The French Connection Review

For some films it comes easy, the ability to lay my thoughts out as soon as it ends. The words just come flowing out with passion and not always because I loved the film. Sometimes the easiest movies to write about are the ones I loathe, the experiences that push just the right buttons to make me vent. Where the challenge comes in for me are those very good to great experiences that don't quite elicit the over the moon enthusiasm but they also did pretty much nothing wrong either. Thus sums up my the 24 hours between when I finished my first ever viewing of The French Connection and now when I finally told myself, just start typing whatever comes to mind. So here we are.

I keep fighting how to put this contradiction I had with The French Connection into words exactly because it makes sense to me but others may think, what the hell is this guy talking about? See, I somehow found the film deserves recognition for being fast paced and exciting and yet it felt ponderous at times as well. How is this possible? That's the tricky part. See, for much of the run time I was totally invested in the story of Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman) and Russo (Roy Scheider) as they attempt to shut down the source of heroin finding its way into the U.S. from overseas, yet some of the cat and mouse the cops are always just a step behind the bad guys stuff felt redundant, as if I was watching a couple sequences on repeat hoping for a different result each time.

A part of me wants to credit these very moments I complain about because they did invoke a sense of realism to the picture, that not everything is high speed and adrenaline fueled and all about good guys getting the job done. Sometimes a good guy can be doing good work and still fall short, but I instead of appreciating this during the actual experience, I found myself waiting for The French Connection to kick it into high gear. The good news? It does so during a final act that is not only memorable, it is masterful, with iconic moments with Doyle behind the wheel chasing down a train speeding ahead right above him and the thrilling sensation hanging over ever frame that nothing predictable is going to happen as the final scenes wind down. I had no idea who would get caught, who would get away and who would make it out alive, and I got lost in the excitement. 

I knew before I ever hit play that the film took home the trophy for Best Picture, but I honestly had no idea what other areas were recognized. It didn't take long for me to think, I sure hope Hackman was in the mix for his incredible performance and sure enough he, too, walked away with the prize. His strange blend of being heroic and yet unhinged, a convincing turn as an obsessed cop willing to do anything to collar his man was special to witness. The music beautifully assists the uneasy feeling of watching "Popeye" Doyle because rather than be a series of conventional pieces that would seemingly "fit" a 70's crime thriller, Don Ellis puts together a really odd, uncomfortable score that haunts and and hints at the ominous possibilities moving forward. Even when I felt those moments of disappointment at the lack of forward movement with the investigation, the score built the tension and rattled my nerves.

Another Oscar winner here is director William Friedkin and to say it was well deserved recognition is an understatement. His craft is so meticulous and on point that it actually almost does him a disservice because by creating such a smooth and fluid experience, it almost feels too easy at times. It's the subtleties that won me over, like the way we as an audience tend to stick with one side or the other rather than frenetically shown both parties in the same sequence. As the cops stalk the streets attempting to be inconspicuous, we see the shady activity from the police perspective. The mouths move but we can't hear the words. The movements feel guilty but we aren't let into what is exact transpiring in the moment. We can only guess and make assumptions based on what we know, which is exactly what the police would really be doing as well when facing such circumstances. We are let into the world of these criminals and their drug operation but only behind closed doors, like we are a fly on the wall watching something unfold that we shouldn't be privy to.

The French Connection is a great film that completely changed the idea of what a cop movie is going forward, yet it didn't hit quite as hard as I hoped. Perhaps it boils down to far too elevated expectations, after years of hearing the title and the praise that accompanies it I expected a greatest of all time experience rather than just simply great. Either way, there is very little to criticize and a lot to love here.

4/5

Welcome to Me Review

It's mildly amusing. It's mildly meaningful. It's mildly heartfelt. It's mildly interesting.

It's mostly bullshit.

Welcome to Me is the brand new film from director Shira Piven, wife of hit comedic filmmaker Adam McKay and sister of Jeremy Piven, and it stars former Saturday Night Live star and current pretty darn good actress Kristen Wiig. Wiig showcased her range in last years solid The Skeleton Twins, and she shows a bit of it here too, but not enough. For the most part, her performance here feels like an unsuccessful skit from SNL rather than any actual, real portrayal of mental illness.

