2 Films: 1950's Noir

Film Noir (literally translated “dark film”) was a genre that flourished in the post WWII era of filmmaking. Its genesis came from the hard boiled pulp fiction of the 1930’s by the likes of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. By the 1950’s, especially the mid 50’s noir was nearing the end of its reign as the most prominent genre in film but before it left there were still a couple of classics in store.

The Killing (1956)

The heist film is a sub genre of film that I find to be surprisingly popular. Practically every year there are at least a couple new heist films and there are actually a lot of good ones. If we’re talking straight heist films then I believe that Stanley Kubrick’s the Killing is the greatest of them all. What I mean by straight heist films is that many heist films focus less on the heist and more on either the preamble (the Asphalt Jungle another classic) or what happens afterwards (Reservoir Dogs another more modern classic). The Killing is just a wonderful tautly paced noir heist film with great acting and even better directing. Stanley Kubrick (Dr. Stangelove, 2001) made the Killing quite early in his career and this tale of a racetrack heist is really his break out film. He is inventive with his use of time and with the way the camera is always moving. This jumping around and inventive camerawork gives the film a crackling energy and suspense. There are many classic noir elements here like the use of shadow and the double cross and the heist here is done to perfection creating suspense and anticipation. Movies don’t get much better put together and entertaining as this. You won’t mind letting the Killing steal an hour and a half of your time 5/5!

Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

Kiss Me Deadly is a movie like no other. This film is a classic detective story and one of the three classic detective films (the Maltese falcon, and The Big Sleep being the other two) but it also turns the whole genre on its head. The film is about the detective Mike Hammer who was one of the top selling fictional characters of the day. Hammer was a no nonsense guy who believed in delivering what he saw as real justice and bedding as many women as James Bond. Hammer is the blueprint for all of the classic anti heroes we see today like Dirt Harry. The screenwriter did not like Mike Hammer or what he stood for and he crafted a screenplay in which Hammer is a sleazy and mean guy. In the film as Hammer goes on the case he is constantly being belittled and beaten down by the characters around him both verbally and physically. Unfortunately or fortunately the attacks never seem to stick. Although Ralph Meeker’s Hammer isn’t a hero he is still the one we root for and in the end the attacks almost seem to fall flat because there is no way that the audience hates Hammer like they should. Believe it or not this adds to the movie, this and the wonderful surprises Kiss Me Deadly has in store for the audience. I don’t want to even talk about the plot because that would ruin what an incredibly modern, interesting, and entertaining film this is. It’s a strange and new film while also being a really good classic detective adventure. It’s one of a kind and it only gets better with age. It’s just plain fantastic!  5/5!

2 Films: Ernst Lubitsch

Ernst Lubitsch would have to be one of the most sadly forgotten directors of all time, His work was incredibly popular during the golden age of hollywood and his branded “Lubitsch touch” was as famous as Alfred Hitchcock’s title of “the maste of suspense”. Ernst Lubitsch virtually invented the modern romantic comedy and his films possess a sophistication that no comedy films today possess. Here are two films that I recently viewed from the work of the great Director Ernst Lubitsch.

Trouble In Paradise (1932)

There is really no other film quite like Trouble in Paradise. It is a pre-code (meaning before movies were censored as heavily) sophisticated romantic comedy, often called the first modern romantic comedy. This film is also Ernst Lubitsch’s first talking rom com and it works so well. It’s hard to describe what the Lubitsch touch is but once you see this film you will know. While it isn’t really a laugh out loud funny film per se the whole thing is so wonderfully sophisticated that it just never fails to be; utterly irresistible. The style on display here is unique to its time period with immaculately decorated art deco sets. This film has a level of sophistication that has never really been matched. In many ways this comedy is all about sex and seduction but it is all done in such a wonderfully sophisticated manner that it has a much greater and more enjoyable impact. The acting is top notch and the whole film is like a time capsule. One year later when the code hit this film would not have been able to have been made and one year earlier it would have been far more of a talkie, meaning that the acting would have been stiffer and the music would have been mostly gone. But coming out when it does this movie is one of a kind and a true treasure for anyone who enjoys romantic comedies or movies in general. It’s a little difficult to find but well, well worth it! 5/5!

