Film Review--Octopussy

Octopussy
directed by John Glen
written by George MacDonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson
starring Roger Moore, Maude Adams, Louis Jourdan, Kristina Wayborn, Kabir Bedi, Steven Berkoff, David Meyer, Tony Meyer, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois Maxwell, Robert Brown

The circus is in town and James Bond (Moore) has to disengage a nasty bomb at an air force base before it blasts a considerable number of people to smithereens. He’s certainly dressed for the part as Bond reassembles his debonair side and provides just enough of the seductive swagger to get into the necessary compromising positions. This feels like classic Bond and the look and subsequent style strike a nerve as a direct return to the ease and portability of the first installments in this freakishly long series.

The women in this film come in the form of Magda (Wayborn), a cruel and conniving lovely who tricks Bond and leaves him holding his shirt. There is also the titular Octopussy (Adams) who is a ferocious blood animal who controls a Faberge egg smuggling outfit with an iron fist even though her fists are undeniably soft and pliant. She’s the kind of ball breaker that should pose a slight challenge but of course she gives in right away with zero foreplay. It’s disappointing but what the hell else are they going to do. A-type personalities meet and the sexual tension is so palpable there is no other alternative but to strip and grind away completely oblivious to the mission at hand. Of course he’s already done Magda but that is only so she can sneak away with one of the eggs.

As with many Bond films this one contains a considerable amount of humor. They are subtle and offset the severity of the narrative as a whole.

General Orlov as portrayed by Steven Berkoff is one if not the hardest Bond villain. It’s all in Berkoff’s facial gestures and his posture. It seriously makes the film into something decidedly threatening and occasionally terrifying. Of all the Bonds I have seen (looking at them chronologically) this one has the most tension and sense of danger. The scenes where Bond is held captive are as scary as this series has been and that has to do with the editing by Peter Davies and Henry Richardson who manage to construct a film of great potency that takes advantage of its deadly premise.

The story involves rare gems and other joys which General Orloff is compiling and replacing with copies. The devious Kamal Khan (Jourdan) smuggles them from Russia to the West with the able help of Octopussy. So naturally it is absolutely essential for Bond to sneak his fingers beneath the band of Octopussy’s panties. She holds the whole thing together and must be conquered. Then during the circus at the base Khan plans on switching the jewels for a bomb. Yes, it’s sinister and cruel which makes it all the more thrilling and one of the more ghastly operations to pass through the Bond canon.

There is a tremendous amount of urgency about this film and one actually feels real emotional outbursts for Bond as he scrambles to keep his head amidst all the chaos that surrounds him. It’s formulaic and doesn’t stray too far from the pattern but this particular story has a deep resonance due to the immediacy of the scheme. It’s one thing to threaten to attack Miami Beach or to poison the planet but it’s something entirely different to cause instant mayhem to a random group of innocents who have gathered for a few laughs and excitement.


This film fits in nicely with the canon and doesn’t attempt to stray to far from its meal ticket. As with all the previous films in the franchise, it’s the gadgets and stunts that make the film worth remembering. Bond escaping as a corpse is a particularly morbid and comical example of what is possible in this series. He fights on a train, in a plane, and escapes a tight squeeze by car. These particular stunts have been attempted hundreds of times throughout the long course of cinema. They have been improved on stylistically and in terms of raw adrenaline but these adventures in the Bond franchise still manage to satisfy the audience’s requirements for pure entertainment. They do look dangerous and one wants to know everything there is to know about the specific techniques employed to pull them off. One often forgets that without these stunt actors there would be no Bond films or anything else for that matter.

The performances in this film are uniformly excellent. As mentioned Steven Berkoff is very appealing as the rogue Soviet official who gets into some rather upsetting business. Orlov is so calm and officious superficially–exacting and brutally efficient–that he is presented as a clear and logical face of pure and unadulterated tyranny. He’s contrasted with the official Soviet program and comes off as a vile little embarrassment to policy and intent. Yet he’s infinitely likable which is directly accountable to Berkoff’s nuanced performance. His charisma hides the cold, insensate mind of a cold-on killer. Kristina Wayborn is thus far the most immediately stunning Bond Girl and she presents a clever and cunning nature which only adds to her allure. She tricks Bond and leaves him gasping for answers even though he merely shrugs and goes back inside. Roger Moore does what he has done thus far in the series. He seems less robotic in this film and actually seems to develop some warmth to his character. Kabir Bedi presents a decidedly intense and menacing figure who is relentless throughout the film. He is one of the more memorable henchman to come along during this franchise. He rarely speaks but his actions are routinely deadly and he establishes himself as someone you do not want to mess with.

Overall, this film serves its purpose and contains all the necessary elements. The Bond women are impressively delectable and the stunts are worth sticking around for. Bond is put in grave danger and it seems to be more serious this go around. Roger Moore continues the set pattern and manages to express much of his character’s trademark cool without coming off as trite or hackneyed.

