A Serious Man

The Coen Brothers are back with their latest about a Jewish Minnesotan in the 1960's. Only the Coens can take something so mundane and banal and turn it into an enthralling study of a single man's decline into an abyss of guilt and anguish.

Larry is a middle aged man at a crossroads in his life. The cleverly cast Michael Stuhlbarg portrays the math and physics professor anticipating tenure when his personal life is pulled out from under him with typical detailed Coen subplots. He of course has no idea that things are going poorly, and is forced to cope with problem after problem. The supporting characters are all Jewish, save the subtle neo-nazi neighbor, and there is a heavy theme of a man lost, finding his place in the confined world of his own life.

A Serious Man hearkens back to a simple time, a very linear and basic plot, and although not a great film by any stretch, it is a bearable and interesting piece with notable nuances indicative of the unique genre that has spawned out of the Coen's minds. Actors with uncharacteristically pronounced flaws or idiosyncratic tendencies. Settings and props that are quirky enough to cause notice. Prolonged scenes and awkward yet brilliant conversations.

I will religiously watch anything that the Coens create. Ever since No Country, I am a believer that they are true trailblazers in cinema in the way that Tarantino/Rodriguez and Cameron are, but the Coens hit a more visceral nerve in the viewer. They take ownership of their work. Writing, directing, editing, they do it all from start to finish.

The little things make this film great. The nervous tick in Larry's eye. The Gary Cole in Office Space-esque tenure committee chairman. The phone conversation with the subscription music clearing house. The slow walk of the receptionist down and back from the rabbi's office. All of these details are the trademark of the Coen Brothers, and although not a classic in their library, it is well done, down to the ambiguous and dissatisfying ending.

This one may not receive much critical acclaim besides the writing. Of course, with 10 Best Picture nominees this year, I wouldn't count this film out. Probably the 4th best film I've seen so far this year (Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, the Informant) but there are a handful on the horizon that could easily knock it from its spot. Of course, it is the Coen Brothers...

I am looking forward to their next film, a 2010 remake of True Grit with Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Jeff Bridges on board. They have been itching to tackle this project for some time and it looks like it will finally come to fruition. Like I said, they can do no wrong in my eyes, although I am disappointed that Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian fell from from Coens to Ridley Scott to Todd Field, and is taking so long to find it's way to the screen. It would have been gold (and probably still will be if ever shot).

The coming months are bringing only a handful of prospective Oscar candidates. For some reason it seems to be a down year for the Academy. Precious, Men who Stare at Goats, Up in the Air, the Road, the Messenger, Brothers, Nine, Invictus, Lovely Bones and Avatar are the only remaining films on my list, and many of those will certainly prove disappointing. My biggest disappointment is Shutter Island being pushed off to February. Oh well, Leo will have to wait for his Oscar another year.

A Serious Man: good, but not great. Definitely worth watching if you are a fan of the Coens. 8/10.

Paranormal Activity

Fight or Flight. This is the summary of the human condition in response to an adrenaline-inspiring external force. Let me begin by saying that this film is not all that it is hyped up to be. That said, it is extremely inventive and curious. For a film shot on a budget of $11,000, it will almost surely become one of the most profitable films of all time.

The premise is that two average people; a student and a day trader (convenient for the staying home all day angle) are noticing paranormal activity during the night. A pretty straight-forward back story of the girl having a history of haunting, and the psychic coming in to explain the difference between a ghost and a demon (thanks doc) builds tension over the course of about two weeks . The style is done as an almost exact replica of the Blair Witch Project only they are in a house instead of the woods. The characters are pretending to be authentic, and to make my movie going experience even better, upon conclusion, the girl behind me asks out loud "was that for real?" The answer to that is an obvious and resounding "no".

This film, along with Blair Witch and Cloverfield follows the pseudo-reality format, only the characters do not follow what a normal, real person would do in this situation. If there was creepy stuff going on in your house, to quote Eddie Murphy, you should "get out". Additionally, I would probably use lights as a demon deterrent and/or close the bedroom door maybe. I don't know, if the psychic said don't communicate or provoke, I might listen to him as well.

What works about this film is the ambitious semi-realism and the female lead, although she does resemble Pam from the Office just a little too much to take seriously. What doesn't work is how idiotic the male lead is. And that they don't take any discernible action to resolve their plight.

I went into this film with high hopes because of the hype and public response, but I was let down. There were certainly moments of heart-pounding tension, and it was the anticipation of something happening that made the film intriguing and scary. Frightening? No. Disturbing? A little. Watching things happen to people while they sleep is a fear that everyone can relate to. Helplessness and ignorance are scary concepts to deal with. However, if you leave the bedroom door open, you are kind of asking for it.

I liked this movie at times, but I couldn't get on board with half of the cast at all. The fact that they stayed in the house and continued their quest to figure out and solve these phenomena proved that they were not so hapless victims. 5/10.

The Informant!

Steven Soderbergh's latest film carries many of the same nuances that have put him in a class of his own in the decade since giving us the underrated Out of Sight. There is the familiar Section Eight production team headed by close friend George Clooney, and Matt Damon in the type of lead role that we haven't seen from him to this extent before. The hip, anti-establishment visual swagger is evident in the overdone yet subtle costumes, the ridiculously inappropriate musical accompaniment and the witty dialogue that paints a beautiful picture of bizarro corporate 90's Midwest life.

The Informant! is a lighthearted film that takes a massive corporate scandal and makes it seem almost secondary to the delusional egocentric behavior of biochemist VP of a corn company; Mark Whitacre, played by Damon. Damon drives the film's attitude with an extra 30 pounds, a perfectly meager mustache and a toupee to top it off.

The film works mostly because it doesn't take itself too seriously. It's like Erin Brockovich (also Soderbergh) or a Civil Action, but with a little bit of Coen Brothers style of speed and humor. The supporting cast is great - a handful of comedians fit the roles of FBI agents, corporate executives and attorneys with straight faces, allowing the absurdity of the story to take the brunt of comic relief. Mostly however, it is Damon who shines as an exponentially spiraling amount of trouble befalls a doofus with a legitimate mental illness.

This is one of the first great films of Oscar season, and Damon will almost certainly get his second Best Actor nomination to go with the Best Picture nod. Soderbergh bounces back to life as an A-list director in his first work of art since Traffic. The past few years have been spent cultivating his relationships with Damon, Clooney and Pitt with vehicles that look like about as much fun as a director can have, but he's back on track with some quality work now.

I would recommend this film strictly for its wit and timely sardonic depiction of the vice presidents and general asinine culture of modern day corporate America. Damon is fantastic as well. 8/10.