Links
That awkward space between reality and reality television.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
The start of the school year means a busy time at work as I hire and train new students, which also means only one movie review this week.
The Lost City
Director: Andy Garcia
Possum’s Grade: C-
In The Lost City (now on DVD), Andy Garcia plays Fico, a Rick Blaine type character. El Tropico is his Café Americain and Havana in 1958 is his Casablanca. Also like Rick, Fico struggles to remain apolitical in a supremely polarized era for the sake of stability in his establishment. Cuba is on the verge of revolution. If General Batista remains in power, the status quo and general prosperity of Fico and his friends is not bothered. The success of Che Guevarra and Fidel Castro’s revolution (with which his brother sides) means the potential, and uncertainty, of freedom.
This movie brings to mind 1999’s The Cradle Will Rock, another pet project of a respected actor (Tim Robbins). Both pictures parade recent historical figures in front of the camera giving them a certain human-ness and a greater amount of context than your typical history book. For Cradle it was Nelson Rockefeller, Orson Welles and Diego Rivera. In The Lost City we get to spend some time with Che Guevarra, Fidel Castro, Fulgencio Batista and Meyer Lansky (Dustin Hoffman) who attempts to make Fico an offer he can’t refuse. Both films deal with government suppression of the arts, yet The Lost City does not inspire in the same way as Cradle.
The artistic direction and choreography of the dance sequences carry the film. The scene where the revolutionists storm Batista’s palace in an assassination attempt that is cross-cut with a dance number at Fico’s club is reminiscent of Cabaret. Compared to the same film, though, it fails in capturing the decadence of the era and the restlessness of the people.
Ultimately, this is an extremely ambitious movie that fails to generate enough excitement to carry the audience through two and a half hours even though the subject matter is highly intriguing. It loses any moment it might have built in the third act as Fico flees Cuba for New York. Bill Murray provides the only shining moments despite the heavyweight cast (Garcia captures the stiffness of a Blaine-like character without any of the charm). He does an incredible job of playing himself as if he weren’t funny and only told bad jokes.
Possible coming reviews:
Theatres: Idlewild, The Illusionist, Hollywoodland
DVD: Inside Man, Brick, Friends With Money
The Lost City
Director: Andy Garcia
Possum’s Grade: C-
In The Lost City (now on DVD), Andy Garcia plays Fico, a Rick Blaine type character. El Tropico is his Café Americain and Havana in 1958 is his Casablanca. Also like Rick, Fico struggles to remain apolitical in a supremely polarized era for the sake of stability in his establishment. Cuba is on the verge of revolution. If General Batista remains in power, the status quo and general prosperity of Fico and his friends is not bothered. The success of Che Guevarra and Fidel Castro’s revolution (with which his brother sides) means the potential, and uncertainty, of freedom.
This movie brings to mind 1999’s The Cradle Will Rock, another pet project of a respected actor (Tim Robbins). Both pictures parade recent historical figures in front of the camera giving them a certain human-ness and a greater amount of context than your typical history book. For Cradle it was Nelson Rockefeller, Orson Welles and Diego Rivera. In The Lost City we get to spend some time with Che Guevarra, Fidel Castro, Fulgencio Batista and Meyer Lansky (Dustin Hoffman) who attempts to make Fico an offer he can’t refuse. Both films deal with government suppression of the arts, yet The Lost City does not inspire in the same way as Cradle.
The artistic direction and choreography of the dance sequences carry the film. The scene where the revolutionists storm Batista’s palace in an assassination attempt that is cross-cut with a dance number at Fico’s club is reminiscent of Cabaret. Compared to the same film, though, it fails in capturing the decadence of the era and the restlessness of the people.
Ultimately, this is an extremely ambitious movie that fails to generate enough excitement to carry the audience through two and a half hours even though the subject matter is highly intriguing. It loses any moment it might have built in the third act as Fico flees Cuba for New York. Bill Murray provides the only shining moments despite the heavyweight cast (Garcia captures the stiffness of a Blaine-like character without any of the charm). He does an incredible job of playing himself as if he weren’t funny and only told bad jokes.
