I have recently been on a David Mamet kick and last night I watched ‘The Spanish Prisoner‘ for the first time. It was a good film, but I feel my enjoyment was hindered because I saw ‘House of Games’ and knew this was also a con movie. When surprises are expected the fun isn’t in being surprised but in guessing where the next surprise will come from. Yet in the end, it is ultimately not a surprise because pretty much everyone is in on something.

I have not seen every film by David Mamet. ‘House of Games’ was entertaining. ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ was taut and subtle. I think ‘Redbelt’ is my favorite. There are a couple others which you can IMDb. ‘The Spanish Prisoner’ ranks above ‘House of Games’ but below ‘Redbelt’, I guess. If that helps place anything, which it really doesn’t.

But ‘The Spanish Prisoner’ is a great, fun movie. It manages to do what few movies can accomplish: The film says one thing, tells us it is something else, but then falls back and tells us a third thing that puts the first two into a whole new perspective–and somehow it all makes sense. It is rare when that third step is even attempted, let alone executed with any success.

This is not a film you need to watch twice to understand, though a second viewing would be much more fun. Little hints are dropped along the way, one in particular where one character has to improvise and she is so good at it that we know she’s not as candid as she tries to appear.

And at the end it is nice to appreciate how truly elaborate all of the plays in the film are. Bit by bit, con by con, they seem amusing, but it is when they are tangled in the same web that their elaborate nature can be appreciated.

I have been purposely vague. Despite this film coming out in 1997 I want to avoid spoilers since many young people will have yet to see this film. Don’t skip it. It’s not about some dude stuck in a prison somewhere. I promise.

IMDB link  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1012804/

IMDB ratings 7.0/10   9,996 votes
Release Date : 9 May 2008 (USA)

Genre : Action | Drama | Sport

Plot : Is there room for principle in Los Angeles? Mike Terry teaches jujitsu and barely makes ends meet. His Brazilian wife, whose family promotes fights, wants to see Mike in the ring making money, but to him competition is degrading. A woman sideswipes Mike’s car and then, after an odd sequence of events, shoots out the studio’s window. Later that evening, Mike rescues an action movie star in a fistfight at a bar. In return, the actor befriends Mike, gives him a gift, offers him work on his newest film, and introduces Mike’s wife to his own – the women initiate business dealings. Then, things go sour all at once, Mike’s debts mount, and going into the ring may be his only option.

Direct Download links

narod.ru

http://narod.ru/disk/1433583000/Redbelt.%5B2008%5D.DVDSCR.XViD-PUKKA.%5BDuuuhhude%5D.tar.html

Those of you expecting Enter the Dragon to spark a revolution in Jiu Jitsu enrollment, Redbelt is not that movie. Redbelt is essentially a drama with large amount of the back and forth dialogue. Redbelt focuses on a Brazilian Jui-Jitsu instructor who takes his art seriously and sees it as a way to a better life as much or more than a way to dismantle his fellow man. His school is barely hanging on financially, partially because of his idealism which sits none too well with his wife and business partner. When he saves an over-the-hill movie star from a bar beating (Tim Allen), it appears as though his ship has come in. He’s promised a producing credit on the star’s new movie and hints that this is only the beginning. And then it all goes away. The light at the end of the tunnel, turns into an oncoming train and Terry finds himself forced to do something he did not want to do: Enter a Mixed Martial Arts tournament, which holds the promise of a full purse and the end to his financial difficulties but also tests his resolve as a man and a warrior.

Redbelt also scores with a nice contrast between the roots of martial arts and the ways those at the top use it to become rich. Ultimate Fighting is rapidly replacing boxing as a premiere spectator sport, and Redbelt takes great pains to explore the way it can twist and distort a foundation it purports to hold so dear. Still, it is kind of a cheap shot as watching a fighter backed into a corner until he’s forced to raise a fist is a tried and true movie formula, but it’s never been done so clumsily here. What happens to Mike Terry, our main character, never makes a lick of sense, and it only gets more ridiculous and slapdash as the movie wears on.

The movie’s pacing is a bit odd. The first two thirds of the film is basically the set up, which gives us a great deal of time to get to know the characters but at the same time makes us wonder if they’re getting to a point. Exploring codes of discipline and respect, Redbelt is an arresting feature. However as a stand alone film, this movie barely gets my recommendation. The performances are great, but the logic of these characters is difficult to buy.

Still, because for as all over the map as this thing is, Redbelt is still constantly engaging and never boring. Redbelt is a mature study of one man’s ethics in the face of extraordinary pressure. Intense performances, exciting footage inside the ring, tight pacing and a neat expose on the world of extreme/ultimate fighting make Redbelt a good way to spend 90 minutes. Just heed my warnings on the downfalls of this film and if you still want to see it, you should be able to enjoy yourself.

Someone asked. Well, not just someone, M1.

It’s not all friends.

I love going to see movies with DBBF. And even with my friend D, though he and I don’t really like the same kind of movie anymore.

