Review: "The Cooler" is an Odd Romance with Good Performances (Happy B'day, William H. Macy)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 63 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Cooler (2003)
Running time: 101 minutes (1 hour, 41 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexuality, violence, language and some drug use
DIRECTOR: Wayne Kramer
WRITERS: Frank Hannah and Wayne Kramer
PRODUCERS: Sean Furst and Michael Pierce
CINEMATOGRAPHER: James Whitaker (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Arthur Coburn
COMPOSER: Mark Isham
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA/CRIME/ROMANCE

Starring: William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Maria Bello, Shawn Hatosy, Ron Livingston, Paul Sorvino, Estella Warren, Arthur J. Nascarella, and Joey Fatone

Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) may be the unluckiest man in Las Vegas, and an old debt keeps him in bondage to his “friend” Shelly Caplow (Alec Baldwin, who received an Oscar® nomination for this supporting role), the crooked casino director of the Shangri-La. The Shangri-La is one of the last mob-run casinos in town, and Shelly uses Bernie as a “cooler,” a casino operative whose contagious bad luck knocks out casino high rollers on a win streak at a table or a slot machine. If that wasn’t enough drama, Bernie falls in love with a cocktail waitress named Natalie Belisario (Maria Bello), and her love and good, hot sex shorts out Bernie’s bad karma, much to Shelly’s chagrin.

The Cooler is a crime drama and romance with a peculiar mood. Though heavily downbeat, the film nevertheless has considerable strength as a romance. While Macy and Ms. Bello, on the surface, may seem to have little by which to connect, they develop tremendous screen chemistry, and it’s actually nice to watch the relationship between the characters grow before our eyes. Actually Ms. Bello’s performance really isn’t all that good (isn’t bad, either), but like a lot of elements in this film, her performance is well-used by director Wayne Kramer, a little-known South African-born director. This film could have died early in the story because Bernie is almost too pitiful to bare and the film’s best love scene happens quite early in the film, but Kramer deftly drives the dramatic narrative.

The Cooler is cleverly paced, and the film has some of the best shot composition I’ve seen in awhile. In fact, the rich color photography by Jim Whitaker and the film editing by Arthur Coburn really looks like classic black and white film noir, not to mention Mark Isham’s fabulous noir-ish jazz score. Somewhat underrated and largely ignored at the box office, The Cooler is an odd kind of romance that should have special appeal to those who like to see the homely guy get the girl, and with fine performances by Macy and Baldwin (a really good actor), this film is worth it.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2004 Academy Awards: 1 nominations: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Alec Baldwin)

2004 Golden Globes: 2 nominations: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Alec Baldwin) and “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Maria Bello)

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Review: Oscar-Nominated Doc "Restrepo" is a Real War Story

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 22 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

Restrepo (2010)
Running time: 93 minutes (1 hour, 33 minutes)
MPAA – R for language throughout including some descriptions of violence
DIRECTORS: Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
CINEMATOGRAPHERS/PRODUCERS: Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
EDITOR: Michael Levine
Academy Award nominee

DOCUMENTARY – War

Starring: Dan Kearney, LaMonta Caldwell, Sterling Jones, Kevin Rice, Juan “Doc” Restrepo, and the Men of Battle Company 2nd of the 503rd Infantry Regiment 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team

Restrepo is an Oscar-nominated documentary from Sebastian Junger, the author of The Perfect Storm, and photographer Tim Hetherington. Hetherington and Junger spent a year embedded with the Second Platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team in Afghanistan during their 15-month deployment.

Most of that time, they were hunkered down in the Korengal Valley in an outpost (OP) named OP Restrepo, which the soldiers named after their fallen comrade, Juan “Doc” Restrepo, a platoon medic killed earlier in the deployment. The filmmakers document the platoon’s brotherhood, hard work, fear, boredom, and joy.

Riveting, compelling, and harrowing, and even poignant, scary, and gut-wrenching in places, Restrepo is a pure documentary. By that, I mean the filmmakers, Hetherington and Junger, document their subjects without commentary and with only the camera as an indication that they are even present. Any opinions and feelings the viewer has are mostly the result of their on interpretations of what they see. They recorded; you decide.

