Naked

The first moments of Mike Leigh's Naked shows Johnny (David Thewlis) doing what he does best: abusing women. The use of a (very) shaky camera captures the whole mood of both the scene and the film.

Thewlis plays Johnny as someone who's never happy and always restless. He's not afraid to speak his mind, regardless of what anyone might think. Yet Johnny is as vulnerable and damaged as everyone around him. In short, a hell of a performance from Thewlis.

Sophie (Katrin Cartlidge) is someone who longs for someone by her side. She's not picky. She'll take anyone who looks promising. So when Johnny shows up, Sophie thinks he'll become the man in her life. Or so she thinks.

Jeremy (Greg Cruttwell) is somewhere between being a cleaner Johnny and a British Patrick Bateman. He's a sharp dresser and has a tongue to match. He could care less about anyone but himself. In short, he's the kind of guy you want to kick where it matters.

Along with containing strong performances from its principal actors, Naked also gives a glimpse of working class London. It's hard to watch at times (mainly those scenes with Jeremy), but those other times you simply can't your eyes off the screen. Also, the music by Andrew Dickson is to die for. And if glimpses of working class society are what Leigh does best, then I will most definitely continue to watch.

My Rating: ****1/2

On the Beach

Years before John Frankenheimer made his "paranoia trilogy", Stanley Kramer had audiences on edge with his film On the Beach. Depicting the aftermath of nuclear war, Kramer provides commentary on an era when everyone was on edge, not knowing which country would push the button first.

Gregory Peck possesses a look of dread throughout On the Beach. That's because Towers lost his family from the radiation. He knows what kind of devastation it can cause. In fact, Peck himself was heavily opposed to nuclear weapons, so perhaps his beliefs were put into his work as Towers.

Ava Gardner plays Moira as a woman who accepts her fate but reluctantly. She drinks her worries away, but new ones emerge from each sip. She is worn out by what has happened and wants it all to end. A far cry from her glamorous roles, don't you think?

The two supporting actors are Anthony Perkins and Fred Astaire. Perkins plays his part with a sense of uncertainty. Like his famous role of Norman Bates, Peter wants to keep his future bright but each passing day makes it appear darker. Astaire is revelatory in his role. Gone are his days with Ginger Rogers, and here is a new stage in his career. His part of Julian displays a depth not many would've imagined as they watched Astaire dance in the years before. And it took him fifteen years afterwards to get nominated?

Like Kramer's other productions, On the Beach contains excellent work from its principal actors. Saying who gave the better performance is hard. That's because Kramer knew how to get great work from his ensemble casts. And the speech Julian gives on the world going crazy with nuclear weaponry is unsettling because it can be applied today, a whole fifty-three years later.

My Rating: *****

The Virgin Suicides

Sofia Coppola is an interesting director. Like her father, she has made an impact on Hollywood with her films. But unlike Francis, her films convey a balance of style and substance, art and reality.

Her debut The Virgin Suicides showcases the gifts she was given. Through faded coloring and natural lighting, Coppola depicts a time when one was at their most unpredictable: the teenage years.

Coppola also shows a common theme that's among her work: loneliness. The Libson girls have essentially sheltered lives, thanks to their parents. Among people their own ages, they rather stay together as a group than be by themselves. Why? They don't know how to talk to other people.

Like her next film Lost in Translation, the leads are bored with their lives and the paths they're going down. They want something different to happen to them, something that's far from their usual mundane lives. They also realize they have to find that life-changing scenario. It's not going to walk right up to them.

The Virgin Suicides is a very good film, but it pales in comparison to Lost in Translation. However, it does shows that Coppola is definitely following in her father's footsteps. It also proves she's a much better director than an "actress".

My Rating: ****1/2

Take Shelter

Jeff Nichols' Take Shelter is a very intense film through its actors. Its depiction of descending into madness could be compared to that of Howard Hughes in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator and Col. Nicholson in David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai.

Michael Shannon has been in Hollywood for years, acting in bit parts and supporting roles. Thanks to his scene stealing (and Oscar-nominated) work in Revolutionary Road, he's now getting the recognition he deserves. Shannon's past roles always managed to garner the audience's attention. His work in Take Shelter proves that he can carry a film on his own.

Jessica Chastain has definitely made a name for herself last year as Hollywood's "it" girl. She bears resemblance to a Persona-era Liv Ullmann, and has acting abilities to match. Many of her thoughts and emotions are played across her face. Saying she has a promising future in Hollywood is an understatement.