Possible coming reviews:
Theatres: Idlewild, The Illusionist, Hollywoodland
DVD: Inside Man, Brick, Friends With Money
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Snakes on a Plane
Director: David Ellis
Possum’s Grade: B
There is not a lot that can be said about S.o.a.P. that has not already been said this year. The cultural phenomenon generated simply by the title of this movie drew Benji and I in, so we decided to check it out on opening night. Joining us were four screens, filled nearly to capacity, of college students, high school students, and a handful of young adults, like us, who still tend to act like college students. Fortunately no one came dressed in a snake costume…or a plane costume for that matter.
I went in with some concern and skepticism. So many people were convinced that this was going to be a funny movie, but all the trailers looked like it was a typical action/thriller. In that case, it was going to take a spectacular disaster to make SoaP laughable. Of course, Hollywood while not having produced a truly great film in a while has also failed to produce any glorious train wrecks because of the fear of taking any sort of chance. There is a fine line between greatness and disaster in filmmaking and Hollywood is stuck somewhere in between. I was rooting for a disaster not seen in a number of years.
But Snakes on a Plane is not a disaster. I wasn’t laughing at the movie, rather the movie was laughing with me. It doesn’t bother to explain itself, giving you just enough setup to get to what everyone came to see: snakes…on a plane. Sure the plot and many of the solutions make very little sense and are completely implausible. Sure it results to some cheap laughter (we see people bitten by snakes in every uncomfortable place imaginable). But with a wink at the camera, all the actors give inspired performances. I’m not saying that they were good performances, but it was apparent they had as much fun making the movie as we were having watching it. The only exception being Juliana Marguilies who seems to suck the life out of everything each time she appears on the screen. Snakes on a Plane could be the best B-movie since Army of Darkness. In fact, Bruce Campbell is the only other person who could have pulled off the lead role besides Samuel L. Jackson.
The opening night crowd made watching SoaP that much more fun. From the time the titled appeared on screen until the Cobra Starship music video played through the credits they were cheering, applauding and laughing out loud. And of course there was an eruption when Samuel L. drops The Line. If you don’t know what The Line is, you have been living under a rock for most of 2006.
With all respect to Mr. Jackson, I had not had enough of all the m’f’ing snakes on the m’f’ing plane.
Little Miss Sunshine
Director: Jonathan Dayton
Possum’s Grade: A
When 7 year-old Olive (Abigail Breslin) qualifies for the Little Miss Sunshine pageant finals in Rodondo Beach, California, her father (Greg Kinnear) and mother (Toni Collette) load up the family in a yellow VW bus to make the trek from Albuquerque. Along for the ride is brother Dwayne who is an aspiring fighter pilot who has taken a vow of silence and not spoken in 9 months, Uncle Frank (Steve Carrell) formerly the nation’s foremost Proust scholar who recently moved in after being released from the hospital following a suicide attempt, and Grandpa (Alan Arkin) who was kicked out of his retirement community for snorting heroin. The result is the best road movie since 2005s Transamerica.
Billed as a laugh-out-loud comedy, the laughs are certainly there. The Bus itself is the best running gag as the family has to give it a push start each time they stop after burning out the clutch. Seeing each member running to catch up then jumping through the door over and over never gets old. However some, like myself, will be surprised to find themselves overwhelmed by the depression of the characters. Watching each family member wallowing in their own self-pity sucked me into the same darkness to the point that the humor was bothering me. Yet in overcoming many obstacles and making it to the pageant just in time the family begins to become more supportive and understanding of each other.
Once the pageant begins, it is obvious to everyone that Olive is in over her head. Her one piece bathing suit looks sad standing beside the JonBenet’s in their sequined two-pieces. Despite her family’s wishes to protect her, she takes the stage for the talent portion of the contest to show off the moves that her grandpa had taught her. What follows is at once a little shocking while leaving you crying with laughter. Without spoiling it I will say that after an hour and a half of feeling depressed this scene serves as a catharsis for the family as well as the audience.
