Sinister

First and foremost, there is a question every horror film must answer: “Is it scary?” With regards to Sinister, the reply is an unqualified yes. Sinister scared the living daylights out of me. Through a combination of mood, music and fundamentals of the genre, director Scott Derrickson has created an accomplished work inspired by Japanese horror. Our protagonist, author Ellison Oswalt, writes about true life crime. He has recently moved his wife and kids into a new home so he can investigate an unsolved murder for his new book. Not only has Ellison kept the case a secret from his family, but they remain ignorant of the fact that he has moved them into the very home where the killing took place. Soon after, Ellison discovers a box labeled “Home Movies” in the attic. Their vicious content is the subject of this tale.

The picture employs 3 plot devices that would each be scary enough on their own.  When combined, they make for an unbearably creepy narrative. The finding and subsequent viewing of these home movies, exploits a feeling of dread that proves to be most unsettling. A video record of the deaths of various families, they remain a most disturbing document of something evil. Second, children in peril is a malevolent contrivance that really adds to the rising tension. Third and finally, the summoning of a pagan god is rather frightful. Bagghul is a particularly nasty deity that we are given a history lesson on. This gives actor Vincent D’Onofrio the slightly random cameo of being the cult expert that Ethan Hawke must contact in order to make sense of what he’s experiencing.

Sinister is not a perfect film. I’ll admit, the father’s insistence on placing his family in peril and keeping them there is a far fetched basis necessary to accept in order for the story to even occur. However, the script addresses this. His last few books were unsuccessful and his family, once used to better financial times, have struggled recently. His ambition to write a bestseller upon solving the homicide of the previous occupants, consumes him. Ethan Hawke effectively portrays a man torn between protecting his family and a fervent desire to solve the mystery and achieve financial success. His motivations are much more convincing than say John Cassavetes in Rosemary’s Baby or Jack Nicholson in The Shining. Granted, there is a particularly unsavory element in uncovering a cache of what basically amounts to a collection of snuff films. Though the idea itself is pernicious, the presentation is thankfully restrained.

Sinister is rather chilling. As it details a man’s obsession to find out the truth, the narrative unfolds in a very believable fashion. Even when we the audience must take a leap of faith to stomach what this father/husband has indirectly brought upon his family, we can understand, though not condone, his motivations. By employing traditional cinematography along with the found footage of the super 8 movies he discovers, director Scott Derrickson fashions drama around a most unpleasant spirit. The grainy reels that Ellison watches late at night is eerie. The jump cutting, haphazard images combine with a truly creepy soundtrack by Christopher Young and a pastiche of dark original music by ambient music artists like Accurst and Boards of Canada. A shadowy figure, with a white triangular face and black eyes is seen in the bushes in one shot. The simple image is frightening. The whole production makes something like The Woman in Black (released last February) look like a ride on a children’s merry-go-round. Sinister is without question the scariest movie of 2012.

Kaboom

Gregg Araki is a polarizing filmmaker. He’s guaranteed to alienate at least slightly conservative tastes even before we begin to make sense of the plot. On the one hand, Kaboom is a frivolous comedy highlighted by the warm glow of a brightly colored visual palette. The enthusiastic, youthful cast engenders a playful mood that attracts interest. But anyone familiar with the director by way of his 2004 dramatic high point Mysterious Skin, will undoubtedly be disappointed in this wandering meditation on the sexual exploits of this group of college students. Their adventures are mixed with some nonsense concerning how an undergrad’s destiny holds planet Earth in the balance. Yes, you heard that right. It’s an end of the world story.

Of course most of the film is an excuse to show promiscuous students in a pansexual world of carnal escapades. I’m trying to write about this in the most urbane manner possible but it’s rather difficult. Thomas Dekker is our main protagonist Smith. The teens have a chilly indifference to their surroundings, none more so than his best friend Stella portrayed with sassy, nothing-fazes-me attitude, by Haley Bennett. Her presence gives the story some much needed direction. Her odd relationship with a witch gives focus to the directionless plot. She’s very amusing and a nice comic foil to 18 year old Smith, who is preoccupied by his all consuming lascivious desire and little else in this world.

