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(04/20/06 2:17am)
If someone told you at least eight different versions of a film existed, which version would you watch? \nNobody has ever had more trouble when it came to editing control than the legendary Orson Welles. Granted "Citizen Kane" remained under his control, the rest of his output rarely was. While "The Magnificent Ambersons" and "Touch of Evil" became the victims of deadly studio scissors, nothing was more admittedly painful for Welles than watching his own "Mr. Arkadin" be torn from his grasps and shredded to pieces.\nThere may be many versions of this fateful film, but the general story follows that of Guy Van Stratten (Robert Arden), a smuggler hired by tycoon turned amnesiac Gregory Arkadin (Welles himself with curly wig and curlier beard) to investigate his forgotten past. It is a journey across the world for secrets that might not even exist. It mirrors "Citizen Kane" in many ways and perhaps it could've been greater than Welles' debut, but sadly we'll never really know.\nWhat the Criterion Collection has done, much like when offering two different versions of Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" or Ingmar Bergman's "Fanny and Alexander," is show us just how powerful editing can be. We are given three versions of "Arkadin": the commonly seen "Corinth" version, the British release titled "Confidential Report" and an all-new version dubbed the "Comprehensive" version containing as much of Welles's original ideas, editing structure and varying shots. \n While the "Comprehensive" may be the closest to Welles's vision, no one can say for certain if it's better than the other two because it still isn't the definitive version nor will any such version ever exist.\nThe thing about "Mr. Arkadin" though is the history behind this project is more fascinating than the film itself -- something this boxset captures, feeling more like a museum piece than just another DVD. The "Corinth" version comes with commentary by two notable scholars: "Chicago Reader" critic Jonathan Rosenbaum and Indiana University's own Communications and Culture professor James Naremore who penned "The Magic World of Orson Welles." The commentary is enriching, essential viewing material as it covers the history, Welles' style and every aspect on the film.\nFor the "Comprehensive" version, we're treated to a documentary with important words from Stephan Droessler and Claude Bertemes who aided in assembling this edition along with Welles supporter Peter Bogdanovich giving us the personal angle thanks to so many long talks with the auteur. \nMany versions of "Arkadin" exist so rather than just provide the films, we're also treated to three radio episodes of "The Lives of Harry Lime," which inspired the film and even the "Mr. Arkadin" novel which Welles once claimed he wrote. \nOn top of all this, outtakes, deleted scenes, photo stills and one packed booklet containing essays on each version and a complete timeline on "Arkadin's" fate are included for this release. Simply put, Criterion has gone out of their way to guarantee this is the greatest treatment Welles's most troublesome project could receive.\nUse any synonym you want to describe "Arkadin" and it fits. Puzzle box, jigsaw puzzle, Rubix cube, this is a cinematic labyrinth begging to be explored by anyone willing to take a chance on what is easily the best DVD release of the year.
(04/20/06 1:45am)
Imagine opening your front door one morning to find a VHS tape wrapped in a piece of white paper with a child's drawing on it. Poorly sketched, the picture depicts a child's face covered in blood. You place the tape in your VCR and all you see is two hours worth of footage containing the front of your home. Nothing exciting, nothing unusual, just nothing at all really.\n"Caché" ("Hidden") shows us just how paranoid one can become when unknown surveillance is placed upon them. Georges Laurent (Daniel Auteuil) and his wife Anne ("Chocolat" beauty Juliette Binoche) deal with the aforementioned problem almost daily. Someone is leaving these VHS tapes wrapped in drawings which aren't really all that harmful from the looks of things. Since they aren't harmful, the police couldn't care less. If something actually happens to the Laurent family, then law enforcement will give a damn.\nThe thing about these drawings is they mirror memories Georges had as a child. Dealing with an adopted brother named Majid (Maurice Bénichou, "Amélie"), Georges would make up stories about Majid coughing up blood and other bizarre incidents, which he would then inform his parents about. Upon confrontation in modern times, Majid denies it all, but considering nobody besides Georges and his parents knew of these exchanges, who is spying on him? If Majid really isn't the one "terrorizing" the Laurents, then who is and why?\nTaking cues from Francis Ford Coppola's classic "The Conversation," director Michael Haneke removes the tightrope thrills and places things on a track moving slower than a surveillance camera's automatic motions. I've never seen any of Haneke's other films, but the style he presents with "Caché" is as minimal as possible.\nYes it is slow, but there is a stroke of brilliance that should be recognized. These tapes are absolutely harmless. A bit creepy yes, but nothing out of the ordinary. The paranoia and uneasiness that boils from these eerie events is fascinating. All we can do is sit back and watch either in horror, bewilderment or even possibly amusement at the fact that these people really are just getting worked up over what could really be nothing at all.\nHowever, while sitting back, it is hard to not be aware of the snail's pace at which this story unfolds. And, at the end of it all, we are left with more questions than answers. We're reminded not only of youth's harsh circumstances but also of the gullibility that comes along with it. Then again, maybe it's we, the audience that are the gullible ones.
