Snow Angels

New movie review.

Michael Angarano and Olivia Thirlby are the best thing about Snow Angels

Written by: David Gordon Green
Directed by: David Gordon Green
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Angarano and Olivia Thirlby

2008 is poised to be another excellent year for movies. There are more great films at this point (March 31st as I write) of this year than there was during the now legendary 2007. Oddly enough, there has been a common thread through all the quality material thus far, everything is dark. This trend continues with David Gordon Green's Snow Angels.

The movie's tone is set in the opening scene. A high school marching band is practicing for an upcoming football game in Snowy Small Town, USA (no precise location is given). Citizens are shown going about their day. The marching band make some mistakes much to the chagrin of the band teacher. Two loud gunshots in the distance interrupt the normalcy. "Weeks Earlier" flashes on the screen. For the remaining duration, we will see the events that led to this unseen incident.

This is one of those rare movies where it is difficult to decide who is the main character. I'll just start with Artie (Michael Angarano), a teenager (and member of the aforementioned school band) who spends his free time working at a local Chinese restaurant. Also working at the restaurant is Artie's old babysitter Annie (Kate Beckinsale). Annie is unofficially separated from her husband, Glenn, played by Sam Rockwell. Glenn, we discover, attempted suicide, and is battling alcoholism. Their young daughter lives with Annie, understandably. However, when Glenn takes his daughter out for the day we see that he is caring and trying his best to become the best man he can. Our sympathies are earned twofold when a very sober Glenn asks his wife out on a date, and his hidden charm emerges. Unbeknownst to Glenn, Annie has already begun another relationship with a married man, Nate (Nicky Katt). The sweet man we caught a glimpse of, disappears when Glenn discovers their affair. Things begin to spiral out of control. Soon, Annie and Glenn are pushed to the boundaries of their emotional endurance, which worsens moreover with an unexpected tragedy.

Meanwhile, Artie has begun a relationship with a new student, Lila Raybern, played by the remarkable Olivia Thirlby (the best friend in "Juno"). They take to one another quite quickly, and one of the sweetest on-screen teen romances of recent memory ensues. With the character of Artie, whom we witness doing drugs, we are not given one of the usual two extremes. Instead of the ridiculous, glorified stoner, or the bad kid who does bad things, we get realism. Artie is a normal teen, and he faces some tough problems, such as his parent's impending divorce. We understand his choices, and we are therefore more forgiving.

Realism is where Snow Angels excels. Green has written and directed a painstakingly poignant slice of life. The very talented, near-perfect cast, helps accomplish this effect. Sam Rockwell is terrific, and remains one of the more interesting actors around. He plays his character so gently, that events later in the movie are made all the more devastating. Beckinsale is the one weak link. Mind you, she's good, but that makes her the only thing less than great in the whole picture. It's a bit of a stretch to see her as a lower class, small town citizen. The young couple in the film are absolutely spot on. Olivia Thirlby proves once again that she has an enormous amount of promise. Critic Richard Roeper went as far as too say she has a brighter future than Ellen Page. I wouldn't make such a bold statement but Thirlby is at least second to Page, with no competition, in the young actress category. Michale Angarano is wonderful and completely believable. Bumbling yet sweet, he comes off as sort of a toned down Michael Cera. The supporting cast, led by Nicky Katt, are also very effective.

Snow Angels is a somber picture, with an impressive sustaining mood. Here we see the highs and lows of human relationships. The crumbling family, marred by Annie's infidelity and Glenn's substance abuse represent the worst case scenario. Artie and Lila's relationship, which is by far the best thing in this movie, is bright, endearing and sincere. The plot gets extreme at the end. What's shocking is how believable it is, easily this could be a true story. If you want to have a good time at the theater, avoid this one. If you want to see a truly great film, don't.

Paranoid Park

New Movie Review.

Gabe Nevins as a skateboarder with a guilty conscience

Directed by: Gus Van Sant
Written by: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Gabe Nevins, Daniel Liu, Taylor Momsen

One of the main draws of seeing a film is the performances. Sometimes an actor or actress are so impressive in a role, that it seems like a complete art all by itself. Peculiar then, how Gus Van Sant's recent movies have been so great without using actors, but everyday people instead. While Paranoid Park is not a masterpiece like Van Sant's Elephant, the director is again able to create a unique mood, partly attributable to the amateur cast. Both films focus on high school students, and I am now convinced that no one can shoot a high school like Gus Van Sant. The way the movie is actually put together is nowhere near amateurish. It is experimental, but expertly pulled off with astonishing results.

The movie follows a skateboarder named Alex (Nevins), who may be involved with a murder near the popular skate park, Paranoid Park. Although it is unclear exactly what happened until later, he appears to have a guilty conscience. We become more suspicious when the story Alex told the detective investigating the case, is contradicted by a flashback. The entire movie is non-linear, and unlike the typical "Rashomon" approach, it is not always clear whether or not the movie is showing a flashback or flash-forward, it is just always moving sideways. Alex narrates the picture by reading out loud a letter or story he seems to be writing, and the movie jumps along in the order he describes his story. A bit incoherent, but after all as he says, he "didn't take creative writing".

Non-actor Gabe Nevin's narration is spoken like any average teenager would read their homework aloud in class. He's a bit nervous and makes the occasional error. This is a brilliant artistic choice and cements the realistic portrayal of adolescence. Not just his guilt, but all the other feelings Alex has are felt by the viewer even when the feelings are not voiced, just observed. His parents are going through a divorce, and he's stuck in a relationship with a girl he has no real feelings for. It's obvious he wants to and should leave her, but she's easy, and Alex's friends think it's crazy to pass up "free sex". After all, as his apparently best friend Jarrod eloquently puts it, "getting laid is better than not getting laid".

