Talladega Nights – Screenplay by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay – April 6, 2005 draft.
Films:
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Not that Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is not at times quite fun to watch, but it is amazing that so much money, talent and energy can go into a project and ends up with something so devoid of any personality. The CGI and the action scenes are expectedly well done. I have never played the game, so I have no idea how much it actually resembles the video game. And I am still a bit unsure of movie adaptation of video games, are we to expect some kind of game play element from the movie? In any case, apart from a few “video game”-esque pan shots, the filmmakers do not seem too concern about that.
Penelope
Penelope is sweet and it has some flair in its fashion and art directions. It has a promising premise and the set up is intriguing. The actors are fun to watch. But ultimately, the filmmakers play it too safe and the story becomes just too middle of the road to be memorable.
Screenplays:
Talladega Nights - Screenplay by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay
This draft of the screenplay doesn’t have the buddy character (the John C. Reilly character) yet, and it still lacks something. I like the short intro of Ricky Bobby’s early life in the movie better than taking up several pages of his childhood in this draft of the script.
Dinner for Schmucks – by Andy Borowitz. Revisions by Cinco Paul & Ken Daurio, Jon Vitti. Current revisions by David Guion & Michael Handelman. Based on the original French film “Le diner de ” by Francis Veber. February 27, 2007.
Films
Doc Hollywood
Some 80′s and early 90′s movies are kind of like comfort food, they are just easy to watch when you don’t feel like trying anything new. Doc Hollywood fits that bill perfectly. This Hollywood’s fantasy of an American small town is charming enough to overcome its many clichés. Michael J Fox is likable (c’mon, he walks his pig!), and Woody Harrelson and Bridget Fonda are fun and entertaining.
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
Written and directed by Jane Anderson (adapted from Terry Ryan’s book), The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio is based on a remarkable true story of a mother who kept her 10 children fed by entering and winning jingle contests in the 50′s and 60′s. Julianne Moore carries the picture as the saintly wife and mother. Woody Harrelson (once again!) gives a great supporting performance as the flawed husband. Though the ups and downs of the family may seem a bit repetitive after a while, the 3rd act climax still manages to be quite moving.
Cemetery Junction
After several rather forgettable Hollywood movies (Ghost Town is an exception) for Ricky Gervais, he and Stephen Merchant make their big screen directorial debut in Cemetery Junction. There are laughs but this is essentially a drama, which might explain why it did not even get a theatrical release in the U.S. and went straight to video. It’s a shame. The duo set out to make a British coming of age film, and they largely succeeded. The film is warm, feel-good, funny, and it captures the sentimentality of the time – exactly the qualities you would expect from a good Hollywood coming of age movie.
I have a soft spot for the movie because it is about a small town in the Reading, Berkshire area, which is where I went to school some time in the previous century.
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men
While adaptation studies have moved away from concerning too much about fidelity or literal adaptation, some literary works are still more problematic to adapt than others. David Foster Wallace’s Brief Interviews with Hideous Men (which is a collection of short stories and transcripts of interviews) may be one of those. It is probably too ambitious a project for first time director John Krasinski. The result is more like a play than a film. Well, it’s actually more like a series of interviews (you see why it’s difficult to adapt) than a film. There isn’t a strong enough narrative engine to the protagonist’s story to power all the interviews. But with so many pros in the business take the easy and lazy roads, I admire Krasinski’s ambition to go for the challenging project.
Conversations with Other Women
The conversations in Conversations with Other Women are authentic and the relationship between the two main characters feels real. It even has a bit of the Before Sunrise/Before Sunset feel (and this is a very high compliment). So it’s unfortunate that the split screen presentation so overshadows the actual content of the film. The split screen takes a little bit of time to get used to, but it is used effectively after the story gets going, so I don’t think of it as a just gimmick. However, I would still prefer to have it presented the conventional way.
The Hudsucker Proxy
The Hudsucker Proxy, despite its stunning visual and art direction, is a lesser Coen Brothers work, especially when compared to what comes before (Barton Fink) and after (Fargo) it in the brothers’ filmography. The characters are caricatures and lack depth to make them sympathetic.
