"My name is Jack Abramoff, and I work out every day!"
Casino Jack may have not been the most talked about movie of the year, but it is certainly one of the most bizarre. While Hollywood and the box office were more consumed with other movies based on real life events such as The Kings Speech, 127 Hours, and The Social Network, Casino Jack was quietly making its presence known amongst critics and cinematic circles. The film is the real life story of "super-lobbyist" Jack Abramoff, head of possibly the biggest Washington corruption scandal since Watergate. Abramoff, along with 2 other White House officials, a congressman, and 9 lobbyists, was convicted on an array of charges including fraud, bribery, conspiracy, and tax evasion, among others. The film stars Kevin Spacey as Abramoff, and was directed by George Hickenlooper, a well known documentary filmmaker that has since passed away (early 2010 as a result of accidental painkiller overdose).
Essentially, the movie took you through how Abramoff got involved with lobbying for several different Native Indian tribes and their casino/gambling rights. From what I could gather, he grossly overcharged tribal leaders for retainer fees, split the earnings with his business partner under the table, and didn't report the income to the IRS. In order to effectively secure their rights, he bribed politicians and made a smorgasbord of illegal campaign contributions, most notably to congressman Bob Ney. Thrown into the mix was the SunCruz casino cruise line, which was purchased through shady business dealings by mob-connected Adam Kidan and facilitated by Abramoff. This aspect of the scandal was not very well explained, nor were connections drawn to how it related to the Native American dealings.
The best description I can think to make of Casino Jack is something along the lines of "a satirical political documentary with a five o'clock shadow after taking an adrenaline shot and cracking a Jew joke." If that doesn't do it for you, I'm out of ideas. From my point of view, the movie is most comparable to Charlie Wilson's War, about Texas Politician Charlie Wilson's involvement in ending the Soviet War in Afghanistan, a film very similar in tone and presentation to that of Casino Jack. While Casino Jack succeeded in painting a picture of how corrupt, crooked, and engrossed in cocaine/strippers some politicians and lobbyists are, it was hard to sift out key plot points through the sea of incomprehensible political jargon. This, combined with the pace of the film made it nearly impossible to piece together, unless you're armed with a familiarity of political science, law, and the workings of Washington. What I did like about the film, however, was the comedic aspect, especially from supporting actor Jon Lovitz, who portrayed Adam Kidan, key player in the SunCruz aspect of the scandal. If you have a tough time keeping up with the fast paced unfolding of characters and events and how the whole scandal came together (as I did), you can at least enjoy the never ending buffet of one-liners and humorous anecdotes provided by the script.
I can't say that this was one of my favorite movies of the year, but it certainly wasn't the worst; check out the theatrical trailer below and decide for yourself if it tickles your fancy.
Hello! My apologies for my absence from the blogging world over the past 5 weeks or so. Mental exhaustion brought on by an onslaught of schoolwork, combined with preparation and travel to Denver for spring break has left me with very little discretionary free time as of late. Don't think I'm neglecting just my blog though; these factors have also caused my bass to acquire a healthy amount of dust, as well as my badminton rackets and cross country skis; (Just kidding, I don't do those last 2 things).
At any rate, I've found myself with a bit a free time this evening and figured there was no more perfect way to spend it then to grace the internet and cinematic community with the inner-most workings of my brain. Kidding. Really, I just want an excuse to talk about one of my favorite actors, Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Over the past few weeks, I've watched and re-watched a few of his films. Two of them were quite contrasting, and I thought they would make an interesting combination for a post. Enjoy, and feel free to leave feedback!
Synecdoche, New York
This first flick is one a lot of you have probably never seen or heard of. It made its way through the art-house theaters and was a centerpiece at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008, but didn't receive much mainstream attention or recognition. The movie was the directorial debut of Charlie Kaufman, who some of you might recognize as the writer for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Adaptation, and Being John Malkovitch.