She plays Alice Krieg, a woman who does not believe in luck because she has learned from Oprah Winfrey that success is a mindset. If you believe in success, you will find it, plain and simple, and one day her usual lottery ticket matches up number for number. With millions in her account, she quits taking her psychiatric meds and starts living her life the way she wants to, which includes paying for her own two hour television talk show.

Some of the comedic bits do enough to invoke a smile and maybe a slight chuckle, but nothing more. The dramatic sequences try so hard to hit hard but they rarely do. The attempts to have the story resonate emotionally miss the mark because frankly, I never once bought into the entire experience. When a film really works, my brain forgets that I am watching a film at all. I will connect with the characters, I will feel uneasy because of their struggles, I will root for their success and I will shed tears because of their pain. Absolutely none of that happened here. Welcome to Me does just enough to avoid being a total train wreck, because Wiig is pretty decent in parts and as I stated at the start, it does a some things mildly well, but for the most part it feels so damn phony. 

It's a shame because the general concept could have worked if handled better. There is a story here about the misconception that money heals all wounds when in reality there are far more important things than the amount of zeros at the end of your bank balance. Money can't buy real relationships, it can't build self esteem and it can't cure a mental illness. Winning the jackpot doesn't bring Alice the happiness most assume it would and that is an important message to tell, but Welcome to Me isn't a good enough film to take seriously. 

2/5

Away From Her Review

It seems to be an incredibly rare thing, to deliver a cinematic love story that actually feels authentic and genuine. Over the course of each year, week after week, films are released that are supposed to convey the emotional power of love starring two gorgeous individuals between the ages of 18 - 35. In these 94 minute shit storms, we see these quirky characters deliver a clunky, predictable script with various pop songs playing and at some point during the story they will break up, only to find each other again at the end, probably in Times Square at night when it's snowing. If these films demonstrate true expectations for romance, it's no wonder why every god damn couple gets divorced.

A word like "sad" doesn't begin to do a film like Away from Her justice. Directed with a steady confidence by Sarah Polley, despite it being her first feature length picture, this is a work of brilliant, insightful devastation. Why? Because it is real. These people, these characters, these performances all feel like they could be a part of a documentary rather than a fictional narrative because the film doesn't attempt to present a glamorous, picture perfect tale of lovers.  This is what love really is, haunted minds due to past indiscretions, the uncertainty of each day due to the all too real acceptance of mortality. Two people spending their lives together is a wonderful and romantic notion, but in order to make it work you must be prepared to deal with difficult times and emotional pain. 

Gordon Pinsent plays Grant Anderson, a man who is madly in love with his wife of 44 years yet is forced to accept the unfortunate truth that her mind is slipping away due to Alzheimer's disease. Julie Christie plays Fiona, wife of Grant, a woman who learned to move past Grant's infidelity and instead of harboring anger, she feels gratitude that a man loves her so much he is willing to stick by her as the bad times start to get even worse. Their lives and their love feel remarkably real, and sadly so too does her illness. I can think of few things more heartbreaking than the idea that a person can wake up in the morning and not recognize the face they have shared a majority of their lives with. 

So touching and tender, Polley handles the material with class and realism, as if I could feel the loneliness of Grant as he comes and goes to visit his one true love despite her confusion regarding his identity. I was filled with sadness as I watched the story unfold, both because of the events taking place on screen but also because I always knew in the back of my mind that this was really happening to far too many people each and every day.

Away from Her isn't flashy or exciting, and I can't imagine wanting to revisit it over and over, but it is powerful and important. The type of film that is ingrained in your mind after only one viewing.