(04/13/06 4:00am)
Sitting back after watching "Brokeback Mountain" again since seeing it in the theater, I contemplated whether or not all that can be said about the film has already been said. Since its initial record-breaking theatrical release, "Brokeback" has become a cultural phenomenon and targeted by close-minded masses that reduce the film to three words: gay cowboy movie. I can take the simple three-word route too: cowboy love story. \nFor the span of 20 years we watch as fellow sheep herders Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) become friends, fall in love, marry women and have children, but continue falling harder for each other as the years pass between them. Their relationship bearing the spontaneity of love at first sight all the way up to a solid foundation that must remain in the shadows of Brokeback Mountain's tall trees, away from the disapproving world these two men were born into. \nWhile these men suffer from being so distant from each other, they in turn suffer the marriages they took on. Alma Del Mar (Michelle Williams) knows after Jack's first visit that the passionate kiss she spies her husband partaking in contains more love in those few seconds than the four years she's been married. Lureen Newsome Twist (Anne Hathaway), on the other hand, never really catches on to her husband's affair even though he is making regular trips from Texas to Wyoming to be with his lover.\nIf I had to choose just one thing that makes the film the triumph that it most certainly is, then I would point to the aura that surrounds everything. There are scenes of such natural beauty you'd swear no place in the world were skies so blue and filled with clouds as long as freight trains. There are moments of such emotional intensity that one must hold their breath before taking a hit so hard you'd swear you just been thrown from a raging rodeo bull.\nFor being such a widely acclaimed film, one must wonder why the DVD features so little supplemental material. The much-needed commentary by Oscar-winning director Ang Lee is absent although we are treated to a seven-minute piece regarding his thoughts on why "Brokeback" is so important to him. All the remarks he makes are moving, even more reason to wish they'd bump those seven-minutes up to 135. \nWe're also treated to a making-of segment where everyone has something to say about the cinematic achievement they're all so proud to be a part of, an "On Being a Cowboy" featurette good for a few laughs and a 10-minute interview with screenwriters Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry who fill in for an absent Annie Proulx who penned the famous "New Yorker" short story. One can only suspect that down the road a double-dip special edition is in the works. The film alone merits the grade and purchase, but a Lee commentary could border on perfection. \n"Brokeback Mountain" has already earned itself a place in the history of cinema, one sure to continue gathering appreciation and remembrance for many years to come. Open not only your mind but also your heart and let "Brokeback" speak for itself.
(04/12/06 11:27pm)
Sitting back after watching "Brokeback Mountain" again since seeing it in the theater, I contemplated whether or not all that can be said about the film has already been said. Since its initial record-breaking theatrical release, "Brokeback" has become a cultural phenomenon and targeted by close-minded masses that reduce the film to three words: gay cowboy movie. I can take the simple three-word route too: cowboy love story. \nFor the span of 20 years we watch as fellow sheep herders Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) become friends, fall in love, marry women and have children, but continue falling harder for each other as the years pass between them. Their relationship bearing the spontaneity of love at first sight all the way up to a solid foundation that must remain in the shadows of Brokeback Mountain's tall trees, away from the disapproving world these two men were born into. \nWhile these men suffer from being so distant from each other, they in turn suffer the marriages they took on. Alma Del Mar (Michelle Williams) knows after Jack's first visit that the passionate kiss she spies her husband partaking in contains more love in those few seconds than the four years she's been married. Lureen Newsome Twist (Anne Hathaway), on the other hand, never really catches on to her husband's affair even though he is making regular trips from Texas to Wyoming to be with his lover.\nIf I had to choose just one thing that makes the film the triumph that it most certainly is, then I would point to the aura that surrounds everything. There are scenes of such natural beauty you'd swear no place in the world were skies so blue and filled with clouds as long as freight trains. There are moments of such emotional intensity that one must hold their breath before taking a hit so hard you'd swear you just been thrown from a raging rodeo bull.\nFor being such a widely acclaimed film, one must wonder why the DVD features so little supplemental material. The much-needed commentary by Oscar-winning director Ang Lee is absent although we are treated to a seven-minute piece regarding his thoughts on why "Brokeback" is so important to him. All the remarks he makes are moving, even more reason to wish they'd bump those seven-minutes up to 135. \nWe're also treated to a making-of segment where everyone has something to say about the cinematic achievement they're all so proud to be a part of, an "On Being a Cowboy" featurette good for a few laughs and a 10-minute interview with screenwriters Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry who fill in for an absent Annie Proulx who penned the famous "New Yorker" short story. One can only suspect that down the road a double-dip special edition is in the works. The film alone merits the grade and purchase, but a Lee commentary could border on perfection. \n"Brokeback Mountain" has already earned itself a place in the history of cinema, one sure to continue gathering appreciation and remembrance for many years to come. Open not only your mind but also your heart and let "Brokeback" speak for itself.
(04/06/06 4:00am)
If "King Kong" was the greatest visual spectacle in the digital world last year, then "Memoirs of a Geisha" would be its non-digital counterpart -- a wonderful creation that takes the viewer into a long forgotten world of absolute beauty and artistic splendor. \nBased on the best-selling fiction novel by Arthur Golden, "Geisha" tells of Sayuri, a fisherman's daughter sold to a geisha house after her parents can no longer support her. At first known to us as Chiyo (a promising debut by 12-year-old Suzuka Ohgo), her struggles with this new lifestyle seem an impossible task to achieve. Tortured at every turn by her older stepsister and head geisha Hatsumomo (Gong Li -- absolutely venomous in her American acting debut), she grows into Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang in her best performance to date), a girl soon to become the most praised geisha in the entire city. She endures all of this for one reason alone: the love and attention of the chairman (a warm Ken Watanabe, "The Last Samurai") who once helped her up after falling so hard. \nHelmed by "Chicago" mastermind Rob Marshall in the directing chair, an incredibly talented pan-Asian cast and a score composed by John Williams with support from Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman, could the film really go wrong? \n"Geisha" does have its faults but they're simply nitpicks. The film tends to drift between English and small pieces of Japanese and why at one point someone would say "Hello" and the next say "Konnichiwa" baffles me, as both mean the same. There are also moments where the soapy bubbles of melodrama arise, yet they only slow down the film in places rather than bring it to a laughable roadblock. I have mentioned many strong points, but the strongest is cinematographer Dion Beebe who claimed his Oscar for "Geisha" a month ago. His photography is breathtaking -- he captures natural beauty one moment, dreamlike the next, such as the surreal snowfall dance Sayuri performs. \nWith 11 featurettes spanning two-hours, there's plenty to dig into on the DVD, each of them satisfying. "Building the Hanamachi" tells how difficult it is to recreate pre-WWII Japan, "The Look of a Geisha" details the rigorous preparations one goes through to become a human work of art. \nPersonal highlights were "Geisha Bootcamp" which shows the great lengths actresses go to when taking on such a part and "A Geisha's Dance," proof that geisha are not just sightly human statues but as graceful as the falling cherry blossom. Of course, Marshall's commentary track is a reward in itself -- if only Golden showed up for the ride. \nGive "Geisha" the viewing chance it deserves. It's sure to be a most memorable experience.