In essence, the movie is very simple. In order to really get a handle on everything Kaufman was trying to convey however, requires the viewer to put on a fairly large thinking cap. The plot, stripped free of major thematic elements and symbolism, is this- "Middle aged theatre director Caden Cottard (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) struggles with his work, and the women in his life, as he attempts to create a life-size replica of New York inside a warehouse as part of his new play". Sounds simple enough, right?Though that brief plot summary remains the centerpiece of what goes on throughout the film, the dense layers of motif and theme make it much more difficult to sift through.
Kaufman was no doubt trying to make a movie about the human experience. The movie spans almost the entire lifetime of Caden, and addresses everything from romance, to religion, to the existence of the soul. He struggles with the fact that his wife and child left him, he's torn between feelings for several different women, he endures increasingly poor health, and all the while he's trying to create his masterpiece and life's work. All these factors intertwine to create a man who doesn't really know who he is, and uses his play as a vehicle which allows him to try and figure that out. The play he creates is humble at first; a warehouse with a few different scenes of everyday people in everyday situations. By the end of the film, the set of his play encapsulates almost all of New York City, and features thousands of scenes with thousands of actors. These scenes and characters are those of Cadens life; he recreates major scenes that effect him emotionally in a theatre setting and attempts to analyze them from a directorial position and draw some kind of significance and meaning from them. Periodically throughout the film, Caden states the same phrase- "I think I know how to do this play now." The play is Caden's existence, and he is perpetually trying to figure out how to live, and in what direction his life should be going. Caden's play and all the inner-workings of it that represent scenes from his life is no doubt a representation of Shakespeare's idea that "all the world is a stage." As a man who has spent his whole life in the service of the theatre, Caden uses that to try and interpret major events in his life. The stage he is creating is quite literally the world around him, and the characters that inhabit that stage are the ones that have affected him in some way. For a more in depth look at other major thematic interpretations of the film, check out its Wikipedia page, which does a pretty good job at analyzing everything.
It's difficult for me to say rather or not I liked this movie. One the one hand, it's a breath of fresh air for a movie to actually make you think. All too common it is today for the viewer to be spoon-fed a story, thus resulting in a movie with little to no actual substance. Synecdoche, New York certainly isn't guilty of that crime. The characters were intense and challenging to unravel, the plot was substantial and chalked full of nuances and themes that needed to be interrupted in order to really understand the progression of the film, and it was quite the visual masterpiece. On the other hand, the over-artistry of the story, acting, and execution gave the movie a sort of snobby, pretentious air. Movies like this one are generally praised for being pieces of art, something that makes you ponder, reflect, and appreciate. This movie seemed to take these ideals and beat you over the head with them, constantly trying to shove in your face that this is an "artsy" movie, thus completely polarizing the audience and critics. Viewers and critics who have an appreciation for the more artistic side of cinema seemed to love it for the pure fact that it was obviously made for them, while more mainstream movie-goers passionately hated on the basis that it was depressing and over-indulgent. I can't definitively make a "see it or don't see it statement" on this piece, so my advice would be to rent and and decide for yourself. Below is the theatrical trailer, which gives a taste for the film.
Doubt
The second Hoffman film that I've chosen to feature is one that is probably more familiar to the average movie goer, Doubt. Doubt also premiered in 2008, first at the American Film Institute festival, and then in theaters later in the year. Along with Hoffman, the movie stars Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis, each one of whom was nominated for an Oscar for their performance. The film is an adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's Pulitzer Prize winning play Doubt: A Parable. Shanley also served as director of the film.
Doubt is the story of Father Flynn (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), the head priest at a Catholic school in the Bronx during the 1960's, as he faces accusations from the schools headmistress, Sister Aloysius (Meryl Streep) of having an inappropriate relationship with the schools only black student. All the while, Sister James (Amy Adams), a younger nun who teaches history at the school, is caught in the middle of the witch hunt and is torn between who to believe.