Spoorloos (The Vanishing)
The Vanishing begins with a suspenseful sequence in a tunnel which plays with the viewers’ knowledge of the title. The real story then unfolds in a non-linear, matter-of-fact fashion and concludes with one of the most chilling and disturbing endings I have seen in any film. It still gives me the chill whenever I think about it. A true psychological thriller. A masterpiece.
Book:
Button Button - by Richard Matheson
The stories in this Richard Matheson short stories collection have a very Twilight Zone feel to them. One of the stories, Button Button, is the source material for The Box (written and directed by Richard Kelly) which I have not seen yet. It’s also been adapted to a Twilight Zone episode, also called Button Button, which apparently Matheson hated. Then I discovered that Matheson was a writer for several Twilight Zone episodes. Okay, now that explains why his stories are so Twilight-Zone-y.
Screenplay:
Dinner for Schmucks - Screenplay
This draft of the screenplay is quite different from the movie which suggests that it’s an early draft. The Steve Carell character in this draft is not fully developed yet, and neither is the “dinner” nor the supporting characters. But I can see the appeal of the story here already. I found the movie (unexpectedly) well written, so it’s interesting to read an earlier draft to see the creative process of polishing the script to that final version. No fewer than six writers have worked on this draft already.
Salt is all about Angelina Jolie, who is probably the only actress today who can open a big action movie on her own. The problem with Jolie is she has become such a celebrity that people cannot disassociate the tabloid Jolie from the characters she plays. As a result, her dramatic performances tend to be overshadowed by her own public image, and she is actually more believable playing out-of-this-world superheroines like Lara Croft, or superspies such as the ones in Wanted or indeed in Salt.
I didn’t expect much going in, but ended up being pleasantly surprised. It is a well made, summer popcorn blockbuster action flick, and certainly better than Wanted or Mr. and Mrs. Smith, or any of the Tomb Raider movies. The action sequences are exciting without being too implausibly over the top. And it has us guessing which side the protagonist is on, and the clever part is, it really doesn’t matter as it is ultimately about something more.
No Impact Man: The Documentary
In No Impact Man (blog, book, and now a movie), Colin Beavan strives to have a lifestyle that minimizes damages to the environment. Some dismisses what he’s doing it as solely self-promotion, but I don’t see a lot of wrong with it. I think even he acknowledges that if what he does benefits the world, so what if it also benefits him personally.
While I identify with the wife in that I am also an urban person, I also understand the goals and rules setting of the husband. They may be rigid and unreasonable, but once you have set the goals and rules, you have to follow them!
Encounters at the End of the World
While the alien world like imagery of Antarctica is captivating enough to see Werner Herzog’s Encounters at the End of the World, it is the obsessiveness of those who choose to go and stay there that is even more interesting. Herzog takes us to the McMurdo Research Station, which houses over 1000 people to study the extreme environment. And he introduces us to scientists, students, and many other odd characters. But these are hardcore people (much like Herzog himself, and they are exactly his favorite kind of subjects). They, in turn, takes us to see the extremity of the environment that so fascinates them.
Wordplay
A interesting subculture and an entertaining subculture documentary. Wordplay is about New York Times crossword puzzle and the people who play it. Somewhat similar to Word Wars, a documentary about Scrabble, Wordplay is superior in many ways. It features more interesting people, a more cultured look at the game and the creators, and a more exciting tournament.
The Joneses
An attractive (and fake) family moves into a rich neighborhood and makes everyone there want to be like them. Turns out they’re just there to be living advertisement for all kinds of products. The business model may not be entirely feasible, but it’s hard to deny that good looking people can sell stuffs. Is that the reason I liked TheJoneses?
The She Found Me
Okay, let’s get this out of the way - who didn’t have at least a bit of a crush on Jaime Buchman in Mad About You? Since then Helen Hunt has been in a big budget CGI blockbuster, won an Oscar and starred in an Woody Allen film.
Her directorial debut, Then She Found Me, is a sincere effort. From a co-written script (with Alice Arlen and Victor Levin) adapted from the novel by Elinor Lipman, Ms. Hunt is careful to remain understated throughout and resists the temptation to venture into sitcom territory (there are many such opportunities if she so chooses). The result is an appealing, unpredictable, touching dramedy accompanied by some good performances. I look forward to her next project.
