Author Archives: Keith Garlington

REVIEW: “Hostiles”

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Hostiles poster

A new traditional Western is somewhat of a rarity these days. You could say 2016 was the year of the subversive Western while 2017 didn’t offer much of anything for the genre. But then along comes “Hostiles” which sits somewhere between subversive and traditional.

“Hostiles” is written and directed by Scott Cooper, probably best known for his award-winning feature film debut “Crazy Heart”. The movie begins with the ‘traditional’ – a familiar but effective opening sequence showing a frontier family brutal attacked by a Comanche war party. The lone survivor, a wife and mother named Rosalie Quaid (played by an excellent Rosamund Pike), is left in a state of shock.

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The story then moves to Fort Berringer, New Mexico. Captain Joseph Blocker (Christian Bale) has seen his share of frontier bloodshed. And while he tells himself he was justified by simply “following orders”, the killing has taken a toll. He reluctantly accepts a mission to escort an imprisoned, dying Cheyenne war chief (Wes Studi) and his family back to their Montana tribal homeland on orders from President Harrison.

Bale and his handpicked soldiers set out with their Native American prisoners to make the dangerous journey north. Cooper fills this party with some good faces. Bale is outstanding with a ‘less is more’ approach and I’ve always enjoyed Wes Studi. But we also get Rory Cochrane, Jesse Plemons, Adam Beach and current flavor of the year actor Timothée Chalamet. Pike joins them after her traumatized Rosalie is discovered among the charred remains of her frontier home. A blood-soaked pilgrimage follows with several characters forced to reckon with their past and present sins.

There is an interesting line “Hostiles” walks. On one side it openly recognizes the part bigotry and brutality played in American policy towards the indigenous peoples. On the other side it doesn’t insult Native Americans by portraying them as overly sentimental dramatic pieces. Walking that line is Blocker, disillusioned by the military he has blindly served and bitterly prejudiced because of the men he has lost in battle with the natives. He is the film’s centerpiece and while there are intriguing ideas about what he represents, I was just as much into his personal quest as a broken man in search of repentance.

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“Hostiles” is a bleak and tough-minded movie. In Cooper’s portrayal of death and suffering neither discriminates and none of his characters are free from the sting whether it be during their trek north or from scars of the past. Cooper uses explosions of violence but he also allows for quiet meditative moments that aren’t without purpose. It makes for a slow burn which may not satisfy those looking for a more traditional western shoot ’em up. But as the group moves across Masanobu Takayanagi’s beautifully shot landscapes I appreciated the action as well as the contemplation.

Some of the responses to “Hostiles” have been curious. Many have criticized Cooper for his “white perspective” even going so far as to say the movie is an attempt to ease a nation’s guilt over their treatment of Native Americans. Those are dramatic stretches which tags the film with an unfair label. It never draws a broad equivalence between the motivations of the U.S. Army and the natives. Again, Blocker makes several references to his “job” which he knows is genocide. And the Army’s atrocities take various forms within the characters particularly Cochrane’s and in Ben Foster who appears later on. It’s even hinted at in the D.H. Lawrence quote which opens the movie — “The essential American soul is hard, isolate, stoic, and a killer. It has never yet melted.”

“Hostiles” is unquestionably solemn and dour yet fittingly so considering the subjects it wants to explore. But at the heart of the movie lies a message of reconciliation and healing which is especially welcome during our current times of such division. The wonderful final shot offers us a glimmer of hope. It’s filled with uncertainty and it’s far from tidy. Yet it’s hopeful in a way that brings the film’s ultimate message to light.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

4-5-stars

REVIEW: “The Commuter”

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COMMUNTER POSTER

I must admit, I do find some enjoyment in these January/February Liam Neeson action-thrillers. They are rarely great but almost always entertaining (to varying degrees). These things started with 2009’s “Taken” which reinvigorated Neeson’s career and made him an unexpected action star. Multiple films have followed (most with the same familiar flavor) and most do pretty well at the box office.

The latest addition is “The Commuter” which sees Neeson playing a 60 year-old ex-cop turned insurance salesman named Michael MacCauley. Each day he takes the same train into the city with many of the same fellow commuters. His daily routine is shattered when out of the blue he is laid off from his job. Now unemployed with a son heading to college and a mortgage due, Michael boards his train for the ride home to break the news to his wife.

