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Inception…..Was it that good? by Chris Vander Putten

So….Inception.

                I am an enormous Christopher Nolan fan.  I love his work, almost unconditionally at this point, and let’s face it; there are very few comic book fans out there that don’t.  Batman Begins redefined the nature of the Comic Book Movie, and then the Dark Knight practically perfected it, melding the outlandish and absurd aspects of the fictional universe in a way that is just on the right side of believability.  But as big of a comic book fan as I am, I had loved The Prestige even more.  I have always been enamored with Stage Magic as well as the Victorian era, so I was bound to love it more than most.  My Grandfather was no mean magician himself, and would often entertain with various card tricks and slightly more complicated illusions, (Calling the Wizard was a personal favorite, and there are few members of my family who aren’t familiar with it).  Naturally, with my adoration of Mr. Nolan’s films firmly in place, I trekked over to the movies last night to see Inception, his newest thriller.  The movie clocks in at just under 2 ½ hours, and the plot is complicated but well explained.  I had expected a good sci-fi flick, perhaps with a little heart and some cool action sequences.  But I was wrong; Inception was not a good movie.

It was a great one.

It is, without a doubt, the finest piece of Science Fiction made in the last ten years.  Within ten minutes of the movie ending, I was so blown away that I had instantly put it alongside the two greatest Sci-Fi films of all time, Bladerunner and The Terminator.  In fact, the film owes a great deal to the former, and yet again, Nolan reminds me of Ridley Scott with his attention to detail and ability to navigate genre films and make them truly extraordinary.  The film is not short of spectacle, but it is all handled with extreme precision and beautiful camera work.  The set pieces are elaborate and wholly realized, never once feeling fake or contrived.  The film pulls you in and makes you believe in the concepts without any doubts; you have no room for disbelief because you are too intrigued.  While it is for sure a complicated film, it is all meticulously explained.

The performances were top notch, but I’d like to cal out a few in particular.  Dicaprio, as always, proves yet again that he is an extraordinary talent, but that is at this point to be expected.  Ken Watanabe is perfect in his role, as he always is, and I wish that American studios would give him more work.  While he has only done a small number of American films, his performances are always excellent and he always brings a regal intensity to the role he is playing.  Ellen Page here proves that she is capable of great range beyond the hipsterism laced dialogue of Juno (which I loved, don’t get me wrong).  Joseph Gordon Levitt is perhaps one of the most remarkable actors of his (my) generation, and to have come from an amusing, but fairly average sitcom like 3rd Rock from the Sun, it is all the more extraordinary.  I always liked him, and Ten Things I Hate about You is one of my favorite teen comedies, but he really has exploded in the last few years and I hope he never goes away.  (it does seem that perhaps Nolan himself has an affinity for Ten Things, lets watch for Julia Stiles or Larry Miller in his next film and my suspicions will be confirmed.)  Dileep Rao, who I loved in Drag me to Hell, was perfect casting.  Tom Hardy, who has been tapped to play Mad Max in an upcoming 4th installment, steals every scene he is in, grabbing attention away from fan favorites and more recognizable stars.  Hs character brings a small amount of levity to an otherwise serious film, and he oozes charm like a bond villain.   Cillian Murphy, Tom Berenger (what?) and Nolan favorite Michael Caine round out the cast and all perform to their usual standards.  (Caine is always fun to watch, and despite his minimal screen time is still an influential part of the film).  Pete Postlethwaite, who is one of films great “That Guys”, shows up a few times for some pivotal moments.  (He also appears as an uncredited barber in Ridley Scott’s first film, The Duelists, but since I am one of the ten people who always notice him, I may be the only one who knows).

                Nolan has always had some trouble with fight scenes, however Inception certainly changes that.  There is one fight between Arthur (Levitt) and a few “projections” (see the film, too much to explain here) that might be the coolest fight seen I have ever seen. 

Go see Inception, go see it now, it really is something to behold, and proof that in this world of remakes, reboots adaptations and Facebook: The Movie (really David Fincher, really, you directed Se7en for Christ’s sake), there are still original ideas out there that can wow and stun like no other.

A Nightmare on Elm Street….actually, I liked it.

 

 Dir: Samuel Bayer. 

Star:  Jackie Earle Haley, Rooney Mara, Thomas Dekker

                 So a lot of people are complaining about the latest horror remake to come out.  However, I find their complaining odd, because almost everything I liked about the film are the things that other critics disliked a lot, but more on that in a bit, first, the specs.  A Nightmare on Elm Street, for those who missed it the first eight times around, is the story of a group of children in Springwood Ohio, (yes, Ohio, which apparently is about a five minute walk from Venice Beach in the original, Palm trees Wes, really, like we didn’t notice) who are menaced in their dreams by the horrifically scarred and blade handed horror icon Freddy Krueger.  If Freddy kills you in the dream, you die in real life.  This simple premise has spawned 7 sequels of varying quality (1 awesome, 2 awful, 3 great, 4 good, 5 good, 6 abysmal, 7 really good, 8 (the vs. film) hysterical) a television series, toys, games, costumes and now the latest reiteration, a big budget remake helmed by music video director Samuel Bayer and produced by, (cue sigh) Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes. 

