Boyz 'N the Hood and Happy Together

John Singleton's 1991 "Boyz 'N the Hood" is leaving Netflix Instant next week. It was one of the first, if not the first, film to deal explicitly with gang violence. The most fascinating aspect of the film is its ability to humanize all characters involved. In this sense it succeeds much like how "The Wire" by David Simon succeeds. Murderers, drug dealers, and gang members are all seen as essentially human, not one-dimensional "bad guys." It has a two part structure wherein it depicts how three different kids grow up and respond differently to the surrounding hood. The dynamic between Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, and Morris Chestnut make up the most memorable scenes. Lawrence Fishburne plays Gooding Jr.'s character's---Tre's---father. In the beginning, a young Tre gets into a fight at school. He is sent home to his single mother. Tre is an intelligent boy but disrespects his peers as well as adults. His mother decides to send him to his father (who lives in the hood). She hopes Tre will learn valuable life lessons from him. The first part of the film, then, explores Tre growing up with his father in the hood and meeting young Doughboy and Doughboy's half-brother, young Ricky. The second part of the film explores how they've all dealt with the things that happened over the course of about seven or eight years in the hood. Doughboy is played by the awesome Ice Cube, and Ricky is played by Morris Chestnut. It shouldn't be missed. It really is too bad it's only streaming until the end of the month.

Wong Kar-Wai's 1997 "Happy Together," lensed by the best, Christopher Doyle, is one of my favorites from the 90s as well as from this director/DoP combo. It's filmed in color and in black & white. Every scene is magnificent. Christopher Doyle dances around and, at times, seemingly with actors Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung. Each shot is playfully experimental. The film tells the story about how the two characters attempt to renew their relationship by traveling to Argentina. As with many of Wong Kar-Wai's films, place, time, and small details (such as what the characters are wearing) are of the utmost importance. One can't be texting while watching. It has been recognized as one of the first films to depict explicitly a homosexual relationship (long before the overrated yet worthwhile experience by Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain"; in my film viewing experience, Asian directors have been much more open to such subjects). The two characters are played brilliantly by Leung (one of the best actors working today; his eyes are so sad!) and Cheung. The plot, if you can call it that, is much more melancholy and loose than "Chungking Express," and it actually feels more akin to "In the Mood for Love" even though stylistically this and the former are more alike. It reminds me of something Samuel Beckett, Jean-Paul Sartre, or maybe one of the Beatniks would have wrote. It's loose but it meditates on heavy and interesting aspects of all our lives such as love, loneliness, friendship, and letting go. The film has staying power. It will surely continue to haunt after just a single viewing. This is something very important to me when judging a film, and it is something most, if not all, of Wong Kar-Wai's films have. So, if you haven't already, be sure to check it out on Netflix Instant along with other films currently available by the contemporary master. Also: be on the lookout for his film, "Grandmaster," coming to theaters this year!

Kagemusha and Charade

1980's "Kagemusha" or "Shadow Warrior" is a fantastic film by master Akira Kurosawa. Incidentally, I should say that the film probably wouldn't have been made unless Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas stepped in as executive producers. The film opens on three men who all look very similar to one another. There is Shingen, his brother, Nobukado, and a thief. Shingen and Nobukado spare the thief from being killed for his thievery and decide he will be extremely useful as a kagemusha or decoy duck...erm...political decoy. This proves to be true. Soon thereafter Shingen is shot dead and the thief takes his place. Only a few members of Shingen's inner circle know who the new Shingen really is. The thief slowly grows into the role as enemies advance. The movie works so well because of its focus on the thief gradually assuming the role of Shingen. There aren't very many battles compared to other Kurosawa samurai epics or, at least, they are significantly shorter and less thrilling than ones typically found in Kurosawa's canon (apparently many such scenes were filmed with over 500 extras, but didn't make it to the final cut). So, if you watch this, don't go in thinking you are about to see "Seven Samurai II" or "Ran II." You're expectations might ruin what would otherwise prove to be a worthwhile experience. If one expects an exacting, subtle character study, then one will more probably have a rewarding experience. Of course the film owes much of its success in these respects to the performances of Tatsuya Nakadai. He plays both the thief and Shingen. And it's his subtle acting that really makes seeing the thief's transformation fun to watch. It's streaming on Netflix, so, put aside 3hrs and absorb filmic genius this weekend. 


