Matthew Vaughn – Movies Spotlight – April 2010

Matthew Vaughn is best known for producing Guy Ritchie’s breakout films, but he is also a very talented director. His third film, Kick-Ass, comes out this month on the 16^th. The film, based on Mark Millar’s comic book series, is touted to be loads of fun.

First as a Producer:

After graduating from Stowe School in England, Vaughn decided to take a year off before going to university and travel the world on a Hard Rock Café tour, which landed him eventually in Los Angeles. There, he began working as an assistant to a director, but decided to return to university in the U.K. However, just a few weeks into his first semester he was determined to return to L.A. and make movies, having caught the film bug. Though, upon his return to Hollywood, he realized that everyone else in town had the same dream; so he again returned to England. But in England he found success. In 1995 he produced his first film, a thriller called The Innocent Sleep. While the film itself was unsuccessful, it did give Vaughn the chance to break into the British film industry and garner him some experience. Next, in 1998, he would produce his good friend Guy Ritchie’s feature debut, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, a film that would propel Ritchie to fame worldwide. With the success of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Vaughn and Ritchie would team up again for Snatch., which was just as well received. The pair then worked on Mean Machine, Vaughn producing and Ritchie executively producing. The film was made as a vehicle for their friend and co-collaborator on their first two films, Vinnie Jones. Then the luck ran out: the team of Vaughn producing and Ritchie writing and directing made Swept Away, a film that Ritchie wrote for his new wife Madonna to star in. The film was lambasted by critics and fans alike. It also marked the last time the duo would work together in any capacity. Vaughn worked on a few English television series as executive producer before deciding to direct films himself as well as produce them. In 2009, Vaughn worked with Michael Caine and director Daniel Barber on the well-received thriller Harry Brown.

Then as a Director:

For his first feature, Vaughn chose J.J. Connolly’s novel Layer Cake, a crime drama/thriller very much in the style of Ritchie’s early work. The film is also notable for being the breakthrough film for Sienna Miller as well as for Daniel Craig both as a leading man and as an action star, which certainly facilitated his winning of the James Bond role in Casino Royale. Vaughn also worked with cinematographer Ben Davis and composer Ilan Eshkeri, both of whom would work on Vaughn’s next two films. Due to the box office and critical success of Layer Cake, Vaughn was offered to direct X-Men: The Last Stand, which he accepted. However, late in pre-production (two weeks before filming was scheduled to start), Vaughn left the project. Brett Ratner was hired to direct the film, not so much for his filmmaking talent, but more for his ability to work fast and on budget. (Like everyone else) Vaughn was critical of Ratner’s final product. Vaughn left the film due to Fox and Marvel putting too much pressure on him to finish the film in a short amount of time, when Vaughn still had issues with the script, which he felt was not very good and flawed. There was also a large amount of studio creative interference (similar to Sam Raimi’s experience with Spider-Man 3). Vaughn decided he could not make the quality film he wanted to under those conditions and left the film. With X-Men behind him, Stardust was his next project. Along with producing and directing the film, Vaughn worked with Jane Goldman on the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s novel. Goldman, like Davis and Eshkeri, would join Vaughn’s collaborative team, again working with him on Kick-Ass. Stardust was again a success for Vaughn, and showed that he had the range to make different types of films and that he was quite adept at combining the comedy, action and fantasy genres, something that would prove important for his next project. The film also boosts a fantastic cast. At the premier of Stardust, Vaughn met Mark Millar. The two talked about Kick-Ass, and Vaughn bought the rights before the first issue even came out. The comic and script were done at the same time making the process very collaborative and organic. Vaughn decided to finance the film independently so that he could maintain control over the project, fearing what happened during X-Men. Kick-Ass premiered at the SXSW Film Festival to rave reviews. Vaughn seems to get better with each film he makes. Vaughn was also briefly attached to direct Thor, but left the project when his deal with Marvel expired.

