Review: "After Earth"

Green Lantern left such a sour taste in my mouth. Ever since reading the comic issue where Hal Jordan goes nuts and destroys the Corps, I've wanted to see a live action version of the superhero. Based on the trailers, I was expecting something along the lines of The Last Starfighter. Instead, I got a studio controlled product of mediocrity. So sad.

Many things were wrong, but the one that stands out is the reason for Hal's fear. It vaguely has to do with his father's death, but after a very quick flashback, this is never brought up again. All he says is "I'm afraid." Then suddenly, he's no longer afraid. Why? Because the script said so.

Why couldn't Hollywood deliver a heroes journey where fear is confronted and lessons are learned? It's so simple, even M. Night Shyamalan could do it. And he did. Rather well, I think.

Review: "The Great Gatsby"

There are many great scenes in Django Unchained, but one in particular stands out for me. After ordering his dogs to tear apart a runaway slave, Calvin Candie stares up at Django, who is on his horse. The two men look into each others eyes, all the while a man is being viciously killed out of frame. They discuss Django’s friend Schultz for a moment, then head on their way to the plantation.

That moment was a cinematic equivalent of a two man poker game. For not even a minute, we learn more about the danger our protagonists face, just how dastardly our antagonist is and more importantly the presence of a power struggle, all without saying much. I love it when what’s unsaid speaks louder than what’s being said.

Imagine that sequence with voice over narration, perhaps from an older Django; does it make you angry?

Review: "Django Unchained"

Are you aware of the connection that Christoph Waltz in "Django Unchained" has with Vanilla Ice in "Cool as Ice"? It's a stretch, but follow me on this:

• Both characters enter town and introduce themselves in bold ways - Shultz has a wagon with a prop tooth on top, Ice rides obnoxiously on a motorcycle
• Both are foreigners - Waltz being from Europe and Ice being from another planet (based on his clothing).
• The way they use words either completely confuses or charms people.
• And the two are not met well by the majority of others from their race.

Now, Waltz' character is named Dr. King Schultz - DR. KING. Does he have something in common with one of the greatest activists of all time? Yes, in that he despises slavery and racism, but nothing else really - it just amounts to a not so subtle reference. Sure, my above observation is pretty silly, but it's also ridiculous for there to be such controversy around a movie where one of the leads has more in common with a 90's white rapper than the African American civil rights leader he's named after. 

Wait - maybe THAT is worthy of controversy...

The story itself is pretty simple; an American slave is freed by a European bounty hunter, who teaches him the skills he'll need to rescue his slave wife from an infamous plantation owner. It plays out like a western style fairy tale, with an old knight passing the torch to the young hero in order to rescue the damsel in distress  and bring some justice to the land. However, according to some people, it's actually much simpler; white people saying the N word to black people.

I'm surprised at the outrage over the depiction of slavery era South. Isn't it well known, by now, that these things - dramatized a bit by the movie, sure - actually happened? I remember when pro wrestler JBL, on a tour of Germany for WWE, did a Nazi march and Hitler salute during a match. He was playing the character of a bad guy, and as the bad guy, was just trying to get a reaction from the crowd. Of course, it's pretty much taboo to do stuff like that, and people got pissed (which is what he wanted). Perhaps that is what is happening here; the simple mentioning of a racial slur smothers the context it was delivered in. Tarantino, while being a guy that loves paying tribute to exploitation films (and a white person, though I would argue that point) he wasn't exploiting the N word or using it as a cheap move - it was just part of the setting of his story. And what a rich setting for character and drama. 

Django is mentored by the color blind white bounty hunter Schultz. When introduced to him, he behaves much like Rudy Ray Moore's Dolemite - he talks fancy, shoots quickly and drops money on a bad guy like a hero. Calvin Candie (the plantation owner) is, in an interesting twist, being mentored by his head house slave Stephen. When introduced to him, he behaves much like the old right hand man, wanting to maintain whatever power he has. Once these four men come together, it becomes Schultz vs. Candie and Django vs. Stephen. Tarantino could've easily had our hero confront the despicable plantation head, but instead chose a more thoughtful pairing. The revenge that is ultimately had is not simply slave vs. owner (or black vs. white, which most people probably guessed it would be) but instead a conflict between ideology / humanity and tradition / power. 