Ninotchka (1939)

Ninotchka is one of the films from Hollywood’s greatest year (the year of Gone With the Wind, the Wizard of Oz and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) and like all the film it seems from that year this one is also truly great. It is a very romantic comedy with emphasis on the romance. Lubitsch was a very romantic director and in some cases his movies almost stop comedy all together it seems in order to pursue romance. It doesn’t matter because he does romance so tastefully and well that the audience doesn’t care. Don’t get me wrong though Ninotchka is funny and it has the Lubitsch touch. It’s a story about a Russian female colonel who falls in love with a very capitalistic man in Paris. This contrast between communism and capitalism gives the film some truly great moments. The jabs at the Russian communist state are quite funny but it’s also interesting to see how Lubitsch does not dehumanize the soviets but rather humanizes them. This makes the film truly interesting. Gretta Garbo is truly great as the Colonel and this is her one comedy. The film is maybe a little long but it is so interesting and funny that it keeps you watching 4.5/5

2 Films: Early Christopher Nolan Reviews

This is going to be the start of a series in which I take two films in a specific category and review them. These categories can be themes and genres and will be very specific as in this first one which is on two early films of the director Christopher Nolan.

He is now know best for his Batman films but what made him a candidate to direct those? where did this director who has now inspired many filmmakers and become what many consider to be a master craftsman come from? These questions will be answered in my reviews of Christopher Nolan's first two features Following (1998) and Memento (2000)

Following (1998)
Following is considered by many to be one of the most successful no budget films of all time. It was made on 16mm film and was shot in many cases using natural lighting. The cast of the film were Friends and family of Christopher Nolan himself and the production was pretty much in his hands as he was both the writer and director. The film is about a writer who begins to randomly follow people to get ideas for his work. This hobby turns into and obsession and eventually gets him involved in more criminal activity. This film is a neo noir in every way. The story is reminiscent of the noir films of old but the film is entirely modern. by its no budget nature it is shot like a documentary and I think this works. In fact I think the no budget nature makes the film more interesting to watch and knowing that the director who made this film went on to make a film like the Dark Knight Rises is truly incredible. The movie has a lot of energy and clocking in at only 70 minutes it is very taut. This film will keep you on the edge of your seat also because of the way it plays with time. This keeps the audience even more engaged in the film so that they are working to understand the plot and therefor actively involved in the movie. There is something very strange in this movie and that is that one of the apartments broken into has a bat symbol, not just a bat symbol but a batman logo on the door. This is really weirdly coincidental to me but who knows it is a Christopher Nolan Film. Overall I found this movie to be riveting and well worth watching 4/5

Memento (2000)
The difference in budget between Following and Memento is truly staggering. In his second film we see Nolan getting to make a "real" movie with a "real" actor in the form of Guy Pearce. He gets a broader canvas and story to work with and he works with them well. This may be one of the most mind blowing film experiences I have ever had. this film will literally warp your mind and through the way it tells the story in fragments it will make you feel like you have Leonard's Condition. Leonard is the main character in the movie and he has short term memory loss and he is trying to find the men that killed his wife. That is all of the story you should know going in and you should be prepared to brace yourself for one heck of a ride. You have to work while watching this movie in order to put it together and I think that's part of the fun. It really is well done and so well executed by Nolan and you can see him coming into his own. This film really shows that he has talent as a director and I think it was awesome that he went on to direct Batman. Memento is truly a mind bending film for reasons I won't reveal and it is a must watch! 4.5/5

Note: Both Films are Available to Stream on Netflix!  

Star Trek Into Darkness Review!

Here's My Video Review of Star Trek Into Darkness!! Don't forget to subscribe!

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Directed by J. J. Abrams
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Pine, and Zachary Quinto with Simon Pegg and Zoe Saldala

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkUw39ZKRr8

The Great Gatsby Video Review

Here is my first video review! It's for The Great Gatsby, don't forget to subscribe to my youtube channel!

The Great Gatsby (2013)

Directed by Baz Luhrmann

Adapted from novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby with Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton, and Elizabeth Debicki

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkO6OH2htjY

Iron Man 3 Review

I remember walking into the theater in 2008 not knowing what to expect when I saw the first Iron Man. I left feeling ecstatic. There was somethign fresh there that had never been done before. It felt new and awesome. The action was cool the comedy was great and you got the feeling that you were watching an actor, in this case Downey Jr., playing his signature role. Needless to say I loved Iron Man and when the credits rolled I was looking forward to more. fast forward to the present, after a muddled sequel I was ready to give the big tin man a 3rd chance and I am sorry to say that I am a little underwhelmed.