The narrative does have some mental quests thrown in. Smith witnesses the apparent murder of a red headed woman by men in animal masks after a late night party. In a drug addled haze, he’s not quite sure if he didn’t just hallucinate the whole thing at first. But then he discovers a disc drive in his pocket left by the unknown victim that points to a mysterious online cult. Here’s where the tale starts to get interesting. Unfortunately director Gregg Araki is more interested in the sexual experimentation of teens and the story collapses under the weight of wanton pursuits. These interludes appear kamikaze style throughout and they’re neither sensual nor funny.

Kaboom is a schizophrenic melding of two different films. It presents a mildly entertaining, bizarro apocalyptic fable that is buried under a lot of drek. What a shame that everything is ultimately explained in a hastily executed wrap up in the last 10 minutes. The explosive streams of vernacular coming from the mouths of the entire cast is a recklessly spoken explosion of words meant to clarify what we‘ve been watching. It renders the whole account as arbitrary and meaningless. I couldn’t possibly do justice to the ridiculous conclusion. Perhaps the producers were running out of money and Araki had to quickly end this mess. I know you pretty much get what you deserve when you choose to watch a Gregg Araki flick, but good heavens, Kaboom is really out there, even for him.

Citizen Kane

The Citizen Kane: 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition that I received free from Warner Bros. is the most lovingly assembled Blu-ray package I‘ve seen. The box is a fold-out digipak with the Blu-ray disc and then two DVDs that contain The Battle over Citizen Kane and RKO 281. The former is a nice 1995 two-hour Oscar-nominated documentary that chronicles the struggle between Welles and William Randolph Hearst who claimed Citizen Kane was but a thinly veiled and slanderous account of his own life. RKO 281 is a 1999 HBO drama covering much of the same territory. Physical reproductions in the slipcase include the 20-page souvenir program issued at the 1941 opening; five postcards reflecting the various posters; and 10 memos between RKO and Welles related to the movie. Additionally, there’s a 48-page, mini hardback book packed with lots of behind-the-scenes info. All of this a supplement to the pristine black and white transfer that makes the picture look perfect. This is a beautifully done presentation befitting of the “greatest film ever made.”

It’s rather intriguing to learn that despite the hallowed status this magnum opus holds, this production was extremely controversial. Orson Welles’ assertion that “Citizen Kane is the story of a wholly fictitious character” is ludicrous. It’s abundantly clear that that main inspiration for Charles Foster Kane was media mogul William Randolph Hearst. This film à clef is an unmistakably vicious attack on his life. Hearst was a force to be reckoned with in the news world. So angry was the publishing tycoon with the film that he prohibited mention of it in any of his newspapers. Movie studio RKO also had problems getting exhibitors to show the film as many feared retaliation from the newspaper magnate.

The parallels are undeniable. Yet I’m willing to assert that whether inadvertently or on purpose, there’s a lot of Orson Welles own personality in the depiction as well. It’s one of the reasons why I think he’s so believable as the lead. Personally I would think the part that might have infuriated Hearst the most was the character of Susan Alexander, his mistress and second wife in the film, as played by Dorothy Comingore. Susan is portrayed as a shrill, talentless airhead. The obvious real life parallel is that of Marion Davies who was his mistress, a woman he never actually married. Already an accomplished silent film star even before she had met Hearst, many film historians ironically view his involvement in Davies’ career as more of an interference than a help. Hearst’s threats definitely hindered Citizen Kane’s box office performance and it wasn’t until its re-release in 1956 that it finally turned a profit for RKO. In the face of these setbacks, the film was an immediate critical success and earned 9 nominations at the Academy Awards. It won only for Best Original Screenplay losing to How Green Was My Valley for Best Picture. Over time however, the film’s reputation grew into what is often referred to as the greatest film ever made.