4.5/5

The Place Beyond the Pines Review

When the film opens, Luke Glanton is the hero. A brilliantly executed long take has us following close behind him as he walks through the grounds of a carnival, but he doesn't move with any urgency despite being told he is needed. He strolls with confidence and a swagger that announces to the world, they can wait. Past the flashing lights and the dangling prizes, the eyes of the public turn and watch him move past but he seemingly doesn't even notice. When he arrives at his destination, Luke Glanton receives an ovation fit for a celebrity. Handsome Luke and the Heartthrobs. His pulse doesn't even appear to pick up an extra beat. Luke Glanton is as cool as a cucumber.

Later on, a young, brave police officer receives the call that a bank robber is on the run near where he is located. Wrong place, wrong time. His name is Avery Cross, and that moment every officer must be ready for has come to fruition. His weapon is drawn and he may have to use it. A beautiful wife and a newborn son are waiting at home, but this intersection between good and evil could mean Avery is about to take his final breathe. Is it as black and white as good and evil though? Is either side ever so purely one or the other? A split second decision blurs these lines. The ground is covered in blood and a good man begins to associate with the corrupt. The life of a man ends and whether a sinner or saint, they leave behind a trail of tears from those that cared for him. The death of one has altered the fates of many.

15 years later, the lives of two teenage boys intersect almost impossibly. Two young men connected from the moment they were in diapers and yet they come together without even knowing the past. Jason and AJ. They are living with the ramifications of decisions made before they could even voice a single word. They are their father's sons. 

The Place Beyond the Pines is presented as a three-act play, with stories and characters overlapping in ways that will reverberate through time. While the narrative loses power and strength as it goes, with the story of Luke Glanton (Ryan Gosling) resembling what I would define as a masterpiece and the final act involving teenagers still living in the shadows of their fathers not quite matching up, I still feel the end result of this work by Derek Cianfrance is pretty remarkable, ambitious and compelling throughout. 

What I wrote above doesn't even begin to tell the whole story of these characters and their lives, the nuance that makes them complicated rather than cut and dry archetypes. If you haven't seen The Place Beyond the Pines yet, do so, and what you will see is an epic made on an indie budget. A sweeping story with an intimate scope. 

Most of all, you will see a great film.

4.5/5

Decades of Cinema - 10 Best of the 1990's

My previous "Decades" lists are here: 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's. Here are my ten favorite films from the 1990's.

10. The Matrix

Forget about the shitty sequels for a second and just remember how damn cool The Matrix was when it was released in 1999. I had never seen anything like it, a noir science fiction experience that, at the time, pushed the boundaries of cinema in ways I could have never imagined. 16 years later and it has aged quite well, perhaps because it was ahead of its time.

9. The Shawshank Redemption

I know there are plenty of people who frown when a person mentions their love for The Shawshank Redemption. I am one of the lovers, not the frowners. The whole film is still such a warm blanket for me, but those last 30 or so minutes? My goodness, just thinking about the conclusion of this film makes me joyful and tingly. 

8. Good Will Hunting

Superbly written and performed, Good Will Hunting is the type of film that I can watch over and over and over and never grow tired of it. Add in the recent passing of the great Robin Williams and watching what is arguably his finest performance as an actor makes the entire experience even richer. 

7. Fight Club

Where as I made sure to mention that The Matrix has not aged poorly, Fight Club actually tastes like a fine wine. This shit is more delicious with each passing year. One of quite a few masterful efforts from director David Fincher, a cinematic mind fuck that has, in my opinion, one of the most brilliant and strangely beautiful final scenes in recent memory.

6. Goodfellas

A cinema lovin' buddy of mine correctly pointed out that I left Raging Bull off of my list of the best from the 1980's. This wasn't an accident, I think it is an outstanding film but it simply didn't make the cut, but the absence of Scorsese was not going to happen again. I can't even begin to imagine a best of the 90's list without Goodfellas.

5. The Big Lebowski

I am often times guilty of not taking comedy films seriously enough. I love them but for whatever reason I have trouble ranking even the best of the genre up near the best of other, more dramatic work. This does not apply to The Big Lebowski though, which is not only my favorite comedy of all time but one of my 25 favorite films, period. The 1990's were such a strong part of my film lovin' life that the top 8 of this list all rank in my top 50 overall.

