Review: "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" - Robert Rodriguez's "Mexico Trilogy" Stumbled to the Finish Line

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 142 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)
Running time: 102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence and for language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Robert Rodriguez
PRODUCERS: Elizabeth Avellan, Carlos Gallardo, and Robert Rodriguez
CINEMATOGRAPHER/COMPOSER/EDITOR: Robert Rodriguez

ACTION/CRIME/DRAMA

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Johnny Depp, Mickey Rourke, Eva Mendes, Danny Trejo, Enrique Inglesias, Marco Leonardi, Cheech Marin, Ruben Blades, Gerardo Vigil, Pedro Armendariz, Jr., and Willem Dafoe

Take a Sergio Leone spaghetti western like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and spin it on its head; add the flavor of the Southwest and Mexico, and you just might have director Robert Rodriguez’s Once Upon a Time in Mexico, a follow up of sorts to his 1995 film Desperado, itself a remake of Rodriguez’s El Mariachi. The film is certainly unique, being a mixture of several genres, but not really being like anything else in particular. As with most Rodriguez’s work, the film is of his own unique and zesty recipe, even if the film ends up being quite messy.

Sands (Johnny Depp) maybe a rogue agent of the Central Intelligence Agency, but like a lot of things in this movie, it’s not entirely clear what he is and what he wants. He hires the legendary El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas, reprising his role from Desperado), the guitar case assassin, and his compadres to kill Mexico’s El Presidente (Pedro Armendariz). Sands, however, is into manipulating a whole slew of players including a police officer (Eva Mendes) for whom he has amorous feelings, retired FBI agent (Ruben Blades) and a drug lord (Willem Dafoe), among others. It’s an explosive plan Sands has set for detonation during Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebrations, but he just might find himself scorched by the explosion.

Once Upon a Time has a lot going on in it, and there is so much to see; the film is literally a visual feast. Its most glaring deficit, probably the most important element, is a weak story and an even weaker script. Even if you take this film at its face value, which is that the tale is more impressionistic and symbolic than literal, the narrative is too jumbled to make much sense. There’s a lot of goofiness in the hyper-violence, and the film’s action sequences have a rapid and rabid, colorful, manic, music video cool about them. The film’s color palette is so lush and delicious that the film seems practically edible. Still, when all the dazzling is done, by the end of the film, the best you can do is agree that it seems as if the good guys won.

The acting (what there is of it) is mostly good, and Depp (He’s one of those actors that the camera really loves) steals the show. He is, however, not the lead, and although this is an ensemble drama, his character, if not the most important, is played by the most intriguing cast member. Maybe, he should have been the lead and his character more than just a catalyst (the crap starter) because Banderas, as the central figure here, just doesn’t work.

Rodriguez, as usual, is a one-man gang filmmaker. A musician, he scored the film, and edited it. He shot the film himself using digital video camera technology (which filmmaker George Lucas introduced him to in 2000), and he is, of course co-producer, writer, and director. I’m impressed with his verve, but I wish there was a little more meat to Rodriguez’s film. He’s a jack-of-all-trades, but sometimes, he doesn’t seem to be very good at any one. This is one of those times when a collaborator or two would have better served the end product. Once Upon a Time in Mexico is a good idea that doesn’t come to fruition. Although on the surface it may seem otherwise, it ends up being like a lot of summer action flicks, full of sound and fury, and not, surprisingly, empty.