Once you get past the controversy that is saying a word in a historically appropriate context, "Django Unchained" is really an almost perfect movie. I'm not exactly sure where to rank this film in the lexicon of Tarantino's works (personally, I feel that "Inglourious Basterds" is his best, and even his self proclaimed worst project, "Death Proof", is good).  The man knows how to build a story up, create tension and suspense throughout and use playful filmmaking techniques. He is the modern Sergio Leone, and more often than not, hits a home run with everything he shoots. 

I've been playing the Rifftrax version of "Cool as Ice" on repeat on and off today. In another funny way, the character of Django has something in common with Vanilla Ice as well; they both wear clothing that is loud and proud. Do you find my early 90's references to be controversial? Chill out and get fresh - I'm gonna be off coolin'. Yep yep.

5/5 *s

Review: "Zero Dark Thirty"

Just the other night, I watched the ending of "Inglourious Basterds". While it was a television edit, it was still pretty graphic: people burning to death, Hitler getting machine gunned to pieces, a movie theater exploding, etc. My dad channel surfed to it, but kept searching as he didn't like the violence in it (this coming from a guy who would go to sleep while watching "Red Dragon"). However, my father is in the minority, as most people really got a kick out of this rewriting of history. In real life, Hitler committed suicide, thus robbing the world of inflicting brutality on him. How unfair.

It's not enough that this monster is dead; he MUST be killed Charles Bronson style, and we MUST be able to experience that. I'm not suggesting that Tarantino made his film solely to cater to our lust for satisfying revenge, but we do eat up that kind of stuff, whether it's reality or a movie. It's like addictive fast food; catharsis on demand!

I got to see "Zero Dark Thirty" recently. You want to revel in some sweet payback? Wait for "Inglourious Basterds" to come back on.

Unlike what happened with Hitler, we actually got to kill bin Laden. And, of course, a movie would be made about the operation. I thought about a WWE Studios flick, where pro wrestlers would star in an 80's throwback men on a mission style story. Don't judge me for going primal... I know you wanted to see his death, even if its just a recreation. The movie Kathryn Bigelow gave us - a based on actual events style retelling of the hunt for the most wanted man in the world -  works as an indictment of us wanting to cum to a climax. Any climax. Wow, did I just type that? Yes, and I don't regret it.

The story takes place over the course of a decade, following the character of Maya, a CIA agent promoted to this investigation. Played with a stone cold determination to close the case by Jessica Chastain, our protagonist is wanting that climax as much as us. But, as the movie progresses, I wonder if Maya is capable of achieving satisfaction. She is a pale skinned loner, with nothing known about her other than her job. A desktop wallpaper on her computer shows an image of her with a child, but it is so distorted and blurry. We never learn her last name, and it's possible she is working under an alias. Does she have a personal reason for finding bin Laden, like a family member who died in 9/11 or something? All we know is that this is her task, and she must complete it.

At one point, a superior tells her that she is "chasing a ghost". I think that Maya is, herself, a ghost. Not literally, but she certainly acts like a spirit doomed to walk the planet until her purpose is fulfilled. When her job is done, she boards a plane as the only passenger. When asked where she would like to go, she has no answer. With a moment to herself, she sheds a tear, but I don't think it is from exhaustion or happiness; she has no one left to chase, and is finished. The fact that she got her target isn't enough; what's next?

Now, our hero didn't get that tingling sensation from the conclusion - what about us?

The raid sequence is dark, quiet and full of unparalleled tension. But, much like the style of the film, it is presented with no fanfare. Don't expect slo mo shots of bin Laden getting shot or superimposed images of American flags; it goes off in a straight forward procedural manner. The highly anticipated moment comes and goes in a flash. The seals execute their job and leave, almost as if they weren't even around. Kinda like a ghost.

The protagonist, her investigation, the raid itself and even the torture bits - which are not shown in a positive light, but rather used to establish our governments' wanting of revenge as extended to interrogation tactics (quite a mouthful) - all point to exposing and questioning our individual and collective craving for catharsis, no matter the cost. To do such a thing through such a high profile movie is nothing short of bold.

I ought to get around to reviewing Tarantino's latest, "Django Unchained". In it, we get revenge on slave owners. "RoboCop" style blood spurts are plentiful. Did your pants just get tighter?

5/5 *'s