What To Watch In The Dark

The Killing

2009-06-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

It's been ages since I posted to this blog. The truth is, I've been working on a business plan and website at night rather than watching movies. Out of the few movies I've watched, the ones I liked weren't really dark. Until last night. I finally sat down to watch Stanley Kubrick's "The Killing", which has been sitting on my bookcase for 2 months (thank you Netflix for the no late fees thing). Finally - a dark movie I could add to the blog!

The movie is the definition of a classic film noir. One of Kubrick's earlier works (1956), most of the characters were as fascinating as the actors who portrayed them. Most notably, the main character Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden), and the gunman Nikki Arcane (Timothy Carey). If you don't know anything about them (I didn't), click the links to read their fascinating biographies. The character of Sherry Peatty, unfortunately felt stereotypically unoriginal, and I basically detested everything about her. But she certainly did not ruin the movie for me, nor did the narration (which sometimes can really bug me in a realistic film), or the black and white film, which I felt really worked here. I don't want to give to much away, but the basic plot was a racetrack heist, and as the plan unfolded I was actually on the edge of my seat. There were some interesting images, and the music was great - very suspenseful.

Bonnaroo Lineup

2009-02-20T19:04:00.001-08:00

Death Proof (2007)

2008-08-25T09:38:00.000-07:00

View On AmazonQuentin Tarantino's directorial half of the Grindhouse series (made with Robert Rodriguez, who directed the other half, Planet Terror). The idea behind the project is to produce movies in the exploitation or grindhouse style of the 1960's.

Planet Terror was funnier but also revolting and completely ridiculous. However, my favorite part of the entire project is the fake movie trailer for 'Machete' at the beginning of Planet Terror. But overall, I enjoyed Death Proof more. Kurt Russell plays "Stuntman Mike", a very weird guy who's favorite hobbies include stalking women and killing them with his 'death proof' car.

There isn't a whole lot more to the plot. The character development is great and the dialogue is trademark hip and clever. One thing about Quentin Tarantino is he always manages to use construct an amazingly original and effective soundtrack, and Death Proof is a shining example of this. The soundtrack perfectly sets the mood for different scenes, using obscure music that totally rocks.

Gone Baby Gone

2008-08-10T07:02:00.000-07:00

View On Amazon2007 was a great year for Casey Affleck. Between this movie and The Assasination of Jesse James, he produced 2 high quality performances with 2 very different characters. In Gone Baby Gone, he is private detective Patrick Kenzie, hired to track down a 4 year old girl who has gone missing from her Dorchester (Boston) neighborhood. Having grown up in the same tough neighborhood, Kenzie has inside connections that give him an advantage over the police detectives assigned to the case. He also has street smart instincts that serve him well as he delves into his neighborhoods underworld. But all the street savvy and connections in the world aren't much help when you find yourself in an no-win situation. Michelle Monaghan costars as Angie Gennaro, Kenzie's partner/girlfriend. Big brother Ben writes and directs in this tense crime thriller.

As the parent of 2 young children, I find the story heart-wrenching. And as a native of the Boston area I enjoy the decent Boston accents and authentic backdrop. Although the movie is not flawless, I highly recommend it, if for nothing else, for Casey Affleck's performance.

Hellboy (2004)

2008-07-31T03:37:00.000-07:00

View Details On AmazonWhy did I not watch this movie earlier? My thought process went something like this: "Hellboy? Another comic book movie? And this one is called Hellboy? Sounds really dumb". Well sometimes cinema snobbery can get you nowhere. Since Hellboy came out, I have discovered that I really like movies by Guillermo del Toro. For that reason alone I finally added this movie to my Netflix queue. Then, there is the critical success (yes, critical) of the Hellboy sequel released a few weeks ago. My desire to see this sequel caused me to move the first Hellboy to the top of my queue (containing 265 movies - it will be years before I watch everything). After all, del Toro chose Hellboy over Harry Potter 3, he must have had a reason.

