Oslo, August 31st (2011)

Directed by: Joachim Trier

Based on the novel by: Pierre Drieu La Rochelle

Screenplay by: Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt

Players: Anders Danielsen Lie, Hans Olav Brenner, Ingrid Olava

Setup: Gaining a day's leave from his rehab facility, Anders takes time to reunite with friends, family, and apply for a job while attempting to avoid his previous addictions.

Review:  Norwegian film is something I cannot say I'm completely familiar with, not being able to even remember the last Norwegian film I actually saw.  Partial joking aside however, I appreciate films from all around the world, as you can truly find a unique and unprecedented vision outside of the mainstream behemoth that is Hollywood. As big as this world is and as many different cultures and countries there are, the possibilities almost seem endless.  Upon approaching Director Trier's second film, I expected another unique vision (either that or some warped take on the city of Oslo by a possible relative of Lars Von Trier).

Color me subtly pleased, as the film presents a beautifully shot character study with a wonderfully subdued post-modernistic attitude.  Our main character Anders (possibly biographically played by Anders Danielsen Lie) is clearly a tortured soul right from the first act as he proceeds to drown himself in what is otherwise a gorgeous lake surrounded by a peaceful forest.  After apparently failing, he proceeds back to his peaceful abode, home to what we soon discover is a rehab clinic of some sorts.  From there he travels into the titular Oslo, starting with a beautiful shot through a tunnel where an awesome alternative pop song in his taxi gets louder as the city comes into view (honestly the only way I'll enter a city).  

As the film progresses we delve into some fairly strong emotional territory while remaining fairly relevant to my “twenty something” nature, and hopefully to those of all ages.  While he probably has some darker issues to deal with than the viewer can relate to (notably drug addiction), he also has the modern problems of dealing and reuniting with loved ones, especially after long absences bookended by difficult meetings.  What makes the issues come across so well is their subtle delivery, especially made so by Lie’s performance, using solely his facial expressions to bring about feelings of shame, loss, and exile. The theme of happiness and trying to find what makes you happy permeates the film, further backing the movie’s accessibility.

When the story progresses to its appropriate conclusion, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of message it delivered: was it arguably nihilistic?  Did it support the positive nature of life?  Both seem apparent, with the subject of failure omnipresent while being set against gorgeously wondrous and dreamy visuals.  As the film also uses narration from ostensibly real Oslo citizens discussing the aspects they appreciate of their fine city, one may assume it is more reflective of a people or cultural point of view on the world, with our protagonist acting as the conduit for that expression. I saw the film more than three days ago and still am not sure exactly what to make of its messaging, if any is truly meant.  As it takes its time through the day in the life of Anders, one may have difficulty finding purpose in their watching of this languid and pedestrian experience.  However, it is obviously not just any random day being presented; it's specifically August 31st, and if you're patient, open, and accepting of individuals with sketchy pasts, Anders is a character worth meeting.

Tidbit: This is the second collaboration with Messrs.’ Lie and Trier.  If you dig this, might want to give Reprise a try.   

Drink of Choice: If one is to engage in Norwegian culture, it doesn't hurt to explore their libation library. Therefore I present to you their national drink: Aquavit (from the Latin aqua vitae, “water of life”).  Having never actually tried it, I can’t give you a clear interpretation of its taste.  I will however be working on making my own with a recipie out of The Wall Street Journal, and hopefully to be featured soon in the Mixology section.  For now, I recommend trying to make your own via the recipie here, or purchasing a bottle from North Shore Distillery.

To tide you over, check out this awesome song featured in the film.

The Hunter (2011)

Directed by: Daniel Nettheim 

Based on a Novel by: Julia Leigh

Original Adaptation by: Wain Fimeri

Screenplay by: Alice Addison

Players: Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill, Frances O' Connor

Setup: A secret military organization sends a solitary hunter (Willem Dafoe) to obtain the last known Tasmanian Tiger and its DNA.  

FYI - he's being sent to Tasmania, as implied by the eponymous Tiger.  If this does not make sense, please hesitate to contact me.   