Still, as good as this film is, Restrepo feels like it is missing something, and I still can’t figure out what it is I think is missing. Still, every American should watch at least a quarter of the film. That’s a little over 23 minutes. You can spare the time.

8 of 10
A

NOTES:
2011 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Documentary, Features” (Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger)

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Review: Documentary Film, "Why We Fight," Answers the Question

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 177 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Why We Fight (2005)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA/France/UK/Canada/Denmark
Running time: 98 minutes (1 hour, 38 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for disturbing war images and brief language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Eugene Jarecki
PRODUCERS: Susannah Shipman and Eugene Jarecki
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Sam Cullman, Joe Di Gennaro, Christopher Li, Etienne Sauret (director of photography), May Ying Welsh, Brett Wiley, and Foster Wiley
EDITOR: Nancy Kennedy

DOCUMENTARY – History

Starring: Joseph Cirincione, Gwynne Dyer, Dwight D. Eisenhower (archival), John S.D. Eisenhower, Susan Eisenhower, Chalmers Johnson, Donna Ellington, Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski, Wilton Sekser, Franklin Spinney, William Kristol, Sen. John McCain, Richard Perle, Dan Rather, Wally Saeger, and Gore Vidal

It begins with President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s farewell address to the nation on January 17, 1961, then, the documentary that was a hit at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, Why We Fight, begins its examination of the American military machine – the military industrial complex and asks the question "Why does American wage war?"

Along the way, this documentary becomes an unflinching look at the rise of the American Empire. Much of it filmed during the war in Iraq, Why We Fight also surveys and dissects a half-century of American military adventures. Using archival footage and interviews with peace activists, scholars, soldiers, government officials, journalists, and even a grieving father, Why We Fight scrutinizes and analyzes the political interests (Congress and the Presidency), economic interests (manufacturers of military vehicles, armament, equipment, etc.), and ideological factors (think tanks) that are behind American militarism – the relatively small group of people that really control a government that is supposedly of, by, and for the people.

Directed by Edward Jarecki (The Trials of Henry Kissinger), Why We Fight is both sober and compelling. It’s sober because it reveals that much of our military actions and campaigns going back to the atomic bombing of Japan were as much about the U.S. flexing its muscles and establishing itself as the dominate nation on earth as they were about self-defense. In some cases, it was more about imperialism than it was about defending the nation from enemies, as Jarecki’s film claims. Why We Fight is compelling because the interview subjects come from a broad spectrum of people who have worked in the upper echelons of the Department of Defense or are actively involved in covering the government as scholars or journalists. There’s even a former CIA operative.

When trying to answer the question of “Why do we fight?” much of the discussion uses the war in Iraq – from the build up to the beginning of the invasion of the country – as the frame of reference. At times, Why We Fight comes across as another one-sided documentary/screed against the war in Iraq. However, it has the grace to present the interviews, film footage (archival and recent), and history in a manner that allows the viewer to think for himself. There are a lot of people in this film, and they have a lot to say. There’s enough information from which the viewer can draw his own conclusions.

Sometimes, even good documentaries are compelling, but they’re like fast food. They are as forgettable as many regular non-documentary films. Why We Fight, however, seeks to educate and inform, and it wants to stay with you. Why We Fight has the audacity to feel that it is important and actually attempt to be an important movie. Jarecki offers us the opportunity to take him at his word, or simply watch, listen, and think. His own mind seems made up, but he presents things in a fashion that isn’t necessarily didactic. Just the facts, Jarecki tells us. This is how it is, but in the end, he doesn’t offer a pat conclusion. Why We Fight simply fades away with words of warning – a little something to take root in your mind.

8 of 10
A

Monday, August 14, 2006

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First "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" Sets Record for Series

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 Conjures International Box Office Magic, Becoming Top Earner of Entire Film Series

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Pictures’ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 has become the highest grossing installment in the Harry Potter franchise in international markets. With just months to go before the release of the finale of the record-breaking film series based on the beloved books by J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 has earned a staggering $657.24 million and counting, soaring past the previous record-holder, 2001’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, which grossed $657 million. The announcement was made today by Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

“It’s tremendously gratifying to reach this benchmark as we enter the final stretch of this remarkable journey,” said Jeff Robinov, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Group. “We share this achievement with Jo Rowling, whose books are the foundation of this rich and vibrant world, as well as the talented people who brought her vision to life on the screen.”