Comic Book Hits:

Vaughn’s last two films have been excellent, both among the top comic book films made to date. Kick-Ass showed off his ability to garner brilliant performances from his cast (notably from Aaron Johnson and Chloe Grace Moretz). He also did a great job of mixing humor, drama and action together to make a very compelling and thrilling narrative (though, for some it might have been too violent). For his next film, X-Men: First Class, Vaughn again shows off his talent to mix genres and hit multiple varying emotional and excitingly enthralling beats. The film also showcases his keen visual eye and stylistic skill, as it has a wonderful aesthetic to it. X-Men: First Class opened to very good reviews from both critics and (especially) fans (I feel it is the X-Men film we all deserved by never got with the first four). The best aspect of the film is Vaughn’s crafting of the relationship between Professor X and Magneto and the performances he gets from James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. It is a great film that will hopefully have future installments with the same cast and Vaughn at the helm.

Future Projects:

Upcoming in 2011, Vaughn is producing the film The Debt. The film yet again features co-collaborators Davis (D.P.) and Goldman, who worked on the script with Vaughn. The film is directed by John Madden and features Sam Worthington, Helen Mirren, Ciaran Hinds, and Tom Wilkinson. It is a remake of the 2007 Israeli film about three Mossad agents on a mission to capture and kill a notorious Nazi war criminal, set in 1965. Vaughn is also linked as a producer to One Chance, the story of unlikely British reality star Paul Potts, and another Mark Millar creation American Jesus, which Vaughn is slated to direct as well, but the project is nowhere near ready for production. Also up in the air are possible sequels to Kick-Ass (Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall) and X-Men: First Class.

Matthew Vaughn Career Highlights:

1)      Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) – producer [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

2)      Snatch. (2000) – producer [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

3)      Layer Cake (2004) – director [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

4)      Stardust (2007) – director* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

5)      Kick-Ass (2010) – director* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

6)      X-Men: First Class (2011) – director* [Blu-ray/DVD/Rent]

* Editor’s picks

Clash of the Titans (2010) – Review

Clash of the Titans is a mess. Not only is it a remake, but from the get-go it seems as if it is trying to be a bunch of other films (action similar to Transformers, comedy and quips like Pirates of the Caribbean and a sort of epic nature like The Lord of the Rings). Yet, the film trying to be all these things, ends up not being any and not really even being that entertaining (which I assume was its main goal). The action was big, the visual effects were big, but all the effects and action in the world will never be enough for a good film (also note that the 3-D in this was an afterthought and is thus pointless and shotty and the film should be seen without it; after Avatar’s 3-D, is there really any point to do 3-D unless you really make an effort; the refashioning of the film last minute for crappy 3-D is just another sign of the film piggybacking on the successes of other films, and failing at every attempt). The story and more importantly the characters need to connect with the audience and make them care, and this film does not do that. By the end, at the emotional peak, the audience is more concerned with pretty much everything else aside from the culmination of the main character’s arch. Be it the fault of a flat performance or a terrible script and writing (probably more the latter), the film just does not bring the audience in, rather it is more like a spectacle to behold, but carries little meaning once the thrill is done. The main problem is with the script by Travis Beacham and the team of Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi. Aside from it seemingly trying the steal narrative and character elements from other films, it makes a mockery of its whole unique story. The character of Io for example seemingly is inserted for the sole reason of delivering exposition (can the audience be trusted to know anything about Greek mythology, or at least be given a chance to learn stuff through the story, nope it all must be spelt out; can the characters discover anything for themselves, nope, again it all must be spelt out). Elements of the story seem odd and self-defeating – Zeus agrees with Hades to spite man, but loves his son who is a man (sort of), but still spites man, but aids his son to foil the spiting of man, but still spites man – it makes no sense. Or, Perseus (the main character) continuously claiming that he will complete his task as a man without the help of the gods, which makes it more difficult and leads to the loss of life, but still it is noble, except he decides only after everyone is dead to take the help of the gods which then seems to state that all the hardship and death leading up to him deciding to give in to his own weakness was pointless. And really that sums up a lot of the movie’s plot – pointless. Even the ending feels phony – Perseus has completed his task and is all alone (in that everyone around him has died due to the quarrelling of the gods and man), which seems like a suitable enough ending and even has a little emotional weight to it, but then the film goes and makes it more happy, but not too happy, but happy enough to, like pretty much the whole film, drain any emotional connection to the characters out of it. At the end of the film, the audience is left with a number of big action pieces, some chuckles, a story that is pointless, and characters that they do not care about. On to the technical side, Louis Leterrier’s direction felt like a step back from his previous work. There were some interesting ideas, but nothing really felt fleshed out. His major failure however was his inability to create an emotion journey for the characters (and so to for the audience). Thus, the viewer is left to merely watch, rather than participate. As stated above, the writing is absolutely atrocious and is the knife in the heart of the film. Martin Laing’s production design was a highlight of the film. His Mount Olympus set for the hall of the gods was fascinating to behold and really by far the best and most interesting aspect of the film. The cast was quite impressive in name, but under utilized and given drivel to work with in practice (why cast Danny Huston or Alexander Siddig if they are only going to be in one medium shot, a few long shots and only have one line each? and I sort of feel bad for Gemma Arterton, as her character got a lot terribleness in this one, the performance Leterrier asked of her was basically to try to say all her exposition in the most epic and serious way possible, which ultimately just made it all super cheesy and wore down the importance of it all). Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson and Alexa Davalos are pretty much the only ones to come out of this unsullied (though Fiennes’ Hades was a bit like his Voldemort, sort of), as their performances are high points. Sam Worthington continues to be adequate at best. Overall the film was just a waste of a talented bunch of actors and the opportunity to make a fun entertaining film with some meaning – which this is not on all accounts. 5/10

