INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (The Weinstein Company)
Written & Directed by Quentin Tarantino

The overused saying, ‘practice makes perfect’, takes on an entirely new meaning with Quentin Tarantino’s newest film, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. For years rumblings of this so-called war epic was in the works by the famed director and yet, nothing ever surfaced leading fans to wonder if it would ever happen. For nearly 10 years, Tarantino worked on this script, writing and re-writing to the point where he had to put it down and make ‘other’ films like KILL BILL: VOL. 1 & VOL. 2 and DEATH PROOF. So, to simply say this film was important to him is a huge understatement, as for Tarantino, nothing would be missed or excluded for what he dubbed his “ultimate masterpiece in the making.” And after seeing this film on DVD finally, it’s hard to argue its not leading me to believe it was well worth the wait and a strong contender to be covered in gold come Oscar night.

As with any Tarantino film, the story is anything but basic, here jumping back in forth between a set of five chapters, all individually titled and part of a bigger plan of two primary stories which merge toward film's end, in true World War II spirit. It all opens in France where SS Colonel Landa (Christoph Waltz) is led to a farm where Jews were allegedly being held in secret, a crime very much punishable back in the 40's. After an enlightening and all too revealing discussion with the home owner, Perrier LaPadite (Denis Menochet), Landa calls his men into the house, where he instructs them to shoot down at the floorboards. Several rounds later, the hidden family of Jews were all killed, with the exception of Shosanna (Melanie Laurent), who Landa let get away for reasons unknown. Meanwhile, somewhere in Italy, Lt. Aldo Raine, a.k.a. “Aldo the Apache” (Brad Pitt) recruits a team of eight Jewish-American soldiers to hunt down and scalp any Nazi they ran into. And their claim to fame, outside the scalping of Nazi’s, were to let one prisoner escape, so he could go back to headquarters and tell his command what took place. A dirty game, yes, but one Raine and the Basterds loved to play, eventually striking great fear into the opposition.

Back in Paris, Shosanna had established a new identity as a local cinema owner by the name of Emmanuelle Mimieux After meeting a celebrated German marksman by the name of Frederick Zoller (Daniel Bruhl), she is convinced to hold the premiere of a new Nazi propaganda film, in which Zoller starred in. The film, dubbed Stolz de Nation, was set to be a big hit and one almost every high ranking Nazi official, including Hitler, would be attending at Emmanuelle’s cinema opening night. Seeing this as a perfect opportunity for her revenge, she compiles a plan to bring down the ones responsible for her family’s death. But, shortly after the premiere began, another plan emerges, one devised by the Basterds, with help from Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), a famed German film star working undercover as a double agent. So, as both plans start to work alongside one another, the end result was anything but pretty, as this Nazi gathering was set to blow in more ways than one.

I guess any cast with Brad Pitt is worth mentioning, but for the first time in a long time it didn’t really matter all that much. I know that might be a shock to some, but this film really didn’t require any one star primarily, as the story in itself was able to hold its own quite well. In fact, despite one amazing performance by Christoph Waltz, the rest of the cast pretty much settled into their roles quietly. And maybe that’s what Tarantino wanted, as Waltz clearly was meant to be the one piece to this cast you remembered the most from his story. So credit Waltz for coming through when it mattered, as his recent awards suggest, but know that without the amazing script from Tarantino, none of it would have been possible. Maybe that’s a given, but to me it often gets forgotten how important a well-crafted script can be, especially one written by Quentin Tarantino, who doesn’t always lay out the easiest of dialogue. Yeah, his dialogue is lengthy and sometimes he gets too carried away with it, but I love it and can always tell a Tarantino movie by the way his characters tell stories. Good thing here is his cast never missed a beat, falling right in line with the story he was trying to tell, which is all I can hope for when it comes to any film, much less one as dynamic as this one.