Tales from the Script
It is always to good to hear successful screenwriters share their anecdotes, their stories and their struggles, which can be inspiring (or not) to aspiring writers. However, as a feature length film, I feel that Tales from the Script does not have enough new insights for people who know about screenwriting, or enough drama to be engaging enough for people who do not want to be screenwriters.
Dinner for Schmucks
A remake of the French film, Le Dîner de Cons, the American version, Dinner for Schmucks, is much sweeter. The trailer makes it out to be a dumb movie, but I was pleasantly surprised to see a funny and well written comedy. There are big and small laughs throughout the movie (helped by a great supporting cast of oddball characters). I especially like the humor, which although broad, usually has a deeper layer of tragedy mixed in.
A Mighty Heart
Director Michael Winterbottom goes for realism in A Might Heart (adapted from Mariane Pearl’s memoir), and puts us in the middle of a chaotic world. We observe them trying their best to work through a very difficult (and ultimately tragic) problem. There is not a plot in the traditional Hollywood sense, but this de-emphasis of a plotline enforces the disorientation and further adds to the sense of helplessness of the people. Angelina Jolie gives one of her best performances, but like I mentioned earlier, her serious acting unfortunately tends to be underrrated because of her celebrity.
Vantage Point
Vantage Point has a clever narrative structure with several different perspectives. It is executed well enough (and fast paced enough) to not feel repetitive. It also does a good job of setting up tense cliffhangers at the end of each “vantage point”. Is it gimmicky? Perhaps. But it is an entertaining approach to a story that would otherwise be quite straightforward.
Disturbia (2007) – Written by Christopher Landon. Revised by Carl Ellsworth. March 2006.
Films:
Disturbia (2007)
Disturbia is basically Rear Window for teens, which means that it will (unfortunately) forever be compared to one of the greatest films of all time.
It’s obviously not close to being in the same caliber as the Hitchcock classic, but it’s a reasonably well done suspense thriller. It takes its time to set up the main character, which actually works better on screen than in its script form. It lacks a bit of spatial orientation, especially when compared to Rear Window, which gives us a very clear picture of the entire apartment complex and its occupants within the first few minutes. The motivations of many of the characters are not entirely convincing, which prevents the movie from working beyond the surface level. However, it works well enough on that surface level to be entertaining.
Don't Bother to Knock
In Don’t Bother to Knock, Marilyn Monroe’s superstar charisma deserts her in her attempt to play a depressed and mentally unstable babysitter. Perhaps she wasn’t ready to play such a role at that point of her career, or perhaps the role is simply not written well enough. A young Anne Bancroft shines much more brightly than the self-limiting Monroe in this psychodrama.
The Back-up Plan
It took me 3 days to finish The Back-up Plan, because I could only take it about 30mins at a time. But I was determined to finish it! Oh, why do I even bother with this type of romantic comedy? It’s set in a world that doesn’t exist. The “meet cute” (so important in a romcom) is them getting in the same cab at the same time – something that never ever happens in real life but happens so often in movies like this. She thinks he’s Mr. Right, but the telling moment of the movie is, when asked by her grandmother why she thinks he’s her soul mate, her answer is “Oh… I don’t know”. That pretty much sums it all up, because we don’t know what she sees in him either.
The Losers
The Losers is an fun popcorn action movie. I like that it doesn’t pretend that it’s anything more than what it is. Adapted from a comic book, the story moves along briskly, with some inventive visuals and action sequences.
The Ghost Writer
The Ghost Writer is a terrific classical thriller directed by Roman Polanksi from a script he co-adapted with Robert Harris from Harris’ best selling novel. It is done so sure-handedly that it doesn’t need any gimmicks to create suspense. Pierce Bronsan is excellent as the ex-Prime Minister, and the fine English actress Olivia Williams is perhaps even better as his wife.