Movie of the Week - The Hours

This week’s movie is The Hours (2002).

The film (based on Michael Cunningham’s novel) is about how the novel “Mrs. Dalloway” by Virginia Woolf affects three generations of women: Virginia Woolf writing the novel, a woman in the 50s’ reading the novel, and a woman in the present who seems to personify Mrs. Dalloway herself. The film is headlined by a brilliant cast including: Nicole Kidman (who won an Oscar for her performance), Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep, Stephen Dillane, Ed Harris, Claire Danes, John C. Reilly, Jeff Daniels, and Toni Collette. And behind the camera is an equally talented group: Stephen Daldry’s wonderful direction, Seamus McGarvey’s pitch on lighting in each period to compliment Maria Djurkovic’s production design, David Hare’s writing allowing the actors to come alive in their performances, and Philip Glass’ haunting score. What makes the film great is not only all the talent, but that it all works together to make a stunning film. Daldry’s work is so engrossing at times that it makes the viewer (or maybe just me) nervous to see what will happen – the viewer becomes completely emotionally vested in the film. In a year with a lot of great films, The Hours was certainly one of the best. Check out the trailer.

The Hours [DVD]

At the Movies – April 2010

Must See in Theatres:

Kick-Ass (Matthew Vaughn) – Action – Apr 16

Based on the comic book series by Mark Millar, the film is about an unpopular high school kid and comic book fan who one day decides to become a super-hero, regardless of the fact that he has no powers, training or meaningful reason to do so. Director Vaughn, best known for Layer Cake and Stardust (which he famously left X-Men: The Last Stand to make), is a perfect choice for the material as he is a master of mixing action, adventure and comedy.  From Stardust, Vaughn brings his behind the camera creative team of co-screenwriter Jane Goldman, cinematographer Ben Davis and composer Ilan Eshkeri to the project along with newcomer composer Henry Jackman, who contributed additional music to The Dark Knight and the Pirates of the Caribbean series. The cast features Nicolas Cage, Mark Strong, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jason Flemyng, and Clark Duke along with two young actors poised to have breakout years: Chloe Moretz and Aaron Johnson. On paper, aside from Mark Strong, the cast does not seem like anything to write home about, but based on the trailer they are perfect for the material and tone. Advanced reviews from the SXSW Film Festival rave about how much fun the film is and how great its young cast performs. What sets this apart from the bigger releases of the month is the quality that Vaughn brings to the project, based on his past work, as he is one of the better filmmakers (this being his third feature film, he also produced Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.), the awesomeness of the trailer and the great advanced reviews the film has been receiving. Check out the trailer.

