Watching Trick ‘r Treat while passing out candy has become a Halloween tradition in my house. Michael Dougherty’s film borrows heavily from Romero’s Creepshow series, employing an anthology structure with revolving characters set inside a comic book. The horror movie consists of a handful of scary stories; the werewolf, the serial killer, the ghost, the masked killer, the vampire, they are all here. Each tale is fresh and unique, proving Dougherty has a quirky originality desperately missing from the horror genre. Like most anthologies, there are one or two shorts that don’t work as well as the others, but Dylan Baker’s sinister school principal and Brian Cox’s reclusive Mr. Kreeg easily steal the show. Fans of horror will fall effortlessly in love with Trick ‘r Treat, and I would bet non-fans will find plenty of creative ideas and characters to keep them entertained. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Toy Story 3 is the culmination of everything Pixar has been working towards for the last 20-years. It graciously offers a film that entertains viewers of all ages, without ever resulting to pop-culture references or talking down to the audience. It handles its content maturely and thoughtfully, giving the viewer (be it a child or an adult) the benefit of the doubt that they can understand and appreciate what he or she is watching.
There has not been a shortage of love for Toy Story 3 since its release last Summer, so instead of telling you how much I love it (which I really do), I am just going to mention the really big problem I had with this film: Andy. I have not seen a more unrealistic 18-year-old since Jason Priestly played Brandon Walsh in Beverly Hills 90210. I understand that it is really sweet, and necessary, for Andy to still have an emotional attachment to his toys at his age, but I found his level of devotion distracting. At a time in his life when he should be concerned with going out with his buddies and boondockin’ chicks, lil’ Andy is longingly staring into the eyes of his cowboy doll. Now listen, I understand sentimentality, I still my Nintendo. However, as soon as I discovered my penis, my Nintendo’s controller instantly became my 2nd favorite thing to play with, you understand what I’m saying?
Grown-Ups was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, and not nearly as good as it could have been. Adam Sandler’s yearly cinematic escapades with his SNL buddies have moved passed stale and are inching towards unbearable. The jokes are lame and rarely funny, and I am pretty sure I absolutely hate the fat mall-cop guy. These “comedies” only serve to remind me that Sandler is capable of so much more (Punch Drunk Love) and Chris Rock should just stick to stand-up and directing. And how the hell is it that Rob Schneider is allowed to step in front of a camera? I would hate him if only I cared.
Come to Light: Edward CurtisCome to Light, a documentary that chronicles the life and death of famed photographer Edward Curtis is an interesting, if at times shallow investigation into the man and the impact he had on the Native American culture. Renown for his exhaustive pursuit of photographing the North American Indian, his pictures have both inspired and handicapped the culture that he so diligently captured. His story is both motivating and tragic, and if you have any interest in American history or Native American cultures, or are as fascinated by man’s obsessive nature as I am, then check out this documentary if you can find it. I would start with your local library.
I have never seen the original True Grit. I’ve have been introduced to the classic western through quick clips and John Wayne re-enactments. But even the clearest youtube video or the gruffest “fill your hands” recital cannot give a film its due. Unfortunately, having just watched the Coen Brother’s version of the film, I may never seek out the original in fear of ruining my appreciation for the remake.
Jeff Bridges in True Grit posterIt is no secret I have affection for Joel and Ethan Coen that no other filmmakers could equal. Their’s is a style and particularity that just fits my own sensibilities. Curiously, True Grit is unlike anything these men have made before. This is a western. This is genre filmmaking. This is spectacular. Their single inclination towards that which is everyday oddity has no place in this picture. The dialogue is as quick-witted and entertaining as ever; no doubt this is a Coen Brother’s film. In fact, the dialogue may possibly serve the only reminder, outside of the honestly graphic violence, that this is a Coen Brother’s film at all. To the point, commonplace, judicious, and shrewd. Yep, these are all characters in a Coen Brother’s picture.
