Half Past Noon

Happy-Go-Lucky is one of the most extraordinary movies I’ve seen this year. I want to do a longer review but I fear I will not have time. I have often heard from writers that it is easier to write a compelling bad guy than a good character with real depth. This movie has the latter, and you won’t be able to get her out of your head. Do yourself a favor and watch it. If you do, come back here and help me answer the questions the movie poses after the jump:

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Last night I watched 88 Minutes with Al Pacino. It was a stinker, possibly one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

The movie introduces so many suspects that the final reveal could have shown anyone, everyone (a la “Murder on the Orient Express”), our protagonist, or no one at all to be the killer – each would be equally implausible. Everyone is in full-on exposition mode at all times, dropping character names and backstory in a way that defies comprehension. The movie should have had multiple endings, which would have been a better gimmick than the tired “real-time” thriller (and yes, this means everyone talks on cell-phones constantly).

The movie has so many implausible twists, flashy cuts to inexcusably exploitative murders, space-age office buildings, and histrionics from the actors that viewers might be forgiven if they were too distracted to process what a complete dud this movie really is. Might be forgiven, that is, were it not for dialogue like this:

“It’s my job to be convincing” – Al Pacino as Dr. Gramm

“I remember you… you used to ask questions, challenge things – you had free will.” – Al Pacino to the killer

“Someone has penetrated my most secure area.” – Al Pacino

“Do you have any idea how absurd that sounds?” – Doubting Cop Character

The most tragic thing about the movie from my perspective was how close it came to attaining to “So bad, it’s good” status. But the movie wants to inhabit the same joyless world as movies like Se7en, a world where everyone you know could be a sadistic serial killer, and this completely prevents us from enjoying the hilarious incongruities the movie takes so damn seriously.

I just watched Mamma Mia!, and while it’s a pretty flawed movie, it left me with this resolve: I will write a pirate* rock musical.

*As in pirated music, not Pirates of Penzance. I can’t write music, so I’m talking about appropriating other peoples’. Think Moulin Rouge.

I finally found a reviewer to help with my Batman: The Dark Knight thing. It’s OK if you’re all sick of it, but this guy is really good. He rests on the thread of sacrificing full disclosure for the sake of order: Alfred’s burning Rachel’s letter, the surveillance technology, and of course the climax. His reviews of The Dark Knight and of the Joker character are definitely worth ten minutes. Quotations after the jump if you don’t have time for the whole articles.

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I just finished watching a truly remarkable film at Davey’s house. It’s called The Orphanage, was produced by Guillermo del Toro, and is in Spanish with subtitles. It’s a horror movie, but is better than any horror movie I’ve seen in years. A few things struck me after, so here goes.

The film has a long first act, wherein it lays the groundwork for a terrific horror movie. But then, suddenly, the villain is gruesomely killed. This changes things entirely, and is electrifying.

The movie then becomes a missing-persons drama. This is at first surprising, but the movie blends drama and horror perfectly. The characters help with this, especially the protagonist. Yes, she goes into the dark basement, but other than that little implausibility she is real, brave, the sort of person one would like to know. She anchors the entire movie.

The movie keeps you guessing right up until its two endings, the first horror and the other drama. If we use the workable old storytelling workshop axiom, that endings must be ’surprising but inevitable’, The Orphanage succeeds famously. The ending will be rolling around in my head for days.

For 1 hour and 45 minutes I was trying to hide that I was scared out of my mind, but as the credits rolled I was trying to hide that I was moved to tears. Driving home I felt very melancholy and very quiet, a feeling that has persisted until now.

It’s taken me awhile to write this, because I’m uncomfortable in the role of a critic. Criticism is just so easy, what with the alternating snark and enthusiasm. Critics sit above a movie, in judgment. I try to go into a movie theater prepared to give myself over to it. “Suspension of disbelief – no problem! How much suspension do you need?”

But it’s important to be discerning, because movies do have things to say. The better the movie, the stronger the themes and characters, and the more important it becomes to consider what we are being taught through story. Movies preach even more than most preachers do nowadays…

…and I have a few questions for The Dark Knight.

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