No, now I’m getting roped into seeing Star Trek in IMAX on opening weekend. Why? Because a friend of mine HAS to see it. But he HAS to see it soon. Like it fucking matters if we wait a week. Next weekend, not this weekend, we’re hoping to see it with this guy I knew in middle school who lives nearby (he was at that party last weekend). I don’t want to see Star Trek twice. Even if it’s okay, I don’t want to see it twice. The era of seeing okay summer movies twice with different sets of friends (I mean, shit, with this first friend, the one from grad school, shit… I had to see Iron Man twice because of him) is long over. It was fine in 1989, when I’d go see Batman and Weekend at Bernie’s multiple times with different friends. It was probably even fine in 1992, when I went to go see Buffy the Vampire Slayer a couple times with different friends. Or 1998–I saw the Faculty a couple times.

But not anymore. And not Star Trek? I mean, nobody wants to go see Redbelt multiple times with me.

My boyfriend had a water polo tournament all day yesterday, so we were pretty exhausted when evening came around.  We decided, as we usually do, to use his roommate’s Netfilx account to find something on the “Watch Instantly” list.  (Netflix, by the way: so worth the $5 a month.)

Unfortunately, seeing as we’ve already watched so many of the movies on that list, we’re now starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel.  I wanted to watch a happy movie–not sure why, but that’s what I was in the mood for.   So he decides on Redbelt.

Here is the problem: it’s definitely NOT a happy movie, but it’s pretty good, meaning I can’t just fall asleep and ignore it.  Ugh, men.

Anyway, all that to say that I quite enjoyed Redbelt, despite my not being in the mood for that sort of film.  First off, it stars the same guy that plays the assassin in Serenity.

[[Not to get off-topic, but I'm obsessed with the TV series, Firefly.  Serenity was good, but Firefly had way more character development and an extra dose of awesome.]]

But back to Redbelt.  Now I’m a girl who likes a good martial arts movie, but for those of you who haven’t yet come to appreciate it, this movie is a good stepping stone into the genre.  Mainly because it has a coherent plot, which most strictly martial arts movies seem to forget.  In fact, it has much more plot than martial arts, but there’s enough to keep it interesting.

I’m also a sucker for themes of nobility and loyalty, which are front and center throughout this film.

I did think, however, that some of the character relationships weren’t quite as developed as I would have liked.  The main character, Mike Terry, and his wife were highlighted more than some, but still not enough to really complete the picture.  I was most disappointed in the lack of focus on his relationship with his little lawyer lady (who I recognize from Love’s Labours Lost, a fantastic Kenneth Branagh adaptation, and Match Point, a somewhat disappointing Woody Allen film.)  She drops this big emotional bomb; they have a powerful scene; then she just makes a few cameos for the rest of the film, insinuating a new love interest that never comes to fruition.

[[Sorry to get off-topic again, but if you're not familiar with Kenneth Branagh, you should be.  You may recognize him from his larger roles, such as Professor Lockhart in Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets and more recently in Valkyrie, which I haven't seen.  But he is an extremely talented actor AND director.  I especially love his work with the Renaissance Films (now closed) because I especially love Shakespeare, who Branagh wanted to make more accessible for general audiences.  Some of my favorites are the previously mentioned Love's Labours Lost, Much Ado About Nothing, and Henry V.]]

Well that was quite the diversion.

I am surprised after looking on IMDB that Redbelt is a 2008 movie.  I assumed while watching it that it must have been older because I didn’t see any particularly fancy camera work or effects.  But that almost makes me respect it just a little more.  Don’t get me wrong–I love all the cool tricks they have for films these days, but there’s something to be said for good old-fashioned movie-making.

Trailer:

• Learn about the Jiu-Jitsu used in the film

Alright, so last night, rather than going out and checking the new movies in the theatres, I decided to purchase Zack and Miri Make a Porno to finish off the rest of my Seth Rogen Profile from Wednesday. I have updated that page now, but I will give a full review of that film in this post. As well, I have decided that there is no way I will be able to review all the movies that come out on a Friday, so I will be eliminating that feature and just focus on the Friday Flashback. That way I can actually get some work done and not spend $50 each weekend on films alone. What can I say, I’m a poor college student…

In the meantime, I will be catching up with this week’s Friday Flashback by doing a full review on the films I’ve seen during the week. This week, we’ve got Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Hot Fuzz, In The Name of The King – A Dungeon Siege Tale, Redbelt, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Foot Fist Way. 

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Synopsis - Two best friends, Zack and Miri, make a porn film to raise money to settle their debts.

Review - 9/10

Reflix - I picked up this flick as a Kevin Smith fan hoping it would be funny, even though I knew it only made about $40 million worldwide.  I can now conclude that the problem was in the marketing – that’s the only reason I can find why people didn’t go and see this film. It is the funniest film in the last 15 years easily. And that alone makes it instantly rewatchable. Yes, its funnier than any of the Apatow films, Ferrell films (even Anchorman) and even funnier than any Woody Allen film. Its just hilarious. Is it nonstop laughs? No. About an hour in, there are about 30 minutes of dramedy – still some laughs, but also some great dramatic scenes which I thought perfectly fit in with the film. Why is it so funny? Well, you have an assembly of some of the best talent in comedy right now delivering a great script. And in comedies, its the script that matters and here, it’ll keep you coming back again and again.  There are big jokes which are built up to, such as in the interchange between Justin Long’s and Seth Rogen’s characters or the scene where they film an anal sex scene. But there are also tons of short, quick laughs like the scenes where Zack and Miri brainstorm porn names or talk about the mainstreaming of porn.

