Ikiru (1952)

5/5

Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru, which means "to live," is a tender portrait of an aging bureaucrat (Shimura) who's wasted 30 years of his life, discovers he has cancer, and fights to reclaim meaning and relevance before he dies. Through the eyes of his coworkers and family, we see a man who has lost his excitement for life attempt to find it again--in alcohol, strip clubs, and young women--but cannot. Instead his search leads him ultimately to redemption through his job in the government, where he makes up his mind to get a park built for a local community. His achievement doesn't improve the government's inefficiency, his death doesn't change most of his coworkers' opinions of him, but for a select few, he has made a world of difference.

The structure of the film is unique, because the last hour or so takes place after his death. And this is where the film is truly elevated out of the melodramatic sentimentality modern-day Hollywood would have turned it into. At his wake we finally get to see what people really think of him, without his feelings and the possibility of hurting them to get in the way. We are frustrated at everyone who doesn't understand what he was doing, we are infuriated at them for trying to cheat him out of his accomplishment, and we want to yell at the screen: "THIS IS A GOOD MAN WHO DIED! RESPECT HIM!" But Kurosawa's brilliant directing controls it all. Our final image of the man is one of serenity, a smile on his face as he swings back and forth in the park he managed to build for people who needed it. He doesn't care about the credit; he just knows he did a good deed and can die peacefully.

The entire story is told in evocative shot compositions and Shimura's expressive face. We see a paper on improving government efficiency that he wrote 20 years prior, and we see him tear off its cover page to use as a tissue before throwing it away. Does he even remember writing that? In the waiting room at the doctor's office, he listens as a man describes the symptoms of stomach cancer and callously correlates them to life expectancy. His horror mangles his face. When he comes home to tell his son he's going to die, he overhears him greedily talking about his pension and loses the heart to tell him. Through a few quick flashbacks we see a father full of joy, pride, shame, and guilt, but unable to change how his son looks at him.

Ikiru is a slow-paced and often silent film, which demands patience of its audience for the 2 hour and 20 minute runtime. And it is a sad story for most of its length--but it ends with one of the most poignant, uplifting finales I have ever seen. Could it have stood to be edited a bit tighter? Yes. Could some short vignettes have been cut? Of course. But the picture overcomes its minor drawbacks and envelops you; it enriches your life. And after you see this movie, you might be one of the coworkers who doesn't much change, but you also might be the one who sees the whole world with new eyes.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044741/

The Ugly Truth (2009)

3/5

The Ugly Truth is a fairy predictable romantic comedy that pairs a very attractive female lead (Heigl) with a very unattractive male lead (Butler). Speaking of unattractive leads, I bet PS I Love You would make me vomit, because it has the ugliest leads I can possibly imagine. Anyway, back to the movie at hand. The hackneyed plot takes the crass, arrogant know-it-all (like Harry in When Harry Met Sally) and forces him into a romantically flawed relationship with a neurotic obsessive-compulsive (like Sally). Of course they get on each other's nerves at first, then they find themselves falling for each other, then they both make mistakes and hide their true feelings, and then finally they redeem themselves and have a happy ever after.

There were some really funny parts, I have to admit. In particular, the baseball game and the dinner with corporate personnel had me cracking up in my seat. Still, the characters were dumb, unoriginal, and unappealing. I felt the exact opposite of how I felt about the characters in Knocked Up; instead of loving them, I hated them. The writing, about the crude, one-track minds men have, was nothing new, inventive, or inspiring. It was just the same old, same old. There were a few shots I thought were cool or interesting, but they were fairly hard to spot and didn't really do much to elevate the movie past its other flaws. All in all, it's the romantic comedy you expect. If you know you're gonna like it, check it out. If you know you're gonna hate it, pass.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1142988/

L'Eclisse (1962)

2/5

Michelangelo Antonioni's L'Eclisse is about a woman (Vitti) who breaks up with a rich suitor (Rabal) right before a sudden economic downturn. She then meets a handsome day trader (Delon) and a new attraction begins. But if you asked me to tell you what it's really "about," like love and life and the evils of capitalism, then I couldn't say. The message is far too underplayed. Stuff happens, in the sense that people do stuff, but nothing really ever happens. This is a perplexing film filled with metaphors and imagery that may no doubt blow your mind if they weren't simply figments of your imagination. The camera focuses in on the mundane, forcing the viewer to try and look past it and see some deeper truth, but the only way you'll find a deeper truth is if you make it up yourself. It's better than La Notte, but not by much. All these pretentious art house films put me to sleep.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056736/

Through a Glass Darkly (1961)

