June 12, 2010
Please Give (2010) ***
Directed by Nicole Holofcener
My tweet:
Please Give (2010)- Baumbach-lite...too often devoid of truth. Just barely enough genuine moments to make it watchable. *** out of 5
Other thoughts:
Though I don't think anyone who knows me would describe me as an optimist or an idealist, I hope people don't see me as a cynic or a misanthrope. Personally, I can't stand people that do nothing other than make the world a more miserable place. Sure, one can try and explain away people's nastiness by saying that they have issues of anger or insecurity, but these excuses don't make it any more fun to be in the presence of the Dave and Debbie Downers of the world. As I delve more and more into cinema, I'm finding it easier to spend time with unlikeable main characters; however, for me to truly embrace unpleasantness, it has to be compensated (or even overcompensated) by a smart, truthful comment on the human condition. One needs a reason to befriend a hateful person; the same can be said for a movie about hateful people. Give me truth, or cheer the hell up.
Noah Baumbach successfully provided a brilliant, unique exploration of a malcontent with Greenberg earlier this year. Please Give comes off like Greenberg's shy little sister considering, first of all, that it pulls its punches at the end, and second, that it's not as insightful as it needs to be to make the idiots within worth the viewer's time. Written and directed by Nicole Holofcener, whose previous work includes Friends with Money and Lovely & Amazing, neither of which I've seen, seems to want us to see ourselves in these characters, but they come off a bit too exaggerated and muddled to be all that identifiable.
Take, for instance, Cathy and Alex, played by Catherine Keener and Oliver Platt, a married couple who buys furniture from the vulnerable, grieving family members of recently dead people. At the beginning of the film, they seem happy doing what they're doing, but early on, they both start feeling guilty. What caused them to begin to feel this way? I have no idea! Cathy deals with her guilt by giving lots of money to bums on the street and looking for volunteer opportunities which never work out when she's told that she needs to be a cheerful presence when working with the less fortunate. Alex, on the other hand, begins having an affair with Mary, a pretty but monstrous granddaughter of his 91 year old neighbor. Oliver Platt is one of my favorite actors, but he's not the best looking guy in the world. Therefore, I'm inclined to ask why Mary, played by the beautiful Amanda Peet, wants to sleep with him in the first place? Mary doesn't like her grandmother who is a bitter old woman being taken care of by mild-mannered Rebecca, played by Vicky Cristina Barcelona's Rebecca Hall. Rebecca spends too much time with her miserable grandmother, which has her yearning for a relationship in order to bring meaning to her life. Meanwhile, Cathy and Alex's 15 year old daughter is dealing with teenage angst and zits.
To recap: Cathy's a guilty New York liberal; Alex is a guilty cheating husband; Mary is a selfish witch; Rebecca is a meek loser; Grandma is an old pill, and the daughter is an insecure brat. The trite way I described the characters just now perfectly expresses the complete lack of nuance which exists both in the script and in the actors' performances. Everyone involved plays everything just a bit too on the nose, and the result is a film that feels artificial and manufactured, despite some interesting moments.
The film's ending, though a bit disconnected with everything that precedes, actually makes the film passable despite its lack of authentic sociological insight. One would expect this kind of film to end neatly, but it leaves quite a bit up in the air, which is just right. These people are too troubled to live happily ever after. Ultimately, these characters learn just a little bit about themselves, and they grow only slightly by the time the credits roll. Holofcener's humble ambitions provide charm and truth that's lacking in Please Give's characterization and exposition.
There are better and more truthful films out there about deeply flawed people navigating their way through a cruel world. Yet, Please Give is one of the few in this genre that actually offers the kind of redemption that feels in sync with the nature of the terrible people within.
June 11, 2010
Tetro (2009) **1/2
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
My tweet:
Tetro (2009)-Coppola's earned the right to be indulgent--sadly, he's not as clever and interesting as he thinks he is. **1/2 out of 5
Other thoughts:
Francis Ford Coppola is over 70. Most people think of folks this age as traditional, conservative and stuck in the past. Considering that a good part of the country is ultra-liberal, it makes sense that these people eventually get old too, and therefore, we can have septuagenarians as far to the left as there are to the right. Coppola is not your typical bingo-playing, Jeopardy-watching senior citizen. On the one hand, I think it's great that he's bucking conventions. It's too bad, though, that lately, his films feel like they're made by a pretentious, immature 22 year old who's trying desperately to get in touch with his own personal identity through the art that he produces. Most people grow out of this self-worshiping, myopic phase; Coppola has grown into it.
