Mother + Father (2005)

EXHIBIT:    The Cinema Effect: Illusion, Reality, and the Moving Image. Part II: Realisms. At the Hirshhorn museum. Runs through Septemeber 7, 2008. Featuring artists Candice Breitz, Matthew Buckingham, Paul Chan, Ian Charlesworth, Phil Collins, Jermy Deller, Kota Ezawa, Omer Fast, Fancesco Vezzoli, and Arthur Zimijewski. 

I recently attended the Hirshhorn museum's current film exhibit, The Cinema Effect: Illusion, Reality, and the Moving Image, Part II: Realisms. The exhibit is split into two parts, featuring some 50 films. The first part focuses on Hollywood, pop culture, and global cinema. The second relates historical events and the genre of documentary. 

This exhibit was the best I've attended so far this summer. Each film runs 10 to 15 minutes long. Some people have trouble walking into the various rooms and sitting through each film, but it is definitely worth it. The Hollywood/pop culture section blew my mind. 

If you are not in the D.C. area, check out my favorite film online, Mother + Father, by Candice Breitz. It is a piece that takes place in two separate rooms, with six televisions in each. Breitz has taken scenes from iconic movies featuring mothers and fathers and recut them. Altogether, the clips form a strange sort of soliloquy. Watch both films in full!

Mother + Father

(Click on Work -> Video -> Mother + Father, and select one of the two videos. Make sure you put your mouse on the images to get the video to play.)

The Happening (2008)

The Happening. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Written by M. Night Shyamalan. Release Date: 13 June 2008. Country of Production: United States. Key Cast: Mark Whalberg (Eliot Moore), Zooey Deschanel (Alma Moore), John Leguizamo (Julian).

I'll get straight to the point: The Happening sucks hardcore. I try at all times to see the good in a film, particularly when I sit down to write a public review. There is nothing redeeming about this movie. It's heavy-handed in its message, the acting is unnaturally bad, and the concept is so repulsively stupid that M. Night had to write paragraphs of clunky, expository dialogue just to hope an audience might find his concept remotely plausible.

I get it M. Night. People are hurting the environment. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. You are truly a pioneer of social change. Oh wait, absolutely everyone in the public eye has been discussing the green movement for years now. Way to suit up for the fourth quarter. It's not even a specific environmental problem that's being addressed. Every single plant in the world simply recognizes, magically, that human beings are a specific threat in need of neutralizing.

Listen, M. Night, I think the hype from Sixth Sense has officially subsided. No one is waiting on pins and needles to see what your next masterpiece will be. Just slow down, take your time, and write a decent movie. Not even a great one. A decent one. It's time to get back on track.

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Dark Knight. Directed by Christopher Nolan. Written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan. Release Date: July 18, 2008. Country of Production: Chicago, USA. Key Cast: Christian Bale (Bruce Wayne/Batman), Heath Ledger (The Joker), Aaron Eckhart (Harvey Dent/Two-Face), Michael Caine (Alfred Pennyworth), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Rachel Dawes), Gary Oldman (Lt. James Gordon), Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox), Anthony Michael Hall (Mike Engel).

Why so serious? Walking into the movie theater at about 11:00 PM, I was overwhelmed with my anticipation for this summer blockbuster. I could barely contain myself; I even enjoyed the Regal First Look. Then when the previews came on (which are just as incredible as some of the plot twists of the movie, so I won't dare to reveal them to you), I just about squealed like an 11-year-old girl who just got a date with Justin Timberlake.

So, I know you are all wondering: How was The Joker? Let me tell you, it's everything you've imagined it would be. Ledger does one of the deepest and darkest representations of perhaps any comic book character ever to make the leap to the silver screen. The Joker's semi-suicidal style, his extremely explosive emotional states, and all dashed with a dark irony that can only be called humor. It's no coincidence that the image I've chosen for this post is from the cover of Allen Moore's The Killing Joke, because it is reputedly the comic that was given to Heath for him to consult while doing his character study, and I believe it's (at only 46 pages) the most scrutinizing look at The Joker to date. One thing that I liked about the movie that may have been transferred from the comic is the idea that The Joker does not even recall his own origin, so rather than flashback and retelling it, he just makes up his own stories to justify his actions, or maybe just for fun. I've chosen to subscribe to the theory that the role of The Joker is cursed, and rumor has it that Jack Nicholson suffered from similar symptoms of insomnia during the shooting of Batman (dir. Tim Burton, 1989).

Another aspect of the movie that I really liked was that the Nolans made a point of reintroducing to the plot one of my favorite elements of the Batman universe: the public ambivalence to his actions. At the end of Batman Begins, he was dangerously close to becoming a mythical hero, and although the audience tends to root for Batman, the Gothamites don't always like his so much. I think that as a character, that may be part of his appeal. Batman has the courage to do what's right, even though he takes shit from pretty much everyone, the villain, the citizens of Gotham, the police, etc. But that's what makes the audience's relationship with Batman so intimate, since we know his secrets, we know that he's really good and we can feel like the only ones in his corner.