Screenplays:
Disturbia - Written by Christopher Landon
Compared to the movie, the set up in the script feels a bit too long without much happening. As with the movie, I feel that the death of the father at the beginning doesn’t add much to the character nor the central conflict of the story, even though it makes the teenager essentially the man of the house (but there are many other ways to achieve that). However, I do like that the Korean best friend is written in the script as Korean and is cast as Korean. How often do you see that in Hollywood?
Once – Shooting script (January 2006) – written by John Carney
Films:
Crossing Delancey
Crossing Delancey is a predictable romantic comedy. Within the first fifteen minutes we know exactly where the story will go, and some of the dialog sounds manufactured. The main male character is one dimensional. He is a typical chick flick fantasy character – single, generous, patient with old ladies, good looking, polite, understanding (geez, what more can you ask for? Just marry him already!).
BUT, despite all these flaws, this little movie has charm. And the characters have charm (but of course they would be even more charming if they had better lines). It’s an enjoyable romantic comedy, which is a high praise considering how bad most movies are in this genre.
La nana (The Maid)
As a modern take of the master/servant genre, La nana (The Maid) has a simple premise. But the story and the characters are complex and unpredictable. Catalina Saavedra (who plays the title character) doesn’t give much away for most of the film and keeps us guessing of her character until the third act, which pays off surprisingly well at the end.
Triangle (鐵三角)
The title “Triangle” not only refers to the three main characters, but also to the three iconic Hong Kong directors who helmed this film. The three directors deliver basically what is expected of them: Tusi Hark’s first act is narratively incoherent, a trait he has no intention of changing after all these years; Ringo Lam’s second act is the most violent; and Johnny To’s third act turns the film into an absurd dark comedy and is ultimately the most enjoyable of the three acts.
Red Cliff - Part I & II (赤壁)
Romance of the Three Kingdom (三國演義) is one of the four classic novels of Chinese literature, and the “Battle of the Red Cliff” is probably the most famous chapter of the novel. But the film Red Cliff(Part I & II) (赤壁) is actually based on the historical account of the period, Records of Three Kingdoms (三國志). The major difference between fiction and fact is, the main character Zhou Yu (周瑜) is portrayed as a jealous and tragic figure in the novel, even though the real Zhou Yu was a brilliant strategist who really was a hero. While I applaud the filmmakers’ effort to be historical accurate, I couldn’t help but wish that they had gone with the fictional version of Zhou Yu, simply because he is a much more complex and multi-layered character. The novel is successful because its characters are all so colorful. The Zhou Yu in the novel, while still a brilliant general, is always one step behind the god-like Zhuge Liang (諸葛亮), and it is his jealously that makes him so tragic and interesting (much like the fictionalized rivalry between Salieri and Mozart in Amadeus).
I chose to watch the “International” version of this film, which has two parts, and has a combined running time of close to 5 hours. The U.S. version cuts it down to 2hrs and 38mins, and I read that it focuses on the battle scenes and leaves out a lot of the “talking” scenes, and therefore makes the film more confusing to people who are not familiar with the characters. And there are a lot of characters.
The battle scenes look grand and amazing, and it shows the potential of the Chinese movie industry in terms of producing big budget blockbusters that can rival Hollywood productions. The talkie scenes, never a strong suit for director John Woo, are hit and miss. Probably more misses than hits. Especially the love scenes, and the “romantic” scenes. But still, I enjoyed this epic a lot and the 288 mins running time did not bother me at all.
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Non-linear narrative became a bit of a fad in the 90′s when Pulp Fiction inspired a flock of wannabes, but few applied the technique in an appropriate fashion where it adds to the narrative rather than simply being a gimmick. Christopher Nolan’s Momento is one rare example of perfectly utilizing the strength of non-linear narrative as it is the best way to tell that particular story.
Written by Kelly Masterson and directed by Sidney Lumet, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is another superb film that really takes advantage of non-linear storytelling to build one sharp suspenseful moment after another. It is also done seamlessly without drawing attention to the technique. As for the actual film, it is a superb family melodrama/thriller/heist movie all rolled into one big Greek tragedy. I highly recommend this one.
The Male Animal
Caught this on TCM. I am always interested in films set in universities. The Male Animal is about a quiet, untenured English professor (Henry Fonda) who must overcome academic pressure to teach what he believes in. Though it is about academic freedom, but the real human issue is about fighting like a man, physically and metaphorically.
