Last Week at the Movies

The Hunter
Dark Shadows
The Avengers

Last Week at Home

Innocent Steps- sweet green card romance from Korea
Dog Bite Dog- speaking as a great fan of Hong Kong movies, I honestly don’t get why this should have gotten a US DVD release

New in Theaters This Weekend

Battleship (a/k/a Transformers 4), Sacha Baron Cohen embarrassing himself in The Dictator, and based-on-a-self-help-book What to Expect When You’re Expecting. I plan to sit this one out.

What have you been watching? What are you looking forward to?

After years of moribund sales, movie soundtracks on CD were back in the news after the “concept album” for The Hunger Games topped the charts. So, now we know what will sell these days: new pop songs by established groups with a blockbuster movie tie-in.

The bigger and more enduring question is, What makes a good movie soundtrack? Is there something they all have in common or is every good soundtrack different?

Good soundtracks don’t always get the movies they deserve. The accompanying still is from a movie I detested that has a soundtrack I love: Cold Mountain. What are a few of your favorite movie soundtracks?

The found footage style of filmmaking has gotten out of hand as of late, becoming more annoying than interesting. However, Chronicle managed to turn that right around by being a character-driven found footage film centered on three utterly normal teenagers who happen to develop telekinetic abilities.

After finding a deep, dark hole in the ground, Andrew (Dane DeHaan), Matt (Alex Russell), and Steve (Michael B. Jordan) venture down it and pass out. Exactly what was down there is unknown but it looked to be made of crystals that alternate colors. Fast forward a few weeks and the boys, who had barely spoken to one another in the past are now inseparable. Together they learn to control their newfound powers of telekinesis and have a ton of fun with them, whether it’s making teddy bears float before little girls in a toy store or moving a woman’s car from one parking spot to another.

They’re young and love to have fun and indeed it is fun to watch their camaraderie grow, but Chronicle has far more drama than comedy. Andrew turns out to be the dark apple in the group. His mother is dying from a severe type of cancer (I believe that it’s cancer, it’s never really explained) and his father, who’s on welfare, physically abuses him every chance he gets. As Matt and Steve’s powers grow little by little, Andrew’s grow exponentially and it turns him into the potential villain of the film.

The themes touched upon in the screenplay, co-written by Max Landis (son of John Landis), focus on abuse, both at home and in school; gaining popularity one day and then losing it as suddenly; and watching as absolute power corrupts, absolutely. It’s also a fascinating portrait of today’s youth. Gaining telekinetic abilities as a high school student in this day and age would definitely liven things up.

It’s never boring and it’s never too subtle, but it’s also never ham-fisted. It utilizes various ways of moving the camera without shaking it violently (and within the film those ways are character-driven). The climactic finale/action showcase is enthralling and nerve-wracking. The film also features the best flying sequences that I have ever seen. On a mere $12 million dollar budget, the filmmakers make an astonishing debut. Chronicle showcases three terrific up-and-coming young actors to watch out for and is too original of a film to pass up.

The Blu-ray contains the following special features: Unrated Director’s Cut; Deleted Scene; Pre-Viz; Camera Test; Theatrical Trailer; Chronicle Soundtrack Info; DVD + Digital Copy.

Original Commentary Track review of Chronicle by Nir Shalev.

New releases this week and last: Albert Nobbs, The Devil Inside, The Grey, One for the Money, Rampart, Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie, Underworld: Awakening, The Vow

This month on Photo Play: essential Kurosawa

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Last Week: Sanshiro Sugata (1943)
Coming Next: tba Monday

RELATED POSTS

Two Lists, Ten Favorites: Films of Akira Kurosawa

Dark Shadows is director Tim Burton and star Johnny Depp’s collaboration to bring the ’70s cult favorite soap opera to the big screen.

Depp plays 18th century patriarch Barnabas Collins, cursed to live (exist? not die?) as a vampire by Angelique (Eva Green), the witch whose affections he spurned. She also had him buried alive- er, undead for 200 years. Re-emerging into the world of 1972 a man… bloodsucker out of time, Barnabas moves back into the family castle.

There he finds the last of the Collinses: redoubtable Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer), her wastrel brother (Jonny Lee Miller), her rebellious teen daughter (Chloe Grace Moretz), and the brother’s young son. Also in residence are the boy’s shrink (Helena Bonham Carter), his governess Victoria (Bella Heathcote)- who is not coincidentally the spitting image of Barnabas’ murdered true love, the idiot servant of the house (Jackie Earle Haley), and if the kid is to be believed, and it is that kind of story, the ghost of his drowned mother.

It’s a great cast under a gifted director, but is that enough to make this unlikely-sounding project a success?

Let’s take a look in turn at each of the four things the movie is trying to be:

1) Monster Mash: Vampire, witch, ghost, werewolf, and shotgun toting human converge in an unnecessary, unimaginative, and overly drawn out almost-finale fight. FAIL.

2) Comedy: Depp does his thing, ably seconded by a talented supporting cast. No doubt there are people who are not amused by Depp’s shtick, but I am not (not yet anyway) one of those people. Also see point no. 3. PASS.

3) ’70s Trip: The 1970s fashions, hairstyles, cars, and decor are a treat and played, as they cry out to be, strictly for laughs. That the backdrop is faux-1770s, ridiculously over-ornamented interior decor only makes it better. The strategic use of 1970s hit songs, including a live in-person performance of “No More Mr. Nice Guy” by Alice Cooper, is note-perfect. PASS.

4) Romance: The romantic triangle of Barnabas, Angelique, and Victoria is supposed to drive the plot. However, Victoria regularly disappears from the movie for long stretches. Plus, Heathcote’s acting is wooden. FAIL.

Final Report: Because it puts the comedy front and center, Dark Shadows ekes out a passing grade.

2 stars

One thing I liked and one thing I didn’t like: Christopher Lee! Josette-the-ghost’s role in the plot made no sense and her appearance at the end was creepy, and not in a pleasurable ghosts are supposed to give you the shivers kind of way.

Lots of options this week and it shows no sign of slacking off the rest of the month. I’m looking forward to this year’s “Bigger Picture Show” of movie-inspired original posters, on tonight (and one night only) at the Big Car Service Center art gallery. What do you want to see?

