Reviews

'This film is an experiment in the cinematic communication of real events without the help of inter-titles, without the help of a story, without the help of theater. This experimental work aims at creating a truly international language of cinema based on its absolute separation from the language of theater and literature.'

This is the text we are presented with at the beginning of Dziga Vertov's "Man with a Movie Camera". For some it may seem like a warning, but for others it is an invitation to something wonderful. Here we have a film from 1929 this is more interesting and fascinating that many of the films today. It is not your typical film, it seems experimental but in a sense the film is a documentary. Although it took him four years to complete it Vertov said he intended the film to be a document of a day in the life of the city, and that is exactly what it is and a whole lot more. The film combines endless images of daily living in a way that gives us the very essence of life itself. From people to machinery to streets to buildings, Vertov creates a love letter to the world by using these images in a perfect montage. The film is pretty much guaranteed to be part of the syllabus of any film history class. This is due to the fact that it is a perfect lesson in how great images are made even better by masterful editing, how composition and juxtaposition can be used to evoke thoughts and emotions, and how less can often be more. I've watched this film many times and I am always amazed by it. Somehow it always feels new and vibrant, as if it were made yesterday. It is a film that has influenced generations of filmmakers and will probably influence countless more. It is a masterpiece and a true testament to the language of cinema and the power of film.

Note: The film is intended to be viewed with music. Vertov never wrote music for the film himself, but he left notes for guidance. Naturally, this has resulted in a variety of musical scores that can be found for the film. None are "official" but a few of the best are by The Cinematic Orchestra, Michael Nyman, and The Alloy Orchestra. You can find these and other versions on YouTube.

"Drive" is an action/crime film for those that have grown tired of the same repetitive stuff that keeps getting thrown at us. It is a quiet and thoughtful film, almost meditative. Ryan Gosling plays the Driver (his name is never mentioned in the film), a young man that works part time as a stunt driver and part time as a getaway driver. He decides to help out a neighbor and gets himself involved in more trouble than he expected. There are only a few action scenes, but they are incredibly well down. They are tense, exciting, and meticulously assembled sequences. The rest of the film is much slower paced but it works perfectly. It builds the characters and adds depth and an emotional element that other movies of the same genre lack. Gosling is superb as the Driver, his character is quiet and withheld but you can really sense the emotions he has bottled up inside. The film is directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, whose previous film, "Valhalla Rising", played like an existential Viking saga. "Valhalla" was visually stunning to the point that it was mesmerizing to watch, but its incredibly slow pace and lack of emotion made it fall short of being really good. With "Drive" Refn has found the right blend of pacing, cinematic spectacle, and character study to create a smart, moody, beautiful, and intense film. If this is the kind of film that Refn has in store for us in the future, then the future looks very bright.

Okay, I'll admit it; Kate Winslet is my favorite actress of this generation. So, I might be a bit biased towards her, but I try not to be. Yes, she is incredibly beautiful, but she is also incredibly talented. She becomes the characters she portrays. I believed her as hopelessly romantic Marianne in "Sense and Sensibility", as insane Ophelia in "Hamlet", as quirky Clementine in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". Now I believe her as cold yet passionate Hanna Schmitz, an older woman that has an affair with a much younger man while hiding dark secrets from him. Watching the film I believe Winslet is German, and I also believe she is capable of the crimes she is accused of in the film. She is sharp and cold in her encounters with other people, yet we still can sense warmth hidden inside. Winslet is absolutely brilliant in her portrayal and she finally won an Oscar for it. (She was nominated 5 times before her win, further proof of her abilities.) But I don't want to take away anything from the other actors. Ralph Fiennes is great as the older Michael, but it's David Kross that hold his own against Winslet. His portrayal of both the innocent and maturing Michael is truly great.

I've read some reviews that complain that this is just another Oscar baiting Holocaust movie. I'll agree that it does lack some of the emotional punch that other films had that year, perhaps this was something that was lost in the translation from the original book. But to discount this as just another Holocaust movie is not fair; it is a movie that poses complex questions about ourselves and about our secrets. We all have them and often we go out of our way to keep them. Do we hide them so that we can belong? Or do we hide them out of pure shame? In the film one character keeps a secret that hurts another, the other character keeps a secret that hurts them self. Why? And why did I care so much for someone that was so cruel? These are some interesting questions and the film left me wondering about human nature and why we do the things we do and feel the way we feel. I can always appreciate a film that makes me ponder such things.