(04/06/06 12:10am)
If "King Kong" was the greatest visual spectacle in the digital world last year, then "Memoirs of a Geisha" would be its non-digital counterpart -- a wonderful creation that takes the viewer into a long forgotten world of absolute beauty and artistic splendor. \nBased on the best-selling fiction novel by Arthur Golden, "Geisha" tells of Sayuri, a fisherman's daughter sold to a geisha house after her parents can no longer support her. At first known to us as Chiyo (a promising debut by 12-year-old Suzuka Ohgo), her struggles with this new lifestyle seem an impossible task to achieve. Tortured at every turn by her older stepsister and head geisha Hatsumomo (Gong Li -- absolutely venomous in her American acting debut), she grows into Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang in her best performance to date), a girl soon to become the most praised geisha in the entire city. She endures all of this for one reason alone: the love and attention of the chairman (a warm Ken Watanabe, "The Last Samurai") who once helped her up after falling so hard. \nHelmed by "Chicago" mastermind Rob Marshall in the directing chair, an incredibly talented pan-Asian cast and a score composed by John Williams with support from Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman, could the film really go wrong? \n"Geisha" does have its faults but they're simply nitpicks. The film tends to drift between English and small pieces of Japanese and why at one point someone would say "Hello" and the next say "Konnichiwa" baffles me, as both mean the same. There are also moments where the soapy bubbles of melodrama arise, yet they only slow down the film in places rather than bring it to a laughable roadblock. I have mentioned many strong points, but the strongest is cinematographer Dion Beebe who claimed his Oscar for "Geisha" a month ago. His photography is breathtaking -- he captures natural beauty one moment, dreamlike the next, such as the surreal snowfall dance Sayuri performs. \nWith 11 featurettes spanning two-hours, there's plenty to dig into on the DVD, each of them satisfying. "Building the Hanamachi" tells how difficult it is to recreate pre-WWII Japan, "The Look of a Geisha" details the rigorous preparations one goes through to become a human work of art. \nPersonal highlights were "Geisha Bootcamp" which shows the great lengths actresses go to when taking on such a part and "A Geisha's Dance," proof that geisha are not just sightly human statues but as graceful as the falling cherry blossom. Of course, Marshall's commentary track is a reward in itself -- if only Golden showed up for the ride. \nGive "Geisha" the viewing chance it deserves. It's sure to be a most memorable experience.
(03/30/06 5:00am)
Open upon a town right on the border of Texas and Mexico. Nothing much ever happens here aside from the daily affairs of the Border Patrol, whose job it is to prevent illegal immigrants from crossing into America. Somehow, a man named Melquiades Estrada (a paranoid but content Julio Cedillo) crosses that border and with it comes a warm friendship and ranching job from Pete Perkins (Tommy Lee Jones looking old and weathered). \nMike Norton (a bitter Barry Pepper) and his wife Lou Ann (January Jones) are new to town -- freshly settled in their cozy trailer where she spends her days smoking Virginia Slims while her husband is out abusing his title. Norton finds a group of Mexicans and ferociously jumps the gun, beating one man while breaking the nose of the woman who accompanies him. This is how Norton conducts business. One day, by accident, he manages to kill Melquiades Estrada, thus forcing a now depressed yet furious Perkins to kidnap Norton, dig up Melquiades' body and cross back into Mexico where he rightfully deserves to be buried. \nShowered with honors at the Cannes Film Festival last year, "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" sadly never gained much momentum when it came time to awards here in the United States. All that doesn't matter though, for Jones' directorial debut is a modern-day Western masterpiece. For a man soon to be 60 years old, he should've been behind the camera at half his age. Perhaps coming so late into the game though, he's had plenty of time to gather his influences, of which there are many. The visual scope of John Ford, the unbridled attitude of Sergio Leone and the bold revisionism of Sam Peckinpah -- Jones is an amalgamate of all three.\nJust as Jones channels the big three, so does his crew. Cinematographer Chris Menges must have watched countless Ford westerns to get a feel for the rough yet beautiful landscape of the Southwest. Marco Beltrami's score is hauntingly reminiscent of Ennio Morricone's own used in Leone's "Once Upon a Time in the West." And as for screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga, his story is as powerful and redemptive as Peckinpah's "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia." \nIf you're expecting tons of action, go watch "The Wild Bunch." Need a western that flies by in no time? Watch "High Noon." I'm a fan of both, but "Three Burials" is slow and drawn out like the journey these men must make. At the end of this journey is purification and, with the end of the film, Jones' greatest accomplishment.
(03/30/06 5:00am)
Back in 2000, director Steven Soderbergh had the year of his life. Snagging Best Picture Oscar nods for "Traffic" and "Erin Brockovich," Soderbergh earned two Best Director nods in the same year -- an accomplishment not seen since Frank Lloyd back in 1929. Ultimately he won for "Traffic" and we still remember it over that year's big winner, Ridley Scott's "Gladiator." \nPenned by writer Stephen Gaghan (writer/director of 2005's "Syriana") with inspiration gained from the British mini-series "Traffik," "Traffic" carries a heavy message on a topic we're all familiar with: drugs. From the West Coast to the U.S.-Mexican border and way over in Washington D.C., a massive portrait is painted on how drugs can factor into almost anything and, ultimately, do harm to us all. \nWhat makes "Traffic" not only great but important as well? From one angle, it doesn't fantasize or romanticize with the drug culture. This isn't "Blow" or "Scarface," films that make doing drugs more cool than harmful. "Traffic" cuts out that "cool." It's the kind of film, alongside Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream," that should be shown in high schools across the country to scare kids from experimenting with illegal substances. \nFrom another angle, the film showcases Soderbergh finally coming into his own. He photographed the entire film himself (under the pseudonym Peter Andrews) and has continued to do so as well as taking the editor role in most of his post-"Traffic" output. The film shows how brilliant the man is behind his camera. \nSo why talk about the DVD now? Well, while a barebones single-disc has been available for years, the Criterion two-disc saw a short shelf-life, becoming more of a rarity when such a film should be easy to find. Fortunately, the two-disc is now readily available again. \nDisc one is solid, housing the movie and three commentary tracks: Soderbergh/Gaghan take one avenue discussing all the cinematic qualities, producers Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskotivz and Laura Bickford discuss how important it was for "Traffic" to be made and the last track has consultants Tim Golden, Craig Chretien and composer Cliff Martinez filling in all the little details. \nDisc two is a testament to technical achievement. Included are 25 deleted scenes (with commentary), demonstrations on film processing to show how the film's unique color compositions were created and lessons on film/dialogue editing. If you've ever wanted to see how a film is crafted, this disc alone will give you what you're looking for beyond the movie -- something that the single-disc release won't give you.