5 of 10
C+

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Review: "Desperado" Both Beautiful and Brutal

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 65 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Desperado (1995)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong bloody violence, a strong sex sequence, and language
DIRECTOR/WRITER/EDITOR: Robert Rodriguez
PRODUCERS: Bill Borden and Robert Rodriguez
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Guillermo Navarro

ACTION/WESTERN with elements of crime

Starring: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Joaquim de Almeida, Cheech Marin, Steve Buscemi, Carlos Gomez, Quentin Tarantino, Tito Larriva, Carlos Gallardo, Albert Michel, Jr., and Danny Trejo

Robert Rodriguez followed up his ultra-low budget independent thriller, El Mariachi, with the larger-budgeted ($7 million, which is low by Hollywood standards) Desperado. The film is a slightly re-imagined sequel. El Mariachi is now played by Antonio Banderas, replacing Carlos Gallardo, who played the character in the original film and who does make a cameo appearance here. This time the no-named musician (we do learn his name by the end of the film) is stalking Bucho (Joaquim de Almeida), the last Mexican drug lord with connections to the death of his girlfriend (as seen in the first film). He meets Carolina (Salma Hayek), a beautiful bookstore owner and falls in love with her while also taking on a small army of Bucho’s henchmen in a small, dusty border town. El Mariachi learns, however, that Bucho has a strong link to his past.

Some described Robert Rodriguez’s poetic way of presenting violence in this movie to the cinematic styles of John Woo and Sam Peckinpah, and the shoot-‘em-ups in Desperado are indeed eye candy, especially the violence in the first hour of this film. This first half of the film sparkles with black comedy, acerbic wit, and violent slapstick, but as the film goes on, it begins to list. The romantic scenes are dry and are only road bumps in the narrative. Whereas El Mariachi was short and tightly efficient, Desperado is a bit long and a little padded. Still, the combination of Guillermo Navarro’s warmly hued photography and Rodriguez’s visual acumen make for a beautiful, brutal, ballet of film violence, proving that violence does indeed look good on film, if the director knows what he’s doing. And with each movie, Rodriguez proves to be a natural born moviemaker.

7 of 10
B+

Monday, May 16, 2005

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Review: "Shrek Forever After" is an Upgrade from Third Film

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 37 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

Shrek Forever After (2010)
Running time: 93 minutes (1 hour, 33 minutes)
MPAA – PG for mild action, some rude humor and brief language
DIRECTOR: Mike Mitchell
WRITER: Josh Klausner and Darren Lemke
PRODUCERS: Teresa Cheng and Gina Shay
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Yong Duk Jhun

ANIMATION/FANTASY/ACTION/ADVENTURE and COMEDY/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Julie Andrews, Jon Hamm, John Cleese, Craig Robinson, Jane Lynch, and Walt Dohrn

The magic is not gone! Shrek Forever After arrives in theatres and reminds us that the disappointing Shrek the Third was a fluke in the Shrek franchise. When Shrek debuted in 2001, it was certainly different from the typical animated film. Instead of being an update of some fairy tale meant to appease children, Shrek turned the fairy tale on its ear, spoofed pop culture, and introduced odd ball characters that were so endearing a few of them gradually became pop culture stars. The 2004 sequel, Shrek 2, was as good as the first film, but not as fresh and original. Shrek the Third was a misfire. While it may not be an original, Shrek Forever After returns to what the first two films did well.

The new film finds the title character, that lovable ogre, Shrek (Mike Myers), not loving being a lovable ogre. He fought an evil dragon to rescue Prince Fiona (Cameron Diaz), married her, and saved his in-laws’ kingdom, Far Far Away. Before that, however, Shrek was ogre who scared villagers and took mud baths. Now, he is a domesticated family man, changing diapers, and autographing pitchforks for admiring villagers, and his once-fearsome ogre’s roar has become a children’s favorite. Shrek longs for the days when he was “real ogre,” but there is someone with the magic to help him be bad again.

A smooth-talking dealmaker named Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn) meets Shrek and offers him a magical contract. Shrek can get a day to feel like a real ogre again, in exchange for ANY day from Shrek’s past. Shrek signs the contract, but the deal creates a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away. This is a world in which he and Princess Fiona never met, and his friends, even Donkey (Eddie Murphy), don’t know him. He has 24 hours to restore his world or disappear forever.

