#382: Caché (2005)

Director: Michael Haneke

Cast: Daniel Auteuil & Juliette Binoche

Georges, a public television personality and his wife Anne are being terrorized by an unseen observer. They receive video tapes of their own front door, taken from a distance. The tapes are wrapped in sheets of paper with disturbing, childlike drawings, each with a streak of red across the subject of the image. The couple tries to continue lives as normal, but paranoia begins to eke its way into their personalities.

It's hard to imagine that Alfred Hitchcock didn't have a roll in the making of this film. It's so up his alley that it almost seems like it's 50 years too late in the making, though at the same time has a modern feel to it. I suppose the fear of the unknown is timeless.

Now, some spoilers.

The end of the film at first seemed like one of the most lame ways to go that I could imagine - you don't find out a single thing. You don't know who was watching them, you don't even know the full intention of why a man had killed himself. Majid, whose parents worked for Georges' parents when they were kids, may have killed himself out of guilt or out of pure anger for the way Georges treated him in his childhood. Basically, everything was left open, and you realize there may have been no threat whatsoever to Georges and Anne besides the threat posed by their own fears.

But then! What a surprise I got when I found out that there was a subtle inclusion at the very end of the film that tells us that we haven't half of the story. Majid's son, who played a very minor role in the film, is seen with Georges' and Anne's son amidst a crowd of students waiting to be picked up from school. These two characters have no reason of knowing each other, and who knows what they could be discussing, or what plots are possibly being made by Majid's son.

There are no cheap tricks with this film, and coming out of it is initially disappointing, but this one has stuck with me for days now. While I might not recommend it to everyone off the bat, it's worth a shot.

Fun Trivia (Stolen from IMDB):

In the scene right after the main character leaves Hajid's apartment and hides in a movie theater we can see posters of several European successful films. One of them is "La mala educación" by Pedro Almodóvar, another one is "Les choristes" (2004) directed by Christophe Barratier.

Voted "Best Film of the Noughties" by UK newspaper The Times.

#391: Mulholland Drive (2001)

Director: David Lynch
Cast: Naomi Watts, Laura Harring & Justin Theroux

While being driven down Mulholland Drive, a woman is about to be murdered. Just as the man in the front seat is about to pull the trigger, a car crashes head-on into their limo. The woman is the only survivor, but she has lost her memory. She finds refuge in an apartment whose owner just left with some suitcases. The next day, however, the aspiring actress Betty shows up. It is her aunt’s house, and she assumes that the woman is a friend of her aunt’s. When the truth is discovered, the two put any clues they can find together to discover the woman’s identity.

I’ve seen bits of this film before, but other than that, I’ve never had any experience with David Lynch. Based on this film, I get the feeling that his style requires that you really relax your mind, though on first instinct you want to analyze everything. Everything is very dream-like, and has its own sense of logic.

I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t impressed by anything at all in this movie but the style. Acting was not so hot, the soundtrack was boring with an overload of synthesizer, and even the cinematography doesn’t stand out. But this film does provide a lot to talk about, having a very loose ending which can be interpreted in a million different ways.

It’s a conversation topic. Not a whole lot else.

Fun Trivia (Stolen from IMDB):

• The film is dedicated to Jennifer Syme, a young actress whose story is startlingly similar to that of the character of Betty - but who in fact died after the bulk of the film was completed.
• ABC executives rejected the original pilot version of the film because, they thought Naomi Watts and Laura Harring too old to be television stars, among other reasons.

You may have noticed that I have skipped a film (#392 - Paris, Texas). It was on my Netflix Queue since #500, and the day that it got to first in line, Netflix removed it from their available DVDs. I decided to skip it for now, because Netflix also said it will be available online "soon". So, when that day comes, I'll jump back.

#435: American Psycho (2000)

Director: Mary Harron

Cast: Christian Bale, ...

Patrick Bateman, a Wall Street investor who seemingly does nothing during the work day but has an incredible, expensive social life, has a dark secret. Beneath his exterior that he so devotedly polishes every day, he is a madman. Beginning with his imagination running wild, berating workers in the service industry in his mind, his control slackens over time, developing his character into a serial killer.

This film is just too easy to compare to In the Company of Men. Douchebag Wall Street-types are creating a genre of their very own, which is a bit terrifying. The misogynistic persona demonstrated by almost every male character in the film, however, was an addition by director Mary Harron. In the 1991 novel, though the characters did have an engorged ego, the book was much more centered on blood lust than sexism.