(03/29/06 11:44pm)
Back in 2000, director Steven Soderbergh had the year of his life. Snagging Best Picture Oscar nods for "Traffic" and "Erin Brockovich," Soderbergh earned two Best Director nods in the same year -- an accomplishment not seen since Frank Lloyd back in 1929. Ultimately he won for "Traffic" and we still remember it over that year's big winner, Ridley Scott's "Gladiator." \nPenned by writer Stephen Gaghan (writer/director of 2005's "Syriana") with inspiration gained from the British mini-series "Traffik," "Traffic" carries a heavy message on a topic we're all familiar with: drugs. From the West Coast to the U.S.-Mexican border and way over in Washington D.C., a massive portrait is painted on how drugs can factor into almost anything and, ultimately, do harm to us all. \nWhat makes "Traffic" not only great but important as well? From one angle, it doesn't fantasize or romanticize with the drug culture. This isn't "Blow" or "Scarface," films that make doing drugs more cool than harmful. "Traffic" cuts out that "cool." It's the kind of film, alongside Darren Aronofsky's "Requiem for a Dream," that should be shown in high schools across the country to scare kids from experimenting with illegal substances. \nFrom another angle, the film showcases Soderbergh finally coming into his own. He photographed the entire film himself (under the pseudonym Peter Andrews) and has continued to do so as well as taking the editor role in most of his post-"Traffic" output. The film shows how brilliant the man is behind his camera. \nSo why talk about the DVD now? Well, while a barebones single-disc has been available for years, the Criterion two-disc saw a short shelf-life, becoming more of a rarity when such a film should be easy to find. Fortunately, the two-disc is now readily available again. \nDisc one is solid, housing the movie and three commentary tracks: Soderbergh/Gaghan take one avenue discussing all the cinematic qualities, producers Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskotivz and Laura Bickford discuss how important it was for "Traffic" to be made and the last track has consultants Tim Golden, Craig Chretien and composer Cliff Martinez filling in all the little details. \nDisc two is a testament to technical achievement. Included are 25 deleted scenes (with commentary), demonstrations on film processing to show how the film's unique color compositions were created and lessons on film/dialogue editing. If you've ever wanted to see how a film is crafted, this disc alone will give you what you're looking for beyond the movie -- something that the single-disc release won't give you.
(03/29/06 11:03pm)
Open upon a town right on the border of Texas and Mexico. Nothing much ever happens here aside from the daily affairs of the Border Patrol, whose job it is to prevent illegal immigrants from crossing into America. Somehow, a man named Melquiades Estrada (a paranoid but content Julio Cedillo) crosses that border and with it comes a warm friendship and ranching job from Pete Perkins (Tommy Lee Jones looking old and weathered). \nMike Norton (a bitter Barry Pepper) and his wife Lou Ann (January Jones) are new to town -- freshly settled in their cozy trailer where she spends her days smoking Virginia Slims while her husband is out abusing his title. Norton finds a group of Mexicans and ferociously jumps the gun, beating one man while breaking the nose of the woman who accompanies him. This is how Norton conducts business. One day, by accident, he manages to kill Melquiades Estrada, thus forcing a now depressed yet furious Perkins to kidnap Norton, dig up Melquiades' body and cross back into Mexico where he rightfully deserves to be buried. \nShowered with honors at the Cannes Film Festival last year, "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" sadly never gained much momentum when it came time to awards here in the United States. All that doesn't matter though, for Jones' directorial debut is a modern-day Western masterpiece. For a man soon to be 60 years old, he should've been behind the camera at half his age. Perhaps coming so late into the game though, he's had plenty of time to gather his influences, of which there are many. The visual scope of John Ford, the unbridled attitude of Sergio Leone and the bold revisionism of Sam Peckinpah -- Jones is an amalgamate of all three.\nJust as Jones channels the big three, so does his crew. Cinematographer Chris Menges must have watched countless Ford westerns to get a feel for the rough yet beautiful landscape of the Southwest. Marco Beltrami's score is hauntingly reminiscent of Ennio Morricone's own used in Leone's "Once Upon a Time in the West." And as for screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga, his story is as powerful and redemptive as Peckinpah's "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia." \nIf you're expecting tons of action, go watch "The Wild Bunch." Need a western that flies by in no time? Watch "High Noon." I'm a fan of both, but "Three Burials" is slow and drawn out like the journey these men must make. At the end of this journey is purification and, with the end of the film, Jones' greatest accomplishment.
