The Office: Creed's Blog

Since I have decided to partake in a double-feature of Your Highness and Pirates 4 tomorrow (I know, what quality) I wasn't in the mood for watching any films and thought I'd make it an early night (though it has just passed midnight). Stay tuned for my reviews of these two over the weekend. I desired nothing more than a few episodes of The Office after work this evening. I stumbled across a few classic moments, but this is one of my favourites:

The Films of David Cronenberg Vol. #2

Naked Lunch (1991) - 4 Stars (B)

I was listening to Mad Hatter's The MatineeCast the other day and he was talking with Anna Tyorinoja about the 'weirdest films they have ever seen'. Hatter mentioned this film, and while I only saw it this week, I think it ranks up there amongst the weirdest films I have ever seen. David Cronenberg's bizarre and near incomprehensible version of the life of William S. Burrough's draws from the inspiration behind a number of the man's works, but most notably his controversial novel, Naked Lunch, which is the result of the central protagonist's writing throughout the film. It is not a straight adaptation of the novel, but Cronenberg draws elements, characters and locations from the novel and rearranges them. Other elements from the film are drawn from the writer's experiences during the process of writing the novel, but also some of Burrough's other novels. I don't know that Naked Lunch is Cronenberg's most controversial film, that prize goes to Crash, but it is easily amongst his most widely discussed and critiqued. The only advice I can give when tackling this surreal and creepy film is to exterminate all rational thinking.

I will attempt to summarize the plot, though this is no easy feat. William Lee (Peter Weller) is a dedicated insect exterminator who finds that his wife Joan (Judy Davis) is stealing his insecticide for recreational drug purposes. Lee is obsessed with his 'bug powder', and when his supply runs out during a job, he seeks to confiscate his colleagues'. When Lee is arrested by the police, he comes to the conclusion that he is hallucinating because of insecticide exposure, picked up for carrying an illegal black-market cure for bug-powder addiction. He believes he is a secret agent whose controller (a giant bug) assigns him the mission of killing his wife, who is agent of an organisation called Interzone Inc. After escaping custody and returning home to find his wife sleeping with his writer friend Hank, he shoots Joan during a William Tell routine (a fatal accident Burrough's himself was guilty of; the death of his wife Joan Vollmer at a party in Mexico City). Burroughs fled to the United States where he was convicted in absentia for homicide. Burrough's expressed Joan's death as the starting point of his literature career, exactly the way it is also portrayed in the film.

Having inadvertently accomplished his "mission", Lee flees to Interzone, where Interzone Inc. is based, and spends his time writing reports on his mission, which ultimately become the novel 'Naked Lunch'. Clark Nova, one of Lee's 'living' typewriters, tells him to find Dr Benway (Roy Scheider), by seducing Joan Frost (also Judy Davis), a doppelganger of his dead wife. Frost's husband Tom (Ian Holm) is a writer Lee befriends. Some very strange things happen; there are many references to Lee hallucinating and becoming addicted to a drug called 'Black Meat'. His typewriter transforms into a talking bug, and actually attacks and eats a typewriter lent to Lee by Tom Frost. There are some pretty unsubtle homosexual undertones too. It seems the norm for writers in Interzone to accompany young men to parties, and Lee must befriend some of these young men to survive in Interzone. Lee eventually locates Benway, who is the head of a narcotics harvesting operation which produces Black Meat, drawn from the guts of giant centipedes. Lee's journey takes many peculiar turns but he ultimately finishes his report (which is actually the bare bones of his novel) and flees to another town called Annexia with Joan Frost. I don't really want to discuss the conclusion, it is seriously befuddling.

While the plot will prove incomprehensible to most viewers, there is a story that can be deciphered, but I think it is necessary to have read Burrough's novels and have some understanding of the man. I don't think it really matters because there is something about Naked Lunch that makes it different from anything you have ever seen before. Cronenberg has endowed this bizarre and surreal experience with beautiful, orange-hued visuals. The skin of the characters glistens, and Interzone is made to appear like a dusty, humid and foul realm, home to all assortment of strange individuals. Howard Shore is once again the man behind the score, though this time he has collaborated with jazz musician Ornette Coleman. The performances, though over-the-top in almost every sense, are uniformly good. Peter Weller's noir protagonist drifts through Interzone, and his dry intellectual wit and stony gaze make him really interesting. He also never seemed to move his mouth. Judy Davis and Roy Scheider were solid in support, but nearly everyone else come across as vile caricatures, which aid to enhance the films surreality. I've been considering whether to watch it again ever since I saw it, so I must have enjoyed it.

