2006-10-22

The Last Kiss

Staring Zach Braff, this remake (oh how I long to start a review without having to say that) of Italian flick L'Ultimo Bacio has been eagerly anticipated by the Garden State crowd. This time though Braff's influence is solely in front of the lens, with director Tony Goldwyn behind it. Can this tale of neophyte thirty somethings leave the same mark on it's audience?

Michael (Braff) is nearing the age all those who've seen Logan's Run dread. Far from being chased by a man in a black and white jumpsuit, he finds himself in a loving relationship with the beautiful and recently pregnant Jenna (Jacinda Barret). Life couldn't be better for him, or could it? (or could it?... etc.) Like his similarly aged friends, Michael is struck with anxiety about his future. Fearful that everything is laid out and no more surprises are in store, he finds temptation at a wedding reception in the delightful form of Kim (Rachel Bilson).

At it's heart this a story about the difficulties of relationships, and particularly the stupid decisions men often make when they feel trapped by them. For the most part it works; but watching these grown men and women struggle and fret over the details of there protected, actually rather comfortable lives, it isn't always convincing. There is a sore lack of communication between the couples, which doesn't really gel with the point they are supposed to be at in their lives. You'd expect a greater deal of emotional maturity to be on display.

Despite these issues, solid performances from the main cast and the issues raised by the script make this an engaging (if not memorable) watch. The subplot involving Jenna's parents actually makes for one of the most believable elements of the movie, but it takes a back seat to the troubles of the younger couples. Credit is due for not offering any easy answers to the unhappy situations faced by the characters (something of a surprise for a Hollywood studio flick); and the ending is suitably non-committal.

Probably the most adult relationship movie you'll see this year, The Last Kiss doesn't quite live up to it's potential.

2006-10-16

The Departed

The man with that pair of eyebrows is back behind a camera once more. This time he is helming a remake of Infernal Affairs (which I'm ashamed to admit I still haven't seen), the epic Hong Kong gangster flick from 2002. Transplanted to Irish mob run Boston, is The Departed 150 minutes of Scorsese at his harsh and violent best?

A tale of two rats, The Departed centers around the intertwined lives of two people from opposite sides of the law. Billy Costigan (DiCaprio) is a failing state police officer given the chance to go undercover as a mole in Frank Costello's (Nicholson) Irish mob. Counterpart Colin Sullivan (Damon) is a Costello mobster, undercover as a police officer in the department tasked with bringing down Costello. Suspicions and accusations give rise to a series of violent encounters as both moles are tasked with finding out the identity of the other.

With twenty minutes of back story before we even see a title card, you know your in for an epic journey. Thankfully Scorsese has paced things perfectly, and this tightly crafted tale uses every minute of it's lengthy runtime to full effect. Intense character driven scenes are punctuated with brutal, visceral moments of violence giving an engaging rhythm to the unfolding story. Despite the often harsh images things never feel gratuitous, just grittily realistic.

Assembling possibly the finest cast in a movie this decade, to say The Departed is excellently acted would be an understatement of vast proportions. I'm no fan of DiCaprio, but both he and Damon are eminently believable in there roles as the men with double lives. Jack Nicholson is ideal as the mob boss Costello, keeping scenery chewing to a minimum. Supporting the main three we have Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Ray Winston, and a brilliantly foul mouthed Mark Walhberg, all on the best form of their lives. Relative newcomer Vera Farmiga plays an important role as psychologist Madolyn, caught in between DiCaprio and Damon; it's clear people will be taking note of her after this.

Faulting the movie is hard to do without resorting to nit picking. There are some real jaw on floor shocks as things come to a head, but no real twist in the tale; a shame given the subject matter. Farmiga's relationship with DiCaprio and Damon doesn't quite reach the level it clearly wanted to achieve. One or two of the Boston accents are a little less than convincing at times... but this is all academic. When a movie is this good, you'd be foolish to dwell on such minor niggles.

Expertly crafted and superbly acted, The Departed is Scorsese's most satisfying movie since Casino. Set an evening aside to catch a master filmmaker at work.

2006-10-14

"Greetings Professor Falken."

