J’ai eu la vie que je pouvais. J’ai un spectacle à la place du cœur, alors jouez jusqu’à disparaître de ma mélancolie.

Je ne suis qu’un homme complexe avec un plan simple, une ligne de vie définie que je refuse du bout des doigts, sans te retenir vraiment, lorsque tu claques la porte pour ton propre échappatoire, ailleurs, sans plus personne à blâmer, à connaître, à décevoir.

J’attends d’avoir l’avis des autres pour me dire que seul le mien compte, perdu que je suis entre la postérité périssable et une psychanalyse non remboursée, la vacuité du moment présent et l’impossibilité de l’infini. Je cours, je coule à ma perte, lentement, doucement, en emmenant tous ceux que j’aime dans ma chute, mais assez loin de moi pour qu’ils me manquent.

Je ne vis qu’au travers de femmes, à croire que j’aurai voulu en être une. L’une me voit comme une maladie imaginaire qu’elle a partagée un jour, l’autre comme une pièce manquante qu’elle rangerait dans son livre des petites choses, les dernières comme le père qu’elles n’auront jamais eu, excepté dans le flou parfait de leur enfance. Moi, je préfère me souvenir d’elles toutes, telles des fantômes, plutôt que de les quitter.

Le sursis permanent est un meilleur moteur que le bonheur fugace, toutes les absences, les abandons, les falsifications d’identités dans mes albums de famille décomposés suffisent à donner un sens à ma folie ordinaire, celle du temps qui s’épuise de nous, toujours et encore, quand l’automne est déjà là.

J’ai besoin de me sentir seul pour pleurer devant vous, me sentir aimé dans tes bras trop grands que je ne comprends pas, me faire pardonner ces erreurs qui sont miennes mais que je t’attribue, oublier que ma prison n’a jamais eu de barreaux pour nous séparer. Seul, je me recueille à chaque enterrement, au milieu de ce vacarme – moderne et dépassé – respirant trop vite pour mon histoire qui nous ponctue puis se conclut.

À n’être plus personne, j’en deviens un meilleur personnage que j’articule méticuleusement au gré de mes déceptions récurrentes et des tiennes aussi. Lui, il est un moi en mieux, puis je mets en scène des accidents plus commodes qu’hasardeux pour ne plus avoir à regarder en face ou en arrière.

J’ai occulté vaillamment tant que je doutais, tant que je pouvais le fait qu’il y avait un dehors et un peut-être, trop muré que j’étais dans ma bulle, trop usé par des adieux que l’on me refuse, la médecine et Dieu n’ont pas leur place dans mon théâtre à l’échelle d’une vie.

Les noms des amours, les saisons anonymes, l’Histoire des manuels changent, mais pas moi, non. Ce qui est n’a plus d’importance au regard de ce que je pense sans le croire, ce que je souffre sans ressentir, ce que je cherche sans rien trouver.

Les jours de joie m’échappent inexorablement, les uns après les autres dans l’ordre du calendrier, je les ai gâché d’un mot, un seul, en priant mon nombril de les faire revenir au crépuscule de mon art, mais à leur retour, ils se meurent pour mieux me maintenir en vie, en stase.

Mon existence est un décor identique à mes souvenirs les plus valables où je peux à loisir répéter jusqu’à épuisement l’avant, l’hier, celui qui n’a plus de futur, celui là même que l’on a maintenant, mais qu’on ignore pour le moment, obnubilé par son prédécesseur.

Je me sens vide de vous et déserté par mes démons, les mémoires immortelles ont délaissé mon désir de survivre pour la prochaine inconnue, mon orgueil de petit homme parlant de solitude comme du temps qu’il fait, depuis j’entends une voix douce, calme, affectueuse qui pense à ma place, qui m’intime quoi dire, qui étrenner et quand mourir, enfin.

À lire en écoutant Jon Brion – Little Person

Like his Pops(friend to the UC), Jahmir Duran is Uptown Raised(But Brooklyn Born), can attribute some of his acting skills to that UPTOWN UP-BRINGING….Jahmir is not just making us proud, for his modeling  or his killer kid coolness, but also for his involvement in one 2009 highly acclaimed film…The Messenger.

The Messenger…Will Montgomery(Ben Foster), a U.S. Army officer who has just returned home from a tour in Iraq and is assigned to the Army’s Casualty Notification service. Partnered with fellow officer Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) to bear the bad news to the loved ones of fallen soldiers, Will faces the challenge of completing his mission while seeking to find comfort and healing back on the home front. When he finds himself drawn to Olivia (Samantha Morton), to whom he has just delivered the news of her husband’s death, Will’s emotional detachment begins to dissolve and the film reveals itself as a surprising, humorous, moving and very human portrait of grief, friendship and survival.

Mr. Duran, plays Olivia’s  son. Caught in the middle of emotional mayhem. This young man is in great company! And  whenever he’s in Washington Heights… so are we! CHECK THE TRAILER.

you were SO good in Speed 2...

R

Samantha Morton, Jason Patric, Teri Garr

Jay: Alright, I’ve got a lot of stuff I need to do before work tomorrow.
Claire: Oh…
Jay: Is that allowed??
Claire: No, it’s fine…um…it’s been great.  I wasn’t expecting anything anyway.
Jay: Well, good.  Just keep it that way, we’ll get along just fine.

Two parking enforcement officers, Claire (Morton) and Jay (Patric), meet and develop an awkward attraction to each other.  Claire is meek and reserved, while Jay can be insulting and tends to have angry outbursts at the citizens who complain about him giving them a ticket.  The two struggle as Claire won’t stand up to Jay’s verbal abuse, and Jay can’t deal with his growing attraction to Claire.

Yeah, not a lot going on here.  Not that there has to be a lot of plotting, but maybe some character growth wouldn’t hurt the movie.  It’s basically an hour and a half of Jason Patric being a jerk and Samantha Morton just taking it in stride.  Morton is likable in just about everything I’ve seen her in, and she’s almost too likable here.  But I guess it would take someone this impossibly nice and meek to put up with a jerk like Jay.

While I did laugh, at times, at Jay’s unbelievably insulting comments, I had to imagine that if I saw a relationship like this in real life, it would make me sick.  Perhaps that’s the point, and that’s the joke, but…it wasn’t funny enough.  It just ends up not being very enjoyable to watch.  It reminded me a bit of the movie Eagle vs. Shark, with one character constantly putting down a much nicer character.  That movie had more interesting stuff in it, though.  This movie was watchable, but just sort of…blah.

It’s not a bad movie, but it’s not pleasant or interesting enough to really recommend.  Unless you really love Samantha Morton.  Or maybe if you hate her as well because you get to watch her being insulted for most of the movie.

Parking tickets are not about enforcing the law or public safety.  They’re about making money.