Apart from the story and the script in general, you’ll be amazed at the performances of the supporting cast, especially Craig Robinson (better known as Darryl from The Office), Canadian newcomer Ricky Mabe, and of course, Jason Mewes.  Each of their performances is hilarious, scene-stealing and well worth watching again. Craig Robinson is especially funny as Delaney, the porno’s film producer – he is given the best lines in the movie and delivers them so well, you’ll find yourself laughing out loud.  And as you would expect, Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks are excellent as Zack and Miri and their chemistry is definitely something you will be impressed with. And I can’t forget the contributions of Jeff Anderson, a Smith stalwart, and two porn actress who can really act – Traci Lords and Katie Morgan, whom I was extremely impressed with. I hope she gets more mainstream work.

I would love to write more, but I feel like if I did, I might spoil some of the best parts for you. Overall, this film is well worth the purchase price and you’ll be watching it again and again. I just wish that the marketing team behind the movie had done a better job, because then a whole lot more people would have seen it and it might have gotten the recognition it deserves. Reflixability – Infinite.

Hot Fuzz

Synopsis: A London cop is moved to a rural town where he and his new partner discover a series of suspicious events.

Review – 10/10

Reflix – Hot Fuzz is another of my favourite comedies.  Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are one of the best comedy duos out there right now, along with Rogen and Banks and Ferrell and Reilly.  They have a great chemistry and their interaction and dialogue is part of what will keep you rewatching this DVD.  The script is fantastic, with tons of jokes, innuendo, chase scenes, film references, and cameos that eventually lead up to a worthy finale battle sequence which is as funny as it is action-packed.  

One of the other things that will keep you reflixing this film is that it fits a lot of story into a a two-hour time frame, so much so that you become very involved in the fate of the character. The director, Edgar Wright, is able to do this with two major devices. the first is an opening “history”, which is a very fast sequence of quick scenes which outlines the life of the main character, Nicholas Angel; the second is a series of quick cuts, which is used in order to outline the events Angel experiences, such as his trip to Sandford. They say a lot about the background, feelings and struggles that Angel experiences and really immerse you in the film, I find.  It develops a quick and strong bond with the audience which endears Angel and Danny to the audience.

Finally, I think the idea of a British film can scare some people. They fear they might not get the jokes or perhaps think that its too difficult to understand some of the accents, which can be the case at times. However, I think one of the things about this film is that the jokes seem to be deliberately short on the British-specific humor – just about every joke is accessible to any fan of comedy.  Although there are a plethora of accents in this film, none of them are difficult to understand and there is even a joke about the accents themselves. I urge you to check this out and guarantee that if you liked it once, you’ll love it again.  Reflixability – Infinite.

In The Name of the King – A Dungeon Siege Tale

Synopsis - A peasant farmer hunts the evil Krugs to avenge his son’s death and save his wife.

Review – 6/10

Reflix – Right off the bat, I know I’ll probably get some flack for giving this film a 3/5, but I have to say, this is a guilty pleasure. I hate what Uwe Boll has done to video game films, but I was pleasantly surprised with this film. Its not the most creative story, but it does have a superb cast, one of the biggest I’ve seen in a non-Woody Allen film in a long time. I will watch anything with Jason Statham – multiple times – and this film is no exception.  Throw in Burt Reynolds as the King, along with Claire Forlani, Leelee Sobieski, John Rhys-Davies, Ron Perlman, Kristianna Loken, Matthew Lilliard and Ray Liotta and you have one helluva cast to watch.  This alone will bring you back more than once – just to see Burt Reynolds in classic Reynolds style.

However, I will say that this film is completely unrealistic, horribly overacted and full of clichés the whole way through.  And that is why I love it. Its one of those bad films you love to watch. And remember, a reflixable movie doesn’t have to be amazing by any stretch of the imagination. You just have to love to watch it. And I love to watch this flick.  Just give it a try yourself – go to the video store or Netflix it. I guarantee it’ll be available, barely anyone has seen it, and most of the negative reviews on IMDB are simply because the reviewers hate Uwe Boll and mention almost nothing about the film itself.

You’ll groan at Farmer’s name, his leap to a mountain cliff, and the the costumes of the Krugs, but they are all so bad you’ll love it. The final battle scene with a whirlwind of books in a library is so poorly done that its another groaner. But its still great anyway. I would suggest getting a bunch of friends together and playing some kind of drinking game. There are TONS of games you could play and you’ll all be hammered in no time and laughing at the screen.  Pick this up now. Reflixability – Boomerang.

Redbelt

Synopsis – A Jiu Jitsu instructor is forced to compete in a tournament he hates to save his business and family.

Review – 5/10

Reflix – I checked this one out not only because I was intrigued by the trailer, but because I thought if the story was good enough, it could be something I might rewatch over and over. Unfortunately, its just not reflixable. As a standalone, one-off experience, the film is great. The acting is strong and the cast is deep: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tim Allen, Emily Mortimer, Alice Braga, Joe Mantagna, and Randy Couture! Unfortunately, their acting is not enough to save this film from its ultimately disappointing ending.  I will say though, that Chiwetel Ejiofor’s performance is masterful – reserved and controller, but with enough passion and flair that you are drawn to him while he is on screen. His performance alone is worth watching this film at least once.  

