1957 / Alexander Mackendrick > Sweet Smell of Success is as dark and biting now as it must have been in its heyday. Burt Lancaster’s performance as a ruthless society columnist is second only to Tony Curtis’ mercurial, almost repulsive role as the public relations agent in constant need of dire favors. It’s always interesting to see a film from half a century ago and think that the world hasn’t changed much. While we all imagine a nice, quiet place pre-Internet, films like this are kind enough to show that people are always the same, and that it’s just their surroundings that change as time goes on.
The Simpsons Movie
2007 / David Silverman > Truth be told, there wasn’t much that could’ve been done to fully satisfy me here. Wherein South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut delivered what its title promised, The Simpsons Movie essentially failed in sufficiently going beyond the boundaries of what television could already provide. It’s incredibly enjoyable, but not enough to keep it decisively memorable and separate from its broadcast brethren. (Bart’s penis can barely hold a candle to the brilliance of “Uncle Fucka.”) But it’s The Simpsons Movie, and we’ve waited eighteen damn years for it. My expectations were high, sure, but it’s still a grand showing. I think I even teared a little when the videotape played.
The Lookout
2007 / Scott Frank > At a basic level, it’s hard not to respect The Lookout for its relatively unique take on the heist genre. The film’s move away from the standard setup theme is of interest, but the execution is sometimes flawed with staccato pacing and peripheral characters that come across extremely two-dimensional. Moreover, the gimmick of memory disorientation is utilized in a somewhat predictable way, even if the final sequence is a rather impressive one.
1408
2007 / Mikael Hafstrom > It pains me to say that the payoff in 1408 didn’t suffice, because it’s definitely a well-crafted psychological horror with none of the childish tactics of the latter two Saw films. Hafstrom has skill as a director (noted in both Derailed and Evil), but these scripts just don’t do him justice. Or maybe I’m overestimating his ability past the pure technical aspect. Either way, Cusack’s presence made the film bearable for me even if the end didn’t equate.
Starter for 10
2006 / Tom Vaughan > As a going-to-college-and-finding-myself story, Starter for 10 tries to be refreshing and original but ultimately falls back on stereotypes of girls, geeks and misunderstandings between best friends. That’s not to say that it isn’t arresting: It’s got enough tricks up its sleeve to keep our interest, with buxom beauties to Trivial Pursuit-brand trivia helping James McAvoy’s protagonist understand himself further. It’s funny and pleasant, and even while it tries to stretch itself thin sometimes with inadequate life-affirming theories, most viewers will let it slide and simply enjoy the ride.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2007 / David Yates > I’m not a Harry Potter fanatic by any stretch of the imagination (i.e., I haven’t read the books), so I find watching these films an idle form of entertainment. In such, it’s hard for me to get riled up over them without understanding their long, literate histories (unlike my child-like giddiness towards Transformers). With Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I do feel like I’ve missed out on a lot of the meat by not having read the books (and not refreshing my memories of the last four), but I did come out of the theatre feeling quite comfortable about Yates taking Harry into maturity.
The darkened atmosphere surrounding Harry is quite welcoming to the sense of the world’s impending battle between good and evil. Dolores Umbridge as well as Luna Lovegood add some fresh spices to the character pool, an act that Cho Chang (and that sad, pathetic kiss) absolutely fails at. Fundamentally, it’s not always even or even coherent to us non-readers, and admittedly I did feel by the end that not much had happened. Retrospectively, however, it can be noted that many of the simple events that occur during the film are indeed rather significant in the battle against He Who Must Not Be Named. For that, I would’ve actually liked the film to have been longer, with more depth.
12 and Holding
2006 / Michael Cuesta > Turning thirteen and technically becoming a teenager, that’s when the struggles of adolescence becomes official. But there are always those who hit their strides earlier due to special events that surround their lives—family, death or love, for example. In these times, a child is forced to act years in advance of their actual age, replicating what they’ve learned from those around them and on television and books. But always in this state of being precocious, it’s important to remember that they retain their naivety. That naivety is what Cuesta so very impressively portrays in Twelve and Holding. The challenge for a filmmaker with such material is never the shock factor one needs to achieve, but rather to justify its existence within the scope of the film. Cuesta’s treatment is gentle, intelligent and all the while respectful to the nuances of growing up.
Pan’s Labyrinth
2006 / Guillermo del Toro > The combination of fantasy and violence is something that’s always fascinated me because at the core of most fairy tales is a sense of naivety that is both wondrous and disagreeable. Emotions toward the latter comes outward mostly because we realize that stories are an escape, and that fairy tales don’t really happen without hard work (i.e., don’t exist). In film, we simply take a ride in our minds that comes hurling back to square one once the end credits roll.
With Pan’s Labyrinth, del Toro has given respect to the reality of time and space while still proceeding with his story of magic. The parallelism of good vs. evil along with the convex nature of Ofelia’s fate are the cornerstones of the film’s effectiveness. And since the idea of the happy ending is a modern one (and not one that’s fair or objective to the viewer’s emotions), I believe del Toro’s choice of conclusion judiciously stops short of manipulating the viewer and the viewer’s after-film hopes.
I’m neither perturbed nor surprised that The Lives of Others beat out Pan’s Labyrinth for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Both are beautifully crafted, but the latter’s taste in violence is not fit for all. That being said, only The Last King of Scotland and Memories of Matsuko compete with this as my personal favorite films of 2006.
Suzhou River
2000 / Lou Ye > This might be the first film since the early 90s outings from Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige that has made me believe in the future of mainland Chinese cinema. Having been unable to adjust to critically acclaimed films of Zhang Ke Jia, I was worried that most of what was being made in the mainland—of slow, deliberate pacing reminiscent of the Taiwanese New Wave. But with Suzhou River, one can hope that these elements will continue to be combined with the vibrancy present in Wong Kar-Wai’s Chungking Express and the local mood of modern China. By itself, it’s a tangential homage to Vertigo that’s both beautiful and heartbreaking. While separately it often feels grossly derivative, the combined product is as fresh as it is youthful.
The Patriots
1994 / Eric Rochant > Never saw this one coming: An intelligent spy film that takes the personal aspect of Munich and turns it up a notch. Les Patriotes is less about the methods of espionage but more about human after effects. The ruthlessness and selflessness it takes for one to produce in the field is displayed poignantly in a well-paced effort by Rochant. It has some hiccups, especially with somewhat weak and often stereotypical American acting, but generally stays on point in opening up the world of Mossad to the viewer. A worthy find for those who are fans of the genre, but it may also bore those looking for spy/action films.