“We are also incredibly proud of our teams around the world who have brought a consistent level of excellence, passion and ingenuity to the campaigns for these films,” said Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing for Warner Bros. Pictures. “And, of course, we’re thrilled that longtime fans and new audiences alike have continued to champion each film, resulting in the huge success of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.”

Kwan-Rubinek added, “These numbers speak to the phenomenal and enduring strength of this property, which has captivated audiences across all borders, regardless of age or culture. We’re looking forward to releasing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 this summer, which will be a fitting way to bring to a close the movie event of a generation.”

With the success of its first six of seven titles, the Harry Potter series had already achieved the distinction of being the top-grossing film franchise of all time, with a combined worldwide gross of $6.37 billion. This benchmark for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1—which has earned $951.8 million worldwide—as well as the anticipation for Part 2, opening globally on July 15, 2011, should ensure its place in film history for years to come.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Heyday Films Production, a David Yates Film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, a motion picture event in two full-length parts. The film is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Heading the cast, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson reprise the roles of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. The film’s ensemble cast also includes Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Richard Griffiths, John Hurt, Rhys Ifans, Jason Isaacs, Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Timothy Spall, Imelda Staunton, David Thewlis, Warwick Davis, Tom Felton, Toby Jones, David Legeno, Simon McBurney, Helen McCrory, Nick Moran, Peter Mullan, David O’Hara, Clémence Poésy, Natalia Tena, Julie Walters, Mark Williams and Bonnie Wright.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 was directed by David Yates, who also helmed “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” David Heyman, the producer of all of the Harry Potter films, again produced the film, together with David Barron and J.K. Rowling. Steve Kloves adapted the screenplay, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling. Lionel Wigram is the executive producer, with John Trehy and Tim Lewis serving as co-producers.

Behind the scenes, the creative team was led by director of photography Eduardo Serra, production designer Stuart Craig, editor Mark Day, composer Alexandre Desplat, visual effects supervisor Tim Burke, and costume designer Jany Temime.

Concurrently with its theatrical release, the film was released in select IMAX® theatres. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 was digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® through proprietary IMAX DMR® technology.

http://www.harrypotter.com/

Review: Walt Disney's "Bambi" is Eternally a Masterpiece

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 21 (of 2011) by Leroy Douresseaux

Walt Disney’s Bambi (1942)
Running time: 70 minutes (1 hour, 10 minutes)
DIRECTOR: David D. Hand
WRITERS: Perce Pearce, Larry Morey, George Stallings, Melvin Shaw, Carl Fallberg, Chuck Couch, and Ralph Wright (based upon the novel Bambi, A Life in the Woods by Felix Salten)
PRODUCER: Walt Disney
Academy Award nominee

ANIMATION/FANTASY/FAMILY/DRAMA

Starring: (voices) Donnie Dunagan, Peter Behn, Stan Alexander, Paula Winslowe, Cammie King Conlon, Margaret Lee, Will Wright, and Fred Shields

Walt Disney recently released its classic, 1942 animated feature, Bambi, on Blu-ray for the first time. Since I hadn’t watched Bambi in well over a decade, I decided to see it again, because I wondered if it would hold up to my initial high estimation of the film. It held up; it super duper held up.

Adapted from novel, Bambi, A Life in the Woods by Austrian author, Felix Salten, Bambi tells the story of a white-tailed deer named Bambi, who is destined to one day be the Great Prince of the Forest. Bambi befriends Thumber, a rambunctious pink-nosed rabbit; a skunk Bambi names Flower; and Bambi’s childhood friend and future mate, a deer named Faline. The young animals frolic and play, learn to survive, and discover how to adapt to the changing of seasons. Tragedy strikes when humans enter the woods, and suddenly, life becomes as precarious as it is beautiful.

