Red State

Tuesday night I had the opportunity to attend the screening/Q&A for Kevin Smith's new film Red State at the Warner Theater in Washington D.C. Smith is no stranger to Q&A shows. The trend started several years ago when he decided to take his show on the road and visit several universities across the nation as well as overseas. Countless appearances and 4 DVD's later he's decided to take the framework of these events and couple them with a roadshow of sorts.

I'm sure that if you're reading this right now, you're no stranger to the press that Red State has received. The Westboro Baptist Church made it their mission to protest the screening of Red State at this years Sundance Film Festival. As usual it did not have the effect they had hoped as Smith gained more notice as he stood outside along with them holding up protests signs of his own. Some of which read "Thor Hates Straights" and "Dick Tastes Yummy".

Smith has been traveling across the country screening his new film. As he decided to forgo the usual distribution model, the film has been presented in a traveling roadshow format. This has not only allowed Smith to connect with his fans on a more personal level but also allowed for a more intimate setting to see the film.

The Film: -Spoilers ahead-

The film starts off without a bang. Smith is fully aware of what his audience is expecting from him, therefore we are given a somewhat normal, opening. This is what I would define as "The quiet before the storm". Travis, played by Michael Angarano is seen riding in his mothers car as he is driven to school. They are held up in traffic because Abin Cooper, played to perfection by Michael Parks, has decided to protest the funeral of the victim of a hate crime. In the world we live in, unfortunately, this is not an uncommon sight to see on the news. While it is unsettling to see this in any form, our characters share glances that only hint at what is to come. Travis is joined by his two friends Jarod and Billy-Ray, played by Kyle Gallner and Nicholas Braun. The dialog between them disarms you into thinking that you're watching another View Askew flick. The set up is simple enough, Jarod has set up a meeting with an older annonomous woman to have sex and he wants his friends to come along as the woman appears to want more than one partner. The location happens to be near Cooper's Dell. While it sounds like it has a reputation, our three friends agree to make the road trip later that evening. On the way there we are treated to our first look at Sheriff Wynan, played by the always fantastic Stephen Root. I won't spoil his entrance, but it's probably one of the last real comfortable laughs you will have in this film. As our would be heroes drive up to an old trailer things begin to get a little odd. Something is not right from the looks of it and I found myself saying "TURN AROUND NOW". It's at this point in the film that everything goes completely sideways and we are introduced to the family that inhabits Cooper's Dell. The View Askew Universe is nowhere to be seen.

The film first and foremost does not look anything like what we've come to expect from Kevin Smith. The charm and safety of his past is thoroughly washed away. What is left is what I can only describe as an exploitation film. I firmly believe it when I say that this film could have easily sat between Planet Terror and Death Proof when Grind-house was released. Smith made a comment after the film stating that this film is "QT by way of the Coen Brothers". That is exactly what you get honestly. The film is so tightly shot and edited that some may even come to think someone else was behind this. That's not a slight on Smith's film making, but rather an observation of the drastic change the flick takes. Despite what Smith and others have classified it, this is definitely not a horror film. It's what they have defined the flick because it simply can't be fit into one genre. This has exploitation elements, action elements, horror and for a brief moment you swear that it's about to get supernatural. The film moves at a frantic pace. Once we're in Cooper's Dell one screwed up event happens after another until we are presented with a firefight of epic proportions. Let me make it crystal clear. No one in this film is safe. The end of the film has been criticized by some for not taking the crazy route that it initially implies. To that I say BULLSHIT as it would destroy everything the film has built up. It would strip away the story and replace it with something cliche. It would also remove any point to the bait and switch it provides. It works because it's not what we expect. If those critics got what they had apparently wanted Smith might have lost me as a fan, but Smith knows his audience. That's why it works.

The cast does a great job throughout the film and each actor brings exactly what we love about them to the table. The second John Goodman turned on a light to introduce his character,ATF Agent Joseph Kennan, he was immediately received with applause from the crowd. He's immediately seen as a father figure to so many in the crowd. His character, while conflicted, seems to be doing the right thing but there are really no heroes in Red State. Everyone's actions seem to come from the gut rather than thinking things through. Goodman is perhaps the most level headed but even his character slips. You find yourself rooting for characters and yet questioning their actions. Melissa Leo shows why she won her OSCAR as she ranges from loving mother to insane follower with blood on her mind. I can't help but also mention the small role of Betty Aberlin. Yes we have seen her in other Smith films such as Dogma but it's here where she completely throws Lady Aberlin out the window. The cast is littered with notable actors and it's hard to single out everyone for their performances but everyone does a fine job. It's interesting to hear Smith say that he wants Hit Somebody to feature many of his staple actors because he has done that to some extent here. Each shows up and you find yourself thinking "oh yeah they're from..."

The breakneck pace at which the film travels does make it feel a bit short. The film is a very fast 97 minutes, however, that may have just been my being unprepared. I hope this gets a wide release of some kind or is released on video soon as repeat viewings will help. It's just so damn fast. Some may find the film as dialog heavy if not more so than Smith's other films. Personally I have never had a problem with Smith's dialog but if that has been your problem in the past it won't change here.

