SUNDANCE 2011: I SAW THE DEVIL



 Kyung-chul (Min-sik Choi) in I Saw the Devil.

Heads will roll

By John Esther

In the latest film by South Korean director Jee-woon Kim (A Tale of Two Sisters) a violent predator named Kyung-chul (Min-sik Choi of Oldboy fame) is on the loose. A psychotically mean person who rapes and kills women at random, Kyung-chul makes the painful, very painful, mistake of taking the life of someone dear to Dae-hoon (Byung-hyun Lee), a topnotch special agent who cannot be beaten…physically.

After a rather quick and illegal search by the special agent, Dae-hoon finds Kyung-chul and it is payback time. Beating Kyung-chul nearly to death only to let him go again so he can prey on women, again, every time Kyung-chul has another victim in his hands, Dae-hoon comes in give him another beating. The women are glad to see the hero arrive not knowing he was listening for quite some time. They, too, become victims in his revenge, although not like they would have been had he not been around. But then again, he did let the killer go rather than turn him in.
Despite one’s anger at the cruelty inflicted by people such as Kyung-chul it becomes increasing transparent that Dae-hoon’s plans and motivations become as monstrous, certainly more irresponsible, than Kyung-chul’s evil.

A riveting 141-minute film, I Saw The Devil moves pretty fast through its storyline even if there is more than a few trope holes the size of a Quentin Tarantino movie (i.e. Pulp Fiction). Is the South Korean police force so incompetent it could not follow the bloody trails Kyung-chul leaves behind? And then there is the subplot with a cannibal friend of Kyung-chul’s where his abduct, torture and kill modus operandi that is so messy the code would be cracked in the first 15 minutes of Law & Order.

Yet I Saw the Devil does have many attributes including smashing performances (does anyone play crazy better than Choi?), quite a few dazzling scenes of horrific violence and the film punctuates itself with a macabre humor that makes it easy to say “better the devil than me.”



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SCANDINAVIAN FILM FESTIVAL LA 2011: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

Lisbeth (Noomi Rapace) in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Girl trilogy screened during festival

By John Esther

Together for the first time in Los Angeles, the Scandinavian Film Festival will screen The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest over the two weekends. Based on the unpublished novels of the late Stieg Larsson, the first of the trilogy, The Girl with the Dragoon Tattoo, screens today while The Girl Who Played with Fire screens tomorrow afternoon and  The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest screens next Saturday morning.

In terms of box office sales the most successful film in Scandinavian history, Danish director Niels Ardew Oplev's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo explores the relationships between patriarchal power, ethical corruption and those willing to expose the lies as it follows an unlikely duo uncovering the history of hate in one prominent Swedish family.

Before he serves his term of incarceration, Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) is a journalist hired to discover what happened to the teen heiress of the Vanger family in 1966 on the island the family owns and inhabits north of Stockholm. Her body was never found and now that death draws near for Henrik Vanger (Sven-Bertil Talibe), he wants to know what happened to his niece all those years ago.

Lead by the unexpected presence of the Sweden's most infamous modern heroine, Lisbeth Salandar (Noomi Rapace), these Swedish sleuths begin to unravel a series of unsolved murders whose links and motivations behind them become more sinister at every narrative turn.

Recommended.

(The Girl with the Dragoon Tattoo screens today, 1 p.m. WGA Theatre. For more information: SFFLA-Tattoo)

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FILM REVIEW: TRUE GRIT

Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) in True Grit.

Out to pasture/yes

By John Esther 

If you like old fashioned, orderly, ontological narratives punch drunk full of sympathetic brutes and iced with eth(n)ical insensitivity, your holiday movie gift arrives with co-writers/editors/directors/producers and brothers Joel and Ethan Coen's True Grit. The latest film adaptation of Charles Portis' novel, True Grit, is every bit as intellectually demanding and politically reactionary as director Henry Hathaway's 1969 version starring John Wayne in his only Oscar-winning role.  

Set somewhere in the Oklahoma Territory post-Civil War, 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) is determined to get justice for her prosperous pa after a working man who is going by the name of Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) robs and kills daddy in cold blood. As every bit smart, tough and misguided as the mythological adolescent male tough guy -- but still a girl who needs male help (Mattie is no Malpaso Man) -- Mattie uses her brains and bucks to recruit Rueben J. "Rooster" Cogburn (Jeff Bridges). An ornery U.S. Marshall known for killing first and asking questions, then drinking later and before, it is going to take all of Mattie's moxie and money to persuade the "true grit" law enforcement officer to take the job.