Good for Dates:

Date Night (Shawn Levy) – Comedy – Apr 9

The film is about a couple that goes out for a night on the town in an attempt to spice up their seemingly boring marriage, who, upon taking someone else’s reservation, is mistaken for another couple turning the evening into something more thrilling and dangerous (it is a bit like North By Northwest meets Adventures in Babysitting or The Night Before, no?). The film is highlighted by its stars Steve Carell and Tina Fey, but also features a fantastic group of supporting actors including: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Mark Ruffalo, Oliva Munn, Leighton Meester, Kristen Wiig, Ray Liotta, Taraji P. Henson, Jimmi Simpson (from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Common, and (the awesome) James Franco. However, with all this talent the film may still be undone by its director, Levy, who is not know for his ‘great’ films. The screenwriter Josh Klaussner was an assistant to The Farrelly Brothers and worked on Shrek the Third and he wrote the Shrek Forever After script, so his background is rooted in writing comedy (I guess). But on a brighter note behind the camera, Christophe Beck is scoring the film. But not to worry, no doubt the film will be funny and entertaining (I mean just look at who is in it again). Plus, there is no way Carell and Fey will not make a good on screen team (right?). Check out the trailer.

Fun Movies:

Clash of the Titans (Louis Leterrier) – Adventure – Apr 2

A remake of the 1981 film of the same name, the movie is about the mortal son of Zeus who embarks on a treacherous journey to stop the underworld and its minions from taking over Earths and the heavens. Director Leterrier, known for his action filmmaking, will likely bring more action to the story, which is probably a good thing. The film will be big, fun and in 3-D (it was delayed a bit to outfit it for the latest trend), yet do not expect loads of quality filmmaking. The film stars Sam Worthington but impressively features Ralph Fiennes, Liam Neeson, Mads Mikkelsen, Pete Postlethwaite, and Danny Huston in supporting roles, as well as young actors: Gemma Arterton, Nicholas Hoult and Alexa Davalos. Behind the camera, Leterrier has assembled the team of production designer Martin Laing, who did decent work on City of Ember and Terminator Salvation, composer Ramin Djawadi who did Iron Man and FlashForward, and Peter Menzies Jr. who shot Leterrier’s last film The Incredible Hulk. The creative team behind the film as a whole does not make this a must see, but the film does have a strong cast and should make for a fun theatre experience. Check out the trailer.

Death at a Funeral (Neil LaBute) – Comedy – Apr 16

A remake of the 2007 film by Frank Oz (and oddly using Dean Craig’s same screenplay, only adjusted for Americans, as the original is British), the movie is about a funeral ceremony that turns into a crazy fiasco involving family secrets, drugs, missing bodies, and revelations. Another odd thing about the film is that playwright LaBute is directing; it just seems like rehashing a perfectly good film of three years ago is not the best use of his talent (but what do I know). Based on the trailer (having seen the original), the film looks to be the same as its predecessor, even Peter Dinklage returns in the exact same role (but maybe I am missing the point, and the film is merely being reworked for a new audience). Though, the movie does feature a pretty great ensemble cast including: Zoe Saldana, James Marsden, Keith David, (Mr. AT&T himself) Luke Wilson, Martin Lawrence (does he ever need a decent film), Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock (who is sort of the main character, if there is one), Danny Glover, Columbus Short, Regina King, Ron Glass, Loretta Devine, and Kevin Hart (who is usually a riot) – there  is a lot of comedic talent here. Check out the trailer.

