Erik Childress says... "SCREENED AT THE 2009 CINEVEGAS FILM FESTIVAL: When will people learn that infidelity and crime just don’t mix? I suppose when filmmakers stop putting in them in such positions because they make such darn entertaining movies. Consider all of the directors who have made their marks within the crime and thriller mold. Clint Eastwood started with Play Misty For Me, David Mamet took con games to new heights in House of Games and Quentin Tarantino got his start with a warehouse full of thieves in Reservoir Dogs. The list goes on and on. But there’s a unique correlation between filmmaker brothers working within a noir background that really exudes promise. In 1985 we were introduced to the talents of Joel & Ethan Coen with Blood Simple. 1996 brought us a terrific pre-Matrix Wachowski Brothers effort called Bound. Nash Edgerton worked as a stuntman on those Matrix sequels and, while the connection may be little more than coincidence, along with his brother, Joel, have crafted a solid thriller in the vein of the Wachowski’s Bound and yet one that stands on his own." (more)
"Lifestyles of the Criminally Rich and Infamous..."
Mel Valentin says... ""Public Enemies," Michael Mann’s ("Miami Vice," "Collateral," "Ali," "The Insider," "Heat," The Last of the Mohicans," "Manhunter," "The Keep") latest magnum opus (and the first since the underwhelming remake/reboot of his 80s television series, "Miami Vice"), brings him back to the urban-crime genre he first began exploring in the 1980s on television ("Crime Story," "Miami Vice") and on film ("Thief"). Stepping away from a contemporary setting for only the second time in his career as a filmmaker ("Crime Story" was set in the 1960s), Mann has crafted a frustratingly uneven crime-biopic of John Dillinger, the notorious 1930s gangster who died outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago on July 22, 1934 after a brief, bloody reign as America’s “Number 1 Public Enemy.”" (more)
Peter Sobczynski says... "Michael Mann‘s “Public Enemies” is an endlessly fascinating examination of one of the key events in our nation’s history of criminal behavior--the crime spree committed by bank robber John Dillinger in the early 1930’s until he was finally brought down by Melvin Purvis, an agent from the newly-formed Federal Bureau of Investigation--that tells its tale in a sumptuously designed and minutely detailed fashion that manages to remain compelling despite its essential familiarity and featuring top-notch contributions from everyone on both sides of the camera. In other words, anyone walking into the film expecting just another gangster movie is going to come away shocked and surprised at what Mann has in store for them--a pop-art American epic that works equally well as a gripping action extravaganza and as a gorgeous art-house ravishment. The result is not only one of the best films of 2009, it is easily one of the very best films of its kind to come along since Brian De Palma’s “The Untouchables” and coming from someone who worships that film as highly as I do, that is strong praise indeed." (more)
"Sure To Be Taught In All Science Classes In President Palin's America"
Peter Sobczynski says... "As I have pointed out in this space several times in the last few months, 2009 is turning out to be a banner year in regards to feature-length animated films thanks to the appearance of such amazing works as “Azur & Asmar,” “Coraline,” “Sita Sings the Blues” and “Up,” not to mention the arrival of “Ponyo,“ the latest work from Japanese animation master Hiyao Miyazaki, in August. These were all films that were made not because the filmmakers were hoping to ride on the coattails of the popularity of another film or because it could potentially sell millions of dollars worth of toys, Happy Meals and other such junk--they were made because the people behind them had intriguing stories to tell and visually astonishing ways in which to help relate them. Although I can’t imagine any situation in which the likes of “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” could have ever come across as fresh and unique--it is, after all, the continuation of the enormously popular “Ice Age” (2002) and “Ice Age: The Meltdown” (2006)--the fact that it is coming out after those aforementioned films only highlights what a creatively bankrupt exercise it really is. Instead of finally trying to do something new and interesting with the material, the filmmakers are instead content to give viewers nothing that they haven’t seen before in the previous installments and even those who enjoyed those are going to come away from this one feeling bored and disappointed." (more)
Erik Childress says... "Public Enemies is one great big giant mess of a missed opportunity. For every piece of American history there are at the bare minimum five different ways to tell its story. Many films have had their crack at the legend of John Dillinger over the years, using him both as their lead or as a supporting character, depending on the point of view. You could tell a full biopic from childhood to his death at the age of 31. You could skip ahead and just charter his criminal career. Wove in the backdrop of the Great Depression and the idea that he was a folk hero along the lines of Robin Hood. There’s Dillinger’s primary courtship of Billie Frechette, a key figure during the final year of his life that could represent an outlet towards legitimacy. As a crime story in general there’s always the great standby of the duality of the top cop hunting down the robber, an idea right in the wheelhouse of director Michael Mann who tackled as much in his exemplary thrillers, Manhunter and Heat. Public Enemies, based on the acclaimed book by Bryan Burrough, promises to dispel the myths about Dillinger and give us the most historically and technically accurate tale about him to date. Instead we’ve been left with a film that can’t settle on which history it wants to tell and ends up dispelling the myth that a new film by Michael Mann is a cause worth celebrating." (more)
William Goss says... "SCREENED AT THE 2009 SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FILM FESTIVAL: Tom is in love with Summer. There’s a hitch, though: Summer doesn’t believe in love." (more)
Rob Gonsalves says... "Before "The Hurt Locker" is anything else, it’s a first-class action movie. This tense and muscular film unfolds in and around various Iraq war zones but isn’t really an “Iraq War film.”" (more)
"Although you should make time during this holiday weekend to sit down and watch the greatest 4th of July-themed film ever made, a little thing called “Jaws,” there are plenty of other things available this week to watch as well--a new DVD release of one of the great films of our time, the latest Uwe Boll joint, fenderheaded action extravaganzas, a couple of things for the kids and even an early appearance by the one and only Ms. Jovovich." (more)
"On the eve of a retrospective in Los Angeles and the release of all his films on DVD (many of which are making their U.S. debuts), the director of the cult classics "Diva" and "Betty Blue" looks back on his career." (more)
"Inhaling the badness of “The Karate Kid: Part III,” stunned by the insanity of “Great Balls of Fire!,” and polishing the “Do the Right Thing” trophy." (more)
"The legendary actor looks back at the 1982 film that marked his second and final collaboration with the late Hal Ashby, the circumstances surround its revival in a newly-reedited version and explains what went into one of the most memorable death scenes in movie history." (more)
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