Short Attention Span Review: The Assignment (2016)

Short Attention Span Review: The Assignment (2016)

Walter Hill is one of my favorite directors.  Sometimes I think he may be my favorite, and at a bare minimum, he is safely in my top three alongside QT and John Carpenter.  So, while a goofy premise and lackluster reviews kept me from watching The Assignment until recently, I couldn't fathom Hill churning out a picture as lousy as this one was made out to be.  Upon review, I can say that this is no out and out travesty, but it isn't all that good either.  While the cast is on their game, with Sigourney Weaver leading the way while Michelle Rodriguez and Tony Shalhoub are both rock solid, and Hill's direction is slick as usual, The Assignment is a bit of a bore.  If it had been engineered to produce grindhouse thrills, I think it may have been a wicked good time at the movies, but the film suffers from an identity crisis that undermines it at every turn.  The Assignment surely has the necessary ingredients for an action yarn or a grimy thriller, but despite the relevant plot points and characters being in play, it fails to yield a single worthwhile action scene or any real thrills.  The key components seem ill-suited for a psychological thriller or (gasp!) a drama, but all too often that seemed to be what Hill was aiming for here.  It's a head-scratcher, and while it may not be a total mess, it is a flat and dull affair that wastes an awful lot of potential. 

Final Grade: D

Weaver does a fine job throughout and makes for a most curious villain, but the movie is too unfocused to match her performance.

Top 5 Main Themes from John Carpenter Movies

It's no secret here that I'm a fan of John Carpenter.  He could be my favorite director, though I can never fully determine whether I would put him atop my list over Walter Hill and QT.  Regardless, I treasure his work and I've frequently raved about Carpenter's scores, most of which he composed himself.  I decided to take a look at his filmography and rank my Top 5 Main Themes from his pictures.  I'm not calling it my Top 5 John Carpenter Main Themes because one of my favorites is from The Thing, and that particularly nightmarish bit of music was composed by the impeccable Ennio Morricone and not Carpenter himself.  Of course, that is the only piece of music on this list that Carpenter isn't responsible for.

Top 5 Main Themes from John Carpenter Movies

 5) Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
Like many Carpenter efforts, this theme seems a bit simple in that it is only comprised of a few layers, but the way these elements are layered together and the effect that they combine to create are anything but simple.  Bonus points: Carpenter claims that budgetary concerns dictated that this theme (and in fact, the entire score for Assault on Precinct 13) be composed in a single day.
Assault on Precinct 13 theme on YouTube

 4) Big Trouble in Little China (1986)Much like the movie itself, this theme is cheeky and full of energy.  If there's one theme on my list that others may swap out for another Carpenter gem, this is probably it, but I love it.  I offer up my sincerest apologies to the Escape from New York theme.
Big Trouble in Little China theme on YouTube

 3) The Fog (1980)
Eerie and intense, this is the epitome of a horror movie theme.  I'm inclined to think that it may in fact be Carpenter's creepiest composition.  It's so haunting, so melodic, . . . so damn awesome.
The Fog theme on YouTube

 2) The Thing (1982)
An ominous masterpiece that reeks of doubt and doom, the theme for The Thing builds the perfect mood for the movie.  In truth, this sounds more like Carpenter's work than Morricone, but Ennio was at the wheel and contrary to some reports, Carpenter didn't tell him what to do.  They didn't even speak the same language.
The Thing theme on YouTube

1) Halloween (1978)
Intense, iconic, and still imitated, the main theme for Halloween has to be viewed as one of the best themes of all time.  Sure, there are richer pieces of music to be found throughout the motion picture landscape, deft and nuanced works of art with a higher pedigree.  Yet this riveting theme is right up there with the very best of them in terms of impact and popularity for a reason.  It's pitch-perfect. 
Halloween theme on YouTube

El Rey Network, I Think I Love You

It's official: I have fallen for the El Rey Network.  Seriously, I'm starting to think that Robert Rodriguez dreamed this station up just for me.  Giallo flicks, spaghetti westerns, and kung fu treachery--hot damn!  Seriously, check out Thursday's theme:

What's not to love?  Now, some of you may not dig kung fu flicks as much as I do.  I don't know what the hell's wrong with you, but it's true--some people don't really care if honkies from the CIA interrupt their kung fu.  The rest of us dig Thursdays on El Rey.  In truth, if you like cool movies, this channel has you covered whether you dig kung fu or not.  Cult classics are the norm and there are gory horror flicks like City of the Living Dead running when Mad Max isn't ripping down the asphalt in The Road Warrior.  Hey look, it's Taxi Driver!  Like I wondered at the start of the paragraph, what's not to love?