Hellboy is dark, entertaining, stylish, and packed with action and del Toro's creative visual effects. At time it is (believe it or not) sweet, at times it is funny. I don't go so far as to claim it is great, but it is good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. He's a monster fighting, cat loving (we're talking to pet, not to eat) post adolescent demon who has better lines than the Terminator. Things the movie lacks: reality. But come on, this is a comic book movie, not a documentary. The supporting characters are pretty cool too. There's an evil Nazi assassin, a clairvoyant fish man, a pyrokenetic young woman (Selma Blair), and a demon possessed Rasputin. Even if you are not familiar with the comic book character (I am not) this movie is enjoyable and entertaining. Although if you are looking for something deep, save this one for another day.

Zodiac (2007)

2008-07-21T06:20:00.001-07:00

How do you find one creepy, stocky, lumbering, crazy letter writing serial killer? It can actually be very difficult, as is shown in Zodiac, which chronicles the hunt for the historical mass murderer of the same name. The story is sensational, stunning, and because it is closely based on the facts of the case, lacks a sense of closure. So it works better as a history lesson than as a drama, but as someone who enjoys history, I liked it.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays San Fransisco Chronicle cartoonist turned Zodiac enthusiast Robert Graysmith. The movie was actually co written by Graysmith and much of it details his hunt to find the Zodiac killer. Other notables are the very talented Robert Downey Jr. (as journalist Paul Avery) in his signature character as the witty, talented, substance abuser (in this case his talent is crime writing and his substance is alcohol). Chloe Sevigney also makes a late appearance as Greysmith's girlfriend/wife. All three give decent, albeit not exceptional performances. There is a lot going on including coverage of the police investigation manifested by two frustrated San Fransisco detectives (one played by Anthony Edwards who most know from his ER days but to me will always be Gilbert from Revenge of the Nerds). The detectives overcome jurisdictional issues and bureaucracy to identify their man, only to have their case fall apart from under them. Also, there is the erosion of the personal lives of Paul Avery and Robert Graysmith as they become obsessed with finding the identity of the killer.

Serpico (1973)

2008-07-09T06:45:00.000-07:00

It's unbelievable at this point in time to watch a young Al Pacino in one of his defining roles. At the time, he was only widely known for his Godfather I role, which had come out the year before. Serpico gave Pacino his 2nd Academy Award nomination and has become a timeless classic.

In Serpico, a true crime drama, Pacino plays the title role of Frank Serpico, an idealistic and honest New York police officer with one hell of a wardrobe. As a fresh police academy graduate, Serpico has his sights set on a Detective's badge. But he quickly becomes disillusioned at the rampant graft embedded in the force. Singled out for being the only officer not to take the money, he is relentlessly harassed by his peers. Competent police work and a charismatic personality has earned him a sparse group of loyal friends but for the most part he is completely isolated at work. Eventually, with the help of several friends, he attempts to trigger an investigation into the corruption in the police force and is betrayed at every level. The corruption goes all the way to the top, and Serpico's cooperation with a grand jury leads to more contempt from his fellow officers and no resolution to the corruption. The stress wreaks havoc on Serpico's personal life and well being.

The film is made even more remarkable by the fact that it is based on a true story. Pacino and the real Frank Serpico lived together for a period of time before filming, and you feel as if you are watching the actual man. I have no idea what he is really like but Pacino's intensity and toughness are extremely convincing. The rich backdrop gives a vivid picture of life in New York the late 60's/early 70's. Many strata of society are depicted: blue collar, immigrant and first generation, young bohemian, organized criminal, and ghetto. Instead of dating the movie, the gritty portrayal of city life makes it into a historical drama.

The Devil's Backbone (2001)

2008-07-05T20:06:00.000-07:00

A pre Pan's Labyrinth ghost story by Guillermo del Toro, this is actually my favorite of his movies. Both written and directed by del Toro, the film is haunting and creepy. It contains elements from both Pan's Labyrinth and The Orphanage (more accurately, they contain elements from this movie since this one came before the others). I saw it for the first time shortly before Pan's Labyrinth was released, and at the time I had never heard of del Toro. I remember being surprised by how good it is. It is not as beautiful as Pan's Labyrinth, although the cinematography is amazing. The landscape is spare and lonely and the portrays the idea that the people at the orphanage are completely cut off from the rest of the world.

