Chloe in the Afternoon: It's okay if a film has subtitles, really.

When someone says to you, “hey, there’s this great French film you should check out,” nine times out of ten you’ll look at them as if they’re asking you to watch C-Span for a couple of hours and politely decline that invitation. But if they are telling you to watch Chloe in the Afternoon, an open-minded approach is suggested.

Frederic is a happily married man who can’t resist engaging in harmless flirting every once in a while. However when he runs into an old acquaintance named Chloe and starts spending afternoons with her, their rekindled friendship turns into a longing that could destroy his happily married life.

Writer/director Eric Rohmer was able to craft an absolutely stunning and perceptive morality tale centering on human romantic relationships, one that was not afraid to tackle questions like; “how can a man love only one woman” or “is it possible to love more than one woman at the same time,” questions that typical Hollywood films tend to gloss over with predictable plot twist or unbelievably silly compromises in story. Frederic (the man torn between his wife and the title beauty) had a life and set of circumstances which wavered a bit on the male fantasy side at points, but it was his constant re-examination of life and relationships with both his wife Helene and Chloe which made him easy to associate with, and also human.

French New Wave films from the 1970’s, like Chole in the Afternoon, might not be everyone’s cup of tea, specifically because they are not like The Break Up or any of those million other crappy romantic films that overrated Hollywood actresses like Jennifer Aniston put out. So those expecting cutesy endings or loveable best friends of the main character delivering oh so subtle sexual quips might be disappointed that there are none to be found. The honesty with which Frederic and Chloe discussed polygamy and monogamy might have seemed shocking to some, but it was that candor which made Chloe in the Afternoon a raw experience and a worthwhile venture into the meaning of love, happiness and companionship.

Grade: A

Shadow of a Doubt: A hidden Hitchcock gem.

When people start discussing the greatest directors of all time, one name certain to be mentioned is Alfred Hitchcock. Most directors of modern suspense/thriller films owe a great deal to him because his influence is still felt to this day. But even the "Master of Suspense" has a film or two that falls between the cracks and is never given the spotlight it should. Shadow of a Doubt is one of those films.

Charlie Newton is waiting for something to spice up her life and save her from the boredom of suburbia. There is not much for a teenage girl like Charlie to do in a small town but her prayers are soon answered when her favorite relative Uncle Charlie (for whom she was named) decides to visit. Everything seems wonderful until Uncle Charlie begins acting strange and young Charlie starts to suspect he is hiding something.

As with most of director Alfred Hitchcock’s better films, Shadow of a Doubt was a suspenseful thriller with a great story, memorable characters, and just enough black humor to keep it from being too dark and gloomy. Teresa Wright played young Charlie as an intelligent, resourceful girl. She started off the film as an innocent teenager wanting to experience more than her mundane suburban life could offer but by the end, thanks to the unbelievable stress and drama the whole ordeal with Uncle Charlie caused, she had matured and learned that her little suburban life was not all that bad. Uncle Charlie, played by Joseph Cotten, was the opposite of his niece. Having grown up almost completely alone and in the big city, he saw the world as an ugly place. And in order to make his way through the world, he was willing to do just about anything. He could be kind and giving one minute but then nasty and hateful the next. Due to Cotton’s excellent performance, it was hard to tell if he was a man on the lam or a quiet, misunderstood gentleman. This hidden gem amongst the vast canon of Hitchcock films, is not to be missed.

Grade: A

Time for a little break.

Greetings to all,

First I'd like to say thanks to everyone who has checked out my blog (especially if you became a fan of it on Facebook:)). Over the next week or so I'm going to be relocating to the West Coast so it might be a while before I get back to telling you all about the latest movies I've caught. I promise that when I finally have things settled, I'll be back online. Thanks again and I'm out for now.

Mark

Waiting: Do not mess with your waiter or waitress!

Ah the gross-out comedy, some say it peaked with the first American Pie in 1999 and every imitator that was released since then (including all the American Pie sequels) pales in comparison to that ground breaking film. But there are a few gross-out comedies out there which offer more than another inter-pastery erotic moment or one more perky foreign exchange student who likes nerds, one of which is Waiting.

