This is the Cinderella story updated to include a dysfunctional Prince Charming who is unable to satisfy his Cinderella so she has to get her jollies by seducing and outsmarting a pair of evil princes (whom she meets bowling...a wonderful surreal touch that is so improbable it actually is quite amusing...think Big Lebowski here)...the only actor out of place is Jeanne Moreau who is simply wasted in a secondary role. I will admit that I am a rabid Huppert fan and would watch her in anything...there is simply no one else like her around and she rescues this film from complete inanity by the sheer weirdness of her beautiful being.
Reviews
9 Reviews
Grizzly Man
(2005)
A Perfect Match
15 August 2005
Anyone who has followed the trajectory of Werner Herzog from the time of "Even Dwarfs Started Small" will understand the immediate appeal that the Treadwell story must have had for this intensely brilliant German director. Treadwell must have seemed to Herzog like a Laguna Beach version of his Fitzcarraldo and his Aguirre and even of Herzog himself in his more unhinged moments. This film appears at first to be a fair minded documentary about Tim Treadwell, the 'protector' of all things natural and wild in the remote regions of Alaska. What Herzog shows us, however, is that what Treadwell really needed protection from was reality itself and that his escape into the wilds was just a deadly game of denial.
The film is also a meditation on the brute force of nature, on art and on human hubris. My wife found the 'character' of Tim Treadwell so ludicrous and offensive that she had to leave the theater. For my part, I was in awe of both Treadwell's incredible physical courage coupled with his absolute lack of judgment and his insane narcissism. He struck me as a cross between Pee-Wee Herman and Marlon Perkins, the guy who narrated the Mutual of Omaha nature documentaries that showed up on Sunday afternoons in the 60's and 70's.
The word is that Hollywood, in the person of Leonardo DiCaprio, was a financial supporter of Treadwell's 'mission'in Alaska and that a Hollywood version of the story is due out sometime soon with Di Caprio playing the lead. I know I won't be going to see that version because it will just continue the lie and the myth that Treadwell tried so hard to create and sustain. Even at his most intense moments of profoundity Treadwell had nothing to 'say' to anyone about either bears or himself. It was all self-serving and self-congratulatory and it is only in his grotesque death at the hands of a rogue grizzly that any meaningful message finally comes across. (Herzog thankfully spares us from the actual experience which was caught on audio but not on video because the lens cap had been left on.)
Its hard not to feel sorry for Tim Treadwell and the young woman who died with him, but the 'native' scientist in the film put it quite nicely "My people have been living nicely with bears for thousands of years and we know enough to stay out of each other's way."
Tim Treadwell wanted desperately to cross the boundary into the 'way' of the bear because the 'way of the human' was too much for him. Despite his goofy, childish demeanor he revealed himself to be a man of deep anger and resentment. However, if the bears had let him live he would probably be considered something of a folk-hero in 'reality' obsessed America.
Herzog shows us that there was nothing real about Treadwell at all and that the bears knew a lot more about him than he ever would of them.
The film is also a meditation on the brute force of nature, on art and on human hubris. My wife found the 'character' of Tim Treadwell so ludicrous and offensive that she had to leave the theater. For my part, I was in awe of both Treadwell's incredible physical courage coupled with his absolute lack of judgment and his insane narcissism. He struck me as a cross between Pee-Wee Herman and Marlon Perkins, the guy who narrated the Mutual of Omaha nature documentaries that showed up on Sunday afternoons in the 60's and 70's.
The word is that Hollywood, in the person of Leonardo DiCaprio, was a financial supporter of Treadwell's 'mission'in Alaska and that a Hollywood version of the story is due out sometime soon with Di Caprio playing the lead. I know I won't be going to see that version because it will just continue the lie and the myth that Treadwell tried so hard to create and sustain. Even at his most intense moments of profoundity Treadwell had nothing to 'say' to anyone about either bears or himself. It was all self-serving and self-congratulatory and it is only in his grotesque death at the hands of a rogue grizzly that any meaningful message finally comes across. (Herzog thankfully spares us from the actual experience which was caught on audio but not on video because the lens cap had been left on.)
Its hard not to feel sorry for Tim Treadwell and the young woman who died with him, but the 'native' scientist in the film put it quite nicely "My people have been living nicely with bears for thousands of years and we know enough to stay out of each other's way."