I would bet if you asked any average moviegoer how many Quentin Tarantino films they had seen , the answer would be less than five almost every time. And what’s amazing about that fact is how large this guy’s name is and how much weight it carries in Hollywood. He literary became a living legend after his second major motion picture, PULP FICTION, and ever since then the draw and intrigue behind Tarantino films hasn’t stopped growing. For me, this couldn’t be truer, as I have yet to be pulled away from his everlasting stranglehold he tends to place on you with his films. To this day, I can remember where I was and the feeling I had after watching PULP FICTION, and the same could be said for his other films. To me, that’s special and why I look forward to anything this guy does, no matter how ludicrous or offensive it might look on the surface. That’s what makes this guy who he is and the more films you watch by him, you start to understand the methods behind the madness at which he writes and films.

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS is a perfect example of that, as it ranges from one level of emotion to the next, almost seamlessly making you wonder why you are laughing at something that truly is not intended to be funny. That’s Quentin Tarantino at his best and in this film he doesn’t flinch with some of the most intriguing and dramatic shot sequences between stories and/or chapters. Sure, there are times where he might irritate you with how he is telling the story, but I guarantee there’s a good reason for it and if you don’t pick up on it this time, you will the next. That’s what makes him so unique and such a rare commodity in Hollywood, because too often we find writers and directors that lack originality, something that quite frankly will never be associated with Tarantino.

If the title INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS doesn’t get you to watch this film, knowing Quentin Tarantino directed it should. And if you’re like me, you will watch the DVD for both reasons, and be treated to one of the best from 2009. I know I was and at first wasn’t too sure what kind of film I was even getting myself into, but the more I watched, the more I liked and by films end, was ready for more. So, call it what you will, but to me it’s already a winner, no matter what happens at the Oscars several weeks from now.

A-

THE HURT LOCKER

THE HURT LOCKER (Summit Entertainment)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

It’s not often we are treated with a story that sort of sneaks up on you, but that’s exactly the case here with director Kathryn Bigelow’s war thriller, THE HURT LOCKER. Not only is this film one of the best of 2008, its’ one of the best from 2009 as well, after finally being released this past June. That’s right, this film actually came out over a year ago and yet many of us have never even heard of it. One reason for that is the fact it wasn’t considered to be anything big, but the more chatter it got overseas, the easier it became for festivals here in the U.S. to pick it up, with the ‘South by Southwest Film Festival’ being the first in Austin, Texas. Regarded as one of the more respected festivals, THE HURT LOCKER was a hit at SBSW and within four months, the film was being shown on limited screens all over the world. Still a relatively independent film, though, not many will know to rent or buy this film on DVD, but should as its depiction on just one of the many active military groups during the war in Iraq was about as real as it gets.

Taking place in the early stages of the 2004 war in Iraq, the story here follows a EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) unit and their day to day operations, which was nothing short of spectacular given the unbelievable circumstances. After becoming the team leader of the assigned Bravo company EOD group, Staff Sergeant First Class William James (Jeremy Renner), quickly defuses a IED (improvised explosive device), but while doing it, irritates his new team consisting of Sergeant JT Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Specialist Owen Eldridge (Brian Geraghty). You see, James didn’t listen too well and while he would be confident in his own abilities with these IED situations’, his team didn’t know any better, thus creating a tricky and extremely unorthodox environment at times. Probably not something you want in a time of war, but that’s the price you pay to work with a guy as smart and talented as James, who was very driven and good at his job. So, as James and his team go from one mission to the next, they all start to realize what was really going on in this disarmed country, each reacting and reflecting in different ways. And the longer their tour went, the more real it got, resulting in a multitude of emotions for everyone involved. But, as the story ends, you start to realize just how true the opening quote from a book written by NY Times journalist and author Chris Hodges was; “The rush of battle is a potent and often lethal addiction, for war is a drug.”

I almost guarantee this cast is one that no one will recognize and for that, I credit director Kathryn Bigelow. There’s no need to bring in A-list actors when the story is the real star of the film. And Bigelow made sure she picked the right balance with her cast, ensuring the intensity would be at the highest level possible. Because, with a relatively unknown cast, all focus is on the story, which is part of why this film felt so real. And sure, maybe Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty helped with that, but to me, the credit should go to Bigelow and the writers. Without the amazing accounts from Mark Boal, a journalist who was in fact embedded with an EOD squad just like the one in this film, this story would have never made it. Because it was his research and hand-written word that helped Bigelow place her cast in the perfect moments within the story. To have a writer that actually spent time in the war he was writing a screenplay about is incredible and just one example of why this film was special.

