Film Class Films: Chinatown (1974)

When watching  older movies (older than 20 years) I find that the best ones (of which there are many) have two distinct characteristics. On the one hand some of them are so rooted in the time in which they were filmed that they evoke that time so well that you, as an audience member, feel transported back to that time. On the other hand some films are truly timeless and have aged very little if at all since they first released. Many of the truly great films combine  both of these aspects but tend to lean towards timeless, Chinatown is one of those truly great films.

Like the Godfather (also produced by Robert Evans) Chinatown was filmed during the  "Hollywood New Age" of the 1970s but it doesn't feel too trapped in that era. Part of the credit for this goes to the script by Robert Towne. Like the Godfather this film takes a typical Hollywood genre, in this case detective films, and makes some changes to it but while still keeping many of the core elements of the genre. The other credit should go to Polanski for the way that the film was shot. Polanski shoots the 1930's setting with both old fashioned glamor as well as modern "grit". These two elements come together to create a film that is set in the thirties and made in the seventies bt which neither feels like a movie from the thirties or from the seventies.

The film follows Jack Nicholson as a private detective who normally works divorce cases but who ends up getting involved in a case of murder and corruption that continues to get more complex as it goes. To reveal any more of the plot would be criminal and it is quite labyrinthine. This is why Chinatown can be a little difficult to love upon first viewing. It is a movie that requires a lot of concentration from the viewer and upon first viewing that concentration is spent on the plot. The plot of this films is only one part of what makes it great and that is why on second and third viewing the movie continues to improve.

Robert Towne wrote a screenplay that very much follows in the vein of a Raymond Chandler novel. This movie really involves the viewer to the point that even upon third viewing I was still captivated by the ability the films had to reel me in. This is also why when Towne adds some new ideas of his own to the conclusion which differ from your typical Marlowe novel it can be rather abrupt and, well I don't want to ruin it. 

Overall the performances are also fantastic with Dunaway and Nicholson the standouts. In many ways the art of cinema has been very generous to viewers giving us not 10 or 15 but more than 20 films which I consider to be perfect in nearly every respect. Reveling in the joy of watching these great films is as fine an experience as a five star meal. Chinatown is a film that only gets better on each viewing and remains perfect 5/5!

Classic Horror Reviews: the Shining (1980)

In the last of my series of reviews on horror movies I review Stanley Kubrick's Classic, the Shining

Classic Horror Reviews Part 3: the Mummy (1932) and Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)

Gravity (2013) Review

Brendan J. Anderson

From the Opening shots of Gravity you know you are in the hands of great filmmaking. I am very happy to report that this has not been uncommon in 2013 but what makes Gravity special is that it truly feels unique. Gravity tells the story of two astronauts who are detached from their shuttle and who must struggle for survival. The astronauts are played by George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. This simple premise is perfect for what follows and what follows is simply pure cinema.

Pure cinema was a term coined by the great director Alfred Hitchcock to describe experiences that you can only have in a theater. In a sense experiences that  rely mainly on the visual to gain their art. Gravity is one of these experiences that you need to have in theaters and in the largest theater possible. It is also an experience that needs to be in 3d in order to get its full impact. why? because Gravity is all about immersion. It's about being in the shoes of these astronauts and experiencing the terror and the beauty of the situation.  this is a unique film because all of these filmmaking methods of immersion, which are usually only used to sell more tickets, here play an integral part in the experience of the story.

The script takes this simple presence and really uses it to explore many large ideas. This gives Bullock and Clooney some real material from which they can act. I think it is the simplicity of the premise that allows Gravity, unlike so many of its counterparts in the forms of blockbusters and space operas, to focus on the human sorry and really say something deeper. It's a film that I could see myself watching again, not just for the thrill, but for the story. I've never been a George Clooney fan but here I really thought his performance was exceptional and Bullock deserves a best actress nom.

What makes those performances even more powerful is that they were somewhat unlikely. This is because Gravity has some of the greatest spectacle I have ever seen. It really shows how well today's computers can create a realistic world. You will truly believe you are in space. It is a testament to the script and direction by Cuaron that Gravity works so well and stays so human. It is also a testament to the cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki that the film really makes you feel like you are in space. Gravity will be remembered for years to come and is certainly an early Oscar contender 5/5!

Captain Phillips (2013) Movie Review

Brendan J. Anderson

While in recent years studios have been churning out dozens of big budget films which are high on spectacle but low on substance it's been great that in these last couple of years Zero Dark Thirty, Argo and now Captain Phillips have given us high quality thrillers that have much stronger stories. Captain Phillips is a great thriller, and like Argo it's not just the fact that the story is "real" that makes it interesting. No matter which way you cut it this film is a cinematic experience and one that is as

pulse pounding as it gets.

In Captain Phillips a merchant ship is attacked by pirates. The ships Captain is played by Tom Hanks whose performance is positively outstanding. He embodies this character and  by doing so he propels the entire film. Without an actor like Hanks in the lead the film probably would not have had the same pulse pounding effect it has. This is because Hanks doesn't just use dialogue to get across who this man is, he uses subtle touches that only a true master of his craft can. The other actors in the film play admirably but make no mistake this is Hank's show. His performance lets the viewer into the world and never lets our attention go.

The direction by Bourne veteran Paul Greengrass really works here. I'm not usually a fan of shaky cam but here it gives a really sense of being out at sea. Everything feels a little unsettling like being sea sick and this works to the films credit. The camera also helps to get across the very confined space of the film. Because above all, Captain Phillips is a confined thriller. One that almost made me want to get outside for fresh air. the directing as well as the story make this possible and it only adds to the nearly unbearable tension.

It's really quite extraordinary that in a day when so many films are shot on an epic scope that Captain Phillips gives us such a confined movie. It is refreshing to see a thriller like this that really takes what seems like a big concept and shows a small, powerful conflict. This is a good trend to see in Hollywood. As this smaller thrillers continue to do better at the box office we should definitely see more of them and I would definitely salute that 5/5!

Classic Horror Reviews 2

The second installment in my series of video reviews exploring classic horror, Enjoy!

I Walked with a Zombie (1943)

Directed by Jacques Tourneur

The Leopard Man (1943)

Directed by Jacques Tourneur

The Body Snatcher (1945)

Directed by Robert Wise

Classic Horror Video Review 1: Cat People and Curse of the Cat People

It's October and that means Classic horror. This video is the first in a series of reviews that will explore the Horror genre from its beginnings, Enjoy!

Cat People (1982)

Directed by Paul Schrader

The Curse of Cat People (1944)

Directed by Robert Wise and Gunther von Fritsch