Public Enemies

I don't think there is a better way to write a review of Public Enemies than while listening to "Ten Million Slaves" by Otis Taylor. This song was featured (twice, if my count is correct) in Michael Mann's latest film, and is just one of the many reasons why the soundtrack contributes wildly to the film's success.

Public Enemies
Director: Michael Mann
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard


[Let it be known (if it isn't already) that Michael Mann is one of my favorite directors. While the members of that category find themselves on a very short list, Mann's inclusion is even more exclusive because he earned his way on the list even though I haven't seen all of his films - in fact, I haven't even seen a majority of them. As of this posting, I've seen The Last of the Mohicans (which I honestly can barely remember because my viewing was so long ago), The Insider, Heat, Miami Vice, Collateral (one of my absolute favorite movies, period), and now obviously his most recent film.]

Public Enemies is a powerhouse of a movie in the complete opposite way Transformers 2 could share the same description. Characterization, atmosphere, cinematography, and realism are all emphasised in Mann's portrayal of the fall of John Dillinger, and the audience is rewarded with a much more coherent, intelligent, and praise-worthy film than the aforementioned $400 million dollar blockbuster. The only other thing the two movies could share is a rather lengthy running time that would have arguably served both better had they each lost thirty minutes off their final cut.


The acting was sensational by everyone involved. I could not find a weak link among the actors, which is so rare that I can't actually remember another movie where this is the case. Depp was fantastic as bank robber John Dillinger- I was expecting a solid performance from him, but he was incredibly good in this one, a definite high note to an already-stellar career that is sure to see more brilliant performances in the years to come. I'm guessing he'll receive a Best Actor nomination for his work here. Christian Bale ejected himself from the lingering bile that was Terminator Salvation with his first movie since The Prestige where he doesn't growl (not even once!). As Agent Melvin Purvis, the man responsible for bringing Dillinger's reign of robbing terror to an end, Bale adopted a slight accent which further shows off his believability and range as an actor. I expect a lot of critics might take issue with his performance over anyone else's (as they did with DiCaprio's accent from 2006's Blood Diamond), but I thought he was great. Marion Cotillard proved that she is more than capable of handling larger roles in American film as Billie Frechette, Dillinger's lover. Cotillard is a French actress who has only starred in a handful of films on this side of the ocean (one of them being another personal favorite, 2003's Big Fish), but she was really solid here and I have complete confidence she'll be able to carry her weight in Chris Nolan's next film, Inception.


The supporting actors in Public Enemies are so varied, so numerous, and, sadly, so unimportant that a few of them didn't get enough screen time for me to even recognize them. Billy Crudup (Watchmen, the underrated Dedication) was the standout for me, since I dig that guy a lot and he had the largest of the supporting roles. Leelee Sobieski (Deep Impact, The Wicker Man remake), Emilie De Ravin (Brick, Claire from LOST), and Giovanni Ribisi (Gone in 60 Seconds remake) were featured in "blink and you'll miss them" roles, and Channing Tatum (Fighting, G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra) and Stephen Dorff (Blade) didn't even register with me because their appearances were so brief. However, all parties turned in worthwhile performances and took their egos out of the way to allow Depp to shine; as the marketing points out, this is his film and no one else's.


The set design was impeccable and the attention to detail was inspiring. Production took place on many of the actual sites where famous shootouts and robberies occurred in real life, sometimes even filming events on the same date they took place 76 years ago. The film was shot mainly in Wisconsin due to the high amount of preserved architecture from the time period, and that kind of legitimacy was definitely appreciated by this viewer. Fun fact: production designer Nathan Crowley also worked on Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Prestige.


Michael Mann is known for shooting his past few films digitally, opting for the use of high definition video instead of film. This has worked well for his previous efforts (especially Collateral), but many wondered how this decision would affect the outcome of Public Enemies, a period piece. Personally, I saw the film on a digital projector and it looked out-of-this-world good. There were a few shots (a shot of a car from behind driving through the road with trees lining both sides, some of the horse race wide shots) where I nearly thought I was in an IMAX theater because the quality was so good. In other words, I think the choice to go with video over film did nothing to hinder my appreciation for the movie as a whole. Dante Spinotti, Mann's frequent cinematographer collaborator, did award-worthy work behind the camera, switching masterfully between hand-held shots and constantly moving tracking shots to mirror the urgency with which Dillinger lived his life. If you're looking into becoming a cinematographer or a director of photography, this film seems like required viewing.

