Short Attention Span Review - Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)

Short Attention Span Review - Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)

If you love the cinema, you have probably seen Apocalypse Now and heard a little about the making of this visionary masterpiece.  Apocalypse Now is one of those rare feats in the industry, a stupendous achievement where tales surrounding the lengths that the artists went to create something are almost as intriguing as the work itself.  In 1991, Fax Bahr and George Hickenlooper put together this documentary that offers tremendous insight into that storied production.  Deftly combining interviews with most of the key players and raw footage captured on set, Bahr and Hickenlooper allow us to feel like the proverbial fly on the wall while an audacious undertaking threatens to unravel at every turn.  Not only that, but the cast and crew threaten to unravel as well, making this a gripping tale in and of itself.  Hearts of Darkness is about people testing their boundaries.  It's also a battle against the elements and a test of endurance.  It's about faith and conviction, and it is also about desperation, and perhaps even madness.  It's one thing to ponder a director who had taken the industry by storm dragging his cast and crew into the jungle to shoot a sprawling epic while in search of an appropriate conclusion.  It's yet another to see the various challenges unfold, to listen in as Francis Ford Coppola struggles to find himself as much as he struggled to find that ending that would make the journey worthwhile.  It is an inspiring peak behind the curtain that shows us an odyssey that could have yielded disastrous results, and it is both a tribute to passion and sheer lunacy that something so prolific was born of this fury and fire.  Luck may have played a role as well.  Regardless, Hearts of Darkness is a vivid documentary that is both enlightening and entertaining.  It is surely must-see viewing for those who recognize Apocalypse Now as one of the boldest and most riveting movies ever made, but even someone who had never heard of that grim saga would probably enjoy Hearts of Darkness.  

Final Grade: A

An unparalleled look at the making of a genuine classic, this documentary is a profound exploration of art on a grand scale.

Short Attention Span Review: Speed Racer (2008)

Short Attention Span Review:  Speed Racer (2008)

Call me crazy, but I think Speed Racer is a masterpiece.  While critics decried it as a noisy and over-saturated mess, I still find it to be a smorgasboard of sonic and visual delights.  Many found the story overly simplistic and derivative, and hard to follow, but I find it to be a clever and stirring representation of the zany cartoon that inspired it.  And while it takes every curve at maximum speed, I think it does a great job of telling a cool story amidst all the wild thrills leaping off the screen.  If you watch Speed Racer the movie expecting to see Speed Racer the movie, I just don't know how you could find this to be anything but a splendid ride that stretchest the boundaries of the medium at every turn.  If you're hoping for Ben-Hur, shit man, go rent Ben-Hur.  This is no classic by critical standards, but as a true blue live action cartoon, it is a marveluos display of imagination and craftmanship.  It also features a host of sound performances, with John Goodman grounding the proceedings, while Emile Hirsch is a solid lead and Matthew Fox oozes cool as Racer X.  There are some incredible cuts and montages, and as crazy as this may sound, you may have to go back to something like Beyond the Valley of the Dolls to see such innovation in the editing of a film.  The action is sensationally choreagraphed and marvelous to behold, and the sound is epic and falls just shy of overwhelming--and there are several key moments when that unmistakable theme makes its way to the forefront to tremendous effect.  I know that most critics and many of my peers think of this as some sort of flop, but I hail Speed Racer as a true classic, and I applaud the Wachowski siblings for their vision and technique.  While The Matrix will probably always be viewed as their finest offering, I'm not so sure that this isn't a superior motion picture.  Call me crazy, but that's where I stand.

Final Grade: A

A kaleidoscope of color and sound, Speed Racer is a vibrant spectacle like no other.  It is a live-action cartoon, and it is incredile.

Short Attentin Span Review: Wind River (2017)

Short Attention Span Review: Wind River (2017)

How often does a great movie come along?  I'm a big fan of motion pictures and I'm very picky about what I sit down to watch, so I enjoy much of what I see.   I often use my blog to tell you about really good movies--or movies I enjoyed in spite of some rather obvious flaws. Wind River isn't entertaining in spite of its flaws and it wouldn't be fair to describe it as merely "really good" either.  Wind River is a great movie.  Dark, mystifying, and thoroughly engrossing, it boasts several setpieces of significance, to include both powerful jolts of excitement and poignant flourishes of staggering emotional depth.  Founded upon a splendid script and masterful direction from Taylor Sheridan, the picture also sports a phenomenal cast.  The supporting players never falter, and Elizabeth Olsen is perfectly case as one of the two leads, but the star of this one is clearly Jeremy Renner.  He may not be included in such conversations, but I firmly believe that Renner is one of the finest actors working today.  He is a joy to behold here, offering up a landmark performance with admirable restraint.  He endows Wind River with an abundance of heart and fire, but does so with impeccable nuance and subtlety.  Renner is truly exceptional here, and Wind River is a brooding masterpiece.  I think this is the best movie I've seen in 2017, and it has the substance and authority to stand the test of time.