What the film lacks is a substantive third act. The final act sees the protagonist, Mike Terry, forced to enter a Jiu Jitsu competition to make ends meet. I thought this might be an underdog story like The Karate Kid, where he burns through the competition while somehow getting his vengeance on his betrayers. In the end, its a relatively tame denouement. There just isn’t enough bite to the ending to draw me back again and again. Perhaps if the script had been a little different, allowing for Mike to screw over those who screwed him over, then it might be worth reflixing.  But I just don’t think its as good a film as it could be. Reflixability – Frisbee.

Forgetting Sarah Marhsall

Synopsis – A man goes to an island to forget his ex-girlfriend, but ends up finding her and a whole lot more.

Review – 9/10

Reflix – If you’ve read any of my other posts thus far, you already know I love this film. Its in my top 10 comedies (perhaps that will be the topic of this Monday’s top 10 list…). Its funny, sweet and is much deeper than most films out there. I would say that this and Zack and Miri are the what Romantic Comedies should be. Too bad Hugh Grant gets in the way of all the other ones…

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a well written film with some great lines.  But the thing that will keep you coming back in this one is the performances. I wouldn’t say its as well written as Zack and Miri or even Hot Fuzz, but the performances are definitely worth watching. Jason Segel is fantastic as Peter Brenner and conveys a warmth and emotionality which allows us to connect with his heartbreak and understand his pain. Kristen Bell is every bit the bitchy, whiny self-indulgent Sarah Marshall. You love to hate her through the entire film – she’s exactly the type of girl I’m sure we’ve all met at one time or another. Russell Brand is hilarious as Aldous Snow, the cool rockstar who fucks anything that moves. And Mila Kunis, as Peter’s love interest Rachel, truly shows she act outside of the 70s, with a strong performance as the independent hotel manager with an attitude. Add in some great supporting performances from Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Jack McBreyer, Davon McDonald and Paul Rudd and you have another Apatow hit. McDonald’s line “Snuffulupagus? Fucks my shit up!” will have you laughing for hours. He is the true surprise in the film.  Overall, the cast works flawlessly together to make a great movie experience.

There are other notable scenes in this film as well. Brenner throws in some Seinfeld and Muppet Show on the piano and that really got me laughing – the subtle references are great and now Segel has the writing gig for the next Muppet movie! The Dracula scenes, both in the bar and at the end of the film are hilarious and memorable. The final Dracula scene in particular is one you watch and wish they were actually performing that play on Broadway. This film also uses flashbacks to perfection to convey the story and the flashback scenes themselves are well done. And then there is the famous shot alluded to in the film – the frontal male nudity. Yes, it is hilarious and yes its worth watching just for the laugh. The break-up scene is well written and realistic and I find myself drawn to it each time – not for the male nudity but because its so well done. Buy this film now, you won’t be sorry. Reflixability – Infinite.

The Foot Fist Way

Synopsis – A Tae Kwon Do instructor deals with a cheating wife and his action-hero idol.

Review – 5/10

Reflix – This film is widely known as the film which launched Danny McBride and its easy to see why. He shines above every other person in this film – his delivery of some great lines are what make this film. Had it been any other actor, even Will Ferrell himself, I doubt I would have enjoyed this film at all. I think its a funny flick – its got some funny scenes, its actually well written and you can see how it might have been an indie hit like Napoleon Dynamite. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t have the production value or nonstop laughs that would keep you going through the film. 

While the film is funny at some parts, there are long stretches where the laughs are barely there. When they do come though, hold on to your hat, especially if McBride is around. When he lays down a line, there’s nothing that will stop you from laughing, whether its a straight-up insult or a subtle, calmly delivered compliment. He is just the funniest guy out there today. I just wish the rest of the characters had something funny to say because they are all one-dimensional without any sort of development at all. Its disappointing to say the least – one man does not a film make.

There is also some physical comedy in the film, but its pretty poor. I think the funniest part in the entire film is probably in the trailers – when the grandma student gets socked by a 30-something classmate. And even then, its not that funny – its been done before. In the end, this film is a one-off: great to watch once to see how McBride got his start, but not early good enough to keep you coming back for more on a frequent basis. I think if you made a reel of just his best bits, that would be enough for me. Reflixability – Frisbee.

As a nearly lifelong fan of David Mamet’s plays and films, it pains me to report that his mixed martial arts drama, Redbelt, is a lame, even amateurish piece of work. Not amateurish in technical terms — scene for scene, it’s his best-looking film to date — but inept in terms of writing and depicting believable human behavior. For me it confirms the suspicion, born of the increasingly dimwitted blowhard tone of Mamet’s nonfiction, that the artist who  made the psychology of con-games one of his central themes has committed the elementary con-man mistake of believing his own B.S. 

I don’t know what kind of film Mamet told himself he was making during the production, but when you look past the trademarked clipped dialogue and the virtuoso cussing, all you’re left with is a remake of a Rocky movie. Not the good first Rocky movie, either, but the fifth one — the one that had everyone hoping Sylvester Stallone would get hit by lightning if he ever tried to make a sixth installment. There’s even a climactic tussle in which the spiritually pure fighter, a martial arts teacher who deplores the commercialization of his sport, triumphs over a show-biz grifter type, and I’d expected a lot better from the man who wrote Glengarry Glen Ross.