Review: The artwork was what first intrigued me about this flick.  Blue and natural evoking a cold and dark journey for our leads, I expected something slow moving and mainly featuring Willem Dafoe lost in thought about the animal he is hunting, along with the animal he is becoming.  Ok, so I may be a little overzealous here, but regardless, the saying about not judging a film in Netflix by it picture should remain relevant here, as this was mostly a different (but still enjoyable) film.   

Willem Dafoe plays Martin David, who besides appreciating time alone with classical music and a rifle, we know very little about.  His character starts to grow once we see his mission begin and his subsequent derailment occur.  He seems dedicated and serious enough to endure his task of finding this last animal of an entire species, but his accomodations provided by a local family of a boy, girl, and recently widowed mother (Frances O' Connor) leads him to a place where his mission is no longer the most important part of his life.  However, as he becomes more and more involved with this family, the two are also found to be intertwined. 

Jurassic Park 4 my ASS!

You really can't go wrong with Willem Dafoe starring, but when mixed with Sam Neill the odds of favorability are increased exponentially.  The acting here is pretty fantastic, and while Neill's role wasn't as fleshed out as I had hoped, he provided some solid supporting work.  Visuals help their presentation stand out with beautiful vistas and subsequent verisimilitude at play, along with a wonderfully moving and sumptuous score by Matteo Zingales, Andrew Lancaster, and Michael Lira (all new to my ears, and worth watching out for in the future). Overall, Director Daniel Nettheim appears to have a strong grasp on all technical aspects, in specific scenes evoking fellow Aussie Director Peter Weir's brilliant sensibilities regarding a believable, beautiful, yet artisic natural environment (one scene with classical music in an forrest setting comes to mind). 

There is room to fall short however, especially in the editing.  While it flowed fairly smoothly, there were a few odd plot points that occurred seemingly without much thought, and therefore without much effective emotion. Also while I discovered the source novel is well praised, some story aspects presented here seem to present unbelievable character decisions, along with all to apparent lines for the creator's view of right and wrong.  

Nevertheless, The Hunter delivers a wonderful atmosphere and environment to enjoy, with much more happiness and positive notions regarding life than I thought would occur.  Color me happily surprised.  

Tidbit:  The featured animal of the film (Tasmanian Tiger) is in fact extinct, though the archival footage seen in the film is real. 

Drink of Choice:  Just because I've never seen a movie set in Tasmania (beautiful if this film is a true representation) I was going to cop out and go with a drink call "The Tasmanian Devil".  But as this movie deserves better, we'll go with... a WINE!  As you are an avid reader of this site (um, we have avid readers?), you'll know I haven't yet had a drink of choice consisting just of a beer or other less-than-15%-alcohol beverage (I likes the good stuff).  However it is time, and appropriate, for this film:

Albacore Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Hailing from Australia as well, this deliciously dark beauty represents the lush setting of the film mixed with the less animalistic tastes of the main character (his appreciation of classical music).  Bold yet fantastic, I'll drink any Cab-Sav, but I'd especially drink this one.  

Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Directed by: David Wain

Written by: Michael Showalter and David Wain

Players: David Hyde Pierce, Janeane Garafolo, Michael Showalter, Marguerite Moreau

Setup: Camp counselors run amok with love and freedom in the air on the last day of the Summer season... with unexpected and utterly ridiculous hilarity.

Review: This film has been on my radar since my Freshman year of College, where it was sitting mysteriously on my roommate Bryce's shelf. Still, I just couldn't ever bring myself to view it. One look at the cover brought me to a point of slight curiosity, but not enough to pursue completely. One lazy Sunday changed all that, with excitement brewing due to the description of "spoof" for the film which I had not previously considered at all. Needless to say, any reservations I had were unfounded; the flick is brilliantly wacky and irreverent, resulting in giggly hysterics even after the film is over.