So what's happening on El Rey aside from all the groovy movies?  Well, there's Lucha Underground, for starters.  I dig the wrasslin' and let me assure you, you've never seen wrasslin' like this.  The environment, the atmosphere, the moves--Lucha Underground is a wicked ride.  If you don't like wrasslin' you may actually dig this, and lifelong fans of suplexes and DDTs may just lose their minds watching this shit.  It's insane.

Of course, there's more.  I really dig watching Rodriguez sit down with other directors and talk shop on The Director's Chair.  You know that I had a blast watching John Carpenter dish on his biggest hits and share his thoughts on the film industry in general, and the two episodes devoted to QT were equally compelling.  There are other programs and even the ads and promos are nifty given that they have a distinct grindhouse feel. 

I just discovered El Rey a few weeks ago, so I know that I'm late to the party, but I'm quickly becoming this channel's biggest fan.  Do yourself a favor and tune in!

Cult Classics from Dimension X: The Return of the Living Dead (1985)

I'm frequently asked to name my favorite zombie film, and despite my affection for Romero (and Dawn of the Dead in particular), my answer is always the same.  It's The Return of the Living Dead, the 1985 ode to punk rock and dead people who won't stay buried that never fails to thrill or amuse me.  Not only is this Dan O'Bannon feature my favorite zombie flick, but it's one of my favorite horror movies in general.  Hell, we can take that one step further, for it's truly one of my favorite movies from any genre.  It's a fast-paced nightmare loaded with black humor and wonderful dialogue, and it benefits from the presence of a talented cast highlighted by Clu Galager, James Karen, and Thom Mathews.  They make the most of the material and the twisted frightfest that ensues is a disgusting descent into madness and terror where no one's brain is safe.

Dan O'Bannon made a nice mark in the horror genre (Alien was his idea and he contributed to a number of horror films over the years) but directing The Return of the Living Dead was surely his finest hour.  The picture moves at a frantic pace, the characters are well-drawn and the performances are top-notch, the effects are massive, the score is killer, and the movie greatly benefits from a perfect ending.  What did he do wrong?  I can't think of anything.  O'Bannon gave us a wildly different take on the zombie sub-genre that can be seen as a bit of a trendsetter in a great many ways.  Long before fast zombies became so popular, the undead were racing around in this gory delight.  Additionally, the diverse and rebellious cast of characters and the lack of a clear-cut hero or heroine are both noteworthy and admirable.  Finally, the humorous aspect of the picture is probably the biggest reason that The Return of the Living Dead is so beloved by so many, and it generates a wealth of laughter despite the fact that it takes itself seriously.  It isn't hokey or silly, it just showcases gifted performers portraying characters who come apart at the seams and rant and snarl at one another as things get progressively worse.  The picture also has a gift for irony.  I think it's a shame that O'Bannon didn't direct more movies, but he knocked this one out of the park.

These punk rock kids just want to have a good time.  Don't we all?

The acting in The Return of the Living Dead is absolutely terrific.  There are so many memorable performances and so many cool characters that it would be hard to pick a favorite.  Thom Mathews and James Karen are fabulous as Freddie and Frank, and their antics never get old.  Clu Galager is on fire as Burt and his various rants are all highlights of the picture.  Miguel Nunez may steal the show as Spider, but there's also Don Calfa as Ernie, the kooky mortician who wears a sidearm and is surprisingly quick on the draw.  The way these characters (and many more) argue with one another, cutting lines short and yelling over top of each other, is riveting and gives the piece an authentic feel that is often lacking from movies where the staging is a bit more deliberate so far as the dialogue is concerned.  There are so many classic exchanges, so many great lines, and so many big moments.  The cool thing is the lack of a singular hero makes this a true ensemble piece, meaning there are plenty of worthwhile bits to go around.  It's a big cast that works very well together, and everyone gets their moment. 

The soundtrack rules!  It's definitely in my Top 10 so far as soundtracks go.