For all that’s made about women and directing, Kathryn Bigelow has a found a way over the years to not fall into one specific genre. Instead, she chooses films that mean something and THE HURT LOCKER certainly fulfills that ideal and really shows what a hidden talent she has been all this time. Sure, her resume is relatively short, but I think when you put all the passion into the film, as she does, her films equal out to being more meaningful. That actually might be the secret and recipe to success that many actors and directors in Hollywood fail to employ, but either way, Bigelow deserves credit for what she has done with THE HURT LOCKER. Not since A BLACK HAWK DOWN have I felt so entrenched in a war thriller and the way Bigelow did it was almost flawless. Being able to bring in just the right emotion at times was critical and yes, the subject probably played a part in that, but Bigelow still had to make sure her moments of clarity within the drama mattered, and they certainly did here. At no point did you feel removed from the intense nature of this story and to me, that’s all Bigelow in the way she shot the film. Having the ability to shoot from four different views played a huge role in how this film looked and felt and the more you watched, the more you liked. That’s impressive and frankly, given the subject nice to see as no detail was missed. And realizing the subject won’t do this film any favors, but the truth remains that the war depicted in this film is very real and still ongoing as we speak.

THE HURT LOCKER is a film that will undoubtedly fly under the radar for various reasons, but like many of its predecessors shouldn’t. I realize the subject won’t do this film any favors, but the truth remains that the war depicted in this film is very real and still ongoing as we speak. And its effect crosses so many levels or reality that you can’t help but be pulled into its lore, resulting in a film that might just be Oscar-worthy when it’s all said and done.

A-

SHERLOCK HOLMES

SHERLOCK HOLMES (Warner Bros.)
Directed by Guy Ritchie

Surprises in Hollywood come a dime a dozen and most times with a whole lot of fanfare. That’s just how it’s done and has been done for quite some time when it comes to major motion pictures around the hills and valleys of LA. And honestly, I doubt many of us would want to change that aspect of the famed city, as we all fall victim to the glitz and glamour this city produces on a daily basis in some way or fashion. Fact is, this methodology is what works and has proven to fill seats around the country for films that producers hope might just make a few bucks. Just think about the trailers you watch and how many times it’s the very reason you go to see the film or don’t go; but either way, these trailers serve their purpose quite well in the grand scheme of things. In the case of SHERLOCK HOLMES, the trailer might just make or break its success, as it could either pull people in or drive people away; ultimately leaving its fate hanging in the balance, even though underneath the surface it should have never been in question to begin with.

The story here, based loosely off the fictional character by the same name, follows Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Dr. Watson (Jude Law) as they chase after criminals and solve cases no one else wanted to touch. So, as they end a case involving a failed sacrifice attempt at the hands of Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), they walk away and at least for Holmes, this would be the last time he would work in three months. For Watson, he was moving on to better things, taking up a new business venture and hoping to marry his girlfriend while Holmes sat around his apartment, bored out of his mind and driving everyone around him crazy. It was then Holmes was summoned to Lord Blackwood’s own execution to speak with the dark lord, in which Blackwood told him that three more deaths would occur after his execution, changing the course of the world. So, after taking a case from Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), the only person known to outwit Holmes, news comes that the tomb containing Lord Blackwood was crushed and the body found in it was not his. This of course did not sit well with either Holmes or Watson, both of whom watched the dark lord hang with Watson even pronouncing him dead. The hanging was just the beginning to this twisted and all too mysterious case the famed duo never thought was possible until they were mired smack dab in the middle of it.

It’s no secret how hot Robert Downey Jr. has been lately and with this role, he is proving he is not quite ready to cool off yet. With IRON MAN 2 set to hit theaters later this summer, this guy is making sure you see him and remember. And you know what, good for him, after being forgotten about all those years prior to his rebirth around 02’ or 03’, depending on who you ask. To come back in the way he has is quite impressive and he finally seems to be enjoying his craft, which is great to see given the extreme talent this guy has. With his role as the iconic Sherlock Holmes, you can tell he was having fun. Initially, however, I wasn’t sure if he could pull this off, but based on how this story was told, he wound up being perfect for the role. He was able to walk that fine line between genius and edginess, both valued traits of the famed Sherlock Holmes.

