In the Valley of Elah (2007)

Paul Haggis seems to be at it again, though you'd be hard pressed to tell that this film came from the writer/director of Crash. With a pace set somewhere between “mosey” and “molasses going uphill” and a feel far removed from his colorful vision of Los Angeles, you could almost start thinking he's grown up. The subject matter is handled with extreme sensitivity but enough rough-and-tumble to feel realistic and honest, while his directing moves toward the thinking man's drama. For the most part, Haggis and company do a beautiful job. In fact, about the only negatives to the film are the very things that make it what it is. The slow pace kills much of the story's momentum before it even takes root, leaving exceptional actors to fill in the space (which they do admirably!). Meanwhile, the extreme honestly and mind toward its potentially politically charged tale means that it's hard to feel that you're watching something you yourself haven't encountered either in real life or in another, more commercially viable movie. You could either be slowly pulled into its emotional storytelling, or put to sleep by it—could go either way. For my money, it's a very good film if you're of the kind who can appreciate acting in place of tempo.

8 out of 10.

The Brown Bunny (2003)

Easily the worst movie I've watched outside of an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000, Brown Bunny's reputation as one of the most awful movies ever to go to festival is well-earned. The problem isn’t the idea for the story—any idea can be a good one—nor is it the lack of dialogue, which can also be an asset in a supposedly introspective film such as this. The problem is its lack of anything even vaguely interesting going on. Virtually nothing happens in the movie. We’re treated to endless shots of landscapes filmed with a mediocre eye, shown several segments in almost complete silence, introduced to people and places that have no consequence, and endure a near-endless stream of allegedly deep thinking moments of cinema that all fall completely flat. It would be different if the audience was given something to latch onto: some inroad or emotion to relate to and consider, but we get nothing. All we get is a long, boring journey from one cripplingly inert place to another. If Vincent Gallo’s goal with this film was to illustrate exactly how soul-crushingly dull a solo road trip across the country can be, then he has succeeded admirably.

None out of 10.

Blood Simple (1984)

Joel and Ethan Coen (collectively the Coen Brothers) are something of a film institution at this point, so it's always interesting to head back to the origin. As their first film, Blood Simple succeeds in some areas, and utterly fails in others. To call the introductory 40 minutes or so slow paced, overly drawn out, and just downright boring is about as fair as I can bring myself to be. There's hardly a word spoken, and each line is delivered with a good 3 or 4 seconds of pad time between. It's visually well made, but nothing is happening. Thankfully, or mercifully depending on how you look at it, the second half of the film is generally excellent. It has a chilling thriller vibe, and the previously cumbersome slow pace almost becomes an asset as it's used toward generating suspense instead of drama. As the paranoia mounts, the film picks up interest, gains character, and the true origins of what the Coen Brothers are capable of becomes apparent. It's half of a great beginning, but definitely better suited to the more patient among us.

7 out of 10.

Resident Evil 3: Extinction (2007)

Can only come up with two positive things to say about this movie: the exterior settings are nicely dressed in that desert-apocalypse sort of way, and the movie isn't any worse than the second. I could ask what the point of this film being made might have been, but it's been obvious ever since the (abysmal) second movie grossed $51 million domestically. So what do we have here? Awful effects, acting that ranges from apathetic to aggressively bored, action sequences edited so poorly that the only reason you know the heroes are okay is because they're heroes, logic gaps that make the Grand Canyon seem like a flesh wound, and a zombie pimp. It's the kind of movie that thinks its audience will fall into a narcoleptic coma if something loud doesn't happen every forty-five seconds (I'd like to thank Yahtzee Croshaw for that line), while at the same time finding new ways to murder suspension of disbelief with yet another piss-poorly assembled fight scene. When the best the film can throw at you is a bit toward the end that seems “okay” instead of the usual “root canal bad” you seriously start to wonder if the millions of dollars spent on movies like this might not be happier living in a fireplace.