With a cast of players you've seen all over (including but not limited to Michael Ian Black, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, Joe Lo Truglio, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, and Molly Shannon), the film truly delivers an ensemble experience. Plot points range from making out to finding love, making out and getting laid, and making out and saving the world (did I mention making out?). Really, there is more to the film than this, and it helps to make it all the more enjoyable. Characters end up in ridiculous situations, leading them to perform ludicrous problem solving that leads to (sometimes dark) comic situations.

Archer in a can!

Where this film succeeds on all cylinders is its unique straddling of the real/unreal boundary, giving us enough of the former to care about the characters even when the film becomes difficult to believe overall. We can accept these people as generally likable (or wonderfully dislikable in regards to Paul Rudd's character), leading us to surprisingly effective hijinks. You can trust me when I say the overall atmosphere is one of enjoyable excitement and hilarity due to the sheer ridiculousness that pervades the film. Unlike its recent successors (Epic Movie, Disaster Movie, etc.) this spoof flick surprises even the most experienced watcher of comedic discourse.  In fact there are so many fantastic moments that during this article's creation, it took all of my will and strength to supress my laughter at scenes I had all but forgotten about beforehand (due to there being so many!).  So go ahead, check it now, and prepare for the onslought of funny and 80s culture combined.

Tidbit: The great H. Jon Benjamin (the voice of Archer in the eponymous series) tried out for an on screen role but failed.  Regardless, he got the arguably enviable role of a talking tin can...seriously.  

Drink of Choice: On a hot, sticky, sweaty, hot, sweaty, clammy day (NOT adult oriented as the movie title implies), all you need is Corona with lime (easier to avoid spillage, and to make, while laughing hysterically).

Directions: Add a damn lime to a Corona bottle. Drink. Repeat.

Might be my first non-mixed drink I've recommended here... had to happen sometime.

Jailbreakers (1994)

Directed by: William Friedkin

Written by: Debra Hill & Gigi Vorgan

Cast: Shannen Doherty, Antonio Sabato, Jr., and Adrien Brody

Plot:  Boy meets Girl.  Boy is actually a “Bad Boy Biker”, and Girl is supposedly “Good Girl Cheerleader”.  Boy goes to jail after crazy night with Girl, Girl gets indecisive, Boy wants out of jail, and there you have the reasoning behind the title!

Review:  Going into this film (and solely/ignorantly based on the cover), I assumed I’d be seeing an overall lesser effort by the generally well-regarded Billy Friedkin.  For full transparency, having just attended a screening at the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) a few months prior where he spoke at a premiere of his latest film Killer Joe (as previously reviewed by Jake), my respect for the man and his cinematic creations had increased dramatically.  One only needs to bring up The Exorcist and The French Connection, and automatic placement in the upper echelon of directors should be assumed, regardless of the rest of his filmography (see Francis Ford Coppola).  All of this being considered, one must realize that even our greatest heroes have skeletons in their closet, this one in particular being a very chubby set of skull and bones.

I immediately knew I should have skipped this right when “Showtime Presents” came across the screen; quality doesn’t immediately spring to mind (at least before the 21^st Century).  Quality didn’t ensue either, as the hasty and uninteresting plot proceeded to delve out cliché moments of romance between young lovers from opposite sides of society; one a misunderstood rebel who never had a chance, and the other a star stuck teen (played ineffectively by then popular Shannen Doherty) just wanting some change from her boring Suburban life.  Can you say original?!?!  HA… um, no, of course you can’t. 

I assumed this film took place in the present day even 15 minutes into the picture (perhaps ignorantly) until enough dated cars and a reference to On The Waterfront being a new film made me realize it was the 1950s.  Maybe it should be forgiven for a potentially low budget (um, Showtime) but the setting gave an odd mix of old and new, including clothing and hair styles .  The acting didn’t help either (save for Adrien Brody in an early role) with characters like Doherty’s spurting out dialogue in a manner that felt completely out of place while lacking serious emotion (seriously laughable, especially she’s supposed to be 15 but looks 20!).  It felt like there was no real research into the period besides memories of older cast/crew, and no real interest to accurately portray it.    

