Zodiac and Little Miss Sunshine

Zodiac

So, I caught this Saturday night. I'm a waining FOF (Fan of Fincher - the director of Fight Club, Se7en, The Game, Panic Room). I say waining for two reasons. 1. I'm getting smarter 2. His films are getting dumber. That may be an oversimplification, but it is true that I feel my tastes are maturing and I feel his films (certainly his last two) have been seriously flawed.

Fincher was an important part of the Tarantino-edgy-dark-crime-mess-with-the-narrative genre of the 90's. He was considered a peer with Bryan Singer (Usual Suspects), Christopher Nolan (memento) and, of course, Tarantino.

His films were hard to watch, but powerful and he was known as a magician with his lighting. (A common trait among those who got their start in music videos.)
Lately, however, that genre of film has done some growing up, and most of the directors have as well. Tarantino has become the savior of vulgar trash-pop, making art out of camp, and Singer has made some of the best superhero movies ever (and Superman Returns). Nolan's continued to make good films, perhaps a bit too commercial. I thought Fincher had vanished from the list. It's been five years since Panic Room fizzled both in its third act and with critics.

I had hoped Zodiac would show me he was more than just a three-film fluke. It didn't. In truth, this film had the potential to be quite good, but it desperately needed a more cohesive vision of which story it was going to tell and even more desperately needed an editor.

The cast was amazing, which tells me that I wasn't the only one excited to see Fincher directing again. Gyllenhaal, Downey and Ruffalo are some of my current favorites and, in truth, they did the best they could under the circumstances. Downey was especially interesting, but his character just drifted into the background.


The film felt like a 20/20 Mystery on TV, that makes you stay up one hour longer than you planned, and then ends with an unsolved mystery that is extremely unsatisfying. It makes you want those 50 minutes of your life back. However, Zodiac takes 2 1/2 hours to not satisfy its audience. There were several characters who seemed important early in the film, but drfited into the background, and there were tension-filled moments which ended up meaning nothing by the end of the film.

The film's main character becomes obsessed with the case and loses his bearings on his own life. And one can't wonder if the same thing happened with the filmmakers. Did the writer and director get so caught up in the details of the case that they lost sight of the narrative line? Perhaps. It brings to mind JFK. A film with a star-studded cast and a great director, but a storyline that's too much for them to handle. It's like Simon Cowell always tells the 15 year old girls who try to sing Aretha Franklin, "That song swallowed you up." This film swallowed up Fincher.

I'll give Fincher one last try. He's tackling an F. Scott Fitzgerald story The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with the help of Eric Roth (The Insider, The Good Shepherd) and with an amazing cast. If he messes that up, he's done.




Little Miss Sunshine

I realize I'm late to the table on this one, but I was laregly very pleased with the film. Primarily, I loved the performances. Alan Arkin was good, although, I felt his role was too small to win the Oscar. Breslin was fantastic and deserved the nomination. In truth though, I thought the best performances were put in by the men who weren't nominated, Greg Kinnear and Steve Carrell. Kinnear had the unenviable job of making us care about a guy who most would consider a prick, and he did it well. And Steve Carrell had to go understated, which we hadn't seen him do before.


Overall, I very much liked it. Pleased it was nominated, but agree that it wasn't BEST Picture material.

Se7en (1995) - Still crazy after all these years

Rewatched Se7en (1995) last night. I’ve been a fan of the film since its release when I saw it in the theaters. It’s a dark and disturbing tale about a rookie cop joining a retiring cop (nothing new there) on a case in which a serial killer forces his victims to exemplify one of the seven deadly sins as a part of their demise.

I was worried the film might fall from my favor upon a second viewing, as I have grown quite a bit in my film taste since first seeing it. However, it holds up nicely. And here’s why:

1. Brad Pitt ¹ – Despite being reduced to a sex symbol, Brad’s a skilled actor. Most people think his best work is in Legends of the Fall or 12 Monkeys where he plays a tortured soul or a lunatic. But I prefer his work here, where he plays the hardest role of all: a human. [Simpsons Sidenote: When Troy McClure asks what part he’s been cast in for the musical version of Planet of the Apes, his agent tells him “the human.” And Troy replies, “It’s the part I was born to play!”] In truth, playing a normal, everyday guy with the complexities, weaknesses and strengths that are a part of the standard issue soul, is far harder than playing a psycho or retarded individual (although the Academy seems to think otherwise). And Brad does it beautifully here. His character's rookie bravado weakly masks his insecurities. In the very short shots of him after the climactic moment (avoiding spoilers here), his face and demeanor are haunting. Exquisite inner turmoil going on there.
   
2. David Fincher – This director, can probably take part credit for the modern murder thriller. His gritty, dark thrillers (The Game, Fight Club in addition to this one) set the tone for films like Usual Suspects, Memento, Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead, and several lesser films. He’s a master of lighting with some beautifully visceral moments. Specifically when Mills has a gun pointed at his head in the rain, Fincher captures the light in the water beautifully.
3. Morgan Freeman’s character – A complex, non-clichéd character is a refreshing change for the actor who typically has to play the old, world-wise (almost omnipotent) black mentor. Sommerset (Freeman’s character) is conflicted and grows from the beginning of the film to the end.
4. Kevin Spacey is perfect for this role.
5. Gwenyth Paltrow’s young wife character is angelic and subtly played.

It’s not the greatest film ever, but certainly worth a watch, especially if you haven’t seen it. Warning: Strong language and images which imply horrific acts of violence.

¹Some, my wife included, have lost a good bit of respect for Brad after the recent Anniston/Jolie debacle, but I have never cared about the personal lives of the artists whose work I appreciate. I pay little attention to stories of who’s gay, divorced, or biting the heads off gerbils for two reasons: a. I have no idea of the real story of their lives, especially if I’m relying on the media for my information b. I don’t think it matters. Even the most morally reprobate individual can portray truth in their work. Nebuchadnezzar was a pagan, tyrant king who God gave a dream that portrayed the ultimate dominance of God’s kingdom over all other kingdoms. If God can use Nebby, he can use Brad Pitt, Roman Polanski, or even... Woody Allen! ;)