I can't say enough good things about this movie, the direction they've gone with the character, and the kind of precedent that they're setting for comic/super-hero movies, in general. See this movie!

OK, I couldn't resist.

DARK KNIGHT
A Second Look by Sally Salt

The 7:00 Friday screening of Dark Knight was not so glamorous. There were no long lines; I found a seat front and center with not much effort. I was hoping to be sitting next to pale, single men trying to preserve their stubs—the fans. Instead I was sandwiched in between a family and a group of mothers. The youngest boy in the family kept confusing the Joker with Two Face. The mothers spent the previews chatting about this morning’s episode of The View.

The comic book movies have always attracted the broadest audiences. I know this. This is why they have been an enormous franchise in Hollywood for the past few years. So what happens when a comic book movie tries to reach beyond the campy parameters of the genre? What happens when a performance of an actor within said movie makes the front pages of newspapers? (It might have just been the style sections, but whatever.)

What happens is you get the biggest movie of the year. It’s a formula. You take a genre that has not reached its potential and make a good film. So there you have it. Wasn’t it the same formula with comic books? They start out as dime store gags and then develop into something worthwhile.

And we can’t forget that Batman has been put on the silver screen before; several times, with many different directors/writers/actors. Before now, everyone had a Batman. Mine was a blend between Adam West and George Clooney set in one of the Tim Burton sets. It was cheesy lines and one-dimensional characters and overacting. My dad loved the “Batman movies.” He went out and bought the $400 full latex Halloween costume after Batman Returns. He wore it for six straight Halloweens, until my brother stopped needing an escort for trick-or-treating. I still have the belt somewhere.

I’ve gotten into fights over my Batman in the past. Guys who grew up with Batman: The Animated Series put their faith in Christian Bale. I held out for more Keaton. I found Bale’s voice ridiculous in costume—a boy pretending to be a man. I never will claim that Keaton was any type of hero, but Bale just seemed like a placeholder for someone more suited for the job. I’m not sure if Dark Knight changed my mind. There was one shot, though, that stuck with me. When Bale and Michael Cane are walking out of the emptied “cave” towards the press conference, Noland shot them walking out from behind. I know that it might have not been Bale making any of these calls (but I can hope)…Bruce Wayne’s suit is a bit rumpled and he doesn’t quite fill it out properly, and he’s not limping, it’s more of a slouch really, but he looks small, too small for his clothes or the room. I know I exaggerate it in memory, but that shot was beautiful.

As for the Joker... Now, I refused to read the Post’s most recent write up of Ledger’s performance, but I did read the headlines. It asked the question: What happens when a villain is more interesting then the hero? What has happened in the past Javier Bardem and the Coen brothers pick up a few Oscars. What happened with Dark Knight was the revolution of a genre.

The theaters were packed because of Heath Ledger. There has been a lot written on the subject, so I’ll just say a bit.

Noland gave him a star’s entrance in the film, delaying him to build the tension, hiding his face from us. All good things.

There are details which make the character, and ignoring the tongue flickers, Ledger got me with his physical movements. When he falls on the ground, shakes his limbs, or limps, he does so with subtle jerky motions. Fantastic.

Most importantly, though, and the primary reason “my Batman” has to be reevaluated, was the writing. The best villains of former Batmans have always been Jokers. Jack Nicholson was the best of these Jokers because his lines and delivery were fab. The best of which was, “I am the world’s first fully-functional, homicidal artist.” (Or something.) The rest of the villains have been either power hungry, peace-keepers, evil scientists, or Jim Carrey. Ledger’s Joker is the first honest-to-god psychopath.

The portrayal of a psychopath usually hinges on good acting—Gunnar Hanson didn’t even have proper LINES! ­—but at least half of the strength of the Joker here is the writing. This is most evident when he tells the variety of stories that he makes up about his scars…and the way he shoots his home videos of the Batman imposter (some pathetic, fat Bryan character whimpering and looking at the ground). This seems like a PBS special on a serial killer, featuring grainy prison interviews and reenactments. I believe that this works the same way No Country for Old Men does—

During the best parts of this film, Dark Knight didn’t feel like a movie, it felt like a case study.

Mongol (2007)

Mongol. Directed by Sergei Bodrov. Written by Alif Aliyev and Sergei Bodrov. Release Date: September 20, 2007. Country of Production: Russia. Key Cast: Tadanobu Asano (Temudjin), Sun Honglei (Jamukha), Khulan Chuluun (Borte).

