Celluloid #97

In Theaters

the Town (2010) Affleck - Fun heist movie turned love story. Doug and three friends all grew up in Charlestown and take up robbing banks and armored vehicles - the town's favorite pastime. When Doug has to check up on the bank manager from their latest job, he ends up striking up a romance with her. He tries to keep it a secret and a "one last job" scenario develops. For a while I was worried that the film was heading for some Shawshank Redemption territory, but it refrains from that sort of sentiment. 3.5/5

In Home

Burden of Dreams (1982) Blank - Pretty incredible documentary about the making of Werner Herzog's Fitzcarraldo. The main struggle is the key scene where a boat is lifted up a mountain to cross into a river. Amazing that they pulled it off at all, and showcases Herzog's tendency to make film-making as difficult as possible. There are struggles with the natives and with nature as a whole; leading to Herzog's famous line about "nature is full of obscenity..." As a herzog acolyte, I loved it. 5/5

Greenberg (2009) Baumbach - Roger Greenberg is pretty unlikeable, but also really easy to relate to. He has spent some time in a mental institute (for depression?) and now at 40, he's wondering how to live his life. He gets involved with his brother's personal assistant (Greta Gerwig - I'm so into her normal-looking girl body) who is 26. She spends her time singing, drinking, fucking, etc. and Roger probably had a similar lifestyle at her age. What is supposed to happen to those "emerging adults" in their 30s? 3.5/5

Man with the Movie Camera (1929) Vertov - Early experimental film comprised of images and lacking actors, a set, or an actual story. Instead we are presented with some interpretation of life in Russia and the film at barely over an hour achieves a really great rhythm. Favorite sections include the factory scenes and the sports section. Easy to see this film's influence on later filmmakers. 4/5

Nosferatu (1929) Murnau - Classic vampire story, but with an emphasis on a plague connection. Villagers think that young people are dying from the dreaded disease, not from getting their blood sucked. While (or maybe because) this film is so old, Nosferatu is legitimately creepy, especially in the scene where he's carrying a coffin around. I would have liked this a lot more if not for one thing - the music! So bad, so out of place. 4/5

Seven (1995) Fincher - Crime thriller about two detectives trying to solve a case involving a serial killer using the "seven deadly sins" as his template for seeking out victims. The crime scenes are gruesome, but Fincher has a way of still preserving an artistic visual style. Brad Pitt plays a sympathetic idiot, and the ending is clever if a little obvious. Totally whet my appetite for Fincher's newest out this weekend. 4.5/5

Test Pattern #5

So before all of the new Fall shows start, I thought I should give myself a clean slate and post about the shows I have been watching all summer...

Dexter (Season 4) - Unfortunately some of the entertainment feeds I read totally spoiled this season for me, but even so, I really liked this season with John Lithgow as the primary antagonist. I think the season started a bit slow, but got going once Dexter and Arthur develop a closer relationship, things pick up. I gotten pretty used to the formula arc that every season seems to take (except Season 2...my least favorite season) where there's another serial killer on the loose. Debra is super annoying, but generally key in discoveries regarding the case, and the finales consist of Dexter killing the other serial killer. Even though I know and expect the plot to go that way, the chase is still fun, and entertaining to hear my roommate scream.

Friday Night Lights (Season 4) - The most tearjerky season yet. I literally cried every episode but two. Really, this season's core was about Matt Saracen and Tim Riggins and their continual heartbreaks. Matt and Julie break up, Matt loses his dad, and finally finds a way to move out of Dillon. Riggins couldn't hack it in college, so comes back to Dillon and tries to find a way to make a life for himself. He and his brother get involved in some illegal activity, but it's so sympathetic in this small town where it's hard to get ahead financially. I think this show has always been really good at dealing with racial issues, and this season they up the ante by moving the coach to the cross-town high school, which is demographically poorer and more diverse than relatively privileged Dillon High School. I enjoyed the additions of Vince, Luke, and Jess and it makes me really sad that next season will be the final season to cry about this town and these people.

