Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer (2010)

Director: Alex Gibney

 Here is a true story that is utterly compelling. A man dedicated to getting Wall Street and white-collar crimes in order, leads a crusade to change the game and gets taken down in humiliating fashion by those heavily invested in the game he was trying to fix. Eliot Spitzer is known more for being the ex-Governor of New York who solicited high class prostitutes, and less as the man who tried to get Wall Street to stop committing the crimes that eventually led us to the Great Recession. And no this is not a story about how a great man was undone by his own personal discretions. Yes he should not have been doing what he was doing with those call girls, but this story is much bigger than that.

This is a story about the actions Spitzer took against Wall Street bankers and his rival Republican lawmakers in Albany and how those actions were what contributed to his fall. The story is quite mythic actually, Spitzer himself compares the story to Icarus. I found myself wondering what kind of lessons someone can learn from this. There are few positive lessons that's for sure, but it's more of a lesson on how the game works, and the only thing we can do about it is make sure people know about it so if things like this do happen again, the media will have the suspicion and actually do some reporting to find out if it's more than just a sex scandal. Now, the only thing about this documentary is that if you know the story already, the movie won't add a whole lot more to your understanding of it, the greatest aspect of it is easily the story and not the documentary filmmaking by Gibney, but if you're not familiar with this very important tale, then it's a must-watch.

Grade: B+

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

Director: Sergio Leone

 On the page this film is basically an average Western, but with Leone's direction it becomes a fantastic piece of cinema that is one of the most memorable Westerns made. This is a film with some spectacular directing. The shot selection and control of tone by Leone in this film is accomplished flawlessly. Leone uses such a wide array of shots, from intense close-ups that show each drop of sweat to wide-ranging shots of desolate landscape where the characters are just specks in the frame, and somehow it all seems appropriate. Then you've got the now iconic music by Ennio Morricone that sets the stage during all the suspenseful showdowns. This is a film that can only be described as epic.

This film is one of the best examples of how a great director can elevate a pretty bland and average story into something with tension and excitement unlike any other. I do like my films to have some greater meaning, and this one doesn't quite accomplish that too well, but it is impossible to ignore the level of talent that is needed to successfully pull of a film like this. Though I'm not saying all the writing is bland, there are some individual sequences in this film that are quite clever. I wasn't quite impressed with the two previous spaghetti westerns Leone did, but this is the one where everything really came together and where Leone's trademark style really comes into fruition for me.

Grade: A-

Malcolm X (1992)

Director: Spike Lee

 It's really a compliment to the film Spike Lee made that after watching the movie I had nothing to say about the film itself, and everything to say about Malcolm X. The autobiography that this film is based on is easily one of the best books I have read in my life, and just by virtue of adapting for the screen and actually keeping the essence of the book intact makes this film one of the finest and most flawless biopics of all time. Almost all biopics try to find one thing that defined the life of their subject, but this is impossible to do with Malcolm X because he is a man defined by his progression in life. His views evolved all throughout his life, and were continuing to do so even until he was assassinated.

Lee knows this, and follows him from all throughout his life, giving equal weight to each portion, from the beginning when he was Malcolm Little, to his criminal days when he was Detroit Red, to when he was with the NOI as Minister Malcolm X, till the end when he was El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. A filmmaker could easily make a movie about Malcolm X and give a completely inaccurate depiction of the man by just focusing on a certain portion of his life, but Lee gives us the whole picture, and this way we get an honest, truthful, and powerful progression. It is a long movie, running about three and a half hours, but I never thought it was boring and never found any scene unnecessary. Because of Denzel Washington's career-making performance as the man himself, and Lee's real knowledge and respect for the man, we surprisingly have a completely honest film about Malcolm X, one that will hopefully show the world the mans true impact on our world.

Grade: A

The Substance of Wes Anderson

I recently re-watched all of Wes Anderson's films in preparation for his new one, Moonrise Kingdom. Naturally after watching his movies I desired to understand them more and read what others had to say about them. Going through reviews and message boards I was a little disappointed. I had seen all of Anderson's films already, and so his unique idiosyncratic style was something I was quite used to, on this second viewing I wanted to see if there was much substance behind the style. Unfortunately, I found that there was little to no discussion about the substance, subtext, and themes of Anderson, all discussion surrounding him are usually about his visual style (ironic, considering that most mainstream film discussion avoids style, but with Anderson's very obvious-than-normal style this is not surprising). Granted, there are film critics who have revolved their film reviews on his themes on occasion, but film reviews are not the same as film discussion. So this is why this post exists. I wanted to contribute to the discussion by writing almost completely about the themes in the films of Wes Anderson. As you'll see, in addition to having a distinct visual style, Anderson also has very distinct themes present in all his films.