I first got wind of this film when I was mapping out my schedule for the 2008 Sarasota Film Festival, but unfortunately, when I went to buy tickets for it, it was sold out. Needless to say, the combined interest of the public and my inability to see it then furiously made me want to watch this movie even more than I did after seeing the beautiful trailer. Lucky for me, it was released to the theater out at the beach here in town, and I gotta say, the hype was totally justified.

This glorious historical epic chronicles the life of Genghis Khan, from the time he was a child, through his enslavement, to his bloody conquering of the Mongolian empire. The costumes are incredibly elaborate, and the characters are relate-able and animated without jumping the threshold of this movie's period setting. The music is beautiful, and features a great amount of traditional overtone singing (a.k.a. "throat singing") which, if you're unfamiliar with, is almost unbelievable. Check it out:

Some highly accomplished throat singing.

The cinematography is also really beautiful, and many of the epic landscape shots are breathtaking. And at the heart of all the hardcore, gritty battle scenes is a sweet love story, which I'm always a sucker for. So, if you get the chance to check it out, go for it. Who knows how long this gem will be released to mainstream theaters? Since it lacks copious amounts of CG, nudity and/or Hayden Christensen, I'll be impressed if anyone sees this movie.

Diminished Capacity (2008) and Jumper (2008)

Man, ON DEMAND is a bitch. Time for another double feature!


Diminished Capacity. Directed by Terry Kinney. Written by Sherwood Kiraly. Release Date: July 4, 2008. Country of Production: USA. Key Cast: Matthew Broderick (Cooper), Alan Alda (Uncle Rollie), Virginia Madsen (Charlotte), Dylan Baker (Mad Dog McClure), Louis C.K. (Stan).

Matthew Broderick continues his self-exploration through independent cinema in this charming, quirky comedy about overcoming your inhibitions and insecurities. Alan Alda steals the show with a winning performance as Cooper's (Broderick) eccentric uncle. Plus, I think Virgina Madsen is really hot. Ever since I saw her in The Number 23, I've had a little thing for her. Now, she's no Uma Thurman, but what a smile.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like there is this trend of overly-grounded protagonists in a lot of comedies I've seen lately. These characters are more or less crippled by their own neuroses, and the grand resolution of the movie is them regaining their confidence. I think this movie had a great execution of this theme, it didn't dwell too much on it, and whenever it did, there was a great punchline to rev it back up again, but I think this might somehow be linked with the impersonalization of our society through computers and cell-phones, etc.

This is linked, specifically in this movie, to the love interest (Madsen). They don't come out and say "technology". In fact, Broderick's forgetfulness and cautious behavior are the result of a severe concussion, but it made me wonder: this message of lost confidence speaks more and more verbally to a generation that is becoming characterized by our impersonality, where face-to-face human interaction is being replaced by AIM game. Are we being digitally sapped of our social essence?



Jumper. Directed by Doug Liman. Written by David S. Goyer and Jim Uhls and Simon Kinberg. Release Date: February 14, 2008. Country of Production: USA. Key Cast: Hayden Christensen (David Rice), Jamie Bell (Griffin), Rachel Bilson (Millie Harris), Diane Lane (Mary Rice), Samuel L. Jackson (Roland), Michael Rooker (William Rice).

I don't really know what to say. I'm sure it must have been pretty cool as a novel, but there had ot have been more to the story than this. The parts that I was interested in, such as the renegade Jumper (someone who can teleport) named Griffin and his guerrilla war against the Paladins (those who oppose, hunt down, and kill the Jumpers, like Sammy L.) were just glossed over, while the parts that I didn't care for at all (namely the central love story between David and Millie) took up the whole fucking movie! Also, Diane Lane is way too huge a name for her two scene cameos of the movie, and the comic book references were pastiche, at best.

Also, none of these characters were really likeable. I didn't know who to root for. Roland is obviously the villain, but the supposed heroes of the film are a bunch of sociopathic, bank-robbing neerdowells, who by the end of the movie, don't really learn any kind of lesson, or even to be responsible for their powers. It seemed like the moral was going to be something like "there are always consequences" and another line in the movie was (and I'm paraphrasing here): "they hate us because we can do whatever we want". Well, by the end of the movie, through some luck, David ends up being able to avoid this whole dispute entirely by not choosing a side and goes on to live his life of hedonism uninhibited by any sense of purpose or good acting. And he gets the girl.

Maybe if they had committed to their amoral villainy the same way that Wanted had, it would have been more engaging, but try as I might, I couldn't make myself root for the protagonist... or against him, and it was my apathy that killed it for me.