10 – 3 for the general unpleasantness of the relationship – 1 for little to no character growth – .5 for seeming overlong = 5.5

讀電影的時候，同學交流的作品之中，最令我感受深刻的，是一套關於一個人發夢夢見一個人發夢夢見一個人發夢……的故事，到那時我才意識到，創作原來是沒有一回事，可以不依從任何類型、慣例、模式等等繁文縟節，而我，也許，一世人都創作不出這種作品。

對我來說，Charlie Kaufman是珍貴的，而且越來越貴。假如簡約一些，他當然可以仿Woody Allen玩玩創作人自我投射，再要主角對住鏡頭說三道四，說出創作人孤單、悲傷與黯然；假如風格一些，他當然可以用David Lynch的美學符號攝住觀眾，一步一步帶你走進異域迷團，越說越迷；假如輕巧一些，他當然可以像Federico Fellini般飛簷走壁，輕盈冷看意大利人與事，與君同舞。

但是，Charlie Kaufman始終堅持，繼續惡搞文本，一浪接一浪的寫出這個創作人沉溺的故事，譜出人的生活與死亡，再說存在於世的主客制度。或者是為自戀而自戀，或者是為扮野而拼命扮野，但是，面對豐富深厚的文本，Charlie Kaufman卻義無返顧，無心去蕪存菁，沒理起承轉合，而選擇慢慢的逐一道來，讓觀眾與作者同步走、同步想。

我承認，我也是迷惘的觀眾之一，但符號、意念可曾是絕對，要靠想像去連接思緒，要靠記憶去銜接脈絡時空，也是累人。如此往來，這部作品就不只呈上創作人的孤寂與惶恐，不再只是讓「觀眾」花時間去看一個虛構人物的一個虛構故事，而這作品本身就是一個生命，與編導互動，與觀眾交流，你自然可以舉一反三，你自然可以起身離場，但哲學家花萬言千字寫的存在疑團你不看，卻能在這兩個多小時的作品中與你消磨，實在，也是珍貴，也是難得。

伸延：
．《無痛失戀》
．《何必偏偏玩謝我》
．《神探》
．Hoffman 繼續精采 ：《Capote》

Oscar season is upon us, so The Messenger is a movie you’re probably going to hear about more and more. Oddly enough, it won’t be from commercials, as this seems to be one of those movies that just shows up one day. Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson play Will Montgomery and Tony Stone, two casualty notification officers for the US Army. While being taught the ropes of his new job, Foster becomes involved with the wife of a fallen soldier.

The first few minutes set the movie up to be very different than it turns out to be. When they first meet, Foster and Harrelson walk around, silent and brooding, generally pissed off. Foster feels as if landing this assignment is some sort of punishment, and Harrelson is more than happy to oblige his preconceptions. Slowly, they learn to work with each other, and Foster discovers what it is he thinks Harrelson is doing wrong.

How is this different from what I was expecting? I thought I was in for two hours of these guys yelling at women and hitting things. I was wrong. What develops is a friendship that is probably one of the most real we’ve seen on screen in a long time. Both characters have their shortcomings and help each other through a job that in many ways is worse than the war itself. You really expect that to happen, but the movie moves into it a lot faster than you’d expect.

What worked for me: The relationship between Foster and Harrelson. After just seeing him in Zombieland, man, Harrelson’s got range. Foster’s the star – and really leads here like he hasn’t done before – but you keep your eyes on Harrelson. Once he’s able to break through the front he’s put up, you get a good look at how these guys keep their heads while doing what is undoubtedly one of the worst jobs on the planet. The movie’s funny when you aren’t expecting it to be, and more touching than you’d think.

What didn’t work for didn’t exactly not work for me, if that makes any sense. Foster’s relationship with Samantha Morton was underplayed. Which is good or bad depending on how you look at it. There’s nothing inappropriate about it, but then again, there’s nothing inappropriate about it. Because of that, it never really feels like it’s a dilemma that Foster’s facing. And that sort of non-problem translates to the rest of the movie. Foster hates the job. He and Harrelson fight. They both have conflicting feelings about duty and the price you pay for doing it. And in the end, things just sort of work out. At the risk of overstating it, it’s a little anticlimactic.

The Messenger is easily one of the best movies of 2009. A nice addition to a Fall that, with the exception of just a few movies, hasn’t been incredibly memorable. With the release of The Road, Up in the Air, and Sherlock Holmes, that may change in the next month, but we’ll see. In the meantime, this one is definitely worth your time. Foster and Harrelson make you want to feel the pain they feel, if only to understand it. A

Over the past couple years, I’ve made it out to this smaller film festival, held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (where I live). My first year, I saw the amazing performance of the Boston Alloy Orchestra, perform their original score to the 1927 silent era movie, UNDERWORLD – a gangster movie/love triangle thriller – and the “what is reality” movie, THE NINES, with Ryan Reynolds and written/directed by John August (BIG FISH, along with numerous other Tim Burton movies). Both of these movies I saw in the suburban theater in Regent Square. It’s small, and the sound system is made up of two medium sized speakers in the front of the auditorium. It seats about 300 people, and usually these showings are pretty packed.

The festival itself, tends to mix a portion of more mainstream fare – if only in the sense of “festival-movies” being mainstream. THE NINES, was not a mainstream movie, but it’s also bigger than something locally produced by unknown talents – a good assortment of foreign-language movies, and the locally produced stuff that probably doesn’t stand too much of a chance of being seen outside of it’s region of production. The festival presents it’s movies distributed throughout the city in three different neighborhoods, and theaters. But, for what seems like a pretty small-scale event, it seems to do pretty well.

I didn’t get out to see anything last year – that I can remember – even though there was a screening of the apparently brilliant silent movie, THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC, with the Boston Alloy Orchestra, again. And this year, I’m going to try and remedy that by making it to their performance of THE BLACK PIRATE, written and starring Douglas Fairbanks. The movie that initially gave us the spectacular stunt of a buccaneer, sliding down a sail using a little knife. I imagine it’s going to be amazing!

So, this weekend, I managed to get out and see two movies (luckily it was a double-feature type format, which made it easier). After forgetting that the festival was going on, I missed the opening night showing of both PRECIOUS and THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS. Then I had planned on seeing one of the two showings of BRONSON (missed them) and then it was only on my way out the door that I saw that after one showing of BRONSON was a screening of Chan Wook Park’s latest movie, THIRST. Something about a priest turning into a vampire, or something totally and completely screwed up.

Anyway, determined not to miss the last movie that I really wanted to see, THE MESSENGER, I headed out. The movie playing afterwards, I hadn’t heard of before, but my roommate knew of it and wanted to see SERIOUS MOONLIGHT. So, that’s my double feature.

THE MESSENGER is the new movie starring Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson, who are soldiers in the Army, who are assigned the duty to notify the next of kin, when a soldier is killed. It’s a procedural on how to present yourself, the language to use and most of all how to try and distance yourself from the atrociousness of the job. The movie is co-written and directed by Oren Moverman, who has written the screenplays for JESUS’ SON and I’M NOT THERE, the Bob Dylan bio-pic/fantasy. The other screenwriter is Alessandro Camon, who has mostly been a producer, associated with movies like AMERICAN PSYCHO, the new BAD LIEUTENANT movie with Nicolas Cage and Warner Herzog.

