atacta Blog

Burn After Reading

atacta — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:52:01 GMT

I think its fits in nicely within the Coen ouevre (i.e. people, sometimes dumb, sometimes not, getting involved in situations way over the heads) and they must have needed a break after they're masterpiece of No Country for Old Men and the grand attention it got....the problem with the film is that the thriller aspects of the film occur too late into the third act. So, in the meantime, the audience has to get by on enjoying the wild, over the top acting.....which is pretty good for the most part. However, if you are going to cast Pitt AND Clooney its going to be a distraction anyway - but when they are both trying so hard to give it that "Raising Arizona" intensity its alot to take in.

Malkovich, McDormand, Swinton and Jenkins, all great actors, are sucked into the mayhem of the wildness of the script and are overwhelmed by it.

*** / *****

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Kids

atacta — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 08:03:46 GMT

Kids

From a narrative and directing standpoint this film rivals the best of documentary filmmaking. Except, its not a documentary. Its a disgusting cautionary tale of trash culture. Its an urban nightmare influenced by the AIDS epidemic. How in the hell did Larry Clark pull this off? How in the hell is he not in prison now? This is a brilliant and sick film.

****out of *****

p.s. the first time I saw this no one knew of Chloe Sevigny - but she is at the core of this film and carries most of its emotional weight

MODIFICATION - I thought about this some more and since the film is truly repellent I gotta knock off 1/2 star

Donnie Brasco

atacta — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 07:53:33 GMT

Donnie Brasco

****/*****

A very interesting turn for Pacino in a middle level mobster role. Based on a true story and directed by the same guy that did Four Weddings and a Funeral - odd mixture. Depp is fantastic and Heche is very good/sexy in an early role for her. I see black comedy in the particularly brutal scenes.

A non-conventional mobster tale - more of a character study of the Pacino/Depp characters. Pixote, I think it would make the top 100 list for the 90s but it would not make the top 50.

Starship Troopers

atacta — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:17:20 GMT

Outrageous, entertaining, sexy. How does Paul Verhoeven get these performances? Particularly Dina Meyer as Dizzy who bought in 100%. Good for her. And what an arresting smile from Denise Richards.

Anyway, I am impressed in a dumbed down sort of way - *** 1/2 / ***** Far, far, far superior to anything I have seen from the Dutchman, until?......

Black Snake Moan

atacta — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:14:00 GMT

in
Hey, I love the Blues, I like Ricci (until she has those 'Oscar moment dialogues' near the end), I love Ricci in other stuff especially Buffalo 66' and The Ice Storm, I love Jackson and greatly respect the fact that he learned the guitar on this film. Justin Timberlake - - not so good. I found him much more appealing in his small role in Southland Tales. He was awful!

In fact, its the Timberlake sequence with the preacher near the end as well as the end itself which is contrived. The ending is pure Hollywood tripe and I do not buy it.

After the film, I will pick up my guitar and attempt again to play it well. Watching a bit of the Blu-Ray extra features solidified my views on the film - this was strategic Hollywood product.

** 1/2 / *****

Buffalo '66 (1998)

The Ice Storm (1997)

Southland Tales (2006)

Black Book

atacta — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:10:27 GMT

Paul Verhoeven - 2006

On the heels of Starship Troopers I ventured through this and it took me three nights to do so because of various distractions. My feelings are that this is certainly his premier film, his 6th feature after RoboCop (filmed in my home town of Dallas). It is interesting to see (and perhaps poll?) directors' finest efforts six to seven films in. Watch the "making of." Verhoeven has an irresistable love of the medium and the energy of a first time director.

The female leads in the film are outstanding. Carice van Houten and Halina Reign brilliantly capture the desperate attempt to stay alive using sexuality and male manipulation. In this sense, Verhoeven gives Camille Paglia a run for her money and solidifies himself as a Dutch feminist.

The production value of the second act is weak and is the only hint at the relatively small budget that Verhoeven had on the picture – it does play like a weak Sunday night television thriller.

This stands among the best of Holocaust films. It is on par with http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077025/ and better than Schindler’s List. Its a thiller that stands above all Verhoeven’s previous work. I think it’s the film that he was meant to make. Again, watch the "making of." His lead stars agree with me.

**** / *****

Starship Troopers (1997)

Robocop (1987)

The Getaway

atacta — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:03:14 GMT

I liked the sort of atmospheric prison sequences near the beginning, and really enjoyed Sally Struthers in that odd little role. Ali McGraw really drags the movie down in every scene she's in. I enjoyed the colorful set of crooks. However, the shoot out at the end was surprisingly dull as was the Slim Pickens' finale.

I have seen better 70's crime fare.

The Lives of Others

atacta — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:59:44 GMT

A companion piece to Black Book only for the significant contribution of Sebastian Koch as Georg Dreyman. But Ulrich Mühe takes the film and its heart. In a way Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler is a poor man's Oskar Schindler but in this case - he is a champion of the arts first.

The production values on the film are first rate (filmed in David Fincher greens ala Zodiac) and the palpable fear of 1980s East Germany is brilliantly portrayed. Back to Black Book. The story concerns the totalitarian state in its last phase just as in Black Book's Nazi Holland.

The story of Surveillance harkens back to The Conversation in the way it affects the lives of those on both sides of the table. Earlier this week 'name the plot game' had this as the answer but could have very well been The Conversation.

The only weakness in the film is the pat way Wiesler is dismissed at the end.

Really enjoyed this film and Ulrich Mühe's performance is fantastic.

The Conversation (1974)

The Adventures of Robin Hood

atacta — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:36:46 GMT

Just watched this on the new blu-ray release. What a beautiful film from the original Technicolor years. Errol Flynn is a remarkably talented athlete and did most of his own stunts. The results are as fresh as any pre CGI effort. The battle scenes reflect the humanity of the situation in which is persecuted just wanted to join the persecutors and end the coup d'état. The colors are vivid and the production is grand. Really enjoyed it and my kids did so even more.

**** / *****

The Thin Blue Line

atacta — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:33:41 GMT

My second exposure (after Fog of War) to Errol Morris. Blue Line is like a perfect mathematical sequence in its story telling and editing. Being an older film than Fog, Blue Line does lack some of the energy of the latter film but I think that has to do with limited footage. Since I knew the eventual consequences of the film it added that very interesting twist to it as well. The real culprit of the crime is a genuinely creepy dude as are the supposed "witnesses" to it. It really is unbelievable that this happened to that poor guy.

In the end justice did prevail.

***1/2 / *****

The Fog of War (2003)