Shrek Forever After is essentially a spin on director Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, in which a man on the verge of suicide gets to see how unfortunate life would be for his family, friends, and community without him. Because it uses themes similar to the Capra film, this fourth Shrek movie is probably the most heartfelt and sentimental about the importance of close relationships. The narrative is insistent that each individual character is essential to the well-being and happiness of his or her fellow characters. [That said, Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) is getting a spin-off film.]

The entire story plays off the idea that the audience, by now, is familiar with these characters, knows their personalities, and has expectations about how the characters will entertain them. And Shrek Forever After delivers. All the voice performances are good, and, unlike in Shrek the Third, Eddie Murphy and Donkey have lots of screen time, which they use to spectacular results. This film also introduces another good Shrek villain, the winning Rumpelstiltskin, superbly performed by animator and voice actor, Walt Dohrn.

Shrek Forever After like the original is big and jolly. Cleverly chosen songs still populate the soundtrack and set the tone for key scenes in the story. Pop culture is slyly referenced and spoofed (like the funny break dancing witches routine), and the main characters still have some of the best jokes and one-liners the audience will hear during the summer movie season. But Shrek Forever After has heart. If this is indeed the last Shrek film (at least for awhile), we are left with a movie that reminds us how much fun Shrek and company are and how much we really like them or even love them.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Review: "Shrek the Third" is Disappointing

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 88 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux


Shrek the Third (2007)
Running time: 93 minutes (1 hour, 33 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some crude humor, suggestive content, and swashbuckling action
DIRECTOR: Chris Miller with Raman Hui
WRITERS: Jeffrey Price & Peter S. Seaman and Chris Miller & Aron Warner
PRODUCER: Aron Warner
EDITOR: Michael Andrews

ANIMATION/COMEDY/FANTASY/ACTION/FAMILY

Starring: (voices) Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, Ruper Everett, Justin Timberlake, Julie Andrews, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Cheri Oteri, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Amy Sedaris, John Krasinski, Larry King, Susanne Blakeslee, and Ian McShane

Smelly ogre Shrek (Mike Myers) returns in Shrek the Third, and finds himself in a bit of a fix. When he married Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), he never realized that the union would put him in line to become the next King of Far, Far Away, so when his father-in-law, King Harold (John Cleese), dies, Shrek and Fiona are facing the very real possibility of being the new King and Queen.

Determined to remain an ordinary ogre and return to his peaceful life in the swamp, Shrek sets off with reliable pals Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) on a long journey to find Fiona’s long lost cousin, Artie (Justin Timberlake), an underachieving high school slacker. Making the rebellious Artie accept the throne proves to be a bigger challenge than Shrek suspected.

Meanwhile, Shrek’s old nemesis, Prince Charming (Rupert Everett), has returned to Far, Far Away with an army composed of some of classic fairytales most infamous villains, including Captain Hook (Ian McShane) and his crew and the Evil Queen (Susanne Blakeslee) from “Snow White.” It’s up to Fiona and her band of princesses: Cinderella (Amy Sedaris), Rapunzel (Maya Rudolph), Sleeping Beauty (Cheri Oteri), Snow White (Amy Poehler) and, of course, Doris (Larry King), to fight until Shrek and crew return to the country for the final battle with Charming.

Considering the box office success of Shrek and Shrek 2 and the fact that they were actually very good films, Shrek the Third’s mediocrity is shocking. It’s only mildly amusing, and there’s nothing distinguishing about the animation, which actually looks really bad (in terms of character movement and design) in several places. There are too many characters, and not enough of Eddie Murphy’s Donkey who is every bit the star of this franchise that Mike Myers’ Shrek is. Any future installments need a significant overhaul because Shrek the Third looks like the franchise is showing tired, old legs.