Final Grade: A+

I firmly believe that Jeremy Renner is one of this generation's finest actors.  His work in Wind River is far less explosive but just as impressive as his more dynamic turns in great films like The Hurt Locker and The Town.

 

Short Attention Span Review: The Shining (1980)

 

I'm a big fan of Stephen King and The Shining is one of his darkest and most powerful novels.  My respect for the book initially kept me from appreciating this wonderful film from one the greatest directors ever, Stanley Kubrick.   If I had written this review a decade ago, I may have given this one a "C" or worse.  Truthfully, if one reads King's book and then views the film expecting a faithful adaptation, disappointment is on the horizon.  Kubrick took the basic premise from the novel and did his own thing with it, making a great many substantial changes along the way.  Yet time and my appreciation of quality filmmaking have dramatically softened my stance on this landmark horror movie from 1980.  Despite taking a different approach to the material, Kubrick delivered one hell of a fright flick that is greatly enhanced by Jack Nicholson's most impressive performance.  The energy and the menace that he brings to the role of Jack Torrance is legendary.  I know some think he hammed it up a bit too much, but I can't criticize his work here.  Who has seen this film and somehow managed to avoid quoting it at some point?  Anyone?  Okay, give me an example of a scene in the picture where Jack isn't entertaining as hell.  Go ahead, I'll wait.  No, it isn't a nuanced performance that plumbs the depths of an alcoholic's descent into madness, and I understand why that ticks some people off.  Let's just not ignore the fact that it's a brazen take on a demented character that is incredibly intense and wildly compelling.  Opposite Nicholson, Shelley Long also delivers the goods as Wendy, and it's her excellent portrayal of a battered wife, a role that is ripe with torment and misery, that serve to embellish Jack's reckless abandon and his demonic zeal.  It's also this disparity that pulls the audience in, heightening the struggle taking place in the creepy hotel.  Speaking of the Overlook--man, is this film atmospheric or what?  The cinematography is amazing, the music is full of dread, and the sets are wonderful.  The end result is an ominous and scary film bolstered by rich performances and a director who was a true master of his craft.  It may not be faithful to the book, which is an iconic terror yarn, but this visionary film is also a legitimate masterpiece.

Final Grade: A

This is what you get when you make out with strange women in haunted hotels.

Short Attention Span Review: Interstellar (2014)

Surprise, surprise--Christopher Nolan has delivered another stirring picture!  Seriously, Nolan producing something mesmerizing is almost old hat at this point.  Interstellar is only his latest riveting motion picture experience, and while it doesn't represent his best work, it's still one hell of a film.  Thoughtful, emotional, bold, exciting, and challenging, this sci-fi epic is a fine example of the power that high-caliber cinema can yield.  Nolan has always placed incredible talents front and center in his work and that makes this a bold statement, but for once I believe that the greatest strength of this movie was not the gifted director who I'm praising but the star I'm about to start praising.  Mathew McConaughey is on some kind of a roll right now, and while this isn't his best work either, the charm and grace he brings to Interstellar is a fantastic treat to behold.  The best thing about McConaughey is his ability to convey so much and get an audience so invested in such a natural manner.  Many thespians go to elaborate lengths to generate a response, but McConaughey reminds me a bit of the legendary Henry Fonda in that he can dominate the screen with such ease that it seems downright effortless.  There's a feeling that such a performer could walk in a room, pick up a script, read a line once, and then deliver it with remarkable authenticity.  It seems like child's play.  Regardless of how nonchalant his approach may appear to be, McConaughey's work here is impeccable and his performance is nothing short of captivating.  He is joined by wonderful performers like Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine, as well one major surprise, and the acting is top-notch across the board.  The plot is complex yet entertaining, and like many of Nolan's films the less you know going in the better.  The effects are fabulous and the science is very convincing--though I would be one of the last people to know if they were totally defying the laws of physics and such.  The score is superb, which is what we've come to expect from Hans Zimmer, particularly when he works with Nolan.  In closing, Interstellar covers a lot of ground that previous science fiction films regarding space travel have covered, but it never feels like an imitation.  It's fresh, surprisingly sentimental, and very rewarding.

Final Grade: A

Once again, Nolan delivers an emotionally charged mindbender.