Film Review--Nothing Like the Holidays

Nothing Like the Holidays
directed by Alfredo De Villa
screenplay by Alison Swan and Rick Najera
story by Robert Teitel and Rene M. Rigal
starring Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Peña, Freddy Rodriguez, Luis Guzman, Jay Hernandez, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Vanessa Ferlito, Melonie Diaz

Giddy up for yet another family Christmas film with the added bonus of novelty as it stars a predominantly Latino cast and there is naturally a whole lot of dancing.

There really haven’t been very many Latino Christmas movies and this film is a game attempt at filling that void. It features credible performances, a narrative that doesn’t drag until the final act and enough confusion, self-loathing, and anxiety for any family to relate to and enjoy.

Edy Rodriguez (Molina) is a family man. He owns his own store which he one day wants to pass on to his youngest son Jesse (Rodriguez). He’s also a philanderer which pisses of his wife Anna (Peña) to the point that she announces at dinner that she is going to divorce him. Naturally this puts a corn cob in everyone’s stocking but she’s determined and leaves it to the kids to sort it out. Eldest son Maurico (Leguizamo) has brought his Jewish wife Sarah (Messing) along and she does everything she can to fit in including speaking haltingly in Spanish and trying her hand at Spanish dishes. Sarah is severe and fiendishly successful and it’s suggested that she is putting her career ahead of adding another nino or nina to the litter box.

Daughter Roxanna (Ferlito) is a tv and film actress who is waiting to hear from her agent about a TV series she has auditioned for. She’s pert and too pretty and feels a bit overwhelmed about being back home after three years in Hollywood. Still, she doesn’t glam it up or pull a diva act which is rather comforting in a film that clearly has no room for such antics.

The family is very tight and like every other cinematic Latino family they get a bit noisy around the dinner table as each member tries to out shout the rest of the clan. Sarah is confused at first but being the trooper that she is she eventually comes to understand what she is experiencing. She really does try very hard to fit in and at first it comes off as a tad bit forced. But she keeps at it and soon enough she has a breakthrough and starts to settle in with her new family.

Freddy Rodriguez gives a heartbreaking performance as Jesse, the kid who joined up and spent three years in Iraq. Coming back he is anxious and a bit depressed because one of his fellow soldiers died in a raid and he is convinced it should have been him. It’s all there in Rodriguez’s eyes. They are so filled with pain and anguish that one imagines a completely different film focused entirely around his character. Marissa (Diaz), his old flame whose heart he broke before heading to fight, comes a knockin’ at his house. He can’t forget her and the film focuses on his regret for hurting her like he did. She’s got a kid named Hector (Alexander Bautista) and a new boyfriend named Fernando (Ramses Jimenez) who gets aggressive with Jesse when he sees him trying to kiss Marissa. It clears the dance floor and expresses the impossibility of Jesse’s situation.

Music plays a huge part in this film. The soundtrack is naturally heavy with Latino music and there is as mentioned quite a bit of dancing scattered throughout the film. Basically the logic here is that it wouldn’t be a Latino film without a bit of Salsa and Merengue. It keeps the energy up but it occasionally stops the narrative dead in its tracks. Still, it’s necessary because it fits nicely with all the stereotypes Anglos have formed over the years about those hot-blooded Latinos. They are fiery and demonstrative and they know instinctively how to move their body provocatively.

There is quite a bit of neurosis in this film which somehow shocked me. I didn’t expect everyone to be so fraught with worry and self doubt. This is because I as an uninformed Ango expect Latinos to be insanely joyful about everything all the time. Again it goes along with the stereotype which makes this film refreshing in the end. It’s nice to see how everyone, no matter where their ancestors originated from, are totally messed up and how Christmas brings out the worst in people. That’s until they figure things out which is exactly what happens in this film and it’s regrettably predictable and trite. Everyone gets sorted just in time to celebrate in good cheer.

It’s interesting that there is zero religion in this film but that is the way with Hollywood and their generic atheism and loathing of all things traditional. Indeed, there weren’t any traditions shared here either which turns it into just another generic family Christmas movie which could have been made about any other family. It’s only a few of the performances which rescue this film from Santa’s bad pile. Otherwise, it’s just a slobbering wad of goo with a dollop of melodrama thrown in to make sure all bases are covered. The heavy bits aren’t always effective and they tend to drag the rest of the film along with them.

As mentioned Freddy Rodriguez owns this picture. This is yet another in a series of fine performances he has given since giving up his scrubs on “Six Feet Under”. He’s always a dynamic presence and his work is getting more nuanced all the time. I can almost guarantee that he will very soon be nominated for an Academy Award. Probably not for this film although he really ought to be. Soon. Alfred Molina captures his character’s exhaustion and the war he is fighting with himself, much like his son Jesse. Jesse brings back the war only it’s in his head and Edy relates because it’s a definite part of his life as well. Molina is just so good at saying everything without speaking. He possesses a quiet dynamism which he infuses into his character.
Debra Messing plays reserved, slightly cold, less apprehensive, and total sport. Her range of emotions in this film are handled expertly. She’s excellent at reacting to her environment and certainly projects her character’s good intentions.