                The first film is one of my favorites, and as any other horror junkie will tell you, Krueger is by far one of the best things to ever come out of our genre.  His iconic red and green sweater, bladed glove, beat up fedora and burned visage has been haunting the nightmares of cinema goers for 26 years.  And while I love Robert Englund, even he admitted I was time for new Freddy.  So we get Jackie Earle Haley, who apparently decided he didn’t want to languish in B movie obscurity anymore about five years ago and exploded on to the big budget scene with a fury and talent that literally blew the mind of everyone who witnessed it.  I’m sure those close to him know the talent in this unsung teen performer, but the rest of the world had no idea that the kid from the bad news bears might be one the best character actors, and one of the most unsettling ones, in the world.  Let’s take a moment to consider him.  Little Children, while not being the lightest hearted time I’ve ever spent watching a film, was an intense and truly disquieting piece of work, and Haley nailed his performance so much that I don’t ever see the need to watch the film again, not if I want to sleep anyway.  Then there was Watchmen.  Say what you will about the film, (I love it more and more with each viewing, but I’m not Alan Moore, so it’s okay) but if you didn’t hear Haley’s voice in your head before, you defiantly do now.  He was unarguably the best and most on target part of the film. 

Now when I heard they were remaking A Nightmare on Elm Street, (hereafter referred to as ANOES), I groaned, I shuddered, I railed at the heavens and demanded justice.  Then Haley was cast, and for a moment, I thought, good god, it might be good.  Then the first trailer….okay, then the second trailer and the anger flared up again, a possibly innocent Freddy! No never, I will not feel pity for a child murderer, it will not happen.  Well, SPOILER ALERT, not only was he guilty, (and how!) but he is closer to the truly horrible individual that Wes Craven had originally wanted.  Yes, an evil child murderer is one of the worst things in the world, but what might be worse….keep thinking…..the uncomfortable feeling in the pit of your stomach is the word pedophile, and that is what Freddy Krueger was supposed to be.  However, when the film was in production, there was a lot of publicity surrounding child abuse scandal, especially in preschools.  Because of this, Freddy was turned into just a killer, which, while horrible, is not as brutally offensive to people as molestation.  Not wanting to be accused of exploited the horrors of child abuse (and who can blame him); Craven compromised his vision and allowed the character a little more levity.  This is turn allowed the character to become the sadistic but jokey prankster he later became.  Let me tell you, Haley cracks a few one liners, but at the end of the day, child rape jokes are never funny, and that’s what you get.  My point is, if you want to laugh at Krueger, watch Dream Warriors.  If you want to see why the idea of Freddy Krueger was so originally terrifying, watch Haley channel an unsettling combination of Rorschach and Ronald James McGorvey into a great reinterpretation of Cravens original idea.  My point is that while Englund will always be Freddy, he is fun character, terrifying yet amusing, and a character you could almost root for as slices and dices the teens of Elm Street in weird and sometime silly ways.  Haley’s Krueger is never going to be that character, and I wouldn’t want him to try. 

Now many critics have complained about this fact, but I say no, why would I want Haley to try and duplicate Englund’s performance? I want a new Freddy, I want to see something different, and I felt I really did, so bravo to Haley if nothing else.

Sure the acting is a bit heavy handed from the younger cast, but let’s face it, so as the acting in the original (I’m looking at you Depp,) and as for the excessive jump cuts, eh…it’s a horror movie, not a suspense thriller, not a torture porn gore fest, it’s a horror movie, and a slasher at that.  I want jump cuts, I want blood, I expect over acting, and I enjoy every minute of it.  And as far as comparison and I know I’m risking the ire of the horror elite here, but I like the climax of this one much better, (not the conclusion mind you, I was hoping to see the striped rag top.)  The original is a classic, and will always be one of my favorites, but the climax is a bit like a precursor to Home Alone.  I enjoyed the secret room, and while I didn’t buy for a second the red herring plot device in the third act (innocent Freddy, come on, you didn’t really buy that did you) I understood it for the purposes of the narrative. 

In fact, the more and more I think about it, the more I am please with the remake, and I hope we see more of ANOES 2.0.  Samuel Bayer is a visually impressive director, who took his cues from Craven’s earlier film with a deft combination of homage and innovation.  I wish Michael Bay would stick to the financial aspects of the film, (we know who put that explosion in the film, it didn’t have to be there and it’s like a god damn signature at this point) but I’ll take what I can get.