The solid writing can't be overlooked. Crisp dialogue from Dillinger makes him a likeable bad guy and allows the audience to get into the mind of the man who held America's banks hostage and was loved by the public for it. (I really dug how he mentioned the importance of the public's perception of him - he definitely had the basics of public relations mastered.) Purvis' story parallels Dillinger's (though not to the excessive extent of American Gangster), and their screen time shared together is exciting to watch. The crime drama elements that Mann captures so well are all there, and the writing is believable enough that it doesn't ever make you question how the characters get from one point to the next. Writing like that is hard to accomplish and shouldn't be taken for granted. There's a great mix of drama and action on display - a certain forest shootout could go down as one of my favorite gun battles of the past few years. Another fun fact: Mann co-wrote the script with the writer of Primal Fear.


The movie is based on book, which is based on a true story - so I'm not going to run through the whole plot with you. With the Academy's recent announcement that there will be 10 Best Picture nominations for the next ceremony instead of the traditional five, I believe Public Enemies has a very good shot at scoring a nomination. Does having 10 nominees cheapen the effect of winning Best Picture? Sure. But Public Enemies is a great movie and, though a little long, is one that can be enjoyed by anyone with the brain capacity willing to tackle a story that doesn't involve giant robots smashing each other. Until next time...

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Peter Cullen, Hugo Weaving


[Insert entire review about how Michael Bay's films aren't "high art," but they're entertaining and T: ROTF is no different. Mention that this was more robot-centric than the first one, so if readers are into seeing 46 Transformers battling it out they're going to have a great time. Also say that it was a little too long, and some of the shots were nearly incomprehensible (but clarify by saying that particular problem could have been due to the fact that I saw it in IMAX and wasn't sitting in the back). Oh, and don't forget to bring up the fact that Revenge of the Fallen rips off elements of a bunch of different movies, including but not limited to Live Free or Die Hard, Alien Vs. Predator, Terminator 3, The Matrix, and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Finally, recommend readers pick up a copy of Green Day's newest album, since that's clearly what this movie is trying to suggest by featuring "21 Guns" at least three times.]

For a spoiler-filled run through my top five best and worst aspects of this movie, read on. If you haven't seen the flick yet, don't ruin it for yourself.

Top Five Worst Aspects of ROTF

5. The length. It felt like two different movies - a college-based flick and a desert/Egypt flick. Shorten it up and pick one or the other.

4. Too many Transformers. I realize this may be sacrilege to some of you, but this is a main reason why I enjoyed the first one. A lot of the robots look very similar and when gnashing metal is flying across the screen in close up form, it's tough to figure out who the heck you're watching. They could have added more than the 14 that were featured in the first one, sure - but going up to 46? That's ridiculous.

3. Isabel Lucas. Come on, a female Transformer who takes the form of some hot girl? Terminator 3, much? This was just stupid. If you're a Decepticon (whose ultimate goal is to harvest the sun, wiping out Earth's population, mind you), why the heck would you even bother to go through the whole disguise thing with Sam? Turn into a freakin' robot and take what you want by force, secrecy be damned. What's the point in sneaking around? [Yes. I realize this is a movie about talking alien robots. I'm not REALLY that upset about this particular point. I'm just shedding some light on it.] Plus, she was a terrible actress. Almost as bad as Megan Fox.

2. The parents. Keep them out of it. The Decepticons made a big point of "release the trap!" and it was dropping Sam's parents into the middle of the desert battle? What good did that serve them? How did that "trap" anyone, or anything? It was a poor excuse for the writers to bring the parents back together with Sam, and they were already walking on thin ice from that reefer brownie incident. Get a grip, Kurtzman and Orci - have some self respect.

1. The racist sidekick robots, Mudflap and Skids. I can't believe they got away with putting those guys in there. Ape-like in appearance, clearly "black" robots, one with a gold buck tooth, they can't read, and they speak with some jive lingo? Who approves this kind of thing?

Top Five Best Aspects of ROTF

5. The IMAX sequences. They definitely added to the movie, but it was slightly annoying that entire scenes weren't shot on IMAX cameras like they were in The Dark Knight. Bay seemed to cut back and forth between standard widescreen and IMAX shots without thinking of the final outcome. Like I said - it wasn't too jarring, but just more of an annoyance. Those IMAX shots looked gorgeous, though.

4. Slow motion close up with helicopter going in the background? Check. Largest explosion ever committed to film with actors present? Check. Spinning camera shot around lovers until people almost vomit? Check. That's a wrap.