This was Christian Bales first stand-out role... and possibly his last. He managed to capture both the yuppie-type, the misogynistic bastard, and the serial killer all in one character, and that's certainly not a skill many can master. It's too bad today he's both an only-okay actor with a history of being a big jerk-face.

The first half of this film completely disinterested me, I have to admit. It wasn't really until the twist begins to emerge that I really began to like where things were going. I would have liked a bit more back story. I mean, where did this guys tendencies come from? How did he get so far in life by being so nuts? Of course, it could be explained by the constant belief that he's joking when he discusses his bloody escapades, on top of constant misconceptions that keep arising... but it seems a bit out of the blue.

Still, an interesting, creepy flick. And apparently funny, too - but I know I'm not the only one that took the humor to just make it creepier.

Fun Trivia (Stolen from IMDB):

• In the DVD commentary, Mary Harron says that during the first shower scene with Patrick Bateman, all of the women on set gathered around to watch Christian Bale wash himself.
• All of the business cards read "Vice President".
• In each scene with Detective Donald Kimble (Willem Defoe), Mary Harron asked Defoe to portray his character three different ways: 1) Kimble knew Patrick Bateman killed Paul Allen, 2) Kimble didn't know Bateman killed Allen, and 3) Kimble wasn't sure if Bateman killed Allen. Harron would then edit the takes together, giving the audience an unsure vibe of what Detective Kimble thought of Bateman.

#441: Being John Malkovich (1999)

Director: Spike Jonze

Cast: John Cusack, Catherine Keener, Cameron Diaz & John Malkovich

Craig Schwartz is a puppeteer on the streets of New York, but is coming to grips with the fact that he's not earning enough money. His wife Lotte urges him to take a desk job, which he takes at a filing agency on the 7th-and-a-half floor of a Manhattan building. There, while staying late one day, he discovers a small door behind a filing cabinet. Crawling in, he is soon sucked into the body of John Malkovich. For fifteen minutes, he sees through Malkovich's eyes and feels through his skin. After fifteen minutes, he is thrown out of Malkovich onto the side of the New Jersey Turnpike. He soon starts a business of selling tickets into Malkovich, working alongside his coworker Maxine, who he has fallen in lust with. When Lotte takes the "Malkovich Ride", she feels more comfortable than in her own body, deciding she wants a sex change, but her decision is overridden when on her second trip in Malkovich, she finds herself on a date with Maxine. In this quirky, slightly perverse film, questions subtly arise on sex, gender and identity in the most oddly hysterical fashion.

I friggin' love this movie. All the characters are just so bizarre, but despite their oddities and the completely messed up situation they find themselves in, everybody takes it in stride - as they should, being true New Yorkers. John Cusack is great in this role, being able to start as a sad character and growing more and more awkward as his control of Malkovich is enhanced. Whoever cast Cameron Diaz as Lotte is genius; the first time I saw the film, I didn't even realize it was her under that ridiculous explosion of hair and her clothes straight from a dingy thrift shop. And despite her established persona as the ditzy blonde, she pulls off this identity-confused hippy-type very well, while still having that strong will for happiness that her characters always have. Oh, and Catherine Keener is fantastic as always - she always plays a great bitch.

The filming style is similar to that of a music video, which is most apparent when Lotte is chasing Maxine through Malkovich's troubled subconsciousness. The gritty style of filmmaking works well in this Kafka-esque storyline.

Great stuff. Go check this out if you haven't already, it's a pretty big mind-fudge.

Fun Trivia (Stolen from IMDB):

• In the first draft of the script, Lester and his friends weren't using Malkovich's portal as a means for extending their lives, but in a plot to take over the world in the name of Satan. Satan was the mysterious 'Flemmer' that the Merton-Flemmer building was half named after.
• The play that Craig was performing with his puppets (when he gets smacked by an angry parent) is based on the letters of Abelard and Heloise, written between 1115 and 1117 AD, which were found, copied and abridged by Johannes de Vepria, a 15th century Cistercian monk, into "Ex Epistolis duorum amantium" ("From the Letters of Two Lovers"). This became a classic document of early romantic (tragic) love used by many artists in their work including William Shakespeare in "Romeo and Juliet". In addition, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's later project Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) took its title, and no small amount of inspiration, from Alexander Pope's "Eloisa to Abelard".
• The bar-scene where Malkovich explores his own consciousness ("Malkovich, Malkovich"), was shot in the nightclub located on the 'Queen Mary'.