There is a lot to say about this film and honestly I'm still processing it days later. It's certainly a fun ride, but it also makes you question your own thoughts and feelings about the type of people it portrays, good and bad.

Red State is a grind-house film that deserves the treatment it's getting. Smith tweeted during the screening that the Warner Theater was the type of place he imagined for showing this film and he's right. The digital projection was great and the theater itself gave it all a sense of something bigger. I only hope that this starts a larger trend.

I'll talk more about the film this weekend on our Crashing Hollywood podcast. I'll also be discussing the Q&A that followed the film. There is so much to tell so stay tuned.   

Source Code

The sophomore directorial effort for new up and comer Duncan Jones is "Source Code". Before even seeing the film I heard comparisons to last years surprise hit "Inception" being thrown around. In my opinion "Inception"was the best picture of last year, so needless to say I went in to "Source Code" with the bar set extremely high. I was slightly worried, much like I was with "Inception", that there was no way it could live up to the hype. Thankfully, once again I was proven very wrong. Not only did it exceed my expectations, but it brought me to the conclusion that it’s not really fair for it to be compared to any other film. The plot, directing, cinematography and acting performances were the best I’ve seen this year. The film truly deserves to stand on its own as a near perfect example of film making and a story as being told by a more then capable and talented director.

The plot starts by introducing us to Captain Colter Stephens (Jake Gyllenhal) who’s aboard a commuter train in Chicago which is set to explode. The only thing is he has no recollection of ever getting on board or knowledge of the bomb about to be detonated on it. Before he can figure out what happened between being in command of a military fighter helicopter in Afghanistan and how he came to board the train it explodes. Stephens wakes up inside what appears to be a space capsule, he’s alone and there’s a video monitor in front of him with a woman in military attire ( Vira Farminga) on the screen, she’s questioning him as to the location of the bomb and whether or not he was able to determine the culprit responsible as of yet.

Very little is revealed right up until the slightly shocking and ambiguous ending. But what we are made aware of is Stephens purpose on the train and how he was more or less placed there, however what we’re never made privy to is why he was specifically chosen. The military was able to create a technology (the source code) where they can send someone into the mind and technically body of someone who has recently died. The only stipulation is that they can only re-live the last eight minutes of their life. The one advantage they do have though is the ability to be limitless in the action they take while within the source code. Stephens is able to exit the train and even explore an entirely alternate universe, as is vaguely explained to him by source code creator and mysterious character Dr. Walter Rutledge (Jeffrey Wright).

The tone of the film is set in place early on and for the remainder of the movie you’re left guessing as to who Stephens should be looking for, why they chose him to take part in the highly secretive and conspicuous source code program, and where he literally physically is in between sending him back into the source code. Every time he re-enters the source code he's able to examine the scene of the crime over and over until he can piece together enough information to prevent the next attack.

The performances from the core cast were top notch. Not surprisingly though Gyllenhaal steals the show. Farminga and Wright did a great job fleshing out characters which had little development and vague descriptions into their backgrounds. Taking on a pivotal and strong supporting role was Michelle Monaghan who added the emotional involvement to the plot for the audience to become more invested in Gyllenhaal's character.

Without giving too much of the intricate and thought provoking plot away I would easily say that the film was able to keep me not only entertained but thoroughly interested and engaged in the outcome right up until the reality altering conclusion. It would be an understatement to say that Duncan Jones has progressed immensely from the style he applied to "Moon" which made it such a huge critical success. Although his style is still very much apparent it’s obvious he’s not afraid of thinking outside the box or applying new ideas and techniques to his films.

I’m giving "Source Code" an overall 9/10

Red Riding Hood

 

Little Red Riding Hood is a classic fairy tale I’m sure everyone’s heard at least once over. When Warner Bros first announced they were developing a re-imagining of the classic tale I was weary at best. The casting news of Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried put some of my doubts to rest. Unfortunately the inclusion of director Katherine Hardwicke was somewhat of a downfall as I saw it. However,  I did find the first couple trailers were surprisingly intriguing. All in all I think given the impression I got from the trailers and the half decent casting I may have set my expectations far too high. The end result was a film that felt more so like a prequel to Twilight then a new darker and more interesting take on an already proven classic.

The plot doesn’t veer too far off from the original story. That is except for the redundant love triangle between the female lead Valerie (Amanda Seyfried), her childhood boyfriend Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), and her arranged fiancé Henry (Max Irons), both of which I have to add looked like underwear models. I also have to say that the addition of the dad from Twilight (Billy Burke) as Valerie’s dad, was also extremely inspired casting, once again couldn’t have seen that coming. Much like the predictable plot of the film the big twist isn’t all that hard to decipher either. I'm sure the general idea was to keep the audience guessing to the end, but they failed miserably both as a thriller and/or a murder mystery, leaving them somewhere in between a sad attempt at horror and a tween drama. The real challenge will more likely be keeping audiences interested enough to sit through the entire movie. The best part for me was the roll of the end credits.

