Z is for...

Closer in spirit to a police procedural than a gory serial-killer flick, David Fincher's Zodiac provides a sleek, armrest-gripping re-invention of the crime film. It surveys the investigation of the Zodiac killings that terrorized the San Francisco Bay area in the late -60-early -70s; Zodiac not only killed people, but cultivated a Jack the Ripper aura by sending icky letters to the newspapers and daring readers to solve coded messages. But the film's focus isn't on the killer. We follow the reporters and detectives whose lives are taken over by the case, notably an addictive crime writer (a sartorially splendid Robert Downey Jr.), an awkward editorial cartoonist (Jake Gyllenhaal), and a hard-working cop (Mark Ruffalo). Fincher and his brilliant cinematographer Harris Savides are deft at capturing the period feel of the city, without laying on the seventies kitsch, and James Vanderbilt's script doles out its big moments to major and minor characters alike. Fincher's confidence is infectious; the movie glides through its myriad details with such dexterity that even the blind alleys and red herrings seem essential. The well-chosen cast includes unexpected people popping up all over: Anthony Edwards as a lunch-bucket homicide cop; Charles Fleischer as a mysterious suspect; Elias Koteas and Donal Logue as small-town policemen whose districts are hit by Zodiac; Chloe Sevigny as Gyllenhaal's sweet-natured wife; Brian Cox as the media-friendly lawyer Melvin Belli, so famous he once appeared on Star Trek; and the mighty John Carroll Lynch, as a supremely creepy suspect. The film is based on non-fiction books by Robert Graysmith (he's portrayed by Gyllenhaal), although Fincher and co. did extensive research on their own. The result is a propulsive whodunit without (thus far) an ending, but the uncertainty makes the film even more intriguing. (synopsis provided by Amazon.com)

released 2007

directed by David Fincher

X is for...

The feature film The X-Files: I Want to Believe is a satisfying if unspectacular installment in the X-Files series, taking place an unspecified time after the show's nine-year television run. Former agent Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) is now a doctor, while Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) is being hunted by his former agency and living in seclusion. He and Scully are summoned back by a case involving a missing agent and a former priest (Billy Connolly) who claims to be able to see clues to the agent's whereabouts psychically, though his initial search turns up only a severed limb. Don't expect the usual cast of characters; the FBI has completely turned over (except for the George W. Bush portrait), and the only reason Scully and Mulder are back is because agent Dakota Whitney (Amanda Peet) remembers his success on similar cases involving the unexplainable. Don't expect the same rogues' gallery either; unlike the previous X-Files feature film, which was inextricably linked to the series' convoluted mythology arc (and served as a bridge between the fifth and sixth seasons), I Want to Believe is a stand-alone piece that makes use of the series' roots in horror/sci-fi and moody Vancouver, B.C., locales. Also unlike the previous film, which was almost self-consciously shot for the big screen, this film is on a smaller scale, like a double-length episode of the series. But it's still a good reminder of the creepy vibe that hooked fans for years. And the relationship between Mulder and Scully? It seems to have resumed pretty much where it left off, at least when you take into account the long period of separation. But stick around for the end-credit sequence to take in all the possibilities for the future. (synopsis provided by Amazon.com)

released 2008

directed by Chris Carter

G is for... [part 2]

