Once (2006)

3/5

John Carney's Once is a movie for romantic music fans. The story is very simplistic, but also very honest, which gave it a refreshing and satisfying ending. It follows an Irish street musician in Dublin for about a week, during which time he meets and falls in love with a Czech girl. They both have an unrelenting love of music, which serves as the starting point for their relationship. But it's also the entire movie. They just sing songs together, too many songs, and it gets a bit old. Most of the songs are excellent, however, and in fact three in particular remain in my mind. It's no coincidence that they come at three of the most poignant moments in the movie. The first is when they first sit down and sing "Falling Slowly" together, the second is when the guy lets the girl write the lyrics to his song "If You Want Me," and the third is when we hear the girl sing a song she's written, "The Hill," but breaks down midway through and cannot finish.

Unfortunately, I found nothing more to the movie than that: a story that was at times moving (but also at times confusing) with a lot of music that was at times touching (but also at times overbearing). The acting was underwhelming--it felt like two people trying to act natural and ignore the camera--and the excessive swearing took a lot away from the romance. Accents were difficult to understand throughout. I didn't like the camerawork much at all. Sometimes it worked, but one time in particular it very much did not. When they first sing "Falling Slowly" together, the camera moves around like an antsy child. The camera becomes a person trapped in the room with them, at once removing the intimacy and romance. They should've stuck it on a tripod and let the musicians do their thing. So, granted there are a lot of mistakes in this short indie feature, but there are also a lot of things done right. And at 85 minutes, I think the successes outweigh the failures, so check it out if your interest is piqued.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0907657/

Wanted (2008)

3/5

Wanted will probably be the most over-the-top, visually exciting action movie to come to America this year. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov (of Night Watch and Day Watch fame), the movie goes heavy on the special effects. But unlike his previous Russian sensations, this one has a solid plot to hinge the smart-ass humor and slick action on. Even though it was a bit simplistic and trite, the story had a believable twist that kept you thinking. It starts off much like the Matrix, where a boring guy (James McAvoy) with a boring desk job gets a shot of adrenaline when a sexy assassin (Angelina Jolie) tells him things aren't what they seem, right before a dramatic grocery store shootout and thrilling car chase convince us that she's telling the truth. After accepting his fate, he trains to be an assassin with special powers (except in this movie it's bending bullets instead of dodging them). Unlike the Matrix, there isn't even an attempt at an explanation for how ludicrously they ignore scientific laws.

Suffice it to say, I enjoyed myself a lot in the theater. The action was consistently exhilarating and the dialogue was edgy and hilarious. I loved the look and feel of the film, though the cinematography itself wasn't that impressive, and I thought the pacing was near-perfect. The acting was surprisingly good and definitely better than I expected. I find myself liking James McAvoy more and more. After seeing the awesome trailer (the red band one is best), I was worried this movie wouldn't live up to my expectations. But they did. If you thought the trailer was cool, definitely check out this movie. It'll be worth it.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0493464/

Perfect Stranger (2007)

2/5

Perfect Stranger is a movie too full of twists and turns to be believable. It starts off as Halle Berry playing a reporter who specializes in sex scandals involving powerful men. After the newspaper heads put the kibosh on her latest six-month project involving a politician, she quits her job in anger. And another one magically falls into her lap, this time involving Bruce Willis as an advertising CEO. The friend who gave Halle Berry all the information suddenly turns up dead, and all our suspicions turn to the obvious. But all is not what it seems in this neverending labyrinth of lies and deceit and frustration. In fact, it gets so convoluted, that the filmmakers shot three different endings, with three different people as the killer, so you can trust that the core story is really unimportant to them.

The worst part is not how arbitrary the movie treats its subject matter. The worst part is the subtopic of sex chatroom addiction (which we only discover through fake "IOL" instant messaging and slow, ugly, fictional OSes) that it picks up, plays with for a few minutes, and then leaves behind with complete disinterest. The movie truly has no focus. The only possible theme I can figure out is that everyone has secrets--and everyone gets caught.

