REVIEW: “Jules and Jim”

July 7, 2014 by Keith Garlington

I consider François Truffaut’s “Jules and Jim” to be one of the acclaimed French director’s great films. Released in 1962, this movie was one of the pivotal films in the French New Wave movement. In fact, you can’t watch it without sensing that it’s doing something bold and new in terms of filmmaking. There’s such an energy and a freshness in both the technique and in the storytelling itself. More importantly it’s a fantastic bit of cinema that would go on to influence many other films including “Bonnie and Clyde” and “Thelma and Louise”

I really appreciate the filmmakers of the French New Wave. They left an unmistakable mark on motion pictures, and their styles and creative approaches stand out in every film they made. It was a movement of experimentation and of bucking the trends of moviemaking that they believed had grown stale. “Jules and Jim” showcases this in every facet of the movie. It’s playfully neorealistic both in its use of the camera and in its strikingly grounded narrative. But aside from its influential methods and techniques, I found the story itself to be an utterly fascinating look at friendship and the bumpy road that sometimes accompanies it.

Jules and Jim first meet in Paris in 1912 and they immediately become friends. A narrator whisks us through their early days as young men in Paris and we watch as a foundation is laid for what should be a lifelong friendship. Jules (Oskar Werner) is a shy and reserved Austrian who can’t seem to find the right girl. Jim (Henri Serre) is just the opposite. He’s a confident and outgoing Frenchman whose never had a problem with the ladies. Both enjoy art and poetry and they spend a lot of time just sharing the good things from their cultures with each other. All of their earlier and happier days fly by in the opening few moments of the film but that’s okay. Truffaut is clearly setting the table for the more important part of the story that lies ahead. Yet while brief, these opening moments are beautifully woven together and Truffaut’s camera allows us to perfectly comprehend how close these two friends are.

Through a series of events the two cross paths with the free-spirited Catherine (Jeanne Moreau) who takes their lives down an unpredictable road. Eventually their jobs, a war, and other things separate Jules and Jim, but it’s Catherine who always serves as the new centerpiece to their friendship and it’s the complicated relationship between the three that keeps bringing them back together. Moreau is superb and her character is a difficult one to place. At times she’s energetic, vibrant, and full of life. But at other times she’s disconnected, neurotic, or in states of depression. The different dynamics she brings to her already complex relationships with Jules and Jim makes for incredible cinema.

The twists that the film applies to relationships and love are profound and almost feel experimental. Things take such unorthodox and unconventional turns and they seem destined to end badly. The most obvious casualty would seem to be the friendship between Jules and Jim yet no matter what trial or contention the two face, their loyalty to one another stands. I’m not sure how much sense all of this makes because I’m desperately trying to dance around the details and I refuse to spoil it for anyone. Let’s just say Truffaut takes Jules and Jim down some roads that few people could or would endure.

All of this is told through the lens of a true visionary. Truffaut and other influential groundbreakers like Godard and Chabrol were forging new paths into cinematic storytelling. You see it in every frame of “Jules and Jim”. Truffaut’s camera adheres to no common or popular formula of the time. It’s living and moving and so many times he captures the perfect angle or presents a new technique. It’s the picture of what the French New Wave was all about. It’s such a departure from the traditional moviemaking of the time both in terms of style and story.

“Jules and Jim” may not always be mentioned in the same breath with Truffaut’s own “The 400 Blows”, Godard’s “Breathless”, or Chabrol’s “Le Beau Serge” but it deserves to be considered as one of the French New Wave’s best. It’s a film that’s lively and spirited while at the same time being a bit disturbing and perplexing. There are layers to peel back and new things to discover. In other words “Jules and Jim” offers a wonderful experience both technically and emotionally. Moreover it’s a firm reminder of why we still go to the movies.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

5 Phenomenal Movie Voices

July 6, 2014 by Keith Garlington

Have you ever watched a movie and heard a distinct voice that you immediately recognized even before you saw the actor? Throughout movie history there have been certain voices that are undeniably memorable and they often times can add to the strength of the character or the movie. Sometimes they are just incredibly cool and are automatically associated with the actors themselves. Today I’m looking at five of the best and most recognized voices in cinema. These are five voices that I could recognize regardless of the role. Now with so many great ones I wouldn’t call this the definitive list. But there is no denying that these five movie voices are phenomenal.