Fans of Stieg Larsson's Men Who Hate Women may have been concerned about how the Swedish author's novel would translate to the screen, but they needn't have worried. Significant changes to the source material have been made, but director Niels Arden Opley's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as it's now called, is mostly riveting. As the story begins, middle-aged investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) has just been convicted of a bogus charge of libel against a rich and corrupt corporate hotshot when he's unexpectedly offered a most unusual gig. An aging captain of industry named Henrik Vanger (Sven-Bertil Taube) wants Blomkvist to figure out what happened to Vanger's niece, who disappeared more than 40 years earlier; not only is the old man convinced that she was murdered, but he suspects that another member of his large and rather disagreeable family (which includes several former Nazis) is the culprit. Blomkvist takes the job, which includes spending at least six months on Vanger's isolated island in the middle of winter. But what he doesn't know is that he's being spied on by twentysomething Lisbeth Salander (brilliantly played by Noomi Rapace in a career-making performance), the titular Girl and the possessor of remarkable skills as a sleuth and computer hacker. With her gothlike piercings and all-black clothes, Lisbeth is a vivid character, to say the least. While we don't exactly know the details of her dark past, it's obviously still with her; indeed, she's just been assigned a new "guardian" (like a parole officer) to look after her finances and other matters. We also know that she is not someone to mess with; when the guardian turns out to be a thoroughly vile monster, Lisbeth gets back at him in one of the more satisfying revenge sequences in recent memory. That Lisbeth and Mikael should end up working together, and more, isn't especially surprising. But the horrifying details and depths of depravity they uncover while working on the case (parallels to The Silence of the Lambs are facile but appropriate) definitely are, and Opley does a nice job of keeping it all straight. At more than two and a half hours, the film is long, with its share of grim, graphic, and scary moments, but The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a winner. (synopsis provided by Amazon.com)

directed by Niels Arden Oplev

released 2009

D is for...

Considered by many to be Dario Argento's first masterpiece, Deep Red recalls his first hit, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage. British star David Hemmings (Blow-Up) plays an American jazz pianist who witnesses a brutal, bloody murder from afar and turns detective to find the killer. Kooky Italian journalist Daria Nicolodi (Argento's wife and cowriter onSuspiria) joins him as comic relief and tepid romantic interest, but the real costar is Argento's high style: gliding camera, razor-sharp editing, and gorgeous but gruesome set pieces. The story is convoluted, to say the least--plotting was never Argento's strong suit and the unnecessary exposition often drags the film down--but his vivid, horrific imagery is perfect for a thriller driven by haunting memories. Deep Red was originally released in the U.S. in a severely cut version retitled The Hatchet Murders (odd since the killer uses a butcher's knife). Producer Bill Lustig has restored the film to its original two-hour-plus running time, though some scenes exist only with Italian-language soundtracks (which are subtitled). It's a bit jarring at first (it makes for an unintended joke when a man suddenly checks his hearing aid after a language switch), but it's the only way to see Argento's original cut. There's also a brief 25th anniversary documentary with Argento and cowriter Bernardino Zapponi, and the DVD offers a choice of English and Italian language versions. (synopsis provided by Amazon.com)

directed by Dario Argento

released 1975

Possession [2008]

One day I walk up to you and say “Hi, I’m your Dad.” And then go on to tell you a few things only you and your Dad know – hang around you for a while doing things that your Dad does – and eventually you come to believe me that I’m your Dad. That’s the situation Jess finds herself in – in the movie Possession – when her evil brother in-law gets into a car accident with her perfect husband – and her evil brother in-law comes out of the coma first.

You eventually start to realize how stupid it is to believe that I’m your father – until you Google ‘possession’ – and find something saying that it’s completely possible. Then you wake up one day and your buried treasure is missing – and you come to find out that me - "your Dad" stole it – and left you with nothing. You file a police report claiming that you believed that some stranger was your father – and the police tell you how stupid you are and you get what you deserve.

Now, identity theft is a very real thing in this modern world of ours and it’s mostly electronic identity theft of accounts and credit cards. Only the most clever of con men would attempt the con that I put on you – and of course it only works because of how stupid you are.

I seriously could not stop telling Jess how stupid she was over and over and over while watching this movie. How truly stupid do you have to be? Jess asks her friend/coworker – and even they don’t straight up tell her how stupid she is – she’s probably sick of hearing about how she thinks that they switched bodies – and tell her to believe her heart and not her brain.

Sarah Michelle Gellar still can’t act – Lee Pace (Ned the pie man from one of the greatest never-given-a-chance TV shows Pushing Daisies) is hard to believe as the asshole brother – because he’s still got the kind pie man’s face – and the rest of the cast put in yawn-tastic performances. The direction, plot and dialogue was just plain stupid and boring.