That was important, especially with the back and forth nature of his relationship with Dr. Watson, played by Jude Law. These two are one of those pairs that on the surface don’t seem right, but the more you watch, the more you understand that their relationship, although complicated, works very well in their specific line of work. Their symbiotic relationship was largely responsible for the entertainment aspect of the movie. Both deserve a great deal of credit and for Law, it’s about time he returned to something prominent. Even in his supporting role, it makes you wonder where this guy has been the past couple years. So, it was good to see him and hopefully we see even more of him with this series and others. And speaking of others, a Ms. Rachel McAdams was present here, playing the role of Irene Adler, a thorn in Holmes side and someone that was both persuasive and vindictive, traits McAdams had a lot of enjoyment with here. And her version of Adler sort of grew on you the longer you watched and even though she might not of had as many scenes as the other two, she made her presence known, which is all you can ask for.

For those of you that are wondering, yes, the director is the same Guy Ritchie that was married to the very lovely and often misunderstood Madonna until recently. But believe it or not, he was more than just her husband. Having said that, I can’t ignore the fact that I pretty much gave up on him as a director after watching his follow-up to SNATCH. To go from such unique and extremely moving work to garbage like SWEPT AWAY was a bit of a shock, so maybe Madonna did have some affect on him after all. But, either way, I’m glad he was finally able to dig himself out of whatever hole he was in, post divorce or not, to direct SHERLOCK HOLMES. And I can’t help but think with Ritchie not necessarily being the first option to direct this film, producers took a big gamble choosing him, but it paid off. Ritchie was the right choice, as no one else could have shown Holmes in this light, filled with so much action and intrigue, something no one had ever attempted to do with this character before. So I credit Ritchie’s vision with this film as it worked very well in creating an atmosphere that was both dark and rich at the same time. His unique style of filming, with narrow shots here and tricky angles there, made for some good entertainment. And he did all this while respecting the story, which actually was better than I thought it would be, given all the ridiculous action and humor surrounding it. So, who cares if some of it seems a bit over the top or fluffy, because at the end the day, I walked out satisfied, which is something I haven’t been able to say for a Guy Ritchie film in quite some time.

SHERLOCK HOLMES is not what it appears to be and I fear most people might not give it the chance it deserves. Sure, it’s wild and nothing like you would expect from this famed fictional character, but that’s actually a good thing. So just embrace it and don’t look back. I also was skeptical at first, but the more I watched the film, the more I respected what Guy Ritchie was trying to do, making me almost giddy at the thought of what could be next for this newly reborn series.

B

UP IN THE AIR

UP IN THE AIR (Paramount Pictures)
Written & Directed by Jason Reitman

Movies come and go and often without much thought, given where they fall on the invisible entertainment value scale. Because the reality is, it all depends on the audience watching it and where 'their' head was at when they sat down in front of the big screen. I truly believe this, as too often people might go into a film with pre-meditated thoughts or expectations due to lack of research on what they are about to see. To me, by doing this, you open yourself to be letdown more times than not, which is why I walk into the theater with a clean mind. Do that and you might just be surprised in what you find, as the simple pleasure of seeing a story unfold on the big screen can be the ultimate payoff, with the right mindset going in. It’s in that spirit we find a film like UP IN THE AIR, which on the surface may not look like a whole lot, but truly is the deeper you become imbedded within the well-crafted story.