Failing that, however, I’d be willing to settle for some decent fight scenes, but even if Mamet does have a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu he is strictly a white belt when it comes to staging coherent action sequences. I realize that the crucial moments in MMA bouts are usually close-in and hard to follow, but any given cablecast (or some of the backyard bouts on YouTube) will give you a better sense of the sport’s skill set. Since many of the actors are themselves MMA fighters like Randy Couture and John Machado, it’s puzzling that the martial arts set-pieces are so poorly filmed.

As for the rest of the movie, I never once bought the hero’s personal code of honor, in which it is unseemly to compete in martial arts tournaments but perfectly okay to pawn somebody else’s gift for a quick buck, nor did I ever once believe in the motivations that lead an important secondary character to commit suicide and leave his family facing ruin rather than “dishonor the academy.”

The performances are fluid and naturalistic in a way that previous Mamet-directed films have aimed for but never achieved, and yet I find Mamet’s stiffly directed filmmaking debut, House of Games, infinitely superior to Redbelt. The performers — particularly Chewitel Ejiofor as the instructor and the divine Alice Braga as his wife — keep the film very watchable, but at some point I simply lost interest in the story and started asking myself why I was watching this silly crap. Maybe it was the tough-love scene (above) in which the instructor puts a deeply troubled woman — a rape victim barely able to function in everyday life — into a chokehold and makes her act out stabbing him. It’s meant to show her being  re-empowered and cured of her  anxieties, but to me  it played like another round of victimization for the woman, with the sadism made even more rancid by sanctimoniousness.  

“There’s always an escape,” the hero tells his clients over and over. “You just have to find it.” Fortunately for the rest of us, the key to escaping Redbelt is as close as the DVD remote.

I have to split the list up to reduce the torture of just trying to pick 10 movies for the year.

1. Across The Universe
2. American Teen
3. Charlie Wilson’s War
4. In Bruges
5. Into The Wild
6. The King of Kong
7. Kung Fu Panda
8. La Vie En Rose
9. Redbelt
10. The Orphanage

 all u need is to know this legend!

 first of all

White belt – 5 total wins needed.
Yellow belt – 13 total wins needed.
Orange belt – 21 total wins needed.
Green belt – 30 total wins needed.
Blue belt – 40 total wins needed.
Red belt – 52 total wins needed.
Purple belt – 64 total wins needed.
Brown belt – 76 total wins needed.
Black belt – 88 total wins needed.

 u need to know this info now when  you become a ninja!

penguinsdaily.wordpress.com/…/ thanks for the folowing pic!

ok

random site of the week http://straw000.wordpress.com/ 

u need to know about ninjas because ur gona be one soon

uh hu well im not ninja yet boo hoo!

Get Smart (on DVD now): As a huge fan of the core material and many of the people involved in the production, I was wildly disappointed with this film. Yet even those who aren’t familiar with the hysterical television show starring Don Adams will find reason to be disappointed. The laughs are few and far between. What’s worse, Steve Carell seems bored playing the lead role. It’s as if he realizes there’s an enormous flaw in the character as written for this film—he acts intelligently enough that his stupid pratfalls are unbelievable, but he’s not intelligent enough to make his smart moves believable either. The filmmakers want to have their cake and eat it too with the main character, and it sacrifices all of the laughs as a result. The action sequences work better than the jokes—and in a comedy, that’s not good. One of the biggest failures of the year, bar none.

Redbelt (on DVD now): Don’t assume or read anything about the plot of this film… just know that it is not about mixed martial arts. Not at all, in fact—it’s your prototypical David Mamet film, filled with double crosses, slick fast talkers, and that trademark jerky dialogue filled with interruptions and half-finished phrases. Some of his regulars show up and do great supporting work (Ricky Jay, Rebecca Pidgeon, Joe Mantegna), but Chiwetel Ejiofor, one of the more underrated actors of the last ten years, does a terrific job carrying the film on his back with a strong, quiet dignity. The movie’s ending is corny and doesn’t ring true to the rest of the film. Still, it’s a nice exercise from Mamet with a great lead performance that’s definitely worth a shot.

In Bruges (on DVD now): What a thrill it is to know that Martin McDonagh, the most unique voice in theater since Mamet, is able to translate to film just as successfully. In Bruges is one of the best films of the year, a pitch black comedy about seedy Irishmen—not anything new for McDonagh, but it’s invigorating to watch three actors of the caliber of Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ray Fiennes tackle the profane poetry of the dialogue. The script is full of howlingly funny and politically incorrect speech, and McDonagh reveals the characters little by little as the film progresses, giving us despicable men who we still understand and care for by the end. Mamet’s first film, House of Games, perfectly encapsulated his theatrical style with sure-handed vision. This is McDonagh’s first feature length film (after his Oscar-winning short, Six Shooter), and it achieves similarly admirable success. I can’t wait to see what else he delivers in the future.

I have decided to stay in for the day.

This is not in the interest of War or Peace or Veganism, I just am really enjoying the view from my window of the gray skies and the occasional sound of cabs splashing through rain puddles.

I realized the best way to stay in all day effectively is to have already gone out when you make this decision, as to avoid feeling you’ve become that lady you see shuffling around the coffee place in your neighborhood in the same mumu every day. She kind of looks like Kathy Bates if instead of being an actress she had chosen a career in Witchery. You know the one.