2 out of 10.

Eastern Promises (2007)

Director David Cronenberg knocks it out of the park with this one. What The Godfather did for the Sicilian mafia, Eastern Promises does for the Russian mob, and succeeds almost as well in about half the run time. Stephen Knight's screenplay is a wonderfully complex puzzle box of mixed and ever-changing alliances and games of superiority through intimidation. The result is a fanatically character-driven and methodical plot that isn't afraid to be frightening or difficult. Meanwhile the acting brings the story to life with painstaking fluidity and detail. Every performance in the film is perfection. Toss in the natural kinks that director David Cronenberg naturally brings to any project, and you've got a meal fit for a king. Really, it's extraordinary filmmaking, unapologetically brutal and complicated, intimidating and powerful. It is a mafia masterpiece.

10 out of 10.

Crash (2004)

Should probably start by saying that I am a white male, raised protestant, in what is arguably the most privileged country in the history of history. Crash is all about hot, spicy racism but the script gets so caught up in trying to depict different ways to be racist, and different ways for people to feel bad about themselves for being secretly racist, that it forgets to try to build its characters beyond any kind of archetype. Screenwriter Paul Haggis seems determined to smash you over the head with agenda after agenda for the first half and then pulls a few too-convenient contrivances to wrap up, gives you a a last second here-we-go-again, and is off on another adventure. Luckily, most of this is saved from what would've been garden variety obscurity by great acting (I think Terrance Howard might be the next Denzel) and generally excellent directing, ironically by screenwriter Paul Haggis. There are a few really remarkable moments in the movie that fill you with wide-eyed wonder and power, and the mixing up of the broken narrative is handled exceptionally well, managing to keep you involved and interested in each of the separate threads. What the film lacks in depth due to a slipshod script, it makes up for in pure filmcraft almost completely. I'm not the kind of person who gives an okay movie extra points just for tackling a difficult and relevant subject, but it is a true testament to Paul Haggis's skill in calling the shots, and his casts' skill in receiving them, that his script is not only saved, but quite watchable.

8 out of 10.

The Lookout (2007)

Raise your hand if you've seen Brick. For the three of you, all you need to know is that this is just like Brick, but more realistic and with a dash of Memento thrown in. It even stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite under appreciated movie stars. At the surface, there's not much more here than a clever caper film; what sets it apart are the bits when it isn't furthering the conspiracy. Levitt plays a character of beautifully sympathetic vulnerability, turning his side of the film into an examination of how to live and work with a serious disability, while at the same time using that exploitive character trait to overcome the forces out to get him. Mixing a meditation on disability with a scheme flick makes for a damn smart hook, managing to pull you in at the start with surprising tenderness and somber character writing, and use that to build on the twisted narrative. It's not an epic double-cross movie, or a caper classic, but an exceptional example how to take a pair of tired and crusty genres and show there's still a lot of juice there if you know which direction to start from. Levitt needs to be in more movies. And the rest of you should really see Brick.

9 out of 10.

Black Snake Moan (2006)

Yes, I agree the title would be an awesome name for some piping hot porno. Can we please move past that? I gotta hand it to Craig Brewer: his tale of salvation through the blues sports a soundtrack that would make Tarrantino green with envy. It also has an outstanding performance by Samuel L. Jackson, and a style that's gritty, sad, and uplifting like the blues itself. The issues the film suffer stem largely from the plot's overall concept, and the film's ending. The story feels like it would fit better in a '70s exploitation flick than in a hard examination of self-abuse. If you let yourself stand back from it, the whole thing can feel more than a bit silly, and sadly it has a couple of moments throughout that let you do just that. As to the closing minutes of the film, I'll only say they mistakenly muddy the message in their struggle to tie together all of its threads. In all, if your mind can let go of the ridiculousness of the central struggle there's a pretty good movie here about atonement and letting go of your past, of loves had and lost, and the reasons we sing the blues.

8 out of 10.