I've watched Stanley Donen's 1963 romcom/mystery "Charade" only just recently. And man! do I regret waiting so long. Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn (who is infinitely better than her distant cousin Katherine) star. And they're romantically involved! Alright! What was I waiting for? The rest of the main cast is also a treat. A very young Walter Matthau, James Coburn, and George Kennedy are all really fantastic in this film. They all work on both the comic and suspenseful levels of the film. The film begins with some really exciting music (as soon as it started I knew I was in for a treat; it was nominated for an Academy Award) and a dead body hucked off of a moving train. The body is the husband of Hepburn's character. Over the course of the first act, she learns from Matthau's character that her husband may have been in possession of a large sum of money and that some folks would almost surely be coming after her next to get it. She has no idea about the whereabouts of the money. It's clear that Coburn and Kennedy's characters are two of these thugs, and they certainly begin pestering her about the money just as Matthau's character predicted. Indeed, they waste no time in doing so as they arrive at her husband's funeral; comically checking---in their individual ways---whether he's actually dead. What's less clear is where Grant's character stands in this charade. Is he there to help, or is he a flim-flam man? What are you waiting for? It's "The best Hitchock film Hitchock never made." It's streaming on Netflix Instant! Thanks to my grandma Helen for suggesting this to me ages ago.

Audition; Forbidden Games; Neighboring Sounds

Leaving Netflix Instant next week is Takashi Miike's 1999 "Audition." It starts out as a modern Yasujiro Ozu movie might start. A man has been single for seven years. So, it's time to remarry, so says his son. But then the movie takes a turn very late in the game when we realize his new interest is a psycho killer. It's called "Audition" because the man meets this psycho killer in a mock audition for a TV show. The end is pretty graphic even by today's standards and will imprint the Japanese word for "deeper" into your memory for ever. Nevertheless it's very artfully done and the last few sequences even become interestingly surreal, in a dark Lynchian sort of way, as the protagonist lies on the floor drugged. I found it interesting as well that at the same time we find the protagonist's actions unacceptable (auditioning for a girlfriend) we also feel really bad for him (because he's not that typical guy) when she starts her graphic ritual in the last 30mins. In fact, it's interesting that we can even sympathize with her! This isn't typically the case in horror films of the same kind. Anyway, give it a whirl, if you have the guts to spare! This isn't the sort of movie that is typically my cup o' tea, but I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. But be warned: apparently, horror fanatics Eli Roth and Rob Zombie even had trouble viewing it.

No this isn't that movie that left George-Michael from "Arrested Development" thinking: "I like the way they think." Far from it. Rene Clement's 1952, extremely depressing war movie "Forbidden Games" does not involve kissing cousins. The film tells the story of two youngsters and how they react and interact in the setting of the Battle of France in 1940. The little girl loses her family, including her dog, in a German air attack. She holds and weeps for her dead parents and dog. She's left all alone. Then some adults pick her up off the bombed road. Their reaction to the dead dog: chuck it over the bridge. She runs to pick up her dog out of the river. Then somehow (I can't quite remember how) she finds her way to an out-of-the-way country house where she meets an older boy who helps her bury her dead dog. But the dog is buried all alone. So the two vow to bury other dead critters to keep it company. This is how the two cope during these hard times. Like I said it's quite depressing. To boot, there isn't a single adult who is likeable. The children not only are in a country at war, they're also constantly at war with the adult members of the little boy's family. It might sound as if it's pure melodrama (kind country folk take in an orphan). But it's not that at all. Nothing sentimental oozes from this film. Rather it's just a painstaking look at the behaviors of two innocent children ravaged by war. It's better for that, but it also makes it hard to watch in some respects. Check it out on Netflix Instant.