Crash (1996) - 4 Stars (B+)

Based on the J.G Ballard 1973 novel of the same name Crash tells the story of a group of people who take sexual pleasure from car accidents. It certainly is a daring premise, and there is plenty to commend (especially the incredible performances, the sublime use of the camera, and the score by who else, but Howard Shore). The coverage of the character's driving is especially well done. They aren't exactly pursuits, just very aggressive driving, and shot from a variety of perspectives and angles, from within the car's interiors and from an exterior force. More intense than some of Hollywood's most elaborate vehicular pursuits, we are aware that these characters are consciously hoping to crash for the sexual rush that accompanies it.

Set in Toronto, James Ballard (James Spader), a prominent film producer, has a disconnected and unhappy marriage to his wife Catherine (Deborah Kara Unger). With the relationship diminished to cold and unenthusiastic sex, the film opens with each partaking in their own infidelities. Their sex life is only given a spark later when they vividly discuss the details of these extramarital encounters. When driving home from work late on night, Ballard's car collides head on with another, killing the male passenger. Surviving, but trapped in the wreckage is a woman, Dr Helen Remington (Holly Hunter). In hospital he meets her again, and also a scarred man named Vaughn (Elias Koteas), who at first seems to be an accident and injury photographer. Upon leaving hospital, Ballard and Remington meet and start to have an affair, one primarily fuelled by their shared experience of the car crash. All of their sexual encounters take place in vehicles.

In an attempt to make sense of their arousal following the violent car wreck, Ballard and Helen attend a cult meeting of Vaughn's, which is actually a recreation of the accident that killed James Dean, with authentic cars, stunt drivers and injuries. Shortly later, transport ministry officials break up the event and the group flees to Vaughn's base, where they meet fellow fetishists and followers, and watch videos of constructed car crashes. Ballard befriends Vaughn and on occasions drives his convertible around town while he picks up and uses street prostitutes in the back of the car. The series of sexual encounters between the group wildly vary, including a dalliance between Vaughn and Christine, Ballard and another of the group members, Gabrielle (Rosanna Arquette), and even Ballard and Vaughn. They all take place in cars, living out Vaughn's philosophy that a car crash is a "fertilising rather than a destructive event, mediating the sexuality of those who died with an intensity that's impossible in any other form." Okaaaaay. Crash is essentially a metaphor for the extremes of human obsession, and is not easy viewing.

Few people will find a film about unhealthy and destructive fetishes appealing or enjoyable. It is neither, but you have to admire Cronenberg's dedication to his art and his willingness to continually push the boundaries of what he presents to his audience. The performances are absolutely incredible. James Spader, who is usually excellent, tackles an extremely controversial role. Who doesn't he have sex with in this film. The rest of the cast are great too, although with the exception of The Thin Red Line, I have never liked Elias Koteas too much.

The soap-like whispered dialogue was also very strange. I don't remember there existing a proper conversation, with the characters seeming to exist in a dream where time and space do not matter. All that exists is this 'fetish' that links all the characters together. It is their activity that tells the story. The sex scenes are extremely explicit, but so well simulated that they felt real. Cronenberg's use of the camera is also fantastic. Whenever the camera started a side track across the room, I expected it to end on a couple embraced in sex, and in most cases it did. As I mentioned above, the coverage of the driving is also really imaginative. Arguably the best feature is Howard Shore's score, which gave me shivers. Crash is a cold-hearted film that combines devastating violence and destruction with sexual energy; a combination that is socially reprehensible. I don't want to recommend this film, but for anyone interested in Cronenberg's work, it is one of his finest.

New Release Review: Mad Bastards (Brendan Fletcher, 2011)

Mad Bastards is the debut feature from writer/director Brendan Fletcher, a man who is both successful in setting a compelling drama in the not-often seen Kimberley region of Australia and making an audience aware of the rich culture that exists there. While this confronting and powerful tale often reveals a lack of confidence and skill to effectively drive its narrative and sustain its audience's interest, it does manage to impressively study three generations of life in the harsh Australian outback, and balance strong themes of community, wayward youth, masculine despair and redemption, domestic violence and alcoholism. Mad Bastards was an Official Selection at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.

TJ (Dean Daley-Jones) has never seen his son. He is a troubled man with an attitude, a violent streak and a siding for the drink. He is a 'Mad Bastard', raised in a culture of domestic violence and alcoholism from which he has never recovered. Seeking to right the wrongs that have plagued his life, he hopes to heal the wounds he has caused to his son, Bullet (Lucas Yeeda), and become the father figure that the now misguided boy desperately needs. It is evident that Bullet has grown up under similar circumstances and TJ may be too late.

