DVD Review: Glengarry Glen Ross (A-)

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Directed by James Foley
Starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey and Alec Baldwin
MPAA: R
Grade: A-

Review by Scott Standish

Glengarry Glen Ross (the film version) should serve as a textbook example of how directors should approach adapting highly successful stage works to screen. Director James Foley, probably best known for the underrated At Close Range and the disastrous Who's That Girl? definitely made all the right decisions when he turned David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize Winning play into this high octane film.

The wisest choice by Foley (and his producers) certainly was hiring the original author (David Mamet) to write the screenplay. Mamet beefed up his remarkable tale of a sales office in turmoil by adding the new character Blake (played extremely well by Alec Baldwin) to the mix. Blake enters the underachieving real estate sales office early in the film and gives them an obscenity laced tirade that is simply awe inspiring. Blake announces a new sales contest to the crew and it's not pretty: "First prize is a Cadillac Eldorado. Anybody want to see second prize? Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired." Its a mesmerizing performance by Baldwin, one of our favorites.

The rest of the casting choices for the film version of Glengarry Glen Ross are perfect as well. Al Pacino plays the slick top salesman Ricky Roma, adding yet another fantastic character to his catalogue. Jack Lemmon plays Shelly "The Machine" Levine, the old timer of the office that can't seem to regain his form. Lemmon does incredible work here, as his character's emotions are all over the map. Ed Harris is Moss, the complaining schemer that tries to lure the wimpy George (Alan Arkin) into joining his crusade against the office. Finally, Kevin Spacey plays Williamson, the tight assed office manager that does nothing but screw up the salesmen's pitches to potential clients by not following (or even knowing) their leads.

Jack Lemmon has stated that this was the best ensemble cast of actors that he has ever worked with and that's a very bold statement coming from one of Hollywood's all time leading actors. The language is foul (they say the word 'fuck" or a derivation of it over 150 times), the acting is intense and the script is as tight as you will ever find. One of my favorite movies, Glengarry Glen Ross is an absolute American treasure and is a movie that every serious film lover should see.

Buy Glengarry Glen Ross On DVD From Amazon

DVD Review: Solaris (1972) (B+)

Solaris (1972)
Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
Starring Donatas Banionis, Natalya Bondarchuk, Juri Jarvet and Anatoli Solonitsyn
MPAA: PG
Grade: B+

Ever wonder what 2001 would be like if it was directed by Ingmar Bergman (and in Russian)? Me either. But the very long, overly complex 1972 space odyssey Solaris based on the book by Stanislaw Lem might be a pretty close facsimile.

A space station hovering above a water covered planet has experienced some serious problems, most notably a psychological disorder among the crew. Making it worse, they surmise that this could be alien interaction, where the ocean reads their dreams, and transmitting these thoughts back to the crew in real form. Kris (Donatas Banionis) is one of the astronauts exploring this new world, and after dreaming of his long dead wife, he is amazed to find her brought back to life. The issues of loss, love, fear and a higher morality are all explored in depth by the happenings above the planet Solaris.

The art direction for Solaris is breathtaking. Shots of nature (for example a beautiful pond that Kris visits) often clash with technology's excess (thousands of cars streaming through a criss cross of highways). In space, the sets are similar to 2001, but with a slightly more ethereal feel to them. In short, this film looks great and is wonderfully presented in this release from one of the best DVD companies around, Criterion.

At a running time of 163 minutes, and due to its complex nature, Solaris is not the kind of film one can enter into lightly. Be prepared: this is not an easy movie to sit through. The film is broken into two parts, and I recommend either breaking the parts over two evenings, or at the very least, taking a nice long stretch between the two segments.

Solaris is a wonderful film. Its obvious why Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Full Frontal) chose this movie for a remake. A deeply intellectual movie with fine performances and a wonderful (albeit long) structure, Andrei Tarkovsky's Solaris is a gem of a movie.

Buy Solaris On DVD From Amazon.com

DVD Review: Full Time Killer (B+)

Full Time Killer (2001)
Directed by Johnny To and Ka-Fai Wai
Starring Andy Lau, Takashi Sorimachi, Kelly Lin and Simon Yam
MPAA: R
Grade: B+

Review by Bobby Nashville

As a relative newcomer to Hong Kong cinema, this film was a real treat. Full of action and stylish camerawork, Full Time Killer is highly recommended.

Tok (Andy Lau) is a hitman that takes ridiculous chances and loves to do his job with insane flash (he wears a Bill Clinton mask during one particular shoot-out). O (Takashi Sorimachi) is a professional hitman who operates with much more restraint. O is at the top of the game, but Tok is looking to take him out and claim the title of the world's best "full time killer". Both hitman vie for the affections of the pretty yet shy Chin (played with elegance by Kelly Lin). As their paths cross, violence and romance collide.