Though Doubt initially may seem to be dealing with familiar subject matter (sexual misconduct among catholic priests), the essence of what the movie is really about lies in the title itself; doubt. As Father Flynn discusses in his first sermon of the film, doubt can be just as unifying of a factor as belief. Unfortunately, as illustrated by the film, doubt is equally as dangerous as it is unifying. Though Sister Aloysius had no concrete evidence of any wrongdoing by Father Flynn, she felt such conviction that it lead her to take drastic measures in an attempt to get him to admit his crime. This conviction, however, was matched by an equal amount of doubt, as she revealed in the final line of the film "I have such doubts." Acceptance is also an ideal that is pondered throughout the movie. Following one of the more powerful scenes, Sister James accuses Sister Aloysius of disliking Father Flynn simply because he is different. "He takes 3 cups of sugar in his coffee, he smokes a pipe, he likes candy", she says. He is new, progressive, and radical, where is Sister Aloysius is old fashioned, conservative, and traditional. Perhaps Shanley was trying to convey the idea that we fear what we don't understand. Below is a link to my favorite scene from the movie, in which Father Flynn and Sister Aloysius have their main "showdown."
What I loved the most about this movie is its simplicity. The cast was small, the backdrop was modest, the budget was low, and yet its message was timeless and perpetually relevant. It took a quaint setting and used it as a canvas to paint a picture of gossip, mistrust, doubt, belief, love, and acceptance. Equally impressive as the thematic material and visual elements were the acting performances, especially those of Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, who portrayed two people of such a polar opposite disposition that you could feel the tension build and nearly explode in every scene they shared. These two seasoned actors complimented each other perfectly by simply being exactly the opposite; while Streep sent chills up your spine with nearly every word, Hoffmans warmth and likability made it nearly impossible to not empathize with him. Doubt is equally as entertaining as it is engrossing and thematically important, and it is one that everyone should see.
Although I was planning on saving my next big effort for after the Oscars, I figured I would pump out a smaller post to tide all my loyal readers (all 4 of you) over for the next week or so. In any event, this year’s Oscars aren’t expected to carry any shocking upsets, so that post probably won’t require much painstaking analysis; expect something along the lines of “blah blah blah King’s Speech, blah blah Black Swan, blah blah blah The Social Network”. Unless Nicholas Cage bowls over the competition with his overwhelmingly artistic performance in Drive Angry 3-D, it’s likely to be a predictable outcome.
For this bite size post, I wanted to briefly discuss a flick-in-the-making my Dad brought to my attention that I’m really excited about- Lincoln.As you might guess, the film is about President Abraham Lincoln, more specifically his clash with the White House cabinet as he tried to abolish slavery during the Civil War.The movie is said to be based on the book Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin.
Though I’m admittedly not nearly as well versed in the history of the American Civil War or the life of Abe Lincoln as my Dad is, I have very high hopes for this movie.It has been confirmed that the movie is being directed by Steven Spielberg and will star Daniel Day-Lewis.Originally cast in the title role was Leam Neeson, (who last worked with Spielberg on Schindlers List in 1993), but he backed out of the role before filming began for unconfirmed reasons.Though a Neeson-Speilberg reunion surely would have spawned a fantastic film, Daniel Day-Lewis will likely bring a different dynamic to the cast and the overall plot.As undeniably talented as Neeson is, Day-Lewis is a much more animated, bizarre, and artistic actor, leaving a distinct branding on every movie he is a part of.Those who saw Gangs of New York or There Will Be Blood are familiar with his acting style and method of communicating with the audience.As long as his quirkiness doesn’t send the film down an irrelevant or historically-inaccurate path, I think he will make Lincoln a wildly successful film, adding it to the ranks of other great biographical films such as The Queen, Lawrence of Arabia, Malcolm X, and Raging Bull.
The movie has a tentative release date of early 2012, likely aiming for the 2012 Oscar season, so we’ve got a bit of a wait, but keep your eyes and ears peeled!
"At some point, it becomes bearable. It turns into something that you can crawl out from under and... carry around like a brick in your pocket. And you... you even forget it, for a while. But then you reach in for whatever reason and - there it is."