3/5

Ingmar Bergman's Through a Glass Darkly is a movie that is equal parts fascinating and equal parts aggravating. The movie is essentially a character study of a woman suffering from schizophrenia who was recently released from a mental institution. She spends her first 24 hours out with her husband, father, and brother on a vacation island. During that time, she experiences aural hallucinations about seeing God, which is where the movie finds its title. According to the Bible, seeing God in life can only occur through a glass, and darkly; we cannot see Him clearly except in death. However, explaining even this skeleton of a plot was not a simple task, requiring some external data-gathering, because the movie is full of subtleties that are far too subtle. The thing about it is that the movie is compelling enough to make you want to go out and find out more about it. Unlike La Notte, it's not bad enough that you can just dismiss the seeming impenetrabilities.

Technically, the movie is a mixed bag. Shot by Sven Nykvist, it's beautiful. The editing is more than adequate, but nothing special. And as I've said before of the movie as a whole, the writing and dialogue are really interesting, but can sometimes be too confusing. The acting is similarly double-edged. At times there's overacting and posturing that makes it seem unrealistic. At other times there's underplayed subtlety that feels real but can be difficult to discern. Basically, the movie has some good stuff and some bad stuff. Neither overwhelms the other. Watch it at your own risk.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055499/

La Notte (1961)

2/5

Michelangelo Antonioni's La Notte is the quintessential art film that modern audiences love to hate for its lack of entertainment value, its inability to keep the viewers' attention, and its ineffable "meaning." The barebones plot follows a married couple (Mastoianni and Moreau) as they discover that they've fallen out of love after a party where they each become involved with someone else. It is the second film in an informal trilogy on the inability of couples and lovers to communicate with each other. And yet there is nothing but silence and banal dialogue nobody cares about, not even the characters. The silence isn't interesting or exciting either--it's just boring. There are inexplicable scenes, there are stilted performances, and there are about 110 minutes that could have been cut out of the 120 minute runtime.

The movie was, in fact, so boring that we took 10 minute breaks and missed nothing. On those breaks, we read cell phone reviews, did crosswords, and caught M&M's in our mouths. (In case you're curious, I caught 17 out of 20 self-thrown M&M's and also caught M&M's thrown from about 15 feet away. Do you see how this is already more fascinating than the content of the movie?) The reason this isn't a one-star movie, which it was very close to being, is that it actually had some pretty interesting thematic threads. Other than that, nothing really stands out about this movie in a positive way. If you're looking for a good Antonioni movie to see, check out Blow-Up. Forget about this one.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054130/

The Bad Sleep Well (1960)

5/5

Akira Kurosawa's The Bad Sleep Well is a complex re-envisioning of Shakespeare's Hamlet. It uses corruption as its backdrop and noir as its accent. Written with precision, directed with skill, and acted with dexterity, this is a masterpiece as only Kurosawa can pull off. As in all noirs, the plot is labyrinthine, the subject matter is dark, and the mood is fatalistic. However, this revenge story does not have all the elements of noir: a femme fatale is absent, replaced instead by a wholly kind and honest soul. Her presence makes the ending all the more heartbreaking and poignant.

Like any good noir, we see every character, both the "good" guys and the "bad" guys, get what's coming to them. But like the very best noirs, we feel a palpable tension creep up on us, get under our skin, and make us shudder with apprehension, wishing it didn't have to happen. We watch as each character uses deceit and duplicity to build the foundations for their greedy and vengeful goals; we watch as leaks start to spring up and they lose a bit of control; we watch as they duct-tape the pieces back together and lie to themselves about its stability; and we watch as it eventually collapses due to their own shoddy, sleazy craftsmanship. It represents everything film noir aspires to, from the technical aspects like cinematography to the nebulous qualities like mood, and does so with aplomb.

When I put the movie into the DVD player, I did not know that it would be a film noir. And I am, unfortunately, not as familiar with Hamlet as I should be or would like to be. While watching it, I assumed it would be a different kind of movie and did not find it as compelling or enveloping as I thought it should have been. But looking back on it, in the context of a noir, I see it as one of the best to emerge outside of America. I cannot yet judge the film as far as adaptations go, but I am excited to watch it again after reading through and discussing Hamlet. This is one film I know I will revisit many times to come.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054460/

The Hangover (2009)

4/5

The Hangover is a raunchy comedy full of great one-liners and hilarious situations. The plot follows three groomsmen waking up in the aftermath of a Vegas bachelor party with a killer hangover, a missing groom, and some mild retrograde amnesia. For the next 24 hours, they attempt to sober up, figure out what happened, and return with the groom in time for his wedding. It's a funny, vapid movie with lots of laughs and no message. But it's fun and entertaining, so go out and see it as soon as you can.