There’s potential Friedkin had specific reasons for his seemingly lazy method here, or there were issues behind the scenes, leading to the dung heap we see on the screen.  Maybe he was trying to get some sort of imporant message across through a facade of cinematic coherence (and just TERRIBLE music, with quality seemingly derived from a 70's TV movie). Regardless, it can’t help save the end product from being utterly pointless and blah inducing.  I mean really, just plain BLAH.  Ahhhhhhh… just go watch To Live and Die in L.A. quality Friedkin, or Beverly Hills 90210 for some more “quality” Doherty acting.  If you’re even thinking about engaging this film, prep at least two drinks… and maybe a hammer.

Tid Bit:  After viewing I discovered this was actually in a series titled “Rebel Highway”, showcasing teleflicks inspired by B-movies of the 50s and 60s.  

Extra Tid Bit: I also discovered continually flossing my teeth for an hour would be more entertaining.

Drink of Choice: Prairie Fire. What basically entails 1 part Vodka and 1 part Tabasco sauce (at least in the local breakfast diner’s recipe), this concoction will most certainly wake you up to the fact that you’re losing brain cells watching this shit.  

High Plains Drifter (1973)

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Written by: Ernest Tidyman

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Billy Curtis, Verna Bloom, Marianna Hill, Billy Curtis

As I began my cinematic symbiosis with this 1973 Western (Eastwood's second film behind the camera), I was expecting something moderately decent, oddly convinced it was a mid 80's effort in a declining genre (mixed it up with Pale Rider).  However I became utterly befuddled upon the discovery that it was actually made a whole decade earlier, when Eastwood was arguably at the top of his game with classics like Dirty Harry and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly under his belt.  Upon this revelation 5 minutes into the film, I realized I might be in for an impressive surprise.  105 minutes into the film (meaning the credits were over), it was impressive, albeit nowhere near the greatness of Spaghetti Westerns and Eastwood's final Cowboy opus, Unforgiven

The eponymous drifter (again, Eastwood playing a “man with no name”) arrives in a surreal and serene coastal town.  With no clear evidence of interest, save for some arguably defensive killing and unapologetic sexual assault, the drifter (how he'll be known from here on out) becomes the town's salvation as they await the return of three murderers just released from prison.  To keep their hero, the townsfolk give away the key to the city, but in the process may also be giving away their souls as the drifter takes and does anything he may without any clear evidence it's for the town's own good.

Worthy of being known as a revisionist western, High Plains Drifter succeeds as an oddball standout in the genre.  Right from the beginning, Eastwood strives to show a difference in his character from previous "revisionist" westerns by Sergio Leone: the protagonist is slightly dislikable.  As we continue through the film however, none of these characters reveal a very positive or likable nature (save for the dwarf Malacki, played by Billy Curtis).  One can't help but wonder at what the drifter intents with the changes he make throughout the town; possibly revenge, boredom, or a combination of the two.  Even as we receive clues in the form of flashbacks and morality discussions, we never completely know, keeping a fresh sense of ambiguity and complication to the film making it all the more fascinating. 

For sure, while beautiful yet stark symbolism populates the picture in an effort to guide and showcase possible answers, morality is clearly shown to be a gray matter.  Are the townspeople really that different from the homecoming murderers?  Who was truly responsible for the heinous act at the center of the story?  As the film suffers from a dated soundtrack and feel, and even though it pales in comparison to other genre picks he's been involved with, Eastwood shows his skill as a storyteller not completely content with just being in front of the camera.  Even with moderately dull moments containing some poor acting from a few supporting players,  we are shown a fairly original piece of cinema, one that could be argued as more existentialist dark comedy than the western genre piece as touted.

Tidbit: While the studio wanted to use their back lot for the set, Eastwood opted for a real location where the town you see on screen was completely built from scratch. 

Drink of Choice:  I hate to do this again after High Noon, but it's gotta be whiskey.  Granted, you could go with something like Buffalo Trace instead of Pendleton’s like before, but as it's showcased here, whisky must win out. 

Really, a TRUE revisionist film would change the drink up; how bout giving the hero a Mojito?!