3. All right - I'll admit it. It was pretty awesome when Optimus put on Old Man Jetfire's equipment at the end and turned into Super Optimus Prime with Jetpack (TM).

2. Michael Bay. I freakin' love that guy.

1.

Until next time...

The Brothers Bloom

Not only was Rian Johnson's follow up to Brick an amazing movie, but it's one that I almost don't feel comfortable writing about until I've seen it at least one more time. There are so many levels of subtext and symbolism thrown into this flick; I'm going to try to write up a more analytical piece on it after I see it again. Just know that if you enjoy con/heist movies, you'll greatly enjoy The Brothers Bloom.

The Brothers Bloom
Writer/Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz, Rinko Kikuchi


Writer/director Rian (pronounced like Ryan) Johnson has traded in film noir for adventure caper, and the result cements his rising status in Hollywood. This guy is equally talented with a pen or a camera in his hand, and it's amazing to me that both elements shine so clearly through in his final products. The Brothers Bloom is exactly what many before me have said - it's a demonstration of what Johnson can do with a budget. The film was shot on location in Montenegro and Prague, and is reminscient of In Bruges with its portrayal of medieval skylines and the movie's overall respect for the architechture that inhabits it.

The plot surrounds a pair of con men - Stephen Bloom and his younger brother (who only goes by "Bloom") - who target one last mark before Bloom retires. I realize that sounds like every other con man movie of all time, but let me assure you that this film is anything but. The characterizations separate it from similar films in the genre, and the writing is fantastic. The movie strikes a good balance between humor, fun, drama, familial relations, and romance, but its one flaw (that I've found so far) was that it goes a little too heavy on the romance in the third act and loses a slight bit of lighthearted fun that it exhuded so well in the first two thirds. [I suppose the nature of the story doesn't allow to keep that same level going throughout the whole thing, but the difference felt a little too drastic to me.]

Rian's cousin Nathan, who recorded the score for Brick in his bedroom with one microphone, returns here in full force. Similar to the director, it was impressive what Nathan could conjure with little to no budget and even more so to see what he can do with bigger resources at his disposal. With a boisterous score featuring a full band and tunes that echo classical heist films like The Sting, Nathan Johnson has created melodies of New Orleans jazz bands that fits perfectly with the astmosphere of The Brothers Bloom. A score has to be truly great for me to recommend it (sorry, most of them don't do it for me), but this is one that I'm actually considering purchasing. Listen to Dave Chen conduct an epic interview with Nathan on the Slashfilmcast here.

The acting was great all the way around. Mark Ruffalo was actually an engaging character for once instead of his recent romantic comedy-type good guy. He does really well with this mastermind role, always giving a hint of a smirk to let the audience know he's one step ahead of the game. Adrien Brody, who I've slowly come to admire because of his work in The Village and Peter Jackson's King Kong, played the lonely younger brother with such a combination of sadness and childish enthusiasm that I can't imagine anyone else in that part. [I thought Stephen could have been played by any number of actors, but that shouldn't detract from Ruffalo's performance.] Rachel Weisz played Penelope with that same mixture of sadness and enthusiasm, which makes for some great on screen chemistry between the two. Weisz's Penelope was a joy to watch - an eccentric heiress who "collects hobbies" and is looking for an adventure. And not enough can be said about Rinko Kikuchi as Bang Bang, the silent partner of the Bloom brothers who plays seamlessly off of Mark Ruffalo. Her comedic timing was perfect, and she did a lot with a role that required very little verbalization.

The film starts out with an inventive introduction of the brothers and their first con, told completely in rhyming verse by the different cast members. You'll know it when you hear it. The writing is so good, in fact, that the movie itself plays out as a con, leading the audience along as if we're part of one of Stephen's elaborate planned schemes. This theory is supported by the wonderfully designed title cards that appear at each step of the con, which also double as scene changes for the film. I apologize for not jumping further into it, but this is one of those movies that you're better off heading into with no preconceived notions.

This was definitely one of my favorite movies of the year so far - I don't know how it'll hold up in my Best of 2009 List when that finally rolls out, but as of right now it's looking like it will be hard to top The Brothers Bloom. Bring it on, 2009 - I dare you to throw something better at me. Until next time...