Youth without Youth from 2008 was a complete, incomprehensible mess. If I remember correctly, it's some kind of gangster film that takes place in two different parallel time sequences, or something like that. Tetro keeps everything relatively close to the grain, but unfortunately, its comprehensibility carries with it the ability of the critic to analyze what's comprehended. The whole thing ends up as a complete bore. Not that the film is dull, mind you, but Tetro is simply way too pedestrian to be interesting. When one considers that a 70 year old Hollywood legend is responsible for this trite tale of conflicted identities and longing for acceptance, both familial and worldwide, one can't help but feel a slight twinge of nausea over the fact that it's all just a little pathetic.
Too many times, Coppola turns Tetro into a comment on his life as a talented boy with an ultra-talented father and family. The genius that has come out of the Coppola family in the last 100 years is astounding--even more so if you're willing to ignore the crap that's resulted as well. The film varies dramatically in style from neorealism to surrealism to melodrama to coming of age tale. Ultimately, the shifts don't succeed in telling a unified tale, but the real problem lies in the moments of self-presentation which come off fake, shallow and juvenile.
If Coppola simply tempers his indulgences and focuses his ambitions, he could really come up with something extraordinary in the later part of his career. There are sequences in Tetro that are as good as some of the more average moments in The Godfather. The black and white cinematography is breathtaking, and the performance by Maribel Verdu as Miranda is one of the best of 2009. Why Coppola needed to smother his potential masterpiece with overbearing, empty self-psychoanalysis, I'll never understand...but, hey, at least Tetro is better than Jack.
June 10, 2010
The Lady Eve (1941) ****
Directed by Preston Sturges
My tweet:
The Lady Eve (1941)- Convoluted and uneven, but Stanwick's amazing acting and some huge laughs make this comedy a classic. **** out of 5
Other thoughts:
Barbara Stanwyck is a one woman phenomenon, and spending my Saturday watching Double Indemnity followed by The Lady Eve, I can't help but remain in awe of such raw talent and presence. In The Lady Eve, she plays Jean, a crook with mixed intentions, ultimately requiring her to take on the persona of a socialite in order to win back Henry Fonda's Charles. He left her when he found out her past; however, Jean's not the sort of woman that lets a man she loves off the hook that easily. Once Jean pretends to be the socialite, Stanwyck simply pulls her hair back, adopts a British accent and carries herself so differently that Charles actually believes that Jean and the socialite are two different people despite their similar physical features. Imagine being an actress and reading on page that you're required to fool someone into thinking you're someone else, and you must do it only with your skill.
Though skeptical at first, Charles does believe that this woman isn't Jean, and I'll confess that I probably would have believed it as well if I was in Charles' position. Jean is such a crass, abrasive woman that there's no way she could pull off being so regal, elegant and classy. There are people in this world that look a lot like each other. I'm convinced I could have been conned. Had anyone even slightly less triumphant an actress as Stanwyck attempted this role, the entire film would have completely fallen apart. We'd think Charles a total moron for not recognizing Jean. I find it hard to believe that anyone could really blame Charles after witnessing Stanwyck do her stuff.
There are a few wonderfully comic moments, and Henry Fonda is a lot of fun to watch as a socially inept, reluctant heir to a fortune. The plot twists quite a bit, and, other than Stanwyck's turn mentioned above, the best scenes take place during the film's first half on the cruise ship. Once on dry land, we're introduced to too many new characters, and Jean's motivation to win over Charles doesn't provide the momentum of the initial scenes which thrive on the tension over whether or not Jean will win Charles' heart and be able to love him in return.
They Shoot Pictures Don't They listed The Lady Eve as the 109th greatest movie of all time. After watching a number of these charming early Hollywood comedies like His Girl Friday, My Man Godfrey, Bringing Up Baby and now The Lady Eve, I don't quite understand why they're as revered as they are. Don't get me wrong--I've enjoyed all four films tremendously. They're simply too formulaic and modest to illicit in me the same kind of excitement I felt over films like Bonnie and Clyde, Annie Hall and The Deer Hunter, all of which appear close to the films mentioned above on They Shoot Pictures' list. Still, I won't argue that these films are worth watching and appreciated. Further, on a list of the 100 greatest screen performances of all time, Barbara Stanwyck's turn as Jean would undoubtedly appear prominently if I had anything to say about it.
June 8, 2010
Pressure Cooker (2009) ***1/2
Directed by Mark Becker & Jennifer Grausman
My tweet:
Pressure Cooker (2009)- Simmers a bit but then comes to a boil when true talent becomes the main course. Inspiring. ***1/2 of 5
Other thoughts:
While watching, I resisted Pressure Cooker at first. This is one of those documentaries where the directors were obviously telling their subjects not to look at the camera. As such, the whole thing comes off awkward and manufactured. The only times we feel like the kids are being themselves involve them talking to an off camera interviewer. During these astute moments, we learn about the personal lives of the culinary students at an inner city Philadelphia high school. We learn of an African immigrant whose father does not support her effort to make a better life for herself in America. We learn of a sensitive, caring teen who desires to go to college away from home so that she's not burdened with the responsibility of helping raise her blind younger sister. Pressure Cooker would have been a better film if the students were encouraged to be themselves while at school in culinary arts class. After all, when there's a film crew in your classroom, you're going to want to acknowledge their existence even if only every once in a while.