Tim Treadwell wanted desperately to cross the boundary into the 'way' of the bear because the 'way of the human' was too much for him. Despite his goofy, childish demeanor he revealed himself to be a man of deep anger and resentment. However, if the bears had let him live he would probably be considered something of a folk-hero in 'reality' obsessed America.
Herzog shows us that there was nothing real about Treadwell at all and that the bears knew a lot more about him than he ever would of them.
Broken Flowers
(2005)
Post-Modern Poppycock
12 August 2005
I woke up this morning thinking about Broken Flowers which I saw just yesterday. I thought of the female characters and their different response to Don and his visit. Each actress brilliantly let us know what had transpired in the past simply by the tone in her voice, and her body-language. It was as if each of them was an unmade bed where the trace of Don's presence could still be seen. In a way (given who these actresses are) the 'audience' also got a chance to visit once again with these women (Lange, Dern, Stone) who in some way are as much a part of our own (movie-going) past as they are of Don's sexual resume (inter textual-sexuality?). But a few touching performances do not a movie make. I have always had the feeling that Mr. Jarmusch will always be the clever film school kid who will never graduate...he lacks imagination (Lolita??? C'mon, give us abreak) or guts, I can't really say which. However, I can say that this year's Cannes Jury lacks aesthetic judgment or was simply a bunch of pretentious twits who confused attitude with art. As for Bill Murray...his recent performances are so low key he may be in danger of disappearing. I suggest for his next part the role of a meditating zen monk...or maybe a dead person. The only good news is that as he ages he is starting to resemble the late Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard....
Land of Plenty
(2004)
Something Missing Here
29 September 2004
Wim Wenders is a great director and a really honest artist. What he lacks though is a real feel for the US....Going back to his early use of Dennis Hopper, woefully miscast as Tom Ripley, in Our American Friend, Wenders has a weakness for clichés about America rather than finding the real thing. This movie doesn't change that fact. What is essentially a tone poem about the loss of innocence (and maybe common sense) in post 9-11 America turns into a melancholy family drama about two lost souls who would probably have been just as lost before 9/11 as after it. Europeans might find the American 'types' portrayed in this film a validation of how they view the U.S. but most thoughtful Americans will probably be irritated by the simple reductions of the characters. I found Michelle Williams particularly annoying for some reason...maybe it was her blind faith or maybe it was just her complete lack of edge...they don't make women like that in America these days and probably never did. I really admire Mr. Wenders for tackling this subject as American filmmakers seem not to have the courage to do so themselves. In the end though, this is more a European film that will appeal to Euro audiences...whereas it would have been a better project if it were directed more this way. (I saw the film in Paris last week.)
The Matrix Reloaded
(2003)
Morpheus Is the Interesting 'One'
21 May 2003
I found the revelations of the Architect to be both intriguing but also terribly frustrating. The Matrix really is just 'reloaded' and the game begins again and again with a new cast of characters and a starter set from the previous round. The eternal return writ large.
What I don't like about the Neo character is that he is 'chosen' rather than 'earning' his power...or the whole notion that the power of Neo does not reside in everyone/anyone else...Its a vaguely "Catholic" concept....fascistic even. I mean the dude even dresses like a Jesuit! (Disclaimer: I was educated by them and have the utmost respect...honestly.) And why does everyone only do kung-fu? Why don't they just box or wrestle or bitch slap each other on occasion??
Even though he lacks Neo's Superman moves I find Morpheus more of a heroic figure...Neo is kind of a cipher...we pretty much know he'll come out on top...there is no drama, only (special) effect. With Morpheus we see brittleness, fear, pride and humanity.
I would much rather hang with the Mo than with Neo anytime. Dare I say it....Neo is kind of a bore.
What I don't like about the Neo character is that he is 'chosen' rather than 'earning' his power...or the whole notion that the power of Neo does not reside in everyone/anyone else...Its a vaguely "Catholic" concept....fascistic even. I mean the dude even dresses like a Jesuit! (Disclaimer: I was educated by them and have the utmost respect...honestly.) And why does everyone only do kung-fu? Why don't they just box or wrestle or bitch slap each other on occasion??