The Losers (Sylvain White) – Action – Apr 23

Based on the comic book series, the film is about members of a CIA black ops team, after being betrayed and left for dead, who seek out those who tried to put them down (a bit like The A-Team). It should be interesting to see how White handles the material given his lack of experience in the genre, but based on the trailer the action looks good. Plus, the script is by action veterans Peter Berg and James Vanderbilt. The cast is also strong featuring Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Jeffrey Dean Morgan (not playing a ghost), Idris Elba, and Jason Patric. And fitting to its comic book origins, White has enlisted Superman Returns and X-Men composer John Ottman to score the film. The film should be an action packed (it is produced by Joel Silver after all) per-summer summer blockbuster style film – big on spectacle, light on depth. Check out the trailer.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (Samuel Bayer) – Horror – Apr 30

A remake of Wes Craven’s 1984 original, the film is about a serial-killer who kills people in their dreams. The film was re-imagined by Michael Bay’s horror production company Platinum Dunes.  The film also marks famed music video director (dude did Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit video among many other icon others) Bayer’s first feature. Jackie Earle Haley plays Freddy Krueger which seems to be an inspired choice to go along with a fairly talented young cast including: Katie Cassidy, Kyle Gallner, Rooney Mara, Thomas Dekker, and Kellan Lutz. It is odd, though, that the film is coming in April opposed to October. While re-…(take your pick: dos, makes, imaginings) runs rampant, like it or not, this looks to be one of the better rehashing on the horizon. Check out the trailer.

Art-House Watch:

Leaves of Grass (Tim Blake Nelson) – Comedy – Apr 2 (LA/NYC)

The film is about an Ivy League professor who is convinced to return to his hometown in Oklahoma, though reluctant, where his twin brother, a small-time marijuana grower, has come up with a plan to take down a local drug lord. Tim Blake Nelson, know more for acting than directing, makes his fourth feature film and it looks to be his best (course one of those three priors is O). The draw of the film, however, is the fantastic dual performances from lead Edward Norton (as he plays both brothers). The film also features a good supporting cast with Nelson, Susan Surandon, Keri Russell, and Richard Dreyfuss. Norton’s performance got a lot of attention at the SXSW Film Festival and should make the film worth a rent (for those not in LA or NYC). Check out the trailer.

Warlords (Peter Chan and Wai Man Yip) – Martial Arts – Apr 2 (LA/NYC)

The film is about a heroic tale of three blood brothers who struggle in the midst of war and political upheaval. It is based on a Qing Dynasty story: ‘The Assassination of Ma’. The film is by veteran director Peter Chan and won many awards in Asia before being exported to the U.S. The movie also features big stars including Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Jet Li (which is likely the person whose name got this U.S. distribution, likely Magnolia Films is hoping it will be like Hero, House of Flying Daggers or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). It should be an interesting work for genre fans. Check out the trailer.

The Perfect Game (William Dear) – Sports – Apr 16

Based on W. William Winkur’s book, the film is about the true story of a group of boys in 1957 from Monterrey, Mexico (yet it is in English), who became the first non-U.S. team to win the Little League World Series (spoiler alert!). The film is by Disney B-movie veteran William Dear and features music from Rocky composer Bill Conti. So, it will likely be a bit over the top on the heartfelt cheesiness, but that is not always a bad thing in these types of movies. The film stars Clifton Collins Jr. and Cheech Marin, while featuring Louis Gossett Jr., Bruce McGill, David Koechner, and Emilie de Ravin in a supporting roles. The film looks to be a feel good story and is being compared to The Blind Side. Check out the trailer.