Set in an orphanage during the Spanish civil war, the movie captures the chaos that accompanies war as the rules of society break down. The main character is a little boy named Carlos who is abruptly left at the orphanage. It turns out that he is not the only one stranded there. He soon comes in contact with the ghost named "the one who sighs" by the other children. After some frightening encounters, Carlos pieces together the mystery behind the supernatural events and works out the identity of the ghost, what happened to him, and even what "the one who sighs" is looking for.

Although the ghost story is creepy, there is a lot of other stuff going on in the movie. There are many interesting characters and war related events. Two of my favorite characters are Carmen and Dr. Casares. Carmen is a woman who was once beautiful but now seems more tired and disillusioned than interested in promoting the radical cause to which she has dedicated her life. Her tragic story includes a dead husband and the loss of one of her legs, which forces her to wear a heavy wooden prosthetic. The events behind her losses are never clearly outlined and their story is left to the imagination. Dr. Casares is a poetry quoting medical doctor who loves Carmen and helps her keep the orphanage functioning during the war. The character and plot development is what makes the movie for me. There are some scenes designed to make you jump, but the movie has more substance than most scary movies.

The Spiral Staircase (1945)

2008-06-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

This is the first movie I've seen in a while (almost a month!) that I felt was worthy of putting on the blog. Filmed in 1945, this black and white classic thriller stars Dorothy McGuire as Helen, a mute maid working in a mansion full of odd people. There's Professor Warren (George Brent), and Stephen (Gordon Oliver), the smooth talking younger brother who has recently returned from an extended stay in Europe. Add in Mrs. Warren (Ethel Barrymore) who was nominated for a supporting actress Oscar for her role as the ailing, elderly mother to Stephen and step-mother to the Professor. There's a brandy stealing cook, and her husband and a crotchety nurse. Oh, and one of them is probably a serial killer who target's handicapped and maimed women. This doesn't bode well for mute Helen.

Elegantly crafted. this movie uses black and white film to the fullest. Full of dark shadows and surprisingly decent special effects (considering it was made in 1945), you would never guess that it was filmed entirely on a sound stage. The story is good, although the suspense is muted compared to today's standards. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - the movie stands more on style and crafted story telling than the cheap, sensational thrills that are the focus of so many modern thrillers.

Hot Fuzz (2007)

2008-05-30T03:44:00.000-07:00

Written, directed and acted by the same individuals who made Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz is a murder mystery spoof set in a rural village in England. Since Shaun of the Dead is one of my favorite movies of all time, I was both excited and apprehensive going into this movie. On the one hand, I heard the movie was really funny. On the other, how could they possibly top, or even rival their first film? Well, both emotions were satisfied. Hot Fuzz is very funny and entertaining, but I didn't like it as much as Shaun of the Dead. The biggest problem is that the characters are unrealistic and I couldn't identify with them the way I could with the characters in the first movie.

Enough about Shaun of the Dead though. Hot Fuzz is about outstanding London police officer Nick Angel (Simon Pegg) who is shipped out to the small town of Sandford in the countryside. The Sandford police force is the British equivalent of Reno 911 and I think contains the best characters in the movie. Angel finds himself paired up with the bumbling Officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) and together they uncover a string of serial murders in the sleepy town. This movie is actually very funny and the character development improves in the 2nd half. The dialog is clever and hilarious throughout the entire movie. If you have already seen the movie, check out the imdb trivia here (be sure to watch the movie first since it contains spoilers and won't be funny anyway until after you've seen it). I was on the floor laughing at a few of them. Overall, this dark comedy is funny and fun.

Serenity

2008-05-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

A World Without Sin.
What does that mean? How would it be accomplished? That's one of the central themes to this high action science fiction. Written and directed by Joss Whedon (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame - the TV show, not the movie), this movie revolves around a vagabond space ship named Serenity and her crew. They make a marginal living mostly smuggling and evading the military regime, called the 'Alliance', that has taken over their section of the universe. The captain, Mal, is a fast talking maverick who fought on the losing side of the war which put the Alliance into power. Mal is played by Nathan Fillion, who played the same role in the Whedon produced TV series Firefly, which this movie is based on. I've actually never seen a Firefly episode, but I hear it's really good.