We begin the tale of Charles Foster Kane at the moment of his death as he utters his last words “Rosebud.” A newsreel reporter takes charge of finding out the meaning of the statement made on his deathbed. The narrative then proceeds as a series of flashbacks as he interviews various people that knew the man when he was alive. Each person recounts a different part of Kane’s existence as they knew him, essentially becoming a new narrator, with their stories overlapping. It’s an effective and entertaining way to tell the tale. It may seem common today, but Kane’s dependence on the technique was something of an anomaly for the time. Another favorite of mine is the breakfast montage, whereby the disintegration of Kane and his wife’s relationship over the years is distilled into a sequence of back and forth exchanges and costume changes. It’s amusing as it is clever. Much has been written about the incredible number of innovations contained in one film. It’s advances in cinematography, music, and makeup have been acknowledged on countless occasions, so no need to repeat those distinctions again, other than to acknowledge they are indeed impressive.

Citizen Kane remains a fascinating reflection on the megalomania obsessions of a man. While it is an undeniably well made film, it’s dark message doesn’t really inspire the kind of repeated viewings that other early classics of this era engender like Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, and The Wizard of Oz. I first saw Citizen Kane 25 years ago. I guess the clearest way to explain my appreciation for Welles masterpiece is that although I certainly respect the technical craft and storytelling techniques that Welles employed, I could wait another 25 years before I watch this again.

A Cat in Paris

Zoë is haunted by the death of her father. He was murdered by public enemy number one, Victor Costa, and the 7 year old hasn’t spoken since that fateful day. You see her father attempted to stop Victor from absconding with a giant statue called The Colossus of Nairobi. The object’s current transport to the museum is now being overseen by the Police Commissioner who just so happens to be Zoë’s mother.  Zoë is watched over by a mysterious nanny and her pet cat Dino, who keeps her company by day.  By night however, the cat retreats into the night to accompany a kindhearted and lonely jewel thief.

Delightful hand drawn cartoon has the appearance of the colorful Post-Impressionist work of French artists like Georges Seurat and Henri Rousseau with the elongated faces of Amedeo Modigliani thrown in for good measure. The art has an extremely simple, primitive look. Yet the bewitching style holds its own in today’s 3D CGI computer animated world. Witness the spectacle in the story’s final quarter where the lights go out.  Scenes in pitch blackness are artistically imagined as white chalk outlines on a black background.  It’s arresting in its simplicity.  The art has the two dimensional, traditional look that has all but vanished these days.

A Cat in Paris is a children’s book come to life, but with the surprisingly mature feel of an adult thriller. This has the complex machinations of classic suspense.  The cat really isn’t the focus of the film at all, but rather a device by which to interweave a myriad of plot threads involving human characters.  Indeed this could have been cast with human actors and succeeded better than most modern mysteries. One might question the morality of the script’s sympathetic portrayal of a burglar. Think Cary Grant in Hitchcock’s To Catch Thief.  He really has the little girl‘s best interest at heart, mind you. The production isn’t perfect, but it‘s close. Not a single frame is wasted as this mystery unfolds in a brisk 62 minutes. Illustrators Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli directed this comedy drama which put French studio Folimage in the spotlight.  This deservedly received an unexpected Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature in 2012.

The Woman in Black

Generic horror film about a young lawyer who journeys to a remote house and finds a ghost bent on revenge. A gothic setting has always given ghost stories an atmospheric touch. But right from the start, the structure feels oddly familiar, like the writer might have recently read Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. Technically this tale is based on a 1983 novel by Susan Hill. It begins with three young girls having a tea party with freaky looking dolls. Then, as almost hypnotized, they walk simultaneously like zombies out the window to their death. We don’t even know who these children are, so it’s difficult to care at this stage. It’s supposed to be alarming, but the scene is a Gothic horror cliché. English location? Check. Creepy toys? Check. Creepy children, check. And that’s before the opening credits.