Even though he lacks Neo's Superman moves I find Morpheus more of a heroic figure...Neo is kind of a cipher...we pretty much know he'll come out on top...there is no drama, only (special) effect. With Morpheus we see brittleness, fear, pride and humanity.
I would much rather hang with the Mo than with Neo anytime. Dare I say it....Neo is kind of a bore.
The Dancer Upstairs
(2002)
The Enigma Upstairs
21 May 2003
I have to say that I went to see this film on the basis of my regard for the Director and Screenwriter but I left the theatre with a sense of bafflement and disappointment. What could have been an intriguing story about how personal lives and feelings unfold in the midst of civil conflict turned into a somewhat ludicrous melodrama that did service neither to the political or the personal. The plot deals with a police officer who is put in charge of tracking down 'President Ezikiel' a renegade Marxist professor who has taken control of a revolutionary force (that seems to consist mainly of really cute teenage girls packing AK47s) in an unnamed Latin American Country -- think Sendero Luminosa as played by Buffy! In the midst of this he also falls for (not very convincingly) a beautiful and sophisticated modern dance teacher who happens to be teaching his daughter when she isn't engaged in thoroughly unbelievable shenanigans...at least as far as the story develops her character. Several references are also made to another film...State of Siege...If you want to see a real movie about politics check that one out and leave the Dancer upstairs. On a positive note, all the actors are very appealing despite the fact that they seemed to be speaking English for no discernible reason other than to save us the effort of reading subtitles. Fact is, the movie would have played better in Spanish.
Petites coupures
(2003)
Waste of Talent
2 April 2003
I happened to see this film on a flight from Paris to Boston and it reminded me of the food on the plane: generic, tasteless and obscure. The French cinema seems to have lost its footing these days and this is a good example of how a motley script can waste brilliant actors. While some may find the 'playfulness' of the script to be in line with the dictates of Euro post modernism, the whole project seems more like a post-mortem on the death of Euro-cinema's golden years and truly fabulous talents --- one is vaguely reminded here of Bunuel but without the charm or wit.
The Red Circle
(1970)
Too Cool for Words
10 February 2003
I went to see this movie strictly on the review of AO Scott in the New York Times. I had seen Bob le Flambeur several years ago and was underwhelmed but was prepared to like LCR because of the superb cast and the gushing review. I must say however that not only was the film disappointing, it was vaguely ridiculous from the point of view of plot, continuity and coherence. This is supposed to be film noir in extremis but what it really is is some kind of crude French fashion show of cool style that is broadly hung on a fairly banal heist caper premise that is both tedious and implausible. Melville is supposed to be some kind of god father to the French new wave but he lacks Godard's wit and wisdom and the sensitivity of the others like Chabrol, Rohmer and Truffaut. Visually the film reminded me of certain of Bunuel's films of the same period but without the laughs, though in LCR there are certainly some unintentional ones --- such as the way people open doors! About the only redeeming thing I can say about this film is that is has some great camera work and some very innovative shots -- not much for a two and half hour investment. It also has AO Scott on its side, though he loves Spielberg as well. Somehow it all makes sense.
Patriots
(1996)
Can't We all Get Along
12 November 2002
Purportedly based upon a true story, this film depicts the circumstances surrounding the recruitment of a naive young American graduate student by the IRA who want to use her to infiltrate and blow up the headquarters of a Loyalist paramilitary group in Belfast.It turns out however that the recruiter is something other than what he represents (not giving the plot away here), and while the bombing plan succeeds the rest of the story is all about the perfidy and cynicism of all the parties to the Irish "troubles". What I liked about this obviously low-budget melodrama was that it tried to show the dark side of bright and shining 'causes'. What it failed to do however was to rise above cliche in its depiction of the characters involved. I found the portrayal of the IRA as sadistic brutes to be a bit over the top and it failed to address at all the dark side of Loyalism, which, since the 1990's, makes the IRA seem almost moderate. In short the film fails miserably to tell the real story of what is happening in Belfast and instead gives us a stock Perils of Pauline melodrama with the main hero being, yep you guessed it, a Belfast Prod with a Heart of Gold. Political movies work best when they take a stand. Trashing all parties in a conflict in the name of peace is not only limp-wristed, but also a bit dishonest and we never get to hear from the poor woman again because she was taken into the warm embrace of the Bureau of Tobacco and Firearms...I would really like to know how she feels about her experience now.
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