My Top Pick for the Week

It’s outside my geographic orbit, but readers in South Bend and vicinity should block out an evening (or four) next week for the Michiana Jewish Film Festival at Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. The eight-film festival runs Monday through Thursday evenings. The diverse lineup includes documentaries and features with topics ranging from Jewish soldiers in the Civil War to coming-of-age dramas. Scroll down to the Northern Indiana section for the full listing.

Note: For trailers, cast and crew, and suchlike follow the title link to the movie’s official website. For showtimes and directions for the non-multiplex venues, follow the links under “Outside the Multiplex” in the sidebar.

OPENING THIS WEEK IN LIMITED RELEASE

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel- Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, and Dev Patel are among the cast of this English comedy-drama about a group of retirees seeking a new lease on life in a run-down hotel in India. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel starts today on two screens at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

Dangerous Ishhq- Bollywood thriller Dangerous Ishhq is the comeback movie of Karisma Kapoor (sister of Kareena), who plays a supermodel entangled in a kidnapping. It starts today at the Republic Theaters Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis.

Girl in Progress- Eva Mendes stars as a single mother with a case of arrested development and a precocious adolescent daughter in this comedy co-starring Patricia Arquette and Matthew Modine. It starts today at the AMC Schererville 16.

Monsieur Lazhar- “Adapted from ‘Bachir Lazhar,’ a play by Evelyne de la Chenelière, Monsieur Lazhar depicts the encounter between two distant worlds and the power of self-expression. Using great sensitivity and humor, writer/director Philippe Falardeau follows a humble man who is ready to transcend his own loss in order to accompany children beyond the silence and taboo of death.” One of this year’s best foreign language film Oscar nominees, Monsieur Lazhar starts today at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

THEATRICAL HOLDOVERS (AND “RE-OPENINGS”)

The Artist- If anyone knows why it’s suddenly back in town, please satisfy my curiosity by posting a comment. In an unexpected but welcome return to the state, The Artist has between one and a few shows a day at the AMC theaters that typically show the bigger arthouse releases, plus several others for good measure: Evansville 16, Honey Creek 8 in Terre Haute, Bloomington 11, Columbus 12, Kokomo 12, Marion 12, Muncie 7, Richmond 11, Schererville 16, and all four Indianapolis AMCs, the Castleton Square 14 (where it’s sharing a screen with Safe, a fact too amusing not to mention), Indianapolis 17, Traders Point 12, and Washington Square 12. It’s also playing, in most but not all cases at reduced showtimes, at the Cinemark Movies 14 in Mishawaka, UA/Regal Galaxy Stadium 14 in Indianapolis, Regal Shiloh Crossing Stadium 18 in Avon, Regal Village Park Stadium 17 in Carmel, Carmike Cinemas 20 in Fort Wayne, Great Escape New Albany 16, and Rave Cinemas Metropolis 18 in Plainfield.

A Beautiful Soul- This Christian-themed drama is about a music superstar forced to reevaluate his life. It holds over at the AMC Castleton Square 14 in Indianapolis.

Blue Like Jazz- A coming of age story based on Donald Miller’s semi-autobiographical novel, Blue Like Jazz is better known as a movie funded through the Kickstarter website. It holds over at the Yes Cinema in Columbus (closed Mondays and Tuesdays)

Bully- This documentary about school bullying holds over at these AMC theaters, at reduced showtimes: Evansville 16, Honey Creek 8 in Terre Haute, Bloomington 11, Muncie 7, Richmond 11, and Washington Square 12 in Indianapolis. It also expands to the Yes Cinema in Columbus (closed Mondays and Tuesdays), AMC South Bend 16, and the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne (no show on Tuesday or Thursday at the latter).

Casa de mi Padre- Will Ferrell’s limited release comedy (who’d have thought we’d ever see that phrase?) holds over at the Movie Buff Theatre in Indianapolis at reduced showtimes.

Damsels in Distress- “Writer/director Whit Stillman’s (Barcelona, Metropolitan) comically deadpan and charming film Damsels in Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast College. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men…who threaten the girls’ friendship and sanity.” It holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

Footnote- The simmering rivalry between a father and son, both scholars of Talmudic studies, is the subject of this Israeli drama, one of this year’s Oscar nominees for best foreign language film. Footnote holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

Healed by Grace- “Healed By Grace is a charming, romantic, and heart wrenching journey of faith that will take you from the excitement of elite dance competition to the heartwarming horse ranch where Riley (Natalie Weese) rediscovers her will to succeed.” It continues a successful run at the Rave Cinemas Jefferson Pointe 18 in Fort Wayne.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home- Well-reviewed indie comedy-drama about two brothers trying to make sense of their lives. Jason Segel and Ed Helms star. Jeff, Who Lives at Home opens at the Starplex Cinemas Coventry 13 in Fort Wayne and holds over at the Movie Buff Theatre in Indianapolis (at reduced showtimes).

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen- Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt star in this romantic drama about a fisheries expert hired to introduce salmon, for sport fishing, to the Yemen River by the local sheikh. It holds over at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne (no show Tuesday or Thursday).

FESTIVALS, REPERTORY SCREENINGS, AND MORE

Indianapolis and Central Indiana

“The Bigger Picture Show” of local artists’ posters inspired by classic films, sponsored by Indy Film Fest and Lodge Design, is tonight at the Big Car Service Center art gallery (on Lafayette Road in the mall parking lot). The theme is films nominated for the best adapted screenplay Oscar.

An Indy Film Buffs member alerted me to a four Fridays Italian Film Festival at IUPUI that has two more films to go, including Kryptonite tonight at 6:30; it’s free and open to the public.

Franklin’s Artcraft Theatre will show The Wizard of Oz today and tomorrow at 2 and 7:30. For the evening shows, the movie starts at 8 after a pre-show of a “skit, prizes, announcements and more”.

At the Keystone Art Cinema on Tuesday at 7:30, there will be a screening of the documentary They Call it Myanmar: Lifting the Curtain, “an impressionistic journey” through contemporary Burma.

Southern Indiana

The weekend film at the IU Cinema (now on reduced summer season hours) is the Dardenne brothers’ The Kid with a Bike, one show daily today through Sunday. Next weekend’s movie Sound of Noise starts on Thursday.

