RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman

Sadly, one of the best actors of our times has died. As a tribute, I thought I'd list his best films.

1. Lancaster Dodd in The Master (Paul Thomas Anderson)
2. Truman Capote in Capote (Bennett Miller)
3. Jon Savage in The Savages (Tamara Jenkins)
4. Phil Parma in Magnolia (Paul Thomas Anderson)
5. Lester Bangs in Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe)
6. Scotie J in Boogie Nights (Paul Thomas Anderson)
7. Dean Trumbull in Punch-Drunk Love (Paul Thomas Anderson) 
8. Max in Mary and Max (Adam Elliot)
9. Brandt in Big Lebowski (Coen Bros)
10. Art Howe in Moneyball (Bennet Miller)

A Favorite: Sherlock Jr.

Buster Keaton's 1924 shortie, "Sherlock Jr," is my 29th favorite film of all-time and my 5th favorite film of the 20s. Here's the set-up: Buster Keaton stars as a movie projectionist/janitor for the local cinema. He dreams of becoming the next Sherlock Holmes, and he is in love with a beautiful woman. He also has a rival, the local sheik, who is just just as interested in the beautiful woman. Neither, however, have much in the way of mula to impress her. Keaton buys the woman a box of $1 chocolates and changes the price to look like it was $4. The local sheik, on the other hand, steals the woman's father's watch, pawns it for $4, buys her a box of $3 chocolates, and changes the price to look like it was $8. The father (Buster Keaton's father, actually) finds that his watch is missing. The local scumbag puts the receipt from the pawn shop in Keaton's character's pocket. Keaton's character begins an investigation into the matter, following the first steps of "How To Be A Detective," only to realize he's been framed. The rest of the film takes place inside the dream of Keaton's character. He goes to work at the cinema, falls asleep, and finds himself entering a detective flick, where he's the star detective. Hilarious gags and stunts ensue (one of which involves Keaton actually fracturing his neck!). 

The main reason I like this film more than any other Keaton film is because it's his most experimental or exploratory film. One senses Keaton was trying to both push his as well as film's boundaries here. The centerpiece of the film focuses on the power of movies to create illusion (Keaton ingeniously depicts his projectionist's dream-self entering into a movie via the big screen) and inspire (after all, the end shows the projectionist learning how to ask for a woman's hand by copying what's concurrently shown on a film). Above all, however, the film confirms that Keaton was the most imaginative silent film comic of his day, and the film went on to inspire countless directors, including Woody Allen (see esp. "The Purple Rose of Cairo").

*As of the publishing of this review "Sherlock Jr" happens to be streaming on Netflix!

Netflix Leaving: Carrie

Brian De Palma's hilarious, horror masterpiece, "Carrie" is my 28th favorite film of the 70s and my second favorite film of 1976. Unfortunately, it's leaving Netflix Instant on December 1st. The two best parts about this film are the opening sequence in all it's hyper-stylized glory and the interactions between Sissy Spacek's Carrie and Piper Laurie as Carrie's religious-crazed, abusive mother. With the exception of Kubrick's "The Shining" this is probably the best film adaptation of a Stephen King novel. Sissy Spacek is one of the greatest actresses ever. Her subtle performance here is the only one that isn't so hilariously bad that it is good; it's just good. The set up of the plot is perfect. There is not much focus on Carrie's telekinetic powers. That comes later. In the first act, the focus is on Carrie's miserable existence in High School and at home. This makes the powerful ending less of a horror film and more of a Tarantino-style revenge flick. By the final act we're rooting for Carrie, not scared of her power. Again, Spacek is a master here: transforming misfit Carrie into heroic Carrie. One of the best films about a high school misfit, "Carrie," shouldn't be missed. Make sure to watch it before it leaves Netlfix.