The film opens with Bullet throwing a Molotov cocktail at a house and being arrested by his grandfather, the local police chief. Instead of finding himself in a juvenile prison, he is escorted to a camp outside town where he spends a couple of weeks with fellow juvenile offenders being disciplined by a local elder, who takes them out into the wild where they hunt and learn how to behave. TJ, desperate to see his son, sets out from his Perth residence to cover the 2000 kilometres to a small town in the Kimberley region, meeting a host of colourful individuals along the way and discovering a new life infused with music, community and peace. Now it all sounds like quite a moving tale, but its predominantly a pretty depressing one. Despite the reliance on the close-up to draw us into these characters, we often find ourself distanced and a little put off by their personalities. While we eventually come to care for these characters, accepting that it takes time to resolve past conflicts, it is a bit of an ordeal watching their story unfold.

Mad Bastards features a great soundtrack from Alex Lloyd and the Pigram Brothers (who also appear in the film) which the film really relies on. With nearly every sequence accompanied by music, it hides the lack of confidence in the simple narrative sustaining the running time, and gives us a break from the intensity. There are lots of moments featuring TJ sitting in a vehicle, watching the landscape fly by and contemplating both his past, and what he will say to his son when he first meets him. We don't really learn much from these moments, but the catchy score effectively accompanies the images, and we choose not to mind. With the film shot on location, it is one of the best representations of Indigenous culture I have seen. Living closer to the city, TJ has never really known communities such as the one where his son lives. Everyone knows everyone else and they live day-to-day on hardships; relying on survival instincts and hunting, and communal gatherings, such as the ones presented throughout the film, to cling to a humanity. The film is so realistic, especially early on, that it is hardly enjoyable. But once TJ begins his quest, the intensity of the violence and the profanities are not so apparent and we start to relax.

In the second half there are a few moments when the drama seems a little staged. Having been introduced to a friendly elder in a nearby town, he bumps into him again and befriends him for the rest of his journey. He actually lives in the same town as Bullet, and knows everyone. I kept thinking, "who is this guy, and why was he destined to be TJ's companion?" Also, the relationship with Bullet's mother was aggravatingly predictable and melodramatic at times. Fletcher, who utilises non-actors in each of the roles, draws honest and moving performances from almost the entire cast, and it is clear in the interviews at the conclusion, that they have shaped their performances from personal experiences. Though its not shot in a particularly innovative way, the often beautiful captures of the surrounding environment, the unglamorous locations and the close-ups of these intriguing individuals, give it a lift. Mad Bastards has not done well at the Box Office, which is a shame because it really deserves to be seen by more people. If it is still playing at a cinema near you, it is well worth checking out.

My Rating: 3 Stars (C)

Releases 19/05

There are four films opening in Australian cinemas tomorrow: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Snowland, Oceans and Angele and Tony. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - I really really liked The Curse of the Black Pearl. I remember it being one of the most enjoyable film experiences of that year. The second in the series, though still fun, was pretty ordinary. I chose to forget all about the awful third instalment. Well, here we are again, with an unnecessary new addition to the franchise. This time it is in Disney Digital 3D. Jerry Bruckheimer is back as the producer, but this time he has Rob Marshall (Chicago) in the directors chair. Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role as Captain Jack Sparrow in what is sure to be an overlong action-packed adventure, riddled with big special effects, predictable gags and all-round silliness. Sparrow crosses paths with the enigmatic Angelica (the beautiful Penelope Cruz), who forces him aboard the "Queen Anne's Revenge", the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane). He finds himself on an unexpected adventure to find the fabled Fountain of Youth, and has trust issues with Angelica who may or may not be in love with him. It has just premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, but is currently sitting on 42% on RT. I think most people know what they are walking into here. Geoffrey Rush returns also, but this seems to already be better than the third one with the substitution of Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom with Penelope Cruz and Ian McShane. Will pull huge Box Office numbers.

Snowtown - A bleak, gritty and uncompromising Australian suspense thriller from first time director Justin Kurzel. The film follows a teenager who befriends and finds a father figure in John Bunting, Australia's most notorious serial killer. His world is altered when confronted by fear and loyalty for the man. It was winner of the Audience Award at the 2011 Adelaide Film Festival, but this seems to be an ordeal to sit through.