Fixed in the mix is le beefy Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who is also after Tom Chaney. Ever since the desperado killed a U.S. Senator in Texas three years ago, LaBoeuf has been on the trail. Au Juyceian.

Moving beyond the pretense of western civilization into the back country, the three of them intertwine as the plot twists and turns until True Grit walks its predictable path without any attempts at deconstructing western myths, intriguing innovation or other worthwhile purpose. At its basic, True Grit is hardly more than a story about retribution from an adolescent viewpoint.

Since the film begins with 40-year-old Mattie (Elizabeth Marvel) telling her story, 14-year-old Mattie's survival throughout the narrative is never in question regardless of how many rough men she done gets herself mixed up wit'. Come hell and hi, high, hype hi, "what her?" slaughter, the filmmakers make it clear from the onset Mattie's destiny does not conclude at an early death.

Rooster's success is not in doubt, either. Like any one of countless traditional movie lawmen who operates by his own sets of rules, Rooster has killed so many men with immunity he cannot even keep track. He is just a good old boy who kills the bad guys, and if he makes a mistake every so now and then, True Grit repeatedly asserts we are suppose to forgive the loveable, filthy, old coot because things like habeas corpus and Magna Carta are just plain annoying (right, PATRIOTs). In fact, Mattie had the option of picking another man to track and capture her father's alleged killer, but that lawman values due process of law so forget him. The relatively clean, young lady is hungry for some hanging.

While on the subject of hanging, True Grit is filled with Freudian metaphors of adolescent angst toward sex. Mattie's recollections of her manhunt involves lots of hangings, dismembered fingers, a traumatic encounter with snakes – as a result of removing the clothes of a dead man, "Rooster," a spanking by "The Beef," an amputation as result of shooting a big gun -- which knocks her back down a big hole, stabbings, bullet holes, the metanarrative with the her horse (D.H. Lawrence) and all those guns that keep appearing then disappearing then reappearing again. Although rudimentary, viewing True Grit as a psychological coming-of-age story makes it more entertaining.

On another hand, in accordance with the film's dominat(e)-ion narrative, as far as non-whites go, they are essentially non-existent in a film whose heroes, in addition to everything else backwards in the film, fought on the Confederate side. There are two African Americans, both there to serve their white masters. While their general discard warrants little attention, the film's treatment of Native Americans is deplorable. Essentially there are three scenes with Native Americans, each time they are used as a comical ploy -- to considerable and uneasy effect at the screening I attended. The Condemned Indian (Jonathan Joss) is silenced and executed and the audience laughed. The second involves Indian Youth (Brandon Sanderson and Ruben Nakai Campana) being literally kicked around by Rooster and the audience laughed. The third... It seems it is Ok to wash away the Trail of Tears with laughter.

Conversely, the much more positive area of True Grit, there is plenty of that crisp dialogue -- here greatly aided by the film's rather faithful adaptation of the novel (so I am reliably informed) -- we can almost always expect from a Coen Bros. film. In particular, LaBoeuf, who is a more interesting, amiable and original character than Rooster, offers a humorous, often witty, proud way of looking at life as a Texas Ranger.

As far as acting, the accolades are slow in pouring for Bridges, Steinfeld and company. They were ignored at Golden Globes and only garnered two at the recent SAG nominations, including an absurd Best Supporting Actress nomination for Steinfeld whose character is present in well over 80 percent of the film. Last year's Oscar winner for Crazy Heart, Bridges performance as Rooster illustrates what a political charade it was when Wayne won Best Actor (who laughably beat out Jon Voigt and Dustin Hoffman for their performances in Midnight Cowboy). Steinfeld is definitely headed for some major roles after her feature film debut. Not only does she show dramatic range, Steinfeld can be funny. In a scene where Mattie haggles over horses, Steinfeld performs with an impressive amount of confidence and comic timing. Thanks to Steinfeld, Mattie is probably the funniest female character in the Coen Bros. oeuvre since Jennifer Jason Leigh's Amy Archer in The Hudsucker Proxy (1994).

No doubt many will favorably compare True Grit to the vastly overrated No Country for Old Men (2007) and rightfully so. They both share beautiful landscape cinematography by Richard Deakins (who also did this year's superior film, The Company Men), nostalgia for a mythical American past, violence, clever characters, some hilarious dialogue and a political ideology very much right of center. Add the female protagonist aspect and I see no reason why someone like Sarah Palin would not love this film.