Late Review: Only God Forgives

Nicolas Winding Refn's "Only God Forgives" came out earlier this year, but I've only just seen it. I can't recommend it for all, but for those who enjoyed "Drive" it is worth watching even if "Drive" is vastly superior. Julian (Ryan Gosling) runs a Muay Thai boxing club in Bangkok, which is a front for a drug smuggling operation that his brother, Billy, is in charge of. Billy is pretty much a bastard. He brutally rapes and kills an under-aged prostitute (artfully shown off-screen) before being caught by the police. A police lieutenant with a penchant for taking justice into his own hands, Chang, allows the father of the prostitute to kill Billy but then chops one of his arms off for allowing his daughters to be prostitutes. Julian goes to the one-armed man to seek revenge for the killing of his brother. But when he believes the man had justification in doing what he did, he lets him live. This infuriates Julian and Billy's mother, Crystal (the great Kristen Scott Thomas). She feigns love for Julian, but is utterly disappointed in the fact that he won't avenge his brother. She finds others to do her dirty work and this brings Chang down on both Julian and Crystal.  

Unfortunately the film invites comparison to "Drive" and never succeeds quite as well as "Drive." This is largely because the symbolism related to the psyche of Julian doesn't really translate to anything coherent. Julian's character is mostly a taciturn, reluctant, momma's boy but we're never really given anything deeper than that (nor any indication that he's gotten over his issues in the end). Though "Drive" was equally minimalist in plot it some how worked to give us hints into Carrey Mulligan's hopefulness and Ryan Gosling's morality. Here Ryan Gosling's character is still somewhat of a moral beacon, but it's not always clear why, except that the film needs a hero of sorts. The only interesting character in the film is Kristen Scott Thomas's Crystal. Unfortunately, there's not enough screen time with her. However, she steals the show from all the other one-dimensional character's she's seen with

Formally, the film is genius and that's enough to watch it for die-hard Refn/"Drive" fans. The neon colors, the music, and Kubrick-esque camera work are all exquisitely done. It's a feast for the senses. The film's Lynchian violence is also exceptional. It's all about the build-up to ultra-violence. And when the violence comes, it's over quickly or mostly happens off-camera. Perhaps even better than the camera work and colors is the music. The music might even be better than the music in "Drive." It's a cool, synthetic sound that evokes "Inception" BRAMMY-ness.

In the end, it's unclear what the title suggestions. Is Chang God? Or is he the devil? Is Julian God? Is God God, and the rest of us are just unforgiving, revenge seeking pricks? It's not clear, but because the film isn't completely engaging on the level of plot nor emotions, it also doesn't make the viewer care much about getting the right interpretation (compare this year's best film so far "Upstream Color," which succeeds formally as well as substantively). However, just for it's formal brilliance, "Only God Forgives" is a good film if not a great one. It's my 10th favorite film of the year.    

A Favorite: All About My Mother

Pedro Almodovar's "All About My Mother" is my second favorite film of his (he won Best Director at Cannes that year!), my 14th favorite film of the 90s, and my favorite film of 1999 (it won the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards that year too!). The film is narrated by the son of Manuella, a nurse who works in organ donation. The son wants to be a screenwriter. Just before his 17th birthday he begins writing a script about his mother. On his 17th birthday his mother takes him to a stage performance of "A Streetcar Named Desire." While trying to get an autograph from the star of the play, he is hit by a car. The rest of the film focuses on Manuella searching for her son's father, a transvestite prostitute, in Barcelona.  The plot sounds as if it's the stuff of soap opera or inspired from a Jerry Springer show, but somehow he manages to make us feel a great deal for the characters despite the unbelievable and embellished situations they find themselves in. I've never really understood why I like Almodovar melodramas and despise others' like Douglas Sirk's and Rainer Werner Fassbinder's. Anyway, Almodovar is a great, notable exception to the rule. Almodovar dedicates the film "To all actresses who have played actresses. To all women who act. To men who act and become women. To all the people who want to be mothers. To my mother."