Overall, this film has moments of clarity but they are often disrupted by scenes that tend to manipulate the audience into having specific reactions. It’s not a particularly adventurous film and doesn’t move outside the set guidelines that determine how most of these films are to be constructed. It doesn’t waver from what we expect and there is nothing really exciting going on here. They laugh, they dance, they eat, and they complain. It’s the same story only this time it’s considered new because the cast is Latino. Still, Hollywood just doesn’t afford this specific group very many opportunities to celebrate itself on screen and this film isn’t a terrible launching off point.

Film Review--Transporter 3

Transporter 3
directed by Oliver Megaton
written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen
starring Jason Statham, Natalya Rudakova, François Berléand, Robert Knepper, Jeroen Krabbé, Alex Kobold, David Atrakchi, Yann Sundberg

With all the energy, movement, physical brutality, mayhem and death this film at its core is actually a rather engaging lust story between two characters who are literally thrust together against both of their wills.

Frank Martin (Statham) returns in the third and certainly not last installment of the series. As the film opens he is forced to transport another package to a location he is not privy too. He simply calls the cellphone of a man named Johnson (Knepper) and is instructed where to go. As he did in the first film he breaks his own rule and looks into the package. He finds stacks of phone books and realizes that the foxy girl named Valentina who has heretofore been his passenger is actually the real package. Well, she certainly is a package and she elevates the film to a bit of a higher plane than one would typically expect. Both she and Frank are wearing bracelets that will explode if either of them get more than 75 feet away from the car. The film is made up of a series of incidents where Frank becomes in danger of crossing the line.

The film is ostensibly about some biological warfare materials that are coming into US Harbor from Ukraine. The head of the Ukranian Environmental Protection Agency and Valentina’s father–a man named Leonid Vasilev is pressured into signing some documents in exchange for his daughter. Much of the film is a countdown to when he is supposed to sign and it’s thrilling to a point to watch Johnson snivel his way about the screen. This is actually quite a brilliant performance by Robert Knepper. He captures just enough cruelty with his movements and gestures. One believes he is an acute threat and there is never any doubt as to what his intentions are. Perhaps this black and white aspect to the narrative eliminates all mystery but in this sort of film it’s necessary to have bad men who stay that way for the duration. There’s never any doubt that he’s a man who doesn’t possess any sympathetic features. He’s not particularly cultured, he’s abrasive and demanding, and he doesn’t necessarily own a fine pair of shoes. Nor does he seem to care. He’s simple and direct and quite knowledgeable about using specific technology to trap people into doing his bidding. Indeed, the whole bracelet contraption that he forces on Frank and Valentina is a work of genius. It’s a delicious form of control that gives the film an extra jolt of energy which it doesn’t exactly need.

There is plenty of energy in this film as Frank drives insanely well and combats a series of lowlifes who get in his way. The chase scenes are top notch and the fight sequences are, as is always the case with Statham, poetic and finely constructed. He simply is the master of turning a simple fight sequence into something that approaches art. This has a lot to do with the choreography and the oft-times gritty realism of the maneuvers but much of it happens because of the way Statham positions himself and how he lands.

The actual story doesn’t necessarily make much sense if your attention lapses early on at a crucial point when what is actually happening is briefly noted by one of the characters. Ultimately this does not matter because much of the story isn’t particularly compelling. The true highlight here is the relationship that develops between Frank and Valentina. She utterly dismisses him at first and plays reticent and distant. He can’t get a word out of her perhaps because she doesn’t trust him. Suddenly he cracks her and she cannot shut up. From there it’s a slowly developing story between these two and it naturally leads to the inevitable. The key scene takes place in a warehouse space where Frank is faced with a dozen very angry guys who all want to be the one to take him down. As per usual Frank wastes every one and Valentina cannot mask her enthusiasm. When she finally seduces him she relays seeing him with his shirt off after he has taken off his jacket, shirt and tie and considers it to be like a strip tease. She makes him take off his shirt again and then they do what any person would do if faced with such a situation. They dance. No, they don’t dance but they do make use of the backseat. Their entire relationship is not novel for this genre. One only has to look at all the Bond films to realize how stimulated women are by men who demonstrate their physical domination of other men and it’s always a bonus if they do so while dressed immaculately. Frank’s irrepressible style is another shout out to Bond. Indeed, this series owes its worth to the James Bond franchise but it isn’t entirely derivative. It gives Frank a few more personality quirks and less access to gadgetry. In this one he is subject to the whims of the men who possess all the gadgets and who intend to use them to Frank’s dire end.

Overall, this film manages to maintain the intensity of the first two. The performances do justice to the material and each participant does something interesting to enhance the plot. It’s not necessarily the best of the three but each of them have their merits. They are all energetic and Jason Statham performs with dexterity and great movability in his many fight sequences. This film
lacks any legitimate emotional currency save the storyline involving two fit bodies who tangle in the expected manner. This is by and large a healthy adrenaline rush that is all the film makers can honestly ask for. Yet, it possesses more than the typical action film which all comes down to the performances and nuances of character. It’s a straightforward exercise pitting two intelligent and crafty men up against one another in an often clever and never boring fight to the death.