Of all the cardboard acting and there was a lot, what stood out most was the very peculiar alternating accent of Gary Oldman. He couldn’t seem to figure out if he was Bram Stokers Dracula or an English Priest. Not that I’m really all that shocked, I’m pretty sure he only agreed to the role as it was another pay cheque and not his next possible nomination.

I would even go as far as to say it was very original of Hardwicke to use the same entire score from the first twilight film. Given that Riding Hood felt like a prequel to the sparkly vampire franchise it lent itself quite well. Aside from the obvious and continuous comparisons to the twilight franchise there’s not much else that can be said for the film, let alone anything good at all.

The Lincoln Lawyer

It wasn’t all that long ago that when you thought of actors like Mathew McConaughey movies like Sahara and Failure to Launch came to mind. Not many people even care to remember anymore that he was once a rising star with some real talent, obviously because he seemed to have thrown all that away for some shitty rom-coms and a few good pay cheques. At this point it should come as no surprise that very few people are looking forward to his name appearing on posters. Well now I can honestly say that I believe Lincoln Lawyer marks the return of McConaughey as a serious actor. There isn’t another actor that could have embodied this character better. The help of an amazing supporting cast and terrific direction were only the cherry on top to his charismatic performance.

Lincoln Lawyer is an adaptation of the novel of the same name. The plot follows criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller (Mathew McConaughey) who works out of the back of a Lincoln sedan in Los Angeles. Haller is the scummiest and sleaziest of lawyers you’ll meet. Most of his clients are gangbangers and drug dealers, and he’ll lie cheat and steal to get them off. It’s not until he’s hired by the son of a wealthy business man Louis Rolet (Ryan Phillippe) who’s been accused of rape and attempted murder that you really see him shine.

We’re initially led to believe that Rolet must be innocent allowing Haller to make a pretty solid defense. But as things begin to unravel and the true story comes to be revealed there are a lot of twists and turns that keep you on edge until the end. The surprising revelations made throughout bring Haller to believe he may have even assisted in a wrongful guilty plea made by a previous client currently serving time for a similar crime. As he begins to unravel the truth and come closer to what might have really happened his straight forward career case begins to fall apart in front of him.

The development of the characters right down to the supporting cast members was incredible. Although McConaughey clearly steals the show Ryan Phillippe and Marisa Tomei both deliver amazing performances as well. Director Brad Furman did an amazing job of bringing Haller and his journey to life on the big screen. Not often do you see an adaptation as true to the source material as this was. Everything right down to the score and the near perfect cinematography were spot on with the tone and look of the film. After all there’s only so many ways you can film a court room scene, but Furman was continuously able to make it more about the characters.

I’m giving Lincoln Lawyer and overall 8/10 

Nowhere Boy (DVD/Blu-Ray)

"And so I sing this song of love for Julia..."

About two years ago, I had the lucky opportunity to take a Beatles tour in Liverpool.  Along with my Beatles-adoring mom, we were in fan heaven visiting places so well-known from songs, such as Penny Lane, the gate to Strawberry Fields, and Eleanor Rigby's tombstone.  But what was most striking about the whole thing was the realization that The Beatles were just kids here, who loved to hang out, write and play their music totally unaware that they would go on to become one of the biggest bands of all time.

Nowhere Boy takes place during that time.  The movie isn't even really about The Beatles - hell, the name of the band is never mentioned.  What the film is about is John Lennon's relationship with his mother, Julia.  The story is well-known:  raised by his Aunt Mimi, the teenage John befriended his estranged mother, who lived so nearby she was practically a neighbor.  A fellow free-spirit (perhaps too free-spirited for her own good), Julia taught John the banjo, introduced him to Elvis, bought him his first guitar, and provided a welcome relief from the strict rules of home.  However, the reunion came to a tragic end when Julia was struck by a car and killed, a loss from which John never fully recovered.

Directed by Sam Taylor-Wood, the movie doesn't really tell us anything we didn't already know about the events of that time.  John himself wrote a number of heartbreaking songs on the subject, and of course, he even named his first son Julian after his mom.  But it's still an interesting look at what a young John (not to mention a young Paul McCartney and George Harrison) might have been like as just a teenager struggling to find his own identity while discovering a gift that would ultimately define him to the rest of the world.

Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass) does an admirable job as John Lennon.  He looks a little like him, he does that crazy thing with his voice that John would sometimes do in interviews, and he sings well.  He wasn't playing a Beatle, he was playing a messed-up kid, and your heart broke for him.  Kristin Scott-Thomas is great in the thankless (in the film and most likely in real-life as well) role of John's Aunt Mimi, who provided the tough love that John needed and probably wouldn't have survived without.  Plus it was hilarious when she referred to Paul McCartney as John's "little friend."  Speaking of Paul, Thomas Brodie Sangster (who will always be that little kid running through Heathrow to kiss his girlfriend in Love, Actually to me) is impressive as well.  There's a whole other movie in that John/Paul relationship, and it would almost be worth seeing Sangster and Johnson reunite for the roles if that ever happened.  Anne-Marie Duff rounds out the cast nicely as Julia.

Nowhere Boy is probably most enjoyable for a Beatles fan, but it's still a solid film and well-acted...plus you can't beat the music.  I'd defintely recommend checking it out.