#5 – George Clooney

Some may scoff at this pick but I think Clooney’s voice is one of the most distinct in modern cinema. Clooney often gets hype for his good looks and sex symbol appeal. He’s also a really good actor with a voice that is undeniable. The gravelly voiced Clooney has used his voice in a number of ways from playing romantic pretty boys to dense-headed backwoods Southerners. But perhaps the best use of his distinguished voice came in Wes Andersons’ animated treat “Fantastic Mr. Fox”. Again, some may laugh at this choice, but I think it fits onto this list nicely.

#4 – Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson is an actor who has had an incredibly diverse career. But there has always been one constant – that amazing voice. The 63-year old Neeson has used his Northern Irish voice to portray men of high distinction as well as hard-as-nails tough guys. It simply doesn’t matter what film he is in, Neeson is almost always good. But along with good acting chops comes that voice which is simply one of the best. And I can promise you this, if I hear him telling me about his “particular set of skills” I’m certainly going to be intimidated.

#3 – Vincent Price

Whenever I think of Vincent Price a huge grin spreads across my face. Price is known as a horror picture icon but he actually started out as a character actor. He would soon find his true home in the horror and suspense genres and helmed many great classic horror films in the 1950s and 1960s. His most well known feature was his incredible voice. It was eerie and ominous and with it he was able to frighten audiences or at least make them squirm. He often played characters who were mysterious and slightly off and he would use that unforgettable voice to soak them with suspense. For me Vincent Price is a true film great who did more for a movie genre than some today realize.

#2 – James Earl Jones

Now c’mon folks, you had to know that the great James Earl Jones would have to be on any list mentioning great motion picture voices. The 83-year old Jones has had an incredible career winning Tony Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and garnering an Oscar nomination. But whenever I think of Jones I will always think of his voice. Armed with one of the most powerful and towering voices ever, Jones has played a huge variety of roles. He’s played small but pivotal supporting roles as well as iconic ones in landmark franchises. Remember, this is the man who voiced Darth Vader! James Earl Jones is a legend and that great voice is one reason why.

#1 – Jeremy Irons

I realize that this may sound utterly ridiculous, but Jeremy Irons has one of those rare voices that absolutely entrances me. It’s poetic, soothing, and pristine. But as with every great actor armed with an incredible voice, it can also be menacing, threatening, and unnerving. Irons’ English accent mixed with a graveled deepness is as distinguished as any other voice ever to grace the big screen. He has used it in such a wide range of ways while never once losing the qualities that makes it so recognizable. Irons is a stellar film actor and stage actor. He has also read a number of audio books. Just another testament to how magnetic his glorious voice is.

So there are my five phenomenal movie voices. See any you disagree with? Who would make your list? I would love to hear your selection in the comments section below.

Know Your Movies – One Image, Three Hints

July 2, 2014 by Keith Garlington

It can’t only be reviews, Phenomenal 5 lists, and commentaries, right? Know Your Movies is all about having fun. Here’s how it works: I’ll share a single shot from a movie. It can be extremely serious or completely absurd. After that I’ll provide you with three hints. The rest is up to you. Hop in the comments section and share your guess as well as any thoughts or memories you have on the movie, actor/actress, or the scene itself. It should be a blast.

Today’s image is from a film that is another of my favorites of all time. So here is the shot. Three hints will follow.

Hint 1: Released in 1967

Hint 2: The film was shot in Italy, Spain, & West Germany

Hint 3: Had an original running time of 2 hours 57 minutes

Now head to the comments and share your guess. It’s a great shot that should make it obvious for some. I would also love to hear your thoughts on the film, the scene, or anything else related to it. Now feel free to guess and discuss this fabulous movie classic.

5 Best Movies of the Year (So Far)

June 29, 2014 by Keith Garlington

Every year to start off July I look at my five favorite movies of the year so far. This year has been filled with surprises and a few unfortunate letdowns. What’s really taken me by surprise are the number of high-quality blockbusters. We have had some multimillion dollar stinkers, but there have been several big-budget movies that have been great. Obviously there are tons of movie still on the 2014 calendar so there is no promise that any of these films will make my end of the year ‘Best of’ list. But so far all of these have impressed me enough to be called my favorites of 2014 (so far).