Film Review--Punisher: War Zone

Punisher: War Zone
directed by Lexi Alexander
written by Nick Santora, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway
starring Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Doug Hutchinson, Colin Salmon, Wayne Knight, Dash Mihok, Julie Benz, Stephanie Janusauskas,

For what it’s worth, this utter bloodbath that includes a maddening array of killings does possess a sweet natured core that nearly elevates the film beyond the merely sensationalistic.

As established in Marvel Comics, Frank Castle lost his wife five years ago when he took them on a picnic and they got caught in the middle of a mafia assassination. Frank survived and went underground declaring vengeance on mafia types and he began to systemically eliminate all the top families. In this film, however, he branches out and begins to slaughter all the scum of the earth which naturally is a grand and lovely thing to see. His range expands and he becomes a true vigilante fighting against all crime and protecting the citizens where the police fail to do so.

In this film Frank inadvertently murders an undercover agent named Nicky Donatelli (Romano Orzari) while going after notorious gangster Billy Rusotti (West). He eventually pushes Rusotti into a glass compactor but Russotti doesn’t die; his face is merely horrifically disfigured prompting him to take a new name for himself: The Jigsaw. Frank suffers pangs of guilt and decides to pay a visit to Rusotti’s wife Angela (Benz) and his daughter Grace (Janusauskas) but the reject his offer of a gift for Grace. Eventually they come around when they are kidnaped by Rusotti and his crazed brother James AKA Loony Bin Jim (Hutchinson).

So, this film is really all about watching punks, jerks, assholes, piss-ants, and maggots die mostly be gunfire. It’s about rooting for a man who has killed hundreds of people in cold blood and wanting him to kill hundreds more. It’s about looking at the criminals and anticipating eagerly their sad, miserable demise and not worrying about their families or their upbringings or anything else that might have led them down this road. No, they are merely ciphers whose sole purpose in this film is to get in the way of one or three of the Punisher’s bullets and flop about on the ground for a few moments and expire. This is killing for the vicarious thrill it gives the audience who internally hoot and holler with every addition to the ever-growing pile of bodies. It isn’t about the story necessarily but there is a story here about trying to make an effort to heal a wound which will never heal that you are directly responsible for. There is a sensitivity to Frank Castle and it comes out when he looks at Grace and he imagines his own dead daughter. In a touching scene after Frank has rushed Angela and Grace to his lair for protection Grace sees a chest and Frank opens it for her. It contains numerous keepsakes that once belonged to his daughter. He pulls out a globe that plays a lovely melody and is lit from inside. It’s a moment of sheer elegance and it shows a side of Frank otherwise hidden by years of regret and suffering for something he feels as a cop he should have been prepared for but wasn’t.

The shooting scenes are fairly rudimentary and lack even a substance of style. They are simply a series of jolts that cause grievous bodily harm to a ridiculous number of people who really are presented as deserving to die. There are a few shots of faces being blown off, an image of a poor, helpless old lady with her head completely bashed in. It’s one of those moments where you ask yourself, “Did they really have to go there?” especially considering how she is positively comatose and only her eyes are bugged out at the tv screen which is ostensibly showing one of her cooking shows.

Although this is a highly enjoyable film for what it is, it doesn’t transcend to a level much beyond the typical action film. The killing is deadening and after a while the viewer simply becomes immune to what ever impact it may have had at first. It’s a strange sensation to watch countless men die on screen and to yawn because it no longer affects you. The film is clearly targeted at young men most of whom most likely live on a diet of extremely violent games and films. They play all day long slaughtering legions of demons, dragons, thugs, fairies, and liberals. Then they watch a Van Damme film, drink a bunch of eggs, sword fight with their Uncle Titty, march in formation, read “Might is Right”, wear chain mail, scream at trees, worship the Goddess of War in every tradition no matter how arcane, and otherwise behave like total savages who enjoy nothing more than a fine cup of tea and biscuits when they finally venture back into the house. These are the ideal fans of this film and they are going to love it except for the woos parts when the Punisher is acting all introspective and practically crying over his predicament.

Death is here rather comical after a point. So many are brought down that eventually their sad slide into oblivion can only garner laughs because by that point the film has become positively absurd. I don’t know what the record is for deaths in a film but this one is got to be fairly high on the list. There is a story here but it only seems to get in the way of the relentless slaughter. Still, it’s always rather affecting to see a little girl who has been scarred for life and who will never be the same. It certainly tugs at your heart strings a little but then again it’s all too sentimental and it ultimately grates on a person. I mean, the kid is cute and pouts quite effectively but she is not able by her self to turn this narrative into anything substantial. She is quite adorable, though, and kids who suffer immensely are always good to throw into the mix if you want to soften the bullies in the audience up a bit. Seriously, children in danger are a perfect component in any film that wants to manipulate their audience into actually exhibiting real feelings other than glee over watching this or that bloodbath. Only the thoroughly disturbed–someone who got that way due to mental illness or wretched family experiences or falling on their head several times as a child–could possible desire to see anything untoward happen to such a delightful little girl.

