Collateral (2004)

Directed by:  Michael Mann

Screenplay by:  Stuart Beattie

Starring:  Tom Cruise, Jamie Fox, Jada Pinkett Smith 

Plot:  After meeting the woman of his dreams, a Los Angeles cabbie in denial catches up with a killer brimming with STYLE!…It’s really kind of a bummer for the Cabbie.  Either way, both men will never be the same.

Review:  Alright alright, I know this is way ridiculous.  It has been a whole YEAR since I’ve written a review, and after all this time, I resort to reviewing ANOTHER Michael Mann movie.  My last review was The Last of the Mohicans, where I happened to unabashedly profess my love for the director and his films.  So where do I go now?  The MANN!

I coincidentally happened to watch Collateral recently, and as I meant to get back into the spirit of sharing my feelings on film with the masses (currently mass…or lack thereof), this 2004 beauty seemed like the perfect place to hang.  Do my ecstatic feelings shown previously appear in this endeavor?  For the most part, yest.

Collateral is a film I find myself pushing endlessly towards the masses (again…maybe just Mom here) regardless of my recent knowledge of it.  In all actuality, I truly believe I’d only seen this film twice, and the second time possibly more than 5 years ago.  Upon this revisit, there were moment of true bliss, and others that left me slightly perplexed; these were few and far between however, as Collateral may very well be Mann’s most taut film to date.

One major difference compared to all of his previous work is the script: it wasn’t his (although he reportedly revised it substantially).  Stuart Beattie is credited with this little baby (early drafts by Executive Producer Frank Darabont of Shawshank and The Walking Dead Fame) making quite a tightknit piece of work.  Not only does the story take place over the course of one night, but much of it is in a cab with major philosophical battle between the two leads.  The story is simple enough, with Vincent the hit man (played cool and efficiently by Tom Cruise) essentially taking Max the cabbie (Jamie Foxx in a star making turn) hostage, as he takes out his 5 targets he has been contracted to kill.  While you may think one has the upper hand over the other, events of the night and fairly calm debates show a continually alternating picture of who each of these two men really are, played effectively up front and in the subtext.

Mann’s first foray into digital cinematography (and justified by the accent of the LA night) truly is a visual masterwork.  Scenes showcasing life in and out of the taxi cab, in clubs, skyrises, and trains are truly stunning and beautiful.  One issue I could not separate myself from was that while it looked like Mann, it did not completely feel like Mann, most likely based on the fact that the story did not originate from him.  This should not be viewed as a fault necessarily; directors shouldn’t have to keep exactly consistent from movie to movie (why should they).  It just took me slightly out of the story, and I can’t help but feel upset.  Still….that’s my own damn fault, isn’t it?!  Not the fault of the MANN!  Even if it was something completely new, he actually did go with a script that in the end seems almost to be tailor made for his visual sensibilities. 

Maybe in my old age, I’m becoming a little short with my favorite filmmaker.  Regardless, Collateral truly is a slick spectacle that remains taut and tight through to the end.  Music here is fairly stellar (maybe a little too bombastic at the end) and the setting of LA is fleshed out well enough to truly be a supporting character.  And speaking of supporting, the cast adds depth and background that effectively surrounds our two leads without being overbearing.  Some of the cast you will may not even recognize at first (Mark Ruffalo never looked so Narc) while others might be making some of their first big US appearances (never realized Javier Bardem was here).

Even though at first the film may have differed from what I remember, I cannot deny the cool, the real, the vibe that makes me truly feel I’m in LA like I’ve never seen it before.  He may have not written the piece, but make no mistake, this is Michael Mann’s movie, and it ranks up there with his best. 

 

Killer Joe (2012)

Directed By: William Friedkin

Written By: Tracy Letts

Cast: Emile Hirsh, Mathew  McConaughey, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church and Gina Gershon

Synopsis: Killer Joe is the most effective anti-KFC ad you'll ever see.

Or ... Killer Joe is simply that ol' tale of young, trailer trash dumbass getting into trouble with drug dealers who will kill him if he doesn't pay up. When said young, dumbass (and this kid is thick!) can't pay up he formulates a brilliant plan off his mom for the insurance money. While it's clear that this entrepreneurial ignoramus doesn't know much about anything he definitely doesn't know the first thing about killing. So, along with his even dumber dad, he hires a man to do the dirty work and when they can't pay the advance Killer Joe takes his innocent sister as collateral.

