The Darjeeling Limited

Wes Anderson, 2007

Can I Stream It?

2/5

Three brothers unite on a train in India a year after they lost their father in an attempt to reconnect and have a bonding experience together.

Like all of Wes Anderson's work, the film is easy on the eyes. But despite it's visual perks, it doesn't have a lot going for it. Ironically even though the colorful train is bound to the steel rails, the picture feels quite aimless and all over the place. Their mission together feels quite detached, as if they are mostly on a train killing time by smoking cigarettes and drinking native concoctions that are delivered to their personal sleeper cart. The attempt at multiple story threads (on-board romance, break up grief, family animosity) doesn't really stick. It feels like Anderson really wanted to make a movie in picturesque India. He was so excited that he quickly boarded the plane with Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray and forgot half of the script at home. It's understandable, because the best attributes about the film are probably some of the many amazing shots he managed to get. Heads sticking out of the train window as it passes through the night. The group passing through a bustling marketplace. Various angles of the interior cabin with the aging colorful decor sticking to the walls. It's an Anderson piece that requires more gazing than thinking. Even though it feels like a confused film it does seem to make sense that Anderson would want a picture like this in his library. It fits in well in that respect. You can take in the set pieces with the (very underrated classic rock band) Kinks playing in the background, which at the end of the day really isn't the worst thing to endure.

Shotgun Stories

Jeff Nichols, 2007

4/5

Son Hayes learns of his fathers death. Reflecting on years of abuse by the man, he decides to make an appearance at his funeral. When he describes the man that he knew, his father's children from his second marriage defend his character which creates a feud between the half brothers.

Nichols directs a truly heavy piece here. These complicated but reserved characters, placed in front of a bleak industrial landscape, surely have years of history - most of which is not pleasant. The sounds of their father still resonate through the barren fields behind their asbestos-sided shack. Michael Shannon is perfectly cast as the ambiguously named Son Hayes, older brother of Boy Hayes (Douglas Ligon) and Kid Hayes (Barlow Jacobs). The brothers' lack of formal names only adds to the mystique of their past, and the years they try to forget. The sudden quarrel between the half brothers feels authentic, and the build up of tension and the growing conflict feels very real. Almost too real. Certainly a study on ones lack of control, of feeding into a particular impulse, not really thinking of any consequences. The rival Hayes boy's, who were raised by a sober Father Hayes, saw a different man. A man they were proud to have his blood pumping through their veins. A man they were proud to defend. There is a certain sense of sympathy for these boys too, because they don't know the person that Son Hayes describes. They were treated to the upgraded Father Hayes. Unfortunately all Son Hayes can see is his father in every one of his half brothers. Like they are a living ghost. You wonder if they could possibly bury the hatchet, could they connect with each other? Or is the town too small for all of Hayes boys? Perhaps there isn't enough farmland in the rural town to bury the memories.

There is a noticeable sense of maturity to the film by Nichols. The acoustic guitar riff echoes through the film and only augments the melodrama. It finally plays out at the ending credits, serving as a catharsis to the long constructed angst. While not a happy piece to watch by any means, it's a compelling drama that makes an impression. 

The Man from Earth

Richard Schenkman, 2007


3/5

Professor John Oldman (David Lee Smith) suddenly decides, after 10 years of teaching, that he is going to move to an undisclosed destination. His colleagues are perplexed, and confused. During a going-away party at his cabin, he decides to tell them that he is actually a caveman from the Paleolithic age that never died. They assume he's lying, or trying to consult with them on material for a book he may be writing.

The film, set in the southwest, is fueled by good acting and sharp writing. Substance over style, it doesn't need much more than its provocative dialogue and desert country backdrop to move the story along. As they arrive at the his remote cabin, they immediately start asking questions. You get a sense that he was a very well-liked individual who made a lot of friends on campus. As they open a bottle of Johnny Walker Green, he begins to open up a bit about the reasons for his departure. His colleagues are other professors, well-versed in subjects from Psychology to Anthropology to History to Christian Studies. Instant skeptics, the layers of the onion are peeled and the colleagues begin to try to find cracks in his story. John, a reserved but kind man, continues to recount tales of hunting, looking at the stars thousands of years ago and questioning god, to the rise and fall of the Roman empire. The emotions of the colleagues become unsteady as the story continues. In their eyes, they are hurt that a good friend is leaving for an unknown reason and they are angry that he's playing with their emotions on his way out of town. At times, they assume he has manipulated them by putting them all in the same room hoping to pick their brains. As night falls, the stories continue. Angry and confused, they still cannot get up and walk out. They must hear more. YOU must hear more. You, the audience, basically serves as another body in the room sitting around the fireplace listening along. John's story is engaging and ultimately becomes entrancing as the sun sets and you sit around listening, and gazing at the hypnotic flames of the fire.

Jerome Bixby, who wrote the script, has a background in the sci-fi genre. With Star Trek and The Twilight Zone episodes on his resume, he's clearly someone with a sharp mind that has some interesting ideas. While the film is noticeably low budget, it doesn't call for much more. It's not necessary. This film would also presumably do well on the Broadway stage.