Shannon and Chastain having differing acting styles yet they compliment one another. Shannon's style consists of him making his presence clear the moment he appears. Chastain rather let the audience acknowledge her presence then showcase her skill as an actress. And personally in regards to one scene, I'm not sure what left me more speechless: Shannon's meltdown or Chastain's reaction to it.

Take Shelter really lingers in your mind once the credits start to roll. It shows how obsessive one person can become in a certain situation. Oh, and AMPAS? You fail for not nominating two of the best performances of 2011.

My Rating: *****

The Young Lions

Edward Dmytryk's The Young Lions depicts the lives of three men during World War II, a character study if you will. A very intriguing one as well.

The first of the three men is Christian Diestl (Marlon Brando), a member of the Nazi Party. At first, he has no complaints with the invasions and bombings he hears about. Once he sees firsthand the carnage and devastation his country was responsible for, he starts having serious personal conflicts. A role like this could have been schmaltzed up if not careful, but Brando makes it work. Not on a grand scale, but it's passable.

The second man is Noah Ackerman, played by Montgomery Clift. Noah is a feeble person, one who keeps very much to himself. That trait is practically scorned upon when he's sent away to serve in the army, and he becomes a frequent target of the other soldiers' tormenting. Much like the role of Christian, the role of Noah could have been an overly sympathetic role if written and/or performed poorly. Knowing Clift, he makes it work wonderfully.

The third of the trio is Michael Whiteacre (Dean Martin), a stage performer with an indifferent view on life. He's less than thrilled about being drafted, even more so at the thought of not living to see the end of the war. Yet he manages to form a sort of kinship with Noah, who is the complete opposite of Michael. He becomes a reliable person to Noah, a confidant if you will. Michael's hard edge begins to soften as the war wears on. Martin, impressive with his work in Rio Bravo the following year, is just as impressive here.

The Young Lions has its flaws (like that 167-minute running time), but it's a very good film. Brando, Clift and Martin give strong, fine performances in a film that's worthy of a look.

My Rating: ****1/2

The Artist

2011 has to be the year of confused movie marketing. Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive focused heavily on action when it's really more of a character study in a similar vein to Michael Mann's work. Steve McQueen's Shame hyped about its NC-17 rating rather than showcasing how bold of a film it is.

Then there's Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist. Ever since it got into the public eye, it has been marketed as nothing more than a silent film. Indeed the lack of dialogue and sound effects are in full swing for most of the film, but there's so much more than that. (When will people ever learn?)

I couldn't help but think that Singin' in the Rain was an influence for The Artist. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a mix between Gene Kelly's Don Lockwood (the charismatic leading man) and Jean Hagen's Lina Lamont (the vain movie star) while Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) is reminiscent of Debbie Reynolds' Kathy Selden (the young woman aspiring to break into show business). The fact both films focus on Hollywood's transition from silents to talkies also helps.

I admire Hazanavicius for putting allusions to the silent era in his script, more specifically what happened to its stars after the advent of talkies. He must have done his research on the subject because like many silent film stars, George goes through financial and personal ruin following the advent of talkies and the stock market crash.

Recently there has been backlash against The Artist (as with the case of any frontrunner for the Best Picture Oscar). Really, is it needed at all? It's a magnificent film. Like Martin Scorsese's Hugo, The Artist depicts an era in film history that still leaves an impact decades and generations later.

My Rating: *****

Opening Night

There's a brief sequence in John Cassavetes' Opening Night that triggered a slight pang of nostalgia. Myrtle Gordon (Gena Rowlands) arrives at the theater drunk out of her mind. At the orders of her director Manny Victor (Ben Gazzara), she stumbles to her dressing room with no help. I couldn't help but recollect the final scene of On the Waterfront, Terry staggering up the docks.

Myrtle is similar to Terry. Both are pretty much on their own with their personal conflicts thought they get some reassurance from their peers, and by the end they're down but definitely not out.

Myrtle is also similar to Margo in All About Eve. Both acclaimed names of the stage, they aren't exactly the type that willingly accepts their age. Yet the thought of youth bothers them even more. Well, more so the lack of it within them.

Both are daunted by both the death of their youth and the presence of another's. For Myrtle, it's that of a young fan whom she witnessed get killed. It's from that incident Myrtle realizes that life is too short and hers is almost over. Like Margo, Myrtle has a personal crisis but hers is much more severe than Margo's.

Did Cassavetes put these allusions in his film on purpose? Maybe, maybe not. One thing's for certain: the man knew how to hit the right notes with his troupe of actors. Along with A Woman Under the Influence, Opening Night contains Rowlands' best work. (No surprise her best work was in films made by her husband of thirty-five years.)

My Rating: *****