Shows today and tomorrow only in the Ryder Film Series this week, but of four movies to compensate: Monika Treut’s documentary about the foods of Taiwan, The Raw and the Cooked; Guy Maddin’s un-categorizable Keyhole; French drama The Fairy; and Abel Ferrara’s 4:44 Last Day on Earth.

Northern Indiana

The Michiana Jewish Film Festival starts Monday at the DeBartolo and runs through Thursday, May 17. The first film in the series is family film David, about a friendship between a Muslim boy and a Jewish boy in Brooklyn.

The rest of the lineup: also on Monday, biographical documentary Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness; inspirational documentary Nicky’s Family and drama The Human Resources Manager on Tuesday; Civil War documentary Jewish Soldiers in Blue and Gray and Polish Holocaust drama In Darkness, an Oscar nominee for best foreign language film, on Wednesday; and to close out the festival on Thursday, coming-of-age drama Foreign Letters and in-theaters-now Israeli drama Footnote, also a best foreign language film nominee.

You can also see In Darkness on Tuesday at 4 in Valparaiso at the Memorial Opera House; tickets are $9/$7 for seniors and students.

On Tuesday, the Cinema Center kicks off a several week free series showcasing great Hollywood leading ladies (scroll to the end of this page for the full lineup) with The Philadelphia Story, starring Katherine Hepburn; the series continues Thursday with Bette Davis in Jezebel.

Damsels in Distress plays Friday through Sunday at the Cinema Center @ Indiana Tech and Marley plays there Friday through Monday.

NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND

Is is the Memorial Day effect? The next few weeks are a busy, busy time outside the multiplex.

The annual 36 Hour Film Challenge, where competitors make a short film in- you got it- 36 hours, is May 18-20. The completed films will be screened at the G14 in June. More details at the official website.

The Yes Cinema’s annual film festival Yes Fest is also next weekend; general info about the program and the list of films.

In IMA coming soon news: There will be a free showing in the Toby of the documentary Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World on Friday, May 18 at 7. A documentary with the very different subject of contemporary video game designers, Indie Game: The Movie, will be shown on Wednesday, May 23; the event is sponsored by the Canadian Consulate and Indy Film Fest. Summer Nights movies on the terrace begin June 1 with cult favorite What Ever Happened to Baby Jane.

The Landmark has added Richard Linklater’s dark comedy Bernie, starring Jack Black as a murderous funeral home director, to the KAC’s coming soon list for next Friday and indie thriller Sound of My Voice, dance documentary First Position, and Lawrence Kasdan’s dramedy Darling Companion for the 25th. The KAC’s midnight movie series starts June 1 with Se7en (the full lineup here- jump to the end of the page).

On Sunday, May 20 at 6:30 Shelbyville’s Strand Theatre will show the classic comedy Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, starring Cary Grant and Myrna Loy.

The Heartland Film Festival is sponsoring a screening of auto racing documentary The Boys of Bonneville: Racing on a Ribbon of Salt on Thursday, May 24 at the Glick Jewish Community Center.

Films and events scheduled for next Friday:

Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World at the IMA

Weddings and Other Disasters at IUPUI

Yes Fest opens with My Last Day Without You and Defining Beauty: Ms. Wheelchair America

Sound of Noise at IU Cinema

The Fairy, We Have a Pope, and Keyhole at the Ryder

Last Week at the Movies

Keyhole- that undefinable Guy Maddin mix of avant-garde and kookiness
The Pirates! Band of Misfits- Aardman claymation, of course it was fun!
Footnote- didn’t measure up to expectations

Last Week at Home

Cypher- disappointing English techno-thriller
Seven Swords- this came up in a comment thread recently and that was enough to make me want to watch it again
Romantic Island- okay Korean rom-com with three couples but only two watchable storylines

New in Theaters This Weekend

Another week with only one new movie in wide release: Dark Shadows starring Johnny Depp in Tim Burton’s comedic take on the cult favorite soap opera.

What have you been watching? What are you looking forward to?

A monthly round-up of some recent blog posts I enjoyed reading.

Little Worlds gives the nod to Ralph Fiennes’ imaginative direction of Coriolanus

An appreciative analysis of The Raid: Redemption at Kung Fu Cinema

On No Country for Old Men at Noir of the Week: “Though generally admired by critics, No Country would alienate viewers with its graphic violence, anger more than a few people with its abrupt ending, and forever baffle movie store employees trying to shelve it under a genre header.” (more)

Commentary Track’s own Geoff Geib locates one of the greatest lines in B-movie history in one of history’s stupidest movies, Mindhunters

Movie Classics puts The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1935) into context

Some love for the under-appreciated The Rookie in a series on baseball movies at The Cooler

J. Hoberman takes a personal view of Haywire

On Four Sons at Only the Cinema: “Indeed, though this film takes place primarily in Germany and draws on the influence of Murnau, its affectionate, sentimental depiction of family life amid a tightly knit community is purely Fordian, a precursor to his Irish films like How Green Was My Valley.” (more)

A Person in the Dark on the challenges of “Loving Film With an Open Heart”

This month on Photo Play: essential Kurosawa

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Last Week: Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Coming Next: Ikiru (1952)

RELATED POSTS

DVD of the Week – AK 100: 25 Films by Akira Kurosawa

Lots and lots to see this week in Indianapolis. Less to see- relatively speaking- around the rest of the state as the university-based cinemas transition to summer schedules. The full listings after the break. What looks good to you?

My Top Pick for the Week

“Why are academic politics so vicious? Because the stakes are so small.”

My pick for the week is Israeli comedy-drama Footnote, about a father-son rivalry playing out in the rarefied world of Talmudic studies. It’s gotten great reviews and it starts today at the Keystone Art Cinema.

Note: For trailers, cast and crew info, and suchlike follow the title link to the movie’s official website. For showtimes and directions for the non-multiplex venues, follow the links under “Outside the Multiplex” in the sidebar.

OPENING THIS WEEK IN LIMITED RELEASE

A Beautiful Soul- This Christian-themed drama is about a music superstar forced to reevaluate his life. It starts today at the AMC Castleton Square 14 in Indianapolis.