In the lead role, Daniel Radcliffe plays an attorney sent to attend to Eel Marsh House, the estate of Mrs. Drablow, a woman who has just died. His boss has informed him that this is his last chance to prove himself or he’ll be out of a job. He’s a widower who’s left his son in the care of a nanny. A callow youth with boyish features, Radcliffe is not particularly convincing as the head of a family, though he sports sideburns and a hint of stubble to convince you otherwise. There’s an air of seriousness from our glum protagonist that says “I’m trying really hard to establish I‘m not Harry Potter.”  I accepted his character as it was the least of the narrative’s problems. He arrives in the town and everyone regards him with the stock melodramatic hatred of an outsider they don’t want involved in their business. He spends most of his time in the crumbling estate. At this point the plot starts establishing mood and for awhile I was entertained. There are many instances where the soundtrack amplifies a sound to surprise the viewer. A few of those are expected in any haunted house picture, but that’s essentially the only scare this silliness has up its sleeve.

Watching Daniel Radcliffe walk around a spooky house gets to be pretty tiresome. He walks down the same corridor so many times, I understand why this has been jokingly dubbed “Harry Potter and the Haunted Hallway”. It probably would have milked a little more money out of this dreck. After a while boredom sets in as it lulls you to sleep. That is until you are startled awake by the loud blasts of noise on the soundtrack that happen every 10 minutes. The jump scares become so routine, so lazy, I started laughing. One has a crow flying into a room that sounds like a bobcat. Just in case you missed it the first time, they literally have the crow screech again like 15 seconds later. I mean, at least use a different sound! An eerie face suddenly appearing out of the shadows is a scare used a lot. I must admit I did have some fun counting how many shock noises there were. But by the 12th one I kind of lost track.

The Woman in Black is a thoroughly unimaginative film. It’s too bad because the production designers really did their homework. As a period piece, it has atmosphere to spare. The look of Victorian England is nicely captured and the costumes and music all have the look of quality. But look closer. Discerning viewers will realize there’s nothing here but your standard issue supernatural thriller with jump scares. The script is creaky and old like the dilapidated mansion he explores. The saga ultimately leads to a conclusion that basically renders the entire mission a worthless failure. The moral of the story? Next time the townspeople tell you to leave, you should leave!

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame

The year is AD 690 and the Empress Wu Zetian is soon to be inaugurated as China’s first female emperor. Two men in her court have spontaneously burst into flames, leaving just a pile of black ash behind. Apparently Wu Zetian’s ascendancy to the throne is threatened and she must determine who is out to get her. She turns to Dee Renjie (Andy Lau), a detective without peer. She knows he is the only one with the wisdom and the skills to solve this mystery. As speculative fiction, it’s based on the real life Di Renjie, who served as chancellor during Wu Zetian’s reign. Most of the plot unfolds like a whodunit blending mystery with historical drama.

Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame is a eye popping cartoon fantasy. The details are where the spectacle shines. There’s a towering Buddha statue being constructed that is a particularly majestic set piece. The production design is phenomenal. To Western audiences it’s reminiscent of pictures like Crouching Tiger or Hero. But Detective Dee is much more fanciful than either of those flicks. It’s ridiculously over the top, verging on the convoluted actually. The action is a blend of CGI and martial arts and it’s dizzying display that is a wonder to behold. The feature is a comic book brought to life. Not unlike the classic movie serials that were made in the U.S. from the golden age of 1936 to 1945, the narrative has all the hallmarks of those short subjects. We’ve got the hero, the sidekick, the heroine, the heavy. There are multiple cliffhangers, each one more hair-raising than the next. The difference is it’s all done within the context of China during the Tang dynasty. It’s fun to watch but there’s not much depth behind it.

