Con movies almost always follow the same formula. Sometimes there is revenge that alters the formula, but typically we meet a lovable bunch of con persons who use lots of terms referring to different types of cons, which we believe because they are the same terms as in all of the other movies, they come up with an incredibly intricate plan that has at least one really weak point and then they proceed to show us conning the marks and doing it so well that everything will surely turn out wonderful for everyone, only to have things go horribly wrong. Of course at the end of the movie we find out the that bit about things going wrong was always part of the plan and that things actually went better than planned. The marks are always of either one of two types, horrible people who we want to see ruined by the con, or lovable people who are naive and thus have our sympathy who invariably are let in on the con after it's over and because our con person is so charming they forgive them and join their little gang. There is one variation on this formula where the con persons are not nice, lovable people and in those films the marks are always of the first type - horrible people who are much worse than the con persons and deserve everything that happens to them. In both the regular and irregular formula con films, the heroes ride off into the sunset, generally much richer than when we met them at the start of the movie.
This is paragraph where I am supposed to tell you that this film is different and brilliant and takes the con film to a whole new level. But, that's too predictable, and wouldn't be entirely true. This film is layered. It breaks the formula at a crucial step. Does this make it better than other con films? I think the answer is both yes and no. By breaking the formula, there are certain expectations that are not met and in that sense it's not better than other con films. Note, this is not a film about a con person or persons, so as the long con is being played us audience members expect certain things to happen and if they don't we expect to know why they didn't. But, I will also contend that this is better than the vast majority of con films for the very same reason. The cons that are portrayed are elaborate and entertaining. But, when they break out of the formula, it completely fits with the movie, so while straying from the genre, it remains completely faithful to itself. To be honest, I'm a little surprised. My other experience with this film maker is Looper, which while entertaining didn't seem to be completely thought out in certain areas. The Brothers Bloom precedes Looper by four years but in my opinion is a far stronger movie.
I only allowed myself to get into the con because of the charisma of the characters, which i think is true for all the con films that I like. You can't tell me that George Clooney as Frank Ocean isn't charismatic and I will watch each and every sequel to the Oceans 11 movies that they ever make based off of the charisma of the main character. Adrien Brodey in the role of Bloom is the same kind of character. He's smooth when he needs to be, but he's vulnerable and a little bit susceptible to the con he and his brother are running. There is something about that combination that is enchanting, not to mention that in my opinion Adriend Brodey is one of the finest actors of my generation. He may not be the most handsome leading man his age, but he makes that work for him and not against him. Supporting Brodey are Rachel Weisz and Mark Ruffalo. Weisz plays the very eccentric Penelope who is the lovable and naive mark. The onscreen chemistry between Brodey and Weisz is palpable (I know that sounds cheesy, but watch the film and tell me you don't feel it). The third leg then if Mark Ruffalo as Bloom's brother, Stephen. I've said it before and I'm sure it will come up again, but I'm not a big Ruffalo fan. With that being said, he didn't muck up the Avengers and he didn't ruin this film. I am willing to concede that he is more than competent in the acting department, so while not ruining any scenes, he was certainly the weakest actor on screen in every scene, not just with Brodey and Weisz. The silent partner in the con, and I do mean silent, is Rinko Kikuchi's character, Bang Bang. While I thoroughly enjoyed the Brothers Bloom, I really wanted to watch the movie about Bang Bang. Her character serves the role of the quirky, genius sidekick, but writer, director Rian Johnson went so over-the-top with her she was almost always the most interesting thing happening in every group scene. There are two minor characters played by the seasoned stars Max Schell and Robbie Coltrane. Schell's character of Diamond Dog is hard to pin down. I can't tell you if he's a good guy or bad guy because he's so deep into the con I was never sure what was part of the con or what was supposed to have really transpired between he and Bloom and Stephen. It's difficulat because this film uses a lot of the real histories of characters to build their con. Robbie Coltrane on the other hand plays the Curator who is part of the con and does a very excellent job with a Belgian accent as well as adding little comedic touches in all of his scenes.
I don't often watch movies a second time, not counting my limited collection of favorites, which to mollify your curiosity, does not contain any con films. But, I have made a note to watch this again at a later date, say six or twelve months from now because I know I missed some of what was going on. I mentioned at the beginning that this film is layered. Con films can often be tricky, but this one is seemingly simple until you are deep into it where you suddenly realize that what you think is a big reveal only reveals another layer of the con. I will not have a hard time at all rewatching Brodey and Weisz's performances when I try to get to the bottom of this film.