Damsels in Distress- “Writer/director Whit Stillman’s (Barcelona, Metropolitan) comically deadpan and charming film Damsels in Distress follows a trio of beautiful girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast College. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men…who threaten the girls’ friendship and sanity.” It starts today at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne (no shows Thursday) and the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

Footnote- The escalating rivalry between a father and son, both prestigious Talmudic scholars, is the subject of this Israeli comedy-drama, one of this year’s Oscar nominees for best foreign language film. Footnote starts today at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

The Hunter- Willem Dafoe stars as the hunter of the title, sent into the Tasmanian wilderness in search of a thought-to-be-extinct tiger by a mysterious client. The psychological thriller starts today at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

THEATRICAL HOLDOVERS (AND RE-OPENINGS)

Blue Like Jazz- A coming of age story based on Donald Miller’s semi-autobiographical novel, Blue Like Jazz is better known as a movie funded through the Kickstarter website. It opens at the Yes Cinema in Columbus (closed Mondays and Tuesdays).

Bully- This documentary about school bullying holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema and AMC Indianapolis 17 in Indianapolis and expands to the following AMC theaters around the state: Evansville 16, Honey Creek 8 in Terre Haute, Richmond 11, and Washington Square 12 in Indianapolis. It’s playing at reduced showtimes everywhere except the Richmond and Indy Washington Square theaters.

Casa de mi Padre- Will Ferrell’s limited release comedy (who’d have thought we’d ever see that phrase?) holds over at the Movie Buff Theatre in Indianapolis at reduced showtimes.

Delicacy- This French romantic comedy about a seemingly mismatched couple stars Audrey Tautou and Francois Damiens. Despite being advertised on the Landmark’s website last week as a one-week engagement, it holds over at the Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis, albeit at reduced showtimes.

Healed by Grace- “Healed By Grace is a charming, romantic, and heart wrenching journey of faith that will take you from the excitement of elite dance competition to the heartwarming horse ranch where Riley (Natalie Weese) rediscovers her will to succeed.” It continues a successful run at the Rave Cinemas Jefferson Pointe 18 in Fort Wayne.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home- Well-reviewed indie comedy-drama about two brothers trying to make sense of their lives. Jason Segel and Ed Helms star. Jeff, Who Lives at Home holds over at the Movie Buff Theatre in Indianapolis (at reduced showtimes).

The Kid with a Bike- This French drama follows a troubled boy who was abandoned by his father and the woman who takes him in. The Dardenne brothers’ latest film, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis at reduced showtimes.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen- Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt star in this romantic drama about a fisheries expert hired to introduce salmon, for sport fishing, to the Yemen River by the local sheikh. It holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis (at reduced showtimes) and opens at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne (no shows Thursday).

Tezz- This Bollywood action thriller filmed in England and starring Anil Kapoor and Ajay Devgan holds over for a couple more shows tonight at the Republic Theaters Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis.

We Have a Pope- Nanni Moretti’s (The Son’s Room) new film holds over at the Landmark Theaters Keystone Art Cinema at reduced showtimes.

FESTIVALS, REPERTORY SCREENINGS, AND MORE

State Wide

Monday night is a Fathom Events showing of the new documentary Wagner’s Dream, about the Met’s production of the Ring cycle. Check the Fathom events page for a list of theaters and more on the movie.

Also on Monday, the new biographical/music documentary Marley will be screened at several Goodrich Quality Theaters locations; there will be additional screenings on Thursday.

Indianapolis and Central Indiana

The Landmark has one of its occasional one-night-only showings at the Keystone Art Cinema on Wednesday, this time of Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance, a documentary about the famous dance company.

On Thursday, the Indy Film Fest will show the magnificent Turkish arthouse drama Once Upon a Time in Anatolia at the Earth House downtown as part of its Spring Film Series.

Also at the Earth House, a “Celebration of Locally Sourced Food” on Sunday will include a showing of the documentary Fresh.

Southern Indiana

Now that the academic calendar has entered finals, it’s barebones programming season again at the IU Cinema in Bloomington. The Dardenne brothers’ The Kid With a Bike (see the theatrical holdovers section for more info) has an evening show each of today through Sunday. Next weekend’s film Sound of Noise, a decidedly odd-sounding Swedish comedy-drama, starts its run on Thursday.

Oscar-nominated animated musical Chico and Rita, 2011 French drama The Fairy, and Abel Ferrara’s latest 4:44 Last Day on Earth are the week’s movies in Bloomington’s Ryder film series. Check the Ryder’s website for days, times, and venues.

Northern Indiana

The only movie showings this week at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center in South Bend are two shows today and tomorrow of Lynne Ramsay’s drama We Need to Talk About Kevin, starring Tilda Swinton as mother of a teenaged mass murderer.

In Fort Wayne, Jeff, Who Lives at Home moves from the Cinema Center to the Cinema Center @ Indiana Tech, where it will have two shows a day today through Monday.

New to this column is the Valparaiso Memorial Opera House (a former G.A.R. building on the National Register of Historic Places), which has added arthouse film to its programming; film screenings will be Sunday and/or Tuesday. This week, British director Terence Davies’ new romantic drama The Deep Blue Sea will screen on Sunday evening.

NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND

“The Bigger Picture Show” of local artists’ posters inspired by classic films, sponsored by Indy Film Fest and Lodge Design, is Friday, May 11 at the Big Car Service Center (on Lafayette Road in the mall parking lot). The theme is films nominated for the best adapted screenplay Oscar.

At press time, the KAC’s website lists The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Monsieur Lazhar for next Friday.

The Michiana Jewish Film Festival starts Monday, May 14 at the DeBartolo and runs through Thursday, May 17. The first film in the series is family film David, about a friendship between a Muslim boy and a Jewish boy in Brooklyn. Other films include recent award-winners In Darkness and Footnote.

The annual 36 Hour Film Challenge, where competitors make a short film in- you got it- 36 hours, is May 18-20. The completed films will be screened at the G14 in June. More details at the official website. The Yes Cinema’s annual film festival Yes Fest is the same weekend; info about the program here.

The IMA will have a free showing of the documentary Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World on Friday, May 18 at 7. A documentary with the very different subject of contemporary video game designers, Indie Game: The Movie, will be shown on Wednesday, May 23; the event is sponsored by the Canadian Consulate and Indy Film Fest.