Dean works with a group of colorful characters at a restaurant called Shenanigan’s. But when he gets offered an assistant manager position there he questions whether he should take the position, or pursue something else with his life.

The guy who provided the most laughs in this clever comedy was Ryan Reynolds as the cool, smarmy waiter Monty. With a witty retort for every situation, he was the standout in a talented ensemble cast. An while the movie could have done without some of the characters, specifically T-Dog and Nick, for they never contributed anything to the film as a whole and frankly they were irritating (hasn’t the faux white boy gangsta stereotype been done enough already?) what saved it from being just another in the growing line of gross-out comedies was Dean’s (played by Justin Long) story. It was one that most young people deal with (the desire to do something more with their lives) on a regular basis. This kept the film grounded in some reality, instead of being concerned strictly with making the audience squirm everytime “the game” was played by the male employees. Waiting was a treat for those people who work in the food service industry as well as those of us who rely on them every time we head out to eat. It was also a gentle reminder to consumers to have respect for the people who handled their food, lest it ends up being “taken care of” like it was for one annoying customer in the film.

Grade: B

Knowing: I know this...

It's great when the star of a film is able to give a performance that is not only memorable, but elevates said film into something more. However there can be times when an actor's performance, like say Nic Cage in Knowing, can be so awkward and distracting that it's hard to even pay attention to the movie.

A time capsule unearthed at his son's school holds dire predictions for John and the rest of the world, one of which is that the end of life on the planet will happen soon. Will John be able to stop that prediction from coming true?

As it was pointed out to me by a good friend that saw Knowing before I did, the religious overtones in the film are heavy, even if director Alex Proyas tried to mask that by adding an extraterrestrial element to the whole thing. John (played by Nic Cage) was a broken man who had lost faith after the death of his wife, turning away from religion and family. His story arc, the road to redemption by trying to figure out just what the mysterious predictions from the time capsule meant, was a compelling one, but it was severely mismanaged via poor storytelling on the part of Proyas and the screenwriters and the aforementioned bad acting. The film seemed to become bloated and plodding when it got away from John's search for answers about the numbers or attempted to bring other characters into the mix (I love Rose Byrne but she seriously added nothing to the film). The whole relationship between John and Diana (Byrne's character) felt forced and silly at points as she took him at his word one minute then yelled at him for being a crackpot the next. The bland characters and gaping plot holes did nothing but hurt the film and if redemption and family were truly what the movie was attempting to explore, then more time should have been spent doing so and not trying to awe the audience with badly CGI'ed plane crashes. Then there's Nic Cage, whose own unique brand of acting might work for some, but clearly is not for everyone. He really was just unlikable as John, and the staccato-like unevenness of his performance could leave one wondering how the guy still gets work.

On paper Knowing seemed like a cool concept with predictions about the end of the world, creepy numbers which could help save everyone from destruction and a main character whose journey to salvation would make for a gripping viewing experience. Too bad it turned out to be another spasmodic sci-fi junker.

Grade: C-

Chicago: Yes, I liked a musical.

Men are usually as enthusiastic to see a musical as they are to get a root canal from their dentist, I know that's how I was feeling when my date suggested we check out Chicago instead of doing something, you know, fun. As we walked into the theater it was easy to spot the bemoaned looks upon the faces of the other men in the seats, longing to be somewhere, anywhere other than where they were. As the film started, I prepared myself for the worst, but then the strangest thing happened, I actually found myself enjoying the movie.

In the town of Chicago, murder is just another form of entertainment. So when Roxie Heart murders her lover she finds herself in the middle of a media circus which she gladly accepts in order to boost her fledgling singing career. With the help of a hotshot lawyer named Billy Flynn she hopes to not only beat the murder rap, but make a name for herself as an entertainer as well.

The film was bolstered by a provocative mix of catchy songs, vibrant sets and stellar acting performances. The songs that were performed throughout not only entertained, but carried the dual purpose of relating parts of the story and moving it forward rather than bogging it down. Also the story, though set in the days of speakeasies and flappers, had a message that translated well into the modern world. Roxie’s obsession with getting her fifteen minutes of fame, even if it was via the murder of her lover, is something that is still prevalent in today’s world. Plus there is still the media infatuation with creating instant celebrity for all those types of people like Roxie, all in the name of profit. And while both Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones excelled with their performances the true star were Richard Gere as lawyer Billy Flynn and John C. Reilly as Amos Heart (Roxy's long suffering husband). Gere's singing and dancing as the slick talking attorney in particular was a totally unexpected and welcome surprise. Chicago was an entertainment extravaganza.