Ray Stevenson shows a slight range of emotion here as his character seems to contemplate his life and its ruins on occasion. The Punisher becomes chagrined and slightly disturbed when he shoots Mr. Donatelli once he realizes who he is. He’s sympathetic to Angela and Grace and it’s clear by reading his face that he legitimately feels tremendous compassion for them. Otherwise he just grits his teeth and creates a sensational amount of mayhem by killing every worthless thing that gets in his way. This character allows the viewer to live out the fantasy of ridding the world of all its garbage and returning the streets to the calm, placid condition that they once were. Everyone wants to reduce crime but nobody will admit to themselves that they truly want to do so in as dramatic a fashion as the Punisher. Nobody wants to get their hands dirty. The Punisher offers a vicarious thrill and we live through him and seek out those idiots and degenerates who pollute our good communities with their nefarious activities. We all want them gone and we allow the Punisher to do that which we are ultimately too sensible or scared to do.

Overall, this film doesn’t do anything to charm the senses nor is it particularly novel. It’s an exercise in force and aggression and for the duration of the ride it’s rather thrilling. It depends on where one comes down on excessive violence. In this case the violence serves no real purpose other than to raise adrenaline levels and embolden the spirits of its audience who will unfortunately lose their edge a few short minutes after the film ends. Still, throughout the experience of living through the Punisher it is fairly exhilarating to witness so many deaths that the film clearly promotes as being necessary. There is something mystical about so much death occurring in one specific place and time. It concentrates a tremendous amount of energy and such a location would be rife with magical significance. Many, many deaths are actualized in this film and the plot doesn’t obstruct the obvious intent of the film. The scant narrative is secondary to all the killing and the film manages to do what it sets out to do. It’s fake brutality that the sane and mentally sound will be able to properly dismiss immediately upon absorbing it. It’s eye candy for those who enjoy death as a media-sanctioned sensory sport.

Film Review--The Juror

The Juror
directed by Brian Gibson
written by Ted Talley
based on the novel by George Dawes Green
starring Demi Moore, Alec Baldwin, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Heche, James Gandolfini, Tony Lo Bianco, Michael Constantine, Matt Craven, Michael Rispoli

Despite occasional slips into stark melodrama, this film manages to express with a modicum restraint the lengths that a mother will go to in order to protect her son.

A mob hit has left a gangster and his grandson exceedingly dead. The perpetrator is revealed through his blank, distracted eyes. We meet a woman named Annie Laird (Moore) and her son Oliver (Gordon-Levitt). Annie is a sculptor who constructs elaborate panoramas that she conceals in wooden crates. It’s a style that is directly linked to her childhood and as the film opens she is starting to receive notice for her work. She meets a man who calls himself Mark Cordell (Baldwin) after he has purchased three of her pieces in exchange for a payment of $12,000. Straight away we know this man isn’t all he says he is. Again, it’s all in Baldwin’s eyes so his later reveal as the man who orchestrated the hit comes as no surprise. Perhaps the film would have retained more tension if we weren’t made privy through his eyes of the character’s deceitfulness. It’s not clear if we are supposed to trust Mark at first but such a scenario is decimated by the way Mark presents himself. As it stands he is marked from the outset as a potentially dangerous man capable of committing great acts of mayhem.

Demi Moore plays the frantic, terrified victim quite effectively. Much of this film, especially early on, showcases Annie’s terror coupled with a sense of helplessness. So, when she is called for Jury duty and accepts, against Judge Weitzel’s (Constantine) advice, the stage is set for a fairly engrossing drama that pits the Teacher (Cordell’s pet mafia name) against Annie as she scrambles desperately to save her son. The Teacher forces Annie to convince the rest of the jury to acquit Louie Baffano (Lo Bianco) who has been accused of ordering the hit. Annie succeeds and the rest of the film is a cat and mouse game that is occasionally successful at creating moments where the audience experiences genuine feelings of antipathy for the Teacher and his machinations.

The Teacher is quite cruel and megalomaniacal. He’s also exceedingly likable which is a direct result of how Baldwin plays him. There is a sniveling quality to the Teacher and his behavior strikes one as consistent with a man who is suffering a serious psychopathology. He’s funny, good natured, and even kind but these qualities mask a man who perhaps is suffering the lack of a conscience. He is capable of ghastly acts against children without hardly considering the consequences. Still he remains charming and affable regardless of what atrocity he is committing. Baldwin does seem to smirk quite which seems to accentuate his character’s duplicity.

The Teacher takes a liking to Annie and she reciprocates. They play lovey for a bit and then he springs his plan on her. He’s quite aggressive and convincing so Annie has no choice but to act on his commands. This is when Demi Moore shines as Annie tenaciously takes over the jury room and lays down the law using a logical argument that soon sees the other jurors eating out of her hand. There’s something quite lovely about watching people cave in to pressure one by one and this film allows this pleasure quite succinctly. However this is just the beginning of the game as the Teacher continues to cast his diabolical spell over Annie and her loved ones.