Films and events scheduled for next Friday:

The Wizard of Oz at the Artcraft

Sound of Noise at the IU Cinema

Keyhole, The Fairy, and 4:44 Last Day on Earth at the Ryder

Last Week at the Movies

Safe

Last Week at Home

High and Low- my favorite Kurosawa to finish up a four month film club director’s retrospective
Raging Bull- a big check mark on the “have to see that someday” list

New in Theaters This Weekend

The Avengers and nothing but The Avengers in wide release.

What have you been watching? What are you looking forward to?

An occasional feature where the writers compare their five favorite films by some of the greats of world cinema.

Martin Scorsese (b. 1942)

GEOFF’S TOP FIVE

To be clear, this list is pointedly different than a list of my five best Scorsese films would be, and there is no better evidence to this than the omission of titles like Taxi Driver or The Last Temptation of Christ, which, while great, great films, are hardly ones that scream out for multiple viewings while distractedly typing away on the computer and trying not to overcook the penne. The following five I could stop, start in the middle, or watch endlessly on a loop and never want for more.

5) Casino (1995)

Truthfully, I didn’t like it that much when I first saw it. Everything felt too reminiscent of Goodfellas- the voiceover, the slick, inside look at the mob and its operations, the similar cast, etc. It all gave rise to the knee-jerk reaction that Scorsese was simply returning to familiar ground to service a built-in audience rather than making something new and exciting. I’m an idiot. I dismissed it, wrongly, and if it were not for cable re-running it at all hours of the night and day, literally giving me no other choice but to sit there and watch it over and over again, I would have missed out on a tremendously engaging movie.

4) Bringing Out the Dead (1999)

It was marketed badly (I still remember how misleading the trailer was), and by now, we’ve all seen so many bad Nicolas Cage movies/trailers to make the prospect of sitting through another the challenge that it never should be given his prodigious talent. For those who haven’t seen it, this is so worth the two hours, though, with superb supporting turns by Ving Rhames and Patricia Arquette in a dark film about a tortured man having a really, really bad night.

3) The Departed (2006)

It’s pulpy, and not always in good ways, and the shootout finale leaves a little bit to be desired, but in terms of craft and execution, it’s the most energetic and exciting Scorsese movie since Goodfellas, racing with passion and that French stuff they call joie de vivre from start to finish. Maybe it’s not quite as good as Hong Kong inspiration Infernal Affairs, and there’s no doubt that other Scorsese films deserve the Oscar more than this one (Raging Bull comes quickly to mind), but this is one of those movies that is simply impossible not to get swept away in. Don’t believe me? Go ahead, go watch it. Seriously, right now. I’ll wait.

(Waiting patiently)

See? Told you.

2) After Hours (1985)

It’s a breezy black comedy, about the only one I can think of that manages those two feats simultaneously. Part of the charm is that the movie refuses to help you out along the way, marrying one awkward moment to another strange character in an array of bizarre scenes without ever feeling the need to define itself along the way. The movie just is. So maybe a zen-like breezy black comedy is the better description.

1) Goodfellas (1990)

An obvious choice, I admit, but I can’t help myself, it’s such a great movie. The whole thing is electric, pulsating with urgency and excitement, and it functions as a great Scorsese primer to boot, containing all his favorite themes and cinematic tricks. I could gush for hours about this film, but suffice it to say I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like this movie, and frankly, I don’t think I want to. I’m not kidding, if you don’t like this movie, unfriend me on Facebook immediately.

NIR’S TOP FIVE

5) Hugo (2011)

By now everyone knows my enthusiasm for one of Scorsese’ best films in the last couple of decades, and its replay value only increases with every viewing. Whenever it’s over I want to watch it again from the start because it’s an utterly fascinating, utterly gorgeous, masterfully shot, edited, and presented piece of cinema at its best. And even though the advent of film is at the story’s core, the main subject of the film is destiny and finding one’s place in the world. Hugo worked hard to find his place in society and the result is terrifically satisfying.

4) Taxi Driver (1976)

I find Taxi Driver to be Scorsese’s greatest achievement as a filmmaker and storyteller, making it his best film to date. It takes tremendous concentration not to want to go out there with a camera and crew and make films like this one. Plus, films like this just don’t exist anymore. The screenplay by Paul Schrader tells the story of a likable taxi driver who was psychologically damaged in the war and upon returning to New York City was driven insane due to being surrounded by the filth of the urban jungle. How Scorsese’s managed to take that concept and make it simultaneously entertaining and icky is beyond me. That’s why, even though it’s his best film it’s also one of my favorites of his. But it does get a tad hard to watch at some points.

3) Mean Streets (1973)

I first watched Mean Streets in high school in the audio/video class. It wasn’t just the sex, nudity, and violence that blew me away; it was also the blatant visual symbolism that made it easy to understand. Even an atheist and a philistine could understand this film’s visual symbolism and be impressed with it. The images of Harvey Keitel burning his fingertips on candles periodically throughout the film, testing the fires of hell and questioning God about what’s right and wrong in his profession of Mafioso in New York City’s Little Italy will never leave my mind. Also, Robert De Niro’s electrifying performance as a runt and a moocher and the film’s finale are magnificently rendered on the screen with flair, realism, and honesty. I am not a religious man and watching Scorsese projecting his beliefs onto the screen doesn’t turn me into one, either. But I do love the imagery and the concepts behind his “religious” characters.

2) After Hours (1985)

Griffin Dunne turns in a remarkable and entertaining performance that echoes truth with every word that he speaks and every movement that he makes. Martin Scorsese plants him, like a rat in a maze, in Soho and watches him not only lose his sanity but also the simple ability to get home. What begins as a simple first date turns into a Kafkaesque nightmare as Paul Hackett (Dunne) loses all of his money in a speeding cab; is somehow responsible for a stranger’s suicide; almost receives a mohawk in a kinky, underground night club; is mistaken for the neighborhood thief; and is also, at one point, covered entirely with paper mache. The film is just over 90 minutes in length and speeds along at a brisk pace right from the start. Scorsese’s stark imagery of New York at night is both beautiful and chilling and the film entertains me every time I watch it. It’s a favorite of mine, referred to by some as one of the best horror films of the 1980s, and my second favorite Scorsese film.

