Braddigan Reviews

Black Swan (2010)

Deflowering the repressed

[9/10 · 13 December 2010]

Darren Aronofsky is no stranger to the psychological thriller, a sub- genre Black Swan fits in comfortably. Like Aronofsky's first film, Pi, Black Swan depicts an internal struggle between selves, the grappling for equilibrium, and the external manifestations of mental disintegration. However it is more dramatic and more transparent. No shock-value gimmicks here. The sufficiently clever viewer (not necessarily me) can vaguely project the trajectory of the film from early on. As "The Gentleman" and stage director, played by Vincent Cassel, says by way of describing Swan Lake: "Everybody knows the story..."

Nonetheless, Black Swan is far from predictable. Suffused with tension and suspense, Aronofsky massages fear and apportions violence and beauty in equal measure. Natalie Portman, apparently a life-long dancer, provides a stunning performance as actress and ballerina. She is enchanting and convincing: she seems like a real pro to amateur eyes. Similarly, Mila Kunis and the rest are stellar dancers and unendingly lovely. Cassel provides a subtle turn as the devious and brilliant theater director. Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder's characters are tragic and forsaken souls with just the right amount of darkness, threat, and suffering.

There is a lot to Black Swan. It is symbolically rich and provides all kinds of food for thought for psychological analysis. It's also just good drama, with strong characterization and performances. To top it all off, the soundtrack, at turns pulsating menace and sweeping to salvation, and the claustrophobic, person-centered cinematography make the viewer feel the repression, passion, and fear at every turn. Aronofsky has shown that the psychological thriller is still fertile ground for imaginative, but accessible film-making.

Adaptation. (2002)

The redeemable, comic loser in all of us...

[10/10 · 6 August 2010]

Charlie Kaufman, played by Nicolas Cage, is the protagonist of this off- the-wall film. He is also, of course, the writer of the screenplay. This odd element is characteristic of the boundary-breaking mission of this film. Except one thinks of a mission as being direct and seriously undertaken with an obvious objective. Adaptation. is like Darwinian evolution itself - slow-paced and digressive, even rather confused, but galumphing towards a goal nonetheless.

What that goal is, however, is not so clear. Kaufman and Jonze are innovative hand elliptical. Their message is circular, the temporal landscape ranges over the dramatic content of a decade, and the plot is strewn about with the gratuitous elements of ol' familiar Hollywood. Yet everything - everything! - is discussed endogenously - in the movie itself - in one way or another. Both Kaufman and his twin brother (also Cage - in a masterful comic performance) are writing film scripts, Kaufman's actually being the one for the film itself. And it is all utterly playful, ridiculous, and hilarious. Even if it can be, at times, painfully awkward and sincerely heart-felt.

The great novelty of the film is its voice-over narration. It begins during the credits - flashing white lettering at the bottom of a sparse, black screen. It is the bewildered, self-deprecating, and insecure voice of the highly pathetic Kaufman. It is unmistakably the rambling of a rational loser - life mired in self-perceived mediocrity, a rut, single and bored, but with hopes for improvement - "maybe I could learn Russian...I need a girl...". This will resonate with most everyone who has ever procrastinated, been down, or hoped for self-improvement. It will probably make you feel self-conscious, even uncomfortable, but who can say that is a bad thing?

Cría Cuervos (1976)

Beautiful sadness

[9/10 · 30 November 2008]

There is nothing much more sad than a pretty porcelain child with a broken heart. This movie delivers this cry-fest phenomenon splendidly. Emotional wrenching is one reason why we watch movies. This film will wrench you far and wide. There is a lot more to this movie than emotional and emotive story-telling. There is social commentary; an astute condemnation of the Franco regime and the patriarchal, hypocritical, repressive social system that he imposed. Filmed when cranky Franky was on the death-bed and released immediately after he succumbed, this film is an enlightening indictment, and a reminder. It portrays the old, the repressive, and the new, and the differences between them. The film is also just a brilliant piece of artwork. It is slowly-paced, revealing its prizes and drama in a slow, sad build-up. It is over-all, subtle, something which should be highly prized. Franco and the evils of fascism and patriarchy are not standing around in masks, shouting out slogans. No, they are not in your face. They are covertly placed and symbolically represented. Ignore them, if you want, but recognizing them enriches the experience of the film. Of course, simply enjoying the film simply for its aesthetic and narrative beauty is very much sufficient. The acting is phenomenal. Child-actors are problematic things, but Saura and crew managed to extract astounding, pure, talented acting out of the young girls, as well as the other actors. The protagonist, of course, stole the show. Doleful beauty is the most deeply affecting thing there is.

The Fall (I) (2006)

Pretty, self-indulgent, moralistic... excellent!