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As he takes his seat an unusually inquisitive woman played by Vera Farmiga sits opposite of him. Turns out she and the people she works for know a lot about Michael. The mystery lady tells him of $25,000 hidden in the train’s bathroom. If Michael takes the money they will consider him working for them. All he has to do is identify a passenger who goes by the name of Prynne before the train’s final stop. If he does that an additional $75,000 is his. The woman hops off and the train leaves the station.

The financially desperate Michael finds the money in the bathroom but quickly learns the task isn’t as easy or as innocent as it sounds. The people pulling his strings prove to be bad news and they will do anything to get the job done including hurting Michael’s family. From their the film becomes a cross between Michael identifying Prynne while also finding a way out of the mystery group’s clutches.

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As the train speeds along the track it’s the story that flirts with derailment. The further it goes the more intense and absurd it becomes. But that’s part of what I like about these things. Plus I enjoy watching Neeson who by now can do this role in his sleep. I also like the always good Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson who pops up playing Michael’s sympathetic friend and ex-partner (sorry, no Ed and Lorraine Warren shared universe stuff). But it’s Neeson who keeps the story rolling which isn’t the easiest of tasks.

“The Commuter” marks Neeson’s fourth collaboration with Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra. All four of their ‘race against the clock’ thrillers feature the same basic framework with a few narrative differences. In other words you know what to expect – a fast pace, good action, that Neeson growl, and some amusing corniness. If you don’t like their previous movies this one won’t change your mind. But if you’re like me and get a kick out of these things “The Commuter” will give you what it promises. Nothing more, nothing less.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

3-stars

REVIEW: “Paddington 2”

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I still remember January 2015 and the delightful little surprise that was “Paddington”. January is the time of year often known as a dumping ground for movies with little studio support. “Paddington” landed in the United States (after a successful 2014 launch overseas) and not only gave us something to watch early in the year, but a really good movie as well. Now its sequel continues that trend of bright January surprises.

Let me get this out of the way, “Paddington 2” is one of those rare sequels that’s better than its predecessor in nearly every way. That’s not a knock on the first film, “Paddington 2” is just that good. Paul King returns as director and co-writer of this adorable family movie telling the continued adventures of a friendly Peruvian bear and the Brown family of London who adopted him as one of their own.

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Things are wonderful for Paddington. His infectious kindness has endeared him to all of his Windsor Gardens neighbors. Well, with the exception of the delusional self-appointed neighborhood watchman (Peter Capaldi). Ben Whishaw is back lending his gentle and mellow voice to Paddington. Also returning is Sally Hawkins and Hugh Bonneville as Paddington’s congenial human parents Mary and Henry Brown.

Knowing his Aunt Lucy’s 100th birthday is just around the corner, the compassionate cub looks to get her the perfect gift. He finds it in a friend’s antique shop – a beautiful old pop-up book of London. One of my favorite sequences sees a wonderstruck Paddington flipping through the pages for the first time, his imagination pulling him into the book. Inside he walks from page to page showing Aunt Lucy the city she has dreamed of visiting. It’s gorgeous, charming and from then on the movie had me.

In order to purchase the book Paddington picks up some small jobs to earn money. As you would expect slapstick ensues, tempered and funny. But there’s a problem. A washed up actor named Phoenix Buchanan has his eyes on the book as well. Hugh Grant has a blast hamming it up as this narcissistic goofball who believes the book contains secrets that will help him recapture his formal glory. He devises a plan to swipe the book framing Paddington in the process.

It’s here the movie makes a hysterical shift. Paddington is arrested and eventually sent to prison. The entire prison sequence feels like something yanked straight out of a Wes Anderson picture. The dialogue, the quirky sense of humor, the visual composition all scream Andersonian influence. Soaking in Erik Wilson’s images is pure joy and as an Anderson superfan I found myself constantly amazed at how well King utilizes (or is he paying tribute to) such a unique style. But the film doesn’t depend on that influence. King makes this very much its own movie.