I am such a fan of the soundtrack for this movie that I've devoted an entire blog to it.  You can read it here.  For the purposes of this piece, I just want to acknowledge how important it is to the movie.  The notion of melding a zombie film with punk rock music (and a bunch of punk rock characters) was such a cool decision and it works so well.  Additionally, while many movies have cool soundtracks but fail to make the best use of the great tracks at their disposal, the music is essential to The Return of the Living Dead.  Several of the best scenes would suffer greatly if the songs that accompany them were removed.  It's hard to think of a movie with a better soundtrack that was used to greater effect, but if such a film exists, it's probably one of QT's flicks. 

In closing, I can't recommend this one enough.  I love horror films (you already knew that) and the zombie sub-genre in particular (you already knew that too), and I truly believe that this is the best of the bunch so far as brain-munching shenanigans are concerned.  There's so much to love and it's so damn fresh.  It is gruesome, tense, and frightening, and yet it can be absolutely hilarious at times.  The soundtrack rocks, the direction and the editing are stellar, and the cast is wonderful.  The Return of the Living Dead is the most entertaining and the zaniest film in a long line of horror classics that will not die, the cinema of the undead. 

The Return of The Living Dead Trivia

While it is widely believed that the presence of a pair of pals named Bert and Ernie is a gag, Dan O'Bannon has stated that he was actually oblivious to the existence of the beloved muppets with the same names who reside on Sesame Street.

Ernie (played by Don Calfa) is a nazi in hiding.  His use of German, his musical preferences, the photo of Eva Braun he keeps in his morgue, and even his choice of sidearm are among the clues to his secret identity sprinkled throughout the picture.

When Trash does her striptease, you're not actually seeing full frontal nudity.  Linnea Quigley wore a plastic application for that sequence that concealed her private parts.  

Clu Galager was a last-minute addition to the cast and he apparently wasn't all that easy to get along with.  According to various reports, he was prone to temper tantrums and violent outbursts on set.  There are even claims that the effects team secretly swapped a rubber pipe for the real one he was wielding at one point during the film because his peers were afraid that he would lose his cool while armed with a lead pipe.

While John Russo (co-writer of the original Night of the Living Dead) wrote a script entitled Return of the Living Dead and receives a story credit for this picture, it is believed that very little of his material was used.  O'Bannon thought Russo's script was too serious and too closely resembled Romero's work, so it was re-written as more of a satire.

Some of the cast members portraying zombies actually chowed down on raw calf brains during filming.

Django Unchained

Disclaimer: I am an avid fan of Quentin Tarantino.  I think he is the best director working today, and I love the way he approaches and films his material.  That's not all, though, for his soundtracks are incredible and the casts he cobbles together are exceptional.  All gushing aside, I think I can provide an honest assessment of his work.  Why?  Well, I think he is that damn good, and I'm apparently not the only one.  Regardless, I wanted to let you know how much I cherish his work, and you should also know that I am a huge fan of spaghetti westerns.  Yes, noting that I was eager to see Django Unchained would represent an understatement of the highest order, but now that we've gotten the disclaimer stuff out of the way, let's talk about QT's latest.

Last night, I finally got to sit down with Django, and I feel that Quentin has delivered another instant classic.  Despite a lengthy run-time (165 minutes) and a plot that wanders at times--much like its heroes--I'm not sure that our generation's finest director ever missed a beat with this one.  A loving homage to spaghetti westerns fused with an unflinching take on a controversial topic, Django Unchained is like nothing you have ever seen before.  There's warmth, there's deplorable human behavior, there's heroism, and there's lots and lots of bloody vengeance. 

After seeing slavery through Tarantino's eyes, every gruesome act of retribution is a triumph of sorts.  There is a lot bloodshed, and with every drop of innocent blood spilled, we thirst for larger quantities of bad guy blood.  Thankfully, there are lots of bad guys on hand.  Our heroes, a slave and a bounty hunter, are played by Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz.  They have their sights set on a vicious plantation owner played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and they must contend with various villains played by the likes of Don Johnson, Walton Goggins, James Remar, Bruce Dern, and Tarantino fave Samuel L. Jackson.  No one fails to deliver the goods, though Waltz and Jackson do their best to steal the show.

Let's talk about Waltz for a moment.  He scored his second Oscar for his role as Dr. King Schultz after earning his first for his work in Tarantino's last release, Inglorious Basterds.  What a find Waltz has proven to be.  In Django Unchanined, he is every bit as likable as he was despicable in the part of Hans Landa.  He owns scene after scene; his timing and his delivery are a joy to behold, and he gives the picture a much-needed dose of wholesome fun.  Every word he says and every move he makes serve to enrich the film, and though Foxx was brilliant as Django, I do feel that Waltz's magnetism  overshadowed Jamie's talent.   