[7/10 · 28 November 2008]

Directed and Produced by the mysterious and elusive, "TARSEM," this movie must have been baking in the mind of somebody or some bodies for some time. It is one of the few films that qualifies as epic. The story-line is simple in the way that a hot, diner-served breakfast is simple; plain and familiar and enticing. The film-making is unabashed and boisterous embellishment, turning the simple into the gourmet. It is colorful, multi-ethnic, hodge-podgedly historical, violent and beautiful. That it maintains a semblance of morality and social commentary and subtlety, in addition to being a visionary epic, is quite an accomplishment. In sum it is about good and evil (isn't everything), saints and sinners, and the depth of character and force of will that makes good go on fighting. The ending is interesting, if nothing else. This movie might make you cry.

A dios momo (2005)

Beautiful fable in the style of Magical Realism

[8/10 · 3 November 2008]

Magical realism manifests most often in a pointed and often ambiguous blurring of reality and fantasy. This film is no exception. It playfully deals with the ability of art and music, fantasy and fiction, to represent and alter reality. What is artistically and emotionally effective is the key. If you'd like, at the end, wipe off the expired tears and consolidate the smiles and cast back in your head for clues and indications of reality or unreality. Your conclusions will depend on your worldly perspective, your tastes, and the accuracy of your perceptions. This film, like all others, is open to personal and multiple interpretation. Its ambiguity is irrelevant to its aesthetic, its appeal, and its purpose. It is an observation on Uruguayan poverty and nation and a statement about youth, dreams, and education. Gorgeously told, styled, and filmed, this movie is very much worth a view or two.

Atonement (2007)

Visually stunning but convoluted; not academy-award worthy, but worth a watch

[7/10 · 4 January 2008]

No rhymes, no embellishments, no adjectives... just kidding...

This film is a chick flick, which I insist is not a pejorative. That is not surprising, but it is one of the reasons I didn't adore this film. It is suffused with the kind of hopeless romanticism that I find, unfortunately, incredible. Some reasons why the kind of 'love' displayed is plausible in this case: the impending great war, the ww1 environment, human nature's tendency to translate desire into love. Still, it will always be a mystery why people rationalize, or should I say excuse, sex with love? It's not necessary, nor is it realistic. It is however a fixture of the dramatic, romantic chick flick. Apparently, people find it beautiful. Nicely portrayed in this film, but not necessarily appreciated.

Frankly, the most beautiful thing in this movie - no, not Keira Knightly's sprightly, elfin body - is its photography. The cinematography is excellent. Varied, unorthodox, meticulous, it is delightful and masterful. The scenes of war and Dunkirk are particularly haunting.

Additionally, the pacing and sequence of the film are stupendous... stupendous. They are inventive and interesting. Unfortunately, there is some amount of repetition, or should I say redundancy. The film could have been pared down. At 123 minutes, it is not excessively long, but for what was presented, it is a bit overdone and over-complicated. Additionally, it could have benefited from more characterization. The dialogue is smart and tight, but slightly sparse, especially for the minor characters.

The story, of course, is one we have heard before. It is cherished, and treated wonderfully in this presentation. Acting is very fine, though I will never really fall for the histrionics of the semi-human Knightly. All in all, a very nice and even slightly philosophical and provocative movie. Who would have thought a chick flick could be so ambitious?

Schultze Gets the Blues (2003)

I would rather be waterboarded than watch this movie again...

[5/10 · 17 December 2007]

Yes, I'd prefer the terrorist-treatment from my own country's unaccountable CIA than run through this agonizing travesty of a film another time. Of course, I exaggerate, but I do value this movie not at all except as an object of torture. I guarantee I would break under the strain of a second viewing. I'd tell ya anything... Except that this movie is good. In all honesty, it is not terrible. I assume that there are some out there who do honestly enjoy it in all its patient, dull humor and elderly psychology.

The message is something like this: Old age slows, wears out, and drags to a halt the lithe, lovely energy of youth. It is a vice on the enjoyability of existence, slowly shutting on vivacity and revolution. But, it does not have to be. Schultz and his friends learn in the fourth quarter that retirement is not death... Well, unless you want it to be. It can be avoided, escaped, outplayed. Joy can be achieved!

Frankly, this film is not to my tastes. I find it agonizingly sluggish, even stagnant. I like deliberate, not paraplegic pacing. I like wit and dialogue, strong characters, and subtle story telling. This film is slow and unsubtle, with mediocre acting, a minimalist script, and excessive reliance on what is mediocre direction and photography. There never seemed to me to be a moment of energy. No climax. The characters were static, taciturn, two-dimensional, and unlovable. Of course, there was purported to be massive changes occurring in our protagonists, but the acting and characterization did not bear them out.

Avoiding comparisons with other films is difficult, and should usually be omitted. Still, I would suggest that this film is very similar, though inferior, to the soul-searching, revolution and redemption seeking Jack Nicholson tale, About Schmidt. Schmidt outdoes Schultz in most every way.

If you are in the mood for a slow, meandering, slightly humorous tale of humanity in its late stages, either of these films might do. One thing I need to say before closing is that this story is an intensely human and personal. It is the ditty of an older man who learns how to jig to his own tune, when, evidently, he has been following the herd all his life. If you like music, you might find this movie entertaining. If you appreciate decisive, deliberate movement and momentum, this film might bore you to death.