I Love You Phillip Morris (Glenn Ficarra & John Requa) – Comedy – Apr 30 (Limited)

Based on the book by Steve McVicker, the film is about a married con man who, after a dramatic car accident, reassesses his life and realizes he is gay. He decides to live his new life to the fullest, something that lands him in jail where he meets his soul mate, Phillip Morris. He is then committed to getting himself and Phillip Morris out of prison. Is it love or all just one big con? The film is the directorial debut of comedy writing team Ficarra & Requa (they did Cats & Dogs, Bad Santa and Bad News Bears, the remake) and oddly is produced by Luc Besson. The film stars Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor and Leslie Mann, a pretty good comedic lineup. The film is being heralded as having Carrey’s best performance as real life con man Steve Russell, while others state that it is just another in a long line of outlandish characters. Check out the trailer.

Please Give (Nicole Holofcener) – Comedy – Apr 30

The film is about a New York City couple who butt heads with the daughter of their tenant, an elderly woman, renting their apartment. Director Holofcener is known for her films dealing with a sort of snobbiness of upper middle-class white America and how that attitude or way comes into conflict with those of other classes or dispositions (as seen in Friends with Money). The film features a solid cast including: Rebecca Hall, Amanda Peet, Catherine Keener (who seems like she appears in all the director’s features), and Oliver Platt. The film should appeal to fans of director or actors’ prior works, or those looking for something depicting social confrontation with comedic implications. Check out the trailer.

Prudent Purchase List – April 2010

Prudent Purchase New Releases:


1.)        Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series [Blu-ray] – Apr 6
2.)        Avatar (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) [Blu-ray] – Apr 22

Other New Releases/Updates:


1.)        The Lord of the Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy (Theatrical Editions) [Blu-ray] – Apr 6 (Wait for the Extended Cuts)*
2.)        A Nightmare on Elm Street [Blu-ray] – Apr 6
3.)        Party Down: Season 1 [DVD] – Apr 6 (By the creator of Veronica Mars)*
4.)        Gone with the Wind (The Scarlett Edition) [Blu-ray] – Apr 13
5.)        Batman [Blu-ray] – Apr 18 (Tim Burton film)*
6.)        Fist of Legend [Blu-ray] – Apr 20 (Best Jet Li movie)*
7.)        The Young Victoria [Blu-ray/DVD] – Apr 22
8.)        Crazy Heart [Blu-ray/DVD] – Apr 22
9.)        Minority Report [Blu-ray] – Apr 22
10.)      Tombstone [Blu-ray] – Apr 27

Movie of the Week - Chasing Amy

This week’s movie is Chasing Amy (1997).

The film is about two friends, Holden and Banky. Things are going well for them until Holden falls for a girl, who happens to be a lesbian. The film is written and directed by Kevin Smith and is the third in his View Askewniverse series (the first two being Clerks. and Mallrats). The film is probably the best of Smith’s filmography and features great performances from Ben Affleck, Jason Lee and Joey Lauren Adams, while other View Askewniverse actors and characters pop up or are mentioned throughout. What makes the film great is Smith’s script coupled with the performances that he got form his actors. The film is much more of a drama then any of his other works in the series, but is also bitingly funny. Smith was able to achieve a good balance between the two complementing the material. The film is a must have for fans of Smith, and a must see for fans of dramedy. Check out the trailer.

Chasing Amy [Blu-ray/DVD]