By the same token, though DiCaprio was equally compelling, Samuel L. Jackson threatened his status as the premiere heavy.  Jackson gave us a thunderous performance here, dominating the material with a vigor that only Sam could summon.  There is nothing likable about his character, the devious Stephen, and yet you can't take your eyes off of him.  He snarls, grovels, and schemes, and the role takes Jackson to some dark places that he isn't reluctant to explore.  DiCaprio is equally sinister, and he seems to delight in depicting Calvin Candie as a flashy yet superficial menace, a trashy poser with a lot of money and power paired with an utter lack of morality.

There are smaller performances that bolster the picture, to include James Remar in a pair of roles and a funny cameo by Jonah Hill.  That scene was so horribly wrong and yet so very funny.  Only Tarantino can pull off gags like that.  Every aspect of his film is on par with his ability to write and direct, and the editing, the sets and the costumes, the music, all of the essentials are on point.  The color palette is immersive, the shot selection continues Tarantino's love (and gift) for recycling, and the choreography is at an all-time high.  The action is deft and the booming gunshots and the bright red splashes of blood are epic.  Whenever Django goes on the warpath, gunning down deserving monsters masquerading as men, the brazen style is almost enough to drive the viewer into a state of euphoria. 

Yes, I know there has been some controversy regarding Django Unchained.  Spike Lee is extremely jealous of Tarantino and has maintained an overtly hypocritical grudge against QT for years.  He and many others have blasted the film for its graphic portrayal of slavery and its repeated use of the n-word.  I bring this up because you have heard about it, but I encourage you to shrug it off.  The subject warrants a bold approach, and I applaud the director for his refusal to soften the impact of the picture.  If there's any subject that warrants such disclosure, surely this is it.  Yes, it's bold, but there's a lot of honesty captured in this show, and it would have been wrong to handle the material delicately.  There has also been some scrutiny given recent random acts of violence, but people have to keep art and life separate.  I don't buy into that at all, though I think I should point it out here.  If you feel differently about either of these subjects, you should probably skip this one. 

In closing, I encourage you to spend a little time with Django as he searches for his wife in a hellish vision of the pre-Civil War South.  Thankfully, he has the charming Dr. King Schultz at his side, and their remarkable partnership should provide audiences with a gripping experience for years to come.  I haven't revealed much of the plot for a reason.  If you haven't seen this one yet, you still probably know far too much about the film going in.  This is a journey, and we know where it's going from the very start, but the film takes its time getting there.  I encourage you to enjoy the ride and drink up the scenery.  Django Unchained is a brilliant film that boasts a royal conclusion, but every frame is deserving of your attention.  This is significant art, make no mistake about it, and it will start conservations.  Yet it is also a fine example of just how riveting and entertaining motion pictures can be.  Like Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained offers more than a typical Tarantino thrill ride.  This is another picture with heart, an emotional vessel that will provoke you when it isn't making you laugh or cheer.  One can only imagine what QT will do next, but he has his work cut out for him if he wants to improve upon this splendid treat.

Django Unchained

I am woefully behind so far as the cinema is concerned. 

 
I have yet to check out Skyfall.
 

Hell, I'm waiting for Expendables 2 on Blu-ray. 

Honestly, though, I was there for The Avengers on opening night, and aside from that, Django Unchained has remained the next absolute must-see movie on my calendar. 
Don't get me wrong, I'm very stoked about Skyfall, and I'm eager to watch Sly and Arnold and the rest of the gang blow shit up, but Tarantino films warrant another degree of enthusiasm.  Maybe another twenty degrees of enthusiasm. 

QT is the best filmmaker of his generation, a gifted director who manages to tell the coolest and most compelling stories in the coolest and most compelling ways. 
I am ridiculously excited about this picture.  Quentin always delivers, and the pitch for Django Unchained is most intriguing.  I love westerns, particularly the spaghetti westerns that had such an impact on Tarantino.  I expect big things, and I'm eager for the film's release on Christmas.
In the meantime, check out the official site and get a closer look at Django Unchained, the latest potential masterpiece from a spectacular filmmaker.