The Duchess
The Duchess is elegantly shot, with gorgeous costumes and everything. A definite “A” in art direction. Much like having realistic CGI in action movies, beautiful art direction is pretty much a minimum requirement for this genre of movies. The big revelation here is the emergence of Kiera Knightley as a leading actress.
Niagara
Niagara is a minor Marilyn Monore work and she is the only reason to see it. She is, as usual, the center of attention in every scene she is in. Unfortunately, the movie is just a run of the mill noirish thriller with unmemorable characters, coupled with an indistinct protagonist.
For All Mankind
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1990, For All Mankind (directed by Al Reinert) uses real NASA footage and audio recordings to compile a “Best Of” collection of all the Apollo missions. Looking at the now primitive looking spacesuits and equipments (not much different than those in old sci-fi movies), I marvel at their determination and bravery to take on the danger of space travel. The visuals (in and from space) alone is worth seeing the film.
For Your Consideration
Considering the quality of Christopher Guest’s previous works (Waiting for Guffman, Best of Shows, A Mighty Wind), For Your Consideration is a bit of a disappointment. Hollywood is an easy target for satire, but at the same time, the whole movie industry is so famously wacky, so integrated into our everyday consciousness, that it is actually very difficult to satirize it in a way that we haven’t seen before. While this film doesn’t offer any fresh insights, Guest and his usual ensemble are always enjoyable to watch.
Screenplays:
Once - screenplay written by John Carney
Once (the film) has such an improvised feel to it that got me interested in reading its script. With so many songs in the film, it’s not a surprise that the screenplay is pretty short (only 62 pages). It is also written in a way that is distinctively not “Hollywood”, which means that it probably would not get any attention in the industry as a script. It could only be a low budget indie film, and I am very glad that it got made the way it did.
The Reader is elegant and beautifully shot, much like director Stephen Daldry’s other films. A sensuous first act is unfortunately followed by a drab courtroom drama in the second act. Courtroom scenes are just not that interesting visually – typically a question and an answer, then followed by reaction shots. Despite an excellent performance by Kate Winslet, the film feels a bit too designed to be an Oscar bait without reaching beyond the surface sentimentality.
Laurel Canyon
The set up of Laurel Canyon makes the story very predictable. What makes the movie watchable are the actors. Frances McDormand steals the movie. Alessandro Nivola, who plays her lover, is excellent. Christian Bale shows glimpses of the intensity in his later works. They make the movie work despite the flaws in the story.
Maborosi (幻の光)
In Maborosi (幻の光), Hirokazu Koreeda (是枝 裕和) demonstrates the power of the stationary camera. This directorial debut is almost like an homage to Ozu. And like Ozu, Koreeda is not afraid to let his shots linger. This story is about memory, death, and coming to terms with loss, which are themes that Koreeda would explore over and over again in his other films.
I am particularly intrigued by Koreeda’s use of lines in the visual composition. Like in the screenshot above, the characters are often framed in straight, clean, man-made lines. They live in a world of logic and predictability. But when something larger, or illogical happens, when straight lines are no longer enough to explain the world, they are forced to explore what they are not accustomed to. They are then framed in the organic lines of nature – the mountains, the coasts, the water. These lines are unpredictable, larger than life and even dangerous. The constant struggle between the two worlds mirrors the protagonist’s struggle between living in grief and carrying on with her life.
Air Doll (空気人形)
Air Doll (空気人形) is Hirokazu Koreeda (是枝 裕和)’s newest film. It has more moving camera shots in its first two minutes than in the entire Maborosi. The story is simple – an inflatable doll comes to life and looks to find out what it means to be human. Korean actress Bae Doo-na (배두나)(The Host, Linda Linda Linda) is perfectly cast as the Doll. Though the film is about 20mins too long for my taste, I love its exploration of urban loneliness and yearning.
Books:
The Reader - by Bernhard Schlink
I think being chosen as an Oprah’s Bookclub book has diminished the reputation of The Reader in certain circles. While the film version is certainly designed for awards, the novel has a bit more depth.