Almodovar puts his own very idiosyncratic spin on the feminist film as well as the gay and lesbian film here. All the splashy colors and design are here per usual but also made more vibrant because the film was shot on location in Barcelona (the greatest, most beautiful city on Earth). The film is about love of all kinds but focuses especially on a mother's love. When Manuella flies to Barcelona she finds support from all kinds of women, from past friends to new ones. One is a warm and witty transsexual, La Agrado (translation: The Agreeable; she has one of the best scenes in the film, a monologue about her becoming a woman), one is a pregnant nun (Penelope Cruz as a youngin'), and the other is the star of "A Streetcar Named Desire." The film, then, portrays a very fun and special closeness that all four of these women develop amongst each other. Moreover, the film only gets better and better upon reviewing. If you can get your hands on it, watch it back-to-back a few times!

Theatrical Release: 12 Years a Slave

Steve McQueen's third disturbing film, "12 Years a Slave," is now in theaters and is a must-see of this year. It's currently my second favorite film of the year after "Upstream Color," but it's a very close second. And really, the only reason why it's second is because (a) I would rather watch "Upstream Color" whereas it's hard to want to watch "12 Years a Slave" and (b) Brad Pitt's part in the film sticks out like a sore thumb in a film that feels impossibly authentic and organic.

The film is about a free man, Solomon Northrup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who is mistaken for a runaway slave and, consequently, sold into slavery. The film is weakly non-narrative. In the beginning we see Solomon as Platt (the name of the supposed runaway slave) working sugar cane fields. Within five minutes there's a very sad "sex" scene---one might have expected this from the "Shame" director---and then abruptly we cut to happier times: a decade earlier in Saratoga, New York where Solomon is a free man and violin player with wife and family. But after this introduction, there are no pleasures to follow. The entire film runs 2.5hrs and I cry in 15min intervals starting with the first 15min mark where Solomon receives brutal beatings for claiming he's not a slave from Georgia but a free man from Saratoga.

Many things are just plain perfect about the film. The acting, the cinematography, and story all come together fantastically to give a matter-of-fact yet emotionally taxing experience. Because these elements come together so well and don't rely on sappy music or melodramatic contrivances, the emotional impact is stronger. It is the saddest movie I have ever seen in my life. I have never cried so much in a film. And with each viewing, the tears don't let up but get worse. The cinematography by Sean Bobbitt is fantastic. Steve McQueen says it better than I ever could: the film is like a Goya painting. It shows brutal content, but the formal aspects of each image are stunningly beautiful. I fully agree. It's hard to say, but the most disturbing scenes in the film are also the most beautifully lit and carefully shot scenes in the film.

Perhaps the greatest formal aspect of the film, however, is not the cinematography but the fact that it is a one stop shop for Oscar nominees in various acting categories. Chiwetel Ejiofor should win for best actor. He definitely has competition with Tom Hanks's Captain Philips, but Ejiofor should win in my book. He is able to portray just as much emotion and thought merely through his eyes and face as Hanks. And, moreover, Ejiofor has to do it throughout the entire film rather than save it for the last 10mins (though there is a weep-inducing last 10mins in "12 Years a Slave" too, Ejiofor and Nyong'o claim our tears long before the end as well). One of the best scenes, which comes very near the end, combines the power of Ejiofor and Sean Bobbitt's skills seamlessly. Ejiofor's character stares off into the distance as he contemplates the possibility that his last chance for survival and renewed freedom will end in another betrayal. Then suddenly he stares directly into the camera. It's visceral, hair-raising stuff. And again, brings on the water-works. Another fantastic scene occurs when a group of slaves, Solomon included, comes across a group of Native Americans. One of the Native Americans plays a violin type instrument in the foreground, while we see Solomon contemplating the scene in the background.