(03/23/06 5:00am)
Does anyone remember "Crash?" It won the Best Picture Oscar three weeks ago. No? Don't worry. You'll soon see it overflowing bargain bins next to "Shakespeare in Love," "The English Patient" and "Million Dollar Baby." But what doomed it to end up there? How did this self-described "little film about race in America" end up winning the Best Picture Oscar over such substantial cinematic offerings as "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Munich?"\nThe Oscars chickened out. They saw Fox News calling out their deceptive "liberal agenda" and turned tail, running at the thought of the same majority that re-elected George W. Bush turning against their storied institution. Or maybe they just liked "Crash" better, but we doubt it. The Academy played it safe, unlike last year with the mediocre but topical "Million Dollar Baby," a winner timed to coincide with the removal of Terry Schiavo's feeding tube. Truth be told, "Crash" was the safest choice of all the films nominated this year. With two nominated films featuring homosexual characters and the other two taking a prominent liberal stance on social/national issues, "Crash" was the warm glass of milk to those films' shot of Everclear.\nIf one spoke candidly, off the record with the majority of Academy voters who chose "Crash," chances are they would tell you there was a method to their madness. In hopes to assuage the American viewing public (the same public that helped "Narnia" top the $250 million mark), Academy voters (the same voters that gave Michael Moore an Oscar) chose the film with racial themes that would've shaken your grandma up in the '60s, but by today's standards seem about as genial as those in "Driving Miss Daisy." \nAnyone who's seen "Crash" has no doubt about what writer/director Paul Haggis was telling you as he attempted to shed every ounce of his white guilt. His message of "we're all racist people with the capacity to change, if only for a little while" is about as subtle as a kick in the stones, and only makes us wish he would've taken a page from other films that have handled racial issues so much more adroitly. \nSpike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" and Tony Kaye's "American History X" are textbook examples that Haggis should've examined -- where racism isn't beaten over our heads and we're reminded that people have the capacity for permanent change, yet so rarely does anyone do the right thing.\nHaggis' hyperlinked weaving of his cast throughout the mean streets of Los Angeles has been done bolder and better by filmmakers the Academy chose to ignore. Robert Altman's "Short Cuts" was infinitely more interesting than "Crash;" Paul Thomas Anderson holds the crown for crafting the best L.A. character mosaic, "Magnolia." No matter which way you turn, "Crash" has been done better in countless films -- each of them expertly juggling racism and a plethora of other controversial issues.\nCould "Crash" have been made a better film actually worthy of its Oscar? Of course. All films (with some possible exceptions) could be improved with the benefit of hindsight, and one could endlessly quibble about whether or not the cast of "Crash" was worthy of the SAG award, especially after featuring tired archetypes such as the bad cop, the thug gangster, the foreign shopkeeper and the bitchy housewife.\nThe one aspect that could've been changed to make it a better film is the one aspect it relies upon most: its heavy-handed finger-wagging at the public about our innate racist tendencies. This moral worked to poignant effect in films like "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (released when public facilities were still labeled White or Colored), but in 2005 it just seems like lukewarm table scraps. With all its unrealistic banter ("Hey Ma, I'm sleeping with a white girl.") and race-card statistics, perhaps a "Crash" TV mini-series would've made more sense -- yet it still would've pulled punches. In the real world racism is a loaded gun, not one filled with blanks.\nSo was "Crash" the year's best film? No. Just consult the Golden Globes, the Independent Spirit Awards, the American Film Institute, the British Academy Awards, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the Berlin Film Festival and the Film Critics Circles of New York, Los Angeles ("Crash's" own city!), San Francisco or Dallas. They'll tell you different, as will the dozen other films that should've filled "Crash's" slot as a Best Picture nominee. Whether it be a portrait of small-town violence, the colonization of Jamestown, a giant gorilla, a Depression-era pugilist or a bored Marine in the desert, 2005 was full of real contenders that were overlooked in favor of a two-hour sugar-coated lesson on race relations. \nDo us a favor, though. When you're walking through Best Buy a year or so from now and you see someone snatch a copy of "Crash" out of the $5.99 bargain bin, save them the cash by letting them know that we're all just a little bit racist, and if we try really, really hard we can overcome it -- then hand them a copy of "Brokeback Mountain"
(03/23/06 3:17am)
Does anyone remember "Crash?" It won the Best Picture Oscar three weeks ago. No? Don't worry. You'll soon see it overflowing bargain bins next to "Shakespeare in Love," "The English Patient" and "Million Dollar Baby." But what doomed it to end up there? How did this self-described "little film about race in America" end up winning the Best Picture Oscar over such substantial cinematic offerings as "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Munich?"\nThe Oscars chickened out. They saw Fox News calling out their deceptive "liberal agenda" and turned tail, running at the thought of the same majority that re-elected George W. Bush turning against their storied institution. Or maybe they just liked "Crash" better, but we doubt it. The Academy played it safe, unlike last year with the mediocre but topical "Million Dollar Baby," a winner timed to coincide with the removal of Terry Schiavo's feeding tube. Truth be told, "Crash" was the safest choice of all the films nominated this year. With two nominated films featuring homosexual characters and the other two taking a prominent liberal stance on social/national issues, "Crash" was the warm glass of milk to those films' shot of Everclear.\nIf one spoke candidly, off the record with the majority of Academy voters who chose "Crash," chances are they would tell you there was a method to their madness. In hopes to assuage the American viewing public (the same public that helped "Narnia" top the $250 million mark), Academy voters (the same voters that gave Michael Moore an Oscar) chose the film with racial themes that would've shaken your grandma up in the '60s, but by today's standards seem about as genial as those in "Driving Miss Daisy." \nAnyone who's seen "Crash" has no doubt about what writer/director Paul Haggis was telling you as he attempted to shed every ounce of his white guilt. His message of "we're all racist people with the capacity to change, if only for a little while" is about as subtle as a kick in the stones, and only makes us wish he would've taken a page from other films that have handled racial issues so much more adroitly. \nSpike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" and Tony Kaye's "American History X" are textbook examples that Haggis should've examined -- where racism isn't beaten over our heads and we're reminded that people have the capacity for permanent change, yet so rarely does anyone do the right thing.