Dumbest. Decision. Ever.

"You ever hear of Joe Cooper? He's a cop. A detective actually. He's got a little business on the side ... he kills people."

 

Full Disclosure: Preceding the screening of Killer Joe at the Seattle International Film Festival director William Friedkin won the SIFF Lifetime Achievement Award (for the second time he pointed out) and in what was supposed to be a 30 minute tribute/interview with the accomplished director turned into almost two hours of him just telling awesome, hilarious and truly enthralling stories about his experiences in the industry.

If I wasn't laughing at his anecdotes it was because he was blowing my mind with some factoid. For example, did you know he directs operas? The guy that was behind the camera of The Excorcist and The French Connection dabbles in opera! How cool is that?! Friedkin may be in his late 70's but he is one of the funniest and most genuine men I have ever watched speak.

He can also cuss up a storm and I somehow find that incredibly endearing.

So I was rooting for Killer Joe and I wanted to like it a lot before the theater even darkened ... I ended up loving it. Now let's review a movie!

Review: This isn't William Friedkin's first rodeo with the screenwriter/playwright Tracy Letts (the other being 2006's Bug as well as some stage work) and their collaboration is performing at the highest it has ever been. "It all starts with the words" Friedkin stated prior to the screening going on to say that what we would see onscreen was pretty much word for word from the Letts screenplay meaning he's probably the most responsible for what makes Killer Joe work.

First off I want to talk about the tone of Killer Joe which truly allows the actors performances to shine. To call it a dark comedy would be an understatement. I guess the best way I can sum it up is by classifying it as a "trailer trash film noir battered in humor and deep-fried in brutality". Yeah, that'll do. Hell, that'd look great on the back cover of Killer Joe's Blu-ray ... just sayin'.

This film is perfectly cast as well with most of the actors going against their normal typecasts and just nailing it. Emile Hirsch is entirely believable as a stupid, frightened boy who is in over his head and just doesn't know it. Mathew McConaughey's character is both so deliciously sinister and charming you almost can't help like him ... even when you should be utterly repulsed by his actions. He masks his sinister side with politeness, but his eyes are cruel ... I haven't seen a movie that has the antagonist walk that fine line so well since Robert Mitchum's murderous character in The Night of the Hunter. Juno Temple plays an innocent, in virtually every sense of the word, girl who appears to be blissfully ignorant of the predicament she has found herself in but also seems to be fully aware of her own actions. Gina Gershon (an NC-17 vet) and Thomas Haden Church truly shine through as dirtbag trailer park parents.

"I heard ya'll talkin' about killin' Mama... I think it's a good idea."

Especially Church, he owns the role of dumbass dad. Seriously. The way Church plays the father figure as more of an equal, or even intellectually inferior to Hirsch is brilliant and probably gets the most laughs. You totally believe that he is this dude, who's content just to sit around in long johns, a trucker hat, chuckling at monster truck DVDs whilst sucking down cheap beer. Church pretty much steals every scene he's in by playing stupidity straight and in doing so creates some of the greats gut-busting laughs.

As for the pacing Killer Joe is a bit of a slowburn initially but where a typical film noir could easily get bogged down trying to force the plot forward the welcomed addition of humor in, virtually nonstop ranging from lowbrow to completely absurd, thoroughly entertain and keep you engaged. Clocking in at only 103 minutes rest assured the action pops up like controlled bursts of insanity propelling us to a final showdown and it pays off in a very satisfying and brutal way.

And when the credits roll I reckon you'll probably have a big stupid, satisfied grin on your face. I sure as hell did! By the way, you may not have to wait too long to see Killer Joe as it looks like it finally received  a limited release outside of film festivals late last month on July 27th!