The surreal, futuristic world the story takes place in consists of big brother type of surveillance from the government who make extraordinary effort to convince their minions that they live in a clean and safe universe. But behind the scenes, things seem to be breaking down. An undercurrent of resistance exists below the surface (including the Serenity crew and their associates). Also, there are rumors of attacks by "Reavers", insanely aggressive cannibalistic people who haunt the space just outside the Alliance's territory. Although the Alliance denies their existence, the rumors are growing.

In the midst of this, the Serenity's doctor, Simon Tam, brings his mysterious little sister River on board. The Alliance conducted experiments on River and as a result she has developed special powers, including telepathy, super strength and agility, and psychotic tendencies. The Alliance, believing that River acquired knowledge that could be harmful to it, send an elite bounty hunter after her. The crew of the Serenity reluctantly shelter her and begin to piece together the secret about the Alliance that is locked inside her brain.

What this movie lacks in acting it makes up for in action and mystery. Although there are some minor holes in the plot, it works well. Nathan Fillion manages to convincingly capture Mal's disillusionment and uneasy altruism. The story is far fetched but intriguing and the Reavers are disturbing and creepy. It's an entertaining and imaginative movie that is good for some serious escapism after a long day of work.

The Orphanage

2008-05-13T04:29:00.000-07:00

The Orphanage is a Spanish horror movie produced by Guillermo del Toro (among others) of Pan's Labyrinth fame. I am a fan of both Pan's Labyrinth and The Devil's Backbone, both by Guillermo del Toro so I've been very excited to watch this movie since I saw the preview back in December. The Orphanage met my high expectations - it is extremely spooky without any gore. Rarely can a movie get my heart pounding without the use of scary background music, but this movie did that on many occasions. As with Pan's Labyrinth, the events in The Orphanage have several plausible explanations. Ghosts? Psychosis? Or a combination of both?

The story is set around a large Spanish mansion that was used as an orphanage in the past. Laura, the main character, grew up in said orphanage and has returned as an adult to reopen it with her doctor husband. She brings her young son, Simon, who has no knowledge of his own shaky background. Soon after arriving, creepy things start happening. Simon, who already has several imaginary friends, finds a new gang of "imaginary" friends. A creepy social worker is prowling around. There's a dark cave, an out of use lighthouse, and of course the mansion itself, with its history and its creaks. In the middle of all this, Simon vanishes, and the distraught Laura will go to any length to find out what happened to him.

Cloverfield

2008-04-29T18:54:00.001-07:00

I only have one word to say about this movie, 'Yee-haw'! OK, so I'm not really sure if that's 1 or 2 words, and I actually have more to say. Think 'Independence Day' meets 'King Kong' meets 'The Blair Witch Project' and you'll get the idea. Dominated by spectacular special effects and full of thrills and action, Cloverfield is a wild ride. Don't go in looking for a clever or even plausible plot. The acting is nothing to write home about either. I found the main characters unconvincing and their actions make no sense whatsoever. Still, the movie is worth seeing if you like special effects and apocalyptic monster movies. I would recommend a big screen TV if you have access to one. It definitely would lose its power on a small one.

I had the misfortune to see a picture of the monster before watching the film. Avoid this if you can. I think I would have been much more freaked out (during the first half anyway) if I could have left my imagination to it's own devices.

Check out more details and watch the trailer here.

The characters from the movie all have their own MySpace pages. After you watch the movie, check them out:
Rob, Beth, Marlena, and HUD

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

2008-04-28T19:15:00.000-07:00

I was caught pleasantly off guard by this mockumentary which oscillates between hilarious spoof and campy horror. Nathan Baesel gives a great performance as Leslie Vernon, a budding homicidal maniac. After watching him in this movie, I am very much looking forward to Baesel's 2 upcoming movies due to release later this year.

The premise for Behind the Mask is that Vernon invites a team of journalism grad students to film his preparation for, and execution of his serial killing debut. Baesel portrays Vernan to be surprisingly personable and funny through most of the movie, mixed with eerily sincere intermittant switches to cold and calcualting. The dialog is very funny and manages to simultaneously spoof and pay homage to the slasher films of the 70's, 80's and 90's. Happily, most of the gore is left out and the focus is instead on dark humor and wit. At first the ending threw me a little, but the more I think about it, the more I like the way it ended.

