Nebraska

Alexander Payne's debut Citizen Ruth starred Laura Dern as someone who won't let life little inconveniences get in the way of their personal world. And in an ironic twist of fate, Payne has cast Laura's father Bruce Dern in a very similar role for his new film Nebraska.

When an actor is in their twilight years and they show they still have a good performance in them, that's always a good sign on the director's part for still having faith in said actor. (See also Robert De Niro in Silver Linings Playbook and Robert Redford in All Is Lost.) In the case of Dern, an actor I'm not overly familiar with (outside of his Oscar-nominated work in Coming Home), I think it's suffice to say he gives his best work in Nebraska. (Boy, I sure hope he gets nominated.)

This is common amongst Payne's films actually. Usually whomever is playing the lead for one of his films, the actor(s) will end up giving the best work of their career. (See also Laura Dern in Citizen Ruth, Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon in Election, Paul Giamatti in Sideways, and George Clooney in The Descendants.) So how does Dern join these other actors? He takes a role any actor could play and makes it his own.

And like Payne's other films, the supporting work is great as well. It's obvious that Dern will get most of the attention when it comes to awards, but I sure hope that Will Forte and June Squibb will be equally recognized. (One can dream, can't they?)

Everything about Nebraska is great. From Payne's direction to the performances to Phedon Paramichael's absolutely gorgeous cinematography, the film just works on so many levels. Easily, easily one of the best films of the year.

My Rating: *****

Citizen Ruth

It's made quite early on in Alexander Payne's Citizen Ruth that Ruth Stoops (Laura Dern) is a very screwed up person. Everyone knows that her constant fume sniffing isn't exactly making her life any better. (Even the police are fed up with her.)

When Ruth finds out she's pregnant (again), her initial reaction is that of annoyance. And after getting sentenced (again), the judge asks -- no, begs -- for her to "take care of the problem". Enter pro-lifers and pro-choicers into the whole situation, and who knows what'll happen?

The subject of abortion has always been a touchy one. (It annoys me that this is a subject still being debated.) With his directorial debut, Payne isn't afraid to show how overblown and ridiculous these debates have become. (Somewhat unsettling that this is still relevant seventeen years later.)

The very thing that keeps Citizen Ruth vibrant and biting from beginning to end is Dern in all of her twitchy glory. Whether she's crying over how miserable her life is, spewing profanities or trying to grasp the predicament she's in, Dern elicits sympathy for Ruth even though she's not exactly that great of a person. (Ruth, that is.)

Knowing its director, it certainly comes as no surprise that Citizen Ruth is wickedly funny. (Emphasis on "wicked".) Thanks to Dern's performance (which really should have earned some awards recognition), the film is willing to make fun of a controversial subject without making it crass. If you want a smart comedy, you'll find it in the form of Citizen Ruth.

My Rating: ****1/2

Election

I've never been much for politics. I won't deny that this past election wasn't of much interest to me. (I did vote however.) There's something...off-putting about a candidate trying to eliminate their opponents.

Alexander Payne made no bones about it with his film Election. Yeah, it's about a school election, but it still applies to an unsettling degree. (I'm just grateful such a thing never happened at my school.)

There's something amusing about Matthew Broderick's role. It's almost as if Jim McAllister is Ferris Bueller trying (unsuccessfully) to relive his glory days as an adult. And personally, it's his best role since Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Now Reese Witherspoon as Tracy Flick is actually terrifying. She's determined, yes, but she certainly isn't someone I want to cross paths with. Also, I can understand why some people thought she should have been nominated for an Oscar.

Election is a really great satire. Payne is definitely one of the better names tackling the genre. Broderick and Witherspoon are great here. It's one of the best titles of the 1990s.

My Rating: *****

About Schmidt

When you've reached your peak years, you're left wondering what's left to do. You've had a steady career, raised a family and a generally good life. So what's missing?

That's what's running through Warren Schmidt's (Jack Nicholson) mind early on in Alexander Payne's About Schmidt. Recently retired (and eventually widowed), he finds his life at a standstill. But with his daughter's wedding approaching, he tries to get some firm ground in his life.

Payne apparently has a tendency to depict men experiencing a personal crisis. (Other examples include Miles Raymond from Sideways and Matt King from The Descendants.) Then again, Payne does have a good reason for why he likes this particular role: "When I'm shooting I don't care who the star is. I have an actor playing a part, and I'm serving the script, not serving anyone's career. My hope is that, after twenty minutes, perhaps the audience forgets it's George Clooney or Jack Nicholson and just sees the character."

Speaking of Nicholson, he's great here. (But he usually is in most of the films he's in.) It's later career roles like that of Warren Schmidt that give me some hope for actors as they reach their twilight years.

All in all, I really liked About Schmidt. I didn't love it as much as Sideways or The Descendants, but I did admire Payne's writing and Nicholson's acting. It's worth a look.

My Rating: ****1/2

The Descendants

It's funny. For years, there have been names straining to be known as actors rather than movie stars. Hey, just look at anyone that made it big during the 1950's.

It still persists today too. One such example is George Clooney. I know he's a talented man being both an actor and a director, but most of the time I can only see him as a modern day Cary Grant. But much like Grant, he can do wonders when in the hands of the right director.

As Matt King in Alexander Payne's The Descendants, Clooney gives the best performance of his career to date. He isn't his suave, charming self here. Instead, he's more down to earth. (He also wears those dorky Hawaiian shirts, but moving on.)

Matt is facing two different dilemmas: he finds himself looking after his daughters, and he's underway in a deal to sell a remaining piece of Hawaiian land his family had owned for generations. Both dilemmas, however, could go hand in hand. One about reconnecting, the other letting go. Towards the end of the film, there's a great shot of Matt, part of his face in the shadows and making him appear older especially after all that has happened.

Along with Clooney's work, I loved the whole film. Mind you, the only other Payne film I saw was Sideways, but I could tell this was a Payne film because of the slight air of cynicism floating within several of the characters. Also, saying Clooney's now my frontrunner at the Oscars is an understatement.

My Rating: *****

Sideways

I'm trying to catch up on the top movies from the last decade. So I've managed to have seen a handful of award winners, ranging from the Oscars to Cannes.

Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti), a divorced unpublished writer, takes his friend Jack Cole (Thomas Haden Church), who is soon to be married, on a tour of California's wine country for one last escape.

Miles and Jack are complete opposites. Miles is depressed and very much to himself; Jack is optimistic and outgoing. The differences between them made me wonder how they became friends in the first place.

Sideways is a very original concept (yes, I'm aware it's based on a book). Miles is probably the most depressed character I've encountered, but Giamatti makes Miles sympathetic. The dialogue is sharp and the characters are enjoyable to watch.

My Rating: ****1/2