Oceans - From DisneyNature, the studio that presented the record-breaking film Earth. Directors Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud dive deep into the very waters that sustain all mankind, exploring the playful splendour and the harsh reality of the weird and wonderful creatures that live within. Featuring spectacular never-before-seen imagery captures by the latest underwater technologies, Oceans offers an unprecedented look beneath the sea. If you're in the mood for a nature documentary, it should be amazing.

Angele et Tony - Having done reasonably well at the French Film Festival, independent romance/drama Angele et Tony has now secured a small theatrical release. Angele, a beautiful young woman with a past, arrives in a small fishing harbour in Normandy. She meets Tony, a professional fisherman, who finds himself attracted to her although he likes her blunt ways. Tony hires her as a fishmonger, lodges her and teaches her the tricks of the trade. The young woman gradually adapts to her new environment and little by little Tony Angele manage to tame each other. It has received solid reviews, but I doubt this will do very well.

Weekly Recommendation: Everyone will see Pirates, and no-one will see the other three releases. I intend to check out Pirates and Angele et Tony, though I don't think I can 'recommend' either.

Trailers for 'The Artist' and 'Get Low'

I was recently made aware of a film currently making some noise at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival called The Artist. It is a silent film written and directed by Michael Hazanavicius and is set in Hollywood in 1927. It tells the story of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a silent movie superstar, whose career is threatened by the rise of talkies. For a young extra, Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), suddenly the sky is the limit. The trailer is very moving and this is certainly one to keep an eye out for!

Before Water for Elephants I was distracted from my vigorous texting at the time to take notice of the Get Low trailer. This was a film that proved to be very popular overseas when it was released late last year and Robert Duvall nearly earned himself an Oscar Nomination for his role. The fantastic trailer has me intrigued, and it is set for release in Sydney on May 26. Be sure to check it out!

New Release Review: Water for Elephants (Francis Lawrence, 2011)

Directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz in the lead roles, Water for Elephants is the film adaptation of the acclaimed best seller by Sara Gruen. Through the commercial success of the novel, the rich historical period, the magical and romantic backdrop of circus life and of course the substantial pulling power of the cast, Water for Elephants was destined to draw solid numbers at the box office. Though not groundbreaking in any way, and lacking passion, it is a charming and reasonably well-told tale.

The structure is not particularly original; as the entire story is told as a flashback to 1931, a depression-riddled period of the United States amidst the Prohibition. Travelling circus acts were aplenty, and there was a fierce rivalry between owners, who fight for revenue by offering the best attractions, and are often forced to resort to corrupt and inhumane acts (on the spot firing of employees and animal cruelty) to ensure they can afford the glamorous attractions that will draw the crowds. The film is framed by a pair of scenes, those featuring an elderly Jacob Jankowski (Hal Holbrook) as he relays the story of his involvement in 'the greatest circus disaster of all time'. After his eldest son had failed to bring him to the circus in town, he decides to sneak out of his aged care facility and see the show for himself. When he arrives at the venue he is too late, but one sensitive employee (Paul Schneider) escorts him out of the rain and tries to contact his facility. Intrigued by his sprightly personality, and his knowledge of history, he asks Jacob to tell his tale.

In 1931, a 23-year-old Jacob (Robert Pattinson) is only an exam away from graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Veterinary Sciences. As he sits down to take the exam he is relayed the news of his parents death from a car accident, and that his family home had been surrendered to the bank by his father is exchange for his tuition. Devastated, and now homeless, he sets out to look for work in the city. He stumbles across the travelling Benzini Brothers circus, stows away on the train, and is assigned work by a kind elderly employee. Instantly captivated by the beautiful Marlena (Reese Witherspoon), he notices a hoof injury on one of her performing horses. Declared an impostor, having snuck onto the train and taken advantage of food and shelter, he is introduced to August Rosenbluth (Christoph Waltz), the charismatic but menacing circus owner. Jacob is hired as the vet after August discovers his Cornell credentials and learns of his accurate observation of the horse's injury.

There are various tensions and conflicts that ensue between the three. Jacob is terrorised by August after he takes it upon himself to put down the injured horse, which is further complicated when Jacob emotionally bonds with Marlena (his wife). August unveils his newest attraction, a 53 year-old elephant named Rosie, and insists that Jacob train it. Jacob learns to control the gifted elephant by speaking in Polish, transforming the circus into a winning success once again. That is, until August finds out about the blossoming secret romance between his two most important employees, culminating in an intense struggle for her affections.