The Ghost Writer (2010) – Review

The Ghost Writer is an effective thriller but at times suffers from an average lead performance and some resulting pacing issues in the middle. Robert Harris’ novel, to which the film is adapted from (by Harris and Roman Polanski), is a thinly veiled commentary on Tony Blair (and other world leaders), whom Harris was once a political advisor to, and as such the film makes reference to the current political climate. Much like many political films of late, this has an ambience of mistrust to it, which works quite well in the narrative structure of the film as well as the visual composition (the overly gloomy weather for instance). Just hearing the score in the opening shot is enough to alert even the most ambivalent of filmgoers to the nature of the story – something is afoot, and the viewer knows it right off. So then, the question becomes: can the filmmakers still sustain their interest during the buildup when they already know, more or less in a narrative way, what is coming – sort of. Polanski is a fantastic filmmaker, it is completely clear that this is the case just looking merely at how the film opens and closes, both shots are brilliant. But what Polanski has not succeeded in, at least to a degree that he should, is his ability to drive the narrative in such a way as to keep viewers glued to the screen and on the edge of their seats. Rather, he structures the film to sort of meander as it unravels clues to what is going on. But once the thriller aspect of the film does kick in, it is quite good and engaging. Though, it just might leave some less interested audience members behind. The film instead relies on the performances of the actors to carry the film’s middle, and they are rather strong, mostly, but not where it counts the most. Ewan McGregor does satisfactory work here, but not great work in a film whose narrative demands great work and this is really the weakness of the film. McGregor is unable to fully compel, charm or otherwise grip viewers. Kim Cattrall is also not great in a role that needed her to be better. She is not able to sufficiently convince the viewer as to the complete nature of her relationship to Pierce Brosnan’s character, which given her limited screen time and interaction theatergoers must rather gather what they know about the characters through other performances – and more to the point Olivia Williams’ fantastic performance. She is perfect in the film. She has a great talent to play off the other actors in the film and without much she invited the viewers into her world, yet she also conveys something not quite describable underneath, as if she is a façade. Brosnan is also good as he brings a lot of bravado to his character, which seems very fitting. Tom Wilkinson, in a very limited role, is also wonderful. (Similar to Michael Clayton) his performance again demonstrates his fine talent, while setting up the second half of the film – in a sense changing the whole pace of the film. Much in the same way, Eli Wallach is good in his brief scene. Alexandre Desplat (who seemingly could occupy all five best score nominations at the 2011 Oscars, he certainly works enough to do it) delivers another tremendous score which utterly fits the atmosphere of the story and is maybe the highlight of the film. It has the audience’s ear from frame one and throughout. Cinematographer Pawel Edelman also produces great work here, his best since The Pianist. Albrecht Konrad’s production design, specifically the beach house that was entirely built on a sound stage is masterful. The house with its modern over-the-top art and almost out-of-place design again clues in the audience that things may not be what they seem. Konrad also did a terrific job of transforming Germany to look like New England. The film does have an Alfred Hitchcock feel to it, from Polanski’s slowly unraveling mystery narrative to Desplats’ score that is a bit like one of Bernard Herrmann’s. The book itself almost has a MacGuffin aspect to it. While this may not be Polanski’s best, it is certainly a good film (that could have been better with a stronger lead). The film is able to enthrall the viewer with its story though its expert use of music and picture, while also  appealing to the audience on a more in depth analytical way, as it references the political climate and actions of leaders in the last decade or two. 7/10

Movie of the Week - The Trouble with Harry

This week’s movie is The Trouble with Harry (1955).

The film is about a small town whose residents discover a dead body in the woods and each member of the town has a different idea of what needs to be done with it. The tagline for the film is ‘A comedy about a corpse’ which seems to fit perfectly with director Alfred Hitchcock’s sense of humor. The film stars Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe and Shirley MacLaine, and features a great score for frequent Hitchcock collaborator Bernard Herrmann and wonderful cinematography from Robert Burks. What makes the film great is how well Hitchcock mixes the genres of (almost screwball) comedy and thriller. The film is quite funny, but also exhibits moments of suspense and it is a strong representation of Hitchcock’s mastery of narrative. Check out the trailer.