The more documentaries I see, the more I'm getting frustrated by the fact that they rarely document life in any realistic way. That being said, I'm also getting to the point where I can appreciate the merits of a doc even if it lacks true authenticity. Pressure Cooker is a good movie. Wilma Stephenson, the teacher of the culinary arts class, emerges as quite an interesting and memorable protagonist. She's obnoxious and strange, and more than once it's mentioned that she's hated by a lot of people. Initially, I couldn't stand her presence, but once these kids started cooking, their creations spoke for themselves. Stephenson is an exceptionally talented culinary teacher, and as such, her positive influence in these ambitious kids' lives clarifies itself. Throughout the doc, the viewer goes from itching to punch Stephenson to wanting to thank her for sincerely giving everything of herself for these kids.
The awards breakfast, where we learn which students get college scholarships based on their culinary abilities, is one of the most suspenseful sequences of the year. During the competition itself, we see these kids pretty much begging for their futures as they're interviewed by the judges of the citywide culinary competition. If these kids don't get scholarships, it's safe to assume that the opportunity to better their lives becomes much more distant.
The film itself may not display authenticity, but the dreams of these Philadelphia students give the viewer enough reality to make Pressure Cooker one of the most inspiring documentaries of recent years. While watching, keep the tissues close by, and may I also suggest preparing a substantial snack, because the food looks pretty delectable.
June 6, 2010
Double Indemnity (1944) *****
Directed by Billy Wilder
My tweet:
Double Indemnity (1944)- The perfect film noir... sleazy, smokey and so very sexy. One of my all-time favorites. ***** out of 5
Other thoughts:
Upon my third viewing of the film that rests somewhere around the number 10 spot on my list of the best movies I've seen, I was thoroughly entertained, which is not surprising considering how much I loved Double Indemnity the first time I saw it a few years ago. This time around, I was especially struck by the three main performances and how each fits into Wilder's entire blueprint perfectly. Fred MacMurray, whose career is a Hollywood conundrum if ever there was one (Double Indemnity, My Three Sons, The Apartment, The Shaggy Dog, The Caine Mutiny), plays insurance salesman Walter Neff with almost robotic stiffness, and yet, it's a brilliant performance. His character almost seems inhuman due to MacMurray's stoicism which allows us to maintain an emotional distance from Walter who is eventually going to end up getting what's coming to him after committing two murders. Wilder is not afraid to delve into pitch-black darkness as he explores what lust and greed can do to an otherwise good man. Neff is an everyman, and MacMurray's decision to underplay not only allows the scintillating dialogue to shine, but it also allows all of us to see ourselves in Walter Neff. He's an archetype rather than a fully realized character, and it's an archetype from which we're all molded.
Edward G. Robinson is a force of nature as insurance adjuster Barton Keyes. Robinson almost turned down the role since he was used to top billing and didn't want the fact that he accepted a supporting role to be seen as a sign that his career was on the rocks. I absolutely guarantee that without Robinson, this film would not be one of the 1001 Movies to See Before You Die. I've yet to see an actor make aggressive noir dialogue sound so authentic and organic. On paper, Barton Keyes might come off a little ridiculous. After all, his gimmick is that he gets these hunches about attempts at insurance fraud. Yet, Robinson plays Keyes as an anxious, brilliant man who's almost too smart for the job he's occupying. In Robinson's hands, Keyes becomes admirable and intimidating instead of gimmicky. He's the x factor that was underestimated by these murderers. All I know is that I wouldn't have even attempted trying to get anything past Barton Keyes, which is high praise for Robinson's acting.
And then there's Barbara Stanwyck donning what has been referred to as a "George Washington wig." Who better to play sexy and dangerous than one of the classiest, most talented and most electrifying actresses in film history? Stanwyck's Phyllis Dietrickson is a troublesome portrait of feminism. Here's a woman that's willing to play society's game. At first, she seems a pathetic loser with nothing but her sexuality, but in reality, she's in control of all the men in her life, and she's willing to throw herself, body and all, at a man in order to maintain control. She's a bad woman living in a world that turns good women bad. The moment when her husband dies, Stanwyck's face speaks volumes regarding her intentions and her virtues. That moment is one of the greatest in all film.
The story is wonderful, but the style of Double Indemnity is truly exemplary. Wilder treads similar dark waters with Sunset Blvd. a decade later, and that film is one of the few that's even better than this one. However, Double Indemnity is a better film noir than Sunset Blvd., which has a more substantial plot. The best noirs I've seen are about sexy, smoky style over story, and it doesn't get sexier, smokier and more stylish than this early Hollywood masterpiece.
June 12, 2010