Newly available on Netflix Instant is a 2012 Brazilian film, "Neighboring Sounds" by Kleber Mendonça Filho. This movie is interesting, but I'm not sure exactly what to think of it quite yet. The setting: an apartment complex and surrounding homes. The characters: a group of security guards, the manager of the complex (his family and new girlfriend), and a family that resides in the complex. The camera just sort of objectively observes different slices of the lives of these three groups of individuals. There's not a whole lot tying them together, at least not at first. But it's also not purely observational/behaviorist cinema. Every once in awhile something surreal crops up and jolts you out of your calm absorbing state of mind into a state of mind where you consider the question, "Am I watching a horror movie?" Sometimes it works, I think. Other times, I'm less sure. I would've liked more consistency (inner lives of these folks or just behaviors, pick one), but I think the fact that I have thought about this movie a few days after initially watching it implies that it's worth watching. And indeed, I would be interested in finding out what others think.

Solo Con Tu Pareja; Following; and Noise

Firsts on Netflix! (And HUGE BONUS: "Upstream Color" by Shane Carruth is now streaming on Netflix! Best film of 2013 so far.)

I finally recently had the chance to see Alfonso Cuaron's first film "Solo Con Tu Pareja," which came out in 1991. I put it off for way too long. This was a fantastically funny Almodovar-ish film---with a Lubitsch touch---about a playboy who gets a nasty, nasty trick played on him and decides he must commit suicide. It's a lot more fun than it sounds. For instance, during the first part of the film the protagonist bounces back and forth between rooms as he attempts to seduce two different women. One of the women is a nurse, and she finds out he's not a very faithful cat. So what does she do!? She marks that he's HIV positive on his test results! Ooph! Dude rethinks his actions and life. This was also the first film of Cuaron's green period. Emmanuel Lubezki lenses beautifully. It's cool to see where one of my favorite contemporary director-cinematography duos got their start. It's probably my third favorite Cuaron movie now. Let's hope "Gravity" is awesome this year!

 

Before the name "Christopher Nolan" was a household name, Christopher Nolan had his humble beginnings in a film called "Following," a 1998 British thriller who, because of loneliness, decides to follow strangers around everyday. He makes up certain rules for himself, but eventually he messes up and begins to enter a criminal underworld. This is a testament that the man can make movies without a big fat budget like he does now (see TDKR). He pretty much did everything and scenes were rehearsed over and over again, so, that only two takes would be needed. Interestingly the movie is fresh but also traditional in the typical Nolan way. He's just inventive enough to keep you interested, yet keeps to certain traditional story-telling techniques, so, that you're not thrown out of the movie experience. Nolan does this well as is evident from "Memento," "Insomnia," "The Prestige," "The Dark Knight," and "Inception." But it's already apparent in "Following." Who wants Nolan to get back to his roots!?

Finally, there's Matthew Saville's 2007 "Noise." Two separate but perhaps related murders occur. One is of an engaged woman. The other is of some passengers on a train. The story follows a policeman, Graham McGahan, who is afflicted with tinnitus and ends up on the night shift in a police information van. (Apparently, police information vans are frequently used in Melbourne to solve disappearances and murders.) What's especially great about the film, which is typically missing in Hollywood stories of a similar ilk, is how easy it is to relate to the main character and his situation. Solving the crimes is hopeless. He's not a superhero. Throughout the film he encounters traumatized members of the community. One such member is the lone survivor of the train massacre. She begins to think that the killer won't let her alone for much longer. And the killer begins to send messages that imply as much. I've never seen a film where sound was so important and so center-stage. I remember liking it a great deal, but it's been a long time since I've seen it. Time to check it out again! Join me, folks

Old Reviews: Arrested Development (season 4), Mad Men (season 5), and Top of the Lake

TV on Netflix Recs!