The story, adapted from the 2001 novel by the same name, follows the trials and tribulations’ of Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), who makes his money by essentially firing people. You see, his company is hired by those companies who are downsizing, etc., to come in, sit down and tactfully let-go of their employees. Sounds ruthless and for the most part it is, but there is a stratigical way to do this and its Bingham’s job to make sure this process goes as smooth as possible. Traveling more than 300 days a year, his home is on the road and in the air, where he meets, greets and ultimately forgets anyone he happens to run across, before moving on to the next city on his itinerary. For years this worked for Bingham, as being attached to something was death to a guy who relished all the variety the road had to offer on any given day or night. And his payoff was the frequent flyer miles he stockpiled, as to him, getting to 10 million miles, something only six people before him had ever done, was more meaningful than a relationship with someone.

That was until he was forced to mentor a young 'up-and-comer' by the name of Natalie (Anna Kendrick), who was hired with the idea she would help change the culture of the company at which Bingham helped build. Having to show her the highs and lows of this job, as he knew it, was no easy task, as Natalie held dear all those things Bingham willingly let go of years ago, forcing the two to learn from each other in a way they never imagined. And for Bingham, this meant possibly acting on feelings he had developed for a fellow lost soul to the road, Alex (Vera Farmiga); but as he began to face what he had been running from all these years, he is reminded in a variety of ways just how harsh this world can be to him and the one’s he loves, resulting in quite the bittersweet conclusion that just might have you all twisted up inside by the time the closing music begins to play.

UP IN THE AIR is one of those films that breed award-winning performances, so it's a good thing George Clooney was at the helm. Director Jason Reitman couldn’t have picked a better actor to play Ryan Bingham, as Clooney in his own right know what it’s like to be single for a long time, same as his character here. And that may seem arbitrary to some, but to me it played a role in just how easy it was to believe in Clooney’s character. Add in all the quick-wit humor and natural demeanor Clooney seems to posses in whatever role he is in, and this is one of his best to date and certainly one I could see winning a few awards down the road here. He just has this way of making everyone else look so comfortable with him, which makes it almost to easy to watch him on the big screen, but that speaks volumes as to who he is as a person. And maybe I should give him more credit, but there always seems to be at least one or two great performances alongside his in virtually every film he plays a big role in.

Here, that role might have been Anna Kendrick’s, as she stood toe to toe with Clooney several times and passed, showing me she has lot more than what she has already shown behind the makeup and lure of the TWILIGHT series. I was impressed and didn’t really expect to be, which proves young talent is still not lost in Hollywood. Then there was Vera Farmiga, a vet many people think they have seen before, but would never guess from where and even if they did, would not believe it until they pulled up her IMDB.com profile. Farmiga has that gentle, yet confident face that will capture you and here, she was a great counter to Clooney and one I would certainly like to see in more prolific roles in the future. The one letdown to the cast and I was surprised as anyone else was Jason Bateman. I’m not sure why he was even in this film, as his role was forgettable at most, given its lack of screen time and meaning to the overall story. Truthfully, anyone could have played his role, which I would have preferred, as I felt as if I was sort of robbed of his talents here, with how little we saw of him.

There’s no doubt in my mind that writer/director Jason Reitman is becoming one of the great young director's Hollywood has to offer and with UP IN THE AIR, you begin to realize he’s just getting started. Already known for his great work with THANK YOU FOR SMOKING and JUNO, I had no reservations about what I would see from a Jason Reitman film. In fact, I was intrigued to see this knowing how different it would look and feel from the standard. I loved that about JUNO and it was no different here, as this film seemed to get better and better the more you watched. Sure, there might have been one too-many over-the-top reactions within the “firing session” sequences, but it all fit neatly into the story Reitman wanted to tell. His timely transitions and shot progressions’ were uncanny at times and frankly, it’s hard to find that with any other drama/comedy. There’s a certain intelligence with this film that I liked and maybe that's from Clooney’s narration, but either way, it made for some good quality entertainment in the end. And to do it so tastefully, given our current national economic instability was great, as such the topic might be frowned upon in some circles. So, credit Jason Reitman for making sure this script was solid, before ever putting it in motion, which he finally did after six years of development.

UP IN THE AIR just has that look of something different and I like that. Too often we get stuck into seeing the same old tired stories, so good for Jason Reitman to bring this Walter Kim novel to the big screen , for it brings to life all the good and bad travelling has to offer; all the while producing a Oscar-worthy story that will capture you in more ways than one.

B+