I met Henry this morning for a pancake breakfast at Westway Diner on 43rd and 8th. We had little glasses of orange juice and talked about life and the election and spoke words of hope and wonder that I’m sure a lot of people are speaking this week.

Speaking of coffee. I’m enjoying some lovely coffee right now! It’s an accidental mix of PortoRico Peter’s Blend and stuff Faryl brought me back from her trip to the high security Brooklyn food co-op she needed Alena’s fingerprint or eye scan or something to get into. Either way, the resulting blend is a wonderful post hot dog lunch treat.

Weezer’s Blue album is playing in the background. It is surely my generation’s Woodstock.

I’ve met a few celebrities. I say this not to brag, but to underline the context of the following anecdote:

I had to have an interaction with a famous person this week, it was not, but let’s say it was, THIS guy:

I said “Hi” to NotMatthewPerry, NotMatthewPerry said “Hey.” back. We’re done. I realize that he is very famous and he knows I know who he is. So I go about ignoring him in a respectful, “You’re just another person” manner.

The first thing I notice upon getting a look at NotMatthewPerry is his cap. It’s ostensibly a normal, black, baseball cap, but somehow the brim of it is obscuring his whole face. Like a druid or Destiny from DC comics. Like this:

Upon observing it, I come to the conclusion they must sell special caps like these to celebrities and scandal participants in a secret store on an island only Freemasons know about.

I talk a bit more with NotMatthewPerry and I suddenly realize I can’t look him in the eye. I don’t want to. I know he doesn’t want me to stare and I don’t want him to think I’m staring. This feeling is exactly the feeling I’ve had in the past. I can’t place it.

  NotMatthewPerry is nervous. He’s shuffling around a lot, like he perpetually can’t get comfortable in his shoes. We end our interaction and part ways.

I remember where I’ve felt that way before. There’s a guy who works the 1 train begging for money. He wears a big sandwich board with laminated copies of newspaper stories about himself and how he got into some horrible, horrific accident at some point in the 1980’s. This accident, I can only presume, blew his face apart and left him looking like something between the Elephant Man and a corned beef sandwich. I say I can only presume this because I can’t bring myself to look at him. This has been going on for years. I’ve seen him in my peripheral vision, and he’ll stay there for a few hours, like when you look at a light bulb. For the life of me though, I couldn’t accurately describe him. This is how I felt about NotMatthewPerry, and I think this is a little bit how he felt.

Except with millions and millions of dollars, but otherwise exactly the same.

Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy” is playing now. That’s a good song too.

—

I have a movie called Redbelt on pause in the other room. It’s pretty great. I picked it up not just because I like martial arts movies, but because it’s writier / director David Mamet was on TV talking about how he studies JuJitsu and knows a lot about the world of underground fighting. David Mamet studying JuJitsu is funny to me.

As with many trailers these days, here is the entire movie in 2 minutes:

—

WHERE I WILL BE THIS WEEKEND:

In case you want to stalk me or buy me a cheeseburger or talk about Back to the Future, I’ll be at the following events this weekend. I am also mentioning this because I am excited about both of them AND I’m excited to have a plan!

Saturday: The Salvation Army is having it’s annual coat sale at it’s 46th street location. This is a very fun, insane experience I attended last year. Basically they round up all the coats they’ve received and put them on the bottom floor of their biggest location. Then, apparently,  they alert all mental institutions and doctors of people with obsessive compulsive disorder and me. The outcome is a thrill! Get there early for good deals and fun times!

Sunday:  Neil Gaiman at the 92nd street Y. I have been a fan of Neil Gaiman’s writing for many years now, but I have to confess I am attending this as a fan of his blog. He is a very good blogger! Read his blog! I mean, read his books and comics by all means, they are great. But what a blog!

Blog is a word which quickly becomes gross sounding. Enough.

 —

Oh, I bought a new pen! It’s a Pentel Liquid Gel. Go get one, it writes like a dream. Pictures of me and the pen to follow.

“Красный пояс”
Redbelt
Премьера в мире: 09.05.2008, в России: 06.11.2008
Производство: Sony Pictures Classics, США, 2008
Бюджет: $7 000 000
Кинопрокат: Buena Vista Sony Pictures Releasing
Рейтинг IMDb: 7,0
Рейтинг MPAA:
Продолжительность: 99 мин.
боевик / драма
Режиссёр: Дэвид Мамет
Сценарий: Дэвид Мамет
Продюсер: Крисанн Вергес
Оператор: Роберт Элсуит
Художник: Дэвид Уоско
Композитор: Стивен Энделман
Монтаж: Барбара Талливер
Костюмы: Дебра МакГуайр
В ролях: Чиветел Иджиофор, Макс Мартини, Алиса Брага, Родриго Санторо, Тим Аллен, Эмили Мортимер, Рэнди Кутюр, Дэвид Пэймер, Джо Мантенья, Рикки Джей, Хосе Пабло Кантильо, Кэти Кэйлин Райан, Лучана Соуза, Сирил Такаяма, Скотт Барри, Джон Мачадо, Доминик Хоффман, Майк Дженовезе, Боб Дженнингс, Ребекка Пиджн, Дженнифер Грей, Эд О’Нилл, Дэймон Херриман, Винсент Гуастаферро, Джей Джей Джонстон, Кристофер Кэлдор, Джозеф Алфьери, Джин Ричардс, Джек Уоллес