Friday evening and a shock revelation that my housemate -despite her three years of hardened computer geekery studying for a Comp Sci degree- had never seen the classic 1980's computer hacking cum anti-war movie WarGames. Reeling from the impact of this news, I sought to immediately rectify matters with a cunningly crafted Broderick double bill of said cold war era cult flick and fellow eighties high school sick day hi-jinx comedy Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Returning from the nearby wine dispensary with bottle in hand, the trusty LCD was fired up once again for some DVD based escapism.

As always the combination of military procedure and retro terminal font title sequence pulls you in to the timeless slice of movie making known as WarGames. Alas, 30 minutes in and all I've heard is "aww, Matthew Broderick looks so cute" and, in relation to Alley Sheedy "god she has an annoying face, can't they aim the camera away from her?" a claim which I staunchly rebuffed, no doubt fueled by memories of a childhood crush on the actress. Thankfully by the time Lightman (Broderick) has hacked his way into the computer that sounds like a prototype Steven Hawking (is it OK to say that? Probably not...) my fellow audience member has settled down a bit, drawn in by the geekines of the whole thing.

In all seriousness WarGames has aged spectacularly well. Yes the cold war paranoia seems dated, but in the current world climate it is still easy to identify with. Geeks and techies may scoff at the ancient computer technology used throughout the movie, but the depiction of the process of hacking is spot on: the solitary Lightman locked away in his bedroom, late nights probing the system and pouring over reams of print out. It's a far more accurate portrait than more recent efforts (more of which in a later post). High school kid starts nuclear war by playing a game with a military computer is far from a realistic premise, but it's handled so well you can easily suspend your disbelief (if you can't, what the hell are doing watching movies in the first place?).

By far the greatest achievement of the movie is it's seamless switch from high school hacking tale, to anti-war statement. The final scenes in the Norad war room are particularly effective, everybody watching on as the WOPR (man you have to love that name) computer runs through every possible permutation of world war three, before concluding it is a futile endeavour. You may baulk at the idea of a mere machine being able to fathom this in the space of ten minutes, but whilst completely implausible, set against the backdrop of generals and men with fingers poised on the launch button, it makes for a powerful (if somewhat obvious) juxtaposition.

A deserved geek classic, and one my housemate seems glad to have been forced to sit through. Even if you already know that "the only winning move is not to play", it's well worth cracking open the DVD and reacquainting yourself. Unless of course you'd rather play a nice game of chess.

2006-10-05

Children of Men

Based on a novel by P.D James, the sci-fi premise of Children of Men is as devastatingly effective as it is startlingly simple: woman can no longer have children. For whatever reason -and thankfully the movie doesn't waste time trying to explain why- no children have been born anywhere in the world for the past eighteen years. It sets up the bleakest of situations, one bereft of any hope and with a seemingly inescapable conclusion. At last, a fresh and original imagining of that genre staple "the end of the world".

Political activist turned government bureaucrat Theo (Clive Owen) is our world weary guide through this hopeless landscape. Confronted by his one time love and still very much active activist
Julian (Julianne Moore), he is asked to help transport a young woman to safety. It isn't long before Theo discovers the importance of the young woman comes from her miraculously pregnant state.

Despite the sci-fi tag, this is a very contemporary vision of societal chaos. Images from the current turmoil in the Middle East are transplanted to a totalitarian England, where they are skillfully blended with our own tabloid picture of social decline. England soldiers on, a paranoid police state ruled by fear and hatred. Immigrants are locked up in concentration camps, large swathes of the populace have resorted to thuggery and violence, and terrorist groups bomb and kill to reach their political aims. It's all the bits we don't dare face up to, logically extrapolated to some future point.

Shot in a gritty documentary style, the handheld camerawork and long takes place you right in the heart of this world. Most impressive is the final act shot amongst a
decaying war torn immigrant concentration camp at Bexhill; evoking the imagery of embedded journalists in Iraq or Afghanistan. You feel like your there, ducking the shots and climbing the rubble yourself, instead of watching Clive Owen do it.

Surprisingly there are a great many funny moments in the movie; though admittedly these all occur in the first hour. Watching someone try and jump start a car has never been so amusing. Plus special mention must go to Micheal Caine as ageing, pot-smoking hippy Jasper; great performance.

Solid, thought provoking, and visually memorable movie making. Like the best science fiction, Children of Men gives us a world that is at once terrifying, yet uncomfortably recognisable. Why don't we do this kind of thing more often?