1) Bringing Out the Dead (1999)

Although he’s played in numerous terrible films and given some questionable performances, Nicolas Cage is a favorite of mine and his electrifying performance in Bringing Out the Dead is one of his finest. Much like After Hours, Bringing Out the Dead has a tremendous amount of comedy in it, although he comedy’s far less obvious than in After Hours and it’s a more stylized film. Here is Scorsese at the top of his game. He’s made Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Mean Streets, The Color of Money, After Hours, Goodfellas, Cape Fear, Casino, Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island, and Hugo but none (except for Hugo) has such class as Bringing out the Dead. You can read my review for the film and from it understand why it’s such a terrific film, and that’s also why it’s my favorite film of his. It showcases my favorite version of Scorsese’s New York, displays a terrific performance from Nic Cage (along with great supporting performances by John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Tom Sizemore, and Marc Anthony), and induces in the viewer a great melancholic state of mind while it entertains. It’s stylish, gorgeous to look at, well acted, sports a kickin’ soundtrack (as per usual), and its main theme is that of redemption, as expected from Scorsese. Simply, I find that there’s nothing to dislike about the film.

HELEN’S BONUS TOP THREE

I’m not a Scorsese enthusiast. If I didn’t run this website the guys would probably kick me out for such cinephile heresy but that’s the way it is. I’ve seen 10 of his films, six of them in the theater. I even watched Raging Bull before writing this post to burnish my Scorsese-viewing credentials (great film but I wouldn’t say I liked it). Ten movies is enough to make me feel pretty confident that that state of affairs isn’t going to change even after I watch Casino, After Hours, and Mean Streets, which are the titles on Geoff’s and Nir’s lists that I haven’t gotten to yet.

He’s a tremendously important filmmaker, his films are always worthwhile, some of them are truly great… but I’m not a fan. His movies don’t get to me like that. I just don’t feel the love.

So, no top five favorites from me. Instead, the three of the 10-viewed-to-date that I really liked. Don’t go looking for Scorsese in my DVD collection, but invite me over for movie night and I’d be happy to watch any one of these three again.

3) Gangs of New York (2002)

I like a lot of things about Gangs of New York but what really put it over for me was the Civil War metaphor and the ultimate tragedy of the characters’ profound unconsciousness of a world outside their small piece of it. I also really like the soundtrack; I bought the soundtrack CD when it came out and still play it now and again.

2) Goodfellas (1990)

Gripping story, bravura filmmaking, incredible performances… what’s not to like? I always love it in a movie when the cinematography and editing change to reflect the main character’s situation- in this case, inexorably deteriorating along with his hold on reality. It also made me like Ray Liotta even more than I already did, which is saying something. This is a seriously great movie.

(And I don’t have to unfriend my own brother over a movie. Whew!)

1) Bringing Out the Dead (1999)

Superfluous at this point to rave about the performances, so I’ll highlight the film’s tremendous emotional power instead, a power that’s only heightened by the dark comedy. This allusive and resonant drama of spiritual crisis is the first Scorsese film I saw and still the one I like the best.

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Tell us your favorite Scorsese films in the comments.

Previous: Films of John Carpenter
Next: Films of David Mamet (coming soon)

Billionaire Charles Morse (Sir Anthony Hopkins), his supermodel/trophy wife Mickey (Elle Macpherson), her photographer Robert Green (Alec Baldwin), and his crew arrive at an enormous and beautiful lake house in Alaska. They are surrounded by beautiful mountains and lakes that stretch to forever. Charles is book smart; almost too smart. His people skills, outside the business world, are essentially non-existent. He’s awkward, quiet, always inquisitive, and always reading one book or other. But he sees the way in which Robert looks at Mickey.

Robert decides to look for an old school-looking Native American so that he can include him in his photography and is joined on the venture by crew member Stephen (Harold Perrineau) and Charles. They travel via seaplane and at one point Charles turns his head towards Robert and asks, “So how are you going to kill me?” Before Robert can reply a flock of geese crash into the plane’s front rotor and windshield, and the plane crashes into a body of water. Charles, Robert, and Stephen survive the crash and immediately get to work lighting a bonfire. From that moment on the film turns into a story of survival.

Charles, having read, possibly, millions of books opens up his vault of knowledge and uses some of it to start a fire. He also concocts a compass by rubbing the tip of a paper clip onto his silk shirt sleeve and placing it on a floating leaf. The trio embarks on a journey through Alaskan wilderness but they eventually wind up going in a circle. It’s not as comical as it should be because none of them have camped before, let alone traversed through the wilderness. And just when you think the going has gotten tough- no food, drastic weather changes- a bear attacks them.

The Edge was written by David Mamet, who’s skillfully assisted the audience in forgetting that behind the men’s fear for the lives, there still lurks an unspoken animosity between Charles and Robert. Charles wasn’t wrong in assuming that Robert wants to kill him and steal his riches and his wife, whom he’d been having an affair with for quite some time; however, the emergence of the wilderness surival aspect of the film had masked that concept and left it to be rediscovered in the film’s third act. It’s a very skillful technique that’s well executed by a master screenwriter.

Two crucial sequences bring us back down to earth, spaced evenly through the film: one is when Charles teaches the others that in the woods people die of shame; another is when Charles again asks Robert how he’s doing to kill him and Robert replies that he’s not going to kill him because he needs him to navigate their safe return back to the lake house. Then he calls him an [expletive] idiot. That’s Mamet for you in a nutshell. Yet if one pays close attention, one notices little hints that indicate that Robert is always trying to kill Charles after all. Crafty Mamet….

The performances in the film are fantastic. We saw what Alec Baldwin can deliver in a Mamet production with his pitch perfect delivery in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992). Now we get to see what Sir Anthony can do, not that I was skeptical of his talents in any way. Baldwin and Hopkins deliver sharp performances with realism and not theatrics and are never afraid to overamp their feelings. Whenever they yell at each other or simply stare one another down, we feel their animosity through the actors’ terrific performances and can always see in their eyes that they’re afraid of death.

I’ve watched The Edge two or three times since its initial release and it grows more interesting with each viewing. Mamet’s dialogue isn’t as obvious as it usually is in his dramas but it’s still present here and can be noticed by true Mamet fans. This is still a “Mamet product” but was designed as a more Hollywood-type production.

