He Got Game

It's difficult to determine what filmmakers or films are of the 'groundbreaking' nature. Based on things like opinion or country of origin, films or people can often be overlooked or over hyped. Or simply forgotten until years later when the public gets a clue. More often than not, groundbreaking films and people are immediately recognized by those in the know.
He Got Game is the story of a convict who is given a chance at freedom if he can convince his son, a high school basketball prodigy, to declare for the governors Alma mater. Ok, far fetched concept. No worries. He Got Game stars Denzel Washington, who's on his game as usual, as Jake Shuttlesworth and his son, Jesus, is played by actual NBAer Ray Allen. Spike Lee directs and the film is done in is his trademark style. The film explores the unifying power of sport or perhaps the unifying power of passions, which in this case is basketball. Jake has wronged his family because his passion ultimately clouded his good sense and the result put him in prison. Yet his passion for basketball, which he pushed onto his son, has given Jesus a future. Jesus struggles with the burden of his decision, however. It's an interesting dilemma. He has no one to ask for advice; the result of his fathers actions. The sport which was pushed on him and ruined his family is now providing him a future but one fraught with pitfalls. Keep an eye on the fantastic editing in the climatic scene in which Jake and Jesus both find ways to escape the prisons, literal and imagined, of their lives. It's done extremely well.
Spike Lee's first major film, Do The Right Thing, was a groundbreaking film in many ways. It was a powerful look at the social and cultural issues regarding race. However, it was his dynamic style that makes Do The Right Thing a landmark film. He Got Game is done in the same way, but the content is not the same. This is not to say it doesn't work. It does. It's a solid film. It just feels like Spike Lee lite.

The White Ribbon

It's always a treat being able to see a filmmaker at their best. Few things can be as inspiring, thought-provoking, or perception-changing as watching a film that is complete on every level. For some time, Michael Haneke has been that filmmaker for me. Haneke studied psychology, philosophy and theatrical sciences at the University of Vienna, Austria. His films reflect his specialty of study. The depth of his films is so much greater than any mainstream filmmaker it's less like a breath of fresh air and more like a gust.
The White Ribbon is a multi-tiered story focused on a small, pre-WW I German town. Told as a narrative by the town schoolteacher, the White Ribbon is about the dynamics between the adults and the children after a pair of crimes are committed. This is not a film for people who choose not to think about their movies. Most Haneke's aren't. This film perhaps more than any because it poses many questions but offers few answers, at least on the surface. The beauty of the film, as with any Haneke, is the 'answers' lie in the characters. How they act in relation to their circumstance and people around them provides the evidence the viewer needs. In this regard the film is as much a mystery story as a drama. Trying to figure out who commits the crimes that incite the story is part of the joy. Even though we're never privy to the answer. I feel as if I am doing a disservice to the film by not mentioning the camera work or the acting, but the character dynamics are such that on that basis alone this film excels.
As this critic is concerned, the situation in town is a microcosm of what led to the outbreak of WW I. The anger and envy of the classes, the age groups, and so on contributed to the shooting of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarejevo. Near the end of the film, the narrator emphasizes how the war came about. Is this to emphasize my theory? Perhaps. But with Haneke, one can never tell.

Boxcar Bertha

The Depression was one of the most important times in US history. It was arguably the catalyst for a number of events that would change the landscape of the country. People became desperate and desperate people do desperate things. The Depression gave birth to prohibition which, along with the desperation of the unemployed, in turn created a crime wave unlike any the country had seen. The rest, as they say, is history.
Boxcar Bertha is the story of a young woman (Barbara Hershey) who, with the death of her father, becomes a railroad traveler. She meets and falls in love with a railroad union man named Bill (David Carridine). They start robbing banks. If this sounds a bit like Bonnie and Clyde, well the stories are similar. In fact, you could call Boxcar Bertha, Bonnie and Clyde lite. Everything from the setting, the relationships, and the theme are similar. It's not a hell-raising good time that Bonnie and Clyde is and lacks the performances, but is nonetheless a functional film. It's more of a sexual discovery story of two young lovers than Bonnie and Clyde is, which is where it differentiates itself. The real excitement is watching a young Marty Scorsese at work. You can see elements of his style being ironed out, resulting in some brilliant moments.
Boxcar Bertha is an enjoyable flick to take in. There is a lot to analyze and take in. From it's comparisons to Bonnie and Clyde to watching the first Martin Scorsese studio picture, you get a good time.

Taking Woodstock

The late 1960's were perhaps one of the most important in American history. It spawned an entire generation of politically active people, who preached peace and love. Naturally this makes for great stories. Films made about this place and time in history can often be moving, reflective on current conditions.
Taking Woodstock is about a young man living in a tiny farming community called Whitelake, NY. To help save his parents struggling motel business he sets in motion the beginning of what would become Woodstock. Demetri Martin, he of his own Comedy Network show, is Elliott. The film starts as an offbeat comedy with dry gags here and there but no real sustaining humour. It gradually begins turning into a drama story as Elliott struggles with the anger of the locals, his disapproving mother, and the burden of bringing such a massive festival down on his home. This is where it starts to struggle. The film tries to maintain the dry humor as the story changes, but it happens in such a way that it's almost inconvenient that the film is trying to be funny. Not to mention there really is no story that comes out of the inciting incident. The film moves along at the same pace from start to finish, never growing emotionally. This makes the film drag. Not to mention it breaks from the mold to (glamorize??? emphasize??? approve of???) the drug scene in one virtually pointless scene. To some, it will come off as an 'epiphany' moment but accomplishes none of the emotional closure. In addition, there are many other plot points which offer absolutely nothing to development of our characters.
Taking Woodstock is a film that feels too long and goes too far from what it should have been. The characters hardly grow at all with the exception of a thin change in Elliott. I'm not sure what director Ang Lee was looking to accomplish. I hope what he had his head came out on screen so at least one person can get it.

Venus- Brits do it best

I've long held an opinion that non-American actors are the best. There have been all-time greats like Lawrence Olivier (England), current established vets such as: Christopher Plummer (Canada), Tom Wilkinson (England), Maggie Smith (England), bankable stars like Charlize Theron (Australia), Christian Bale (England), and Hugh Jackman (Australia), and a slew of young actors such as : Michael Sheen (England), Ryan Gosling (Canada), Clive Owen (England), not to mention your (annually dominant) Oscar players like Judie Dench, Hellen Mirren, and Kate Winslet. Put simply, the number of outstanding acting talent coming from overseas is staggering.
Venus is the story of an actor well into his senior years who becomes infatuated with the young niece of his best friend. The great Peter O'Toole plays Maurice, who even in his elder years is suave with the ladies. Jodie Whittaker plays Jessie, the object of Maurice's affections. Both shine in their parts. In particular, O'Toole is brilliant. It's a performance in which, as a viewer, every choice feels perfect. Not a single acting choice he makes feels out of place. O'Toole works his entire arsenal here. Whittaker does a splendid job, managing to take a character who appears very unlikeable throughout most the film into a sympathetic character.
Acting is one of the defining traits of any quality film. Bad acting can sink a great script. Great acting to lift even the most cruddy scripts. It just so happens that the Brits do it best. Why? It's hard to pinpoint but comes down to teaching. They are simply taught how to perform. And they do some brilliantly.