Little Miss Sunshine is a performance driven comedy. The director does a brilliant job capturing Breslin as Olive just being a 7 year-old. And when the Oscar discussion begins for supporting actor, Steve Carrell’s name must be mention. I don’t think he will be nominated, but his name will be brought up.
Possible upcoming reviews:
Theatres: World Trade Center, Idlewild, The Illusionist, Who Killed the Electric Car?
DVD: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, The Lost City, Brick, Friends With Money
Director: David Ellis
Possum’s Grade: B
There is not a lot that can be said about S.o.a.P. that has not already been said this year. The cultural phenomenon generated simply by the title of this movie drew Benji and I in, so we decided to check it out on opening night. Joining us were four screens, filled nearly to capacity, of college students, high school students, and a handful of young adults, like us, who still tend to act like college students. Fortunately no one came dressed in a snake costume…or a plane costume for that matter.
I went in with some concern and skepticism. So many people were convinced that this was going to be a funny movie, but all the trailers looked like it was a typical action/thriller. In that case, it was going to take a spectacular disaster to make SoaP laughable. Of course, Hollywood while not having produced a truly great film in a while has also failed to produce any glorious train wrecks because of the fear of taking any sort of chance. There is a fine line between greatness and disaster in filmmaking and Hollywood is stuck somewhere in between. I was rooting for a disaster not seen in a number of years.
But Snakes on a Plane is not a disaster. I wasn’t laughing at the movie, rather the movie was laughing with me. It doesn’t bother to explain itself, giving you just enough setup to get to what everyone came to see: snakes…on a plane. Sure the plot and many of the solutions make very little sense and are completely implausible. Sure it results to some cheap laughter (we see people bitten by snakes in every uncomfortable place imaginable). But with a wink at the camera, all the actors give inspired performances. I’m not saying that they were good performances, but it was apparent they had as much fun making the movie as we were having watching it. The only exception being Juliana Marguilies who seems to suck the life out of everything each time she appears on the screen. Snakes on a Plane could be the best B-movie since Army of Darkness. In fact, Bruce Campbell is the only other person who could have pulled off the lead role besides Samuel L. Jackson.
The opening night crowd made watching SoaP that much more fun. From the time the titled appeared on screen until the Cobra Starship music video played through the credits they were cheering, applauding and laughing out loud. And of course there was an eruption when Samuel L. drops The Line. If you don’t know what The Line is, you have been living under a rock for most of 2006.
With all respect to Mr. Jackson, I had not had enough of all the m’f’ing snakes on the m’f’ing plane.
Little Miss Sunshine
Director: Jonathan Dayton
Possum’s Grade: A
When 7 year-old Olive (Abigail Breslin) qualifies for the Little Miss Sunshine pageant finals in Rodondo Beach, California, her father (Greg Kinnear) and mother (Toni Collette) load up the family in a yellow VW bus to make the trek from Albuquerque. Along for the ride is brother Dwayne who is an aspiring fighter pilot who has taken a vow of silence and not spoken in 9 months, Uncle Frank (Steve Carrell) formerly the nation’s foremost Proust scholar who recently moved in after being released from the hospital following a suicide attempt, and Grandpa (Alan Arkin) who was kicked out of his retirement community for snorting heroin. The result is the best road movie since 2005s Transamerica.
Billed as a laugh-out-loud comedy, the laughs are certainly there. The Bus itself is the best running gag as the family has to give it a push start each time they stop after burning out the clutch. Seeing each member running to catch up then jumping through the door over and over never gets old. However some, like myself, will be surprised to find themselves overwhelmed by the depression of the characters. Watching each family member wallowing in their own self-pity sucked me into the same darkness to the point that the humor was bothering me. Yet in overcoming many obstacles and making it to the pageant just in time the family begins to become more supportive and understanding of each other.