The film was shot entirely in British Colombia, Canada and it kind of shows. But that’s a good thing because most of these types of films (The Grey (2012) included) are shot in BC. The mountains ranges and forests are immense, allowing virtually anyone to place a camera on a tripod or a dolly track and create beautiful art. The Edge is skillfully shot utilizing standard shot compositions. Director Lee Tamahori utilizes tons of “money shots” of the surroundings, always reminding us where the characters are, what their situation is, and just how utterly beautiful nature can be.

I would recommend The Edge to Mamet fans and non-Mamet fans. Here is a taut, exciting, and often funny film with ingenious dialogue and utterly fantastic performances by Hopkins and Baldwin. Watch it, enjoy it, and ponder how Mamet can write this film’s script and also classics such as House of Games (1987), Glengarry Glen Ross, and Spartan (2004). He definitely has great range.

New releases this week: Haywire, Joyful Noise, New Year’s Eve, W.E.

This month on Photo Play: April showers bring… umbrellas.

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Last Week on Photo Play: My Best Girl (1927)
Coming Next: Sanshiro Sugata (1943)

Hollywood never tires of peddling left-wing paranoid conspiracy theories. Safe‘s is only the most outlandish element of an over-complicated plot also involving the Chinese mob, the Russian mob, crooked NYC cops, official corruption at the highest levels, a scruffy tough-guy hero, and a cute Chinese girl who is a math savant. Some screenwriters would have considered that sufficient story material for a 95-minute action thriller without giving the hero backstory enough for seven good badmen. Convincing? No. Entertaining? For the most part, yes. The movie takes a little while to get going but once it does, it really gets going. It is, as they say, action-packed. I like a hero with a brain behind his fists of fury. Jason Statham’s range is limited, but he’s effective within that range and writer-director Boaz Yakin doesn’t ask him to stretch. The girl (newcomer Catherine Chan) is spunky and just plain adorable. The bad guys are colorful; three of them are played by scene-stealing actors James Hong, Robert John Burke, and Chris Sarandon. Some of the dialogue crackles. And it has one of those moments- one of those great movie moments that make you and everyone around you in the theater erupt into spontaneous laughter and cheers. I can’t be too hard on it after that.

2 1/2 stars

One thing I liked and one thing I didn’t like: Somebody uses the word “internecine” in a totally natural way. Enough with the Russian mafia already, it isn’t the only politically-correct generic baddie in the world.

My pick for the week is below. What’s yours?

My Top Pick for the Week

The word “unique” is bandied about pretty freely these days, but if there’s one filmmaker around who’s earned the description it’s Canadian auteur Guy Maddin. I loved his Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary, a singular work that brings Stoker’s story to the screen as a ballet filmed like a silent movie. While other of his films have produced reactions closer to befuddlement than love, they’re always worth seeing. His latest, Keyhole, has its Indiana premiere at the IMA on Thursday night. Given the venue it’s safe to assume this will be both first and only theatrical showing in Indianapolis.

Note: For trailers, cast and crew info, and suchlike follow the title link to the movie’s official website. For showtimes and directions for the non-multiplex venues, follow the links under “Outside the Multiplex” in the sidebar.

OPENING THIS WEEK IN LIMITED RELEASE

Delicacy- This French romantic comedy about a seemingly mismatched couple stars Audrey Tautou and Francois Damiens. It starts today at the Landmark Theaters Keystone Art Cinema; it is advertised on the Landmark’s website as a one-week engagement.

Tezz- This Bollywood action thriller filmed in England and starring Anil Kapoor and Ajay Devgan starts today at the Republic Theaters Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis.

We Have a Pope- Nanni Moretti’s new film opens at the Landmark Theaters Keystone Art Cinema; it’s also advertised as a one-week engagement.

THEATRICAL HOLDOVERS (AND “RE-OPENINGS”)

Blue Like Jazz- A coming of age story based on Donald Miller’s semi-autobiographical novel, Blue Like Jazz is better known as a movie funded through the Kickstarter website. It holds over at the AMC Castleton Square 14 in Indianapolis (at reduced showtimes).

Bully- This documentary about school bullying holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema and AMC Showplace Indianapolis 17 (at reduced showtimes) in Indianapolis, and the Regal Village Park Stadium 17 in Carmel, and expands beyond the Indianapolis area to the Showplace Cinemas East in Evansville.

Casa de mi Padre- Will Ferrell’s limited release comedy (who’d have thought we’d ever see that phrase?) holds over at the Movie Buff Theatre in Indianapolis.

Healed by Grace- “Healed By Grace is a charming, romantic, and heart wrenching journey of faith that will take you from the excitement of elite dance competition to the heartwarming horse ranch where Riley (Natalie Weese) rediscovers her will to succeed.” It’s playing at the Rave Cinemas Jefferson Pointe 18 in Fort Wayne, where it must have done well last weekend because it’s expanded to full showtimes.

In Darkness- One of this year’s nominees for best foreign language film, Polish director Agnieszka Holland’s drama is inspired by the true story of a city worker who discovers a group of Jews hiding in the sewers of Nazi-occupied Lvov. It returns to Indiana for an engagement at Fort Wayne’s Cinema Center.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home- Well-reviewed indie comedy-drama about two brothers trying to make sense of their lives. Jason Segel and Ed Helms star. Jeff, Who Lives at Home holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis (at reduced showtimes), Cinema Center in Fort Wayne, Yes Cinema in Columbus (the Yes is closed Monday and Tuesday), and Movie Buff Theatre in Indianapolis.

The Kid with a Bike- This French drama follows a troubled boy who was abandoned by his father and the woman who takes him in. The Dardenne brothers’ latest film, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

The Raid: Redemption- The amazing, hotly-anticipated-by-action-movie-fans-everywhere Indonesian martial arts and gunfight extravaganza holds over at the Landmark Theaters Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis (at reduced showtimes).

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen- Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt star in this romantic drama about a fisheries expert hired to introduce salmon, for sport fishing, to the Yemen River by the local sheikh. It holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis, AMC Showplace Bloomington 11, and AMC Showplace Muncie 7 (at reduced showtimes).

Woman Thou Art Loosed: On the 7th Day- A couple’s young son is kidnapped in this follow-up to 2004′s Woman Thou Art Loosed, which was based on T.D. Jakes’ best-selling self-help novel. It holds over at the AMC Showplace Hobart 12 and AMC Showplace Washington Square 12 in Indianapolis.