Akira Kurosawa directed 31 films during his career. That is a impressive number for any director, but it is even more impressive when you consider how many of theses are truly great films. Because of this choosing the greatest Kurosawa film is no easy task. I've always been partial to "Ikiru" as my favorite Kurosawa film, but "Seven Samurai" is a close second. For those not aware the basic premise of the film is a group of seven samurai are recruited to help defend a poor farming village from invading bandits. That may sound like a simple plot, but this film is far from that. The film is a complex and rich story told in three acts. The first is the recruiting of the samurai, the second is the preparation for battle, and the third is the battle. At over 3 hours long one would think this would be a boring film, but it isn't. The film is excellently paced and never drags. This is due to the great story, well-developed characters, wonderful performances, great action scenes, and, of course, Kurosawa's fantastic direction.

One example of Kurosawa's great direction in this movie is his use of "deep focus". These are shots where he chooses to compose it in order to get many subjects in the frame and in focus at the same time. By doing this he gives us a better sense of what is going on. In some of the shots we can see how every character is reacting to a situation at the same time, without cutting back and forth between them. In other shots he gives us a sense of characters and how they relate to their surroundings.

He uses this extensively in the second act to help establish the layout of the town. So, by the third act, we have a thorough understanding of how and where the action is taking place. Even during the action Kurosawa uses these wider shots to show us what is happening and put things in perspective. He uses camera movement and composition to emphasize the action, instead of rapidly cutting between shots. Some modern directors would do well to take note of this technique.

Watching "Seven Samurai" one might feel that many of the scenes are familiar. That's partly because the film was remade into "The Magnificent Seven" in 1960 but it also because this film has inspired countless similar action films since its first release. The recruiting scenes, the training scenes, and the fight scenes have been duplicated in many ways. There is even a scene toward the beginning of the film in which one of the lead characters shows his intelligence and talent by defeating a villain completely unrelated to the main plot. It's a nice character establishing scene that is ubiquitous in modern day action films. Kurosawa has been listed as an primary influence by great directors such as Francis Ford Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsese. Watching "Seven Samurai" it is easy to see why he is such an influence. It is a true classic and one of the great masterpieces of the cinema.

I used to love choose-your-own-adventure books as a kid. I would read through them again and again until I experienced every possible ending. The first time I watched "Run Lola Run" it reminded of those very books. Lola (Franka Potente) learns that her boyfriend lost some money that he owes to some gangsters and she now has 20 minutes to find the money or some other way to help him. So, like the title says, she starts running. The story line by itself might be interesting in the hands of an average director, but director Tom Tykwer is clearly no average director. The story unfolds quickly to what seems to be a conclusion, but then we are suddenly whipped back in time and we see things unfold again, this time in a different way. Like life, this is a situation with multiple possibilities and Tykwer brilliantly finds a way to show us these multiple possibilities in an exciting and effective way. He uses great visual techniques and editing to move the story along at a breakneck speed. The film score is basically techno music, but it fits the mood and feel of the film perfectly. And then there is Potente, she has such great charisma and presence that you can't help but be drawn in and cheer for her. All of this works together to bring home the message of the film that even the smallest things can have large consequences. "Run Lola Run" is an incredibly compelling and frenetic film with depth and a wonderful spirit. The only thing that may disappoint you is that it over too quickly.

For a Scorsese film "Bringing Out the Dead" seemed to get a bit of a lukewarm reception, but I really liked it and think it is one of his best films. It may not be the caliber of "Goodfellas" and "Raging Bull" but it is still a powerful and moving film. In the movie we follow paramedic Frank (Nicolas Cage) over three nights as he begins to unravel from stress and starts seeing ghosts and visions of people he has not been able to save. The film is a dark and intense character study with Cage turning in one of his best performances. Scorsese continues to show why he is one of the greatest directors by establishing an evocative tone and creating unforgettable scenes. This may not be a frenetic as some of his other films, but it is still a visual treat in every way. This is not a happy film but, thanks to a brilliant screenplay by Paul Schrader, it is a profound and moving meditation on death and how it affects us. "Bringing Out the Dead" is a truly great film full of sorrow, morbid humor, and intensity and deserves to be considered among Scorsese's best.

If you seen the other two movies in the so-called Cornetto Trilogy ("Shaun of the Dead" & "Hot Fuzz") then you already know what to expect from "The World's End". Like the others it is funny and full of unexpected and crazy twists and turns. The story follows five friends who decide to reunite and finish the pub crawl they were not able to complete 20 years ago. Everything is going fine and then all hell breaks loose. You know you're probably in for a wild and fun ride and that is exactly what you get. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost kind of switch roles from their previous movies, Frost is the one that has it together and Pegg doesn't. It works well and they still maintain their great humor and wit. The supporting cast is equally funny with Eddie Marsan being a highlight. The movie if full of great one liners and some absolutely hilarious moment. If you liked "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz" or if you just like wild and fun movies then you'll like "The World's End". It is funny, clever, and a hell of a ride.