There were a few positives. The acting was surprisingly adept, although there wasn't a particularly strong script to make it worth it. The music was pitch perfect throughout. And there were some really tense, frightening scenes. The cinematography wasn't bad, but the editing ruined a lot of it for me (too many cross dissolves and flashbacks). If you can stomach unreasonably preposterous crime movies whose ending you don't see coming (well, maybe you saw one of the two they didn't use coming), then you may enjoy this filthy dreck. But I sure didn't.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0457433/

The Yakuza (1975)

4/5

The Yakuza is a well-crafted story finely-tuned to the silver screen. Written by Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver) and Robert Towne (Chinatown), the movie continually sucks you in. Deeper and deeper into its vision of cruel blackness and vengeful hatred. What starts off as a (relatively uninteresting) story of a WWII veteran (Robert Mitchum) who returns to Japan to retrieve his friend's kidnapped daughter turns into a fascinatingly complex study of honor and duty. With a terrifyingly tense climax. While some have said that the movie is about Japan, I see relatively little about Japan as a country. It is a gangster film at its core, and a great one at that.

The story, the characters, and the themes it presents are some of the best aspects of this movie. Sydney Pollack's directing is also great, with phenomenal music and excellent cinematography, shot compositions, and camera movement. Casting and acting were also spot-on. The performances were realistic and subtle, electing to remain in the background of the incredible story instead of stealing the spotlight. While I disagreed with some of the editing choices, there were very few technical flaws in this movie. (On a side note, I did find it difficult to understand some of the thicker accents, but it wasn't too disorienting.) If you like gangster movies, I highly recommend this movie. (And if you have Netflix, you can watch it for free online, like I did. Unless you have a Mac, that is.)

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073918/

Dan in Real Life (2007)

3/5

Dan in Real Life is a movie whose entire story you know in detail if you've seen the trailer. A widower (Steve Carell) takes his three daughters to a family reunion, of sorts, where he meets a girl and falls in love with her. Only to find out later that she's his brother's girlfriend. The fairly predictable plot never really kept my attention and never really surprised me. And neither did Steve Carell. The director decided to hinge the movie on his puppy dog innocence instead of his offbeat, awkward humor. He (and Dane Cook) had very little opportunity to make us laugh, thanks to the rather bland script. (One point in the middle, though, I did laugh. But it was because of the absurdly rich suburban activities he and his entire family were able to partake in on a non-holiday in a countryside.)

Technically, there was nothing noteworthy. It was much more a romantic comedy chick flick than anything else, which I wasn't really expecting. Still, it accomplished what it set out to do (with few risks and fewer rewards), so I can't really give it a lower star rating than 3. But overall it was pretty disappointing if you're expecting a Steve Carell vehicle. If you're expecting blah, then this movie will satisfy you. But why would you watch a movie you knew to be mediocre instead of great?

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0480242/

Get Smart (2008)

3/5

Get Smart is one of many modern movie adaptations of old TV shows. I've never seen the original, but I'm glad for it (apparently a number of reviewers find it to be unfaithful). It's a spy movie spoof about a bumbling new field agent chasing after terrorist bad guys. The story is pretty bare bones. Naturally, the music, cinematography, and editing are all adequate and forgettable. But it's a great combination of hilarity and action. The best part about this movie is the characters, the interactions between them, and the actors portraying them. I love Steve Carell in everything he does. I'm not a fanboy--he just hasn't let me down. Ever. If you love Steve Carell, you will love this movie. If you don't, I don't know who you are or why you're reading this, because you're obviously not my friend. Anyway. Just know that this is a very entertaining, very light, action comedy movie. And enjoy!

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425061/

Vagabond (1985)

2/5

Agnès Varda's Vagabond is a faux-documentary narrative of a young female drifter found dead in a ditch one winter in France. Through flashbacks of those who interacted with her before her death, we get an incredibly rich history of her last few months of life. It very much reminded me of Into the Wild; as in that movie, I simply couldn't relate to the character in any way, shape, or form. I couldn't wrap my mind around their dependence on the kindness of strangers. It did bring up some interesting thematic questions, including her near-constant association with domesticated animals and her on-again, off-again desire to be alone or with others.