FESTIVALS, REPERTORY SCREENINGS, AND MORE

Indianapolis and Central Indiana

Today is the Indy Film Fest’s monthly Nooner program of short films at Earth House in downtown Indy.

My favorite Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film, Top Hat, is the weekend movie at the Artcraft Theatre in Franklin; matinee and evening shows today and tomorrow.

Buster Keaton’s Seven Chances is tonight at the Toby at the IMA; film historian and Toby projectionist Eric Grayson will speak about the restoration of the movie’s two-color Technicolor sequence. Guy Maddin’s new film Keyhole will be shown at the Toby on Thursday: “Idiosyncratic, cheeky and uncategorizable, Maddin’s films are testaments to a singular cinematic vision, often filmed in black-and-white. Keyhole is a gangster ghost drama, loosely based on Homer’s ‘Odyssey,’ shot through with surrealism.”

On Tuesday, the Indiana Film Society will show the documentary The King of Kong at the Indianapolis Senior Center.

Southern Indiana

The theme at the IU Cinema is films made in Indiana, with programs of features and short films, some student-made, playing Monday through Thursday. Full program information at the Cinema’s website. Showing this weekend: Water and Power, a 1989 experimental film listed on the National Film Registry is tonight; Orson Welles’ late work Chimes at Midnight is Saturday; and Monika Treut’s documentary The Raw and the Cooked is Sunday.

Oscar-nominated animated musical Chico and Rita is one of the films in Bloomington’s Ryder film series this week; also showing: 2011 French drama The Fairy.

Northern Indiana

Norwegian comedy A Somewhat Gentle Man, starring Stellan Skarsgard, is the final film in the Spring program in the Cinematheque for All repertory series; screening Wednesday night at 7 on the Purdue campus in West Lafayette.

Irish drama Death of a Superhero will be shown tonight at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center in South Bend. The annual Angelus Student Film Festival of short films highlighting the dignity of the human person is tomorrow at 7:30. On Wednesday, there will be a screening of Ken Loach’s 2000 drama Bread and Roses and on Thursday, a showing of the new documentary Wagner’s Dream, about the Met’s production of the Ring cycle. (Wagner’s Dream will be shown around the state as a Fathom Events special on May 7.)

NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND

The KAC now lists Whit Stillman’s new film Damsels in Distress, Oscar-nominated Israeli drama Footnote, and Australian thriller The Hunter, starring Willem Dafoe, for May 4.

“The Bigger Picture Show” of local artists’ posters inspired by classic films, sponsored by Indy Film Fest and Lodge Design, will be held May 11 at the Big Car Service Center (on Lafayette Road in the mall parking lot). The theme is films nominated for the best adapted screenplay Oscar.

The annual 36 Hour Film Challenge, where competitors make a short film in- you got it- 36 hours, is May 18-20. The completed films will be screened at the G14 in June. More details at the official website. The Yes Cinema’s annual film festival Yes Fest is the same weekend; info about the program here.

Summer Nights at the IMA start June 1 with What Ever Happened to Baby Jane.

Films and events scheduled for next Friday:

We Need to Talk About Kevin at the DeBartolo

The Fairy, Chico and Rita, and 444: Last Day on Earth at the Ryder

Last Week at the Movies/Last Week at Home

Clearly I spent far too many hours doing yard work last week since I didn’t watch anything at home. Nothing new drew me out to the multiplex, but the “Dickens Bicentennial Celebration and Variety Show” was a wonderful theater experience with a film component: a 1913 Vitagraph called The Adventure of the Honorable Event, from an episode of The Pickwick Papers. Also on the program was a magic lantern show, lantern slides and a dramatic reading of A Christmas Carol, for a trip through pre-cinema history.

New in Theaters This Weekend

Now this is more like it. Putting aside Jason Segel’s comedy The Five-Year Engagement, I’m likely to see all of: Aardman Animations parody The Pirates! Band of Misfits; John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe trying to stop a serial killer inspired by his tales of the macabre in The Raven; and Jason Statham’s new actioner Safe.

What have you been watching? What are you looking forward to?

A monthly series. Title self-explanatory.

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“Pocky” Zhang (Jiang Wen), a notorious bandit, robs a train that’s transporting a man who’s soon to be inaugurated as governor. He assumes the identity of that man and with the help of his newly acquired counselor Ma Bangde (Ge You), they ride on to Goose Town where Zhang takes up the governor’s position. However, Goose Town’s tyrannical local nobleman Master Huang (Chow Yun-Fat) plays mind games with Zhang from the get-go. Together with his six brothers, Zhang starts a war of wits and periodical gunfights with Huang. (Almost every character in the film is equipped with the Luger pistol, later to be popularized by the Germans.) Only one will survive.

The film takes place in the early 1920s and is directed and co-written by Jiang himself. It’s a time period that I enjoy, both thematically and aesthetically.

Let the Bullets Fly is a comedy hybrid that’s centered on funny dialogue, a la situational comedy (think of this as a more composed Stephen Chow film). There is little action in the film, which is probably a good thing because the story is character-driven and -centered; however, when there is action it resembles a shooting gallery rather than traditional complex choreography. And somehow that works very well.

This is a light film that’s filled with humor (which a Chinese audience will understand far better than most Westerners will) and boasts a lot of energy. Its performances are all quite good; I especially liked Chow and Jiang. So why don’t I love this film? Well, it’s probably because I’m not sure what it’s trying to say. One can ignore the overall plot and focus on the characters’ characteristics and motivations, but having done that I’m still not sure what the film is trying to say. That being said, I had fun watching it, even though it’s 132 minutes long.

The cinematography is nice, the film is colorful, and the performances are highly entertaining. I recommend this film as brainless fun but it’s not actually entirely brainless; it may appear so on the outside but the cunning schemes that Zhang and Huang perform on one another are unique and make sense (for the most part). Maybe that’s what I really like about this film, that it’s unique. I can’t place it in a single genre but that’s part of what makes it work.

The distributor’s website claims that the Collector’s Edition DVD and Blu-ray have special features but doesn’t say what they are.

Other new releases this week: Contraband, Pariah

This month on Photo Play: April showers bring… umbrellas.

On the Night Court doorstep…

…and before the judge.

BONUS PICTURE

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Last Week on Photo Play: Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
Coming Next: tba