EXTRACT (2009)- Mike Judge's previous two features were extremely hilarious, but both films suffered from a distinctly misanthropic viewpoint that felt somewhat coldhearted. EXTRACT is a welcome departure from that vibe; while Judge certainly still does occasionally spotlight the negative, distinctly human traits of his characters, the conclusion of the film is thankfully sympathetic to his suffering creations, allowing a dignified resolution to what could have been a hateful tale. The increasingly complex relationships Judge draws out, even between characters bordering on outright caricature such as a grindcore doofus and a dopey bro cassanova, bode well for his future efforts. GILLY ALERT!
THE GODFATHER (1972)- This was only the second time that I had seen THE GODFATHER in its entirety and it was amazing how much of it was already vividly inscribed on my mind. The naturalistic touch that Coppola brings to the picture, notably in the sequence of Michael's exile in Italy and the garden death of Vito, adds another dimension to an already effective piece of cinema. The visual impact of both the christening sequence and the final, dark confrontation between Michael and Kate has rarely been paralleled since. Bonus sentence: the death shot of Moe Green gives this movie the record for worst-fake-blood-to-best-film ratio.
HALLOWEEN (2007)- In his last feature, THE DEVIL'S REJECTS, Rob Zombie proved that he was capable of crafting an excellent horror film, with the touch of an auteur as well as moments of truly frightening human malevolence. In HALLOWEEN, he swings again for the fences, attempting to give Michael Myers a compelling psychological backstory and a justification, if minor, for his later-life murderous rampages. Zombie falls short, due to an unbelievable, over-the-top set-up and a half-baked relationship between Myers and his hippie-dippy psychologist, but the third act of typical Myers terrorizing is well-crafted if uninspired.
IN BRUGES (2008)- Categorizing IN BRUGES simply as a story about hitmen exiled to Belgium after a botched killing not only does it a great disservice, but also pigeonholes one of the best cinematic character studies of the last ten years. Unlike most films about hitmen, Martin McDonagh's debut feature doesn't focus so much on his characters' profession as how they interact as individuals cast into a fantastic scenario. Mr. McDonaugh subtly and skillfully changes the tone throughout the film, from outright comedy to violent tragedy, and Colin Farrell expertly brings life to his sympathetic yet pathetic failed assassin.
THE RUNNING MAN (1987)- Despite being one of the lesser works in the Schwarzenegger cannon of the '80's, THE RUNNING MAN is still a very fun ride, one that packs a completely unsubtle anti-corporation message. THE RUNNING MAN contains one of the best Arnold quotes of all time: "All I've seen is a bunch of low foreheads who think they can change the world with dreams and big talk. It's too late for that! If you're not ready to act, give me a break and shut up!" I also really enjoy the distinctly 1987 aesthetic perspective of 2019 technology and the prolo look of the antagonists.
SURROGATES (2009)- SURROGATES takes an extremely strong premise (the entire Western world uses ubermench android doubles, controlled remotely, to live their daily lives) and makes a forgettable experience of the tale, which is sort of a letdown given that both of Jonathan Mostow's previous two pictures were both effectively spartan yet enjoyable. While there are some exciting action sequences and the robot duplicates do look as creepy as they rightly should, the whole film seems milquetoast, even though I did enjoy the gracefully ambiguous conclusion. Why is it that James Cromwell always plays the supposedly benevolent authority figure who ends up being a conspiracy puppetmaster?
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