Now I know some of you are wondering if Killer Joe deserves its NC-17 rating and I honestly don't think it does. William Friedkin said it best before the screening of Killer Joe even started, "Fuck the MPAA." The MPAA is pretty damn hard to get a handle on but it's pretty safe to say that when it comes to sexual content they tend to be prudish while when it comes to violence they tend to let it slide a bit more. I have seen a few NC-17 flicks over the years and I don't feel like Killer Joe has the explicit sex and nudity of last year's Shame, the nun-rape and hyperdermic drug use of Bad Lieutenant (not that Nic Cage flick, the other one) or the gratuitous nudity of Showgirls to warrant this super-restrictive rating.

"It smells heavenly ... who'd like to say grace?"

*******POSSIBLE MINOR SPOILERS (but probably not)*******

Yes, there is definitely nudity, some awkward sexual content and some very brutal violence but nothing that I'd consider NC-17 level, just in hard R territory. I don't think it is much of a spoiler to say one of the most shocking moments in the movie that probably will be talked about the most involves a certain foodstuff filling in for a certain part of the male anatomy. While it is definitely degrading for the person on the receiving end it is not exceptionally explicit. It's not like an actual dick was whipped out and being sucked, it was a proxy penis by way of chicken leg.

The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

Directed by:  Michael Mann

Screenplay by:  Michael Mann & Christopher Crowe

Based on the novel by James Fenimore Cooper

Starring:  Daniel Day Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Wes Studi

Plot:  Set in the year 1757, the last three members of a Native American tribe becomes caught in the middle of the French and Indian War as they attempt to protect the daughters of a British Colonel. 

Review:  It’s hard for me not to be biased in this review.  I’m generally in love with any film that is directed by Michael Mann.  Not only is he the creator of my all time favorite film Heat (aka “The Greatest Film of All Time”) but he also never ceases to keep his works grounded in atmospheric reality, regardless of story, genre, or period.  Is it any different with this film?  Nay.

This film completely stands out as a modern classic, joining elements of rousing adventure and romance with grounded story telling and filmmaking techniques, making it, in this reviewer’s eyes, one of a kind. 

The sweeping cinematography, beautiful locations, and grandiose action assist the viewer in completely being entranced and accepting the film as reality.  Moving at a steady pace, it never really slows, keeping conflict and the stakes in constant focus.  The set pieces feel realistic and legitimate, the numerous supporting characters add to the epic nature, and the music (scored partly by Trevor Jones and partly by Randy Edelman … truly phenomenal.  In fact, this movie could succeed fairly well with a different score solely based on previous aspects listed, but it wouldn’t nearly have the efficacy and grandeur. 

Taking place in 1757, we see an America still in development, with a wilderness that no longer exists, tragically along with various Native tribes (including the titular Mohicans).  Not only is this setting unique, but the main characters including Hawkeye (Daniel Day Lewis), and, by adoption, his father Chingachgook (Russell Means) and brother Uncas (Eric Schweig), create a fresh and interesting dynamic; the latter two are blood relatives, and Hawkeye is not, nor is he native. 

This adds to the interesting conflicts and duplicitous nature within the epic; how all these various groups can and cannot get along.  We have settlers fighting to live their own lives, English fighting French, and native Americans fighting either for revenge in the case of the antagonist Magua, or more generally just to survive.  Evoking what ostensibly were major issues of those times, we see politics and real issues come into play in the subtext, without being overstated or commandeering the story, making a for a welcoming and complex experience.  We also can find some way, if at all possible, to understand the plight of the Native Americans with the unstoppable invasion by immigrants.  They are hard struck to find a choice or answer in regards to living the way they had for centuries.  As a Huron war chief puts effectively in the third act, “What are the Huron to do?”

"Dad's always constapated and sooo sloow... CMON!"

Other aspects of the film excel as well; acting seems to be obviously fantastic, with Daniel Day Lewis at the helm.  One may doubt his talent in an action piece, based on previous works (Room With A View, My Left Foot) but after viewing his total submersion into the Hawkeye character, there is no doubt.  Just as well, the action set pieces are clearly planned and executed, with a vivid geographical sense at play, so we know where everything occurs. 

Based on a book by James Fenimore Cooper, the film is adept and able in keeping with the rousing and adventurous nature while including complexity (the book is rather simplistic in its plot and description of Native peoples).  There was also a previous film made in the 1930s, of which I have not yet seen.  I imagine it to be similar in some regard to the subject of this review.  However, I cannot imagine either to be as exciting, entertaining, dramatic, rousing, romantic, and epic as Michael Mann’s version; truly an amazing vision of adventure you can take seriously.  