Overall the movie succeeds in spite of its flaws. Wu Zetian, the empress of China, isn’t particularly likeable. She exiled our protagonist in prison for 8 years because she didn‘t like his opinion of her. He’s released solely because she needs his help. The chronicle is criminally overlong and it’s plodding in parts. You’ll feel every single one of those 122 minutes, And yet, there’s a lot of visual style and creativity to love here. How can you not admire a story with a talking stag? The fight choreography is courtesy of master Sammo Hung and it’s powerful, as expected. The whole film is a visually impressive spectacular. Your eyes will be engaged the entire time. Your brain? Not so much. Detective Dee is an enthralling piece of cinematic hokum.

The Double Hour

Psychological thriller concerns Sonia, a young and pretty hotel maid who attends a speed dating event eager to meet a boyfriend. She finds one in Guido, an ex-cop-turned-security guard. They begin seeing each other. Then bad stuff happens. The way the mystery unfolds, that is, the design of this suspense puzzle is intriguing.  But the specifics cannot really be discussed in much detail without spoiling the fun. The movie is unpredictable right from the start. Within the first few minutes, a young woman jumps to her death from a hotel window, apparently a suicide attempt. No explanation is given. It’s one of those dramas where looks can be deceiving and nothing is as it seems. Duane Dudek of the Journal Sentinel described it as a “moebius strip of a tale” and that’s such an apt description, I had to quote him.

The script is interesting, but what ultimately draws you in the most, are the performances of the two leads. Russian actress Kseniya Rappoport plays Sonia with a mysterious, ambiguous quality that is alluring, but also aloof and distant. Italian actor Filippo Timi is a more simple fellow. He’s approachable and trusting but with a guarded exterior. The couple have such chemistry, their interaction is fascinating. Their association is even highlighted by a steamy romantic encounter. Erotic scenes can sometimes come across as laughable, particularly when they are overly intense. It’s a tribute to the stars’ magnetism that the affair here is seductive.

Much has been made of the debt the story owes to directors like Hitchcock but this decidedly chilly thriller has much more in common with European art house pictures like “Read My Lips,” and “Tell No One” than any Hollywood production. Those modern movies are good so it’s definitely a compliment. However, Hitchcock’s characters displayed considerably more humanity that this lot. There’s an inaccessibility, a distance between them and the viewer, that prevents us from truly getting to know or understand them.

Film noir, melodrama, suspense, even horror elements are all expertly crafted into an intricately woven plot that holds our attention until the very last frame. The title refers to those moments when a clock reads double digits, such as 11:11 or, in European time, 23:23. It’s at precisely those minutes you are entitled to make a wish. Whether these aspirations come true is open for debate. It’s an enigmatic film. One that doesn’t always play fair with the audience, but thanks to the two charismatic leads, we really don’t care.

Super 8

A group of kids set out to make a zombie movie for a local film festival and in the process, witness a catastrophic train crash. The youngsters that make up the central clique, almost behave like a recasted sequel to The Goonies. Mikey, Chunk, Mouth and Data are all here, just portrayed by different actors. Instead of endeavoring to find the buried treasure of a 17th-century pirate, they’re exploring the reasons for a mysterious accident. The picture certainly could have been titled The Goonies 2: The Day the Train Derailed, and still would have made perfect sense. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it makes the characters feel eerily familiar. Luckily it’s the mystery of it all that sells the picture. The story unfolds gradually, piece by piece. The joy of discovery is what keeps the audience engaged. The downside is, the more we learn, the less impressive things become.

A strong sense of déjà vu hangs over the proceedings. Prolific producer J.J. Abrams has had a hand in creating the successful TV shows Felicity, Alias, Lost and the current Fringe. He’s clearly talented. Abrams’ slowly building suspense style is evident. However, producer Steven Spielberg’s fingerprints are apparent in every scene. From the suburban setting to the dynamic between righteous teens and inept adults, all of his hallmarks are here. If a film can be called Spielbergian, this is it. The cinephile in me couldn’t help but play “spot the movie reference” as the picture progressed. Close Encounters, E.T., Jurassic Park and War of the Worlds are implied, as well as many others. While it plays out, it’s enjoyable to be sure, but in retrospect, the script feels cobbled from the reminisces of other, more original films. I greeted all of this appropriation with a mix of nostalgia and disappointment. Indeed the line between homage and rip off can be a fine one.