Youth in Revolt – Screenplay by Gustin Nash – Based on a novel by C.D. Payne
Films:
Tadpole
With a low budget and shot on a hurried schedule, Tadpole is a witty and charming film with some rough edges. Although its short running time (only 78 mins) leaves its plot and characters underdeveloped, it nonetheless demonstrates the talent of the filmmakers. Director/Producer Gary Winick would later produce one of my favorite Thanksgiving films: Pieces of April.
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
Films about subcultures always fascinate me. And people who are obsessed about achieving something are usually the most interesting people on screen. Well, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters is an absolutely compelling documentary about the obsession of being the best Donkey Kong player in the world. This is a documentary with a very strong narrative drive. We have a likable everyman underdog that we root for, versus the current champ – a formidable villain in the form of a Machiavellian hot-sauce mogul. It is Rocky about video games (Eye of the Tiger is even featured in the film). I actually found myself caring about the outcome. It’s absorbing, entertaining, heartbreaking, and hilarious. It’s a great film!
A Single Man
Who knew fashion designers could make good directors? Fashion icon Tom Ford really shows his artistic talent in A Single Man. The film is stylish and beautiful to look at, especially for someone who appreciates “design”. Ford’s use of color – from dull to vibrant and back – to express emotions is a powerful technique. Colin Firth’s restraint performance is the best that I have seen of him.
Special
The superhero genre is usually a big money opportunity for movie studios. Think Spiderman, Batman, Ironman, etc. They are usually big budget, special effects filled affairs and they all pretty much follow the same formula. But every once in a while, we get something interesting. M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable is a fantastic example of how to expand the boundary of this genre.
Special attempts another new take on the superhero genre, which is commendable. Michael Rapaport portrays the deluded superhero with such sincerity that it’s difficult not to feel for him. However, the plot is rather one note and the tonal change in the second half of the film is a bit awkward. Overall, the film is a decent experiment with the genre without quite pulling it off.
Looking for Eric
I like Ken Loach’s films, but Looking for Eric is a bit different from his usual style. There is still the understated realism, but there is also a fantastical and farcical element, especially towards the end. It is probably the most mainstream of his film. My main complaint, though, is the gun subplot, which I think drags the film down.
Screenplay:
Youth in Revolt
This version of the Youth in Revolt script differs from the film quite a bit. I think I prefer the film version. François, the alter ego, has more presence in the film, which I like. Not that the movie is entirely coherent, but the narrative in this draft of the script is even less so. Even so, there are still some funny moments that I enjoy.
Despite the almost universal acclaim, I didn’t enjoy Let the Right One in as much as I would like. The cinematic techniques impress my head more than my heart. After thinking about it a bit more afterwards that I came to like it a bit more with the interpretation of the “dad” as a former lover, who knew Eli when he was a kid (like Oscar)… and this would be the eventual fate of Oscar. Other than this interpretation, I find the film slow, and the emotional conflicts uninvolving.
The Cheat
The commercial success of The Cheat (1915) helped propel Cecil B. DeMille to the big time. The film is significant because it was a rare early American film with an Asian male as a romantic lead. A young Sessue Hayakawa (who would later receive an Oscar nomination for his role in the David Lean epic, The Bridge on the River Kwai) steals the film, and emerged as probably the first Asian male film star in America.
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
One sure thing that would get people mad is seeing rich people getting outrageously rich by running their business to the ground. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a thoroughly absorbing account of a complicated financial scam that ruined many people’s lives. Seeing how these guys get away with so much, the current banking debacle really shouldn’t have been a surprise.
Capitalism: A Love Story
The Enron documentary got me into a hate-the-rich-scums mood. Made a few years after the Enron documentary, Captialism: A Love Story gives us yet another story of the greed and absolute selfishness of the business world. Love him or hate him, Michael Moore can tell an engaging story. Unless the banking industry is regulated, I have a feeling we will have many more of these financial scams documentaries in the future.
Books:
The Grifters - by Jim Thompson
Con men stories are always fascinating. The Grifters gives us a glimpse of a short-con man’s life. Unlike the film adaptation, the novel focuses on a single protagonist, which is more of a character study than the film.