The story follows Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Foster), who after being injured in combat is sent home to serve his last few months in the motor pool, and is also given the task of handing out condolences. He’s introduced by an extreme close-up on his eye, which has a large scar underneath it, as he’s putting eye drops in. Then we meet what seems like his girlfriend, who they quickly jump straight into having sex and then go have dinner. The girlfriend, Kelly (played by Jena Malone – all grown up, when did that happen?!), is actually engaged to someone else, and we see that this is sort of meant as a goodbye present.

His introduction and orientation by Captain Tony Stone (Harrelson), leaves Montgomery cold, and not too fond of his superior officer, who is a little too fond of the term “head case” and might actually be one. Their first notification is to a family, who when they get there, they’re forced to deal with one of their rules – “We don’t wait. If the person isn’t there, we come back later.” – because the soldier’s mother isn’t home, but his pregnant girlfriend (but technically not family) is, and she wants to know whether the guy is in trouble or not. Once the mother shows up, the screaming and denial of the women is primal and ridiculous in how devastated they are; but it’s absolutely heart-rending and believable. (I can’t imagine worrying about sounding silly when told your son has just died.)

Stone and Montgomery spend their nights drinking, screwing (girls, not each other) and talking, either over the phone or at the bar. Stone asks if Will “IM’s”, but Will doesn’t have a computer. We get a couple more trips out to deliver bad news to family members, and then we meet Olivia Pitterson, who is hanging laundry when the guys come to tell her, her husband was killed. As opposed to everyone else we’ve seen react to this news, she thanks them, shakes their hands and says how hard it must be for them to tell her this. Shocked, Stone mentions that he’s never seen anything like that before. For whatever reason, Will becomes entangled with Olivia (played wonderfully by Samantha Morton – SYNECDOCHE, NY and MINORITY REPORT). He gives her and her son a ride home from a mall, checks out her car, and attends her husband’s funeral – from a distance.

This is where the movie gets a little side-tracked. Stone disappears for a while. While this strange domestic-like situation develops, to a sad moment where they both realize that they’re not really ready for the road they’re going down. This then leads us back to Stone, who advocates some time off and a trip to the country. There’s girls, booze, fights and party crashing.

The performances are all fantastic. Foster, who has been pretty amazing in everything I’ve seen him in; from the psycho cowboy, Charlie Prince, in 3:10 TO YUMA. The deranged, vampire-scout in 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, and even his tiny role in X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, where he played the character, Angel and only appeared in a strange sub chapter in the movie. And despite the praise that Foster is getting for this movie, I have to say the screen belongs to Harrelson here.

Looking him up, Woody Harrelson, after taking a break from acting between 1999 to about 2005, has had around 3 projects a year since then. And 2009 has seemed to be his major breakout year. He’s irascible in ZOMBIELAND, completely off his rocker in 2012 – and possibly in his headlining role in the yet unreleased superhero movie DEFENDOR; but here he’s funny, but subdued. He gets to show that he’s portraying a fully-fledged character and not just a caricature, as he pretends to be in certain parts of the movie.  We see him talk about women, he gives a great homage to APOCALYPSE NOW, and at the end is completely shattered. It’s a great, great performance.

SERIOUS MOONLIGHT is a little lighter in it’s subject matter, even if it’s heritage is not. The movie was meant as the follow-up to writer/director Adrienne Shelly, who had made a splash with the movie WAITRESS. Tragically, she was killed by someone who was robbing her apartment. I haven’t seen WAITRESS, nor any of the other smaller movies that she’s written, or even acted in (that I can tell by her IMDB page). But, after seeing this movie, I see that it was a great loss and am sad that there won’t be any more stories from this person’s perspective.

Which, actually, makes the subject matter in this movie a little more prescient and sad in that it’s about a married couple (portrayed by Timothy Hutton and Meg Ryan), who run into each other at their country home, the day before either of them was supposed to be there. Ian (Hutton) has come to the cabin in preparation for a night of bliss with his mistress before leaving a note telling his wife that he’s leaving her, and taking off to Paris. His wife, Louise (Ryan), arrives and sees the flowers and romantic setting and thinks that it’s meant for her. So, when she finds out that her husband is planning on ditching her – with part of his note dictating to feed the fish – she does what any normal person would (wish) to do. She knocks him out, and ties him to a chair. In an effort to win back his love.

The movie is the directorial debut of actress/comedienne Cheryl Hines (CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, and in a bit of synchronicity with the previous movie I talked about, THE GRAND, with Woody Harrelson – among many others). She does a fine job in handling the humor and drama of the story. I think that there are some missteps in wedging in some weird flashback sequences, but the best part is the ambiguity of the ending/certain events that happen.

What happens is, Louise ties Ian up to a chair. He wakes up, screams that he hates Louise, then says he loves her so she’ll cut him free. When he gets free he tries to escape and leads Louise to knock him out again, and this time tying him to the toilet in the bathroom, since that was also part of his ploy to get loose before. Louise, then says she’s going out to buy stuff for a romantic dinner and while she’s gone a guy shows up (played by Justin Long, AKA the Mac guy), who at first is mowing the lawn. Then sees Ian banging his head off the window in the bathroom. He goes inside, see Ian tied up and decides to rob the place. Louise gets home, and she winds up getting knocked out and tied up in the bathroom along with Ian. To then add insult to injury, the mistress shows up (played by Kristen Bell), and also winds up tied up in the bathroom.

There’s discussions, there’s escape attempts and ultimately there’s the choice that Ian has to make when faced with both women in his life. The movie in total is pretty cute, very funny and has some fairly tense moments. The tension works, because the movie flies by the seat of it’s pants and you’re not really sure if the movie will go “there”, in regards to violence or other areas.

The performances are a little over the top, probably with Bell’s young, “other woman” character being the most grounded and realistic. Meg Ryan, probably turns in one of my favorite roles of hers here. It’s sort of like the movie ADDICTED TO LOVE, where she’s obsessed with an ex, only this is a much more mature (strange to say) role. But, she does a great job, at being believable as the woman that just won’t accept that her marriage is over. Timothy Hutton (from the tv series LEVERAGE) does great, with the little he’s allowed to do – literally, as he’s tied up for nearly the entire movie.

I guess this movie is scheduled for release in December, so I’d say check it out; or see if it’s playing at some kind of film festival by you.

And the website for the Three Rivers Film Festival, can be found here: www.3rff.com

Samantha Morton

Synecdoche, New York (dir. Charlie Kaufman, 2008) *****

reviewed by David Sugarman

The critically celebrated, Oscar-winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, previously known for penning such startlingly original, surreal movies as Being John Malkovich, Adaptation. and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind has made his directorial debut with what is simply the saddest film I have ever seen. Synecdoche, New York stars Philip Seymour Hoffman as theatre director Caden Cotard, a man plagued by the frailty of his body and his own emotional failings, attempting to do something worthwhile with his life. Receiving a MacArthur Genius Grant (which apparently do exist, though not to the same extent as Caden puts his), Caden decides to put on a new play, one which leads him to oversee the building of a scale-model of New York in a warehouse.