First, duh: Arrested Development Season 4. The show that was abruptly canceled and the one creator (Mitch Hurwitz) who (finally) brought them all back together (sorta). AD4 is really, really good. It is the perfect mix of new and old jokes, new story-telling structure with the same old complexity (maybe more so), and anustart from a cast that looks just a bit older. My favorite episodes centered on my favorite characters: Tobias and Gob (I'm glad they each got two episodes). However, the last few episodes on George-Michael, Maeby, and Buster are all top-notch as well. I've already started watching some of them again. I can say that some of the episodes that were a bit slow are more fun the second, scratch that, nth time around. Hidden/repeated jokes and layered story-lines were the best part of the old seasons. This season does the same thing, but there's no central family crises at the core. Some may not like that the family is rarely all together again, but I think it gives off a refreshing flavor. I must say, I liked the Rashomon effect that it gave way to. Apparently it was really hard to get the entire cast together. Often it appears cheap green-screen tech is used to make it seem like the cast are actually together. I'd say my biggest complaint, actually, is how cheap it can sometimes look. Did Netflix give all of its money to House of Cards and nothing to AD? But anyway: some of the individual stories weren't as funny as I had expected. Lucille, George Sr./Oscar, and Lindsay's stories are not outstanding, but like I said, better on a second trip. But I think one reason why they aren't as good is because some of these family members are most hilarious when they're in the group (making fun of someone else as in the case of Lucille). But back to the last piece of bread of this compliment/recommendation sandwich. Some other things I appreciated were the following. The episodes averaged a longer running time (clocking in at 30mins often rather than 22mins). I, for one, can never have too much of the Bluths. The tracing of where the characters have been for the last few years was nicely done and relates to what I said earlier about striking the right balance between old and new. Kristen Wiig as young Lucille and Henry Winkler's son as young Barry Zuckerkorn. So good. (Seth Rogen: disappointing/unnecessary.) Terry Crews, Isla Fisher, and, of course, John Slattery (aka the Silver Fox) are all really fantastic as well. Finally, I haven't said anything about Michael (aka Nichael), but he's really good too. His character, on his own, is a nice blend of old (still the most normal) and new (hitting all-time lows makes him seem more like the rest of the family: crazy). For those of you who haven't binged yet, go do so at the only place you can.

Second, I've also recently been able to finish season 5 of Mad Men. Mad Men, in my opinion, is the best TV show on right now (I haven't seen any GoT yet). Season 5 is just as good as the others. I really can't believe just how consistent this show is. I really liked the amount of non-linear and surrealist (dreams/LSD trips) story telling techniques that were used throughout. I also really, really, really appreciate the arc of Don Draper's character. OMG that ending. I can't wait until next year! Envious of all of you who are already devouring season 6. A few things I didn't like, however, were the way the handled Lane's story and Peggy and her boyfriend's story. Maybe more will be said in season 6 with respect to the latter story, but Lane's story was really just abrupt and unsatisfying. I really liked the Lane character in past seasons. But not enough time was given to his story such that I would care when it was left hanging... Anyway: I also think I could have done without the reintroduction of the Paul character and, alternatively, I would've really liked to see more of Ginsberg (maybe season 6?) and more of Betty (oh, how I miss Betty). Other than Don Draper's story I really liked Joan's arc, Megan (I'm in love with Megan), Sally! (she's fantastic!), Peggy's development, Roger (of course), and Pete & Beth (though I kind of miss Trudy too). If you haven't already, check it out or watch it again. I know I'll have to in order to tide myself over until next year.

Finally, Jane Campion's Top of the Lake must not be missed. If you thought Elisabeth Moss didn't have range, think again! Those of you who have seen Campion's The Piano will recognize the beautiful photography of the New Zealand landscape (including a place called Paradise). It contains quite a disturbing story and a mood to fit, so, beware. But for those that can stick through this kind of tense drama, you'll be rewarded. There's a real sense of suspense but also a nice balance of humor to pick you up from time to time. Without the humor, the show probably wouldn't work as well, especially if you binge watch it (which is what all the kids are doing these days). Probably the best things about this six hour miniseries, returning to Moss, are the performances and the character-driven plot(s). Moss embodies a wholly different character than Peggy from Mad Men. But she's equally awesome as detective Robin Griffin as she is Peggy Olson. Peter Mullan is also fantastic. His character makes your stomach turn and your forehead bead up with nervous sweat. If there's only one criticism, I'd say it's the ending. Things are tied together quickly. The tying is not inherently bad (Campion does it skillfully and much of the show is about things lurking beneath the surface of what might superficially be seen as a standard police procedural), but I think there should've been a second season or a half of season to really make how it ends appreciated. Keep in mind that I'm a nut about how endings end. So, given that I am trying to force this show on you with all my might, don't read to much into this criticism. Check it out on Netflix! TV binges!

Old Reviews: Detour, Rosemary's Baby, and The Thing

A classic film noir (you have 3 hours to watch) and two horror classicos. In short: three B pictures worth watching.