By the time it was finished – I felt dumber for the experience – and I wished I didn’t waste my time – 1 out of 5.

[directed by Simon Sandquist & Joel Bergvall]

Weekend Viewing - Feb 19-21 (part 2)

Play Misty for Me [1971, directed by Clint Eastwood]

A radio disc jockey (Clint Eastwood) has a stalker (Jessica Walter).

I liked this film – it was pretty well made – a fine script – and a good build up of tension. My problem with it was that Clint didn’t get sufficiently pissed off with this woman who’s ruining his life – Clint is far too cool for school for the shit she pulled on him. In his feature directing debut – Clint was pretty good with certain elements – and fairly standard for the time the film was released in others. I’ll go out on a limb and give it a 4 out of 5.

Futureworld [1976, directed by Richard Heffron]

In the sequel to Westworld [1973] – the Delos Corporation has reopened their adult oriented theme park after 150 people got snuffed out by killer robots just years before. This time they invite some higher profile reporters to a free visit in hopes they would promote the park – or do they have something up their sleeves?

The fun of Westworld really didn't come over with it to the sequel. This felt more like a dull investigation/conspiracy story that could've been about anything - not just about robots. The relationship between the two reporters felt like love via default - and the relationship between Harry and Clark was disturbing to say the least. They also brought back Yul Brynner in the worst way - in an unnecessary dream sequence that mad you wonder - why is Yul in her dream if they never met? I give it a frustrating 2 out of 5.

Weekend Viewing - Feb 19-21 (part 1)

Shutter Island [2010, directed by Martin Scorsese]

A patient has escaped from the mental hospital on Shutter Island – and two US Marshals are brought in to investigate. The more they investigate – the more questions they raise as to what’s really happening on the island.

Shutter Island is a good film if you want to be taken for a ride that will tease your brain – and at times frustrate you. I’m really not quite sure how I want to rate this film – on it’s surface and looking back – I’d give it a 4 – but I’m not sure if that 4 would last under more scrutiny.

On a side note – my dad told me he had a dream about the movie (which he hadn’t seen) – and basically told me what my thoughts were half-way through the film on what was happening. If he only knew how right he was.

Kelly’s Heroes [1970, directed by Brian Hutton]

Kelly got wind of $16 million in gold behind Nazi lines – and hatches a plan to go and get it.

This film has aged badly – the humor – the soundtrack – the direction – the pacing – all doesn't really work in today's eye. Donald Sutherland’s Oddball character – felt completely out of place – I know he was supposed to be a gypsy or something – but came off as a hippie – which in WWII felt wrong. All that said it was kind of fun – and I liked it just a tick more than I disliked it – I’m stretching out and giving it a 3 out of 5.

Weekend Viewing - Jan 29-31 (part 1)

Up in the Air [2009, directed by Jason Reitman]

This is a story about filling holes in your life. Ryan Bingham fills holes in his life by flying across the country to create holes in other’s lives by firing them – but his goal isn’t to bring others down – it’s the frequent flier miles. When a girl half his age begins at his company and presents a more cost effective – way to fire people over teleconferencing – Bingham is obviously threatened. Bingham is left once again with a gaping hole – and he looks to fill it once again. This is my favorite film of 2009 - a full review should be coming later this week.

A Perfect Getaway [2009, directed by Dave Twohy]

A murderous couple is out killing newlywed couples on the islands of Hawaii – what are we ever going to do? Well first off – let’s not be so self referential that you make the actual movie obsolete – it’s fine that the character works in Hollywood – but talking about plot structures and “red herrings” only goes to further my initial theory of the film (seriously figured this one out almost immediately). “Oh, we’re going to throw you off the trail – because we’re clever Hollywood types! That’s why we made the reveal awkwardly long as to prove how dumb you are as the viewer that you didn’t see it coming! Ha ha ha!” Anyway – this film is getting 3 out of 5 because I’m that big of a fan of Steve Zahn – he’s hilarious (even if he can’t get a role in a decent film to prove it)!