The Brothers Bloom at IMDb
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Redbelt (2007)
Where the fuck did this movie come from? Six years ago, before joining the cast of Criminal Minds, Joe Montegna and, after doing Galaxy Quest but before doing Toy Story 2, in the midst of those vapid comedies, Tim Allen decide to do a little David Mamet film in which they play...I don't know if they're the bad guys or if they're just a couple of schleps who will do anything for a buck. But, they make this fight movie that's not a fight movie.
David Mamet it to be commended. I think. This was either a very different look at the way of the warrior, one which does it some justice, or he has found a way to make 90 minutes seem like 120+ without the viewer turning off the film. I guess either way he is probably to be commended. So yeah, I'm going to go with let's commend Mamet.
This film is all about honor and doing the right thing when everyone around you lacks honor and does the wrong thing, even when those who you trusted most turn out to be dishonorable. The movie kind of gets twisty and turny in a couple of places and I'm not exactly sure who was deceiving who or at what level of the scam certain key players were aware, but the main dude was always about honor and rightness even when he got suckered into the scheme.
There were lots of famous fighters in this film, either playing characters or themselves. This movie also starred the f-bomb. There was no nudity, there was no real violence because the fighting was being portrayed in the context of training in a gym or in competition and no one was trying to kill anyone else nor was there much blood. The movie did get an 'R' rating and the blurb at the top said it was for "Very Strong Language". I wondered what that meant, and pictured a montage of Tarantino films. But it wasn't anything like that. Perhaps other swear words were said once or twice, but it seemed like it was very nearly completely, "fuck this" and "fuck that". You go Mamet! Right? I mean, that's edgy and real at the same time. Isn't it? I personally like to spice it up with some other vulgarities at least occasionally, not to mention use fuck in a more colorful way like, "up your nose, you slimy-faced fuck-drippage." Or something like that. I probably would use a more risque word than nose if this were a real name-calling. Perhaps Mamet's base use of fuck was to show me that these people either didn't have the time for such elaborations or perhaps not the intellectual capability to come up with something a little fresher.
Redbelt on IMDb
David Mamet it to be commended. I think. This was either a very different look at the way of the warrior, one which does it some justice, or he has found a way to make 90 minutes seem like 120+ without the viewer turning off the film. I guess either way he is probably to be commended. So yeah, I'm going to go with let's commend Mamet.
This film is all about honor and doing the right thing when everyone around you lacks honor and does the wrong thing, even when those who you trusted most turn out to be dishonorable. The movie kind of gets twisty and turny in a couple of places and I'm not exactly sure who was deceiving who or at what level of the scam certain key players were aware, but the main dude was always about honor and rightness even when he got suckered into the scheme.
There were lots of famous fighters in this film, either playing characters or themselves. This movie also starred the f-bomb. There was no nudity, there was no real violence because the fighting was being portrayed in the context of training in a gym or in competition and no one was trying to kill anyone else nor was there much blood. The movie did get an 'R' rating and the blurb at the top said it was for "Very Strong Language". I wondered what that meant, and pictured a montage of Tarantino films. But it wasn't anything like that. Perhaps other swear words were said once or twice, but it seemed like it was very nearly completely, "fuck this" and "fuck that". You go Mamet! Right? I mean, that's edgy and real at the same time. Isn't it? I personally like to spice it up with some other vulgarities at least occasionally, not to mention use fuck in a more colorful way like, "up your nose, you slimy-faced fuck-drippage." Or something like that. I probably would use a more risque word than nose if this were a real name-calling. Perhaps Mamet's base use of fuck was to show me that these people either didn't have the time for such elaborations or perhaps not the intellectual capability to come up with something a little fresher.
Redbelt on IMDb
Monday, July 29, 2013
Wild Target (2009)
It's kind of surprising how many movies there are about hitmen. There are a couple of John Cusack films, the Jean Renot/Natalie Portman film, at leat half a dozen Jason Statham films, a pair of Tom Berenger films and these are just the ones that I can think of off the top of my head. A subset of these are comedies and ones that I find quite funny. Perhaps it's the juxtaposition of the absurdity with the fatality. There are certain spy films that utilize a comedic aspect - the super spy who is living the secret life and goes to extremes to keep those around him or her thinking that they are just an average person, usually going about it in a comedic manner. The comedic hitman films mirror this style of spy film. This film follows along similar lines, though Victor (Bill Nighy) is trying terribly hard to hide what he does, yet he doesn't just tell Rose (Emily Blunt) or Tony (Rupert Grint) what it is that he really does, letting them think he's a private detective which he tells Rose in one of the worst lies ever made funnier than you would think when she just buys it lock, stock and barrel.