Homicide: Life on the Street (Seasons 6 & 7) - Now, I'm pretty willing to name Homicide as one of the best shows of the 1990s, but the final season nearly tainted that impression. Season 6 introduces a few new, but not as beloved characters, but overall the season was still one of the best. The show dives deeper into some racial prejudices and takes an interesting direction with Kellerman's character. It's also the last season for Pembleton, which is both heartbreaking and fascinating to watch. Season 7 is a pretty big mess. At this point an additional couple characters are added which nobody really likes. The music also gets really strange this season and the storylines increasingly cheesy. I'm not really sure what happened to the writers or directors, but it was a definite misstep. I had to see the conclusion of this show...I just wish the last season wasn't so painful.

Peep Show (Season 1) - This show is easy to gobble up with 25 minute episodes and only 6 episodes per season (and available on Hulu). It's British and basically has two main characters who are roommates. They are both really pathetic but in completely different ways. Mark is really square and has a boring office job. He's also a little chubby, totally neurotic, and constantly plotting how to sleep with his co-worker while simultaneously worrying about some condition with his balls. Jeremy is a complete failure. He fancies himself an electronic musician, but he's awful and cannot land or keep any actual paying jobs. He is also obsessed with trying to get laid, but is only marginally more successful than Mark.

Sons of Anarchy (Seasons 1 & 2) - Maybe it's just me, but I feel like there is a mini-zeitgeist going on about motorcycle culture. The Dream came out with Yamaha. I happened to see the SF Vampire MC while drinking with some co-workers. Then there's Sons of Anarchy, which probably made me start noticing motorcycles at all. I'm pretty into this show...Katey Sagal is surprisingly hot as the main "old lady," the rival gang is a bunch of Latinos from Oakland, and there's this whole Hamlet thing going on between the main character (Jax) and his stepfather (Clay played by Ron Perlman) and Jax's dead father who left a manifesto behind. This show is full of likable gray characters with a strong sense of community and ties to family, but questionable morals in many other arenas. Season 2 features guest appearances by Henry Rollins and Alan Arkin...Season 3 is airing right now.

True Blood (Season 3) - My goodness has True Blood gotten ridiculous. I liked this season better than last season, but perhaps just because I've become numb to the sheer number of supernatural beings. At least Maryanne is gone...This time the main villain is Russell Edgington, a gay vampire who refuses to stop feeding on humans, has control over werewolves, and also wants to manipulate Bill, Eric, and get Sookie in his possession. This season includes fairies, werewolves, and werepanthers, and probably some other shit that I'm forgetting. Sam gets tired of being taken advantage of, Lafayette gets an annoying boyfriend, and Arlene is probably entering a Rosemary's Baby-type scenario. This show has gotten way past the point where I could recommend it to anyone and keep a clear conscience, but I just know I won't be able to help but watch next season.

Celluloid #96

In Home

American Teen (2008) Burstein - No secret that I'm a fan of movies and shows about teenagers - such a crossroads in peoples' lives. This documentary examines a group of students from an Indiana high school that fit pretty easily into typical teen cliques. Nerds, jocks, princesses, weirdo arty girl, etc. However, they all aren't so different - white, middle to upper class, things mostly work out for them, etc. Easy to watch in any case. 3.5/5

Burnt Money (2002) Pineyro - Argentinian film about a famous heist. Nene and Angel are a gay couple with more complications than most. It is the 60s and Angel also potentially has some psychological issues. They are called in for a job involving an armored car, but the deal goes sour. They get away with the money, but cause too many deaths to get away with the crime. For the rest of the film, they are either in hiding or on the run. Pretty sexy and violent. 3.5/5

Lake of Fire (2006) Kaye - Documentary about both sides of the abortion debate. For the most part, the lines are drawn between the religious and more secular people. However, the most interesting, and often most intelligent-sounding are those who don't fall neatly into those categories: the Catholics in favor of Choice, Atheist Libertarians in favor of Life. That being said, for clocking in at two and a half hours, I don't really feel like this film sheds light on anything original. 3.5/5

On the Waterfront (1954) Kazan - Longshoremen are engaged in a mob/union scandal. Terry sets up Joey for a mob hit and subsequently starts trying to spend time with Joey's sister. There's also a radical priest encouraging workers to speak up against injustice. For a time, the movie turns very "brother vs. brother" when Terry gets subpoenaed to testify against the mob. 4/5

Revenge of the Nerds (1984) Kanew - Lewis and Gilbert start college, only to be kicked out of their dorm rooms immediately because the jock fraternity has managed to burn their frat house down. They band together with other school misfits to start a fraternity of their own, then figure out ways to exact their revenge on the guys who have historically made their lives hell. Aged pretty well, a lot of fun. 4/5