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FILM REVIEW: MESKADA

Shane (Jonathan Tucker) in Meskada.

American angst

By Don Simpson

Hard times have fallen upon Caswell. Industry has abandoned this small white trash town and the economy has for all intents and purposes grinded to a halt. The men of Caswell therefore must travel to surrounding towns for construction jobs and other temporary employment. There is still a glimmer of hope for Caswell, a manufacturer wants to build a new facility which promises to deliver hundreds of new jobs to the town. One hurdle remains, the highly bureaucratic Meskada County government must approve the new development.

Meanwhile, two men from Caswell, Eddie (Kellan Lutz) and Shane (Jonathan Tucker), venture to the peaceful and prosperous town of Hilliard to rob some affluent people. During one such robbery, they are surprised by the presence of a young boy; Eddie delivers a fatal blow to the boy’s head and Eddie and Shane scurry back to Caswell to hide.

Hilliard cop Noah Cordin (Nick Stahl) is assigned to cover the case. One clue leads Noah and Meskada County detective Leslie Spencer (Rachel Nichols), his partner on this case, to Caswell, which just so happens to be Noah’s hometown that he abandoned years ago when he left for college. Upon their arrival, Noah attempts to question the many travelling workers of Caswell in the hope to discover more leads, but the people of Caswell perceive Noah and Leslie’s presence in their poor town as harassment by the rich. It also does not help matters that the mother (Laura Benanti) of the murdered boy works for the Meskada County government and she is able enact her own revenge on Caswell by making the approval process for their new business venture all that more tedious and difficult.

The sophomore effort from writer-director Josh Sternfeld (Winter Solstice), Meskada exemplifies the age old battle of white trash versus rich folks, or people versus “the man” (county government). This set-up would work a little better if Hilliard did not appear so similar to Caswell. (Maybe if Hilliard was a bit more urban or outwardly wealthy?) With a few minor changes, Meskada could be an apt metaphor for the current political tug-o-war between President Obama’s “urban intellectuals” and Sarah Palin’s Tea Party, but in its current state it appears to be a battle between neighboring working class and middle class towns.

Meskada is all about perceptions. Noah is perceived as a bad guy in Caswell because he left town to go to college, then he moved straight to Hilliard where he found a job and started a family. Leslie is also perceived to be bad because she represents the County Sheriff’s office. The Meskada County government is perceived to be evil because they are out of touch with the struggling blue collar population of Caswell and they care more about their thick-as-molasses bureaucracy (budget, zoning and environmental board meetings) than the employment prospects and economic benefits of a new business opening in Caswell. The people of Caswell -- alcoholics who live in double-wide trailer homes and control crime by way of lynch mobs -- are mad as hell and they aren’t going to take it any more!

It is worth noting that Shane steals from rich people -- kind of like Robin Hood -- in order to raise the necessary money for his nephew’s (Charlie Tahan) ear surgery. In fact, we can only assume that a majority of the population of Caswell is uninsured. Yet as Meskada whines a lot about government bureaucracy and “the man,” if there were a nationalized (“socialized”) healthcare system then maybe Shane and Eddie would not have to steal from the rich.

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GERMAN CURRENTS 2010: THE SILENCE

David (Sebastian Blomberg) in The Silence.

                         David (Sebastian Blomberg) in The Silence.

Violence begets violence
 
By Don Simpson

Peer (Ulrich Thomsen) and Timo (Wotan Wilke Möhring) formed a unique kinship in the 1980s for their mutual love for young girls. One day, after watching their daily dose of child pornography, Peer decides to capture a real live young girl for Timo as a special treat. Peer, however, loses control of himself and murders the girl instead -- as Timo stands by and observes. Riddled with guilt, Timo disappears.

Jump forward 23 years, a child's bicycle is discovered in the exact location of the murder committed 23 years earlier by Peer. It is discovered that a young local girl, Sinikka (Anna Lena Klenke), is missing and the townspeople and local police, particularly the ones who were around 23 years ago, scramble for explanations. Was this a sick copycat murder? Otherwise, what would have prompted the murderer from 1986 to kill again? 