The Grifters – Screenplay by Donald E. Westlake – based on the novel by Jim Thompson
Little Children – Screenplay by Todd Field and Tom Perrotta – based on a novel by Tom Perrotta
Films:
Everybody's Fine
Everybody’s Fine has a tired formula of a strict father who wants to reconnect with his grown-up children. De Niro’s character is a retired telephone-wire maker and has communication problems with his kids, so we get various shots of telephone wires whenever transitional shots are needed. Everything in the film is just a bit too on the nose to declass any genuine emotions to manufactured sentimentality. The actors are all first class, but overall the sum is less than the parts.
Swimming Pool
Swimming Pool is a very French “thriller” (even though it’s François Ozon’s first English language film) in that it is concerned more with studying the creative process of a mystery novelist at work than creating suspense. Don’t get me wrong though, there is plenty of suspense. It arises naturally out of the mind of a writer who is used to coming up with creative ways for her characters to commit crimes. The story unfolds quietly and is full of surprises.
Nathalie
In the cinematic world of beautiful women, Ms. Béart is unquestionably one of the most gorgeous. Nathalie works, a large part is due to her presence, as her part demands unquestionable beauty. The film is sensual, erotic and deceptive in a French way. It’s not afraid to let the characters talk, and the chemistry between Fanny Ardant and Emmanuelle Béart subtlely opens up many possibilities. The always excellent Gérard Depardieu rounds out a A-List cast.
Chloe
Chloe is an American remake of Nathalie. In this version, the Emmanuelle Béart part is played by Amanda Seyfried (is she the Jude Law of 2010? She’s in at least 4 movies in the last 12 months: Chloe, Dear John, Letter to Juliet, and Jennifer’s Body), who is young and pretty, but lacks that worldly, mischievous quality that Ms. Béart possesses. As expected, everything in this Hollywood version is not as subtle as the original. The changes made in this remake do not really make sense, especially the Fatal Attraction-esque 3rd act and the lesbian scene, which seem to be simply aiming at cheap sensationalism.
Le march de l'empereur (March of the Penguins)
One has to admire the dedication and perseverance of wild life documentary filmmakers. The imagery in Le march de l’empereur (March of the Penguins) is simply majestic. The opening images of an Antarctica basked in surreal lights immediately transports us to a part of our planet that is so alien looking that it might as well be another world. Then it’s one stunning scene after another of the extremely harsh environment the penguins have to battle against. How did they manage to shoot these images? Yes, the penguins are humanized in order to make a compelling story, but I’m alright with that in this instance.
Boogie Woogie
Boogie Woogie is sort of the In the Loop of the London art world (but not nearly as funny nor as biting). It’s a mean and greedy world in which double-crossing and deception is simply part of the game. The players know the rules, and they are happy to play by them. The only person who doesn’t (and the only “ordinary” person) meets an unsurprisingly tragic end.
Le temps quie reste (Time to Leave)
A man only has a short time to live and thinks back to his childhood. The mood is more important than the plot here. There is a strange scene with his grandmother that only the French could get away with, and a stranger threesome relationship that I am not sure if even the French could get away with. But overall, François Ozon’s Le temps quie reste (Time to Leave) is a sensitive and touching examination of mortality.
Revanche
When someone who is going to rob a bank in a movie says that “nothing will go wrong”, it’s safe to bet on something going wrong. What goes wrong in the Austrian thriller Revanche changes the lives of several people. Writer/Director Götz Spielmann builds the tension in a very controlled, gradual way. And the title of the movie (revanche means revenge) has a direct influence on the experience of the film. This is an extraordinary film.
Screenplays:
The Grifters - Screenplay by Donald E. Westlake based on the novel by Jim Thompson
A single protagonist in Jim Thompson’s novel becomes an ensemble of three in the screenplay version, which actually works very well. I especially like the cross cutting of the three main characters in the opening, which effectively sets the stage up.
Little Children
The narrator’s voice-over serves a couple of important functions here – 1. it reveals inner thoughts that are difficult to express visually; 2. more significantly, it places the readers on the outside looking in to the world of these ordinary people who are miserable in their lives. This removeness creates a complex mixture of superiority, identification, sympathy, and ultimately empathy towards these characters.