The period setting of 1979 in the fictional town of Lillian, Ohio is a brilliant choice that adds to the drama and appeal. The title refers to the video camera and corresponding film format released in 1965 by Eastman Kodak, which was a vast improvement over the older regular 8mm home movie format of the past. A cheap, mass-produced home video solution, Super 8 cameras were a fixture of the American household until 1985 when VHS rose to prominence. For legends like Spielberg, George Lucas and Robert Zemekis, it was with super 8 that they honed their craft in the 70s. A personal story, Abrams is surely inspired by those directing heroes. The depiction of the young budding filmmakers in Super 8 are essentially those directors as kids. 1979 is also significant because it was well before the dawn of cell phones and the internet. The 70s backdrop allows for a simplicity often lacking in the modern technological world. We can focus on the developing action in the traditional sense. Had it been set in 2011, the events would probably involve YouTube, Twitter and Facebook which would have given the narrative a cluttered feeling.

Does Super 8 live up to the hype as the summer’s greatest film? No. Is it an entertaining action thriller? Definitely. It’s satisfying enough as it unfolds and it‘s got one of the most memorable train crashes since 1952‘s The Greatest Show on Earth. It just doesn’t have the innovative distinction to make it anything more than a pleasant summer distraction.

Source Code

Decent thriller about a soldier who wakes up in the body of a commuter on a train about to blow up in 8 minutes.  His objective?  Determine who is responsible for the explosive.  Overly cerebral suspense deals with time travel and parallel realities.  Solid actioner has science fiction elements which allow him to repeat the mission seemingly without end.  I must say I did find it a bit exhausting reliving the same 8 minutes 7 times throughout the course of the film.  Sort of the sci-fi equivalent of Groundhog Day.  Jake Gyllenhaal’s personality isn’t particularly charismatic either.  To wit, there is zero chemistry between him and his love interest played by Michelle Monaghan.  Granted it’s pretty hard to build much romance in 8 minute increments, but still.  Mostly a high concept exercise, there are some intriguing details and the race against time is tense and exciting.  Just don’t try to analyze the scientific explanation for it all.  The head trip story is probably best enjoyed if you put your brain in neutral.  The ending still leaves a lingering confusion.  This won’t be addressed for fear of spoilers, but they’re the kind of frustrating questions ripe for debate.  What else would you expect from Duncan Jones?  He also directed the intellectual conundrum Moon.

Limitless

What if you were able to simply take a pill and access the untapped resources of your brain?  A substance that could expand your mental abilities to the point it changed your life.  That’s the premise behind Limitless, a science fiction that supposes this fascinating question.  Eddie Morra is a failing writer who lives in New York City.  Initially the script is rather smart in imagining the possibilities when an untested drug called NZT-48 endows him with seemingly superhuman knowledge.  His very existence becomes a chaotic roller coaster and the ride is exhilarating.  There is a giddy excitement as he experiences the positive results.  The occasional visual flourishes while he’s medicated are intoxicating.  Bradley Cooper is charismatic and likeable which helps in rooting for his character.  He might have come off as an arrogant jerk when he begins using his newfound powers to be monetarily and socially successful.  But he starts out so pathetic in the beginning, he doesn’t seem obnoxious when his confidence builds to an over-inflated ego.  Additionally, his acumen exponentially improves.  Naturally the stimulant is illegal and problems arise regarding its side effects as well as its scarcity.   Here’s where it gets morally ambiguous.  NZT’s parallels to Adderall and methamphetamines are unmistakable.  The numerous benefits to his life are practically a motivator for people to take narcotics.  You’ll be asking yourself, would I take NZT?  The way his metamorphosis is presented, the answer for most would be an unequivocal YES.  It plays fast and loose with real facts, but if you can appreciate the thriller as a wish fulfillment fantasy, it is fun.  Just don’t think about it too hard (or use it to justify your drug addiction).