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It’s also laugh-out-loud funny. How can you not laugh at a mean, burly Brendan Gleason munching on a marmalade sandwich and discovering its savory magic. By the way his character’s name is Knuckles McGinty and he is the tough-as-nails prison chef. Watching the contagiously kind Paddington attempt to crack this hard nut is both undeniably sweet and genuinely hilarious.

Of the five ‘kids movie’ trailers we saw before our showing three of them contained variations of the tired but immensely popular fart joke. One of the great delights of “Paddington 2” is its trust in itself over lame gimmicky “humor”. Even as the movie picks up steam in the final act it never loses itself like many of these pictures do. And it always stays on message – you can never go wrong by being kind, caring, and compassionate. And the ripple effect of such a mindset can change the world. Now there is a message we all need to hear and “Paddington 2” makes sure we get to laugh along the way.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

4-5-stars

Blind Spot Review: “Stranger Than Paradise”

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STRANGER POSTER

Jim Jarmusch’s reputation as a master of minimalist storytelling and an independent cinema trailblazer found its genesis in his 1984 film “Stranger Than Paradise”. This medley of low-key drama and deadpan comedy was startling at the time but would soon uniquely define much of Jarmusch’s work that would follow.

Going back to Jarmusch’s cinematic roots has been a joy. I came to his work late, first seeing and loving “Only Lovers Left Alive” and then last year’s “Paterson” which I loved even more. “Stranger Than Paradise” wasn’t Jarmusch’s first film. That would be his 1980 New York University senior project “Permanent Vacation”. But “Paradise” was his first major project despite its tiny budget. It would win the Caméra d’Or for best first feature at the Cannes Film Festival and go on to earn widespread critical acclaim.

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One of the funny things about “Stranger Than Paradise” is that it basically tosses out everything Jarmusch learned in graduate film school. From the very start it’s clear there is nothing traditional or conventional about the film. Take the decision to shoot it in beautiful and fitting black and white. Or the thinly plotted story with three rather aimless characters as the focus.

But perhaps the most profound departure from traditional cinema is the movie’s structure. Jarmusch shoots a collection of short scenes, each bookended by a fade-in and then a fade to black. Within every scene you’ll notice very little camera movement and not a single close-up for the entirety of the movie. They are individually staged segments which are then put together to tell the story. It’s an cool and crafty technique that helps give the film a unique personality.

The story is pretty simple and can be broken down in three acts that take place in three locations – New York, Cleveland, and Florida. Willie (John Lurie) immigrated from Hungary several years ago and has worked hard to perfect his vision of a bonafide New Yorker. That vision includes sleeping late in his tiny apartment, eating TV dinners, catching some movies, and earning some dough playing poker.

Willie’s routine is interrupted when he gets a call saying his cousin Eva (Eszter Balint) from Hungary is paying him a visit. She needs a place to stay for ten days then she’ll be off to Cleveland. At first she cramps Willie’s big city style and he lets her know about it. Even when his buddy Eddie (Richard Edson) takes a liking to her Willie is quick to shoot him down. But the longer she stays the more Willie likes having her around and when she heads off to Cleveland he misses her.

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Eventually Willie and Eddie decide to borrow a car and drive to Cleveland to visit Eva. Later the three of them take a road trip from Cleveland to Florida. Jarmusch plops us in the passenger seat and we ride along observing their laid-back adventure. There isn’t much to it really, yet it seems harmonious with the care-free aspirations of the characters. And the dry dead-pan humor feels perfectly in tune with the film’s style and tone.

Throughout “Stranger Than Paradise” I couldn’t help but feel a hip French New Wave vibe in the vein of early Godard, Truffaut, and Chabrol. The movie defines its own unique set of rules and then maneuvers them at its own pace. Jarmusch would go on to make several movies defined by their idiosyncratic flavor. They would often focus more on mood and character than plot. You see the roots for all of it in “Stranger Than Paradise” and even today it remains a fresh kick in the pants the film industry still needs.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

4-5-stars

2018 Blind Spot Series

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Last year was my second full year of doing this Blind Spot thing and it was a ton of fun. It compelled me to watch some films I should have already seen and to dive into classics that others have spoken so highly of. Unfortunately my cinematic journey was derailed during the Fall months. But now it’s a new year which means a new Blind Spot list. Here are the movies I’ll be seeing or seeing in their entirety for the first time in 2018