Once the pageant begins, it is obvious to everyone that Olive is in over her head. Her one piece bathing suit looks sad standing beside the JonBenet’s in their sequined two-pieces. Despite her family’s wishes to protect her, she takes the stage for the talent portion of the contest to show off the moves that her grandpa had taught her. What follows is at once a little shocking while leaving you crying with laughter. Without spoiling it I will say that after an hour and a half of feeling depressed this scene serves as a catharsis for the family as well as the audience.
Little Miss Sunshine is a performance driven comedy. The director does a brilliant job capturing Breslin as Olive just being a 7 year-old. And when the Oscar discussion begins for supporting actor, Steve Carrell’s name must be mention. I don’t think he will be nominated, but his name will be brought up.
Possible upcoming reviews:
Theatres: World Trade Center, Idlewild, The Illusionist, Who Killed the Electric Car?
DVD: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, The Lost City, Brick, Friends With Money
Friday, August 11, 2006
This week I review the year's longest-titled movies: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby/Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Director: Adam McKay
Possum’s Grade: B-
The first time I watched Anchorman I could not see what it was that my roommates saw in it that had them dropping references for months. However, as the quotes that were so commonly repeated around the house became familiar and as I finally had a context for them, I decided to give the movie another chance. At some point during that second viewing, I bought into the Will Ferrell hype. Suddenly, I understood what it was that everyone loved about this over-the-top, gnawing-on-the-furniture comic actor. It even reached a point where I was reciting Anchorman lines as regularly as Simpsons lines. All this is to say that I, as many, eagerly anticipated the release of “Ricky Bobby.”
Ricky Bobby wants to go fast. That may be all the set up that you need. Regardless, Ferrell manages to take a more measured approach to this character than to Ron Burgandy. He gives the character more depth (as much as can be allowed in this sort of movie) and slows down when the story calls for it. As opposed to Anchorman, he actually takes a step back in a few scenes and allows his co-stars to carry the comedic burden. Scenes are even stolen from him by John C. Reilly, Sascha Baron Cohen (who I can't wait to see in this fall's Borat) and Ricky Bobby's kids.
Talladega Nights cannot be seen as a let down. It isn’t fair for me to compare it to Anchorman because Anchorman is potentially a few years away from being canonized into the Goofball Movie Pantheon along with Airplane, Animal House and Caddy Shack. It has stood up to multiple viewings and remains memorably funny. Only further viewings of Talladega Nights will tell where it stands. But I don’t think it will rank with the others. That doesn’t mean it does not make for a vastly entertaining evening for those who could stand a good laugh.
Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Possum’s Grade: C+
If Christopher Guest had replaced Terry Gilliam at the helm of Lost in La Mancha, you would have had Tristram Shandy.
Based on the novel The Thoughts and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, a book considered un-adaptable, this movie presents portions of the story intertwined with the misadventures of the group attempting to film it. It juxtaposes the absurdity of this particular story with the absurdity of the actual filmmaking process of this and/or any other movie. We see Tristram, in a scene intended as part of the movie, as a grown man speaking from inside his mother’s womb. We also see the director decide to spend a large sum of money to bring American star Gillian Anderson to the set, mid shoot, to play a character that was ultimately cut from the final edit.
Steve Coogan plays Tristram Shandy as well as his father, Walter, and we watch him struggle as he legitimately tries not to alienate his lesser known co-stars while becoming increasingly frustrated by the inconveniences he endures. Rob Brighton plays Tristram’s uncle and struggles constantly, behind the scenes, with Coogan to receive equal billing. The interaction between Coogan and Brighton are the highlights of the film as they have such wonderful chemistry as they argue over petty topics. Other absurd moments provide lengthy chuckles, but ultimately this British comedy came across as too try even for me. And too dry for me often means far too boring for the majority of the people who care enough to heed my reviews.
