Michael Clayton (2007)****

Clooney has an uncanny ability to be cast in amazing films (We’ll forgive him for Batman & Robin and everything he did before ER). Michael Clayton is an intricate film that slowly unfolds. Tom Wilkinson deserved the Oscar nod, if not the win, for his supporting role in the film as the big business defense attorney who has a psychotic break in court. Wilkinson does one of the most convincing on-screen portrayals of bi-polar manic symptoms that I have seen. Tilda Swinton, who won an Oscar for her role in this film, proved she can also play a witch outside of Narnia. And then there is Sydney Pollack who played the head of the law film. It is interesting to see him in front of the camera for a change. What I really like about this movie is that it has a terrific ending, but still leaves you with some interesting unanswered questions.

La Samourai (1967)****

This is a French new wave film noir that incorporates Samurai philosophy into the story of a French hitman in contemporary Paris (what more could you ask for?). This is the first film I have seen by Jean-Pierre Melville, who directed a number of French film noirs currently released under the Criterion collection label (many of which I have recently added to my netflix queue). The lead actor in the film, Alain Delon, is smooth enough to rival anything Eastwood, Newman, and McQueen were doing in the 60’s and 70’s.

For an updated Tarantino-esque version of this film, I highly recommend Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai. This zany and relatively unknown film with Forest Whitaker is a must see.

Hobbit Update

It looks like Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, The Orphanage, Hellboy) is slated to direct The Hobbit, which is supposed to be released in 2010. The Hobbit II is also supposed to come out in 2011. It looks like Sir Ian McKellen will return as Gandalf and Peter Jackson is onboard as the executive director. Can del Toro pull it off? I liked Pan's Labyrinth but he's no Peter Jackson. What are your thoughts?

Yours, Mine, and Ours (2005) No stars

This is the type of movie I suffer through when I visit my in-laws. I really had no choice. Here is a short synopsis: Admiral in the coast guard is a widower with 8 kids. He reunites with his old high school flame (Rene Russo), a fun-loving fashion designer, who also happens to be a widow with ten kids. It is a very believable and very clichéd story. Need I say more?

After Life (1998)*****

In a way station somewhere between life and the here after, a group of individuals are asked to select one memory to take with them to the eternities. The almost minimalist set of this film, with its drab features, and a script that doesn’t bother with explanations, helps to accentuate the meaningfulness of this decision.

I cannot remember a more thought provoking premise to a movie. Perhaps my reaction to this film is related to my wife’s playful reminder that I have now technically reached middle age. Certainly the existential themes in this movie encourage the viewer to examine what aspects of their own life are most meaningful. I highly recommend this movie.

Melinda and Melinda (2004)***

There are 2 types of people in this world, those who love Woody Allen films and those who don’t. My marriage straddles both side of this divide – I find Allen’s neuroticism entertaining (and somewhat familiar), while my wife’s typical response to his films is “I just don’t get it.” Which side of this fence do you sit on? Well if you are a fan of Woody Allen, you’ll appreciate Melinda and Melinda.

The film explores the relationship between drama and comedy by presenting two alternate and interwoven plotlines - one a comedy and the other a drama, each one relying on similar premises. This is the type of film that would be really interesting to dissect to examine the nuanced similarities between the two stories.

Like most of Woody Allen’s films, Melinda and Melinda is a very witty and quotable film. Will Ferrell has a role in this film which he plays with a subtle humor akin to his character in Stranger than Fiction (my Farrell favorite), and he does a great job of channeling Allen’s neuroticism. Steve Carell plays Ferrell’s buddy in the film and they are pictured together on the back of the DVD cover. Carell’s role in the film is unfortunately very minor and not noteworthy.

Rescue Dawn (2006) ****

This film is based on the story of the pilot Dieter Dengler’s experiences and escape from a POW camp after being shot down. This film is very different than many POW films I have seen. Unlike Stalag 17, it doesn’t trivialize life as a POW. Rescue Dawn examines the group dynamics between the prisoners, as well as their suffering and endurance. Christian Bale is likable and convincing as the main character. Steven Zahn does a surprisingly amazing job with the supporting lead (both Zahn and Bale are shown in the picture above). Zahn, who is typically relegated to the role of comic relief (e.g., Daddy Day Care, Sahara) has such a strong stage presence as Bale’s friend and co-POW in the film. The cinematography of the film is top notch with the use of light and dark contrasts to portray the dire circumstances of the POWs and the rugged beauty of their natural surroundings.

The director, Herzog, based this film on a documentary he made of Dieter Dengler in 1997.

It would be interesting to watch to get a better took at Dengler's life.

Hell House (2001) ****

What a terrifying and disturbing film. Despite the name, Hell House isn’t a horror movie, it is a documentary exploring the Trinity church (Assemblies of God) in Cedar Hill, Texas, and their yearly Halloween fundraiser called Hell House. This house of horror showcases hell and the church’s perception of what gets people there through reenactments of drug use, suicide, family violence, school shootings, abortion, and more. The film follows the families and youth among the congregation through auditions, set construction, rehearsals, and the opening night. Part of what makes this film so disturbing is that many of members of this congregation seem like very nice everyday people. For example, there is the soft-spoken father who is raising three children on his own, including a son with cerebral palsy and a teenage daughter who he hopes will get the part of the girl with the botched abortion.

No documentary is completely objective, subjectivity always comes in through the editing and what the filmmakers choose to show in the film, but this film makes an attempt to portray an objective stance. Unlike the Michael Moore style documentaries, this film has no running commentary. The filmmakers present a study of this church with their gospel of fear, while allowing you to make your own judgments.

Dir. David O. Russell Freakout

I Heart Huckabee is one of my all-time favorite movies. The characters are amazing and it is fantastically written. I recently found this clip of the director, David O. Russell, freaking out on the set during filming. Someone from the film crew leaked this footage onto youtube last year. I can’t believe it. Poor Jason Schwartzman, Lily Tomlin, and Dustin Hoffman look so uncomfortable while this guy has a full-blown tantrum. He looks like an upset third grader with a severe mood disorder.

For those of you who haven’t seen I Heart Huckabee, don't let this clip steer you away. I still highly encourage you to see this film. Just assume, as I have, that Dave Russell forgot to take his medication on the day of this embarrassing outburst. Caution – the clip includes a litany of expletives from multiple parties involved.

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Indiana Jones 4 Trailer

Here is a link to the Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull trailer. I have a little prayer in my heart that this movie isn't going to suck....but, honestly, I am a little worried. I will try to stay optimistic. I guess if moviemakers can bring the Batman and James Bond franchises back to life, anything is possible. Check out the trailer and let me know your prediction.

http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/indianajones.html?showVideo=1