Dogs Bark

Unclenching Our Fists - - The Visitor (2008) - - 21 January 2009

Recommended. What a great movie to celebrate the proposed turn in American foreign policy! The story concerns a disenchanted academic, Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins), who becomes enmeshed in the difficulties of an undocumented Syrian immigrant, his Senegalese wife, and his mother, played by the talented Palestinian actress, Hiam Abbass (Satin Rouge). Their complicated trouble awakens Walter’s compassion and his romantic feelings for Abbass. The Visitor, directed by Thomas McCarthy (The Station Agent), centers on the human interaction, absent liberal guilt or obsessive anger at the government. “This feels like Syria,” Abbass dispassionately mutters. Accompanied by a sprightly score (Jan A.P. Kaczmarek), music supplies the connection between Walter and his young friend and, although the ending is inconclusive, Walter’s evolution is manifest. Jenkins was nominated for an Oscar and his understated acting serves the story well. Simple gestures point to the unambiguous decency of his feelings. A small but brilliant film.

Morality Plays - - Doubt (2008) - - 17 January 2009

Recommended. It is interesting that this year we have two Oscar-competing film adaptations of award-winning drama about the abuse of power, a cover-up, and the violation of vows; ultimately both the Catholic pedophilia scandal and Watergate concern these errors. Taken this way, a good portion of the doubt of Doubt evaporates. If John Patrick Shanley hadn’t directed his own play, this might have been clearer.   Unfortunately this is also the root of the problem with Meryl Streep’s brilliant job. Her final confession does not ring true, severely crippling the role. But despite this, Streep and the other main actors, (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis) turn in marvelous performances, with the scene between Streep and Davis particularly riveting. Those who claim Streep’s performance is over the top probably missed Catholic school in the 60’s. And whatever the flaws here, it is undoubtedly correct to morally challenge audiences.

Always Turning Inward - - Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters (1985) - - 16 January 2009

Strongly recommended. What is the reason for the morbid fascination of the artist? Is it the editorial fascism of death, old age, and illness? Or the demeaning annihilation of their pampered individuality? Paul Schrader’s compelling film, Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters, never tries to pin this down, wisely preferring to show, not tell. The film does a grand biographical job, using flashback, straight narrative, and surreal excerpts of Yukio Mishima’s novels to stage (production designer, Eiko Ishioka) Mishima’s tortured life. Philip Glass, for once, provides a score that supports the drama. More importantly, taken with Schrader’s Travis Bickel (Taxi Driver) and Julian Kaye (American Gigolo), we have a corpus of transcendent masochism unmatched in cinema. In particular, the semiotic relationship between words and violence. Every report of Schrader’s early writing process suggests this hypnotic inner stare was acted out before it was written up. Thankfully, he found a voice and not a victim.

Anne of Three Days - - Rachel Getting Married (2008) - - 10 January 2009

Strongly recommended. Oh my god, I so want Jonathan Demme to arrange my next wedding.  This guy totally knows how to party. That out of the way, there’s no doubt that Anne Hathaway’s Kym will show up at that wedding. Why? Because there’s always someone in any family who tests it. That’s the power of Rachel Getting Married. By not entirely focusing on Hathaway, despite her Oscar-worthy performance, director Demme uses alternating fixed and hand-held camera work (by d.p. Declan Quinn) to push us into the secrets and lies so universal as to make ‘dysfunctional’ . . .  non-functional. The function of families is to inflict terrible and joyous love. Take Debra Winger’s brilliantly underplayed mother of the bride. Her inability to show love answers a million plot questions the right way, by showing, not telling.  Ditto for Bill Irwin, Rosemary DeWitt, Anna Deavere Smith and the rest of the outstanding cast. 

Waist Deep In The Big Oily - - Le Salaire De La Peur [The Wages Of Fear] (1953) - - 8 January 2008

Recommended. This movie, a gritty part of the French New Wave, was directed and written by the Gallic Hitchcock, Henri-Georges Clouzot. It's as good a movie as everyone says but the suspense gushed about elsewhere was not engendered in me. Yes, we are talking about four men transporting nitroglycerine across Central American mountains. However, the characters are so disagreeably loutish as to make their deaths almost a relief. On top of this the movie starts very slowly, again establishing that everyone in it is a bum. Despite all this, the movie is composed of numerous gripping images and shocking barbarism. The scene in the oil pool, for example. The anti-American, anti-Standard Oil dialogue was removed for the theatrical cut; by now, they go without saying. The acting, particularly the youthful Yves Montand and Mrs. Clouzot, is distinctive and effective.  All and all, a very good movie - - just not very nice.

Talking 'Bout, My Ghoul - - Låt Den Rätte Komma In [Let The Right One In] (2008) - - 4 January 2009

Strongly recommended.  Such a delightful movie, yet such a disturbing one! The plot hinges on the friendship between a girl, Eli (Lina Leandersson) and her bullied, lonely neighbor, Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), both twelve. As such, Let The Right One In renders a charming pre-pube love story. However, mixed in are a beheading, acid disfigurement, multiple child murders, a sunlight immolation, and enough hemoglobin to float the Swedish Navy. See, Eli is not just a vampire, but a uniquely brutal one. And she can scurry up a building like a spider. This all works because of the soulful lovely looks and acting of young Leandersson and the best winter shots (d.p., Hoyte Van Hoytema) since Fargo. In addition to seventeen major awards, the film reaped Fangoria, best-horror-film-of-2008 honors for helmer Tomas Alfredson.  See it at your local art theater and don't plan on any sweet dreams.  

Buona Sera, Signor Tucci - - Big Night (1996) - - 3 January 2009

Strongly recommended. If you love to eat. If you love to cook. If you love Italian food. If you love Italian music. If you love Italian restaurants. If you love neighborhoods full of Italian-American people. If you love Italians. If you love entertaining your friends at a beautifully set table. If you love to savor really great ensemble acting. If you love the wit and subtlety of Tony Shalhoub. If you’d love to see Stanley Tucci write and direct more movies. If you love the way women dressed in the 50’s. If you love Minnie Driver’s shoulders. If you love the way Isabella Rossellini talks. If you just love to say ‘Essa-bella Rrrrrro-sell-ini.’  If you love it when a plan comes together (even if it really doesn’t). If you love movies about passion and warmth and joy. If you love life. If you love movies. You will adore Big Night.  BTW, here’s a recipe for timballo:

http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-timballo11jan11,1,52062,full.story