Shotgun Stories (2007) Nichols - A father dies leaving behind two sets of half-brothers. One set was abandoned; the other beloved. Those that were abandoned don't even have proper names - Kid, Son, Boy. Nevertheless, the two sides embark on a dangerous feud resulting in deaths on both sides, knowing that forgiveness will be the only thing capable of ending the bloodshed. Arkansas has never looked so slow and sad. 4/5

Trust (1990) Hartley - Melancholy film about Maria, a pregnant high school drop-out who accidentally kills her father. Our other protagonist is Matt, a genius who hates his father, carries around a grenade, and won't watch television. Both of their families are terrible. They are also trying to track down a woman who stole a baby. The film is very arthouse 90s, with lots of musing about modern love, work, and general existentialism, and I really liked it. "Respect + admiration + trust = love"...if only that formula worked. 4/5

Celluloid #95

In Theaters

the American (2010) Corbijn - Basically a James Bond archetype, but with artsier prettier scenery, little dialogue, and slower pacing. George Clooney plays Jack, a weapons craftsman who works for some international entity and seems pretty lonely. He spends most of time working out with his shirt off and trying to date prostitutes. The film does a good job of ratcheting up the paranoia, but seems like it will be totally forgettable. 3/5

Machete (2010) Rodriguez - Awesome. While the film doesn't stray too far from Rodriguez's El Mariachi / Desperado storyline and tropes, I couldn't help but enjoy the bloodshed and hot but far from helpless ladies (who all have to make out with Danny Trejo at some point). Michelle Rodriguez is the best and I really liked Lindsay Lohan in her trashy/gaggy role. 4/5

In Home

Son of Rambow (2007) Jennings - Two English boys become friends of sorts. One is the son of a strict religious mother; the other barely has any adult supervision and just tries to please his older brother. It's the 1980s and together the boys try to make their own Rambo-style movie. Perhaps a bit too cutesy in my opinion. 3.5/5

Whip It (2009) Barrymore - Cute movie about a 17 year-old named Bliss who's having a hard time with her mother's domestic expectations and beauty pageants. She finds an outlet in roller derby, but has to keep it a secret. Most of the film follows your typical sports storyline and includes a teenage romance, but in both instances a nice "girl power" agenda for empowerment dominates, and really I'm a sucker for that. 3.5/5

Celluloid #94

In Home

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) Carpenter - A police station is relocating, but on its last night of operation a violent mob attacks. The film is pretty hilarious in its depiction of "the ghetto" as essentially a place full of zombie-like delinquents out to get civilians. I think it's also interesting how diverse the film tries to be, even including a woman and a prisoner as part of the "heroes." Fun, simple concept for a genre film. 4/5

Earth Girls are Easy (1989) Temple - Really campy film about three aliens who land in Geena Davis' pool. She's having problems with her fiancée, and takes them to get make-overs to fit in. Overall a pretty stupid movie, but I actually enjoyed the outrageous love scene with Jeff Goldblum, the dance off at the club with Damon Wayans, and the song about blonds. 2.5/5

Mildred Pierce (1945) Curtiz - Very dramatic story about a woman who will do anything for her daughter. After her husband leaves, she is forced to fend for herself, which she does quite well by opening a chain of restaurants. The daughter, Veda, is the worst. She's selfish, cruel, and obsessed with money. Not to mention, Veda also takes up with her mom's new boyfriend. Scandalous. 3.5/5

Slums of Beverly Hills (1998) Jenkins - A quirky film about a family living in dirtbag hotels in Beverly Hills in order to stay in a good school district. Also, a cousin/niece moves in after a stint in rehab. For the most part, this feels like an arbitrary collection of silly scenes along the lines of a Todd Solondz film, but much lighter in tone. 3/5

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) Hooper - Really creepy, and sometimes legitimately scary classic horror film. This movie contains so many interesting visuals including a house full of animal skulls and Leatherface dancing around with his chainsaw. The shots were much weirder and cooler than I would have expected for so simple a story. Other highlights include a disgusting hitchhiker played by someone who could be James Franco's delayed, gross brother. I liked this movie so much more than I would have thought. 4.5/5