\nHaggis' hyperlinked weaving of his cast throughout the mean streets of Los Angeles has been done bolder and better by filmmakers the Academy chose to ignore. Robert Altman's "Short Cuts" was infinitely more interesting than "Crash;" Paul Thomas Anderson holds the crown for crafting the best L.A. character mosaic, "Magnolia." No matter which way you turn, "Crash" has been done better in countless films -- each of them expertly juggling racism and a plethora of other controversial issues.\nCould "Crash" have been made a better film actually worthy of its Oscar? Of course. All films (with some possible exceptions) could be improved with the benefit of hindsight, and one could endlessly quibble about whether or not the cast of "Crash" was worthy of the SAG award, especially after featuring tired archetypes such as the bad cop, the thug gangster, the foreign shopkeeper and the bitchy housewife.\nThe one aspect that could've been changed to make it a better film is the one aspect it relies upon most: its heavy-handed finger-wagging at the public about our innate racist tendencies. This moral worked to poignant effect in films like "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (released when public facilities were still labeled White or Colored), but in 2005 it just seems like lukewarm table scraps. With all its unrealistic banter ("Hey Ma, I'm sleeping with a white girl.") and race-card statistics, perhaps a "Crash" TV mini-series would've made more sense -- yet it still would've pulled punches. In the real world racism is a loaded gun, not one filled with blanks.\nSo was "Crash" the year's best film? No. Just consult the Golden Globes, the Independent Spirit Awards, the American Film Institute, the British Academy Awards, the Broadcast Film Critics Association, the Berlin Film Festival and the Film Critics Circles of New York, Los Angeles ("Crash's" own city!), San Francisco or Dallas. They'll tell you different, as will the dozen other films that should've filled "Crash's" slot as a Best Picture nominee. Whether it be a portrait of small-town violence, the colonization of Jamestown, a giant gorilla, a Depression-era pugilist or a bored Marine in the desert, 2005 was full of real contenders that were overlooked in favor of a two-hour sugar-coated lesson on race relations. \nDo us a favor, though. When you're walking through Best Buy a year or so from now and you see someone snatch a copy of "Crash" out of the $5.99 bargain bin, save them the cash by letting them know that we're all just a little bit racist, and if we try really, really hard we can overcome it -- then hand them a copy of "Brokeback Mountain"
(03/20/06 2:23am)
Three controversial classics of New Hollywood cinema, three films showing how powerful the media truly is. The boxset "Controversial Classics Vol. 2: The Power of Media" is a goldmine of a release -- offering amazing new two-disc editions of Alan J. Pakula's "All the President's Men" and two of Sidney Lumet's greatest works, "Network" and "Dog Day Afternoon." All three of them Oscar gems, with 24 nominations and nine wins between them.\n"All the President's Men" takes icons Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman and throws them into the Watergate scandal as journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein respectively. Slow and drawn out, every passing minute painstakingly worthwhile as both men get closer to bringing down the Nixon machine.\n"Network" puts us in the office of UBS News as anchor Howard Beale (Peter Finch) threatens on-air suicide, proclaims, "I'm as mad as hell!" and ascends to media prophet. With a supporting cast containing Robert Duvall, William Holden and Faye Dunaway, corporate perversion never seemed so venomous.\n"Dog Day Afternoon" finds Al Pacino robbing a bank for the sake of making amends with his lover, but soon the act turns into a media fiasco, capturing the fury and fervor of an irritated Sonny Wortzik's screams of "Attica! Attica!"\nWhile all three DVDs are available separately, the boxset is worth the modest price tag ($40-$60 at most places). Commentaries on all films, ranging from a reminiscent Redford to Lumet pointing out technical moments of genius and acting favorites. "Network's" 90-minute comprehensive documentary makes a good companion to the hour-long "Dog Day Afternoon" one -- thankfully Pacino appears on the latter. \nSome of the best supplements include the Turner Classic Movies interview with Lumet on the "Network" disc, a complete retrospective on his work post-Oscar acceptance last year. "President's Men" takes top honors, with two making-of docs, interviews with Woodward and Bernstein. and, most importantly, a featurette on Mark Felt aka Deep Throat, who finally emerged from the shadows last May.\nJust like this year's Oscar-nominated "Good Night, and Good Luck," all three of these films only go to show how important the media and journalism has become in our world today. Every film owes debt to Edward R. Murrow, the man who got the ball rolling and showed us that journalists don't just cover history -- they have the power to become part of it.
(03/09/06 5:00am)
In the long careers of screen legend Alec Guinness and Ealing Studios, one could proclaim with little debate that Robert Hamer's "Kind Hearts and Coronets" was one of the crowning achievements of the British film industry. Pitch black in its approach and entertaining on all levels, I can think of no other movie that has made the art of murder so humorous. \nA mischievously sophisticated Dennis Price stars as the young Louis Mazzini, a man whose royal inheritance is unjustly denied to him due to his mother's marriage outside of aristocracy. At her death, Mazzini schemes to murder all those above him in the family tree and ascend to Dukedom within the D'Ascoyne household. There are eight names to cross out with the black X and all eight characters are played by Alec Guinness.\nThat's right, I said all eight are played by Guinness. Still green and having only made two films prior to "Kind Hearts" (David Lean's Charles Dickens duo of "Great Expectations" and "Oliver Twist"), this is Guinness in his most enjoyable yet demanding performance. Playing both male and female, young and old, from banker to reverend to Admiral, each role Guinness inhabits he makes his own. \nPrice's heavy narration fills up the film, keeping us entertained through sheer wit and tar-black sarcasm. You cannot help but laugh at how he makes murder resemble the build-up of a magician's act. The wording keeps our attention until finally pulling off the trick. Whether it is a bomb inside a caviar can or an archer's arrow ripping through a hot air balloon, laughter comes from the shock and awe of the act itself. \nHaving seen a DVD release before without the special features, Criterion's two-disc edition outshines the aforementioned disappointment. Aside from typical extras such as trailers and photo galleries, disc one contains the American ending of the film -- an embarrassing solution to the original ending which didn't meet with ratings/content standards of the era. Disc two is a goldmine, housing two 70-minute pieces: a documentary of Ealing Studios' history and an interview with Guinness from 1977. The documentary is an encyclopedic treasure while the interview finds Guinness post-"Star Wars" reflecting on his many triumphs and the early years when no one thought he'd make it. Boy were they wrong.\n"Kind Hearts" is the first of hopefully other many additions from the Guinness/Ealing library to Criterion's own. Classics such as "The Lavender Hill Mob" and "The Man in the White Suit" are sitting on shelves unrestored and without extras. They could use a proper treatment.