Notes on a Scandal – Screenplay by Patrick Marber based on the book by Zoë Heller
Started out in the Evening – Screenplay by Fred Parnes & Andrew Wagner based on the novel by Brian Morton
Films:
The Fast and the Furious
The Fast and the Furious (directed by Rob Cohen from a script written by no fewer than four credited screenwriters) is a film where there is no place for silence. The filmmakers seem convinced that their target audience would much rather have loud music blast at them than conversations. I am not really sure if the filmmakers got it right or not in that regard, but I know that they know the formula well enough to hit every cliché in the book. The Paul Walker character never really forms a believable enough bond with Vin Diesel to warrant doing what he does at the end (except that the plot requires it) which makes him a lousy cop rather than an honorable dude.
Everybody Wants to be Italian
There is no question that the protagonist in Everybody Wants to be Italian is a charmless, delusional stalker/douchebag, and it is beyond any human comprehension that any woman would fall for him. So it’s fair to say this “rom-com” doesn’t make any sense to me at all. But it raises an interesting question – how come some douches are likable and some are not? Take David Brent/Michael Scott in The Office - they are rude and they insult people but people like watching them. I supposed the wit and sophistication in executing the rudeness makes the difference.
For a smart, funny and romantic film actually about Italian Americans, I’d recommend Moonstruck.
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
Before there is Sleepless in Seattle, a son (Ronny Howard) tries to get his widower Dad (Glenn Ford) to remarry in The Courtship of Eddie’s Father. It’s fairly predictable and a bit heavy handed in the melodramatic scenes. But the funniest thing is hearing little Ron Howard talk about the differences between good women and bad women (big busts, narrow eyes) in movies. A student of the cinema already.
The Big Heat
On the surface, the cop (Glenn Ford) is the good guy as he is so determined to catch the criminals. But as we watch him showing no signs of guilt or remorse towards all the victims (a woman is tortured and murdered, another gets her face disfigured, and his wife dies in a car bomb intended for him) caused by his actions, we get a sense that he is just as dangerous and cold blooded as the criminals. Is he still a good guy?
Gigantic
By having Zooey Deschanel in a film, the quirkiness quota is half taken care of. Add an introverted Paul Dano and a bullying John Goodman, you are pretty much set. Gigantic just tries too hard to make every character and every scene “quirky”, which draws the attention away from the real emotions.
M
M is probably the first film in cinema history about a serial killer, and is possibly the first police procedural too. The cross cutting between cops and criminals reminds me of Melville’s Le Samourai. Fritz Lang is actually quite sympathetic towards the child murderer. The master stroke is Peter Lorre’s defense at the end. It is a fantastic performance, but more importantly it asks us to question our original singlemindedness in wanting to catch the murder, and adds a significant layer to the story which makes it truly great.
Books:
What Was She Thinking: Notes on a Scandal - a novel by Zoe Heller
Shortlisted for the 2003 Man Booker Prize, Zoë Heller’s What Was She Think? Notes on a Scandal is a riveting page turner. The voice of Barbara (the narrator) is note perfect, her acerbic remarks are often hilarious. Now I’m very interested in reading Heller’s other work.
Screenplays:
Notes on a Scandal - Screenplay by Patrick Marber
Patrick Marber’s Notes on a Scandal is a wonderful adaptation of Zoë Heller’s novel. Marber cleverly sidesteps the novel’s first person narrator issue by liberally using voice-overs. Voice-overs used to be quite a no-no in screenwriting, but I sense that it has become quite acceptable recently with some creative and appropriate uses of this device. Marber certainly uses it well here. A loser colleague in the novel who is an Arsenal support becomes a Spurs supporter in the screenplay – now that’s a great touch.
Starting Out in the Evening - Screenplay by Fred Parnes & Andrew Wagner
The novel is brilliant and I loved the film. The script of Starting Out In the Evening presents the first step of the film adaptation process. It is always a challenge to adapt a novel into a film. The time constraint necessitate a restructure of the story. So it’s always interesting to see what the screenwriters take out and create. This is another excellent adaptation that I really like.