Iron Man 3 is one of those films with wasted potential. The movie has originality that soon gives way to the generic and it picks up and loses momentum in a matter of minutes. There is a lot in this movie that we've seen before and that just gets to you after a while. That being said there were parts of this film that were on a role that felt like they were going somewhere. In the end Shane Black has basically concocted Iron Man Vs. Terminator with a little Lethal weapon thrown in for good measure. Ideas are started that never really get going, themes are tossed out and then thrown out. The movie has some greatness in it but it just doesn't quite have enough.

Downey is still greatt and the cast is really not the movies weak link. Guy Pearce and Kingsley do fine jobs but there's nothing ground breaking. Downey definatley keeps the movie from being bad by giving another go around at his iconic role and the rest of the cast do a fine job.

 The scripting is rather uneven. Parts of the film are well crafted and other lines of dialogue are stupid and kind of inexcusable. This may sound like nit picking but just go watch it for yourself. There are plenty of jokes and some of them are quite funny and Downey is as good as ever at delivering a punch line. I love the way the film gives the events of the Avengers impact while also making sure this is a standalone movie. Most of the stuff here is complete impossible but it's all in the name of summer entertainment.

Overall I found Iron Man 3 to be more interesting than Iron Man 2 but really not too much better. The freshness of the first is pretty much absent in this sequel and the movie fails to reach its full potential. Iron Man 3 is an okay start to the summer but it won't have you leaving the theater ecstatic. 3/5

Iron Man 3 Preview

On May 2nd The Summer movie season begins with Marvel Studio's Iron Man 3. Besides this being the first Marvel film actually released by Walt Disney Pictures the film is also a first in that it begins Marvel's Phase 2. Phase 1 ended last may with the release of the Avengers and Phase 2 will include Iron Man 3, Thor the Dark World, and Captain America Winter Soldier as well as the Avengers 2. Dark World is due out later this year and a trailer has already been released and Winter soldier is due out next spring. This preview is to help prepare viewers for this third Iron Man installment by taking a look at the history of Avengers Phase 1.

Phase 1 began back in 2008 with the release of the Original Iron Man. I personally loved that film and felt both Downey Jr's performance and the overall storyline really breathed new life into the superhero movie. More than anything else Iron Man was fun to watch. It had a great cast and was quite funny at points and as of this date I still feel it is the best of the Avengers Movies. I highly suggest watching Iron Man if you have not already. Only 2 years later came Iron Man 2 and this film left me much less enthusiastic. It did not feel like it was of the quality of the first and although the special effects and new characters like the Black Widow were cool in the end it just felt rushed. The film also just felt too light to the point of being a joke fest and the plot was only a shadow of the former film. I think that Iron Man 2 almost soured me on the possibility of any more Iron Man and I just felt tired of it. Thor came next and that film was really fun when I first saw it but after the first viewing it just seemed less and less fun. Parts of Thor were really very awesome and the film was better than Iron Man 2 but it lacked something that it needed to hold its plot together and I just can't pinpoint what that would be. After Thor was quite a different film and that was Captain America. This film I found to be quite fun, mainly because I like old fashioned stuff like that and although I think it was robbed of an ending I still enjoyed Captain America more than both Thor and Iron Man 2.

Then Came the avengers. This movie was so highly anticipated that I almost felt there was no way it could be very good. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the film in fact was good and I think the key ingredient was the revival of the Iron Man character. Downey Jr. had seemed overcharged in IM2 but now in Avengers he gave a performance worthy of the first Iron Man. The cast for Avengers was pretty good as a whole and when the heroes are together it is like lightning in a bottle. Unfortunately I don't like avengers as much as most people do. I loved most of it but the final battle which should have been the coolest part instead felt drawn out to me. Still Avengers would have to be tied with Iron Man 1 as far as quality is concerned and both films represent great films of their genre.

Overall Based on positive reviews and early buzz I am excited to kick this season off with Iron Man 3. We'll have to see how it holds up to other Marvel fare soon. Check back here for the Review this weekend!