Making its U.S. Premiere at German Currents: New Films from Germany, writer-director Baran bo Odar's The Silence (Das Letzte Schweigen) is a very unique police procedural which dutifully contemplates the aftershocks that untimely death -- whether caused at the hands of a fellow human or due to natural causes -- has on surviving family members as well as the ramifications that violence has on a community.

(The Silence screens Oct. 23, 9:30 p.m., Aero Theatre. For more information: http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/los/prj/ger/flm/sil/enindex.htm)
 
 

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FILM REVIEW: LETTERS TO FATHER JACOB

Father Jacob (Heikki Nousiainen) in Letters for Father Jacob.

Faith mail

By Don Simpson

Unexpectedly and undesirably pardoned from serving life in prison for murder, Leila (Kaarina Hazard) finds herself employed by Father Jacob (Heikki Nousiainen). Built like a linebacker and sporting a permanent scowl, Leila yields quite an intimidating and imposing presence but Father Jacob, a blind and frail old priest residing in an isolated and dilapidated old house where he has dedicated his life to answering letters from people seeking prayers and advice, is not the least bit frightened. Leila has been hired to assist Father Jacob by reciting the daily correspondence to him and then transcribing his dictated responses.

The story primarily focuses on Father Jacob and Leila, but there is a third character of this tale -- the postman (Jukka Keinonen) who faithfully rides his bicycle to Father Jacob’s house with a handful of letters each and every day. Whenever Father Jacob hears the postman announce his arrival, it is as if Father Jacob hears the voice of an angel sent from God. The postman apparently worries about Father Jacob’s well-being, so Leila’s foreboding appearance (and murderous past) is quite disconcerting to him. When Leila begins waiting outside for the postman’s arrival, he begins skipping Father Jacob’s house altogether. Suddenly, Father Jacob is not receiving any more letters and his life is without purpose.

Leila’s apparent lack of faith is quite purposefully juxtaposed with Father Jacob’s blind faith (an all too blatant metaphor), but it is Leila’s brutal indifference towards Father Jacob and frustration about what she views as the futile task of reading letters that are the primary sources of tension within the narrative. I am not one to typically fall for overtly Christian morality tales, but Härö’s film transcends Christianity. Clocking in at a mere 74 minutes, writer-director Klaus Härö’s Letters to Father Jacob serves as an intimate character study about solitariness, redemption, and the tremendous powers of faith. Hazard and Nousiainen’s noteworthy performances are intricately framed by Tuomo Hutri’s luscious cinematography.

Letters to Father Jacob was submitted by Finland for consideration for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar at the 82th Academy Awards.

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LA LATINO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2010: FORGED

Chuco (Manny Perez) takes a few shots for his families in Forged.

A gun of a son

By John Esther

Recently released from prison due to good behavior, no sooner does Chuco (Manny Perez) take a few steps of freedom before he finds himself trapped by his old criminal "family" and the homeless son, Machito (David Castro), he left behind and who now wants to kill his father.

Sort of thinking and trying to do what is right, the more Chuco acts like a father the more he will have to answer for his crimes. 

An intense drama with notable photography by Zeus Morand and art direction by Robert Haley,  the finely directed film by William Wedig is the kind of authentic independent film we need more of when we attend film festivals. Co-written by Perez and Wedig.

Recommended. 

(Forged screens tonight, 7:30 p.m., Mann Theatre 1)

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LA FILM FESTIVAL 2010: THE TWO ESCOBARS

Jeff (left) and Michael: The two Zimbalists behind The Two Escobars.

Look back in anger

By John Esther

Right in the middle of the greatest sporting event on the planet comes this documentary by Jeff and Michael Zimbalist.

Back in the early 1990s, Columbia was in the midst of a huge drug war. With notorious kingpin Pablo Escobar at the helm, the country was working its way to the highest murder rate in the world. There were tough times for Colombians, but there was hope for a nation tattered and tarnished by organized crime: the Columbia national soccer team.

Lead by Andres Escobar, and backed by considerable bloody money, the team rose to the ranking of fourth in the world when they entered the World Cup games in Los Angeles, 1994.

Gunned down the previous December, one day after his 44th birthday, Pablo never saw the national team play in LA and, if he had, things might have turned out a lot better for the team and Andres.  They could not have been worse.

Without giving the game(s) away here, suffice it to say this Summer Showcase selection is one really riveting documentary about a nation strapped under the boots of crime and outside forces above the law.

Highly Recommended.

(The Two Escobars screens June 18, 7:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas; June 20, 4:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas)

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