Fargo- ya? Oh ya.

Since their breakout film Blood Simple was released in 1984, the Coen brothers have been two of the more unique filmmakers of our time. They are a rare breed of filmmakers who have their own unique style and trademark that is recognizable to most moviegoers. Yet when they dabbled in alternative genres they do so seamlessly. Few filmmakers out there can say the same for themselves.
Fargo is the story of a man going through some financial difficulties who hires some small-time criminals to kidnap his wife in order to extort his father-in-law. When the proverbial shiznat hits the fan, a pregnant police deputy sets out to solve the crime. To most, this film comes off as a straight-up black comedy. It's oddball characters and situations seem to be straight out of a comedy 101 course. However, when you break down the film to it's bare parts this is more of a crime drama than comedy. The trick is in the writing. Fargo is a story about what small-time, average people would do when they become caught up in circumstances outside their understanding. Then you add in the Minnesota setting and all of a sudden our characters talk in funny accents and say funny things. But keep in mind this is how people talk in Minnesota. The cast are excellent as they play the characters very straight-laced but take full advantage of the perfect writing. In one memorable scene, William H. Macy practices what he's going to say when he calls his father-in-law to tell him about his wife being kidnapped. Wouldn't your average person do something similar? He's no pro, he's just a guy who's done something a little over his head. He has no idea what he's doing so he practices. It just so happens this situation is very funny. See what I'm getting at? Or the scene where the wife, in an attempt to elude her captors, takes off at a run with a sack over her head. She can't see so she's running around like a whacko which is what any normal person would do, but it's funny. This is why when the film turns violent it's such a shock. It really is not shocking at all, we just think it is.
To sum it up, Fargo is what intelligent film making is all about. It's a story that is written so perfectly that it appears to be something more than it is. Imagine watching two pit bulls fighting and one kills the other in brutal fashion. Messed up, right? Now replace those pit bulls with chihuahua's and have a similar result. It'd be funny up until one dog is brutally killed. That's Fargo.

The Motorcycle Diaries- Che, eh?

One reason I love watching foreign films is because of the high ratio of quality films to poor films. Simple law of averages: Hollywood produces 99% of all films a domestic fan would see (not the real stat, but it's a healthy estimate), which means the average fan is exposed to more poor films. When a foreign film is good enough to earn an American release, it's generally the best film of that country. Hence, we never get to see the poor films from other countries. That's why I love foreign films, I'm only ever exposed to the good stuff.
The Motorcycle Diaries is the story of a pair of young, educated and ultimately naive students who decided to travel through South America on motorcycle. They have unique personalities but share one common trait: the desire to do good. This trait is tested when they witness the plight of the poor and sick of Latin America. The experience shapes both their lives. The Motorcycle Diaries is a beautiful film. The cinematography hints at a true passion for the subject material. It comes across that those who worked on the film had a great understanding for the places and people of the story. It's a very genuine film in this regard. The acting is superb, featuring what was a breakout performance for Gael Garcia Bernal as a pre-revolutionist Che Gueverra. He plays the role with a natural ease that is in stark contrast to the method style of American cinema. Perhaps that is what I loved most about this film; it's daring, it's true to it's subject material, and is not a Hollywood story of inspiration but one of self-exploration.
Films are powerful in the respect that one rarely comes across one that truly changes a viewer. For those who have experienced this, it is hard to describe to someone who hasn't. Without trying to sound pretentious, the result is like being rewired. One feels different after wards but still the same. The Motorcycle Diaries is less of a must-see as it is a requirement for film lovers.

The Hurt Locker- war is a drug, it never changes

War movies used to be about history. They used to be about the people who were effected. Then along came the 60's. That generation were more in touch with the political effects of war. Vietnam become a symbol for a poor government. Naturally, films followed suit. They became protests of political expression but were still about the people. In the current global state, war movies have become deformed versions of those landmarks. The real heart of what war movies represented was lost.
The Hurt Locker is the story of three IED (Incendiary Explosive Device) experts (Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce). Like any team, they are unique individuals trying to find a cohesive way to work together before their tour is up. Naturally, trouble arises with the addition of a new team leader named Will James (Jeremy Renner). Therein already lies an unbelievable amount of dramatic potential. Either they understand each other or they die. Either they learn to work as a team or they die. Either they get over their individual issues or they die. Kathryn Bigelow does an excellent job directing her actors and building the tension. In scenes where they're defusing a bomb, the film makes you less worried about the actual terrorist threat and more about the threat they pose to each other. All the while, Bigelow keeps the film a neutral look on war. Although it never focuses heavily on the civilian or terrorist lives, the film conveys their issues effectively in passing. It makes you angry at the terrorists but not outright hate them. It makes you frustrated with the civilians but sympathize with their situation. It makes you question the troops but feel their individual views on war, duty, and survival.
In a genre that has seemingly lost it's way since the beginning of the war on terror and conflict in the middle east, The Hurt Locker stands as an example of how to interpret the situation logically. This is easily an early leader as one of the best flicks this year. Boom goes the dynamite.

What have I been watching...

