Slow West Review

It's a funny thing, how tastes change over time. When I was younger, I would dismiss much of the western genre because I deemed them "boring" before I even laid my eyes on a single frame. Now I lay those very same eyes on just one frame, a wide open landscape so seemingly vast, so barren and yet I find it impossibly beautiful. The me of the past would have viewed this type of setting as lifeless and meaningless. The me of the present sees something haunting yet appealing, like I wish I could get in my car right now and drive there and just breathe in the fresh air, bask in the freedom of silence. 

The brand new film Slow West isn't going to be a hot cinematic topic around the water cooler, released during a time when the massive summer blockbusters begin to dominate not only the box office but the minds of those looking to be entertained as well, but it is certainly worthy of your attention. It doesn't reinvent the wheel when it comes to the western genre, but rather it thrives when it embraces its influences. Sure, much of what takes place feels familiar, but when it is crafted well I really don't care. I am more than willing to step onto grounds already walked as long as they remain this aesthetically pleasing and brilliantly performed. 

The debut film from writer/director John Maclean has a first act that sets the table gorgeously, and I really thought I was in for something profoundly special early on. We meet Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and his trusty horse and immediately he finds himself in danger, but there to help him out of a jam is a mysterious desperado named Silas (Michael Fassbender) whom we quickly discover is more than willing to kill any man that gets in his way. Turns out Jay is on a quest to be reunited with the love of his life Rose (Caren Pistorius) and he agrees to pay Silas to guide him and protect him during his journey. 

What is clear early and often is that Maclean may be new to this game, but the man can certainly write and direct. Slow West isn't a perfect film as it is actually too short and still manages to have a second act that feels like it drags a bit, but the way it starts and the incredible finale make me very excited to see what kind of work he can do in the future. If he would have just let the great moments breathe a bit more rather than rush through them and found a way to trim and enhance the less compelling middle, I would be promoting Slow West as a truly remarkable piece of cinema from 2015. 

What it is though is really, really darn good with moments that are beyond great. If you are a fan of westerns, or hell even if you are not, give Slow West a look.

4/5

Duck, You Sucker Review

It's practically criminal how little experience I have watching Spaghetti Westerns. The younger version of me would have rolled my eyes in derision at the thought of them, as I considered the Western genre to be my least favorite growing up and adding an over-the-top silly tone to them wouldn't have helped a bit. 

So when a buddy of mine at work let me borrow a copy of Duck, You Sucker, I wasn't sure what to expect. Knowing it came from the legendary Sergio Leone gave me a ton of confidence, but the title just felt like a piece of cinema that was never intended to be taken seriously. Still, I gave the disc a spin with an open and optimistic mind. 

My positive disposition was rewarded with a damn good time. Duck, You Sucker is a blast, often times literally, and while not even remotely close to being the masterpiece that other Leone efforts are, that doesn't mean I couldn't find the joy in how well crafted and yes, absurd the entire experience is. 

Yet despite the absurdity that cannot be denied, the film isn't without its thematic relevance and meaningful character development. Rod Steiger plays Juan Miranda, an impoverished Mexican man who finds himself getting wrapped up in a revolution, and Duck, You Sucker focuses on fleshing out the relationship between him and a man named John H. Mallory (James Coburn). Their fantastic chemistry is crucial to the success of the film.

I cannot forget to mention the musical score by Ennio Morricone. Honestly, even if the rest of the film proved to be a turd, I would still probably give it a mild recommendation based on this factor alone.

The good news is, there are plenty of reasons to recommend this one.

Duck, you sucker!

4/5

Stagecoach Review

While simply viewing the film Stagecoach by John Ford is plenty to recognize that it is a work worthy of recognition, doing so for the first time in 2014 when I was raised on films like Unforgiven and The Searchers makes it harder to truly appreciate what makes it so special. It reminds me actually of a conversation I had recently with a friend regarding The Matrix, with his wife seeing it for the first time just a few weeks ago and she liked it but was underwhelmed, immediately bringing up other films that she could compare it to from recent years. In 1999 when I saw The Matrix on the big screen, it nearly literally blew my mind. I had never seen anything like it, and I carry that nostalgic power with me which allows that love I feel for it to never diminish. I will always remember it as a film that felt game changing and innovative at the time I was introduced to it, but to someone seeing it for the first time now? It's cool, but not as cool as (insert title here).

Released in 1939, Stagecoach was a game changing work that revolutionized the western genre, which at the time was considered to be B level when it was at its best. It continues to be admired today and in 1995 it was deemed to be "historically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. The plot revolves around a group of strangers riding a stagecoach through Apache territory, and along the way they encounter a character known as the Ringo Kid, played by the legendary John Wayne and this would absolutely prove to be his breakthrough performance that would pave the way for the remainder of his career. Seriously, if you haven't seen Stagecoach yet, even if you don't care for John Wayne, even if you don't care for the western genre as a whole, you need to admire the brilliance of the way they pull off Wayne's entrance into this film. It is beyond epic.

Overall, I admire Stagecoach for being the wonderfully made film that it is and for keeping me entertained throughout every moment of its running time, but I can't say I was bowled over by the experience and felt I was watching a landmark of cinema.

It's worth it to note that I have never been bowled over by a western on my first viewing. Perhaps it is just a genre that takes time for me to warm up to. Next time around, I may be singing a slightly sweeter tune in regards to Stagecoach, but for now simply knowing it is a great film is good enough for me.


4/5

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Review

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was a total afterthought in my film universe for years. The title was memorable for me simply because of it's length, but it carried no real resonance besides that. My expectations for the film were so low that, to be honest, when I read extremely positive reviews online I had trouble buying into it. How could a film mean so little to me, a film that sat so far off my radar that it practically didn't exist, yet be this good?

I looked up the director, found the name Andrew Dominik. Who? A name that meant absolutely nothing to me, a tiny filmography of three films associated with his name of which I had seen none. As the final frame of this film left my screen, I looked up the name again, a name so meaningless less than three hours earlier, had now earned my everlasting respect. I don't know if Andrew Dominik has any other films worth a damn, and frankly I don't care. In 2007, his vision produced The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, an absolute masterpiece.

The performances throughout this film were fantastic, with top billing going to an incredible showing from Brad Pitt and the award worthy work of Casey Affleck. The credit goes to these actors, but also to the man behind the scenes calling the shots, who had the patience to let each scene play out so beautifully, so effortlessly that each line of the script had room to breath, to dance out of their mouths like poetry. The backdrop of the film was stunning, featuring epic cinematography that was impossible to ignore, showcasing snowy landscapes and realistically vivid colors similar to something seen in a Malick film.

The original score produced by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis was arguably the star of the film. So haunting, so intoxicating, it never overwhelmed a single scene yet it consistently enhanced the experience. Rarely does a score so perfectly match the tone of a film, here it feels like fate that such a high level of artistry with music and film could come together and become one.

If I had not looked it up, I would have never known how long this film was. Perfectly paced, never plodding, every single scene swept me off my feet and allowed me to lose myself in it's wonder. Seriously, this may sound over the top, but this isn't like other films I have screened and loved on a weekly basis. This is a film I can comfortably add to my top 50 films of all time and never question or second guess it. This is a film that I could watch again right now if I didn't need to go to sleep.

This is film at it's finest.



5/5