#5 – “The Lego Movie”

I can’t believe I’m putting this ahead of “Edge of Tomorrow”, a movie I really loved. But what can I say? “The Lego Movie is…well AWESOME. Anyone who frequently reads my stuff knows that I am probably one of the pickiest people when it comes to animation. It takes a lot for an animated feature to win me over. “The Lego Movie” won me over big time. Not only is it the best animated film I’ve seen in the past few years, it is also one of the best comedies. The script from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller is smart, sweet, and downright hilarious at times. Then there is the entire look of the film. I was amazed at how incredible the characters and the landscapes looked. There is also tons of hidden humor, inside gags, and an emotional payoff that never felt lame or manipulative. This was a great film and all I can say is “Everything is Awesome”!

#4 – “X-Men: Days of Future Past”

I was excited for this film the moment I heard it was coming, but I was also a bit skeptical. The joining of all of the major X-Men cast members from the past series to the prequel-boot seemed a bit gimmicky and it had the potential to fall flat. I’m glad the returning Bryan Singer didn’t allow that to happen. In fact, “X-Men: Days of Future Past” is the best X-Men film since the first installment way back in 2000. A very smart and clever story anchor this time-jumping superhero film. It isn’t wall-to-wall action, but it builds upon some great character interactions and a compelling central hook. It also has a clear focus which kept it from being messy and convoluted. There are also some great performances particularly from McAvoy and Fassbender. For me this film reinvigorated the X-Men franchise and I hope the next film can do the same.

#3 – “Godzilla”

I think ‘nostalgia’ is going to play a big part in the remainder of this list. It is definitely one of the things that really sold me on “Godzilla”. I had absolutely no expectations for this film whatsoever, but what I found was a movie that beautifully hearkened back to the original Godzilla and so many of the other creature features of the 1950s. I liked how every character, regardless of the star who portrayed them, worked to serve the greater plot. I liked how the movie intentionally holds back and doesn’t take the modern day approach of barraging our senses. I liked how some of the characters are written as though they were plucked right out of the 1950s. There was so much about “Godzilla” that took me surprise. Many of the complaints some have shared I consider strengths, and I appreciate the approach from director Gareth Edwards. What a fun surprise.

#2 – “The Monuments Men”

I know I may receive some flack for this one but so be it. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve went against the majority. I loved “The Monuments Men”. I understand that many didn’t go for what director George Clooney was doing. I thought it was fantastic. He took a truly remarkable story and told it in the style of the buddy war movies of the late 1960s and early 1970s. That nostalgic approach was easy for me to warm up to. Even the end credits and Alexandre Desplat’s score hearkens back to those old films. I’ve watched “The Monuments Men” twice and my enthusiasm for the film hasn’t waned. I know many people wanted a different movie than what Clooney crafted and I certainly respect that. But I loved the cast, loved the remarkable true story, and I loved how it took me back to movies from a different time.

#1 – “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”

Even with all of my excitement and incredibly high expectations for this film, I was still caught off guard by how much I love this movie. In fact I went back to watch it again expecting to see my enthusiasm tempered. It definitely was not. I thought this was fantastic from start to finish. It succeeded in capturing the characteristics and nuances of the comic book character blueprints while telling a story that opened up the characters, was filled with nostalgia, and brought back memories of old-school action films. Every detail, every performance, and every plot twist worked for me on some level. And the Winter Soldier himself couldn’t be any better. I’m a huge fan of the Captain America comics, but even with my critical eye I had an absolute blast.

I cannot believe that this list is so blockbuster heavy, but that is the kind of year it has been. The big budget pictures have really surprised. Now the question is how will they hold up against the rest of 2014’s movies we have ahead of us. Time will tell but it has been a surprising year so far.