JANUARY – “Stranger Than Paradise” (REVIEW)

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FEBRUARY – “Love in the Afternoon” (REVIEW)

LOVE

MARCH – “My Night at Maud’s” (REVIEW)

MA NUIT CHEZ MAUD

APRIL – “Shane”

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MAY – “The King of Comedy” (REVIEW)

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JUNE – “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”

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JULY – “Tender Mercies”

TENDER

AUGUST – “Eraserhead”

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SEPTEMBER – “The Producers”

PRODUCERS

OCTOBER – “”Picnic at Hanging Rock”

PICNIC

NOVEMBER – “Harold and Maude”

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DECEMBER – “Through a Glass Darkly”

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So what do you think of this year’s list?

The 6th Annual K&M Random Movie Awards

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RANDOM AWARDS

Today marks the sixth (you heard me right – sixth) year that I have put together this highly esteemed and hardly anticipated final look back at the previous year in movies. I simply call these the K&M Random Movie Awards. Even the name drips with prestige and significance. These aren’t your run-of-the-mill awards drivel. Oh no, these are completely random categories yanked out of the air and presented to you. Now, without further delay, the red carpet ceremony is over and the nominees are in their seats. Lets get to this year’s ‘winners’…

Best Directorial Debut – Kogonada (“Columbus”)

In a year rich with fine directorial debuts none grabbed me quite like Kogonada. Sadly seen by too few, “Columbus” was a superb start to a promising feature filmmaking career.

Best Child Performance – Millicent Simmonds (“Wonderstruck”)

Another category full of potential winners, but for me it’s Millicent Simmonds. Hands down one of the most gentle, lovely and expressive child performances I’ve seen.

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Worst Movie of the Year – “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”

Sure, there is a lot of dreck I have happily avoided, but “Valerian” was by far the most boring and laborious movie I sat through last year. At least some of the images were pretty.

Best Superhero Movie – “Wonder Woman”

Calling it ‘Best Superhero Movie’ is almost a disservice. I think it’s one of the best films from 2017 of any genre. Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot struck pure gold.

Worst Use of a Great Cast – “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

Just looking at this cast is impressive – McDormand, Rockwell, Harrelson, Hawkes, Hedges just for starters. Unfortunately Martin McDonagh’s mess of a movie wastes it all.

Best Surprise Ending – “Split”

I won’t spoil a thing, but who on planet earth saw that coming? I’m talking about the end of M. Night Shyamalan’s “Split”. The VERY end. You who have seen it know what I mean!

Most Nefarious Food Item – Mushrooms

What the heck was up with mushrooms in 2017. I won’t even mention the movies where mushrooms play a key role in fear of spoiling things but good grief.

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Best Movie Released in 2017 but Called a 2016 Movie Due To Dopey Release Schedules – “Silence”

Oh how I dislike release schedules. Every year a movie that would have made my Top 10 doesn’t open for most of us until the next year. Scorsese’s brilliant “Silence” was that film in 2017.

Best Screenplay – “Molly’s Game”

Aaron Sorkin can write dialogue. No one can question that. But if you do “Molly’s Game” is more proof of the man’s immense talent with words.

Most Overly Praised Movie – “Get Out”

Yes, I know it’s a beloved movie heralded as greatness. Quite honestly it blows my mind. It has some big ideas but even more gaping holes in logic and execution. I just can’t get aboard the hype train.

Most Unfairly Maligned Movie – “Justice League”

“Justice League” definitely has flaws but critics came out guns blazing picking it apart for the smallest things (unlike the aforementioned film). Again, it has issues but the stoning it took was undeserved.

Best Car Chase – “John Wick: Chapter 2”

John Wick has good taste in cars. His quest to rescue his gorgeous black 1969 Ford Mustang in JW2’s opening sequence is met with some pretty heated resistance. It also results in one killer car chase.

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Best Fight Scene – Kylo and Rey vs. Snoke’s Guards

So many scenes could win this but nothing excited me more than seeing Kylo and Rey back-to-back with Snoke’s guards surrounding them. Their brief but incredibly cool team-up had our theater roaring.