Hayden Christensen, you almost ruined Star Wars for me. I guess I keep giving you chances because I really liked Shattered Glass and Life as a House, but I can't take it anymore. You're dead to me.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army. Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Written by Guillermo del Toro and Mike Mignola. Release Date: July 11, 2008. Country of Production: USA. Key Cast: Ron Perlman (Hellboy), Selma Blair (Liz Sherman), Doug Jones (Abe Sapien/The Chamberlain/The Angel of Death), Seth MacFarlane (voice of Johann Krauss), Jeffrey Tambor (Tom Manning).

Guillermo del Toro returns to the screen with another wonderfully whimsical fantasy. Coming back in full force from his production of Pan's Labyrinth, he returns to the world of the B.P.R.D. to put some more meat on the rest of the characters in this glorious saga. This films has a lot more creatures in it, and if you're a costume and makeup hound then I would highly recommend it. Not to mention the wealth of other special effects that this movie so effortlessly affords its audience.

When I was watching the movie though, my dad mentioned to me the grace and poise with which the fight scenes were executed (which are also very beautiful). I had not noticed this before (or perhaps it was lost in the sea of sensory stimulation that was just short of overwhelming, at times), but in retrospect, it was incredibly well done. I'm sure that much of this was filming techniques and some of it was probably some CG and wire-fu every now and then, but according to my dad, who is an active gymnastics enthusiast, and use to compete in college, the calibur of their technique was way better than any other kung-fu stunt double he had seen before. According to him, in order to have such a great mastery of the acrobatics and the fighting styles, you would have had ot devote your entire life to training to reach that point.

I couldn't find any information on the stunts or fight scenes in Hellboy but I'd like to find out more about that. I guess the karate is not enough anymore, we wants flips and springs, tucks and kips, rather than the speed of Bruce Lee being enough to dazzle us, audiences are looking for more involvement and contortion from the human body. Which got me to thinking: as the years progress and technology and intelligence sees to have an increasingly rampant growths, it's easy to forget that the human body makes the same improvements, though with perhaps slower progress, progress just the same. I don't think there has every been an Olympic series in which at least two or three events have trumped some world record. Are there limits to the human mind and body, or will we steadily progress indefinitely?

Hancock (2008) and Into The Wild (2007)

I haven't posted in a couple days, but that certainly doesn't mean I've stopped watching movies. Time to catch up with a little feature I'd like to call a double... feature. Work with me.

Hancock. Directed by Peter Berg. Written by Vincent Ngo & Vince Gilligan. Release Date: July 2, 2008. Country of Production: United States of A! Key Cast: Will Smith (John Hancock), Charlize Theron (Mary Embrey), Jason Bateman (Ray Embrey).

This movie is the quintessential, big-budget, summer blockbuster. A real guilty pleasure... and by that I mean that I'm really guilty about not spending my $8 on Son of Rambow. If you're a Will Smith fan, then chances are he's already put your ass into one of those seats, but what did you really think? This wasn't the same Will-Smith-saves-the-world-story that we all know and love. Much like the apathetic, slacker character of John Hancock, the whole movie felt kind of half-assed. Take for instance, the CG. After being dazzled by Will Smith's sexy coolness under the pressure of CG villains like in M.I.B. and Independence Day, I can't say that I didn't expect the time to come for him to be granted his own superhuman abilities, I just wish it was done with a little more finesse. As I'm sure D'Artagnan will agree with me: zombies are awesome, but I was a little let down by I Am Legend (although if they had shown it with the alternate ending that's on the DVD, it would have been fucking awesome). I hope this isn't the beginning of a trend of Big Willy overhyping his hand.


Into The Wild. Directed by Sean Penn. Written by Sean Penn. Release Date: September 21, 2007. Country of Production: USA. Key Cast: Emile Hirsch (Chris McCandless), Marcia Gay Harden (Billie McCandless), William Hurt (Walt McCandless), Jena Malone (Carine McCandless).

This movie was really well-shot and the story definitely tugged at my heartstrings at least a little bit (at most, a lot), but it left me with really ambivalent feelings. It raises another bunch of really interesting issues that play into the discussion we've kind of generated about the definition of heroes. I believe this is based pretty strictly on a true story, but regardless, Chris McCandless's journey is certainly epic and inspiring. But, it was pretty cowardly in some ways, too. He kind of abandoned his family in a Fight Club-ish protest, stirred with a swizzle-stick of intellectualism rather than shaken with homemade napalm.

To me, the real hero(ine?) of the story is Corine, who even after not hearing from her brother until after he had died, managed to keep her own hope and belief in him alive. There are certinaly parts of his journey that resonated with me, and I think would with many people, but I suppose my favorite part of Penn's filmmaking touch is that he did not canonize this boy. He is portrayed as human, which is important, because behind the wit and humor, there are still mistakes, and things are taken for granted, and in his encounters he meets people who approach him with feelings that he is not ready to face, and for that, this is a good movie.