Anne Heche plays the bubbly best friend named Juliet. She’s a doctor who is a bit loose and she is in the film to provide a bit of levity in contrast to the mostly serious Annie. Juliet is a bit rambunctious and more daring than Annie. She’s what is unfortunately labeled as a free spirit. Heche does a fine job conveying her character’s dual role as intense medical practitioner and carefree woman of few distractions. Her plight isn’t terribly pleasant but it is enjoyable to see her all wacked out on pills and splaying herself all about in what passes for a love scene.

The idea of a madman chasing a pretty thing or a child is certainly not new. “Night of the Hunter” comes immediately to mind and of course that film is infinitely more terrifying than this one could ever hope to be. Indeed, such scenarios are cheaply made and most readily forgettable but the performances in this film elevate it above the pedestrian. The principal actors do their jobs and for the most part there is a nominal amount of tension to play around with here. But in the end one doesn’t necessarily feel anything whatsoever about the boy or his mother so the denouement of this film doesn’t carry very much weight. The Teacher is the more fascinating character as all “bad” men are in these things. He’s the one who has devised a plan to satisfy his wants and the fact that it comes at the expense of the heroine and her child matters not.

James Gandolfini plays Eddie, a mobster who turns out to be the most complex character in the film. It’s all in his gestures and ease of movement. He’s languid and soft spoken. He’s the antithesis of the Teacher because it’s impossible to believe him capable of chasing down a kid for his own edification. He’s calm and direct and perfectly at ease with himself. There are no histrionics, no insatiable need to move beyond his station. It’s clear he’s done some horrible things in his time but there’s a hint of remorse around his eyes whenever he speaks. His eyes are slightly sad and the reveal him to be a man who has experience considerable regret.

Overall, this is a well structured film that manages to create an intriguing dynamic between too characters diametrically opposed to each other. The acting is consistently expressive and the performers manage to make this into something more than what it truly deserves to be. It’s trite to see a film where a psycho runs through all barriers to achieve a special prize. This film is executed well enough but it doesn’t quite deliver a satisfactory payoff in the end. Instead, we are left with a vague sensation that this film has provided a decent ninety minutes of throwaway entertainment. It’s not necessarily something worth remembering but it does contain a bit of psychological anguish which is always worth investigating if only for a short while.

Film Review--New Rose Hotel

New Rose Hotel
written and directed by Abel Ferrara
based on the short story by William Gibson
starring Christopher Walken, Willem Dafoe, Asia Argento, Yoshitako Amano, Gretchen Mol, Annabella Sciorra

Based on a thirteen page William Gibson story this film dissolves into a fledgling, constipated visual enema. Degeneration and dissolution are surely given the opulent treatment here and the film projects an urgency of decay and despair. Two con men espionage agents hit on a quick scheme to fill their coffers. Fox (Walken) and X (Dafoe) have worked out a deal to convince a future-shaking scientist named Hiroshi (Amano) who is working for the Maas Corporation to defect to Hosaka, another brutally efficient corporate titan. They use raw, unadulterated sex in the form of prostitute Sandii (Argento) whom they convince to seduce Hiroshi for the sum of a million dollars. Sandii is a trick card and her machinations prove to upset the fine balance held in the hands of the two men.

This film often seems to be little more than a series of wonky sex scenes and a whole lot of abstract scene selection. Indeed, Argento spends much of the film exposed and normally this would make for a thoroughly satisfying cinematic experience. However here there is simply nothing inherently seductive about her nude scenes. It’s almost impossible to imagine but the vision of a nude Asia Argento is actually wasted here. It seems unfathomable but the film makers manage to create a work that makes a naked Asia into a secondary concern. The lighting doesn’t do her justice and her body isn’t quite given the opportunity for full expression. The scenes feel staged and utterly lacking in even a semblance of erotic potency. Now, Hiroshi’s wife (Mol) on the other hand does not take her clothes of and is infinitely more desirable than Sandii. She is all steely eyes and haughty presentation and best of all she is described as a ball-buster. This is a woman who could tyrannize a man with a simple glance. She possesses all of the simplicity of a woman of great power.

The film certainly plays with a dystopian aesthetic and is convincing as a piece of generic hysteria-bating but the style is sabotaged by a weak narrative that just doesn’t have much of a pulse. The film is mainly an excuse to cart out finely-toned flesh and make it writhe and grind as much as possible. The sex scenes could not be less erotic as they are too formulated to create anything remotely approaching a direct erotic response. It doesn’t matter how many times sex is employed in this film because it proves to do nothing more than interrupt the story for what it is. It’s clearly an attempt, in concordance with the fragmented images prevalent throughout the film, to convey an art-house feel but it turns out to be nothing more than an example of indulgence on the part of the director. If they were hot scenes and one honestly felt that Asia was fully engaged, perhaps it might have been more effective. Admittedly, there is something thrilling to see her pout and purr for the duration of ninety minutes. In a better film this would be more of a cause for celebration.