But that might be about it. This is the most traditional film I believe the directors have ever made, and although it clearly wears their stamp, I do believe it lacks some of their voice. Their nuance is on screen; their attention to deal is evident. And yet the surreal consciousness that permeates their best work (No Country for Old Men, The Big Lebowski, Blood Simple) is missing.
With that said, even a lesser Coen Brother’s film is still shoulders above the rest. As of now (and yes, I am riding on the high of having just seen it) this has my vote for favorite film of the year. Notice I did not say “best” film of the year – but that is for another time. I haven’t enjoyed a genre picture in the theaters this much since perhaps Tarantino’s war picture. It is everything a western should be, and yet has the decency not to preach or talk down. Like the 14-year-old protagonist Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), the film expects the audience to be able to hold its own. The action and the dialogue come quick, and the Coen’s have no problem leaving you behind if you cannot keep up.Hailee Steinfeld in True Grit poster
The film follows young Mattie Ross, a bold teenager that just lost her father at the hands of the lawless Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin). Resolute on justice being served, she hires U.S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to help track the murderer down. Early on the duo joins forces with a Texas Ranger (LaBoeuf, played by Matt Damon) also on Chaney’s scent for the murder of a Texas senator, and together the three set out towards dangerous Chippewa country to hunt down their man.
Matt Damon in True Grit posterEarly on we learn that Ross hires Cogburn because he is a man of “true grit,” and so he is. Bridges’ Cogburn is a nasty old son of a bitch. He has killed more men then he can remember, and has no problem shooting a guilty man in the back. He is a filthy cuss, but is not short on common sense or feelings. He begrudgingly accepts the bounty for the $100 reward, but we quickly see the Marshall is sensitive to the young lady and her unfortunate plight. Bridges works the screen like a tired mule, but this is Steinfeld’s film. She dominates every frame, never allowing her larger counterparts to take control. Her Mattie Ross is as every bit world-warn and desensitized as Cogburn and LeBeouf, and yet her young eyes are too powerful to disguise her humanity. She has been put in charge of her father’s affairs, and seeing that his murderer is put down is just one of her duties. She steals this movie away from the likes of two Hollywood powerhouses, and I will be very disappointed if she does not receive a nomination for this performance.
With True Grit the Coen Brother’s have proven they are capable of making the most traditional of films. This is a classic western, where the villains are cold-blooded and the heroes are even colder. Cinematographer Roger Deakins is irreplaceable, offering the same masterful eye that he brought to No Country for Old Men and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. The Coen’s are capable of redefining the popular culture with their films. While this genre picture may not present the same idiosyncratic fare we have become accustomed to, it does serve to once again prove they are the best at what they do.
Ladies or Gentlemen film posterLadies or Gentlemen is a small documentary on Netflix Watch Instantly that chronicles the history of drag queens and cross-dressers in mainstream cinema. There is a fresh mix of entertaining clips from movies like Glen or Glenda, Some Like it Hot, Tootsie, Hairspray, Pink Flamingos, and many others. These scenes are entwined with interviews that are actually funny and interesting. Director John Waters’ (Hairspray, Pink Flamingos) musings on his late friend Harris Glen Milstead (otherwise known as Divine) are some of the most heartfelt and thoughtful moments in a documentary I have watched this year. Tony Curtis, who dressed in drag in Billy Wilder’s Some Like it Hot alongside Jack Lemmon also sits down to discuss both the film’s success and the art of cross-dressing. It’s a great little doc that also educates with several enlightening interviews with professors of Women Studies, psychology, and sexuality. If you have an interest in sexual studies or cross-dressing then this should prove educational, but I would honestly suggest this film to any and all cinema lovers. It is a documentary on Hollywood and filmmaking first and foremost. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Electronic Arts logoI posted the Pixar video last month, and I am in full support of the It Gets Better movement. Electronic Arts just released their own video, and I hope it inspires other video game companies to follow their lead.
Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 11:00AM 
Trick 'r Treat film poster