Possible upcoming reviews:
In theatres: World Trade Center, Little Miss Sunshine, Three Times
On DVD: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Brick, The Lost City, Inside Man
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Director: Adam McKay
Possum’s Grade: B-
The first time I watched Anchorman I could not see what it was that my roommates saw in it that had them dropping references for months. However, as the quotes that were so commonly repeated around the house became familiar and as I finally had a context for them, I decided to give the movie another chance. At some point during that second viewing, I bought into the Will Ferrell hype. Suddenly, I understood what it was that everyone loved about this over-the-top, gnawing-on-the-furniture comic actor. It even reached a point where I was reciting Anchorman lines as regularly as Simpsons lines. All this is to say that I, as many, eagerly anticipated the release of “Ricky Bobby.”
Ricky Bobby wants to go fast. That may be all the set up that you need. Regardless, Ferrell manages to take a more measured approach to this character than to Ron Burgandy. He gives the character more depth (as much as can be allowed in this sort of movie) and slows down when the story calls for it. As opposed to Anchorman, he actually takes a step back in a few scenes and allows his co-stars to carry the comedic burden. Scenes are even stolen from him by John C. Reilly, Sascha Baron Cohen (who I can't wait to see in this fall's Borat) and Ricky Bobby's kids.
Talladega Nights cannot be seen as a let down. It isn’t fair for me to compare it to Anchorman because Anchorman is potentially a few years away from being canonized into the Goofball Movie Pantheon along with Airplane, Animal House and Caddy Shack. It has stood up to multiple viewings and remains memorably funny. Only further viewings of Talladega Nights will tell where it stands. But I don’t think it will rank with the others. That doesn’t mean it does not make for a vastly entertaining evening for those who could stand a good laugh.
Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Possum’s Grade: C+
If Christopher Guest had replaced Terry Gilliam at the helm of Lost in La Mancha, you would have had Tristram Shandy.
Based on the novel The Thoughts and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, a book considered un-adaptable, this movie presents portions of the story intertwined with the misadventures of the group attempting to film it. It juxtaposes the absurdity of this particular story with the absurdity of the actual filmmaking process of this and/or any other movie. We see Tristram, in a scene intended as part of the movie, as a grown man speaking from inside his mother’s womb. We also see the director decide to spend a large sum of money to bring American star Gillian Anderson to the set, mid shoot, to play a character that was ultimately cut from the final edit.
Steve Coogan plays Tristram Shandy as well as his father, Walter, and we watch him struggle as he legitimately tries not to alienate his lesser known co-stars while becoming increasingly frustrated by the inconveniences he endures. Rob Brighton plays Tristram’s uncle and struggles constantly, behind the scenes, with Coogan to receive equal billing. The interaction between Coogan and Brighton are the highlights of the film as they have such wonderful chemistry as they argue over petty topics. Other absurd moments provide lengthy chuckles, but ultimately this British comedy came across as too try even for me. And too dry for me often means far too boring for the majority of the people who care enough to heed my reviews.
Possible upcoming reviews:
In theatres: World Trade Center, Little Miss Sunshine, Three Times
On DVD: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Brick, The Lost City, Inside Man
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
This week's reviews: District B13/Scoop
District B13
Director: Pierre Morel
Possum’s Grade: B
Friends snickered when I told them I was going to see a French action movie. It does seem like an oxymoron. But B13 (or as the French call it, Banlieue 13) is the baddest ghetto in Paris and you would be hard pressed to find anyone willing to surrender without a fight to the death. Set in 2010, B13 has already been disconnected from the rest of the city by concrete wall constructed by the government. Now, overrun with violence and drugs, even the police that tried to keep some semblance of order are pulling out for good.
We first meet Lieto (David Belle), a good-hearted tough guy whose greatest sin was being born in B13. A breathtaking action sequence shows us just how tough he is as he shoots, kicks and hops through dozens of henchmen defying the drug kingpin that he is trying to keep away from his building.