Based on Edmond Pang's book of the same name, Full Time Killer is loaded with acrobatic shoot-outs and chases. Fast paced and full of beautiful visuals, Full Time Killer is a well made movie that does not disappoint.

Buy Full Time Killer On DVD From Amazon

DVD Review: Waking Life (D)

Waking Life (2001)
Directed by Richard Linklater
Starring Wiley Wiggins
MPAA: R
Grade: D

Review by Scott Standish

Waking Life is a film that is amazing to look at but absolutely excruciating to listen to. Directed by the creator of Slackers and Dazed and Confused, Waking Life has garnered much praise around the world. I have to admit I was quite excited to see this title show up at my door. Unfortunately, by the time I was half way through, I felt like sending it packing.

As you probably have heard, Waking Life was shot on digital video first and this served as the blueprint for the animated version. This results in a truly remarkable look, a kind of tripped out "living paint by numbers" style that is perfect for the storyline.

The storyline here is that a young boy dreams that he is floating throughout town, listening to people espouse various theories about the universe. Unfortunately every character can't stop blathering about theories they have on life, dreams, death, etc. - basically everyone in this movie talks nonstop about how smart and insightful they are. First this gets annoying, then it gets old and finally, it's just boring. The boy seems happy to listen to these windbags drone on and on, but frankly, I think most people would walk out or at the very least tell some of these grand-standers to just shut the hell up.

How does the story move forward from this great start? Well, the lead character awakes, only to soon find himself back in the dream, or perhaps he is encountering a dream inside a dream, he can't really tell. So this goes on for awhile and then everyone he talks to gives various theories about dreams, existentialism and free will. What fun!

Waking Life's script is pretentious and the dialogue is annoying. My guess is that if this were released as a live action (without the animation) Waking Life would not have received the kudos that it has.

Buy Waking Life On DVD From Amazon.com

DVD Review: Monsters Inc. (B+)

Monsters, Inc.
Directed by Pete Docter, David Silverman and Lee Unkrich
Featuring the voices of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and Mary Gibbs
MPAA: G
Grade: B+

Review by Scott Standish

The incredible rise, fall and rise again of Steve Jobs is one story that as a loyal Mac user I find quite inspiring. However, when history writes the final chapter on the moody man behind Apple Computer let's hope that they don't forget the Pixar story.

Although Jobs does not direct (or even produce) the films that Pixar makes, as CEO and driving force behind the company his track record is impeccable. We are talking about a film studio that entered the Disney dominated market of animated feature film production, and then blew them out of the water. Let's take a look at the track record: Toy Story, Toy Story 2, A Bug's Life, and now Monsters Inc. It's amazing but true: Pixar is still undefeated.

Monsters Inc. is one of those children's movies that is completely charming to the kids in the house, yet has just enough intelligence to keep the adults interested. Handling both of these tasks capably is not easy and most animated tales lean too far one way or the other. This usually leaves one side of the generation gap feeling bored or annoyed. Monsters Inc. takes care of everybody.

As you probably have heard, Monsters Inc. tells the story of a world of monsters, that need the energy produced by screaming children to fuel their world. I know this sounds Tim Burton-esque but it is handled in a much lighter fashion. The top producers of screams from little children is Sulley, the furry bear like monster voiced by John Goodman. His partner, the short creature with a body made from one big eyeball is voiced by Billy Crystal. Crystal and Goodman have a great chemistry here and the result is a likable, very laughable children's story with a lot of heart. The basic plot twist revolves around a very cute young child entering the monster's world (Monstropolis) where they are strictly forbidden. There is a lot of running around, hiding and such, and let's face it, that's about as complex as a film like this can get and still be understandable to the kids.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Monsters Inc. is the quality of the computer generated animation. It's stunning. The tiny wisps of fur blowing on Sulleys coat are incredible, and the action sequences have such rich detail, that it borders on surreal.

Monsters Inc. is a charming children's tale with enough wit and action to keep adults entertained. Highly recommended.

Buy Monsters Inc. On DVD From Amazon.com

DVD Review: D.O.A. (B+)

DOA (1950)
Directed by Ralph Mate
Starring Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton and Beverly Garland
MPAA: UR
Grade: B+

Review by Scott Standish

The 1950 drama DOA is a fast paced thriller with decent acting and a lot of film noir style. Do not confuse this classic film noir with the 1988 remake starring Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan.

A suave accountant with an eye for the ladies, Frank Bigelow is his own man and he likes living life to the fullest. Unfortunately during a business trip to San Francisco he finds out that his life is coming to an end (literally). It seems that someone has poisoned Bigelow by slipping a toxic luminous poison into one of his drinks. The doctors tell him that there is no cure so he truly is a walking dead man (hence the title).

