Last Tango in Paris
Even good acting (Marlon Brando) cannot save a script that has no depth and a director who lacks an eye for how to pick stories that are worth telling. If one is confused in one’s head (as writer or director), it does not make for good art to let confusion take over the story. The film likes to come off as being intellectual, but it’s creators lack intellect. Five out of the 130 minutes are truly moving: Roughly two thirds into the movie, Marlon Brando sits in front of the coffin of his dead-by-suicide wife and shows off his genius as an actor. From then on the film is again terrible. The film end’s with the line, “He is a madman.” Ostensibly, Marlon Brando’s character is meant, but one wonder’s about how much grip on reality both the writer and director of this film had themselves. Insight is what is terribly missing here.
Big Fish
A son struggles to find his father behind that endless stories and myths that junior heard from the day he was born. As an adult the son feels he does not know who his father really is because the stories are often so unbelievable to the adult mind. When the father comes down with cancer, the son starts to investigate whether the life of his father is all built on lies. The film is driven by incredible imagination and exquisite storytelling.
50 First Dates
Deeply built into our notion of romantic love is the idea that there is one other person out there who is tailor-made to be your mate. The only real question in this particular notion of love is whether you are able to find this person among the 6 billion people who could be the one. The film is firmly built on these premises. But it cleverly explores the complications of keeping even the most promising romance going. What if you have short-term memory loss and wake up every morning with no recollection whatsoever that you fell in love yesterday. Is romantic love possible under these trying circumstances? Can you form a meaningful relationship? If you are looking for an interesting little romance movie, this is a film for you.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Unlike Gladiator, Russel Crowe’s earlier historical action movie, the drama in Master and Commander” is quite dull. I was so bored after the first hour that I needed to rest a day before I could watch the second hour. Why did I continue at all? Well, Britain became the world’s greatest power in the 18th century by virtue of its navy. As a piece of historical sociology, the film has some splendid moments depicting the social organization of an British warship. Because of the enthusiam of the ship’s doctor for collecting species on the Galapagos Islands, we also get a sense of how important natural history was to British science from the 15th to the 19th century. Unfortunately, the film’s educational ambitions are frequently thrown over board.
On the Waterfront
This movie directed by Elia Kazan holds up even 50 years after its making. Labor unions in America no longer enjoy the power they did after World War II when their struggles with management made the front page of newspapers almost every day. If the movie were made today the corrupt union boss would be replaced by the corrupt Enron manager. But what would remain is the dramatic struggle between the many decent people who are exploited by the few, but don’t seem to be able to overthrow their exploiters until a few muster enough courage to do so. Marlon Brando delivers one of the most moving acting performances I have ever seen.
In America
A young Irish family emigrates to Manhattan to start a new life. But first the old life has to be left behind, and this proves to be harder than anticipated. Although death seemingly looms behind every corner, life struggles mightily to get back on its feet. This is a wonderfully perceptive film. Jim Sheridan (the director) has the touch of a poet. The two young actresses playing 10 and 8 year old sisters are pure gold.
21 Grams
How do you feel when your heart is failing you, but you don’t know if a donor heart is found in time to save your life? How do you feel when your husband and two little children are killed by an inattentive driver only a few blocks away from home? How do you feel when you find out that your new lover has the heart of your late husband? In this meditative film, the director explores these deeply emotional questions with determination and with an interesting narrative strategy that breaks the linear flow of time. Sean Penn shows that he can also play mild characters with great dramatic force. The expressiveness of his character lies precisely in using the body and not words to articulate the meaning of the situation. For the most part our hearts beat regularly and Penn is able to remind us of this fundamental rythm. And one day it will stop.
Cold Mountain
This Civil War movie works because it is has historical depth and employs a love story very effectively. Instead of going overboard with passion, the lovers take cautious steps toward each other and just as they allow themselves a kiss and the dream of a life together, Inman (Jude Law) is forced to join the army and fight in the war. Ada (Nicole Kidman) is left behind in the Cold Mountain region, waiting day after day, year after year, for Inman’s return. Despite all the hardship they individiually encounter, their hearts do not want to turn cold. Inman deserts from the army and tries to find his way back to Ada and the beauty of Cold Mountain. Love in this film is put in modest clothing and that’s what renders it interesting to watch.
High Fidelity
The movie is billed as a comedy. It is not much of one. It is a diary of a man whose girlfriend just walked out and who starts callling old girl friends to find out why they all rejected him. The situation is ripe with comic potential but the narrative lacks power and leaves one craving for good writing and deeper insight in the human condition.
Lost in Translation
I have never seen a movie quite like this one. It reminds you of a poem. But here most of the work is not done by words but by images. Bill Murray’s performance has received raving reviews. For me, it was not Bill Murray’s acting that made the movie interesting, but the novelty of how the director (Sofia Coppola) transported the emotions of the characters into the minds of viewers. The film represents an experiment in emotional translations. It is not a movie that I would put on my must-see-list, but if you are in the mood for experiencing some cinematographic innovation, this is not a bad pick. As an aside: I discovered today that more than one promotional poster is made for films. Apparently, the studios design separate his and hers marketing campaigns. Ladies, for you we got Bill Murray. Gentlemen, for you we got young American flesh.
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