Choke (2008)

4/5

Choke, according to IMDb, is about a sex-addicted con-man who pays for his mother's hospital bills by playing on the sympathies of those who rescue him from choking to death. Having read that blurb coming in, I was surprised at how much more story, characterization, and depth there was compared with what I expected. This is a movie remarkably unlike anything else I've seen; it is outlandish yet personal, irreverent yet honest. There is a strange tenderness permeating this graphic, mature, cynical film. And somehow it works. The plot and editing manage to be satisfying in length and brisk in pacing. The dialogue and performances are both meaningful and hilarious. The rest of the technical aspects are less than noteworthy, but all in all Choke is an unexpected delight that I highly recommend.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024715/

Rent (2005)

4/5

For those who don't know, Rent is about a group of friends in their late 20's as they fall in and out of love over the course of a year while dealing with a multitude of life's problems, including evictions, suicides, and AIDS. For those who haven't seen the play, watching the movie first isn't the way you should be introduced to this wonderful musical, despite what certain people may say. The director made a number of relatively minor changes that add up to a surprisingly different experience. To keep the runtime manageable, they cut out some really cool songs. They merged events, changed scenes, and took a lot of the realism and uniqueness out of the original theatrical production. After each song, there was an awkward, lingering pause, as if nobody knew what to do next. Rosario Dawson's singing sounded flat and dull, a striking contrast to the richness of the other actors' voices. And the final shot still makes me gag (at least they have the alternate ending as a special feature on the DVD).

Perhaps the reason I dislike the small, minor changes the director made so much is because I feel so connected to the play. I didn't like it at first, but I started to love it the more I thought about it. And what made it so endearing to me were all the little things. At the same time, there were a number of changes in the movie that I really did like (Maureen's performance, for example, completely changed my view of her character). The dream sequence in Tango Maureen brought back some of the creativity in the stage version (although I do wish they didn't reveal who Maureen was that early in the play). The story is fantastic. Give it a chance. By watching the play. And if you can't afford seeing the musical on stage as much as you want to, then watch this movie.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0294870/

Synecdoche, New York (2008)

2/5

Synecdoche, New York follows Philip Seymour Hoffman as a theatre director who receives a "genius" scholarship that allows him the freedom to realize his lifelong theatrical vision without any financial distractions. He decides to makes a play with a universal message; he wants it to be about everything and everyone. He replicates New York City in a gigantic warehouse with millions of extras. Eventually, he starts casting actors to play the people in his own life, including himself, as he watches them. And it just gets weirder and weirder from there. Helming this bizarre, surreal pic is Charlie Kaufman himself, the brilliant writer behind Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Adaptation. I don't know what goes on in Kaufman's head, but I want nothing more to do with it unless a skilled director is tempering it to something comprehensible. Because this whole production was just a confusing mess.

The movie's one saving grace was its humor. It was ubiquitous and off the charts. Even when I was frustrated and annoyed by the film's seeming impenetrable complexity and nebulous thematics, Kaufman's writing could still make me laugh. And that's really the ony positive thing I have to say about this movie. I do not ever want to see another movie that Charlie Kaufman both writes and directs. Ever.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383028/

Knowing (2009)

4/5

Alex Proyas's Knowing follows Nic Cage as an astrophysicist who discovers a secret code in a letter written 50 years ago predicting all major global disasters, including ones that have not yet happened. Is it just in his head, seeing patterns where they don't exist, or is it a warning? Was he chosen to prevent them all from happening, or was he just an unsuspecting participant in the randomness of nature? It may sound a bit silly or cheesy written out, but the film is made with a seriousness and purpose that quickly removes any doubt you might have had about the quality of this film.

For the most part, it was truly astounding. There were some technical aspects that were a little rough around the edges. For example, some mysteries were left unanswered and some dialogue was hammy and overwrought. But for each of those small flaws, the movie made up for it tremendously. The entire plot was suspenseful and riveting and the special effects were awe-inspiring. The cinematography was absolutely phenomenal and breathtaking, the compositions luminous and stunning, and the editing brisk and lean. The acting and characterizations were a welcome step above what I expect for this genre of movie. (And the genre, by the way, is a mix of horror and disaster, not mystery and action, as I had assumed going in.)

What I like about Proyas is that he doesn't spoon-feed us answers, nor does he beat his message into our heads. He treads a fine line, but he trusts his audience to figure it out for themselves and interpret his movie in manners he may not have even considered himself. Sometimes he succeeds (Dark City and I, Robot), and sometimes he fails (The Crow), but he is willing to take the risk of making a new and different movie experience. And here he has succeeded again. Knowing was a wholly unexpected and exhilarating surprise.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448011/

Duplicity (2009)

4/5

Tony Gilroy's Duplicity is an immensely fun, thoroughly intelligent con movie that far exceeded my expectations. Despite the growing pile of negative reviews, I had relatively high expectations. Why? Because I like Michael Clayton (another cerebral spy thriller written and directed by Tony Gilroy), Clive Owen (especially in Children of Men), and con movies (except bad ones like House of Games). The plot follows Clive Owen and Julia Roberts as two ex-spies working intelligence for two competing cosmetics companies, chaired by Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti. Their jobs are covers to hide the fact that they are trying to steal insider information and sell it for millions. Can they trust each other to do their part, or will one of them leave the other behind and keep all the money?

The plot and its twists are a bit complicated, but fun to figure out and relatively easy to understand if you pay attention. The characters are all written with a uniqueness and clarity that make them both singular and memorable. (Giamatti's character is hilarious, reminiscent of an unholy union between Steve Ballmer and Steve Jobs). The dialogue is written with equal skill, infused with wit and elegance, and spoken with honesty and precision by the actors. While I am not a fan of Julia Roberts (nor was I back when she was younger, less wrinkled, and just as big-mouthed), I thought her acting was as good as that of the other stars. The rest of the technical aspects were more than competent, although not particularly noteworthy. All in all, Duplicity is a stellar example of classy entertainment, one that I highly recommend for anyone who is looking for a comic caper flick.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1135487/

Marley & Me (2008)

3/5

Marley & Me is pretty typical family-friendly fare for a quiet night in with the kids. The plot follows Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston as John and Jenny Grogan, a newly-married couple who both write for a living. John, not yet wanting kids but wanting to satisfy his wife's desire to take care of something, decides to take the advice of his friend and get a puppy. That puppy grows into the "world's worst dog," as they like to refer to him, but his endearing antics and (literal) puppy dog face make it impossible to hate him. Marley simultaneously enriches and ruins their lives as they start a family, work past marital disputes, and deal with the stresses of parenthood and work. It's all a very simple story that takes few risks and reaps few rewards. There are no bad guys and no mistakes in their near-perfect, sugar-coated life, but they do experience some ups and downs thrown their way by random chance. Although it is unrealistically portrayed, there were a few key humorous and emotional moments that kept my attention and helped this movie stand out from all the other entries into the "family pet" genre. If you were interested in it, it will not disappoint you; but if you weren't interested in it, it will fail to surprise you.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0822832/