Worst Movie Title – “Happy Death Day”

Let me start off by saying “Happy Death Day” is an unexpectedly fun and entertaining little horror-thriller. But let’s be honest….that title….

Best Comedy – “Logan Lucky”

I may be wrong but I seems that Steven Soderbergh’s “Logan Lucky” came and went with little attention. I found this deep-south riff on the Ocean’s movies to be a hilarious romp.

Most Overlooked Performance – Rob Morgan (“Mudbound”)

There was some great supporting work in 2017 but the most criminally overlooked has to be Rob Morgan. He’s an anchor of “Mudbound” yet practically no one is talking about him. That’s a shame.

Best Documentary – “Finding Oscar”

I’ll admit I didn’t see as many documentaries as I hoped to, but “Finding Oscar” has left its mark on me. Informative, important, shocking and heartbreaking. It’s a film that needs to be seen.

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Best Villain – J. Paul Getty (“All the Money in the World”)

The story behind Christopher Plummer replacing Kevin Spacey is enough to make this character legendary. Turns out no crutch is needed. Plummer’s J. Paul Getty is just that vile and the movie is better for it.

Most Eye-Opening Performance – Haley Lu Richardson (“Columbus”)

There were a lot of eye-opening performances in 2017, but none grabbed me quite like Haley Lu Richardson in “Columbus”. It’s an expressive soulful performance full of heart and longing.

Biggest Letdown – “Thor: Ragnarok”

First off this is far from a bad movie. But as someone who is a fan of both Thor and director Taika Waititi I wanted more. Waititi’s portrayals feel way out of sync with the greater MCU and the absurdity eventually grew old for me.

Best Keanu Reeves Impersonation in a Movie – Dane DeHaan (“Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”)

I still haven’t figured out what Dane DeHaan was going for in “Valerian”. His voice had me thinking Keanu Reeves from “Point Break”. I kept wanting him to yell “Bodie, I’m an F..B..I agent!”

Coolest Action Sequence – Kong vs. Helicopters (“Kong: Skull Island”)

Keep in mind this isn’t the “Best” action sequence but the “Coolest”. Kong introducing himself to a group of trespassing military helicopters certainly qualifies. What a way the start their Skull Island adventure!

Best Football Scene – “The Disaster Artist”

You truly have to see it to believe it. James Franco in full Tommy Wiseau character tossing a football in an almost inhuman fashion. It’s both bazaar and laugh-out-loud funny.

The Most Exciting Theater Experience – “Dunkirk”

No other 2017 theater experience came close to matching what Christopher Nolan offered with “Dunkirk”. An exhilarating rush of visuals and sound presented on the big screen as only Nolan can.

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Best Dinner Table Scene – “The Beguiled”

This category almost went to “Phantom Thread” but ultimately Sofia Coppola’s “The Beguiled” won out. I won’t dare spoil it, but suffice it to say it’s a scene that has remained stuck in my head. I love it.

Best Original Score – “Phantom Thread” (Jonny Greenwood)

Speaking of “Phantom Thread”, in a strong year for memorable music nothing could quite beat Jonny Greenwood’s exquisite classical score. It is both elegant and haunting. More importantly it fits perfectly in ever scene it touches.

Most Annoying Best Friend – Rod (“Get Out”)

Most people I’ve talked to seemed to really like Chris’ TSA buddy Rod in “Get Out”. Aside from the fact that his very existance opens up some of film’s biggest plot holes, he’s also extremely annoying. He’s almost always in stand-up comic relief mode and the TSA gag was funny the first couple of times. After that…nope.

Best Daddy/Daughter Moment – “Logan”

Several 2017 movies had these moments that got to me – “Molly’s Game”, “Lady Bird”, even “Logan Lucky”. But the moment that wins comes from “Logan”. No spoilers, but if you’ve seen it you know it. Now enough talk. I’m getting misty thinking about it.

Best Special Effects – “Blade Runner 2049”

Denis Villeneuve made a critical decision when making his “Blade Runner” sequel – maintain the look and tone of the original. Oh, and bringing along Roger Deakins is never a bad idea. The results are absolutely wonderful. Scene after scene features some amazing effect which fuel this dark dystopia that feels right at home with its predecessor.

And that wraps up 2017. On to 2018…