Рукопашная драма с участием харизматичного бывшего чемпиона, теперь подрабатывающего инструктором по самообороне, запуганной адвокатши и телевизионного продюсера. Вид спорта, в котором ему предстоит участвовать, жесток: это гибрид японской борьбы джиу-джитсу и бразильской капоэйры; рукопашная, в которой можно бить чем угодно и куда угодно, применять удушающие захваты и т. д.
По жребию одному из соперников завязывают за спиной левую руку, и тот вынужден действовать одной правой. Исход боя заранее подстроен так, чтобы Майк выиграл и получил свои деньги. Об этом знает менеджер, знает тот, кто «вслепую» должен тянуть жребий, знает соперник. Все, кроме Майка. И узнав это, он отказывается от нечестной игры. А затем возникает настоящий бой. Рядом с рингом. В котором герой бьется за свою честь…
Трейлер №1: 4.95 Mb / 11.50 Mb / 19.62 Mb / 33.60 Mb / 80.21 Mb / 131.64 Mb
Трейлер №2: 5.12 Mb / 12.57 Mb / 20.58 Mb / 35.76 Mb / 84.14 Mb / 139.29 Mb
Официальный сайт (англ.)

A writer, director and sometimes actor who’s enjoyed considerably more success abroad than in his own country but is nevertheless regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and able to attract big names to his projects, Woody Allen (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) is an incredibly prolific and rythmic worker, churning out one film a year like clockwork. Melinda And Melinda marks his 2004 offering, though it was released in 2005 in numerous countries.

Actually two stories in one (thus the title), the film has two playwrights arguing about whether life at its core is tragic or comic. One of their friends thus suggests a challenge by setting the premise of a troubled woman crashing a dinner party and asking whether the subsequent events would evolve into a tragedy or a comedy. Naturally, we see both options unfold at the same time.

As is common for Woody Allen films, Melinda And Melinda stars a substantial amount of notable people including Radha Mitchell (The Children Of Huang Shi), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Redbelt), Will Ferrell (Step Brothers), Jonny Lee Miller (Aeon Flux), Amanda Peet (The X-Files: I Want To Believe), Chloë Sevigny (Zodiac), Wallace Shawn (Kit Kittredge: An American Girl), Josh Brolin (American Gangster) and Steve Carrell (Get Smart) among others. Trailer and review after the jump.

Despite a very interesting concept, and good performances by the whole cast, Melinda And Melinda manages to be only a so-so film, mostly due to its lacking script. Indeed, the movie’s big problem is that its so-called “tragic” storyline isn’t tragic enough and the supposedly “comic” storyline isn’t funny enough to really sustain the viewer’s interest.

Melinda And Melinda thus joins the numerous other Allen films that are certainly watchable and mildly enjoyable, but actually nothing really special. Thus, Allen fans will probably like it, but the casual viewer may want to skip it. As a matter of interest however, it can be seen as a transition piece for Allen between the decidedly light Anything Else and the decidedly dark masterpiece Match Point.

As with most Woody Allen films, Melinda And Melinda didn’t make a whole lot of money, at least in the US, which may or may not have played a part in Allen making his next four films in Europe. For a truly enjoyable movie with a slightly similar concept, I’d suggest you watch the superior 1998 British film Sliding Doors instead.

Verdict: An interesting concept with a rather bland execution. Melinda And Melinda currently holds a 6.5/10 on IMDB and a 52% on Rotten Tomatoes.

More “Movies Of The Day”

Normally you wouldn’t catch me at a any type of martial arts movie although I will admit to The Last Dragon (80’s schlock/guilty pleasure), The Karate Kid (80’s Rite of Passage), and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (Perfection).  But otherwise that’s not me.  What sucked me into this film was it’s star Chiwetel Ejiofor who I’ve been in love with since 2002 when I saw him in Dirty Pretty Things which I think is one of the best movies I’ve seen.  Also, I was somewhat intrigued because it is written and directed by David Mamet which gave it arthouse credibility, but mostly, as I said, I am in lust with Mr. Ejiofor.

Redbelt is the story of a Ju Jitsu master/instructor who is cleverly manipulated into fighting in a competition for money.  Such competitions go against his love for and the purity of this martial art.  Since Mamet is a playwright, the movie did have a lot of dialogue and probably would have worked well as a stage play but for the fight sequences which are probably best on film.  For those who love non-stop action, this is not the film for you.  The protagonist is a thinking man’s warrior who is driven by honor.  I saw the film on Friday night and had to think all weekend about whether I liked the film or not.  Some parts were slow and the build up to the final action scene was not the most exciting.  But in the end I left appreciating the vision of a man who loves his art and maintains his honor in the face of those who would sell him out.

It’s now on DVD.  Check it out.