[REC]

Jaume Balaguero & Paco Plaza, 2007


4/5

          Television reporter Angela (Manuela Velasco) and her cameraman Pablo are filming an episode of their show While You Were Sleeping at a firehouse where they plan on tagging along to film some calls. After patiently waiting all night, they finally get a call at an apartment building. Unfortunately for them, its a call that quickly turns into a chaotic night for everyone involved.
          If Cloverfield & The Blair Witch Project had a zombie baby, it would be [REC]. This Spanish-subtitled film is certainly in the Zombie Found Footage category, and there isn't a lot of company there. If you're NOT a fan of Found Footage, you might as well pass on this one. It's contains all of the typical themes (night vision, shaky cam, quick cutting, lights out). But if you're a fan of the genre, you're going to be treated to all of those themes executed perfectly.
          The film starts off with Angela rehearsing the intro to their show. She begins to walk through the firehouse interviewing various firemen. This gives you a false sense of security because you know what's on the horizon. The film is guilty of hitting a bit of a slow patch in the beginning but when it finally takes off, you're in for a ride. These are probably the most terrifying zombies I've seen on film. They are reminiscent of the Rage-virus zombies in 28 Days Later but are more threatening and bloodthirsty. The tension is reinforced by the claustrophobic conditions of shooting the film with a handheld camera in a historic apartment building. The entire film is basically shot in either the hallway of the apartment building, or in the various apartments within. Dark entryways, white paint cracking from the blood soaked walls. There were some really innovative techniques used in this film and with it being made on a budget of just under $2M, the minimalist story-line and progressive tension didn't need gratuitous gore (although you'll get your fair share of blood). They apply the Blair Witch technique of compounding tension to a point of climax, but doesn't hesitate to bare its teeth along the way. A day later some of the shots are really sticking with me - aiming the camera down from an upper floor and seeing the zombies on lower floors looking up, Pablo placing the only camera on the floor to help subdue a zombie in the hallway & then picking it back up again, and of course the final scene in a penthouse apartment. When this film grows its legs it really takes off, and comes together in the end. The final scene had me on the edge of my seat.

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Seth Gordon (2007)


4/5

This documentary follows Steve Wiebe - an unemployed father of two who is down on his luck. He happens to have a Donkey Kong Jr. machine in his garage, and decides that beating the World High Score is within his abilities. This high score is currently held by notorious and respected gamer Billy Mitchell (who reminds me of Tom Cruise's character in Magnolia), who set it in 1982. This film is in the same category as Special When Lit: A Pinball Documentary and Word Wars in the sense that they follow avid players who play these games to the point of obsession. Playing the games becomes an all-consuming affair that inevitably spills into other sectors of their lives. In this case, Steve Wiebe is just looking for that eventual break. He's sick of being the runner-up, sick of letting his family down. This could be his one big shot to stand out. Wiebe is no doubt talented, during the film he sits down at his child's drum set and performs a well-crafted drum solo while Donkey Kong footage and white pencil sketched overlays provide some eye candy. He is accused of being obsessive compulsive, but you're left wondering if people like this are more of a highly-functioning autistic. Every movie needs its bad guy. Billy Mitchell at first comes off as a likable figure but that degrades quickly when you begin to peel the layers of his personality. You soon see that he is a ego-maniacal  arrogant, bitter man. Billy Mitchell is clinging to that Donkey Kong score like its a high school football trophy that he still brags about 30 years later. He appears to be in a better financial situation than Wiebe, but money doesn't buy happiness. You never see any children on Mitchell's lap. While Steve Wiebe's life appears fulfilled and rich with family ties, Mitchell has only his trophy wife and his low-paid minions to do his dirty work. Regardless of what that silly Donkey Kong score is, Steve Wiebe is the real winner because hes the better guy.

Madness in the White City

Bill Kurtis, 2007


3/5

The world was on the edge of their seat waiting for the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. The fair, called The Columbian Exposition, would showcase the world's first Ferris Wheel, the first fully electrical kitchen with a dishwasher, spray painting, and even a newly created popcorn confection that would later be called Cracker Jacks. Little did the visitors to the fair know that nearby there was a hotelier, H.H. Holmes,  murdering his occupants in his very own fun-house. What carries this 45 minute documentary is the story. There is beautiful black and white archival photography of the Guilded Age. The large scale of actually creating the fairgrounds is amazing and impressive. It's unique that while such a large scale construction project is really displaying the American spirit at its best, there is a Psychopath right across town revealing the worst side of humanity. Because it is a TV movie you should expect poor reenactment footage, and you will get a dose of that. Overall, an interesting quick watch that should please.

Timecrimes

Nacho Vigalondo, 2007

4/5

This is a Spanish time travel film starring Karra Elejalde. Very well made, well written, well acted. Elejalde was compelling in the lead role as Hector. I found him to be a sympathetic character within the first 15 minutes of the film. This film has the same grittiness and sophistication as "Primer" (2004), but on a much higher budget ($2.6M vs $7K). Not sure where that budget went because the film is absent of big budget effects, CGI, makeup, etc. It just didnt need it. So rich in storyline, the 90 min. runtime went by quickly and I was completely satisfied with the ending.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Andrew Dominik, 2007

5/5

A really great film. I'm mad at myself for not watching this sooner as it sat on my tv stand in the netflix envelope for over a month. The photography in this film is so beautiful. Amazing Vignette shots throughout the beginning. As the train approaches through the forest, the way Dominik used the light through the trees is one of the best shots ive seen in years. The pacing is so perfect, scattered violence isn't over the top or gratuitous. The setting, late 1800's Midwest, reminded me of "Deadwood" and "There will be blood". The song, "Song for Jesse" by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, plays throughout the film and is now on one of my Spotify playlists. The cast is packed with talent. Casey Affleck, Brad Pitt, Sam Rockwell, Jeremy Renner, Paul Schneider all contribute great performances. If i made a list for top films of 2000-2010, this would certainly be on it. I plan on rewatching soon.