I really like Bill Nighy's work, so would have tracked this film down just for that, but was intrigued by Rupert Grint. I recently saw The Perks of Being a Wallflower with Emma Watson and was delighted to see that she could be someone else other than Hermione Grainger. I am happy to report that Rupert Grint did a marvelous job and was quite funny. I am glad he has been able to find something other than Ron Weasely. Though I didn't know how old this was until I watched it, so I guess this was filmed when Grint was on break from the Harry Potter films. I guess I'll have to find something with Daniel Radcliffe now and complete the trifecta.
Not that I need another reason to recommend this film to anyone, past the good acting and madcap antics (that's right, I said antics), but the music is great. If I had watched this film even a year ago, I would have been unfamiliar with about half the songs, but somehow I stumbled upon an Irish Rock-a-billy performer named Imelda May that has three songs featured in the film including one over the closing credits. The lyrics and the feel of the songs are oddly suited for the scenes they're used with, which is I guess the sign of a good musical director, since I know the songs were not written for the film but for an earlier album she had released.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention Martin Freeman in his brilliant (there's a joke there in the film) portrayal of Dixon the bad guy who is pursuing our little mismatched gang. It reminds me that he is capable of far more than serious adventure or sleuthing and takes me back to his days on the Office and in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which I do believe also had Bill Nighy. His character is reminiscent of Dan Akroyd's in Grosse Point Blanke. He was very funny to watch.
Wild Target on IMDb
I really like Bill Nighy's work, so would have tracked this film down just for that, but was intrigued by Rupert Grint. I recently saw The Perks of Being a Wallflower with Emma Watson and was delighted to see that she could be someone else other than Hermione Grainger. I am happy to report that Rupert Grint did a marvelous job and was quite funny. I am glad he has been able to find something other than Ron Weasely. Though I didn't know how old this was until I watched it, so I guess this was filmed when Grint was on break from the Harry Potter films. I guess I'll have to find something with Daniel Radcliffe now and complete the trifecta.
Not that I need another reason to recommend this film to anyone, past the good acting and madcap antics (that's right, I said antics), but the music is great. If I had watched this film even a year ago, I would have been unfamiliar with about half the songs, but somehow I stumbled upon an Irish Rock-a-billy performer named Imelda May that has three songs featured in the film including one over the closing credits. The lyrics and the feel of the songs are oddly suited for the scenes they're used with, which is I guess the sign of a good musical director, since I know the songs were not written for the film but for an earlier album she had released.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention Martin Freeman in his brilliant (there's a joke there in the film) portrayal of Dixon the bad guy who is pursuing our little mismatched gang. It reminds me that he is capable of far more than serious adventure or sleuthing and takes me back to his days on the Office and in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which I do believe also had Bill Nighy. His character is reminiscent of Dan Akroyd's in Grosse Point Blanke. He was very funny to watch.
Wild Target on IMDb
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Cloud Atlas (2012)
Not that I've talked to a lot of people about this movie, but all of those that I have mentioned needing to watch it more than once so that they could understand just exactly what was going on. It's kind of like before I saw Fight Club and everyone was saying things like, "I didn't figure it out until the end" or "I knew during the breast exam" (trust me that makes sense in the context of Fight Club). So, I went into it knowing that there was a puzzle to be aware of, and since I knew this, it revealed itself nearly immediately - it has to for the flashback, "ah-ha!" scenes toward the end of the film. The same thing had happened with my viewing of The Sixth Sense. No one actually spoiled it for me in the sense that they told me the twist was, but they (you know, 'them') kept telling me it was going to be such a surprise and that I never would guess what the twist was, and then I watched it and thought it was obvious from the very beginning - but because I was hyper-aware of some twist. I went into this screening the same way, mind like a steel trap, ready to tuck away any clue. But, um, it's just a movie with it's story being told through glimpses of stories that reflect each other.
I didn't find the film confusing in the least. There. I said it. All of the six stories are structured the same way so that all six climax at the same time. Try some Magic Realism if you want to get confused, or follow any popular comic book hero, as their story gets told across multiple titles each by a different author, usually more than one, and then they get rebooted at times. Or hell, just try reading a George R. R. Martin book or perhaps some Robert Jordan. Perhaps my previous media choices have prepared me for a story told like this better than theirs had?