Bigelow quickly turns into a private eye focused on finding out who has poisoned him. The suspects are everywhere: could it have been the girl he was drinking with at the club? The salesman that he partied with at the hotel? Perhaps an old client with a grudge? Bigelow searches San Francisco and Los Angeles tracking down the killer.

Edmond O'Brien does a good job portraying Bigelow, a man who knows his time is up but is set upon getting revenge before he dies. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast is a little uneven, especially the love interests who seem especially flat.

The real star of DOA is without a doubt the brilliant photography by master Director of Photography Ernest Laszlo. Laszlo is an artist with few peer when it comes to lighting and shooting the film noir/German expressionist style. Streaks of light and shadow take center stage and help to heighten tension. Laszlo's gorgeous photography often creates beautiful images that are truly something to behold. By the way, if you like the look of DOA as much as I do, then make sure to check out Kiss Me Deadly, another great noir photographed by Laszlo.

Buy DOA On DVD From Amazon.com

A Beautiful Mind

A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Directed by Ron Howard
Starring Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris
MPAA: PG-13
Grade: C+

As everyone knows by now, A Beautiful Mind tells the story of John Nash, a genius mathematician that battled schizophrenia throughout his life. Nash had a hard time "fitting in" with society but he also had the gift to see potential outcomes for mathematical formulas and social interactions way ahead of time. He was a gifted visionary that could calculate probabilities and mathematical theories far beyond his contemporaries. However, hindering this gift were unstoppable delusions, paranoia and subsequent battles with his own mind.

The story of John Nash is an incredible one, and the job Ron Howard has done here to bring this tale to life is commendable. The acting is quite good, especially Jennifer Connelly, one of the best actresses in the biz right now. Her work in Requiem For A Dream is really acting at its finest, and I suspect that she was awarded the Best Actress Oscar not only for her work here, but for her work in Requiem.

The soundtrack for A Beautiful Mind was also nominated for an Academy Award, but it presented some major problems for me. Every time I started to really draw myself into the story of A Beautiful Mind, I was thrown out of the scene by an overbearing soundtrack- specifically the overly dramatic strings. The strings in this film seemed to overpower every scene that contained emotional significance.

Why they felt the need to telegraph the scenes so much is beyond me, because the actors seemed to carrying the film without all of the heavy handedness. But hey, this is Hollywood, and every Oscar caliber film today seems to be overstuffed with John Williams type strings nowadays.

A Beautiful Mind did indeed win the Best Picture Oscar, as well as a Best Actress award for Jennifer Connelly, a Best Screenplay award for Akiva Golsman and of course, a Best Director award for Ron Howard. I guess it is just further proof of how much the Academy wants their top awards to go to wholesome, uplifting tales of moral standing. That's fine, they have an agenda and are doing their best to further it.

But as for me, I simply want a movie that is gripping, not so formulaic and yes, maybe a little bit of a ride. A Beautiful Mind was just too obvious to me (the soundtrack certainly didn't help) and despite some fine acting performances, I can't rank it among the best movies I saw in 2001.

Buy A Beautiful Mind On DVD

DVD Review: Archangel (B+)

Archangel (1990)
Directed By Guy Maddin
Grade: B+

Review by Scott Standish

Guy Maddin makes beautifully strange films, and Archangel is a near perfect mix of the bizarre and the classic. The movie plays like a black and white dream, with silent movie titles and strange lighting, all coated with glittery snowfall. Its hard to understand at times, but like an avant garde painting, Archangel is meant to be enjoyed for its sheer beauty.

Best known for the feature Careful (1992), Guy Maddin has shocked the world with a unique style that can only be explained by it's obvous influences: German Expressionism, silent film acting, classic black and white horror films and the modern surrealist style of master director David Lynch. As in Careful, scratchy effects overlay Archangel to give it a fake "aged look" and it really looks as if it were shot in 1930.

Archangel tells the the story of a love triangle set in the backdrop of World War 1 Russia (the strange cities of Archangel and Murmansk). Lt. John Boles is in love with Iris, but at times confuses the lovely Veronka for her. Veronka is married to Philbin, who has amnesia.

To be honest, the story is pretty ludicrous and confusing, but this film is all about technique, and the insane dialogue that pushes this classic into a surreal froth. The cinematography is gorgeous and the sound design is top notch.

If you like strange movies, give this a try. If you are a David Lynch fan and aren't familiar with Guy Maddin, this is a must see. Come to think of it, Lynch and Maddin need to work together on something. I would be really interested to see if weird + weird = really weird. I bet it does.

Buy Archangel (Guy Maddin Collection) On DVD