How do you make a film about true loss? There are movies about atrocities, sadness, and grief, sure. Loss is more personal though. Loss is something that radiates off a person, something you are struck by just looking at them. That element was the central focus of Rabbit Hole, a drama staring Aaron Eckhart and Nicole Kidman about a couple trying to cope with everyday life only months after the death of their young son. Probably the most powerful film of the year, Rabbit Hole was certainly not an easy movie to watch, but one that everyone should see at least once. It addresses themes that are hard to digest, but that are just as real to the human condition as happiness or love.
When reviewing The Kings Speech I touched upon how rare it is for an actor or actress to convey an emotion to the audience so effectively that the viewer becomes emotionally invested in that character. When talking about The Kings Speech, I was referring to frustration. In Rabbit Hole, both Eckhart and Kidman exuded such an overwhelming sense of grief that it was easy to forget that they were just acting, not your friends or next door neighbors that were experiencing this heartache firsthand. The movie wasn't all sad though. Scenes of wittiness and humor were injected perfectly throughout the story to give the film just the right amount of edge. Snippets of laughter, hints of anger, even moments of sheer awkwardness made them seem like regular people living regular lives. One of my favorite scenes in the movie was one where Howie (Eckharts character) is sitting in a grief counseling session with a group of other people after having smoked pot in the parking lot with another member of the group. Someone else was telling a story about a dream that they had about their dead relative whom they were still mourning the loss of, and Howie and his friend burst into a fit of weed-induced laughter. As obviously inappropriate as something like this would be in real life, the fact that it happens in the movie helps reinforce the idea that Howie is real. Not in the literal sense obviously, but he is going through a tragedy that people go through every day, and he is coping with it like a real person. It certainly isn't politically correct, but real life isn't politically correct either. As I've said in posts before, the most essential factor of a dramatic work is its believability. A comedy can be zany and fun, an action movie or thriller can be exciting and over the top, but a good dramatic presentation can't feel like just that- a presentation. Rabbit Hole certainly wasn't a presentation. It was an example of a raw human experience, and for that it was a spectacular film. Grade: A
As some of you may know, the nominations for the 2011 Academy Awards were announced today. Overall I'm pleased with them, the only deserving movie that seemed to get a bit of a snuff was The Town (which still pulled in a nomination for Jeremy Renner, although he probably won't win). Here's the complete list of nominations; the following are my predictions for who will probably win in the Big 6 categories (Best Picture, Best Director, and the 4 acting categories), followed by who I think SHOULD win in each of those categories. Enjoy, and lay on the feedback!
PREDICTIONS
Best Picture- The Social Network
Best Director- David Fincher, The Social Network
Actress in a Leading Role- Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Actor in a Leading Role- Colin Firth, The Kings Speech
Actress in a Supporting Role- Helena Bonham Carter, The Kings Speech
Actor in a Supporting Role- Geoffrey Rush, The Kings Speech
WHO SHOULD WIN
Best Picture- Black Swan
This was, in my opinion, unquestionably the best movie of the year. A masterpiece of acting, directing, cinematography, and artistry. It pushed the envelope of conventional film making in almost every way imaginable.
Best Director- Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan
This movie would never have been possible if not for Aronofsky's brilliance. Everything down to the costumes, soundtrack, and camera angles were tailored perfectly by this director to suit the story. A great movie requires a director with great vision, and no other director this year demonstrated the perfection of his craft the way Darren Aronofsky did.
Best Actress in a Leading Role- Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Prior to this movie, I was never a big fan of Natalie Portman. I didn't think she was terrible, she just never really struck me as anything noteworthy. This film completely changed that. Her performance demonstrated an ability to show a wide range of emotion and believability (as well as become a halfway decent ballerina in just a few months). She was real, intense, complex, twisted, and raw, and if the Oscar goes to any other Actress, it will truly be a travesty. Best Actor in a Leading Role- Colin Firth, The Kings Speech
Hollywood has a very successful tradition of outstanding performances by actors and actresses portraying disabilities (Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, Al Pacino in The Scent of a Woman, Patty Duke in The Miracle Worker, etc.), but few have been as outstanding as Colin Firths portrayal of King George VI of Britain, who was plagued for much of his life by a stammer. His performance was unique in that his frustration with his speech condition radiated off the screen in a way that made the audience connect with him on a much more deep and emotional level, making his character so much more than just the "guy on the screen."