First up is Edgar G. Ulmer's 1945 "Detour." Sorry for being so late. You now only have three hours to watch this before it leaves netflix instant. Fortunately, it's only about an hour long. It's a very stripped-down, bare-bones film noir (though the camera work is anything but), which manages to have all the film noir properties. It gets especially interesting when the femme fatale, Vera, is introduced. It's a great little B-Movie that everyone who loves film noir should definitely check out. It has its problems and yet it has a lot of staying power; much like last year's "Premium Rush."

Second is Roman Polanski's 1968 "Rosemary's Baby." This is a fantastic horror movie that's more on the psychological side than the blood lust side of the genre. Mia Farrow stars. I've only seen a handful of Mia Farrow movies. She really does a great job in all of them. But I think this might take the cake. Of course, John Cassavetes does a wonderful job as well, but Farrow is the only character who is consistently believable (until maybe the end). This is definitely worth a watch if only to understand all the subsequent pop-culture references. But also, as with "Detour," it has a lot of staying power for a kind of movie that you wouldn't at first think would have such staying power. So, all in all, I'd say it's earned its place in our culture's psyche. I don't know if I'm comfortable calling it a B picture, but it does have some of those qualities. Interestingly, the scene where Farrow walks into oncoming traffic, the traffic is real and Polanski is behind the hand-held since he was the only one willing to do it. Crazy man. If you're wondering where "American Horror Story" got a lot of its inspiration, check it out!

Finally, John Carpenter's 1982 "The Thing," starring Kurt Russell. I found this to be a very entertaining film. My only criticism is that the end was entirely too predictable and, so, pretty much worthless. That's only like the last 15mins though, so, I still recommend giving it a shot. The story is about a group of scientists in Antarctic who stumble upon a life form from another planet that assumes the form of its host. Scary stuff. Who's the alien?! Obviously there seem to be some pretty easy ways to get out of this mess, but the movie keeps your interest despite some of the irrational behaviors of the characters. It's a classic 80s horror film. Folks interested in seeing where cutting-edge special effects were during the times, should not miss it. Watching it makes me want to go back and watch the Howard Hawks original when I have a chance. Check it out for yourself on netflix instant before netflix decides to get rid of everything pre-2010.

Old Reviews: Distant and Once Upon a Time in Anatolia

Nuri Bilge Ceylan on Netflix Instant.

2002's "Distant" is a story about one down-on-his-luck guy who has lost his job and his well-off relative, a photographer who used to want to be a filmmaker like the great Tarkovsky (actually, his love for Tarkovsky is pretense as we find he would rather watch porn when nobody is looking--that scene is actually pretty hilarious). The movie is about the emotional distance between the relatives. They are distant even though they live together. Ceylan is a filmmaker who really does seem to be the rightful heir to Tarkovsky (unlike Andrei Sokurov, who everyone I've read seems to give that title to). The movie is contemplative and slowly paced. This is to fantastic effect as we observe the family dynamic of these two and, alas, perhaps, even relate to as well. This is leaving Netflix Instant soon, so, check it out soon!

2011's "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia" is even better than "Distant." This is definitely one of my favorite films of a really fantastic year for film. This is an extremely beautiful movie which captures moments of time related to a search for a dead body on the Turkish country side. When the film starts, yellow vehicle lights paint the nighttime landscape. I immediately got goose bumps. I was immediately hooked. The film is based on real events. The title references Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in the West" and was something one of the real drivers uttered during the actual event. If "Distant" wasn't Tarkovsky enough for you, "Anatolia" definitely is. No question. It's a fantastic film. The only thing I would criticize is the end (I don't know: the last 30mins or so) because after such a long and beautiful build up, it seems like a let down to enter into a movie that seems so ordinary. But it's still worth it, believe me! Just look at the beauty of the poster! As with "Distant," the movie is very contemplative. The environment of the story is as much a character as the characters themselves (and is perhaps more important). I recommend that you be in a comfortable and absorbing state, if you give it a shot. You have to be willing to just soak it in and go along for the ride. After I saw "Distant" I thought: "Maybe I should pay more attention to Ceylan." After I saw "Anatolia" I thought: I need to watch everything this filmmakers has made and will make." Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think! I realize Ceylan's movies aren't for everyone but if you watch one, let it be "Anatolia".