The documentary "talking to the camera" style was often at odds with the narrative storytelling structure. Nevertheless, it made for a unique and rare feel. And the content. Well, it could pique your interest, but never keep it. The thing that really struck me was how connected all the side characters were. Sometimes that gave it a very "written" feel, but at the same time it felt true to life. The cinematography also had its little quirks (panning/tracking would continue past the action, making it feel slow). Most of the acting I hated, because the actors (much like the film itself) didn't know whether it was supposed to be a documentary or a realist narrative. The music was way too melodramatic, like the score for a mystery horror film. And it felt way too long for being only 105 minutes. All in all, it isn't compelling enough to recommend. Pass on it.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089960/

Farewell My Concubine (1993)

4/5

Farewell My Concubine is the story of two young Chinese opera actors as they grow up during WWII and the cultural revolution. Though it's three hours long, it instantly captures your attention and holds it until the very end. It is mesmerizing and entrancing, intrepid and fearless, powerful and devastating. It uses its length to explore an immense and rich tapestry of history, of characters, and of experiences. It illuminates issues of identity, both personal and cultural, through burgeoning sexuality, through stardom and addiction, through lifelong friendship, and through artistic expression. The characters are tragically flawed and deceptively complex--and you feel like you know them intimately by the end.

Yet it is not without its flaws. It is more than 30 minutes too long, thanks to a large number of confusing or irrelevant scenes. Bad blocking and continuity errors crop up every so often. Still, I was never bored or taken out of the story. Indeed, my gripes pale in comparison to the energy and emotion this movie contains. It is fantastic, and easily recommendable.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106332/

Léolo (1992)

4/5

Léolo is an immensely entertaining, instantly lovable, genre-defying, darkly comic coming-of-age drama of sorts. Think Cinema Paradiso meets American Beauty. It is just as unforgettable, but with a few more flaws. Léolo is the story of the titular character and his method of coping with his imposing family life via creative writing and dreaming (the most memorable of course being his conception by a Sicilian tomato). It is difficult to determine why exactly I love this movie so much; suffice it to say that it connected to me. I realized how universal it was--feeling out of place in your family, discovering sexuality, and learning life lessons--while being completely unique and charming. It manages to be so real while being composed almost entirely of a boy's imagination.

Yet, there are flaws. A number of events near the end seem to be tacked on, to have little purpose, or to confuse unnecessarily. They took this movie down from a 4.9 (and potentially 5) to a 4. Technically, there were cinematic flourishes, but also less than impressive shots and editing (too many fade to blacks, in my opinion). The music was beautiful--worldly, oppositional, yet organic--that served as a perfect companion to the piece. The movie as a whole seems almost an oxymoron, of sorts, or at least an internal battle. Ebert got it right in his Great Movies review: "How can [Lauzon] create these characters, so grotesque, and make them human, and have sympathy for them? How can Leolo be so weird and inward, so angry and subversive, and yet somehow so noble? How can this story hurtle itself in every direction, and yet find a destination?" Not progressing chronologically, but thematically, the plot really consumes you. And because of its complexity, the movie is sure to remain in the memories of all who see it. I absolutely recommend this movie.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104782/

Tae Guk Gi (2004)

4/5

Tae Guk Gi tells the story of two South Korean brothers as they get forcibly drafted into the army to fight in the Korean War. It depicts the effects of the war on each brother's mental capacities and it also shows the strain on their seemingly unconditional love for each other. Set in a similar storytelling framework as Saving Private Ryan, we know who lives and who dies by the end. And yet the movie still manages to surprise us, taking us on a a series of unexpected twists and turns, gripping our seats in fear and anticipation. Other times the story felt forced and staged. While I was never that emotionally connected to the characters, I could see how the drama was the focus of the movie and respected that.

Even so, it's a war movie, and the action was truly relentless and gut-wrenching. The short shutter speeds (as in 28 Days Later) during several war scenes felt both otherworldly and realistic, putting the audience front and center in the chaos. The music was a bit of a mixed bag. It kept your pulse pounding during the battles, but felt really overbearing and melodramatic during the dramatic scenes. (When the music came on with a ridiculous montage of their civilian life, it was almost too sappy to believe. I actually groaned.) While the acting was great, I think a lot of credit deserves to go to casting. The younger brother had just the right look of boyish innocence and the older brother's resemblance to Chow Yun Fat made his character instantly recognizable and likable. Overall, this is a very good movie. It's easy to watch despite it's length, and I recommend it if it sounds appealing to you.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386064/