We never meet Hiroshi and are introduced to him strictly through surveillance cameras who have tracked him over the course of a considerable length of time. Subsequently he haunts the film and the viewer sits in giddy anticipation as to what will finally happen to him. Alas we never get full satisfaction and it’s yet another example of how frustrating this story actually is.

The film actually ends two thirds of the way through. The rest of the time is spent in a series of flashbacks that offer a bit more dialog than when they were first presented. They don’t offer anything particularly noteworthy and it’s a drag to be subjected to so much that has already been revealed. It’s a strange technique and is ostensibly designed to articulate the deep regret of X as he relives his encounters with Sandii. He is too attached to her and believes her promises although they soon are shown to be fraudulent and fraught with treachery.

Overall, the performances in this film seem static and in need of oxygen. Christopher Walken plays the same daffy eccentric he always plays. Willem Dafoe is given few opportunities to fully embrace his character and often seems to be playing the role under protest. Yet, they both fit the film quite easily and somehow their performances convey the emptiness of their characters. Fox is presented as something of an intellectual but Walken delivers his lines so sardonically that it’s difficult to truly believe anything he is trying to say. His character is trying to be sincere but there is absolutely nothing sincere about him. In many ways both characters are ciphers who are merely one-dimensional without considerable warmth or depth or anything else that forces audiences to identify with them on screen. But at least Walken dances as he always does and that’s always worth something. Asia Argento doesn’t exactly have to act much in this one so it’s simply not possible to gain a full understanding of her talent in this area. She’s mostly exceedingly lovely eye candy and looks quite natural with her breasts bared. Still, a lot more actual seduction without the pedestrian look-see would have transformed this film into more of a bonafide erotic thriller along the line of John Dahl’s “The Last Seduction”.

Film Review--Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In)

Låt den rätte komma in (Let the Right One In)
directed by Tomas Alfredson
written by John Ajvide Lindqvist
based on the novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist
starring Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Henrik Dahl, Karen Bergquist, Peter Carlberg, Ika Nord, Mikael Rahm, Karl-Robert Lindgren, Patrik Rydmark



Sometimes friends bring you special gifts that utterly upset the balance and alter the course of your life forever. For twelve year old Oskar (Hedebrant), that present came in the form of Eli (Leandersson), a girl who moves next door to him and his mother. Eli is immune to cold, cannot hold a simple sweet down, and only comes out at night. Oskar, who is obsessed with horrific stories, ascertains that Eli is a vampire. Coinciding with Eli’s appearance are a series of gruesome murders involving great losses of blood. Although it takes a while for Eli to reveal her full Self to Oskar, she manages to keep him enthralled and utterly spellbound for a great length of time. Oskar is transfixed by Eli because she offers him more than any other person he has ever met including his mother. She’s daring and determined, two traits that Oskar lacks. He is a boy who dreams of revenge on the person of Conny (Rydmark), a bully who taunts him and calls him Piggy. Oskar cannot stand up for himself and suffers a series of humiliations including having a switch tear a gash into his cheek without him barely moving or saying a word. With Eli’s help he finally steps up and causes rather intense damage to Conny by whacking him in the ear with a long rod.

One gets the impression that this condition that has been foisted upon Eli is unwelcome. During one feeding she breaks down and sobs uncontrollably. There is an indication that she has the ability to transform herself into an adult sized vampire as is evidenced during one scene where she feeds in front of Oskar. She lifts her face and we catch a brief glimpse of a grown female caught in the ravishes of her deeply set passion.

Eli and Oskar forge a bond that tightens its grip as the film progresses. Knowing what Eli is, Oskar maintains his loyalty and refuses to reject her. It’s a delightful aspect of the film and elevates the story above the merely pedestrian to the level of high art. The cinematography by Hoyte Van Hoytema is as intoxicating as Eli’s vampire child. It employs muted tones that are exploited by the ubiquitousness of the snow. Rarely has wintertime looked so seductive and foreboding. The landscapes cause the heart to flutter slightly particularly when Eli and Oskar are out in it together. There is just something so fatal and enticing about their connection that it’s brutal potentialities drenched in warm blood play nicely off of the coldness of the pure white snow.

Eli’s father Håkan is shown early on stringing up a boy, slitting his throat and draining his blood. Later he kills a man and dumps his body in the icy river. These bodies are used ostensibly to feed Eli in between kills. We don’t really get very many scenes between Eli and Håkan although we do understand the link between them that holds them together. They are united by the blood that they drain from those unlucky enough to stumble into their paths when it’s feeding time.

The film is quite funny in places and it eases the tension from what is otherwise a terribly serious production. There is a scene with a woman who has been bitten by Eli. She begins to display classic vampiric tendencies including aversion to light and in one hilarious scene the antipathy of cats. She walks into a room where there is maybe a dozen or so felines. From the moment they smell her they go into full on hissing mode. Eventually six of them jump on her and she is brought down. It’s a startling scene because one doesn’t expect it to come in this sort of film.