Kaufman’s film is both very funny and emotionally devastating. Hoffman is always fantastic, and has won an Oscar in the past, but that performance can surely have been no greater than his showing here as the tortured Caden. The supporting cast, which includes Samantha Morton, Catherine Keener and Michelle Williams as the major women in Caden’s life is outstanding all-round. Though the situation is possibly even weirder than the premise of Malkovich, and more meta than Adaptation., it is also even more moving than Eternal Sunshine. As Caden’s life slowly progresses (revealed through subtle alterations of costume and make-up, until you realise that 20 years have passed), bits and pieces of his life fall away, until… well. This film brought me closer to tears than any other in years. Which I applaud.

——————————
Synecdoche, New York is on at the Warwick Student Cinema on this Sunday, at 18:30 and 21:30. Please go and see it. It’ll make me happy if you do. This review contains no mention of two other Kaufman-scripted films: Human Nature, which was directed by Michel Gondry, and is not without its moments of genius but is largely underwhelming, and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, directed by George Clooney. Which I haven’t yet seen.

David

edit: word has just reached me that Fox have cancelled Joss Whedon’s latest TV show, Dollhouse. While it wasn’t always consistent, Dollhouse was a very intelligent and entertaining show, and I’m sorry to see it go. Happily, however, it will be allowed to run for the remainder of its second season so Whedon can give it a decent ending, something that his previous Fox cancelletion (the vastly superior Firefly, possibly the best TV show I’ve ever seen) was denied.

When I first saw the trailer for The Messenger movie, I was a little concerned that it was going to be a typical anti-war movie that paints our soldiers in a negative light. There are quite a number of such movies out there and I believe they are responsible for some of the negative perception of our military. After seeing this film and having a chance to speak to the director, Oren Moverman and one of the leads, Ben Foster I realized there is nothing typical about The Messenger. For the first time, a movie explores the bearing of bad news to families of fallen soldiers in a way so real that reminds us how much the men and women in the armed services and their families are sacrificing for our nation.

The soldiers are portrayed in a light where we see their vulnerability, but we are given reminders throughout the movie how truly heroic they are. It is evident that it takes a very special person to serve our country and be a part of the Armed Services family. The comfort level and bond that is developed with the characters is unbelievable; both Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster brilliantly showcase the love soldiers have for one another and their communities while remaining authentic and reveling their fragility with compassion and dignity. There are so many powerful and heart wrenching scenes in the movie, as well as many laugh out loud moments that perfectly balanced each other out. Some of the best one-liners actually came from LTC Paul Siner, who was the military advisor on set. The amount of research done for the movie was impressive and the military community will surely embrace this movie. The biggest reminder The Messenger leaves us with is that getting through hard situations sometimes feels impossible, but the bonds and relationships we develop with those around us allow us to get through the most difficult of times.

In a reference to a previous movie Oren did that focuses on Bob Dylan, he made a comment that the American public seems to know a lot more about celebrities than the men and women serving our country. The Messenger is one great example of the media showcasing our soldiers and helping bridge that gap between the civilian and military communities. Although the military community may not be that large, they sacrifice a great amount for our freedoms and it is necessary to bring that to the American public. A tribute to the brave men and women in the service, this movie is sure to make you walk away with appreciation of our troops and a new perspective on grief, friendships and survival. The movie opens nation wide on November 20th.

by The Great White Gypsy

The Box – Written and Directed by Richard Kelly
The premise of this film sounds like a bad teenage horror story. A strange man gives a box to a couple having money problems. They will get money every time they push the button, but every time, someone they don’t know will die. Though it’s riding on Cameron Diaz’s acting skills (um…), if anyone can make it cool, writer/director Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko, Southland Tales) will have no problem.
Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella, James Rebhorn
November 6

Endgame – Directed by Pete Travis, Written by Paula Milne
Another slow, patient South African political film? Meh. I mean, I really like Hurt and Ejiofor, but Pete Travis directed Vantage Point, which sucked asshole. I really, really want it to be good, I’m just scared it’s going to be really, really bad.
William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Johnny Lee Miller, Mark Strong, Derek Jacobi
November 6

The Men Who Stare at Goats – Directed by Grant Heslov, Written by Peter Straughan
Actor Grant Heslov hasn’t done much directing. Same goes for Peter Straughan and writing. But if you look at this cast, you really can’t go wrong in a story about Telekenisis/Psychic programs in the army. Hell yes.
George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Robert Patrick, Stephen Root
November 6

Precious – Directed by Lee Daniels, Written by Geoffrey Fletcher
I hate the fact that the full title of this film is “Precious: Based on a novel by Sapphire”. I also hate the fact that Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey are “presenting” this one. However, cliché and cheesy as it most likely is, I seriously almost cried watching the preview. This has the potential for two hours of raw emotion that leaves you speechless. Or two hours of horrible acting and bullshit storyline. I’ll wait for cable.
Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz
November 6

The Fantastic Mr. Fox – Written and Directed by Wes Anderson
I hate, I hate, I hate Wes Anderson. However, there are always a couple elements of his films that impress me, and his attempts at stop motion animation intrigue me. Will I like it? Probably not. Will I see it? Of course.
George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Michael Gambon
November 13

Pirate Radio – Written and Directed by Richard Curtis
When I saw the preview for this, I thought, “Hey, that looks exactly like that movie advertised last year called “The Boat that Rocked”. Wait… I have no idea why this film took so long to release, or why they changed the title, but after waiting so long, I’ve built it up to possible “Almost Famous” level in my head. I really hope I’m not disappointed.  About a boatful of radio DJ’s who broadcast banned music over British airwaves in the ‘60’s. Curtis directed Love Actually.
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Emma Thompson, Kenneth Branagh, Nick Frost
November 13

The Messenger – Written and Directed by Oren Moverman
Foster and Harrelson play a very overlooked part of the military in this new drama about the officers who deliver the horrible news to KIA soldiers’ families. Foster starts to care too much…you see where this is going. Moverman’s first film, looks good.
Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Jena Malone
November 13

2012 – Directed by Roland Emmerich, Written by Roland Emmerich and Harald Kloser
When I want to see an action packed explosion film with weak story, I’ll catch the new Michael Bay flick. When I want to see a really entertaining film with great special effects that will leave me dumber for having watched it, I’ll go see a Roland Emmerich film (Independence Day, Stargate, Godzilla, 10,000 BC). If you don’t know what this film is about, you should probably look into it, cause we’re kinda running out of time, dude…
John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Woody Harrelson, Danny Glover, Oliver Platt
November 13

That Evening Sun – Written and Directed by Scot Teems
I think Clint Eastwood had a scheduling conflict playing a grumpy old man in Gran Turino, so Holbrook stepped in. This is a perfect example of a cookie-cutter Midwest drama starring a senior citizen afraid of change that might not be very good, but will definitely get nominated for at least 2 Oscars. Don’t get me wrong, Hal is great, but the story has the potential to be full of holes.
Hal Holbrook, Ray McKinnon, Mia Wasikowska, Carrie Preston
November 13