Fight Club

2008-04-09T05:02:00.000-07:00

I'm adding this movie to my list of recommendations after watching it for the 3rd time. The first time I watched it, years ago, I didn't think to much of it. I had heard all kinds of raves about it, and I wasn't impressed by the fighting, or the acting of Brad Pitt or Helena Bonham Carter. If there is such a thing as a 'Chick Flick', then Fight Club seems to me to be the opposite - a movie made more for men than women. I found it unnecessarily violent and rather unbelievable. Over the years I've heard people discuss the 'genius' of the movie, and wondered if I missed something the first time I saw it. I have been known to do that on occasion - I had a very similar experience with 'American Psycho'.

HBO played it a few weeks ago and I decided it was time to give it a 2nd chance. I had forgotten the twist at the end, although it started coming back to me as I got closer to it. The 2nd time around I was much more impressed by the whole concept and after watching it for the 3rd time, with the ending still fresh in my mind, I can really see how well made it is. I have even come to appreciate Brad and Helena's characters, although Ed Norton definitely gives the strongest performance. If you can get past the unpleasant (to me) fight scenes, there is really a strong story there with many layers.

The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse

2008-03-28T18:28:00.001-07:00

The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse is the 2nd film I've seen by director Fritz Lang (the first is M). It was released in 1933 where it was banned in Lang's native Germany because of it's apocolyptical themes and possible references to the crimes being committed by the Nazi party.

This movie is an important piece of work and is credited by several film makers as the inspiration for their career choice. It is one of the oldest psychological thrillers I've ever seen and is very remarkable (especially if you consider when it was made). It's worth watching as long as you don't mind subtitles (it's in German) and old black and white cinemtography. Lang artfully encompasses sound (at the time a new technology) using techniques such as misidentified sounds and leitmotif.

The cast includes Rudolf Klein-Rogge as the creepy Dr. Mabuse, and Otto Wernicke as Inspector Lohman, the whip smart detective investigating a mysterious crime ring lead by an anonymous "man behind the curtain" whom nobody has ever seen. Things get even weirder when the insane and evil Dr. Mabuse begins scribbling out papers predicting the elaborate crimes from inside his cell in an asylum. It's a fascinating premis for a groundbreaking film which was decades ahead of it's time.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

2008-03-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

This movie tells the story of the last year of life of outlaw Jesse James (Brad Pitt) and of his killer, Robert Ford (Casey Affleck). According to the writers, the movie is historically accurate, although I know very little about the James gang so I cannot really say if that is true. Jesse James and Robert Ford are the 2 main characters and their actions are the basis for the storyline.

Ford is well portrayed as a character full of contradiction. At times Ford's vulnerableness and desire for acceptance is heartbreaking. At others, his selfishness and desire for fortune and fame are detestable. His ambition seems to be greater than his abilities which often gets him in way over his head. Affleck does an excellent job of refecting the many facets of this complex character including his unlikeable personality and his innocence.

I think Jesse James is one of the better characters from Brad Pitt. Sometimes I find him overdramatic, especially when playing a deranged character. A little of that comes through here but it is understated. Usually what comes through is the unsettling feeling of coming in contact with an extremely charismatic monster. This seems to be an accurate representation of the man, who was idolized by many despite being a cold blooded killer.

I would describe this movie as a historical epic, not a western. It is slow at times and riveting at others. The cinemtography and musical score are hauntingly beautiful.

The Game

2008-03-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

The Game is surprisingly unpredictable and intricate. It's a good thriller with a lot of twists which will really get you thinking. At some points the plot seems almost too elaborate but overall I think it works. I find it especially intriguing that it is based (loosely, I think) on a real life scavenger hunt type game.

Michael Douglas portrays a stuffy banker from a wealthy family - the man that has everything, except a life. Sean Penn, younger brother with a troubled past, is the black sheep of the family. The acting is decent but not remarkable. The main strength of The Game is the fast paced, intense story line that draws you right in and keeps you guessing until the very end.