Eli is a serious girl who comes off as exacting and pragmatic. She has a firm grip on the necessities of life and understands hunger and longing better than anyone Oskar has ever met. He too understands what it feels like to want something so desperately that it clouds the vision and nearly capsizes him. He simply craves revenge on his tormentors and play acts stabbing the leader by jabbing his knife into a tree. Eli advises him to stand up for himself and her coaching gives him strength. Indeed, her very being wakes Oskar so that he becomes harder, tougher and toward the end of the film more agile at taking control although this proves to be a short lived phenomenon.

It becomes apparent that Oskar needs Eli in some impenetrable way. She does the things that merely are forced to reside in his imagination. He admires her to a degree for her audacity but to her she has no choice but to act in this manner. He would kill out of rage but to her the killings are but a means to an end and are divorced from the anguish of emotions. In this light Eli is purely objective and not susceptible to the stains of familiarity which ultimately prevent most humans from taking another’s life. Eli suffers no such afflictions because she simply is not human. She has merely taken human form so that she might more conveniently track her prey.

The pulsating effulgence of this film makes for a thrilling experience that will not easily be forgotten. The novelty of a child vampire is an exquisite focus for a story that nevertheless turns out to be more about friendship than anything supernatural. It’s sad and supremely edifying to watch these two interact. They employ morse code to communicate through the wall that is the only earthly thing that separates them. But their bond is not limited by earthly things; it is purely of the spirit although one wonders if Eli has a soul. One might imagine that she does only it’s of a different caste than mere mortal’s souls. Then again, if the purpose of a soul is to ensure eternal life after death, why would a vampire need one? Eli is not evil because she doesn’t kill out of malice. She merely needs to feed and her very existence depends on these particular acts. To not feed is to commit suicide which for every being is not a natural option. Yet, she must always be on the move for reasons that remain somewhat mysterious in the film. Perhaps she cannot stay in one place because memory begins to take a stranglehold on her and memories are the very thing that tortures her the most.

Taking form in a twelve year old girl, the vampire sucks the life from life. It’s interesting that she is arrested for never more at the onset of puberty. Yet, the creature that lives inside her is ancient and knowledgeable about all things involving human sexual interaction. This would suggest that Eli would be awakened to the needs of the flesh and perhaps initiate Oskar into sacred rites. There is a scene fraught with erotic tension where Eli takes off her clothes and jumps into bed with Oskar. He turns away to face the camera and simply acknowledges that Eli is exceedingly cold. Of course sexuality at this age is considered anathema to nearly everyone but the suggestion still remains in this film that there exists a physical element to Eli and Oskar’s friendship.

There is a profound sense of loss in this film that permeates every frame. One cannot help but anguish over Eli’s plight as the curse of eternal life has beleaguered her and left her in an exceedingly fragile place. Lina Leandersson gives a decisively controlled performance as Eli. Her movements are precisely administered and each gesture carries with it a deeply melancholic intensity. She plays a wounded creature who knows that no matter what she does she will eventually lose Oskar just as she has lost everyone else she has ever cared about. Leandersson captures this aspect of her character with a tremendous understatement. She gives us a character who is both a monster and a scared little girl and it is this dynamic that most informs this, her first film. As Oskar Kåre Hedebrant projects an unresolved innocence that is nonetheless tempered with a curiosity about all things grotesque. He is perfectly able to accept Eli as a vampire because of his insatiable appetite for the macabre. To him she is merely his fantasies come gloriously to life and he clings to her for what she promises him. He would like to be like Eli so that he might finally be able to know what it is like to remove life from another quivering person. But he knows he must remain mortal and thus afraid of unleashing his innermost desires on an unsuspecting world. Hedebrant, also making his first screen appearance, brings a young man to the fore who could become anything at all. Perhaps under the right tutelage he might become a Nazi Skinhead or a political agitator. He is an open slate who can be influenced to do or go along with pretty much anything. He plays at being a leader but it doesn’t work out and the film clearly suggests that he will always be a weakling who requires others to extract him from tight squeezes.

Overall, this film is a buoyant and classic modern day vampire tale enshrouded in the primal mystery of absolute friendship. This is a story about two youths who find each other after all. Eli has traveled centuries and from distant lands in order to find Oskar. It’s as potent a romance as is ever going to be filmed. One intriguing aspect of the story is projected into the future where Oskar will age and Eli will remain the same age. If there relationship is perfectly chaste as children would it transform into something legitimately pathological as Oskar comes into himself? If love is lust deluded with sentimentality will Oskar’s love for Eli be eventually based on a different sort of animal need? Oskar’s undying devotion is fraught with terrible sadness because he doesn’t quite understand the implications of just what such a state implies about the future. He does not fully grasp the fact that they will become separated and that their bond will be severed. She simply cannot stay in one place very long and in order to keep her he would have to travel around with her until he dies. It’s a tragic realization and one that brings great sorrow to each in their own way. This film will remain one of the purest testaments to the tyranny of love and the cold reality that it will not and cannot remain to those unfortunate to suffer its base afflictions.