Actress in a Supporting Role- Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Hailee brought a completely different dynamic to this whole movie. While the rest of the characters were crusty, dirty old men on horseback, her character Maddie was quick, sharp, articulate, and witty...and she's only 15 years old! Though she definitely isn't the odds on favorite to win the Supporting Actress Oscar, she certainly deserves it.
Actor in a Supporting Role- Christian Bale, The Fighter
This was possibly my favorite acting performance of the year. I can't imagine that it's easy to play a once-promising boxer now nearly homeless and addicted to crack, but Bale brought a level of emotion and intensity to the role that overshadowed the rest of the cast (though Amy Adams and Mark Whalberg were also excellent) by leaps and bounds. He was equal parts eccentric, funny, fierce, and provided the key ingredient to making a boxing movie that wasn't just another Rocky or Cinderella Man, but a unique masterpiece with a truly compelling message.
In a sea of atrocious Ashton Kutcher romantic comedies, a desert of fart joke-ridden Sandler flicks, and a never-ending galaxy of Nicholas Cage's receding hairline, is a gem of modern film making. That gem is Black Swan.
Black Swan centers around a ballet dancer named Nina (Natalie Portman), who's New York City ballet company is doing a rendition of the classic Swan Lake, only with a slight twist- the Black Swan and the White Swan are to played by the same dancer. Nina is thrilled when she finds out she has been chosen as the lead, but the overwhelming pressure from her producer, mother, and fellow dancers starts to take its toll. Nina becomes increasingly paranoid that her understudy (Mila Kunis) is out to sabotage her, and she develops a dark side which becomes essential for her perfect performance of both the Black and White Swan.
To give the appropriate amount of praise to every aspect of this movie would require a blog post much longer than anyone would care to read; and at any rate, I've got things on the agenda myself (...dinner.) So instead, I'd like to focus on a couple particular elements of the film that really captivated me:
Soundtrack
Being a musician and music enthusiast, a movie's soundtrack is always one of the first things to grab my attention, and few have ever done so like this movie did. The soundtrack is largely centered around Tchaikovskys music for Swan Lake, but with radical adaptations that are tailored perfectly to what is going on at that moment in the story. This aspect of the film almost makes it seem as though the movie itself is a just a radical re-telling of Swan Lake, an idea that director Dan Aronofsky was undeniably trying to suggest. Unfortunately, since the bulk of the soundtrack is based on previously-composed works, it's not eligible for an academy award (Best Original Score), but the adaptation of the music for the film will surely be praised as an art form unto itself.
Cinematography
Cinematography is widely considered to be the most unsung element of a movie; ironically so, because It is truely the element of a movie that can make it spectacular. Black Swan clearly illustrates this. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, cinematography is basically the use of lighting and camera angles in a film. The cinematography in Black Swan centered largely around a few key elements; darkness, grittiness, and mirrors. A vast portion of the film takes place in dark places- makeup rooms, subway trains, rehearsal spaces, etc. The use of darkness and light in these particular scenes literally transcended you to the point where you thought you were there yourself. Grittiness is a technique often used by Dan Aronofsky. If you've seen The Wrestler and other previous Aronofsky films, you'll notice how he uses it to accent certain places and enhance how they are perceived by the viewer. In The Wrestler he used it in strip clubs and locker rooms. In Black Swan, he uses it in the subway and in the makeup room, among other places. Lastly, mirrors are a centerpiece is the film's cinematography. The use of mirrors as an effect to enhance tension and even fear is common with horror and suspense films, two genres that this film certainly mingles with. Black Swan took the element above and beyond, with mirrors in almost every major scene of the film, and almost always used as a vehicle to perpetuate the story.
An interesting sidenote- the bulk of the movie (most notably the dance scenes) were filmed at the center for the arts at SUNY Purchase. Whatupp 914!