Wasabi (2002)

Directed by: Gérard Krawczyk

Writtien by:  Luc Besson

Stars: Jean Reno, Ryôko Hirosue, and Michel Muller               

Plot: Dispatching crimanls with succinct success but also collateral damage ala Riggs/Murtaugh, policeman Hubert Fiorentini is pushed to vacation while still pining over his lost love for the last 19 years.  After receiving a phone call that she has passed away, he returns to Japan where he once lived to obtain her remaining effects… including the daughter he never knew.

Review: Borrowing this from a friend at work, I can say I was not exactly sure what I was in for.  Based on the artwork, it had to be fun, entertaining, and have a certain mix of euro-action and comedy that’s come to be known in varying degrees throughout Luc Besson’s work (The Professional, Taken).  Upon completion, I can say it was mostly expected and enjoyable, but not totally without surprise.

Fairly consistent action and fast paced camera work are almost required with this pedigree of film.  You generally have a cop, hitman, or anyone who can easily eliminate a plethora of bad guys, and then throw in a personal “hook” that challenges them (i.e. plethora ad infinitum) to the point of every action junkie’s pleasure.  Here we have the same ingredients:  bad ass policeman who along with finding out he has a daughter, discovers her mother stumbled onto something sinister, resulting in her demise.  Enter guns and explosions…well at least the former.

For being marketed as an action film, there is oddly not much.  That is not to say its isn’t vibrant like one, also including plenty of entertaining moments featuring our protagonist (Jean Reno) taking out baddies creatively yet efficiently.  However, the newfound relationship between parent and child (of which the the latter is oblivious of for some time) appears prominent, and refreshingly so.  Fiorentini discovers his daughter actually hates policemen, as well as the idea of her father, enticing him to remain silent of his role while a bond between slowly but surely develops.  With the mystery being fleshed out alongside, we have a fairly effective and believable look into family members meeting for the first time, even with the fairly unbelievable action surrounding it.

"I used to protect Natalie Portman you know... where the hell is MY oscar?"Besides surprising devotion to characters, humor and laughs are fairly constant throughout.  The writing and acting are no doubt thanks to that, with Jean Reno bringing bittersweet comedy to his bad ass cop without a family, while Ryôko Hirosue (playing his daughter) is young and vibrant, ignorant to the fact this man is protecting her (to hilarious effect).  Adding comedic support is Michel Muller playing a bumbling former colleague in Japan, always saying the wrong thing while attempting to back up his friend throughout his ordeal.

Even though one may easily see a formula at work, Wasabi succeeds at throwing out fun oddities; look at the title?  The actual Japanese horseradish only plays a small cameo and joke in the film, but makes sense as the title, with Japan playing the main setting.  Even phonetically it somehow seems right.  Is the film really spicy though?  Medium to medium hot.



The Thin Man (1934)

Directed By: W.S. Van Dyke

Written By: Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich

Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O'Sullivan, Nat Pendleton, Minna Gombell, Cesar Romero (The original Joker!), Porter Hall and Skippy the Dog

Synopsis:  Former ace detective Nick Charles (Powell) is happily enjoying his retirement with his rich heiress wife Nora (Loy) and their dog Astor (Skippy) content to drink booze and crack wise the rest of his days. But when a famous, and notoriously eccentric, inventor is missing and suspected of murdering his wife an opportunity to come out of retirement arises. Nora, who finds the prospect of seeing her husband working exciting, as well as many of Nick's old friends urging him to take on the case he begrudgingly acquiesces even if the only case he is interested in is "that case of scotch".

Reluctant, but no less brilliant, Nick sticks on his old gumshoes and proves why he is the greatest detective in New York, retired or otherwise. What follows is a case of intrigue, deception, lust, alcohol and all of the other fun sins culminating in a classic whodunit dinner party where one of the guests is none other than the murderer!

Nick: "Oh ... It's all right. It's my dog. And, uh, my wife." Nora: "Well you might have mentioned me first on the billing."