5 of 10
C+

Saturday, June 09, 2007

NOTES:
2008 BAFTA Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Animated Film” (Chris Miller)

Review: "Shrek 2" Aimed More at Adults than Children

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 90 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux


Shrek 2 (2004)
Running time: 93 minutes (1 hour, 33 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some crude humor, a brief substance reference and some suggestive content
DIRECTORS: Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury, and Conrad Vernon
WRITERS: Andrew Adamson, J. David Stem, Joe Stillman, and David N. Weiss with Chris Miller; from a story by Andrew Adamson (based upon characters created by William Steig)
PRODUCERS: David Lipman, Aron Warner, and John H. Williams
EDITORS: Michael Andrews and Sim Evan-Jones
Academy Award nominee

ANIMATED/COMEDY/FAMILY/FANTASY/ADVENTURE

Starring: (voices) Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, John Cleese, Julie Andrews, Rupert Everett, and Jennifer Saunders

I found Shrek 2 to be every bit as funny as the original, but I don’t think it’s quite as surprising or better than the smash hit and Academy Award-winning Shrek. The first film was sweet and sentimental, and despite it’s clunky and peculiar computer-generated animation, it was fresh and different. Shrek 2 is every bit the expensive and glossy sequel, and is mostly disposable entertainment. In fact, the filmmakers have managed to make a movie so entertaining that it’s disposable entertainment as art. I laughed a lot and had a damn good time, but as I do with many big summer films, I’d mostly forgotten it not long after I’d left the theatre. There’s nothing wrong with that, but Shrek 2 is like a cheap candy bar, sweet but not necessary. You can wait for home video.

In Shrek 2, the titular Shrek (Michael Myers) and his wife Princes Fiona (Cameron Diaz) with Shrek’s homeboy Donkey (Eddie Murphy) travel to Far, Far Away, Fiona’s home to meet her parents the King (John Cleese) and Queen (Julie Andrews). The royal parents, however, are not happy to see Fiona married to an ogre, which is what Shrek is, and they’d hoped she’d married Prince Charming (Rupert Everett).

It was Charming who was supposed to rescue Fiona in the first film (and not Shrek as it happened) and break the spell that caused Fiona herself to become an ogre at night. Now, that Fiona has married Shrek, she’s a full time ogre. Charming’s mother, the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders) demands that the King get rid of Shrek, so he hires a suave assassin, Puss In Boots (Antonio Banderas), to dispatch Shrek. But when Puss becomes Shrek’s friend, Fairy Godmother throws all her magic behind a diabolical plan to trick Fiona away from Shrek and into the arms of her son.

I found Shrek 2’s humor mainly directed at adults, although children can certainly enjoy it. Much of the comedy is built around sight gags, but there are numerous sly cultural references (visual and spoken), witty asides, puns, etc. that will go right over the heads of the kids and many 20-somethings. There is also a surprising amount of sexual innuendo and crude humor. Once again, I think this film is aimed more at adults than children, much like the old Warner Bros. cartoons from the 1930’s and 40’s. They were originally made as theatrical shorts to be shown before films and weren’t specifically aimed at children just because the shorts were cartoons.

Technically, Shrek 2’s animation is much improved over the first film, but PDI, the company that animated both Shrek films has nothing on Pixar, the studio behind Toy Story and Finding Nemo. There is a crucial difference between Pixar and PDI. Pixar does computer animation in the tradition of Disney animated classics: animated films that are fairy tales aimed at children, but also appeal to adults who are “young at heart.” PDI creates broad PG-rated films that attract kids simply because they are animated but are also written to attract adults with rough humor and sarcasm.

The standout voice talents in the film are Eddie Murphy, John Cleese, and Jennifer Saunders. Their performances are what we would expect of actors that are both fine comedians and comic actors, and they are really good at adapting their particular talents for virtually any kind of comedy.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2005 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Original Song” (Adam Duritz-composer/lyricist, Charles Gillingham-composer, Jim Bogios-composer, David Immerglück-composer, Matthew Malley-composer, David Bryson-composer, Dan Vickrey-lyricist for the song "Accidentally In Love")and “Best Animated Feature Film of the Year” (Andrew Adamson)

2004 BAFTA: 1 win “Kids’ Vote”

2005 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Adam Duritz, Dan Vickrey, David Immerglück, Matthew Malley, David Bryson for the song "Accidentally In Love")