Next we are introduced to Damien (Cyril Raffaelli), an undercover cop who is part Jackie Chan and part Zenidine Zidane with a touch of Joe Friday holding the two together. Scene 2 finds him busting up an illegal gambling racket, fighting off several men while a SWAT team waits outside.
From here on out the plot is typical action/thriller fare. Lieto’s arch-nemesis in B13 comes into possession of a nuclear weapon that is ticking down to detonation in a few hours and it is up to Damien and Lieto to find and defuse it. That said, this movie bounces with the rapid pulse of the techno music score. The fluid movement of the chases from building top to building top and the stylized acrobatics of the fight sequences make District B13 a pleasure to watch. Rarely have we seen thugs with such grace in movement since West Side Story, or at least Kung Fu Hustle.
The movie manages to keep up its frenetic pace for the majority of its 90-minute running time. American action movies this year seem to take themselves far too seriously. X-Men, Superman, and Miami Vice would not allow themselves the fun that they were intended for. District B13 makes no pretenses. It is what it is: a fun action adventure. For a taste, you can watch the trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZRvdE1IlxY&search=district%20b13
Scoop
Director: Woody Allen
Possum’s Grade: B
After staying behind the scenes for the last few years, everyone’s favorite over-anxious writer/director/actor returns to the screen in Scoop, now out in theatres, co-starring with Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman. Allen is Sidney Waterman, a magician better known to audiences as Splendini. As any good (or bad) magician, the highlight of his act involves disappearing a volunteer from the audience. This is how he comes to meet Sondra Pranksy an American journalism student visiting wealthy friends in England.
The story is set into motion by the recently diseased Joe Strombel (Ian McShane). Strombel, as we learn from various tributes at his wake was a highly regarded investigative journalist that would stop at nothing to get his story. We quickly come to understand Joe’s determined methods as we see him try to bribe the Grim Reaper on the boat to the afterlife. After a failed interaction with Death, he begins to chat up a young woman who is also a passenger to eternity who tells him that she believes she was poisoned because she recently learned that the famous politician, Peter Lyman (Jackman), that she worked for was, in fact, the notorious Tarot Killer who had been terrorizing London women with dark, short-cropped hair. Intent on nailing one final scoop, Strombel jumps off the boat. Searching desperately for the vibes of a journalist, he communicates his message to a startled Sondra inside Splendini’s magic box. It is now up to the bumbling team of Sondra and Splendini to rustle up the damning evidence needed so that their accusation does not look foolish.
Allen’s fumbling dialogue and word play still comes off crisp, but anyone who knows me knows that I am a sucker for such banter. Scarlett, however, struggles with this sort of comic role and the bumbling innocence and naiveté of Sondra and doesn’t quite seem comfortable until she is transformed into Jade Spence, the American actress who catches the eye of Lyman and summers with him in his family’s home in the English country.
It is undeniable that this is simply minor-Allen, and critics will no doubt deride it’s simple plot and even simpler conclusion. But I found it charming and quite fascinating if taken with the context of Allen’s two films released in 2005, Match Point and Melinda and Melinda. Melinda and Melinda jumps back and forth between the same story that is being told by one as a comedy and by another as a drama. It is possible to view Match Point and Scoop as being essentially the same story with the former being the dramatic version and the latter being the comedy. Watching the two back-to-back might make for a more interesting and entertaining evening than simply watching Melinda and Melinda on its own.
Possible coming reviews:
In theatres: Talladega Nights, World Trade Center, Little Miss Sunshine, Three Times
DVD: Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, Brick, The Lost City, Inside Man
District B13
Director: Pierre Morel
Possum’s Grade: B
Friends snickered when I told them I was going to see a French action movie. It does seem like an oxymoron. But B13 (or as the French call it, Banlieue 13) is the baddest ghetto in Paris and you would be hard pressed to find anyone willing to surrender without a fight to the death. Set in 2010, B13 has already been disconnected from the rest of the city by concrete wall constructed by the government. Now, overrun with violence and drugs, even the police that tried to keep some semblance of order are pulling out for good.
