Gone Girl

David Fincher, 2014

Can I Stream it?

3/5

Adapted from the popular book written by Gillian Flynn, the film is about husband Nick Dunne (Ben Afflect), suspected of murdering his missing wife Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike).

Fincher sets the tone early in the film with his distinctive style. A starkness, Reznor's ambient score echoing in the background. A low grade tension is present. When we are introduced to Affleck's character, he is already a man of questionable morals. Affleck seems to always be just tolerable enough in front of the camera in terms of his range when it comes to his acting abilities. He's never going to be a energetic force. Fincher seems to get the most out of Affleck with the Nick character, always making you feel suspicious of him. Gone Girl is largely a meditation on America's obsession with killer culture and celebritizing the monsters. We live in a culture where actual wife killers like Scott Peterson get a plethora of media attention. Men like Peterson, or Charles Manson, go on to receive love letters while sitting on death row. We also live in a culture where questionable suspects are tried and convicted by the court of public opinion before actually having set foot in an actual courtroom. These themes are at play, but it's not simply a straight-up satirical piece like Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers. It's a blood-soaked mind-game that looks at relationships and the roles we play. The head games some are forced to engage in. The way the people around us look at us, judge us. The conclusions we jump to with such conviction. If the film were in other hands, it probably wouldn't have worked out so well. And although by the conclusion it feels like the film had multiple endings already, Fincher manages to keep everything in control.

Argo

Ben Affleck, 2012

4/5

Past Oscar-winner Ben Affleck directs this Period piece about the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis. After the United States grants asylum to cancer stricken leader Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the streets of Iran erupt in chaos. Demonstrators storm the U.S. embassy demanding the U.S. return the Shah. Most of the State Department workers are held hostage but 6 manage to escape to the Canadian Ambassador's secured home. Without a lot options, they decide to send Tony Mendez (Affleck) into Iran as a Canadian filmmaker who will be scouting locations with his 6 cast-mates for a Sci-Fi film titled Argo. This will give him an opportunity to get the hostages out of the country with fake Canadian passports.

Affleck's film-making abilities really shine in this taut Thriller, with a lot of help from Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto (Babel, 21 Grams, Brokeback Mountain). It's a very nice looking film that plays on tension and shifting viewpoints to keep things moving along. Remarkable Cinematography combined with a Time-appropriate soundtrack, the transitional shots with the 70's rock (such as Van Halen's "Dance the Night Away" playing as actors in costume prepare for a table read) are well-placed and give you a break from the tensity.

I've always said that Affleck is better behind the camera than in front of it, but he is effective as Tony Mendez because its a character naturally calm and collected that really doesn't call for a lot of range. Some of the tense moments are reminiscent of fellow political thriller Zero Dark Thirty, but Argo ultimately stands out on its own. Those who may be skeptical that the story itself may feel dull will be surprised. Ample time spent on the protests, to the State Department contemplating their next move, to the Hollywood prep, and then ultimately putting the mission into action. The multiple perspectives only add to the detail. You're seeing things through the eyes of the Iranians, hostages, Argo production staff, State Department, and the American citizens. All of which come well-placed with adequate time spent with each.

Probably my favorite scene in the film is the scene with the VW bus moving through the crowd. It's so tense and well shot; you are literally sitting in the vehicle with them with your heart beating in unison as the Iranian hands pound on the glass windows in a symphony of anger. Some of the comedic elements also give you a nice break as well. Alan Arkin as Lester Siegel, the vocal foul-mouthed producer, and John Goodman as John Chambers, the talented Hollywood make-up artist. The clouds of cigarette smoke and bad eyeglass frames only add to the authenticity. Keep your eyes peeled at the end credits for photographs of the actual people involved with their Hollywood counterparts which was very interesting to see. "Argo f$%# yourself"!

Changing Lanes

(Roger Michell, 2002)

2/5



Nothing really memorable about this film. Dull, predictable, lackluster. Seems like the director had some good ideas but was never really able to apply them in away that would make this film distinct. They should have put more emphasis as the lost file being a symbol of their morality... Near the end of the film the torn and frayed file folder could have represented their weathered virtue. but it didnt. It was just a file folder. What's funny is the setting is in New York City, but it may as well have been shot in Cleveland. I don't even know if there was one shot of the New York skyline. Affleck was disappointing in the lead, lacked the depth that he seems to in every film. His strength is definitely as a director and not in acting roles. Samuel L. Jackson played himself for the most part. The best performance was Sydney Pollack who has a limited role in the film.