(03/09/06 5:00am)
Three controversial classics of New Hollywood cinema, three films showing how powerful the media truly is. The boxset "Controversial Classics Vol. 2: The Power of Media" is a goldmine of a release -- offering amazing new two-disc editions of Alan J. Pakula's "All the President's Men" and two of Sidney Lumet's greatest works, "Network" and "Dog Day Afternoon." All three of them Oscar gems, with 24 nominations and nine wins between them.\n"All the President's Men" takes icons Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman and throws them into the Watergate scandal as journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein respectively. Slow and drawn out, every passing minute painstakingly worthwhile as both men get closer to bringing down the Nixon machine.\n"Network" puts us in the office of UBS News as anchor Howard Beale (Peter Finch) threatens on-air suicide, proclaims, "I'm as mad as hell!" and ascends to media prophet. With a supporting cast containing Robert Duvall, William Holden and Faye Dunaway, corporate perversion never seemed so venomous.\n"Dog Day Afternoon" finds Al Pacino robbing a bank for the sake of making amends with his lover, but soon the act turns into a media fiasco, capturing the fury and fervor of an irritated Sonny Wortzik's screams of "Attica! Attica!"\nWhile all three DVDs are available separately, the boxset is worth the modest price tag ($40-$60 at most places). Commentaries on all films, ranging from a reminiscent Redford to Lumet pointing out technical moments of genius and acting favorites. "Network's" 90-minute comprehensive documentary makes a good companion to the hour-long "Dog Day Afternoon" one -- thankfully Pacino appears on the latter. \nSome of the best supplements include the Turner Classic Movies interview with Lumet on the "Network" disc, a complete retrospective on his work post-Oscar acceptance last year. "President's Men" takes top honors, with two making-of docs, interviews with Woodward and Bernstein. and, most importantly, a featurette on Mark Felt aka Deep Throat, who finally emerged from the shadows last May.\nJust like this year's Oscar-nominated "Good Night, and Good Luck," all three of these films only go to show how important the media and journalism has become in our world today. Every film owes debt to Edward R. Murrow, the man who got the ball rolling and showed us that journalists don't just cover history -- they have the power to become part of it.
(03/08/06 9:07pm)
In the long careers of screen legend Alec Guinness and Ealing Studios, one could proclaim with little debate that Robert Hamer's "Kind Hearts and Coronets" was one of the crowning achievements of the British film industry. Pitch black in its approach and entertaining on all levels, I can think of no other movie that has made the art of murder so humorous. \nA mischievously sophisticated Dennis Price stars as the young Louis Mazzini, a man whose royal inheritance is unjustly denied to him due to his mother's marriage outside of aristocracy. At her death, Mazzini schemes to murder all those above him in the family tree and ascend to Dukedom within the D'Ascoyne household. There are eight names to cross out with the black X and all eight characters are played by Alec Guinness.\nThat's right, I said all eight are played by Guinness. Still green and having only made two films prior to "Kind Hearts" (David Lean's Charles Dickens duo of "Great Expectations" and "Oliver Twist"), this is Guinness in his most enjoyable yet demanding performance. Playing both male and female, young and old, from banker to reverend to Admiral, each role Guinness inhabits he makes his own. \nPrice's heavy narration fills up the film, keeping us entertained through sheer wit and tar-black sarcasm. You cannot help but laugh at how he makes murder resemble the build-up of a magician's act. The wording keeps our attention until finally pulling off the trick. Whether it is a bomb inside a caviar can or an archer's arrow ripping through a hot air balloon, laughter comes from the shock and awe of the act itself. \nHaving seen a DVD release before without the special features, Criterion's two-disc edition outshines the aforementioned disappointment. Aside from typical extras such as trailers and photo galleries, disc one contains the American ending of the film -- an embarrassing solution to the original ending which didn't meet with ratings/content standards of the era. Disc two is a goldmine, housing two 70-minute pieces: a documentary of Ealing Studios' history and an interview with Guinness from 1977. The documentary is an encyclopedic treasure while the interview finds Guinness post-"Star Wars" reflecting on his many triumphs and the early years when no one thought he'd make it. Boy were they wrong.\n"Kind Hearts" is the first of hopefully other many additions from the Guinness/Ealing library to Criterion's own. Classics such as "The Lavender Hill Mob" and "The Man in the White Suit" are sitting on shelves unrestored and without extras. They could use a proper treatment.
(03/06/06 7:28am)
8:20 p.m.: Ok it has been like 20 minutes and everything has been great. Opening rocked and they're already getting things off to a big start with the hardest category: Best Supporting Actor! Could it be my boy Giamatti? Envelope is being opened….. GEORGE CLOONEY! The man had to win SOMETHING tonight and he scored big! "Guess I won't be winning Best Director!" Priceless. If he was going to get a statue, this was the category to do it in.