No Country For Old Men

2008-03-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

I am probably the last person on the continental US to see this movie, but now that it is out on DVD I finally had the chance to sit down and watch it. I was a little leary going in because of my high expectations issue. Having heard it was great from everyone I know who has seen it, my expectations were very high. It won Best Picture, Best Directing, etc. - it doesn't get much better than that. I was told Javier Barden was incredible, and he won the Supporting Actor Oscar.

That being said, I am not disappointed - NCFOM is excellent, and Javier Barden is great (and really creepy). Expecting both the movie in general, and Barden to be excellent, I am not blown away by either, but I really enjoy the movie and Barden's performance.

NCFOM contains elements from several different genres including psychological thriller, western and drama. There's a drug deal gone bad, $2 million up for grabs, and a spooky serial killer in the mix. Mostly it follows 3 different storylines from 3 of the main players. There's a loner cowboy who stumbles across the $2 mil, a psychotic killer who believes the $2 mil is rightfully his, and a cop who is investingating the whole affair. Over the course of several days, they chase each other around Southern Texas in a deadly game of hide and seek.

The Third Man

2008-03-14T19:59:00.000-07:00

Tonight was my first time ever watching this film-noir legend. The movie was amazing - every scene was a work of art. I now have a better understanding of the term 'film-noir'. It won the Best Cinemtography Oscar (black and white) in 1951. The angles, the lighting, the shadows - everything is so well done.

Set in post World War II Vienna, 'The Third Man' follows down and out writer Holly Martins, who has traveled all the way to Austria to meet up with his long time friend Harry Lime. Upon arriving, he is informed his friend was the victim of an accident and passed away minutes before he appeared on the scene. The thick sculled Martins quickly becomes embroiled in the mystery of Lime's death, despite the discouragement of everyone involved.

Besides the excellent cinemtography the acting is decent. Orson Welles gives a chilling performance as the villian of the film. This movie also left me an overwhelming desire to visit the city of Vienna, which unfortunately I have not yet had the chance to see. One thing I found very interesting was the vision of war torn Vienna. The city is divided into 4 separate parts run by different countries. The actors walk by a montage of beautiful old architecture and piles of rubble and debris without giving it a second look.

If you are looking for a quality thriller with more substance than bling this movie is definately a good choice.

The Thing

2008-03-12T05:52:00.000-07:00

The Thing is a remake of the 1950's sci-fi classic 'The Thing From Another World'. Both movies are set in an extremely cold location (one is the Arctic, the other is the Antarctic), and involve a malevolent creature from outer space buried in ice which comes back to life when dug up and defrosted, and havoc ensues. This is one of John Carpenter's earlier films and is idolized by many as ground breaking in the realms of makeup and special effects. Although it doesn't look like much in today's CGI world, it is remarkable for it's time (1982). Even so, if you are really into advanced CGI effects, you won't be overly impressed.

The values of the film are that it is an important chapter in the history of special effects, and the story itself is pretty interesting. The special abiity of the alien, to mimic any living thing it comes in contact with, opens a world of possibilities in the imagination of the viewer. Who is a mimic and who is human? For those taken over, when were they infected? How would it feel to be completely isolated with a small group of people, knowing some were actually these alien mimics but not knowing who is who? Also, the transformation scenes and results of interrupted transformations are actually quite creepy.

American Gangster

2008-03-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

American Gangster is based on the true story of Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas, and detective Richie Roberts. I'm not sure how much of the actual story is true but I believe most of the characters were based on real people. Lucas and Roberts were both major consultants for the film which could contribute to the raw honesty portrayed by the actors (Denzel Washington as Lucas and Russell Crowe as Roberts) in shownig both the strengths and weaknesses of each man. I'm actually very surprised that there was not an Oscar nomination for either Washington or Crowe because they both put in such strong performances.

I am rapidly becoming a fan of director/producer Ridley Scott, who manages to make this complicated story comprehensible and draw the viewer in throughout the entire movie. You know a movie is well done when it's 3 hours long (I watched the extended, unrated version) and at the end your comment is 'I wish I knew what happened next'.