#462: Dead Man's Shoes (2004)

Director: Shane Meadows

Cast: Paddy Considine, Toby Kebbell, Paul Hurtsfield & Gary Stretch

When a criminal enters a pub, Anthony whispers to his brother Richard, "that's one of them." Richard glares at the man, and when he the criminal asks what Richard is looking at, he lashes out "you, you cunt!". The criminal leaves the pub, but meets Richard later, who apologizes for his behavior. The criminal quickly accepts the apology and runs away to tell his friends that Anthony's brother is back. Through a series of flashbacks, we witness the abuse Anthony - who is developmentally disabled - took while Richard was away. Richard is now out for revenge, taking out the gang of criminals one at a time.

Despite its simple and arguable overdone plot, this film is extremely well done. Credit can be given to this movie for filming England without Hollywoodizing it. The men live in a small town of dirty brick buildings with extremely ordinary characters living there. Guns are not used in the film, which is a much truer look at England's gang life.

The soundtrack is notable in this film for the atmosphere it provides. It almost makes Richard's plot for revenge seem dreamlike, giving Richard more of an 'Angel of Death' feel to him.

The acting is also quite good. The only character that I thought was a bit overdone, sadly, was Anthony. It may have been a better performance if I hadn't recognized the actor, Toby Kebbell, whose career launched after the release of this film. Since, he has appeared in Alexander, RocknRolla, The German and Chéri.

Two thumbs up for giving a moving performance without any crazy special effects.

Fun Trivia (Stolen from IMDB):

When Richard breaks into the flat he spray paints "Cheyne Stoking" on the wall. In very sick patients, this is the name of the breathing pattern that is a sign of impending death.

Toby Kebbell was cast only one day before filming started.

The end credits state the message "In memory of Martin Joseph Considine", this isPaddy Considine's father. Just before Martin died, he kept saying he wanted Paddy to work with Shane Meadows again.

#476: Santa Sangre (1989)

Director: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Cast: Axel Jodorowsky, Adan Jodorowsky & Blanca Guerra

(Spoiler alert)

Well, there’s certainly no way to describe this film better than the DVD’s back cover. Ahem:

“A bizarre love triangle turns deadly when a circus strongman, Orgo, is caught fooling around with a tattooed lady by his wife, Concha, an aerial performer. Incensed, Concha throws acid on him. Orgo retaliates by sawing off her arms, then killing himself. All of this is witnessed by their son, Fenix (Adan Jodorowsky, the director's son), who goes insane and is sent to an institution. Years later, Fenix (also played by Adan's older brother Axel) is rescued by his armless mother. Angry against the world for her unfortunate circumstances, Concha plans a murderous revenge spree, and maybe play a little piano. And she needs Fenix to be her arms for both tasks. Violence spawns more violence in this terrifying, psychedelic, horrific, and ultimately unforgettable film by Alejandro Jodorowsky.”

I swear it’s not as weird as it seems. Through this disturbing story, Jodorowsky creates a visually stunning film chock full of Oedipal and Freudian symbolism, as well as some hidden criticism of the Christian faith. His style is a mix of Buñuel, the Brothers Quay and a little bit of old-school Tim Burton. The soundtrack is one of the most fun that I’ve heard in a very long time, featuring exclusively Mexican classics such as Dámaso Pérez Prado’s Mambo No. 8.

The best way I could sum up this film is it’s a mix of Big Top PeeWee, Psycho and a pretty intense LSD trip. Despite the impossibility of summarizing the film without mentioning its grotesqueness, it really is a film that’ll keep you thinking.

I give it 1.5 thumbs up. The reason I don’t give it two thumbs up is that it’s simply not a movie I would ever want to watch more than once or twice. The reason I still want to give it more than one thumb up is its ability to be a conversation topic that can last for a long, long time.

Fun Trivia (Stolen from IMDB):

• Alejandro Jodorowsky's sons Adan Jodorowsky & Axel Jodorowsky both play the part of Fenix at different ages.
• The project was launched when Alejandro Jodorowsky was commissioned to write and direct a film based on real-life Mexican criminal named Gregorio Cárdenas.
• As a tribute to Mexican horror films, Santa sangre (1989) includes a scene with masked wrestlers and a "superwoman" named La Santa.