Review: The now classic 1934 screwball comedy The Thin Man wasn't supposed to be anything great, thrown together in under a few weeks and harvesting actors that were under contract with MGM it was at most supposed to be a fun throwaway comedy. What resulted, however, was cinematic magic that still feels fresh and fun almost 80 years later. The Thin Man is pretty much a perfect movie that could end up being your favorite even if you haven't heard of it until now.

Credit where credit is due, the writing by Albert Hackett and Francis Goodrich was nothing less than inspired. Adapting a Dashiell Hammett (also author of The Maltese Falcon) hard-boiled detective novel of the same name and making it into a comedy while maintaining the same thriller aspect was a gutsy move but they sure as hell pulled it off. But as fun as the mystery aspect is it easily takes a backseat to what is the most thrilling aspect of The Thin Man; the performances of Powell and Loy. The reason The Thin Man is a timeless classic is almost undefinable but it surely isn't undeniable. I am speaking of course of the chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles. I have never seen a husband/wife relationship on screen that was so genuinely fun and fresh. Between the witty banter and the playful insults lies a believable relationship. Both are accomplished actors, and had also co-starred in the Clark Gable classic Manhattan Melodrama which was released only a couple of weeks prior, but The Thin Man (and it's several sequels) will always be my favorite movie that they are paired up in. 

Nora: "I read where you were shot 5 times in the tabloids." Nick: "It's not true. He didn't come anywhere near my tabloids!"

On his own William Powell puts up a grand nonchalant front as Nick Charles, for most of the film he is laid back and content to drink cocktails and spend his days with his wife. But when he is on the case there is a calculating coldness about him, the wheels in his head are always turning even when he appears to be hungover after a night of indulgance. Yes he carries a gun but his greatest weapons would have to be his amicability and sharp wit. Roger Ebert put it best; stating Powell "is to dialogue as Fred Astaire is to dance. His delivery is so droll and insinuating, so knowing and innocent at the same time, that it hardly matters what he's saying." He can talk his way out of almost any situation using humor and more often than not will leave a friend, and Nick has many friends. Even the men he has in the past sent up the river for various crimes hold him in high respect and treat him as a pal, much to the amusment, and sometimes annoyance, of his wife Nora. Powell carries himslef in this manner, somewhere between playboy and hardboiled detective, and he not only makes it work he excells at it. There is no Thin Man without William Powell (Or is there?) his dapper deviousness and classy cynicism are the essance of Nick Charles and I can think of few actors that could ever have pulled that off, even fewer contemporary examples.

But Powell is only part of the reason The Thin Man is such a great film, his female counterpart Myrna Loy is just as key. Her depiction of Nora Charles is every bit as witty as her detective husband and even when it comes to knocking back drinks she proves to be his equal. Quite often Loy will steal a scene with a quip or a mock despairing eye roll, some of the greatest moments of the film lie not only in her dialog but her subtle mannerisms and smiles. If this was a Film Noir she would be the femme fatale but she puts on no airs of superiority, she is just too busy having fun. 

Nora: "Do you want a drink?" Nick:" What do you think?"

In fact that one word wholistically describes exactly what The Thin Man is: fun. The dialog, the performances and yes even the detective story are just fun. If Shane Black (Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) was screenwriting in the 1930's The Thin Man would have been right up his alley and I'm not just saying that because Christmas is the backdrop! The mixture of action, humor and intrigue are exactly what makes The Thin Man such an enjoyable watch and it has longevity and holds up to repeat viewings. If you fall in love with Nick and Nora and their adventures or were ever to get bored of The Thin Man (impossible) then you will be glad to know that this flick spawned a successful franchise of 5 sequels that always brought in acting heavyweights like Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Dean Stockwell and many others. I heartily would reccomend any of the series, but the first is easily the greatest of the six and if you haven't had the pleasure to see The Thin Man just do yourself a favor and pick it up, it still deserves an audience 80 years later.

"You know, that sounds like an interesting case. Why don't you take it?" ~ "I haven't the time. I'm much too busy seeing that you don't lose any of the money I married you for."

The Thin Man endures not only as one of the greatest comedies ever committed to film, but one of the greatest films period.

If you are having trouble finding the films I fully recommend The Complete Thin Man Collection DVD boxed set, mine has seen more than it's fair share of use.