Playing Catch Up

It’s been a busy month, hence the lack of updates, but here’s a brief wrap-up of some films I've caught over the past month. Just a quick note before I get started: It appears the Academy has reversed their decision, and now the score for The Dark Knight is eligible for Oscar consideration. It seems the minor outcry has woken up the Academy members – at least this time around.

Quantum Of Solace

Picking up right where Casino Royale ended, the next installment of the retooled James Bond series continues with the previous film’s dedication to realism and kinetic set pieces. Unfortunately, in picking up the same storyline, Quantum Of Solace never really feels like its own film. Where Casino Royale re-introduced Bond in a new setting, with a Bond girl of substance and a compelling story, Quantum Of Solace goes over the same thematic ground, and even with two new Bond girls, can’t seem to escape the shadow of the previous film. That said, it’s an enjoyable, and fast moving two hours with some fantastic action sequences.

Let The Right One In

Forget Twilight – the vampire film of the year is a little gem from Sweden called Let The Right One In. Directed with great restraint by Tomas Alfredson, the film concerns the relationship between a bullied boy and his neighbor who happens to be a vampire. And that’s about all I’m willing to say about the film. Let The Right One In is the rare horror film that offers depths far beyond its genre trappings and offers more to the viewer the less he or she knows about the film going in. It is a welcome reprieve from the torture pictures that mark American horror films these days, and proves that “mature horror film” isn’t a contradiction in terms.

Synecdoche, New York

Charlie Kaufman, best known for his narratively complex screenplays such as Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and Adaptation directs his first feature with Synecdoche, New York. Once again pondering his favorite thematic territory of identity, Kaufman’s film follows the life of playwright of Caden Cotard as he mounts his life’s work, a nameless play in endless rehearsal that ultimately consumes him. Philip Seymour Hoffman gives another great performance in the lead role, that takes his character from midlife to death, through various crises and romantic entanglements. While Kaufman’s script is fascinating in its execution, particularly in the latter part of the film as various realities fold in on each other, it never offers the emotional punch the material requires. And that prevents this otherwise very good film, from being truly great.

The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three

With a remake slated for release next summer, starring Denzel Washington, John Travolta and James Gandolfini, there is no better time than now to visit the original. Released in 1974 and starring Walter Matthau as the charmingly cranky Lt. Garber, The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three is a taut thriller, with a simple premise: four heavily armed men have hijacked a subway car, and unless they are paid $1 million in an hour, hostages will start dying. There are no romantic subplots here or political messages – just a simple race against time, with 1970s New York City in all its color – both literally and figuratively – providing the backdrop. It’s a classic, old school thriller as Matthau works desperately to save lives and figure out who the mastermind is behind the heist. A quick bit of trivia: Quentin Tarantino borrowed the color naming system the bad guys use in this film for his film Reservoir Dogs.

There has been some inquiries as to when my best films of the year will be announced. As many of the Oscar contenders are just hitting theaters now, I will be seeing as many as I can over the coming weeks in order to cover as much ground as possible before I name my favorites. I'm aiming to have my ten best list online in the week leading up to the Oscars in February.