Uncertainty – Written and Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel
At the risk of sounding like a douchebag, I am very uncertain about this movie. Part romantic comedy, part drama, part action thriller? So confused. McGehee and Siegel have written and directed three other films together, and I’ve never heard of any of them. But Gordon-Levitt hasn’t let me down so far, and Thirlby and Collins are sexy. I’ll flip a coin.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lynn Collins, Olivia Thirlby
November 13

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans – Directed by Werner Herzog, Written by William M. Finkelstein
Controverial old-school director Werner Herzog (Encounters at the End of the World, Grizzly Man) is remaking the 1992 drama (starring Harvey Keitel) about a gambling/drug addict cop, and he’s setting it in post-Katrina New Orleans. They say it’s Cage’s best performance since Leaving Las Vegas (not really hard), and Kilmer’s presence is reassuring. Looking forward to it.
Nicholas Cage, Val Kilmer, Eva Mendes, Michael Shannon, Fairuza Balk, Xzibit, Shawn Hatosy
November 20

Chi Bi (Red Cliff) – Directed by John Woo, Written by John Woo and Khan Chan
This is an epic film in the style of Hero and House of Flying Daggers. John Woo started out with some good films (A Better Tomorrow, Killer, Hard Boiled), he even had some good American movies (Hard Target, Face/Off), though there were bullshit ones too (Windtalkers, Paycheck). However, his dramas, like Last Hurrah for Chivalry, have gone largerly unnoticed by American audiences. And, of course, it’s been out in China for two years, and we’re just getting it now. Tarantino needs to step his game up.
Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Wei Zhao
November 20

Fix – Directed by Tao Ruspoli, Written by Charles Castaldi and Paul Duran
Documentary filmmaker Ruspoli blends styles in this fictional documentary about a convicted drug dealer and his friends, who are attempting to raise enough money to put him in rehab before 8pm so he can avoid jail time. I can already tell that Andrews’ over-the-top personality is going to steal the show, and Wilde is kinda cute. When’s it coming to Netflix?
Olivia Wilde, Tao Ruspoli, Dedee Pfeiffer, Shawn Andrews
November 20

The Missing Person – Written and Directed by Noah Buschel
Modern noir about a private detective (Shannon in a lead role…nice) searching for a missing person after 9/11. Elements of drama and comedy make it appear a little disjointed, but Shannon and Ryan are solid. Kinda surprised it didn’t go straight to DVD, but whatever.
Michael Shannon, Amy Ryan, Frank Wood
November 20

Me and Orson Welles – Directed by Richard Linklater, Written by Holly Gent Palmo
I can’t see Efron’s name on anything without thinking Highschool Musical, which makes me want to punch everyone under the age of 17 in the eye. However, this film is a little more dramatic, a lot less musical, and Christian McKay looks like the best Orson Welles since D’onofrio in Ed Wood. And if that still doesn’t convince you to see this period film about Welles directing stage plays, I have three words for you: Richard motherfucking Linklater (Scanner Darkly, Waking Life, Dazed and Confused). There you go.
Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Christian McKay, Ben Chaplin
November 25

Ninja Assassin – Directed by James McTeigue, Written by Matthew Sand and J. Michael Straczynski
The directors of The Matrix are producing this balls-to-the-wall violence-fest about…are you ready? A Ninja Assassin. Crazy right? Just think blades, bullets, blood, and nonstop special effects. I can’t freaking wait.
Sung Kang
November 25

The Road – Directed by John Hillcoat, Written by Joe Penhall
I must admit, I didn’t care for Cormac McCarthy’s award winning novel. The fact that writer and director are inexperienced worries me. Whether the acting, cinematography and effects can save it or not, the story makes me think no one will like this no matter what.
Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce, Garret Dillahunt
November 25

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

Metropia – Directed by Tarik Saleh, Written by Fredrik Edin
Anything with Vincent Gallo attatched generally gets my attention (Buffalo 66 was fucking weird). In this animated social commentary, Gallo’s character goes nuts when he starts hearing voices in the expansive underground tunnels Europe was forced to build after gas prices went too high. The animation looks pretty damn cool, so we’ll see.
Vincent Gallo, Udo Kier, Juliette Lewis, Stellan Skarsgard, Alexander Skarsgard
November 6 (Sweden)

Harry Brown – Directed by Daniel Barber, Written by Gary Young
Michael Caine hasn’t really been a badass since Get Carter, but this one may change that. Granted, it’s another cranky old man pissed off at street hooligans, but they did kill his friend…and he is ex-military. Comes out in the UK this month, possible limited releases in US.
Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Iain Glen
November 11 (UK)

Los abrazos rotos (Broken Embraces) – Written and Directed by Pedro Almodovar
Almodovar is huge in Spain, and the last time he teamed with Cruz was Volver, which was damn good. This film is about a writer/director telling a young man the story of why he changed his name after an accident took the life of his true love 14 years prior. Limited release this month, but expect it to be everywhere in time for the Oscars.
Penelope Cruz, Lluis Homar
November 20 (Limited)

Mammoth – Written and Directed by Lukas Moodysson
Husband and wife with a “perfect” life are put to the test when he takes a business trip to Thailand and decides to let loose a little. It looks very similar to parts of Babel, but more focused. Bernal and Williams have grown on me the last couple years, and Moodysson has done good work in Sweden.
Michelle Williams, Gael Garcia Bernal
November 20 (Limited)

♥ “Mammoth”

In this indie movie, Gael Garcia Bernal (“Y Tu Mama Tambien”) and Michelle Williams (“Brokeback Mountain”) play a couple whose lives start unraveling when Bernal flirts with infidelity on a business trip in Thailand.

The story also focuses on their live-in Filipino nanny, which is exciting since very few Filipino actors breakthrough in Hollywood. “Mammoth” even features subtitles for the actors speaking the Tagalog language. With more than 1,000 votes on IMDb.com, the film has received a 7 out of 10 rating.

♥ “Salt”

This espionage thriller was originally set to have a male lead, but when Tom Cruise (“Collateral”) dropped out of the project, the role was re-written for Angelina Jolie (“Girl, Interrupted”), naturally. Jolie is Evelyn Salt, a CIA agent, who is framed for a plot to murder the president. She must prove her innocence while on the run from authorities. Leaps unto buses ensue.

♥ “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time”

Jake Gyllenhaal (“Jarhead”) stars in this adaptation of a video game where he, along with a princess (Gemma Arterton from “Quantum of Solace”), must stop a villain from unleashing a sandstorm that could destroy the world.