I saw the latest film by David Mamet yesterday and it was pretty good.(see my 2 cents toward the bottom)

Here is what Rolling Stone says:

No writer knows how a con game ticks better than David Mamet. He’s proved it repeatedly as a playwright (Glengarry Glen Ross, American Buffalo) and a filmmaker (House of Games, The Spanish Prisoner). So you sense a sting in Redbelt when Mamet zooms in on ethics in the person of Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a Gulf War veteran who runs a jujitsu studio in L.A. according to strict samurai code. To Mike, there’s shame in competition, which puts him up against the American way as he is prodded to go for the jackpot on the mixed-martial-arts circuit. Though MMA figures in Redbelt, Mamet, who studied jujitsu for five years, is more interested in the philosophy that understanding will defeat strength. With uncanny skill, Mamet directs the movie like a moral combat sport in which a variety of techniques are used to crush Mike’s spirit. His wife (Alice Braga) pleads with him to get them out of debt. A crooked fight promoter (Ricky Jay) gives him the means. A cop student (Max Martini) and lawyer (Emily Mortimer) unwittingly combine to tighten the vise. An action-movie star (Tim Allen, superb at lacing charm with venom) and his producer (Joe Mantegna) offer to pay Mike for ideas they intend to steal. And finally, in a battle fought with a Brazilian champion (John Machado) outside the ring, Mike finds his way back to honor. At the center of this quiet storm of a movie, beautifully shot by There Will Be Blood Oscar winner Robert Elswit, Ejiofor confirms his status as one of the best actors anywhere. Born in London to Nigerian parents, Ejiofor can do film drama (Dirty Pretty Things) and comedy (Kinky Boots) and win raves onstage (as Othello). The resonant stillness he brings to Redbelt pulls you in. Even allowing for a few slips in pacing and judgment, Mamet is on his game, and that is a sight to see. No con.

I found the film to be top notch -If you like good acting, good dialogue and Mamet’s style -I would highly recommend checking this out. It’s more of a Drama pick then a real fight film but what you get will surley entertain you.

-DH

Redbelt (2008)

Dir. David Mamet

Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tim Allen, Emily Mortimer, Alice Braga, Rodrigo Santoro, Joe Mantegna, Rebecca Pidgeon, Ricky Jay, John Machado, Max Martini

The cinema of David Mamet is often populated by rogues, crooks out to make a fast buck, and they play intricate games that confound and dazzle the audience in their trickery – see The Spanish Prisoner (1997) or House of Games (1987). Redbelt, his latest film, takes place in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu transplanted to Los Angeles and infused with a noir-spirit.

Chiwetel Ejiofor is the quiet centre of this film, playing Mike Terry, owner of a Jiu-Jitsu club in a rundown quarter of the city. His apprentice pupil, Joe Ryan (Max Martini showing more versatility than he does in the Mamet produced television series The Unit) is a police officer. Following a difficult training session, an accidental encounter with a lawyer, played by Emily Mortimer, kick-starts the narrative proper. To attempt to sum up the twists and contortions of Mamet’s tale that will bring Mike Terry into contact with a movie star (Tim Allen, utterly convincing for perhaps the first time in his career) crooked sports promoters and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legends. At times it seems as if the contrivances of the script are about to overwhelm the narrative, but Mamet holds it together quite successfully.

Mamet is helped by his cast, many of them regulars from his previous work, and many his stock company – including wife Rebecca Pidgeon, and the ever irascible Ricky Jay – and these players speak Mamet’s lines better than anybody. They instinctively understand his rhythms, the cadence of his writing. Not a beat feels wasted.

Some critics have said that they feel the ending is weak, that Mamet fails to resolve many of the story stands that have been juggled. I feel those critics have missed the deeper resonances in his work – by accepting the red belt at the end Mike Terry is taking the money, admitting defeat, realising that the codes by which he has lived his life have not worked. It is a bleak ending, and perhaps not the one many would expect from the genre – Rocky must always win, the sports team must triumph, this is the formula – but Mamet is a writer who confounds the formula, and that makes him a great writer. And though there are a few strands that remain open ended, the construction of drama allows for this – and I think perhaps those same critics would have been negative against the film even if he had resolved them all, and would accuse him of being too neat.

At times in this film I was reminded of that other great noir-sports film – Jules Dassin’s masterly Night and the City (1950). That filmed used wrestling as its background, and through the codes of the sport one was revealed the characters and their mistakes. Mamet pulls the same trick and in doing so manages to make some intriguing comments on sport and its heroes.

Redbelt has also been criticised for its handling of the fight sequences – that they seem poorly edited or do not deliver the expected impact – but again I feel this maybe a misunderstanding of the reviewer who has been misled into thinking Redbelt is a sports film. It is not, it simply has sports as its background, in much the same way as Million Dollar Baby (2004) is not really about boxing.

Redbelt has a beautiful colour palette as well, photographed by Paul Thomas Anderson regular Robert Elswit (an Oscar winner for There Will Be Blood (2007)). Elswit knows how to light a scene, and in the final series of conflicts that end the movie light and darkness collide, the colours vibrate and Redbelt really comes to life. One can even see Ejiofor’s training (reputedly 12 hours a day), as he throws his whole body into fight. This physical collision is a beautiful counterpoint to the intellectual conflict of the previous hour.

Redbelt is not a great film, but it is a good one while it lasts, and Chiwetel Ejiofor is its beating heart. More and more this actor impresses, and he just maybe the best British actor of his generation. Ejiofor is why one should watch Redbelt, and to enjoy the verbal fireworks from a playwright, who even on an off day, sounds better than most.

Redbelt is in UK cinemas from 26 September.