La Notte (1961)

Director: Michelangelo Antonioni

 This feels like an average offering from Antonioni, but even average from him is way beyond so much else. The story is simple and the theme's aren't groundbreaking in any way, but filmmaking and Antonioni's direction is what makes the film as effective as it is. The movie follows an upper class couple around whose marriage is clearly on the rocks. Antonioni has such patience with the two leads and really allows them to find honest moments that speak volumes about where their characters are. The slow pacing can be a little too wandering at times, but the patience is highly respectable.

The story is about the illusion of love in the lives of the rich and comfortable, and how their dissatisfaction is most realized in their love lives. This theme is realized with just one this one couple, so it's a small movie, but like I said, it has some very effective, genuine moments. It's also a very modern movie, especially in regards to the incredibly high divorce rate in the Western world and in the world of the rich. Despite the fact the movie is from the early 1960's, it could have been about people who are living in 2012.

Grade: B+

Crimson Gold (2003)

Director: Jafar Panahi

 This film is Iran's Taxi Driver. Or maybe it is Iran's The Wire. Who knows, I just wanted to start this off with a hyperbolic generalized statement to get your attention, and now I have it. The point is that Taxi Driver is one of my favorite films of all time, and The Wire is one of my favorite television shows of all time and so I don't compare to them lightly. But I won't compare them, because this is because this film is a masterpiece in its own right. It is a movie that reveals the motives of those "second-class" citizens who are quietly fuming at the world. The lead character in this film is so tired of being treated like he is not as important as other humans who have more money. But in the film he is not asking to be rich, he is just asking for respect, and his anger represents so many around the world.

His realization over the course of the movie of how tragically static his situation really is shows how society as a whole, and not just in Iran, can be unfair to those who may not have the money necessary to have their voice heard. There is much dread in the film, because we know from the opening flash-forward in which he is involved in a robbery gone wrong that this will be a tragic story. But that dread adds poetry and meaning to the rest of the film. The lead performance is one that is very subdued, all of his feelings are deep inside and he never ever shows them. His anger is slowly boiling to the top, but we only know this because we know his sad final actions. Crimson Gold is quiet and angry at the same time. Written by the great Abbas Kiarostami, the screenplay has the subtle characterizations that he is known for, always keeping the audience just enough at bay. Director Jafar Panahi adds his trademark social critique and sense of social justice. Both of them team up to make a film that has a flawless sense of character, justice, class, and emotion.

Grade: A

Stardust Memories (1980)

Director: Woody Allen

 The thing that has set apart Woody Allen from everyone else, in my mind at least, is his ability to take complex themes and ideas from filmmakers like Ingmar Bergman and Federico Fellini, and apply them in an American context that is not pretentious or dumbed down. This film is one of the great examples of this. Stardust Memories is one of Allen's most personal films, and is autobiographical in the way 8 1/2 was autobiographical for Fellini. Though at first it may seem like a parody of 8 1/2, it actually is more inspired by it and translates it through Allen's own personal behaviors and issues.

The movie is almost free-associative in structure so it's not the most plot-heavy film, but it's not a hinderance and actually helps in understanding Allen's character and his idiosyncratic personality. The movie is essentially an all-encompassing work about Allen as a filmmaker and Allen as a man, and all of that filtered through his never-ending and always failed search for happiness in an absurd world. It is a very honest, personal, and revealing film, as you would expect from Allen, but this one seems more directly associated with Allen the real man, instead of a character played by Allen. So far, this is one of my favorite Allen films, all because it's such an odd yet personal piece of work by and about a guy that is fascinating in how he embodies the pessimistic yet joyful outlook at life we all have.

Grade: A-

The Wire: Season Three (2004)

Showrunner: David Simon

The Great American Tragedy. That is what The Wire is about. The seasons of the show I have seen so far have all expanded the scope of the show and evolved it into not just a show about cops and crooks, but a show about all the reasons urban America, and by extension America and maybe even Western civilization in general, are in decline. The third season the scope expands up into the political world and into the dealings of the most high up in Batlimore. It is used to comment on the tragic fact that how the higher up you go in the system, the more difficult it is to reform the system. The main theme of the season happens to be reform, and how difficult it is. The first two seasons laid out the problem very well, and then this season shows the potential solutions to those problems but how implementing those solutions are not so simple.

We see attempted reforms on both the police side and on the drug side, and how in both systems the traditionalists and a variety of external societal factors inhibit the reformers from successfully implementing those reforms. The "hamsterdam" plot, in which a lieutenant creates an area of the city in which there will be no drug enforcement is a brilliant story-line. That whole plot is policy analysis at its finest, examining the factors and repercussions of realistically implementing such a policy, and what needs to be done in order to actually have it succeed. Ultimately it's a tragic story-line because it's a great idea, but the climate of modern society doesn't allow it. But the true brilliance of The Wire lies in the fact that everyone is in a gray area, even those who are trying to do right in the world. Even those who genuinely want to right the wrongs of the world are shown the negative consequences on their colleagues and their boss' when they go against authority trying to do the right thing. Once again, just like all prior seasons, we see the complex nature of the world in all is ugly glory.