Final Verdict, while the original is still a classic, I felt ANOES was a capable and enjoyable horror film, with enough homage and reverence for the original to make me smile, and enough new angles to make me enjoy it on its own.  So for better or for worse, I’m going to take the leap and give it a three out of four…..better lock your door

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

New Doctor Who Instantly Wins by Chris Vander Putten

I am not a long time fan of Doctor Who, the long running (35 seasons) British sci-fi show, however, I became a fan when the new series began in 2005.  To say I was instantly hooked is an understatement, the mix of absurdism, classic sci-fi, and charming characters was all I needed to have a new favorite show.  With David Tennant’s departure last year, I was apprehensive about Matt Smith, the 11th incarnation of the Timelord hero.  you see, this was my first foray into the regeneration and adjustment of a new Doctor.  i missed the 9th Doctor episodes, and in fact saw the first series with Christopher Eccelston after I had already seen a fair amount of episodes with David Tennant, so there was nothing new or unexpected.  so it was with great trepidation that I sat down and watched the first episode of the 5th series “The Eleventh Hour”.  The episode started strong, but I was not sure of who this Doctor was.  was he goofy but terrifying, as Tennant was, or was he snotty and angry like Eccelston tended to be.  I had watched a few of the classic episodes since discovering the show, so I was fairly familiar with the previous incarnations.  The episode built to a gradual climax, and was reminiscent of my favorite ones from past seasons, (no surprise, Stephen Moffat is the new show runner, and he was responsible for the best of the last four seasons).  Then it came, the New Doctor, shedding his clothes and donning his current costume, began to lecture the alien craft on the dangers of attacking earth, it was a Tennant like speech, but different, a bit more sinister and violent in its implications.  As the Doctor asks the invading entity what happened to the previous invading forces, a montage of Doctors is played via blue hologram.  As the progression of faces goes on, Matt Smith walks through Tennant’s face and there he is, The Doctor, instantly at home in his new skin, and I for one had accepted him entirely.  the following episode was equally excellent, and Matt Smith shines in the role.  The episodes seem to be a bit darker than the past few seasons, the palate is more subdued and the storylines grimmer.  I imagine we will be without Russel T. Davies penchant for big world shattering finales, although i wonder which direction the show is headed in.  I cannot wait, I was worried, but in the end, the 11th Doctor won my admiration completely 43 minutes into the first episode.  Here is to the New Doctor, I hope he sticks around.

The Imaginarium of Terry Gilliam: His Glorious Return to Form – Chris Vander Putten

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus. **** 1/2 (out of 5)

Dir. Terry Gilliam

Tom Waits, Heath Ledger, Lily Cole, Christopher Plummer

with special apearnces by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell.

Unfortunately for the larger movie going masses, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus will not be heading to theaters near you, as I had a very small limited release.  This is both usual and unusual for several reasons.  It is a Terry Gilliam movie, which means it is a niche market that requires a lot of patience and devotion; however it is also the last film of Heath Ledger, whose final completed role as The Joker in The Dark Knight was one of the most memorable screen villains in recent years, an defiantly a testament o he ever changing power of the character.  But enough batman fan boy ranting.  Ledger’s performance in Parnassus was cut short by his death and the role is augmented by Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and finally Colin Farrell. 

The Immortal Parnassus himself is played by the always excellent Christopher Plummer (see my word o praise for him in the review of Wolf) whose traveling carnival is inhabited by his daughter, Lily Cole, and his dwarf assistant, the apparently also immortal Percy played by Verne Troyer.  The real treat in the film though comes from the villain of the piece, The Devil himself, referred to as Mr. Nick and played with scene stealing awesomeness by singer/songwriter/quite possibly the king of cool Tom Waits.   I would say more about his role, but words do not justify how much fun he is clearly having, and anyone who is a fan of his work needs to at least see the movie for him alone.  His wardrobe, which my friends will recognize as fairly similar to mine, is a combination of vaudeville showman and thespian chic.  Troyer provided good relief and was more than entertaining as one of Gilliam’s stock characters, playing the role that would have been played by Jack Purvis had this movie been made earlier. 

The film follows these characters as they attempt o thwart the Devil and collect five souls before he can.  The prize is Parnassus’ daughter, whom Mr. Nick will take when she is sixteen if Parnassus and his crew lose.  Tony, the mysterious outsider played by Ledger, helps them to lure the souls they need.   The imaginarium is the mirror that patrons step through into a world created entirely out of their own imaginations, which can be anything from the consumer giddy shoe palace to the dark slopes of a war torn country.  In each person’s imagination, Tony takes on a slightly altered appearance.  This explains the changing actors augmenting Ledger’s fantastic performance.  While I initially thought this would distract me form the film, the first transition – Ledger into Depp- is stunningly fluid and it took me a few moments to realize the switch had been made.  Law is a little more obvious, but still great, and Farrell made me almost forget he hadn’t been there the whole time.  What more, is that each actor, rather than change the movements and mannerisms Ledger establishes in the earlier part of the film, they seamlessly adapt to his style, creating an homage that enhanced and strengthened the film.  