Water For Elephants is a good-looking film, with the cinematography, production design and costumes all impressive. The plot is also lifted to romantic heights by the accompanying score, which is guilty of being a little stagey at times. While the performances are all effective, it is unfortunate that the chemistry isn't strong enough to keep us engaged with these characters, nor like them very much. The affectionate relationships take tumultuous ups and downs, with often serious conflict quickly resolved in the next sequence. Pattinson's inexpressive performance, while it certainly doesn't have the world convinced he can be an adequate leading man, was better than I thought it would be. Reese Witherspoon (who I used to like very much, until her string of films following Walk the Line) was oddly cast and not altogether convincing. Clearly attached to the life that her husband has built for her, Marlena is reluctant to seek a life outside the Big Top. While it seemed inevitable that her and Jacob would end up together, the attention she gave him felt like she was taking him for a ride. There is a moment, I think after two brief encounters, when she says, "I'll be sorry to see you go." I don't know when she developed this care for him. Perhaps she was impressed by his guts to stand up to August. But there are implausibilities like this that affect our relation to the characters.

Christoph Waltz, who I thought would get a string of great roles following Inglourious Basterds, is typecast as a charismatic villain once again (much like in Michel Gondry's The Green Hornet). Having to blend charming qualities with his selfish and malicious nature, Waltz gives the best performance. His swift bond to Jacob, and his eager willingness to trust him, is somewhat of a character stretch for someone who finds it difficult to trust anyone. When Jacob later reveals that he had never actually graduated, it is waved off without a second thought. The romantic sequences give us absolutely nothing new and often fizzle with tired cliches. The film moves quickly to begin with, but then becomes quite tedious in the second half, feeling a lot longer than the scheduled 120 minutes. Still, despite losing interest there for a while, Water for Elephants remained entertaining enough, and the Depression-era context was recreated effectively. While August's lawless regime selfishly lets loose anyone it pleases, the romantic beauty of circus life is effectively conveyed.

While the spectacle is relayed in an early scene as Jacob strolls amongst the rising Big Top, it feels constrained in most sequences, save for the near unfathomable antics of Rosie the Elephant. The dramatic conclusion was unexpected, but welcomed. I was quite surprised by how intense the film became at the conclusion. There was a moment when Jacob contemplates killing August and it is shot and scored in a way that uncannily resembles Jim's rampage at the conclusion of 28 Days Later. Okay that may be taking it a bit far, but it was what came to me at the time. Believing the film to be more of a soppy romance (don't worry, there is plenty of that), this violent confrontation and famous disaster, though implied early in the story, still came as a surprise. The final images, a collection of home video reels of Jacob and Marlena with their children had a reminiscence that felt unnecessary. Overall, Water For Elephants is quite an enjoyable romantic drama. I imagine fans of the novel will not be disappointed, but for those unfamiliar to the story, you will find it pretty forgettable.

My Rating: 3 Stars (C+)

Is 'Last Year in Marienbad' Incomprehensible?

Having just watched Alain Resnais' 1961 film Last Year in Marienbad, I must confess I fell victim to its hypnotic and often haunting atmosphere. While the cinematography is absolutely stunning and the score incredible, the events of the film are incomprehensible. I could make no sense of it at all. Following a non-linear narrative style, events from the present and the past are fragmented, mixed together and rhythmically repeated in a visual kaleidoscope. It tells the story of a love triangle set within a labyrinthine and spacious baroque hotel. One of the guests, an unnamed man, tries to persuade a married woman that they had shared an affair a year previously. She doesn't recall, but he begins to relay conversations and encounters involving the two, which culminated in her asking him to meet her at this hotel exactly a year later, so that they could elope from their highly formal society and their individual constraints. I guess we are never meant to know whether this previous encounter ever took place. I found it impossible to tell which scenes were in the present, and which was the recalled flashbacks. The woman has several costume changes (she wears white, and black) and even gets shot at one point, and while they were supposed to have met in Marienbad or some other town, all we ever see are a variety of alternate realities set within this one hotel. I really enjoyed the film, but the combination of the trance-like imagery and the solemn and monotonous voice-over made me a little dozy. Can anyone shed some light on this intriguing film?

Sydney Film Festival Preview: Five Trailers

Of course, Tree of Life is the most anticipated film at this year's Sydney Film Festival, but here are trailers for five other films I have tickets for and am pretty excited about: 

Win Win (Tom McCarthy)

Martha Marcy May Marlene (Sean Durkin)

13 Assassins (Takashi Miike)

The Troll Hunter (Andre Ovredal)

Armadillo (Janus Metz)