We first meet Lieto (David Belle), a good-hearted tough guy whose greatest sin was being born in B13. A breathtaking action sequence shows us just how tough he is as he shoots, kicks and hops through dozens of henchmen defying the drug kingpin that he is trying to keep away from his building.
Next we are introduced to Damien (Cyril Raffaelli), an undercover cop who is part Jackie Chan and part Zenidine Zidane with a touch of Joe Friday holding the two together. Scene 2 finds him busting up an illegal gambling racket, fighting off several men while a SWAT team waits outside.
From here on out the plot is typical action/thriller fare. Lieto’s arch-nemesis in B13 comes into possession of a nuclear weapon that is ticking down to detonation in a few hours and it is up to Damien and Lieto to find and defuse it. That said, this movie bounces with the rapid pulse of the techno music score. The fluid movement of the chases from building top to building top and the stylized acrobatics of the fight sequences make District B13 a pleasure to watch. Rarely have we seen thugs with such grace in movement since West Side Story, or at least Kung Fu Hustle.
The movie manages to keep up its frenetic pace for the majority of its 90-minute running time. American action movies this year seem to take themselves far too seriously. X-Men, Superman, and Miami Vice would not allow themselves the fun that they were intended for. District B13 makes no pretenses. It is what it is: a fun action adventure. For a taste, you can watch the trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZRvdE1IlxY&search=district%20b13
Scoop
Director: Woody Allen
Possum’s Grade: B
After staying behind the scenes for the last few years, everyone’s favorite over-anxious writer/director/actor returns to the screen in Scoop, now out in theatres, co-starring with Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman. Allen is Sidney Waterman, a magician better known to audiences as Splendini. As any good (or bad) magician, the highlight of his act involves disappearing a volunteer from the audience. This is how he comes to meet Sondra Pranksy an American journalism student visiting wealthy friends in England.
The story is set into motion by the recently diseased Joe Strombel (Ian McShane). Strombel, as we learn from various tributes at his wake was a highly regarded investigative journalist that would stop at nothing to get his story. We quickly come to understand Joe’s determined methods as we see him try to bribe the Grim Reaper on the boat to the afterlife. After a failed interaction with Death, he begins to chat up a young woman who is also a passenger to eternity who tells him that she believes she was poisoned because she recently learned that the famous politician, Peter Lyman (Jackman), that she worked for was, in fact, the notorious Tarot Killer who had been terrorizing London women with dark, short-cropped hair. Intent on nailing one final scoop, Strombel jumps off the boat. Searching desperately for the vibes of a journalist, he communicates his message to a startled Sondra inside Splendini’s magic box. It is now up to the bumbling team of Sondra and Splendini to rustle up the damning evidence needed so that their accusation does not look foolish.
Allen’s fumbling dialogue and word play still comes off crisp, but anyone who knows me knows that I am a sucker for such banter. Scarlett, however, struggles with this sort of comic role and the bumbling innocence and naiveté of Sondra and doesn’t quite seem comfortable until she is transformed into Jade Spence, the American actress who catches the eye of Lyman and summers with him in his family’s home in the English country.
It is undeniable that this is simply minor-Allen, and critics will no doubt deride it’s simple plot and even simpler conclusion. But I found it charming and quite fascinating if taken with the context of Allen’s two films released in 2005, Match Point and Melinda and Melinda. Melinda and Melinda jumps back and forth between the same story that is being told by one as a comedy and by another as a drama. It is possible to view Match Point and Scoop as being essentially the same story with the former being the dramatic version and the latter being the comedy. Watching the two back-to-back might make for a more interesting and entertaining evening than simply watching Melinda and Melinda on its own.
Possible coming reviews:
In theatres: Talladega Nights, World Trade Center, Little Miss Sunshine, Three Times
DVD: Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, Brick, The Lost City, Inside Man