A word of caution.  Gilliam is an acquired taste, his best films are the ones where he ran rampant on the screen, and his creative energy was allowed to spill over and craft truly unique films.  Movies like Brazil, the Fischer King, 12 Monkeys and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas are prime examples of this.  His more fantastic films such The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and Time Bandits are equally crazed but slightly, (really, only slightly) lighter in tone.  But it is those films where he has created his most memorable stories, his trademarks are in evidence and his voice is clear.  Crap like The Brothers Grimm which promised so much with its concept, stellar cast and Gilliam at the wheel was marred by the fact that it tried to be too accessible.  His fans, like myself, wanted the madcap almost sloppy way his films come off, we had gotten used to it, in fact embraced it.  Those unfamiliar with his work got a mediocre film that was a little weird. While we got something that was not nearly out there or weird enough.  Luckily, Parnassus delivers like classic Gilliam, I is dark and moody, imaginative and stunning to look at, it is claustrophobic and chaotic and at times all over the place, but if you are a Gilliam fan, you’ll most likely enjoy it.  I myself love Gilliam; Heath Ledger has always been one of my favorite actors.  I have always enjoyed Christopher Plummer and Tom Waits is in my Top Ten artists of all time lists.  I also have a tendency to be drawn to stories about carnivals, Faustian pacts, imagination and storytelling as themes and everything else that makes The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus.  So perhaps if you are anything like me, you will see the movie the way I did, as something lifted right from your dreams and into reality for the world to enjoy.  I hope you do.

Werewolf Retrospective III “The Howling” (1981) by Chris Vander Putten

The Howling (1981)  **** (Out of 5)

Dir. Joe Dante

Dee Wallace Stone

Patrick Macnee

             Joe Dante’s slick werewolf picture is filmed with gore and grisly transformation sequences.  It is a fun ride and an interesting take on the werewolf story.  The story is about a television news anchor (Stone) who, after a fairly unpleasant experience involving a serial rapist is sent to a recovery resort called “The Colony”.  While there, she and her husband face all manner of wolf related hijinks, not to mention the relationship of one of The Colony members with Stone’s would be rapist.  The werewolf effects are particularly striking; the monsters here are hulking beasts, powerful and brutal.  One memorable scene involves on character slowly transforming while approaching his victim, taunting him and inviting him to take a shot. (This scene was parodied in Kevin Smith’s “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”, Jason Lee repeats Quist’s lines verbatim during the bar scene) 

            Patrick Macnee turns in a great performance as the man who runs The Colony, which is full of werewolves rather than convalescing invalids.  The film is both hysterical and horrifying and is one of the few examples of the horror/comedy that really works, (one of best examples is another werewolf movie, but we will get to that one at a later date).  The monsters in The Howling do not require the moon to shapeshift; they simply require the will power.  the film is shot fantastically, the locations around The Colony are breathtaking and give the film an authenticity that might have been lacking with less production value. 

            The film is well acted and there are genuine moments of terror and suspense. The Howling is without a doubt on e of the most fun, grisly, and genuinely entertaining horror movies ever made.  Joe Dante has turned in some enjoyable thrills during his career, but this is probably his finest effort, and definitely one of the most well regarded films of the genre.  The climax of the film is perfect, and the shock ending at the end is an iconic moment in horror history.  Other werewolf films have come before it, and many others have been made after it, but the Howling remains on of the top five of the genre.  It is both a perfect example of how to do it right and a great homage to the classic wolf films to come out before it (check out the characters names and how they relate to previous efforts). 

The Howling was followed by six sequels of declining value, the second is unapologetically terrible despite Christopher Lee’s sincere attempt (we never blame Lee, ever! It just is not done.). The third is…well you have to see it to really comprehend its awfulness (it was subtitled “The Marsupials” and featured Dame Edna in a cameo, need I say more).  The fourth was a better adaptation of the original novel, but lacks the punch of the first installment and is very boring.  The fifth film was the first one I ever saw and well, thankfully did not ruin my taste for the first (good sets, that’s about it).  The sixth might be one of the earlier examples of werewolf vs. vampire, and despite an interesting carnival premise, is truly an abomination of cinema.  The final installment is perhaps the most shameless excuse for a film I have ever seen, cobbled together with bits and pieces of the previous four installments and then filled out with the lowest grade of actors sitting in the dessert and being awful.  It is also interesting to note that the first film has some of the best effects the genre has ever displayed, and the last definitely has the worst. 

As with many horror franchises, see the first, forget the rest.

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