It sounds lame when you put it like that, but from the trailers, it looks like the film has a good dose of comedy. It’s even produced by powerhouse Jerry Bruckheimer (“Pirates of the Carribean”). Sir Ben Kingsley (“Gandhi”) and Alfred Molina (“Spider-man 2″) also star. Catch the domestic and international trailers after the jump:

♥ “Brothers”

Lionsgate and Relativity Media previously released a trailer for “Brothers,” which I posted here. This is the second trailer of the drama, which stars Tobey Maguire (“Spider-man”), Natalie Portman (“Closer”) and Gyllenhaal.  It’s better if you view it without reading a synopsis first, so take a look:

♥ “The Road”

It’s based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel which tells of the end of the world. Hardly anyone is left but Viggo Mortensen (“A History of Violence”), Charlize Theron (“North Country”) and their son, newcomer Kodi Smit-McPhee. Guy Pearce (“Memento”) and Robert Duvall co-star. Dimension Films has also released two trailers for this Oscar contender. They are distinctly different as one is more dreary than the other. See for yourself:

♥ “The Princess and the Frog”

Disney is going back to its roots with this animated movie. Beating the likes of singers Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys, Anika Rose (“Dreamgirls”) as well as Terrence Howard (“Hustle and Flow”) and John Goodman (“Coyote Ugly”) voice the characters. A teaser trailer and full trailer below:

♥ ”The Wolfman”

Check out a horror film that boasts of Emily Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”), Benicio del Toro (“Traffic”), Anthony Hopkins (“Silence of the Lambs”) and Hugo Weaving (“Lord of the Rings”):

♥ “Inception”

Here’s a film that’s been kept under wraps so much so that all IMDb.com states is this: “Corporations have developed a technology to enter dreams to extract information from certain people’s heads. A CEO (Leonardo DiCaprio) enters dreams and things begin to escalate, taking a turn for the worst.”

The buzz surrounding “Inception” is mostly due to its director, Christopher Nolan, who also did “The Dark Knight” and “Memento.” However, I’m watching it for one of my favorite actresses, Ellen Page (“Juno”). Marion Cotillard (“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”), Michael Caine (Miss Congeniality”), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“Brick”) and Cillian Murphy (“Batman Begins”) are in it as well.

♥ “Green Zone”

Although it’s by the same people who brought us “The Bourne” movies, I think some would hesitate to watch it since it’s another war movie. Still, Matt Damon gives it some star power.

♥ “Invictus”

Damon is one hot commodity as he also stars in this Clint Eastwood film, otherwise known as an Oscar contender. Based on a true story, Damon plays the captain of a rugby team who is enlisted by Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) to win, thus, uniting the country. Prepare to hear Damon speak with a South African accent …

♥ “Gentlemen Broncos”

Some have have predicted that “Broncos” will be a cult hit, perhaps in the same vein as “Napoleon Dynamite.” (They have the same director.) “Broncos” is a comedy about a science fiction author who steals the idea of a student (Michael Angarano from “Will and Grace”) for his next book. Jennifer Coolidge (“Legally Blonde”) is also in the movie, playing Angarano’s mom.

♥ “A Single Man”

Colin Firth (“Bridget Jones’s Diary”) plays a gay man who tries to carry on after the death of his partner. Julianne Moore (“Children of Men”) joins Firth, who is a potential Oscar nominee. Based on Christopher Isherwood’s novel, I must say the trailer is pretty original. It eerily plays on with no words the entire time. The film itself received an 8.6 rating on IMDb.com.

♥ “New Moon”

As the second part in the “Twilight” saga, we find  Bella (Kristen Stewart) left to gather the pieces with Jacob (Taylor Lautner) since the vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson) left her. This time around, Stewart finds herself among werewolves and vampire royalty, the Volturi.

♥ “The Book of Eli”

Denzel Washington (“Man on Fire”) stars in this action movie set in yet another future depicting the end of the world. To salvage what’s left, Washington has to protect a sacred book. Mila Kunis (“That ’70s Show”) co-stars.

♥ “Nowhere Boy”

I don’t know why, but this feels like the most refreshing trailer out of the bunch. ”Nowhere Boy” is John Lennon (newcomer Aaron Johnson) of The Beatles. It chronicles the band’s beginnings and Lennon’s life. Kristin Scott Thomas (“Life as a House”) is part of the supporting cast.

♥ “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus”

Perhaps better known as Heath Ledger’s (“The Dark Knight”) last film, Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer) strikes a deal with the devil, trading in his daughter at the age of 16. Parnassus tries to rectify his mistake by offering his daughter’s hand in marriage to whoever can help him. Jude Law (“Closer”), Colin Farrell (“Minority Report”) and Johnny Depp (“Blow”) all stepped in to finish Ledger’s role.

♥ “When in Rome”

In this romantic comedy, Kristen Bell (“Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) takes some coins out of a fountain only to have the men who threw them in fall for her. The lovesick puppies include Josh Duhamel (“Transformers”), Will Arnett (“Blades of Glory”), Jon Heder (“Napoleon Dynamite”) and Bell’s real-life beau, Dax Shepard (“Baby Mama”).

♥ “Dear John”

Another Nicholas Sparks’s book, another movie adaptation. By now, I should know better than to fall for Sparks’s sap, but the trailer was enchanting. Channing Tatum (“Stop Loss”) and Amanda Seyfried (“Nine Lives”) fall in love, but Tatum, a soldier, has to return to war. *Tear*

♥ “Pirate Radio” (aka “The Boat that Rocked”)

Richard Curtis, the man behind the darling “Love Actually,” brings a new movie to the big screen. The film already has more than 11,000 voters rating it 7.6 out of 10 stars. “Radio” is a comedy about DJs who air their show on the high seas. Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman (“Doubt”) joins the ensemble cast.

♥ “The Messenger”

IMDb users give this movie 8.6 stars. “Messenger” centers on the soldiers, Woody Harrelson (“Zombieland”) and Ben Foster (“Alpha Dog”), who are tasked with notifying the loved ones of their fallen comrades. Things are complicated when Foster gets involved with a soldier’s widow. Acclaimed actresses, Samantha Morton (“Minority Report”) and Jena Malone (“Stepmom”), round out the cast.

♥ “Alice in Wonderland”

This Tim Burton film hasn’t been released yet, but it’s already won an award. “Alice” was proclaimed the Most Anticipated Fantasy Film at the 2009 Scream Awards. If that still doesn’t convince you to see it, Oscar nominees Anne Hathaway (“Rachel Getting Married”) and Depp are in the movie.

Besides, Hollywood frightens me. Selling yourself in order to work. Giving a pound of your flesh. Good stories need good actors to make them believable. The more you see someone on magazine covers or selling shampoo, the less you can relate to them as that character.”

— Samantha Morton

From the interesting piece, “Not Afraid of the Dark,” in  The Guardian.

In his most powerful performance to date, Ben Foster stars as Will Montgomery, a U.S. Army officer who has just returned home from a tour in Iraq and is assigned to the Army’s Casualty Notification service. Partnered with fellow officer Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson) to bear the bad news to the loved ones of fallen soldiers, Will faces the challenge of completing his mission while seeking to find comfort and healing back on the home front. When he finds himself drawn to Olivia (Samantha Morton), to whom he has just delivered the news of her husband’s death, Will’s emotional detachment begins to dissolve and the film reveals itself as a surprising, humorous, moving and very human portrait of grief, friendship and survival.

Extreme closeup: Ben Foster

With Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger.”