Grade: A

Stolen Kisses (1968)

Director: Francois Truffaut

 Previously I reviewed Antoine and Colette, the second film in Truffaut's Antoine Doinel series. This film here is the third. One of the first things that stands out in this film is the performance of Jean Pierre Leaud and how he has so perfectly evolved into the character of Antoine Doinel (or maybe the character evolved into him). His acting, plus Truffaut's writing and directing since the character is semi-autobiographical, all do so much to get across all the ticks and small characteristics that make Doinel who he is.

In this film Doinel is largely the same person he was in The 400 Blows and Antoine and Colette, but in a much more adult world. Once again Doinel is a guy who just can't find his place in society. The way he goes from job to job, and from young woman to old woman in the movie is proof of his inability to have a stable life. Doinel just can't find where he's supposed to go in society, and it's a theme that I believe many can sympathize with in some way. While there are many great comedic moments, ultimately the film is once again a tragedy in which we feel bad for Doinel and blame society for being so uninviting.

Grade: A-

Antoine and Colette (1962)

Director: Francois Truffaut

This is just a short 30-minute film which continues the story of Antoine Doinel who you may remember as the main character of Truffaut's first film, The 400 Blows. In this short film, we see Doinel as he experiences love for the first time. On its own, this film is not all that special, it's just really a well-made short film about a guy who falls in love with a girl who may or may not feel the same way, quite simple and nothing unique really. But seen in context with knowledge of The 400 Blows and Doinel's character, the movie takes on much more emotional resonance. It becomes a tragic love story of a kid who just keeps getting the short end of the straw, and because of that we really get invested in the character and sympathize with his troubled life. Doinel couldn't find his parents love, and now he can't find a woman's love.

Grade: B

Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Director: Drew Goddard

 This was the last film I reviewed for the newspaper, and you can find that review here. All in all, this movie was undeniably fun in terms of humor and also action/gore, but more impressively it also criticized modern horror audiences for their bloodlust. It's a fantastic movie that I feel is almost like an American version of Michael Haneke's Funny Games (not counting the actual American version directed by Haneke). The title card for the movie in the opening is even a direct reference to Funny Games, though Haneke's film is a much more direct and brave criticism that directly attacks the audience watching the movie. Anyway, back to Cabin in the Woods. It's a super fun movie that definitely is not quite as amazing as it could have been, but given the Hollywood context the movie was made in, it's a deeply impressive achievement.

Grade: B+

Kicking and Screaming (1995)

Director: Noah Baumbach

 As much as I'd like to think that all movies can be either good or bad, I can't ignore the fact that personal experiences and characteristics do affect how one views a film. This movie is one that I think I probably enjoyed much more than others, and this is probably due to my age, my interests, and my experiences. The film has a plot, but it's pretty much insignificant, the real joy is watching the characters interact and experience post-college angst. Because of my age and also my social class I probably connected more to these characters than other people. Most of these people are certainly more wealthy than me, but I'm not completely poor and I think those who are probably had different college and post-college experiences than me and would react differently, the same goes for those who grew up in a completely different time period.

To me, this film wonderfully captures the pains of post-college life. Especially in Eric Stoltz's character, who has been at college for 10 years. The other characters look at him with reverence and disdain at the same time. They are afraid of becoming attached to their college lives like he is, but they also loved those college years when compared to the scary adult world they now have to enter and envy him. Life is scary and difficult and this film captures these characters feelings towards adulthood wonderfully. Part of the movie focuses heavily on relationships as well, and how love changes after college, which is another great point, though the look at that is pretty much surface-level and the movie is not long enough to really get into it. Nevertheless, I think most people would find definite enjoyment in the dialogue, which is endlessly quotable and I don't think you have to be a certain age to enjoy that.

Grade: B+

K-PAX (2001)

Director: Iain Softley

I reviewed the Argentinean film Man Facing Southeast not long ago, and this film is sort of the American remake (though not officially). This film has the same basic plot, a mysterious man is found in a mental institution claiming he is from another planet. Instead of being a religious allegory, this film is completely straightforward. The sci-fi aspects are a focus during one section of the film, but the final third of the film is much more of a psychological drama. Either way, the movie is not all that good.

The film does a fine job of exploring the relationship and between the patient and the doctor, but the other patients in the hospital become quite important later in the film and their relationship with Kevin Spacey's mystery man is not explored as much as I want to. Much of the film also feels cliche, which is why this film is more of a good family movie than a good movie movie. It's not completely cliche overall, but there are plenty of moments that had little to no effect on me, and if the moments don't work then the whole won't either.

Grade: C-