What Pixar does in its 3D or computer animated films seems miraculous. Pixar’s films are beautiful, and Walt Disney’s 1990 animated features are spectacular. Still, they fall short of the artistry on display in Walt Disney’s early feature films like Snow White, Pinocchio, and Bambi (among others). Without the computers and technology of today, Walt Disney’s animators, artists, and filmmakers created animated films of soaring quality and of astonishing heart and sentiment.

Look at the impeccable character animation, velvety movement of characters and objects, and the verdant pastoral backdrop and be amazed that the animation is hand-drawn and the backgrounds are hand-painted. I am not overstating things when I say that Bambi is a work of art. It is museum-quality art. It is the art of the Old Masters transformed into animated film.

Through the years, this film has enthralled children, and Bambi will always hold a special place in their hearts. People like me who see the film for the first time as an adult are stunned. The love, joy, terror, excitement, and pride the animal characters exhibit is so real. When the film depicts the terror Man’s encroachment into the forest evokes in the animals, I also feel it.

Walt Disney and his cohorts worked so hard and delivered one of the three greatest animated feature films of all time (with Snow White and Pinocchio being the other two) and one of the best films of all time. Bambi, you’re still as good as ever.

10 of 10

NOTES:
1943 Academy Awards: 3 nominations: “Best Music, Original Song” (Frank Churchill-music and Larry Morey-lyrics for the song "Love Is a Song"), “Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture” (Frank Churchill and Edward H. Plumb), and “Best Sound, Recording” (C.O. Slyfield-Walt Disney SSD)

1948 Golden Globes: 1 win: “Special Award” (Walt Disney for furthering the influence of the screen and for the Hindustani version of the movie)

Monday, March 07, 2011

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Mark Ronson Contributes Songs to "Arthur" Remake; Theodore Shapiro Scores

Award-Winning Composer Theodore Shapiro’s Original Score to Complement the Comedy and Romance of the Upcoming Release “Arthur”

Film also Features New Songs by Mark Ronson and Ben Gibbard, Vocals by Daniel Merriweather

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Composer Theodore Shapiro is providing the original score for director Jason Winer’s contemporary re-imagining of the timeless romantic comedy “Arthur,” in theaters nationwide on April 8th.

“Arthur” stars Russell Brand as loveable billionaire Arthur Bach, and Helen Mirren as his lifelong nanny and best friend, Hobson.

Shapiro, a prolific composer and eight-time recipient of the BMI Film Music Award, says, “Arthur treats the world as a toy to be played with. He’s irresponsible, but also kind-hearted, generous and has a love of life, and Jason and I wanted the palette of the score to reflect that dichotomy and Arthur’s upbeat worldview.”

Also featured in the film will be several original songs contributed by Mark Ronson, with vocals by Daniel Merriweather; and by Ben Gibbard.

“I absolutely love Jason Winer’s new take on ‘Arthur,’” says Ronson. “I think the music will be a signature element of the film and I relish the prospect of being a part of that.”

“Arthur” is a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation of a Kevin McCormick / MBST Entertainment / Benderspink Production, starring Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Greta Gerwig, Luis Guzmán, Nick Nolte and Jennifer Garner. Directed by Jason Winer from a screenplay by Peter Baynham, story by Steve Gordon, the film is produced by Larry Brezner, Kevin McCormick, Chris Bender and Michael Tadross. Serving as executive producers are Scott Kroopf, J.C. Spink, Russell Brand and Nik Linnen. Uta Briesewitz is the director of photography; Sarah Knowles, the production designer; Brent White, the editor; and Juliet Polcsa, the costume designer.

“Arthur” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. http://www.arthurthemovie.com/

Review: "The Constant Gardener" is Constantly Good (Happy B'day, Rachel Weisz)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 22 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Constant Gardener (2005)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Germany/UK
Running time: 129 minutes (2 hours, 9 minutes)
MPAA – R for language, some violent images, and sexual content/nudity
DIRECTOR: Fernando Meirelles
WRITER: Jeffrey Caine (based upon the novel by John le Carré)
PRODUCER: Simon Channing Williams
CINEMATOGRAPHER: César Charlone
EDITOR: Clair Simpson
Academy Award winner

DRAMA/THRILLER/ROMANCE

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Danny Huston, Bill Nighy, and Pete Postlethwaite, Donald Sumpter, Hubert Koundé, Archie Punjabi, Gerard McSorley, and Samuel Otage

Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) fell in love with his wife, Tessa (Rachel Weisz), when she first confronted him after a speech at a diplomatic conference. Tessa followed the Justin, a member of the British High Commission to Nairobi, Kenya and became his wife, but she remained a dedicated human rights and peace activist on her own, fighting for the health of poor Africans. Eventually, Tess is found brutally murdered, and her companion, a local doctor (Samuel Otage) and close friend of Tessa’s, appears to have fled the seen of the murder

The gossips in the Quayle’s personal and professional circle think this was a crime of passion. Justin’s colleague, Sandy Woodrow (Danny Huston, in a fine supporting performance), and Justin’s superior at the British High Council, Bernard Pellegrin (Bill Nighy), assume that Justin will leave the matter of Tessa’s murder to their discretion and instead, tend to his passion – the lovely gardens that surround the Quayles’ home in Nairobi.

Much to their chagrin, Justin begins his own investigation, and nothing will stop him from uncovering the truth, not even rumors of his wife’s affairs. But this is a conspiracy much larger and more dangerous than he can imagine, involving giant, multi-national pharmaceutical companies, assassins for hire, and the continent of Africa – rife with civil war, starvation, corrupt governments, and deadly epidemics.

Based upon the best-selling novel by John Le Carré, The Constant Gardener delivers on the promise shown by director Fernando Meirelles in the Oscar-nominated, City of God. It’s a riveting suspense thriller full of conniving agents, evil corporations, and British accents. Its complicated web of bribes, handshake deals, and murder ensnares the viewer with engaging characters in a thrill delivery system that pays off like crack and makes you want more – credit to screenwriter Jeffrey Caine. Meirelles is clever and imaginative with the way he uses camera angles, movements, focus, subject, structure, etc., making the most of the possibilities afforded him by a good script.

But what’s most surprising here is that there is a rather poignant and engaging romance film that weaves through of the scheming and deceptions (keenly embodied by Bill Nighy, a master of playing sly, bold, and cultured bad guys) – basically a political thriller seen through a romance. Meirelles expertly balances this, making the romance as entrancing as the suspense. Through flashbacks that increase the narrative flow and enhances the intensity of Justin Quayle’s search for his wife’s murderers, Meirelles insures that the film’s advertising tagline, “Love. At all costs,” is damn true.

It helps to have a good cast, in particularly strong leads. Rachel Weisz is beautiful, charming, and sexy as the passionate activist. She gives Tessa Quayle an exuberant quality that makes the early stages of Justin and Tessa’s love a bubbly affair. Later, she makes Tessa a proud and strong woman who looks out for her man and for the world, but retains a shy vulnerability that makes us believe she really needs Justin, wants him, and loves him.

Ralph Fiennes is the master of the upper class gentleman characters, always involved in dangerous or controversial love affairs, usually with women who aren’t in his social class or social circles. There is, however, truth in his performances that we can see in his facial expressions and in his eyes. You can buy his characters’ passions; they are real where a lesser actor would make such an affair seem contrived. For some reason, I can believe that this man will be true to his love at all costs, and that’s what sells this poignant drama and gripping whodunit – the thing that takes a good film one step up to the next level.

9 of 10
A+

Monday, January 30, 2006

NOTES:
2006 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role” (Rachel Weisz); 4 nominations: “Best Achievement in Editing” (Claire Simpson), “Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score” (Alberto Iglesias), and Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay” (Jeffrey Caine)

2006 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Editing” (Claire Simpson); 9 nominations: “Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film” (Simon Channing Williams, Fernando Meirelles, and Jeffrey Caine), “Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music” (Alberto Iglesias), “Best Cinematography” (César Charlone), “Best Film” (Simon Channing Williams), “Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role” (Ralph Fiennes), “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role” (Rachel Weisz), “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (Jeffrey Caine), “Best Sound” (Joakim Sundström, Stuart Wilson. Mike Prestwood Smith, and Sven Taits), and “David Lean Award for Direction” (Fernando Meirelles)

2006 Golden Globes: 1win: “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” (Rachel Weisz); 2 nominations: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Fernando Meirelles), “Best Motion Picture – Drama

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