I've had a flurry of movie watching lately. A little of this, a little of that. A little good, a little bad. Let's check it out.
Moon- a dazzling and brilliant debut for Duncan Jones. Sam Rockwell, as usual, is a scene-stealer. Luckily, there's two of him. Which means twice as many scenes to steal. It's a a testament to Jones that he keeps the film working and engaging with virtually one actor at work.
Valkyrie- pretty standard action-thriller here. Lots of things were missing, a few things worked. Overall the storyline was actually pretty boring considering the material. Tom Cruise was, as expected, a poor fit. What was really surprising is the poor work on the part of some normally solid actors. Thus I concluded that it was a poor directing job by Bryan Singer. He was unable to properly give his actors things to work with.
Death Race- As you'd expect a Paul W. Anderson film to be. Fast, convoluted, silly. The action is furious. The story is not. It leaves a lot to be desired.
The Straight Story- a rare normal turn for David Lynch. A touching and refreshingly simple story. A man rides a lawn mower to meet his sick, estranged brother. Filmed eloquently. In a manner that reflects its simple pleasure.
The Last Picture Show- A classic coming-of-age story. Makes you pine for younger days, appreciate the time you have, and want to forget the seemingly aimless years in between. Excellent stuff, but too slow for some.

Bruno- thatz zuch a grozz movie

Movies that defy convention or that break trends are often met with mixed reactions. Skeptics question why something has to go out of the conventional mold to do what it has to. Supporters hail it's bold approach to something different. Either way, like any movie it still has to work.
Bruno is a character creation from the mind of Sacha Baron Cohen who brought as such whackos as Borat and Ali G. In his feature film, Bruno is a failed fashion TV star who comes to America to try and find fame. Along the way he attempts different strategies, including: making a sex video with a politician, interviewing celebs, and acting in prime-time TV shows. Naturally, graphic hijinx ensue. Where Bruno shows, as did Borat, is that it isn't the main character that is being lampooned. Your average fan would think Baron Cohen is making fun of Austrians or gay people, but it's quite the opposite. He uses the facade to make lampoon everyone else. It's priceless to watch the reaction of a focus group when Bruno shows them a sample of his TV show he wants greenlit. They react in anger, with humor, and confusion. It's the interactions of the people around Bruno that make this movie, despite it's extreme vulgarity, amusing.
A word for the weak: Bruno is not for the faint of heart. There is nudity, from head to toe. There is discussion of graphic homosexuality. It pretty much goes as far as a conventional movie can go. In that regard, it's brilliant. Just be on your best behaviour.

Snatch- so much fun

A growing genre of film these days is known as 'guy noire'. Essentially, it combines all the things that would appeal to the top demographic of moviegoers: males aged 18-35. These are element such as quick, witty, expletive-filled dialogue. Ridiculously eccentric characters. Fast and stylish editing, music, visuals, etc. Guns, explosions, action, hot women...you get the idea. It's a genre that has been bred from directors such as Quentin Tarintino, Michael Bay, and....
Guy Ritchie has cooled in recent years. Once he was white-hot. When he made Snatch, Ritchie was at his peak and essentially provided a blueprint (which has never been replicated) for an entire new genre. Snatch is one of those movies that is a pure joy to watch. The dialogue is brilliant, made better by the English dialect. The storyline is just crazy enough that it makes you go, "Nooo waaay....well...?" It's got nutty characters, who are either too smart for their own good or dumb or just tricking everyone. The editing works so well it looks easy. Overall, the package is extremely entertaining and, in my opinion, will likely never be done again.
Snatch is fun and furious. It's smart and dumb at the same time. It's the kind of movie that makes you want to keep watching.

Public Enemies- number one

Everyone is afraid of criminals. Yet there are few things as exciting as being in or near the thick of some serious criminal misdoings. That's why audiences love crime flicks. The escape to a world of no laws where anything goes. It's a fantasy that gets the heart racing and blood pumping.
Public Enemies is the semi-fictional tale of the crime wave during the Depression that saw John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd rise to criminal prominence. This also signaled the beginning of the FBI who were tasked with stopping them. Michael Mann is at his best. Think Heat meets the Untouchables. Yea, boom goes the dynamite. The gunfights are loud and tense. Which is a staple for all crime flicks. Mann is on his game, creating aesthetically pleasing shots from scene to scene. He uses close-ups as if they're going out of style but leaves tons of open space conveying oodles of tension by letting the viewer see not only the face but the environment around them. The music was dead on as well. Johnny Depp shines as John Dillinger, a man of charisma and criminal brilliance. Depp plays Dillinger to be an uber-confident but flawed man. While he tricks the feds and seemingly dances under their noses, he lives every moment by the seat of his pants. Dillinger irresponsibly looks no further than he must which makes him appear accepting that his fate is to die young. Depp will say a line with a deadly serious look on his face then momentarily break a witty smile only to let it fade his face as Dillinger returns to the reality that he's not destined to experience joy for long. Excellent. As well Marion Cotillard is excellent as Dillinger's star crossed love.
This is an excellent crime story. It's a longer flick but moves fast. It grips from the opening to the end. If only all films were like this, the world would be a better place.