OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006)

Also known as OSS 117: Le Caire, nid d'espion.
Among the many things that are amusing about this film, and the character of French special agent OSS 117, is that it not only predates Get Smart, but even beat James Bond to the punch. OSS 117, French spy extraordinaire, is as obnoxious as a terrible French stereotype, and as clueless as Maxwell Smart. This isn't the kind of film that is obviously hilarious. There are few big setpiece jokes. This is mostly a constant-grin sort of affair, with our hero accidentally doing just the right thing over and over again. Meanwhile the story acquits itself well enough. There's little remarkable about the film as a whole, other than the fact that the humor translates over fairly well, but the whole thing comes together quite well. As a comedy riff on spy films, there are some good chuckles to be had here.

7 out of 10.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

Homer's The Odyssey, rewritten for the deep south in the 1930s, and sprinkled with bluegrass and images taken from old photographs. That about sums it up. The thing is, if you try to apply any sort of critical thought to it the whole thing collapses like a thing that falls apart. One moment you're watching some slightly madcap comedy, the next it's some dark fable, the next it's jumped inspirations entirely and is trying to ape Gulliver's Travels. It's not a mess, but if you've got more in your head than what's being fed, the bridge starts to sway a bit too strongly. So what if you step away entirely and just approach with a blank stare? Then things go down fairly smooth. The comedy bits become funny, the non-sequitors become charming, everything else just lends to the glazed-over surreality that the brothers Coen have concocted. The music remains excellent either way. So its a mixed bag. Either you'll see straight through it and wonder what the hell you're watching, or it'll wash over you leaving a pleasant (if strange) aroma.

7 out of 10.

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Grand and lavish, Sergio Leone's final film has almost everything you could hope for. It is beautifully produced, perfectly paced, wonderfully acted, and expertly scored. It's a damn shame the final cut, and the uneven writing, cut the legs out from under it all. Robert De Nero and James Woods turn in career performances, pouring in all they have at their considerable disposal, and yet even at almost four hours the number of loose ends and awkward jumps in time undermine the incredible good will brought on by virtually everything else. Watching the brutal rise of a group of street punks grow into their own brand of organized crime is incredibly fascinating, but even when the film is at its height there is always a sense that so much more is being missed. Ultimately, too many threads are begun and built up over several hours, only to be abandoned with no closure. The characters at least get their own sense of resolution, but too much is left unsaid. The dour finale unfortunately comes off as awkward. And yet there is still more than enough here to grip, to celebrate. It takes a story far to big to be a movie in the first place to finally topple Leone, but while it falters it still does so with undeniable style and care. This is a masterpiece, but a fatally flawed one.

6 out of 10.

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

Also known as C'era una volta il West.
Nobody does the western like Sergio Leone. Returning to the murky waters of moral uncertainty, this epic of revenge and perseverance shows off the very best of what the venerable director is can do. On the one hand you have a fairly straight-forward tale of a man out for revenge for an unspeakable wrong done to him, and on the other we follow a woman fresh off the train grimly determined to make it on her own as a homesteader. The dusty back and forth that ensues is every bit the director's exceptional trademark. There has never been another director who can characters doing so little seem so intensely interesting. While ultimately it is perhaps a less complicated film than some of Leone's other work, the more narrow focus lets the suspense grow beautifully, and allows the final payoff to have a lasting sense of satisfaction. Even when he sets out to make a more common western, Leone still delivers the best in the genre.

9 out of 10.

Observe and Report (2009)

Anyone going into this film expecting yet another Seth Rogen raunchy comedy is in for a rude awakening. Likewise, anyone going in for the more sick and twisted side of the film will also be left wanting. You have to wonder exactly what kind of film writer-director Jody Hill set out to make. It starts out innocent enough for the genre, as Seth Rogen's foulmouthed, bipolar, gun-obsessed rent-a-cop decides to make to make it his mission to track down a serial flasher terrorizing a shopping mall. But instead of leaving things at surface-level shenanigans and predictable laughs, it instead dives further and further down the rabbit hole of Rogen's self-delusion. Except the comedy gives way to an uneasy and unsure drama and by the end the whole thing is just creepy. It evolves from 40-Year-Old Virgin into Taxi Driver. There's no denying that it's a brave decision but the end result is extraordinarily uneven, featuring left-field joke setups that don't fit into the drama, and dramatic choices that don't work with the comedy. The real shame of it is that Rogen does show some decent acting chops here. In the hands of a more certain director with a more balanced script, this film could have explored some genuinely interesting places, but what's on hand is unfortunately just as choppy as it's lead's mental state.

5 out of 10.

Once (2007)

guest review by Phineas Gopher

Though the title doesn't tell you much, Once is a heart-felt little Irish film that deserves to be seen. Made on a shoestring budget, it plays that to its advantage, using natural light and handheld camerawork to create the feel of a documentary-with-benefits, where you get to watch the lives of two ordinary people collide as they literally begin to make beautiful music together. The realism extends beyond style; the plot never rings false and the performances seem fresh and honest. Much of the story is told through songs, almost all of which were written for the film by the lead actors. Once even scored an Oscar nod for one of them, the uplifting "Falling Slowly." Easily the most romantic film of the year.

10 out of 10.

Open Range (2003)

For what it's worth, this is probably the best looking western I can recall seeing. It's just too bad that the rest of the film doesn't match up to the cinematography. That isn't to say the film is bad, but it isn't particularly good either. In trying to paint his wild west, Kevin Costner has tried to make a John Ford film. It's got the classic slow pacing, the great big scenery, and Costner himself trying to act like John Wayne with post traumatic stress disorder. The problem winds up lying somewhere at the bottom of a giant pile of clichés. Everything that's supposed to be in a western is present and accounted for, but there's nothing here you haven't already seen in a better film. Meanwhile, the acting is best described as “fair” and the editing was probably done with a rusty butter knife. Short of that, it's got an okay script that can be at times compelling, but sadly never involving. It's really a shame that such great visuals didn't wind up in a better film.

5 out of 10.

Ong-bak: The Thai Warrior (2003 Thailand, 2004 USA)

When watching a martial arts movie, it doesn't matter how good the script is (in this case, awful), if the acting is good (nope!), if there's any character development (not here), or any emotional involvement whatsoever (none). All that matters is what happens when foot meets ass. When the fighting starts in Ong-bak, all is forgiven. For all of its considerable flaws, watching newcomer Tony Jaa effortlessly flip around, under, over, and through his opponents is still about as good as this genre can show. And the best part? It's all real! There are no wires, no CG, and he does all his own stunts. Who cares if the movie is as dull as North Dakota in winter when there's nobody fighting? Seeing such physical perfection is worth a little inconvenience.

8 out of 10.

Ocean's 13 (2007)

While it's certainly more original than the first of this trilogy (being that the first was a remake to begin with), it's still not quite as good, though infinitely better than the dull 2nd film. It's fun to see such a high profile bunch of actors getting together to Rat-Pack-it-up once again, though it's too bad Julia Roberts couldn't make the show, but I suppose Scarface is a decent sub. Fun plot, fun characters (again), and generally fun people having a fun time. I guess what I'm saying is it was fun. And with so many numbers still available... Lets just hope they stop before Ocean's 31.

8 out of 10.

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