Catching up
To the four of you clicking here to visit lately, my apologies for such a quiet blog. Other writing endeavors have been keeping me busy from updating filmchris. However, I’m currently on a flight to JFK and hanging onto a slight Maker’s Mark buzz, which affords me a bit of time to say a few things on some of the films I’ve viewed in the last several months.
Where The Wild Things Are (2009)- Wow, did I love this film. Admittedly, I’m probably the ideal audience for it- 37 going on 12 and frequently revisiting moments both painful and sublime from my childhood. I found it successful on every level- stunning cinematography, terrific performances (young Max Records and James Gandolfini in particular), and a story that plays like a tearjerking episode of Jackass. Can Spike Jonze do any wrong? Not yet he can’t.
Thirst (2009)- a Korean vampire flick I’d been eagerly anticipating; it did not disappoint. Thirst tells the story of a priest who accidentally becomes a bloodsucker and struggles between honoring his spiritual ideals and satisfying his newfound carnal desires. Add in a curious female friend who doesn’t share the priest’s crises of conscience and you’ve got a film that delivers both visceral thrills and a thoughtful examination of whether monsters are born or made.
(Wow, are we experiencing some turbulence right now. Trying not to think of Fight Club, trying not to think of Fight Club…)
Zombieland (2009)- Viewed mere minutes after watching WTWTA, and at the time it suffered from the comparison. Given a bit of time to think on it, however, I liked this flick quite a bit. Enjoyably bloody and definitely more in the vein of Shaun Of The Dead than Dawn Of The Dead, it spins a nice yarn about the value of friends, the true composition of one’s family, and why you should never take a safe bathroom for granted (more important after a zombie apocalypse than now, but still).
(Turbulence better now; could use another whiskey.)
The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three (1974)- Viewed on a flight to Auckland, and the first question to pop into my head after watching it was “what took me so long?” A tight, compelling thriller with both a sense of humor and a villain (played by Robert Shaw) who might’ve inspired the character Hans Gruber. Two other things that viewing this called to mind- first, Walter Mathau was a far better performer than I ever grasped from watching Grumpy Old Men and second, why try to remake a film this good?
The Hangover (2009)- Here’s what I tweeted regarding this film after getting to Sydney: “Isn’t it supposed to be a comedy?” I mean that seriously, because I’m pretty sure I didn’t laugh a single time while watching it. This comes with the caveat that I watched it on a flight, so maybe I should give it another try with some friends. Still, this was a very, very underwhelming film- glib, unfunny, and the first time I’ve thought that maybe Bradley Cooper ain’t all that.
District 9 (2009)- Freaking. Awesome. Hysterical at times, gory many others- and almost certainly the best action film I’ve seen this year. Several years after the arrival of extraterrestrials, a United Nations-type organization tries to implement a resettlement plan under the guidance of a dumbass. Sharlito Copley’s Wikus Van De Merwe is one of the greatest d-bag protagonists I’ve ever seen, a truly unlikable fool at the start but a guy to absolutely root for by the end. District 9 also reinforces this lesson: if you’ve got a Heavy Message to deliver (and D9 does), don’t overlook the value of first being enjoyable. All proselytizers could stand to be reminded of that from time to time.
Why don’t I ever remember to check filmChris before I see a movie? Note to self: Check filmChris before seeing 2012. It might be good disaster porn, it might be a painful 90 mins. Know for sure before going.
“the first time I’ve thought that maybe Bradley Cooper ain’t all that?” You often thinks he IS all that? C’mon, man. He’s no Ryan Reynolds.
And one more thing… apparently “Pelham 123″ was so good it’s been remade multiple times. I caught part of it on the “This” channel (there’s never been a more accurate channel name in history. “What are you watching?” “I dunno… This.”), and it stars Edward James Olmos in the hero/Denzel role, Vincent D’Onofrio in the bad guy part, and Toby from “West Wing” in a ski cap.
John- I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about “2012,” but remember that it’s directed by Roland Emmerich (“The Day After Tomorrow” and “Independence Day,” among others). His films, IMO, tend to be like the alluring person you see at a bar- and when you strike up a conversation, their vocabulary consists only of “Yes!” and “No!”, spoken with no relation whatsoever to a question you may ask.
Phillip- I’ve seen Cooper in a lot of crap (“Wedding Crashers,” “The Midnight Meat Train,” “My Little Eye”) and thought he was charismatic and compelling in spite of the awful material. And he would’ve made a GREAT Van Wilder!