Drag Me To Hell

You have no idea how terrified I was last night when I saw Sam Raimi's Drag Me To Hell. This was the single most intense theatrical experience I've ever had, and I don't foresee it being topped any time soon. Part of it comes from the fact that I'm not a big horror movie guy, and as such don't see a lot of horror movies in theaters. But as I was sitting there, sunken in my seat, I cursed myself for seeing the film - but at the same time loved almost every second of it.

Drag Me To Hell
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: Alison Lohman, Justin Long, Lorna Raver


As you all will surely remember from the solid theatrical trailer, Drag Me To Hell centers on Christine Brown (Lohman), a loan officer for a bank who refuses service to a gypsy woman (Raver) and it subsequently cursed. Christine and her cynical boyfriend (Long) must remove the curse within three days or spirits come to literally drag her to hell for eternity, where they will feast on her soul.

The plot is ridiculous and barely makes any sense. Why would this old woman take out her aggression on a loan officer? Why not, I don't know, an old boss who fired her, or any other person who has contributed to her sucky position in life? As long as you can put this logical flaw out of your mind and just allow the movie to wash over you, you'll have a much more enjoyable experience. Remember, this is a Sam Raimi flick: the same guy who once directed a Bruce Campbell movie where he ends up with a chainsaw in place of his hand. While he went on to make the Spider-Man films (number 4 is in development), he started with extremely low budget horror movies like Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2, which have since gone on to become cult classics. With this film, you could tell Raimi wanted one more shot at his favorite genre before he gets bogged down with Spidey and its inevitable sequels over the next seven or eight years.


Raimi (who wrote the script with his brother, Ivan) boils down this movie to its absolute basic elements and takes out all the BS that has been so exhaustingly stupid in horror movies over the past decade. With most of those films, it takes a solid half an hour before we really start to feel the suspense and terror building with the protagonists. Here, there is none of that - there's a quick prologue, an introduction to the characters, the gypsy woman is rejected in the bank, and from that point on there is no stopping. There are huge scare moments in 90% of the scenes following. Raimi teases us with long shots that any movie fan can recognize (ex: after turning down the gypsy, Christine goes into the parking garage alone at night. Hmm, wonder what will happen?), but does a great job of alternately rewarding our expectations and blowing them away with something far more outrageous than we would have imagined (talking goats, anyone?). And while 1408, one of my other favorite horror [well, perhaps suspense rather than horror] films from the past few years builds suspense in service of mysterious forces that haunt John Cusack's character, Drag Me To Hell gives the enemy a frightening face in Mrs. Ganush, played wonderfully by TV actress Lorna Raver.


Alison Lohman is convincing in a role originally given to Ellen Page (Juno). She devotes herself to the part and really goes for it, which is refreshing to see even if she didn't quite turn in an Oscar-worthy performance. Justin Long serves his purpose well as the loving boyfriend with the skeptical heart. But this movie isn't about winning awards - it's all about the scares, and Lohman works really well as the character with whom the audience most identifies.

The one complaint I have with the film is the fact that almost every big jump scare moment is accompanied by a THUNDEROUS sound effect that makes it impossible for you NOT to react. [You all know what I mean by jump scare, right? Where something just comes out of nowhere and everyone screams? Making sure.] Even if you weren't scared at all by the images on the screen, you'd be a corpse yourself if you didn't jump due to the out-of-nowhere burst in volume that Raimi and Co. decided to set to 11. That said, I didn't feel the same sense of "being cheated" that I normally feel during these jump scare moments. You knew nearly every time one was coming, but the fun comes in trying to predict exactly when and what would happen, only for my expectations to be subverted every time.


I thought this would be simply a suspense movie, but there were so many gross things involved here that I didn't expect. If I listed them all out for you, some of you would never see this movie, and that would be a shame - so I'll keep them to myself. But suffice to say that if you're grossed out easily, you may want to bring a vomit bag. Also, if you get uncomfortable with the notion of spirits and things of that sort, you may want to skip this one. (But come on people - it's just a movie!) The thing is, for a horror movie to be rated PG-13 like this one, you'd think it'd be rather tame. While I was in the theater, I could have sworn it was riding that hard line between PG-13 and R, but after I got out and started playing the scenes back in my head, I think the MPAA made the right call on the rating here. Nothing realistically gruesome happened, and it was all about the build-up to those moments anyway; if you isolated all the "scary stuff" into one clip, it wouldn't be that bad.

The ending? Oh, the ending - totally awesome. I wouldn't dare give it away, but it's the only ending I would have been happy with and they didn't let me down. If you're a horror buff or just want a good scare, this is definitely the movie for you. Until next time...