The Trouble with Harry [DVD]

Green Zone (2010) – Review

Green Zone is a mix between a great thriller and interesting, if not heavy-handed at times, political review of the early days of the Iraq war. The film works best as a thriller set against the backdrop of the war. Director Paul Greengrass, known for his overly documentary style, is able to engage the audience as they follow the exploits of Matt Damon – he tries to uncover the mystery behind why he cannot find any WMDs at the sites that are supposed to have them, while navigating the obstacles he faces. Greengrass’ style puts the audience in the same shoes as the characters. It is chaotic, blurry and yet effective in many ways. While not everyone likes his style (his use of almost entirely handheld camerawork), those willing to accept it will be submersed in the business of the scenes – which is just what a great thriller does. However, this is not just a thriller, it is also blatantly a political statement about the current war in Iraq – in that its villain is almost a completely unveiled summation of those in the Bush Administration that put forth evidence (now generally accepted as bad, unverified and false) that lead to us going into Iraq – aka the WMDs that they supposedly had. The villain is completely plausible if the movie took place in another context, in terms of what generally makes up movie villains, yet here it is somewhat hard to believe that this villain could do all that he did alone. Though, returning to the reality of what actually did happen, it did not take many to convince the masses and congress and the senate to go to war either. But more to the point of the movie, Greengrass wanted to tell a story that was simple and easy to understand and he did just that, the one villain makes the most sense in a simple film structure. The villain also works in the context of Greengrass’ apparent political views on the war (again as a summation of those in the Bush Administration) is his complete confidence in the fact that he truly believes that he is doing what is best and right, that the end justifies the means, and that no one else, minus a few characters in the CIA (which again harkens back to real life), seems to really care, rather they are content to go to war without fully breaking down the data and checking it in detail. Greengrass does look at other aspects of the early days of the war that are not as commonly known as well. The film suggests that instead of bringing outsiders in and disbanding the current ruling party and military, the US should have worked with members of the ruling party and military to stabilize and police the country. Of course, today, there is no telling what would have happen had that occurred, but it is somewhat obvious that the plan taken has been an utter failure. Another aspect of the film that works quite well and separates it from the other Damon Greengrass collaborations (the Bourne films) is that Damon’s character is not a superman action hero. He is just a regular soldier, not even a high ranking one. He is good at his job, but there is a scene in which he is effectively taken down in a fight, showing that there is nothing special about him. The thing that is different, though, is that he is not completely willing to just follow and take orders – he questions why his intel is bad and when he does not get adequate answers, he digs deeper. While many of the characters are just content to follow, it is Damon’s story as he wants to uncover the truth. Greengrass does get a little preachy at times through in his political views – best seen in the final shot of the film, Damon’s unit off on another mission driving past a huge oil refinery suggesting that the real reason for the US being there is oil. One of the best parts of Greengrass and screenwriter Brian Helgeland’s narrative is the perspective of Iraq characters and how they interact and impact the story. Their perspectives give insight into the situation (at least that of the film) for the viewers to have more of a holistic understanding and perspective. And while some of the political elements of the film will rub some viewers the wrong way, as they are forced upon the story, the narrative structure of the film is strong and captivating, mixing action, mystery, suspense, and drama well. On the technical side, Damon’s performance is very good in the film. As sort of the everyman (to some extent), he is able to guide the viewer through the story as it unfolds. Amy Ryan, Brendan Gleeson and Jason Issacs (as usual) give good supporting performances. Greg Kinnear is adept at delivering a pompous ego and morally driven villain (moral being that which he believes to be right, even if it means doing things generally considered wrong). Two standouts are Yigal Naor and Khalid Abdalla. Their performances are key to rooting the film in reality and giving more perspective to the overall narrative. Like The Hurt Locker, Barry Ackroyd provides gritty docu-style cinematography that compliments Greengrass and the subject matter. Editor Christopher Rouse also does standout work cutting the film. Dominic Watkins’ production design is also great, especially in the ‘Green Zone’ scenes, which is somewhat new territory design wise for Iraq war films. All in all, Generation Kill is still the best of the Iraq war films, miniseries and/or TV series, but Green Zone, while completely fictional, plays both as an excellent thriller (though alienating for some due to its director’s visual style) and an intriguing look at the politics (though seemingly slanted) behind the motives for why the US went into Iraq, and to a lesser extent how the people there, both Iraqi and military/government/CIA, initially felt about it. 8/10