While I enjoyed all of the stories, I particularly like the Ordeal of Cavendish storyline and the Neo Seoul storyline. The Ordeal of Cavendish starts of hilariously with Tom Hanks playing an in your face author, Dermot Hoggins who while being a total animal lives' out many a writer's fantasy by throwing his main critic over the balcony of an apartment that is a couple of dozen stories up. Hugo Weaving in drag as Nurse Noakes later in this one is priceless and looks like he must have had a fun time playing her. The Neo Seoul story is the most straight sf of the lot and is the most noble of the six. IN all of them, people do things for the people they love, but in this one, the main character Son Me sacrifices herself so that others might love, which is a pretty romantic ideal.
My only complaint about this movie is that not all of the prosthetics were created equally. I don't mind seeing this actor or that looking nothing like themselves, I just should see the seams between the real them and the rubberized them. It's not all of the many heavily made-up characters, just a couple of really obvious ones. I won't tell you which actor or which character, I've just set you up to be a super sleuth like I was. It's a vicious cycle apparently.
Cloud Atlas at IMDb
I didn't find the film confusing in the least. There. I said it. All of the six stories are structured the same way so that all six climax at the same time. Try some Magic Realism if you want to get confused, or follow any popular comic book hero, as their story gets told across multiple titles each by a different author, usually more than one, and then they get rebooted at times. Or hell, just try reading a George R. R. Martin book or perhaps some Robert Jordan. Perhaps my previous media choices have prepared me for a story told like this better than theirs had?
While I enjoyed all of the stories, I particularly like the Ordeal of Cavendish storyline and the Neo Seoul storyline. The Ordeal of Cavendish starts of hilariously with Tom Hanks playing an in your face author, Dermot Hoggins who while being a total animal lives' out many a writer's fantasy by throwing his main critic over the balcony of an apartment that is a couple of dozen stories up. Hugo Weaving in drag as Nurse Noakes later in this one is priceless and looks like he must have had a fun time playing her. The Neo Seoul story is the most straight sf of the lot and is the most noble of the six. IN all of them, people do things for the people they love, but in this one, the main character Son Me sacrifices herself so that others might love, which is a pretty romantic ideal.
My only complaint about this movie is that not all of the prosthetics were created equally. I don't mind seeing this actor or that looking nothing like themselves, I just should see the seams between the real them and the rubberized them. It's not all of the many heavily made-up characters, just a couple of really obvious ones. I won't tell you which actor or which character, I've just set you up to be a super sleuth like I was. It's a vicious cycle apparently.
Cloud Atlas at IMDb
Friday, July 26, 2013
The Covenant (2006)
I really wanted this movie to be good. Well, let me be completely honest and say, "good for this kind of movie". This kind of movie is as the box said from the producers of Underworld which stars the delicious Kate Beckinsale and is all about the war between vampires and werewolves. This movie is about witchcraft. Okay, sounds good to me. Witches keep their power secret...passed along blood lines...yadda, yadda, yadda. Okay, I'm still with you. The bad warlock wants the good warlock's power, which even seems like a plausible story line to me.
I am set for a somewhat straight-forward super natural action film with cool special effects. But, instead I get a group of the most mature looking 17 year olds I've ever seen who spend the first hour of the film stuck between a teen romance and a horror suspense film, neither of which it's doing well. By the time the reveal happens letting the good guys know who the bad guy really is, I've known for at least 45 minutes. When the action finally starts happening, it's not a bad film.
I didn't buy a single one of the actors as being 17 or 18. Why didn't they just set the story at college and make them 21 or 22? I might have gone for that. The school they all attend is an upscale boarding school, which at least to me translates well to small private university.
There are some rather big things left unanswered in this film that I presume they planned on answering over the course of several sequels, like what the hell is a darkling? Or, where are all the other witches? Maybe even, where does the power come from and why does using it ravage the body if used too often?
The Covenant on IMDb
I am set for a somewhat straight-forward super natural action film with cool special effects. But, instead I get a group of the most mature looking 17 year olds I've ever seen who spend the first hour of the film stuck between a teen romance and a horror suspense film, neither of which it's doing well. By the time the reveal happens letting the good guys know who the bad guy really is, I've known for at least 45 minutes. When the action finally starts happening, it's not a bad film.
I didn't buy a single one of the actors as being 17 or 18. Why didn't they just set the story at college and make them 21 or 22? I might have gone for that. The school they all attend is an upscale boarding school, which at least to me translates well to small private university.
There are some rather big things left unanswered in this film that I presume they planned on answering over the course of several sequels, like what the hell is a darkling? Or, where are all the other witches? Maybe even, where does the power come from and why does using it ravage the body if used too often?
The Covenant on IMDb
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