Grade: A

Predator: "Get to the Chopper!"

It's a shame that when people think about the Predator franchise nowadays, they are forced to relive those terrible AVP movies that have been released recently. The original Predator is a film which more than holds its own against recent action films and remains quite the fun movie to watch over and over again (if only to hear Schwarzenegger utter that memorable line that is in the title of this review).

In a Central American jungle a group of highly trained military men are searching for missing hostages. But something is hunting them, something not of this earth. This other worldly hunter is looking for some trophies and has the rescue team in its sights.

One of the best things about the film was its non-stop action. From dropping into the jungle behind enemy lines to the assault by Dutch (Schwarzenegger) and his men on the guerrilla camp where they believe the hostages are being held, the action was impressive and intense. But the main attraction of the film had to have been the Predator itself. By only showing bits and pieces of it throughout the first half of the film director John McTiernan was able to build the tension and made the audience feel like Dutch and the others, like they were being stalked by some ghastly creature. When the Predator was finally fully revealed it no doubt shocked and awed the audience for it looked exceedingly vicious and deadly but also looked like something that might come from another planet. Not a CGI construct, the Predator creature was real and scary as hell. As Dutch, the leader of the rescue squad, Schwarzenegger did a good job doing what he seems to do best by kicking butt while delivering one liners.

There were no introspective moments by Dutch as to the horrors of warfare and no desire to try and negotiate with the Predator. The film was all about big explosions and a high body count. It was easy to turn off your brain and enjoy the show.

Grade: B

300: A man's movie.

If ever there were a more perfect example of a "guy's movie" it's hard to figure out what it would be. 300 is an action film that helped to redefine the sword and sandal movie and gave all men everywhere headaches trying to figure out how they could get abs like Leonidas and the rest of the Spartans.

The invading Persian army threatens Sparta and it’s up to King Leonidas and 300 of his bravest warriors to fight them back. They make their final stand at the Battle of Thermopylae in the hopes of not only defeating overwhelming odds, but inspiring their fellow Greeks to fight the impending tyranny of Persian King Xerxes.

The second cinematic incarnation of a work by comic book legend Frank Miller, (the first being the ultra cool, ultra violent Sin City), 300 was a viscerally thrilling action experience full of intense battle sequences, unparalleled environments and testosterone fueled performances led by the star-making one turned in by Gerald Butler. His Leonidas snarled, roared and howled the dialogue and provided enough heart behind what he said to make even the most conventional Patton-esque “fire up the troops” speech believable and rousing. Adding her own powerful punch was Lena Headey as Leonidas’ Queen Gorgo. Far from a wilting flower she held her own in the Sparta political arena as her husband chopped heads on the battlefield, passionately trying to explain that he fought not only for the freedom of Spartans, but all Greeks as well. These performances added some depth to the movie but are bound to be lost amongst some of the most ardent ancient battle sequences ever filmed. Director Zack Snyder did his best Peckinpah impersonation and slowed down parts of the action until they became something of a savage ballet that an audience would find hard not to either get jacked up about or become overwhelmed by. Either way 300 was a cinematic event.

Grade: A-

Superman Returns: And what a return.

In this day and age of constant Hollywood adaptations of classic comic book heroes a relaunching of one of the most popular, Superman, seemed like a sure fire box office smash. But when this film was released, it was met with mixed emotions from fanboys and critics alike. But unlike most superhero films, Superman Returns shines.

After a five year search for his home planet, Superman returns to earth. However he finds a great number of things have changed. There are some people that think the world does not even need him around anymore. But when his arch enemy Lex Luthor hatches an evil plan to destroy billions of lives, Superman will once again take up the mantle as protector of the planet.