Since his breakout role on HBO’s Six Feet Under, Ben Foster has appeared in one high–profile feature film after another. He played the mutant Angel in X–Men: The Last Stand, drug–addled teen Jake Mazursky in the crime drama Alpha Dog, and psychotic cowboy Charlie Prince in the western remake 3:10 to Yuma. Foster’s new film is The Messenger, in which he and Woody Harrelson are emotionally scarred veterans of the Iraq war, assigned “the worst job in the Army” Stateside — notifying family members that a loved one has been killed overseas.

Against orders and against logic, Foster’s character falls for a young widow, played by Samantha Morton.

Foster, Harrelson and writer/director Oren Moverman will attend Saturday’s screening of The Messenger at the Trustees Theater; afterwards, both actors will receive awards from the Savannah Film Festival.

The Messenger — the first film to put Foster’s name not only above the title, but above those of his co–stars — has been getting rave reviews. There’s talk of an Oscar nomination for Foster.

At 29, Foster has more good notices under his belt that many film actors twice his age. He is known for his piercing eyes and quiet intensity — and his ability to deliver the goods, even when the film itself is substandard (see the recent Pandorum).

It occurred to me that Jake Mazursky in Alpha Dog and Charlie Prince in 3:10 to Yuma are like different generations of the same character. Do you ever worry you’re getting typecast as the intense, crazy guy?

Ben Foster: I’m sure on some level some psychologist could have a field day with me on the roles that I end up doing. It’s really project to project, and where I’m at and who I get to play with.

You left Iowa at 16 and went to L.A., and started working almost immediately. Do you ever pinch yourself?

Ben Foster: Oh certainly, every day. I was talking to my mom about this very thing not a few days ago. I’m incredibly lucky. There are so many gifted people who aren’t at the right place at the right time, for whatever reason. That’s not to say it’s been an easy road. And at the end of it, hopefully, I’ll be able to keep playing.

What do you look for in a role?

Ben Foster: It really depends on where you’re at. This idea of only doing projects that speak to the deepest corners of your inner core, that’s somewhat laughable to say these days, and where this industry is at. That being said, I’m not going to choose a job and spend two or four months of my life with strangers making something if I didn’t believe that we could create something collectively that was exciting. Sometimes it turns out really well, and other times… there are limitations. Creative limitations, financial limitations, time.

Do you ever realize this while the film is in production — “This one’s not going to be so great, but I’ve committed” — or do you always have to believe it’s going to be a great movie?

Ben Foster: I gotta go in thinking that each one’s going to be special. It doesn’t have to be the greatest film of all time, but if you don’t have that belief… you know, only you can blow your own candle out. And it adds up if you’re doing things that you don’t believe in. If you’re approaching a role as an actor approaching a role, there’s too much distance. It doesn’t feel good, and people don’t respond to it, and it’s just not worth the time. Sometimes, it works out well.

You recently co–starred with Dennis Quaid in Pandorum. The reviews were… well, not good. What were you thinking as you read the script?

Ben Foster: It was a fairly innocent read. It held my attention. I was very apprehensive about doing it, but I spoke with Christian Alvart, the director, and he had a very specific idea of how he wanted to shoot it… I turned it down again.

I think they came back to me three times, and I guess like I felt I was taking myself too seriously and thought “I’d certainly like to go to the movies and be entertained.” I hadn’t done a proper sci–fi picture before, so I gave it a shot.

You played astronauts in a broken spacecraft. What was shooting that like?

Ben Foster: It didn’t turn out — in the experience, nor in the final product — the way that it was presented to me. And that’s fairly frustrating.

How did you approach The Messenger?

Ben Foster: The Messenger has certainly been a labor of love. I’m pretty press–shy, but for The Messenger I’m going on a full tour, and that’s not limited to the fact that I’m just proud of the film as a whole; more importantly, I’m proud of the questions it asks.

I was drawn to it initially because of Oren. It was the only script that dealt with the war, that I had read, that presented the results of warfare without taking an overtly political side. To get lost in that world… it’s having the opportunity to learn things that I don’t know about. I’ve had friends in the military, but the opportunity to spend time with vets, and the soldiers that have come back, it was truly a life–changing experience.

We went to Walter Reed Hospital and spent time in the amputee ward. The head of Casualty Notification for the United States was on set with us every day. I wouldn’t say it was an easy shoot, but the space that Oren created and the resources for research, allowed us all to get lost. And getting to work with Woody Harrelson, who I think handed in one of his finest performances. Harrelson is my brother. I’d do anything for that man!

And Samantha Morton and Jenna Malone… I can’t imagine that anyone gets an opportunity to do too many that stick with you to this degree.

Do you go looking for fresh challenges?

Ben Foster: I guess the challenge is: I’m beyond compelled to put myself in a situation where I could experience something that ordinarily I wouldn’t have the opportunity to. So yes, it’s exciting. It’s mostly exciting to work with people who give a shit.

You practice transcendental meditation. What does TM do for you?

Ben Foster: It’s a technique, twice a day. It’s not a religious or even a dogmatic technique, it’s an ancient, simple, quiet, internal technology that you do with yourself. It’s basically gettin’ rid of the static. It’s tuning, you know?

It’s not as simple as just saying “clearing your head.” It’s a rooting and a tuning, if that makes any sense.

There’s just so much input in the world, and we absorb this. And our families, and our work, there’s so many demands. And what this does, it’s a reset button. So it allows me more energy, when I take 30–45 minutes in the morning.

Yeah, it’s a pain in the ass on set. If my call time’s 5 in the morning, I gotta get up at 4. But what it gives me during the day is just a resource of energy, and the ability to hear what I’m actually thinking, rather than spitting back what I’ve been told.

It’s up to you how you use it. It’s like eating well and getting a good night’s sleep: You’re going to perform better — whatever action you’re doing, with friends or family, or your job or on your own. It’s just a stabilizing resource of energy, and clarity of thought.

What’s next for you?

Ben Foster: I just finished shooting a film in Armenia called Hear — it’s kind of a meditative road movie. And now I’m on my way to New Orleans to shoot some guns with Jason Statham. It’s a remake of the Charles Bronson movie The Mechanic.  cs

Savannah Film Festival: The Messenger screening

Where: Trustees Theater, 216 E. Broughton St.

When: At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31

Tickets: $5–$10, at (912) 525–5050

Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster Tribute accompanies the screening

See the trailer for the film here.

Also see: Extreme closeup: Woody Harrelson

Mister Lonely
d. Harmony Korine / 2006 / UK-France-Ireland-USA / 148 mins
Viewed on: Force Entertainment DVD (Region 4)

First of all, I should probably admit to being something of a Harmony Korine fan. I’ve loved him ever since I picked up a VHS rental of Gummo, basing my selection purely on the back cover blurb and the wonderful image that adorned its front: Jacob Sewell sitting on a toilet, playing an accordian and wearing rabbit ears. Come to think of it, the first meaningful thing I ever wrote about film (that wasn’t for uni, anyway) was a little career retrospective thing on Korine for my (very) short-lived ‘zine, Incision. And in spite of all that, this was the first time I had seen Mister Lonely.

