from their balconies) which I found to be reminiscent of “Apocalypse Now”. As our heroes’ memory is stimulated by his comrades’ tales we realize why he has blocked them in the first place. Perhaps this films’ compelling visual style will pull one teenager away from their war porn video games long enough to give the joy of killing a second thought.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

A Love Affair with British Telly

Stop what you're thinking. You read that title and are thinking of "Monty Python's Flying Circus," aren't you? Or perhaps, "Upstairs Downstairs?" "Coronation Street?"

Not that these shows weren't brilliant (although----eek, I admit---I never liked Monty Python! Stop throwing tomatoes at the computer, please. I'm nothing if not honest).
Of course I love "Keeping Up Appearances" (Patricia Routledge's Hyacinth Bucket was nothing short of pee-in-your-pants hilarious). And "Faulty Towers." And one of my absolute fave dramas (with a genre-busting performance by Helen Mirren) is "Prime Suspect."

But let's move forward, shall we? To some of the best series television I've seen. Thanks to my obsession with Netflix, it's been a TV series rental extravaganza around our place. And here are some gems you will not want to miss:

The Royle Family
Thanks to my wonderful friend from London, Jeanne, we were introduced to this sweet, funny, modern take on "All in the Family." Well, not literally All in the Family, but for us Americans, it's an appropriate reference. Meet the Royles, a Manchester clan who cluster around their own telly and share life's ups, downs and sideways. Such subtle beauty takes a lot to achieve. It's a picture perfect cast that becomes so easy to get lost in. Denise's (Caroline Aherne) scratchy little voice is never less than endearing, as she whines to her Mam (Sue Johnston) about this (her soon-to-be husband, Dave (Craig Cash) and that (her brother, Antony's (Ralf Little), slights and insults). At the helm of it all, the bigger-than-life, riotously raw patriarch, Jim (Ricky Tomlinson). I dare you not to fall in love with this family.

The bad news? Only Seasons 1 and 2 are available here in the US, through Netflix.

Spaced
Just thinking of this brings a big goofy smile to my face. Meet Tim; his housemate Daisy; Marsha, their unique landlady; and Brian, the tortured artist downstairs. Sounds cheesy, doesn't it? It isn't. It's dairy-free. Hilarious and creative, this is Simon Pegg at his best. From Tim and Daisy's adventures, to their deeply suppressed attraction, it's bring-on-the-diapers-because-I-will-pee-in-my-pants funny. Jessica Hynes delivers another comedic masterpiece in this series (we first encountered her in "The Royle Family" and were delighted to see her in this).

The bad news? Only 2 seasons (7 episodes each) were made, from 1999-2001. There are legions of fans, on both sides of the Atlantic, wanting more, more, more.

Primeval
Let me preface this by saying that I love sci-fi. Time travel? Count me in. Space adventures? Unexplained phenomena? Bring it on. I grew up watching reruns of "Lost in Space" and still love that show (the original 1960s TV series, not the 1998 film).

If you can admit to sharing any of these feelings, you'll probably grow to love "Primeval" as much as I grew to love it. "Grew" as in-----you must get past the cringe factor right from the start. Maybe a low budget is responsible for sparse settings and the small supporting cast (as in government building situations, which should be crawling with suits, uniforms, and the like). But once you get beyond this, you find yourself sucked into this world of anomalies ----and wondering why they didn't just name the damn show, "Anomaly." I was predisposed to liking this series, since Juliet Aubrey is in it. (If you've never seen her in "Still Crazy," please stop reading this now and go rent it.)
It's light-hearted, sci-fi adventure fare, with lovable characters and some unintentional silliness that keeps it as addictive as was "Land of the Lost." (er...that's the original, 1970s TV series, not the current remake).

Torchwood
From the opening episode, when the infinitely lovable Gwen (Eve Myles) accidentally sees a strange group of black coated people bringing a recent murder victim briefly back to life, you are hooked. Like Primeval, only grown up, "Torchwood" is all adult. With various sci-fi adventures mixed in with Captain Jack Harkness' (John Barrowman) sultry proclivity for handsome men, it's a nonstop thrillride.
Some episodes are brilliantly creative (especially those that rely on more intellectual weirdness), while others almost fall into the silly-special-effects-monster category. Still, I'm glued.

Gavin and Stacey
Like "Torchwood," this series is also shot in Wales. It looks so pretty there...but I digress. There's nothing ground breaking here in story. We follow a loving couple as they connect via telephone (they work for the same company: she's in a Wales branch, he's in London), fall in love, get married. But their respective best friends, Smithy and Nessa (played by writers James Cordon and Ruth Jones) are the real gems here. Says Nessa, "...all I want to do is go out, get shit faced, and have a curry or a fight down Caroline Street." Yep, she got me with that one.

I'll post more as we discover them. Know of any other must-see, British TV? Let us know, here at Salty Popcorn Reviews. Ta for that. Cheers.

Monday, June 15, 2009

The Best DVD Releases of 2009 so far…

So here we are already at the mid-year point of 09! How can this be? As our little blog rolls along we continue to try to give shakers as they are due. Take a walk through a chain video store and see the sheer avalanche of DVD releases out there- most sadly to say just suck. So here’s my year to date picks on the best disks so far- note these only indicate new releases of the past year and not old films re-released. I’d also like to give a shout out to the release of the final season of “The Wire” representing a new high in TV drama. (Though this blog doesn’t usually weigh in on TV shows)

Some of these flicks were reviewed or mentioned previously on this blog, many others weren’t but trust me- all of these are good viewing! (Sorry The Reader and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” didn’t make the cut for me) Also all of these should link back to their Netflix pages for easy queuing. Let’s hope the second half of the year has some more good ones (which will include the Sin Nombre and Star Trek releases of course)