REVIEW: “Django Unchained”

June 24, 2014 by Keith Garlington

My initial reaction after first viewing Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” was incredibly mixed. So many critics and movie viewers loved the film while I struggled to get a true sense of my feelings towards it. In fact, my confliction was such that I never wrote a review for it. Now I have wrestled with this critical darling and I ask myself if my reservations still feel justified and is the film worthy of the massive amounts of accolades and praise heaped upon it?

One thing you have to give Tarantino is that he is a filmmaker with a definite style. But personally speaking it’s often his style that is both a strength and weakness of his films. I think that’s the case here as well. “Django Unchained” has a smart and instantly engaging blueprint. But there are stylistic choices, all signatures of Tarantino’s filmmaking, that are distracting and do more to promote his brand than actually strengthen the narrative. Many people love that about his pictures. I think it sometimes works against him and takes away his focus.

The story begins two years prior to the Civil War. A man named Django (Jamie Foxx) along with four male slaves is being driven like cattle by two slave handlers. They run into a German dentist named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) who ‘acquires’ Django and hires him to help find a group of outlaws known as the Brittle brothers. Django reveals to Schultz that he was married but was separated from his wife by a wicked slave owner. Schultz offers to help him find his wife in exchange for Django working for him through the winter. While together they run into a wild assortment of people, none more heterogeneous that a plantation owner named Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).

“Django Unchained” has been called Tarantino’s spaghetti western but we only occasionally see the similarities between his film and those Italian westerns that became popular in the late 1960s. This is really just a revenge tale with plenty of fancy dressing. The story starts up nicely and the opening 30 minutes or so sets a very interesting table. But then the film slows down a bit which begins drawing attention to its 165 minute running time. It picks back up once Candie appears and then falls into a stew of truly great scenes, uncomfortable but hilarious humor, goofy and outlandish graphic violence, and jarring injections of that Tarantino “style”. It makes the last third of the film range from fascinating and intense to messy and indulgent.

When Tarantino’s focus is on the right thing he can create some of the most mesmerizing scenes ever put to film. The opening sequence in “Inglourious Basterds” is a prime example. We get several instances of that in “Django Unchained”. There are moments when the dialogue is sharp and flowing which in turn creates scenes that turn out amazing. A long dinner table sequence at Candie’s plantation is one of my favorites. It’s crisp and fluid while also soaked in perfectly developed tension. There are a few other scenes where the humor hits with perfect timing and I found myself laughing out loud. QT is also always impressive with his camera. He can get a tad carried away at times but this film, like many of his others, looks great and there are several unforgettable shots.

But there are flipsides to almost all of these positives. While some scenes are brilliant and the dialogue strong, others drag out too long and feel false. Then there are the aforementioned style choices. Take the music. QT has always liked to incorporate unique music into his films which I appreciate. But here he goes from a musical homage to the theme from “Two Mules for Sister Sara” to bass-pounding hip-hop. Stylish? Sure. Jarring? Absolutely. And then there is the much talked about graphic violence. Tarantino definitely soaks the audience in copious amounts of blood, but it’s hard to take it serious. In one sense it strips away any emotional power. In another sense (which is what QT is after), it’s a really fun exercise in genre indulgence.

I do have to give props to the cast. I’ve never been a big fan of Jaime Foxx but he does a nice job here. He does stumble over the occasional bits of poorly written dialogue but as a whole this was an impressive performance. Christoph Waltz is just a tremendous actor and he always seems to fit nicely into Tarantino’s weird worlds. Leo DiCaprio has an absolute blast playing this twisted francophile wannabe slaver with bad teeth and a deceptive charm. He steals several scenes by going all in and you can’t take your eyes off of him. Samuel L. Jackson is a hoot playing possibly the most despicable character in the movie. He’s also undeniable funny at times and more than once I caught myself in uncomfortable laughter. And Kerry Washington is very convincing in one of the film’s few emotionally steady roles.

So what to make of “Django Unchained”? I understand that many absolutely adore the movie. The good moments are really good but each of them are bookended by one questionable narrative choice or a blast of QT style that doesn’t always help the film as a whole. To call “Django Unchained” uneven would be an understatement. It has its share of problems. But it also features fabulous performances, a wonderful visual flare, and a handful of purely brilliant sequences. Those things save it from completely drowning in Tarantino’s indulgence.