As the movie seamlessly moves side to side, all the scenes blend together. This is the way Alex is drifting through life, without paying attention to much of anything. The film is inter cut with footage of random people skateboarding. The way it is presented is dreamlike and hazy, suggesting that the lives of teens is sort of like a dream, or being asleep. However, sooner or later, we are exposed to what is dark in this world and in fellow human beings, and we must wake up.

We are able to see Alex before and after the incident at the park, and we can see that he will never be the same once he goes there. In a midway scene, Jarrod tells Alex that they should check out Paranoid Park for the first time. It's where the cooler, more advanced skaters go. Alex insists he is not ready for Paranoid Park. Jarrod replies "no one is ever really ready for Paranoid Park". Reluctantly, Alex gives in and agrees to go. Time to wake up.

Funny Games

New movie review.

...something tells me he ain't gonna use those for golfing...

Directed by: Michael Haneke
Written by: Michael Haneke
Starring: Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet

Funny Games is a brilliant deconstruction of movie violence from writer/director Michael Haneke. The movie is actually a remake of Haneke's 1997 Austrian film of the same name. I have not seen the original but apparently little has changed in the American update. This fact alone should put the idea to rest that this is a deliberate response to "torture porn". The film doesn't attack "Hostel", it attacks our desensitized views of violence (and yes it can be argued that Hostel is a guilty party).

The movie begins with a small family, on the road to their vacation home, composed of Ann (Watts), the mother, George (Roth), the father and the son, named after his dad. Not long after their arrival, two strange young men begin to harass them. The two young men go by several names throughout the film, the most consistent of which is Peter (Corbet) and Paul (Pitt). The "games" begin, and soon the family is fearing for their lives. I don't want to give away much more than that.

The acting is pitch-perfect, with standout performances from Naomi Watts and the extremely creepy Michael Pitt. Also, Tim Roth gets back to his Reservoir Dogs roots by screaming in pain a lot. There is no weak link, in fact only strong ones, in the small cast. Even the small boy, played by Devon Gearhart, is 100% believable. This believability is very important because the movies point relies on realism.

The entire movie, from beginning to end, seems like it could have actually happened. This is terrifying. Haneke's point is to ground the violence in reality. This way we can appreciate how terrible it is. In the end, violence on screen is not so different than in real life. So, if people go see movies specifically to see human beings tortured and killed, what does that say about them? The interesting thing is, there is pretty much no violence shown (only one scene is an exception), only character reactions and blood splatter. Surprisingly, this does not take away from the horror or suspense, the movie even benefits from this approach.

Funny Games is an excellent film, that begs us to reflect on ourselves. Superb acting and masterfully crafted, the film is a must see for the movie goer who wants more out of a story than entertainment. From the startling opening credits to the unsettling end credits, Funny Games is always (almost) unbearably suspenseful.

Horton Hears A Who!

New Movie Review.

Seth Rogen as Morton

Directed by: Jimmy Hayward & Steve Martino
Written by: Ken Daurio & Cinco Paul
Starring: Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Seth Rogen, Carol Burnett, Will Arnett, Jonah Hill, Amy Poehler

Horton Hears A Who! tells the tale of an elephant named Horton who hears a voice in a speck of dust. He makes it his job to protect this speck of dust and the possible tiny inhabitants therein. He, and he alone because of his gigantic ears, initiates contact with the mayor of Whoville, the town contained in the speck. Eventually, the animals that share the jungle with Horton turn on him, unwilling to believe in such small people. The beloved elephant becomes Whoville's only hope in avoiding destruction.

Horton Hears A Who! Is based on Dr. Seuss's beloved story, and may be the most successful movie in bringing his spirit to life. However, that's about as far as the success goes. First off, Jim Carrey's first voice acting job as the elephant, Horton, is a disappointment. I believed Carrey's wacky personality would work perfectly in an animated film, much like with Robin Williams as the genie in Aladdin. Guess not. Steve Carell is much more effective as the mayor of Whoville. The Supporting cast, led by Vancouver's Seth Rogen, is great, although underused.

The original book is wonderful and the movie is best when it comes closest to the source material. The message is heard loud and clear, as well as sincerely. I've never been sure if kids pick up on the morals and themes of works such as that of Dr. Seuss. It certainly is worth a try and if you need to choose a family movie, this will do.

Yes, children will be delighted with the colorful characters and vibrant images but I can't say the same with older viewers. There are some outstanding moments (a hilarious but brief "anime" sequence springs to mind), but not enough for me to recommend this movie. Too often is "Who" used as a prefix for several things in Whoville (even a "Who-Root Canal"), thankfully, the mayor points this out. Too often the jokes are far too immature to garner a laugh. Too rare are the brief appearances by Rogen's character Morton. And nowhere to be found is a truly great, memorable scene. In fact, it gets a little weird towards the end. The kangaroo lady who opposes Horton gathers all the animals to help trap the elephant in order to teach him a lesson. What's odd is the savagely planned method of disposing of The Whoville speck. It seems Kangaroo has prepared a boiling pot which is one speck of dust away from becoming delicious Who-Soup. Whatever, best not to invest too deeply in the creative choices. Ultimately, it's probably best to just get the book for your kids and let Dr. Seuss work his subconscious magic.

Kick-Ass!

I recently read the first issue of a new comic book series, titled Kick-Ass. I found it so excellent that I had to post about it. Not only is it a hilarious new take on "the superhero" but it is extremely easy to relate to and emotionally engaging. Highly recommended for all those who like things that are good.

Here's it's Wikipedia page: Kick-Ass

Also, the book rekindled my long extinguished fire of desire to review comic books. Shall I?

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Funny Video

Another great digital short from Andy Samberg. Plus this one features Ellen Page.