Technically, the movie is pretty impressive for a comedy. The framework of a mystery to progress the plot was new and inventive for the genre and kept things interesting. Seeing the smoking chair and clucking chicken lets the audience's mind run wild with possibilities that might even be funnier than the writers would have come up with. The fact that they're never explained, even at the film's end, opens up possibilities for some pretty awesome DVD extras if they choose to. The cinematography was usually pretty humdrum, but they were occasionally spiced up by truly awesome shots that made the movie stand out from the pack. The editing was accomplished, with relatively few unnecessary scenes and some magnificent surprise laughs. All in all, this is a fantastic comedy that attempts something new and succeeds. Reward them for their success--go see this movie.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1119646/

Short Cuts (1993)

5/5

Robert Altman's Short Cuts is a virtuoso masterpiece, pure and simple. The movie follows five or so LA couples and their chance interactions over the course of a few days. At turns horrifying and heart-wrenching, the vignettes are immediately captivating and always engrossing. You watch in breathless anticipation for the entire running time. Clocking in at three hours, it may seem daunting at first, but once you start watching, you cherish every minute of it. From the humorous to the grotesque, from innocence to cruelty, this movie examines the gamut of humanity in all its glory and all its shame. It reminds us what kind souls look like in the presence of mean spirits. And in the end we somehow feel closure without getting any resolution; we know what will happen without having to see it on screen. This is the mark of a true storytelling master.

The acting by the huge cast is complete and all-encompassing; they succeed at fully embracing and transforming into their characters after even the deepest and most detailed scrutiny. Whether it is an old man getting years and years of guilt off his chest or a young couple dealing with the grief of a lost child, they are wholly believable and real. The performances are absolutely impeccable, making the already powerful script that much more potent. Coupled with stellar directing, the thematics feel wide open and inviting. The movie encourages us to really think about our place in life, to genuinely contemplate what we would do if we were given the lots these people are given. We come out of the theater reminding ourselves about how lucky we are. Short Cuts is a truly magnificent film and a truly stunning achievement. I don't think anyone could watch this movie and be unmoved; it is everything we expect of the movies and more.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108122/

I Live In Fear (1955)

4.9/5

Akira Kurosawa's I Live In Fear takes a simple premise and makes it powerful, unique, and memorable. Toshiro Mifune stars as an aging foundry owner in post-war Japan who fears that his and his family's life are in danger from a nuclear holocaust. He becomes so frightened that he tries to force his family to move with him to Brazil, where he thinks they will be safe. They take him to family court, where Takashi Shimura plays a mediator, to petition his fiscal activities on the grounds of mental incompetence. But who's really crazy, who's being helped, and who's being hurt? The thematics are rich, involved, and compelling. It explores the seemingly basic topic so fully and thoroughly that you are surprised at the amount of depth it contains.

Technically, the movie lives up to the Kurosawa name. He uses fluid camera movement and pristine blocking to give us amazing visual compositions. The editing smartly cuts out useless, empty shots yet also lets scenes sit patiently when called for. The acting by Mifune is simply outstanding--simply unparalleled. Despite the monstrous "old person" makeup he was wearing, he infused his character with empathy and warmth to make him completely and wholly believable. His performance is a marvel to behold. As with every Kurosawa movie, this one is more than just the sum of its parts. Every aspect of this movie combines to form something extraordinary. It rises way past its minor flaws to produce the singular masterpiece that it is.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048198/

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)

3/5

Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is just about as quirky indie as you can get. It stars Michael Cera as awkward Nick, the only straight guy in the gay punk band The Jerkoffs, and Kat Dennings as rich girl Norah, the daughter of famed music producer Ira Silverberg. Nick recently broke up with his girlfriend of 6 months Tris (who has also been cheating on him for 6 months) and is taking it pretty hard. He makes her mix tapes, which she just throws away, only to be picked up and adored by Norah. They meet at one of his band's concerts and Norah asks him to pretend to be her boyfriend for five minutes. And so begins the night. And just like every teen romantic comedy, they fall in love, fall out of love, and both eventually redeem themselves and partner up again.

Aside from the eclectic, interesting music, nothing really stood out in terms of technical skills. The editing and cinematography were only okay. The plot progression was predictable, the dialogue was filled with the requisite awkward humor Cera often--or always--produces, and the characters were written with just enough oddball characteristics to make you think they might be real. It's the typical indie movie you expect to see based on the trailer, and nothing about Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist really makes it stand out from that genre. Still, it's an entertaining film without much distinctly wrong with it, so go check it out if you think you're gonna like it. You probably will.

IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0981227/