It was partly down to my general slackness, but also partly a result of circumstance: I couldn’t afford to travel to Melbourne to see its screening at MIFF 2007 and then I missed its extremely brief run in Adelaide, the Australian DVD was released after I had returned to the UK and the planned UK DVD never eventuated because Tartan went bust. An even larger part, though, was fear. After all, Mister Lonely didn’t get the most glowing notices and it certainly couldn’t stir up any sort of critical acclaim. Simply put, I was nervous about the fact that, following on from the sheer brilliance of Gummo and Julien Donkey-Boy, Mister Lonely just might not be any good.

Well, I’m glad to report that – from my perspective at least – those assumptions were totally unfounded. It’s not a film I would recommend to most people, sure, and it certainly has its deficiencies, flitting between the brilliant and the banal and delving painfully close to bad sketch comedy territory at times. It also suffers from a relatively unsatisfactory and downright hokey final scene. Fairly minor complaints, though, for what is – for me – yet another unique and intriguing viewing experience from Monsieur Korine.

On the plus side, cinematographer Marcel Zyskind adds to Korine’s ever-excellent set pieces with a series of exquisite shot compositions, and the underlying obsession with vaudeville and the carnivalesque that is constantly simmering away beneath all of Korine’s films is more overtly in evidence here, as his love of music hall-esque nonsensical wordplay.

Plot-wise, Mister Lonely relates the tale of a Michael Jackson impersonator (Diego Luna) who, whilst struggling to make ends meet in Paris, meets his Marilyn Monroe equivalent (Samantha Morton) who invites him to join her at a commune in the Scottish highlands. There he meets Marilyn’s husband – Charlie Chaplin (Dennis Lavant) – her daughter, Shirley Temple and a whole host of impersonators including the Pope, the Queen of England, Abraham Lincoln, Madonna and James Dean. Running parallel to the central narrative is a curious subplot involving Father Umbrillo (Werner Herzog, in his second role for Korine) an eccentric missionary in South America, charged with supervising a band of skydiving nuns.

In terms of casting, Luna’s embodiment of Michael Jackson’s enigmatic side is spot on and Morton is at her usual brilliant best. That said, after seeing her in both Mister Lonely and Synecdoche, New York, I do begin to suspect that she has only one American accent at her disposal. As for Werner Herzog, I think we all knew – deep down – that he is a Minister of some sort. I suppose it just took his chief apostle to show us the light.

Once again, the parallels to Herzog’s own directorial ouvre are evident in the idea of microcosmic human worlds and the whole South American/religiousity subplot. But echoes also appear in one particular sequence that uses a rather Popol Vuh-sounding track by A Silver Mt. Zion immediately after Herzog’s monologue about the nuns, which sounds very much like him describing the two blind kids in Even Dwarfs Started Small (whilst wearing their goggles, no less!)

Generally speaking, it has been argued that Harmony Korine’s films are, at best, both disorganised and scatalogical. Mister Lonely, with its two parallel narratives and its focus on more subtle human compunctions, is – I think – somewhat less so. What isn’t said as often, however, is how totalistic his films are. You may disapprove the subject matter or deride his methods, but you will find it much harder to question the internal logic of Harmony Korine’s world/s.

Which brings me to a dream I had about twelve months ago, in which I tried to visit Harmony Korine on the highlands set of Mister Lonely. As one may expect from a dream, my attempts were thwarted repeatedly by Korine’s uncanny skill for evasion. One particularly vivid moment had me running towards a house in the woods after a tip-off, only to see Korine escaping in a helicopter.

And perhaps this is something of an unconscious analogy for the most common reaction to Korine’s films: people seem to like elements of them, or admire their audacity or the director’s boldness of vision, yet they remain acutely unable to partake in a wholehearted appreciation of his work. For many people, Harmony Korine simply proves too elusive a filmmaker. Perhaps that’s why I like him.

Next stop: Trash Humpers.

Ben Foster plays a soldier back from the Middle East – a very strong, very silent type, Foster’s apparent preference: quiet, smoldering intensity. Foster kicks ass. With three months till he is discharged, he is assigned to be an Angel of Death; knocking on doors and breaking bad [news] to the loved ones of recently dead soldiers (all of these scenes are experienced without cuts) under the tutelage of veteran consoler Woody Harrelson. Foster cultivates an oh-so-sensitive quiet cerebral relationship with a widow whom he follows a bit, Foster & Harrelson drive through their assignments and we get lots of male bonding, a few war stories, and more than a little time spent alone in rooms… Sorry, what was I saying? Drifted off there for a moment. It’s a big fat indie drama setup, and can join 100 more indie films about dealing with loss and starting over.

Actually Messenger was fine. Very understated – successfully so. The jokes worked. The timing was solid. Never really lingered too long (‘cept that kitchen scene). Technically there’s little wrong with it. It’s just me… wicked impatient. I was going with the film fine until three-quarters of the way through when quite suddenly I wanted to tear my hair out and/or leave immediately. I did neither. And that was for the best, I spose. Messenger wouldn’t have been endurable without the inspired casting of Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson. The rest of the cast are passably utilized with the exceptions of Jena Malone, who rises higher and whom we always appreciate, and Steve Buscemi, who, hard as he tries, should perhaps not be called upon to take on a charged emotional role (here, grieving father) – or Moverman didn’t know how to utilize him. It is his first offense, so it’s forgivable. But I really like Foster. There’s no doubt that he’s a workhorse and a very intuitive observer of emotional minutiae. He made what could’ve been a rather dull film much more engaging. And of course Harrelson is ever entertaining. Typically cast as an outspoken, loveable and intelligent enough Bumpkin, he doesn’t seem to have any problem with it. He also works very hard, and very frequently. As does Malone – and yes Buscemi too. So again: mostly great casting. Keep it up and no matter how slow your films are, they’ll remain watchable.

The Messenger: opening in theaters Nov. 23, 2009.
Directed by: Oren Moverman
Starring: Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton and Jena Malone

I am so glad that Ben Foster is honing his acting chops. After seeing him on the TV show and my personal favorite, Flash Forward, in 1996 I knew it would be not be the last I saw of him. Slowly he’s climbed that Hollywood ladder with X-Men: The Last Stand and 3:10 to Yuma. Now this dramatic film, written and directed by Oren Moverman, should be another stepping stone for Foster. Woody Harrelson also seems to pull out his inner thespian in this film.

Me and Orson Welles: opening in theaters Nov. 25, 2009.
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Starring: Christian McKay, Ben Chaplin, Claire Danes and Zac Efron

Curiosity made me pick this film. Not only am I curious as to how Christian McKay will portray one of my cinematic idols, Orson Welles, but I’m also intrigued by Zac Efron in this film. It should be fascinating to see him in a more grown-up film. Also, director Richard Linklater wrote and directed my two favorites, Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. If anything, it should be cinematically compelling because Linklater is a great director.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: opening in theaters in limited release Dec. 25, 2009.
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
Starring: Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger, Jude Law, Colin Farrell and Christopher Plummer

This is Heath Ledger’s last film. And he didn’t even finish it. Not only is the film’s premise slightly confusing, therefore intriguing, but how exactly will director Terry Gilliam (you may know him from a little group called Monty Python) explain four different actors playing the same role? That shall be a sight to see.