In re – launching the Superman franchise, director Bryan Singer made a wise decision to not simply retell his origin and rehash what was covered in the first Superman film. Instead, Singer and the film’s screenwriters used the story of his return to ponder, in a broader sense, if the world truly needs superheroes at all. He then set about filling the screen with impressive action, treating the audience to the whole menagerie of Superman’s powers and resplendently composed shots which could take their collective breaths away. Some true action fans might have been disappointed that there was not more fighting and henchman butt – kicking in the film but what separated this film from other recent comic book to film adaptations (and made the first two X-Men films which Singer directed so good) were the directors’ ability to make those quiet moments in the movie so human and sincere. Yes the audience got to see Superman fly around, save lives and other spectacular feats, but that also got to see him interact with Lois Lane as they tried to hash out their personal relationship and grapple with the inner turmoil of trying to be the earth’s savior again. It was those quiet moments which made the return of Superman a film to remember. The lack of enough action could have also been due to the main villain of the movie. Kevin Spacey effectively tore up the screen as Lex Luthor, giving him the kind of snobby flair the character demanded, but his evil plan to destroy the world felt feeble and made Luthor look like nothing more than an evil land developer and not a proper nemesis for The Man of Steel.

Grade: B

From Hell: A look at Jack the Ripper

The Jack the Ripper crimes continue to baffle professional and amateur sleuths to this day, but is it proper fodder for a feature film? After watching From Hell one would have to say, yes.

Jack the Ripper is on the loose in White Chappell and it is up to Inspector Abberline, using detective work and his visions, to find and stop him. But as he digs deeper into the case, Abberline uncovers clues that lead him to a person that no one would have suspected of the ghastly crimes.

The actual mystery of who Jack the Ripper was and how he got away with the crimes he committed made the film interesting and challenging to the audience at the same time. Along the way in Abberline’s investigation they were introduced to a number of characters that could have been the famous killer so when the Ripper’s real identity was revealed, it was a shock for it was probably the last person the audience might have expected. The directors of the film, the Hughes Brothers, deserve credit for the stylish way in which the murders were presented. While they were not excessively gory, they were intense, visceral and took a person’s breath away. Johnny Depp was able to create another unique character in his Inspector Abberline. A far cry from his turn as Capt. Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Abberline was an emotionally haunted man besieged by visions of horror and constantly “chasing the dragon” to deal with life.

For all its visual gusto and terrific performances however the film tended to drag a bit and lost momentum as Abberline tracked down lead after lead. It was important to make the audience work along with Abberline to piece together the clues as to the Ripper's identity but it might have been the case where less (i.e. less suspects) is more (tighter story structure and more chance for The Hughes Brothers to build tension). The ending, while happy in some respects, might not have been what the audience would have expected and therefore could disappoint some.

Grade: B

The Peacemaker: Another "comfort" movie

Some films get lost in the shuffle and can only truly find their audience if: 1. Word of mouth gets around amongst a group of friends and spreads or 2. TBS, TNT or one of those other basic cable networks continuously shows a movie, so much so that it grows upon a viewer after the tenth time they've watched on a boring Tuesday night. The Peacemaker is one of those films which will hopefully fall under the first category.

Terrorists have stolen a number of Russian nuclear weapons and the task of hunting them down falls upon nuclear weapons expert Julia Kelly and her military liaison Tom Devoe. And even though they have differing views on who was responsible for stealing the weapons and why, they find that they must work together in order to prevent a possible nuclear disaster.

From the beginning sequences, which showed the hijacking of the nuclear weapons, to the explosive conclusion the film moved at a non-stop pace as Julia and Tom attempted to hunt down the weapons of mass destruction. The action sequences were intense, though not excessively gory or ultra-violent and they were expertly edited together so that the audience was held breathless while watching them. The film succeeded due to the performances of the two leads. Nicole Kidman proved she could play a powerful woman in charge of not only scientific matters, but military ones as well. George Clooney did a good job portraying Tom Devoe as a “Clooney-esque” character. His Devoe was smug, smarmy, charming, and full of himself yet able to show compassion and emotion. Plus he had no problems effectively pulling off the action hero role. Clooney and Kidman shared a dynamic chemistry on screen which, along with the action and suspense, made The Peacemaker an explosively entertaining action thriller.

Grade: B