4. Eyes Wide Shut

The final achievement from the genius Stanley Kubrick and this is a film worthy of the words misunderstood masterpiece. Advertised as a sexy thriller with the "it" couple at the time of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman starring, in reality this is a brilliantly creepy, hypnotic advertisement for monogamy. Deemed a "lesser" Kubrick upon its release, Eyes Wide Shut is anything but.

3. Se7en

Was I too young to see Se7en the first time I did? Absolutely. Do I regret this for even a second now? No. Not at all. When I was 12 years old, I had seen very few examples of "great" cinema and Se7en was eye opening for me, and not just because of the shocking content. The craft is out of this world, featuring an aesthetic that is somehow simultaneously crisp and yet gloomy and dour. This and, ironically, the next film on this list are the two movies that taught me how evil the world could be at an age when I couldn't really comprehend such a thing.

2. The Silence of the Lambs

I can't even begin to try to figure out how many times I have watched The Silence of the Lambs. I recall watching it numerous times and loving it and yet never knowing until years later that it had been so successful at the Oscars. It's easy to understand why, since if you offered me 100 dollars to name a flaw of the film I would come up empty and stay broke. The performances are incredible, including the iconic evil turn from Anthony Hopkins as the infamous Hannibal Lecter. The storytelling maintains a perfect, intense flow throughout and Buffalo Bill gave me nightmares when I was young. I welcomed the lack of sleep.

1. Pulp Fiction

Quentin Tarantino is an incredible screenwriter, and I honestly believe Pulp Fiction is the greatest screenplay ever written. A perfect cast utilizing perfect words with perfect execution leads to an end result like this, the best film from the 1990's. "Zed's dead, baby. Zed's dead."

Next list I will move into the current century with my ten favorite films released between 2000-2009. The image over is from one of the movies that will make the cut. 

The Skeleton Twins Review

A quick glance at a poster for the film The Skeleton Twins and you will likely have the wrong idea of what to expect from it. Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live alum that almost certainly promise wacky laughs and silly comedy, are the two stars of the film so I would imagine that the opening sequence would prove to be a bit jarring for an audience looking for their typical material.

Bill Hader plays Milo, and we meet him at an inopportune moment, right at a time when he has decided to lie back in a bathtub and we see the once clear water turn red with blood. Kristen Wiig plays Maggie, a woman battling her demons and we don't need verbal confirmation of this as she stands in a bathroom, preparing to swallow a handful of pills. She doesn't though, as what stops her is a phone call informing her that her twin sibling Milo had attempted suicide, a brother that she had not seen in decade. 

The beauty of the screenplay of The Skeleton Twins is that it somehow finds a perfect balance for these actors, one that allows them to utilize their comedic chops yet it also proves to be a breakthrough for both of them on a dramatic level. The entire film isn't nearly as bleak as that first sequence makes it out to be, as it easily elicited laughter from me and also had moments that were warm and joyous and suited for a smile, but at the heart of the story was a focus on depression, one that felt authentic in this setting with these people.

I think the aspect that worked for me the most with this film was the way the characters are portrayed, as real people with real flaws and real issues. Neither Milo nor Maggie are perfect, far from it, but isn't that true to practically everyone? When an issue like adultery rears its ugly head, it isn't handled in a way that would make people hate the cheater and say things like "Why would she do that?!". It's simple, she would do that because she is human and humanity is riddled with flaws and poor decision making and guilt and mistakes and the ups and downs of existence. Hader and Wiig bring a shocking level of nuance to these roles that makes it easy to understand why they lead such troubled lives: because they are real, because people out there right now are just like these two characters and I am sure plenty more have enough similar traits to relate to their plight. 

Even when they are at their worst, when it seems as if the bottom has fallen out on Milo and Maggie, I found I could empathize with them because something as simple as a look in their eye demonstrated their conscious understanding that what they were doing was wrong and deep down they desired more out of life. They just want to be better.

Can't we all relate to that in some way?

4/5