Lupita Nyong'o should definitely win for best supporting actress. Her scenes are the most heart-wrenching. She plays Patsey, a slave who has unfortunately been the center of her slave owner's (Epps) sexual desire. Her dialogues with Solomon and Epps and her central part in, what might be called, the centerpiece of the film all induce uncontrollable tears. And it gets worse and worse for her during the last 45mins of the film of which she is a part. Even after unwillingly submitting to Epps, privileges are taken away rather than given. And speaking of Epps, the actor of our times, Michael Fassbender is superb as he always is in McQueen's films. He plays one of the worst human beings to ever walk this Earth, but one has to admire the commitment that is so obvious in Fassbender. He is utterly transfixing as the slave owner who takes pride in being known as the "slave-breaker."

The adapted script and music are also very well done. However, the music doesn't feel as essential in the end as it did in the frightening beginning when Solomon is being taken to The South, and the script, while keeping close to the original source, betrays at least one character (Pitt's) in the last 30mins. Some have said that this is Steve McQueen's most mainstream film out of "Hunger," "Shame," and "12 Years a Slave." I probably agree, but his art-house sensibility remains here. I am thinking of one sequence in particular where Solomon is hanging by his neck on his tip-toes for several silent hours of the day before his slave owner cuts him loose. This kind of sequence would never find a place in, say, a Spielberg film because in Spielbergy/mainstream films, viewers are controlled to feel a certain way by loud music and not made to look at disturbing images for longer than a few seconds. This film deserves and demands your attention. I recommend seeing it before it soon leaves theaters. Though you probably won't feel like returning to it anytime soon, it's worth putting yourself through.

Netflix Leaving: I Am Love

"I Am Love" by Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino and starring the fantastic Tilda Swinton, is leaving Netflix Streaming soon. The 2009 film is about a bourgeois Italian family going through changes. The central character especially, Emma Recchi (Tilds), goes through a transformation and liberation from the lifestyle she's grown accustomed to over her years as the matriarch of the family. But really the entire family feels as if their lives are unraveling for various reasons. And when Emma sees the chance (maybe, necessity) to leave the sweet life, the rest of the family act as if they never saw it coming. The house of the Recchi's is stunning and unifies the themes of the film. It is at once refined, of times past, and a prison. 

The film is absolutely gorgeous to all the senses. The cinematography, often feeling very Altman-esque, is fantastic. The camera, ever-moving and zooming, seems to capture beauty in every moment of the slice of life we, the viewers, are witnessing. The director obviously put much thought into each shot. His goals for each shot seem to vary---sometimes it seems to be purely aesthetic goals while other times it feels as if the shots were chosen to induce metaphorical thoughts---but every shot accomplishes its respective goal. The film's look and music give off a very moody and often sensual feel that can only be compared to the exquisitely powerful "In the Mood for Love." In addition, I would guess that Italy hasn't seen a director this fantastic at representing the social level dynamics through an individual's personal experience since Luchino Visconti ("The Leopard") and Vittorio De Sica ("The Bicycle Thieves") before him.

The film reminds us of what film is capable of in terms of visuals, mood, and theme. The director is a master of metaphor. The final sequence is utterly breath-taking. [spoilers] After the accidental death of one of her sons, Emma is pondering what she should do with the remainder of her life. She's currently trapped in a cathedral like the bird that flies over her in the same structure. She realizes at this moment, that if she is ever to leave her family and this bourgeois life-style, this is her only chance. She races home to gathers some of her things. She takes one last look at her family, and then she is gone. [end of spoilers] It's absolutely hair raising stuff. None of this could have been accomplished of course without the wonderfully talented Tilda Swinton. The British actress becomes so immersed into her character's life (a Russian in Italy; when she speaks Italian you can even hear the Russian inflections) that the actor is lost. When the end comes the result is emotionally overwhelming. Music and cinematography alone could not make us feel this way. Very much is owed to Tilds's absolutely perfect performance. I fell in love with Tilds after this movie, and I am sure you will too if you haven't already. Be sure to check out "I Am Love" on Netflix before it's too late!