(03/02/06 5:00am)
One would swear that films depicting the triumph of mankind are formulaic and boring. How many times can you tell the story of some sports team who overcomes racial prejudices or comes back from a 30-point divide to win the trophy and still wow audiences? "The World's Fastest Indian" has nothing to do with sports. It has to do with setting world records and making people believe the unbelievable. \nBurt Munro (Anthony Hopkins in yet another role showcasing his versatility) is a Kiwi and old codger who lives in a dirty garage, never mows his lawn and wakes up at the crack of dawn with only one interest: his 1920 Indian motorcycle. See Munro has a dream -- he has this notion that in the great Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah, halfway across the world from his home in New Zealand, he can set a new land-speed record with his bike. His motorcycle is more than 40-years-old and he is well into his 60's. So what's stopping him?\nSure he needs $2,000 to get to America so he mortgages his home to do it. He's a bit deaf but it only helps him hear what he wants to hear. He's got a bum ticker thanks to angina, which he takes nitroglycerin pills to help. According to Munro, those pills make for a good boost in the ol' gas tank. And everyone he meets along the way simply can't refuse to help him. Munro's journey is one of automotive perfection and unhindered determination -- whatever setbacks come his way, they sure as hell aren't changing his mind. \nIt might all sound a bit sappy but the true story of Munro is one worth putting on the big screen. By casting Hopkins, the performance is as endearing as it gets, showing he has always been more than just "Hannibal the Cannibal." There's just something about his performance that draws you in. He's the grandpa that wants to hand you a Werther's Original before hopping onto his motorcycle as if he was still a teenager. \n"Indian" is exactly what it sets out to be -- a heartwarming and humorous tale of achievement by a man whose age and setbacks only made him try harder. The film asks us not to applaud the accomplishment itself, but of the character and caliber of the man who raced toward it at 200 mph.
(03/01/06 11:32pm)
One would swear that films depicting the triumph of mankind are formulaic and boring. How many times can you tell the story of some sports team who overcomes racial prejudices or comes back from a 30-point divide to win the trophy and still wow audiences? "The World's Fastest Indian" has nothing to do with sports. It has to do with setting world records and making people believe the unbelievable. \nBurt Munro (Anthony Hopkins in yet another role showcasing his versatility) is a Kiwi and old codger who lives in a dirty garage, never mows his lawn and wakes up at the crack of dawn with only one interest: his 1920 Indian motorcycle. See Munro has a dream -- he has this notion that in the great Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah, halfway across the world from his home in New Zealand, he can set a new land-speed record with his bike. His motorcycle is more than 40-years-old and he is well into his 60's. So what's stopping him?\nSure he needs $2,000 to get to America so he mortgages his home to do it. He's a bit deaf but it only helps him hear what he wants to hear. He's got a bum ticker thanks to angina, which he takes nitroglycerin pills to help. According to Munro, those pills make for a good boost in the ol' gas tank. And everyone he meets along the way simply can't refuse to help him. Munro's journey is one of automotive perfection and unhindered determination -- whatever setbacks come his way, they sure as hell aren't changing his mind. \nIt might all sound a bit sappy but the true story of Munro is one worth putting on the big screen. By casting Hopkins, the performance is as endearing as it gets, showing he has always been more than just "Hannibal the Cannibal." There's just something about his performance that draws you in. He's the grandpa that wants to hand you a Werther's Original before hopping onto his motorcycle as if he was still a teenager. \n"Indian" is exactly what it sets out to be -- a heartwarming and humorous tale of achievement by a man whose age and setbacks only made him try harder. The film asks us not to applaud the accomplishment itself, but of the character and caliber of the man who raced toward it at 200 mph.
(02/23/06 9:55am)
Epic filmmaking has been in a rut ever since the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy ended in 2003. Antoine Fuqua's "King Arthur" was a disaster, Wolfgang Petersen botched "Troy" and I didn't even bother seeing Oliver Stone's "Alexander" biopic. The problem? None of these directors were really qualified to make an epic. When I learned Ridley Scott was helming "Kingdom of Heaven," I definitely had confidence in the same man who brought us "Blade Runner," "Black Hawk Down" and of course "Gladiator." \n"Kingdom of Heaven's" storyline revolves around the story of a young blacksmith named Balian (Orlando Bloom) who is visited by Godfrey of Ibelin (Liam Neeson), a baron claiming to be his father. Balian dismisses the man wishing only to go about his craft until he commits murder and has no choice but to flee town. Balian catches up with the baron intent on traveling to Jerusalem until local authorities catch up and battle ensues. Godfrey is wounded and shortly after passes away but not before passing his title onto his son. Balian then travels to Jerusalem and finds himself serving under the leprosy-stricken King Baldwin (Edward Norton). Notions of war slowly begin brewing as Guy de Lusignan (Marton Csokas) and Reynald (Brendan Gleeson) disrupt the mutual peace between Jerusalem and the Muslim nation. The passing of King Baldwin allows Lusignan to take the throne. Sure enough, he announces war on the Muslims and yet another crusade ensues over the Jerusalem. \nWe've seen Orlando try and make a name for himself ever since "LOTR" put him on the map and the results were disappointing. While his performance in "Troy" was laughable, Orlando succeeds with "Kingdom." He is strong, confident and embodies the qualities of a man of knightly caliber with the only real complaint being that sometimes he seems too one-dimensional due to lacking an emotional range. The short performances by Neeson and Jeremy Irons, the latter playing enforcer Tiberias, are wonderfully convincing and I only wished they had more screen time. Eva Green is gorgeous and alluring as she plays Orlando's love interest despite being the wife of Lusignan. Edward Norton is also noteworthy considering even though we never see his face from behind the iron mask, his presence as King Baldwin is mysteriously engaging. My only real complaint with actors was that Csokas seemed very off-key at times while Brendan Gleeson was just too awkward.\nThe cinematography is breathtaking thanks to John Mathieson, who had previously collaborated with Scott on "Gladiator," "Hannibal" and "Matchstick Men." The beautiful landscapes and horrifying warfare makes you feel immersed in the film and that is one of the great qualities that Scott possesses in his films: the ability to put you in his cinematically crafted world. His world in "Kingdom" becomes very secular, not giving any preference towards the religion of Christians or Muslims, and this helps the film succeed. The only real problem with "Kingdom" is that it seems very rushed in certain places. Over 30 minutes were cut from Scott's original film so hopefully a future DVD release sees these elements restored. \nThere was a lot riding on "Kingdom of Heaven" since all recent epics were such upsets. While it may seem too rushed in areas, "Kingdom" is a solid film thanks to cast, crew and certainly Ridley Scott. It's been five years since "Gladiator" and about time Scott was handed another $100 million-plus budget. He makes excellent use of the money, creating an epic with satisfying end results.