The character development is excellent, not only for the 2 main characters, but also for the many supporting characters such as Lucas' mother (Sandra Dee - the only acting Oscar nomination from the film) and crooked cop Dectective Trupo (Josh Brolin).

The Staircase

2008-03-04T05:11:00.000-08:00

Last night I went on a little Staircase marathon and watched parts 5, 6 and 7. It killed me to stop at 7 - I'm dying to find out how it turns out, but I knew I had to get up at 5 AM this morning and it was already 11 PM by the time I finished 7. I'm a basket case without enough sleep so common sense won out (for once!). So I have to get through my 10 hour work day and then wait until the kids go to bed before I can watch the last part - it seems very far away.

** Spoilers below **
In my first post about this movie, after watching the first 4 parts, I had the feeling that Peterson was guilty. Now that the trial is almost over, I'm not so sure. One thing I can say is he has a great lawyer who talks circles around the prosecutors. If I'm ever on trial for anything, I want Peterson's lawyer to defend me (of course I don't have $1 million to pay him so I highly doubt that would ever happen - best to just stay out of trouble for the middleclass).

At any rate, I just can't get over a few things. First, it's such a huge coincidence that 2 women close to Peterson (the mother of his adopted children, and the step mother of all his children) just happened to be found dead at the bottom of a flight of stairs with their heads severely lacerated. I know anything is possible, but the odds seem astronomical.

Also, Kathleen Peterson's sisters were shown at the Duke University archives making copies of some of Michael Peterson's writings. They seemed to indicate a severely disturbed author, saying that murder was pleasureable, etc. None of this was used as evidence in the trial (at least not yet) but it's pretty unsettling. I don't know the context he wrote this stuff in, if you really want to stretch you might be able to come up with a reasonable explanation, such as he had a creative writing assignment to define the characteristics of a serial killer.

And finally, the number and severity of the lacerations on Kathleen Peterson's skull are so numerous and severe, it doesn't seem to match a fall down 5 or 6 steps. It will be interesting to see what they make of the blowpoke. The defense seemed to make a big deal out of the fact there were numerous spiderwebs attached to it, but it has been almost 3 years since the murder at this point, and I think cobwebs could easily form in that amount of time (especially in a dusty, seldom used garage. And what is up with that garage? They have this huge, beautiful mansion with a dirty, dark (no electricity) garage underneath? I guess I could see it if they never used it, but they are storing a car, tools, etc. in there. That just seems weird.

Michael Clayton

2008-03-03T08:01:00.000-08:00

Michael Clayton is a fast-paced thriller with excellent acting. I got a little confused early on about over who was working for which company, etc., but I tend to get confused easily when the plot is fast-paced. The ending tied it all together though - even for me. I read on IMDB that they even cut out a whole subplot where Clayton had a girlfriend.

I enjoy Sydney Polluck as both a director and an actor, and you get to see both in this movie. Tilda Swinton was great, I thought her performance was Oscar worthy and George Clooney was also excellent.

It's an interesting look at the shameful behavior of the extremely priviledged and the lengths people will go to in order to remain in that elite group.

Disturbia

2008-03-01T19:26:00.000-08:00

This is a semi-decent thriller about troubled teenage Kale (Shia LaBeouf) who is under house arrest for punching his Spanish teacher. He has an ankle bracelet, Paris Hilton style. The punitive accessory sounds an alarm if leaves his yard, resulting in an extended trip to Juvenile detention. Sentenced to spend his entire summer in his house, Kale quickly becomes extremely bored and spends his days and nights spying on his neighbors. He soon notices one of the neighbors has some similarities to a suspected serial killer.

The plot is interesting although the details are pretty far fetched. Kale discovers that his troubled teenage soul mate has moved in next door. Enter Ashley (Sarah Roemer), a completely useless character who adds nothing to the film. The only rationale I can imagine for including her is to attract a few male teenage viewers who want to see her bikini clad form swimming in her backyard pool. There is also a goofy best friend Ronnie (Aaron Yoo) who ended up being my favorite character. The ending is definitely cheesy but earlier in the movie there are a couple good jumps. Overall it is sort of disappointing. The idea is good but I wish they had put more effort into developing the story and characters.