Author: Stan

Today’s quick review: Miller’s Crossing. Against the advice of his right-hand man Tommy (Gabriel Byrne), mob boss Leo (Albert Finney) goes to war with Caspar (Jon Polito), his upstart rival, to protect Bernie (John Turturro), one of his men. Tensions mount between Tommy and Leo as the gang war tips in Caspar’s favor. The final straw comes when Leo learns the truth: that Verna (Marcia Gay Harden), Bernie’s sister, has been cheating on Leo with Tommy.

Miller’s Crossing is a Prohibition-era crime drama from the Coen Brothers. Miller’s Crossing follows gangster Tommy Reagan, the sharp lieutenant of a powerful mob boss, as he tries to avert a war that could be disastrous to his boss’s organization. The movie features a complex plot, deep characters, interesting conflicts, and the skillful cinematography the Coen Brothers are known for, making it a balanced, grounded, and unusually well-crafted film.

Miller’s Crossing assembles a fascinating story out of basic components. The core conflict is simple: a gang war that tests the loyalty of one of its key secondary players. But woven into this struggle are the ambitions and frailties of half a dozen characters, yielding an organic plot that is both satisfying and difficult to predict. The Coen Brothers’ quirky style is all but absent from the film; they sit back and let the story speak for itself.

Miller’s Crossing also earns points for its characters. Tommy makes for a complex protagonist, an unrepentant criminal fueled by a cocktail of pride, loyalty, and ambition. His actions, though morally questionable, are never one-dimensional. The other characters are just as rewarding to follow. Leo is a capable leader but slow to adapt, Caspar is a dangerous fool, Bernie is a snake in the grass, and Verna is a wildcard, self-serving but not heartless.

Watch Miller’s Crossing when you’re in the mood for a tight, unpredictable crime drama with plenty of moving parts. Its grey morality and limited action won’t appeal to every viewer, but its solid craftsmanship and clever storytelling make it a worthwhile watch for fans of the genre. Skip it if you prefer the Coen Brothers’ more stylized work.

For a somewhat more biographical peek at the world of organized crime, try Goodfellas or Casino. For a Prohibition-era crime drama that’s based on a true story, try The Untouchables or Public Enemies. For a darker crime movie about a loyal lieutenant, try The Outsider. For a more minimalistic Coen Brothers crime drama with a similar knack for plot, try Blood Simple.

7.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for well-developed characters and a strong plot.

Today’s quick review: Blood Simple. Abby (Frances McDormand) leaves her husband Julian (Dan Hedaya), an unstable Texas bar owner, for Ray (John Getz), one of his employees, and ends up sparking an escalating conflict between the two men. In a fit of jealousy, Julian hires Loren (M. Emmet Walsh), a shady private detective, to kill his wife and her lover. But Loren’s ambitions put a hitch in Julian’s plans, leading to an outcome no one anticipated.

Blood Simple is a minimalistic crime drama from the Coen Brothers. Blood Simple takes a rudimentary premise and gradually builds it up into a tense puzzle where none of the characters have access to all the pieces. The movie’s slow pacing, limited cast, and emphasis on atmosphere over excitement make it a peculiar watch with a heavy up-front cost. The payoff is a uniquely twisted plot that plays its characters against each other expertly.

Blood Simple takes a while to get going. The early portion of the movie is spent introducing the characters and the tensions between them. There are no true heroes in Blood Simple, just flawed people trying to navigate a bad situation. The cinematography is dark and moody, with plenty of close shots that emphasize the main characters and their mental states. The result is an opening that’s well-crafted and artistic but also somewhat dry.

The setup flips into payoff once Julian orders the hit on Abby and Ray. From here on out, the movie is a tangled web of conflicting motives, deception, and genuine misunderstanding. Each of the four main characters sees a different story play out, and their inability to understand this fact only draws them deeper into the tangle. Even minor plot points from early on have repercussions later, resulting in a tense, complex, and rewarding endgame.

Watch Blood Simple when you’re in the mood for something dark and cerebral. Blood Simple has less flair than later Coen Brothers films, and its slow pacing and tragic tone won’t be for everyone. But viewers who are willing to invest in the movie’s setup will be treated to a plot that’s as intricate as it is unpredictable. Skip it if you’re looking for a straightforward crime drama, a fast-paced watch, or something with less moral ambiguity.

For an even more violent and unpredictable crime drama from the Coen Brothers, try No Country For Old Men. For another tense, minimalistic crime drama with sharp plot twists, try Reservoir Dogs. For one with similar atmosphere and cinematography, try Following. For a crime comedy with a similar plot, try Kill Me Three Times.

7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for a slow boil that leads to an impressive plot.

“I didn’t do anything.” —Larry

Today’s quick review: A Serious Man. Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a Jewish physics professor and family man, has been having a rough time of it. His wife Judith (Sari Lennick) wants a divorce so she can marry another man (Fred Melamed), his son Danny (Aaron Wolff) is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, and his career is at a sensitive juncture. To cope with the mounting stress of his life, Larry desperately seeks guidance from his local rabbis.

A Serious Man is a black comedy and drama from the Coen Brothers. A Serious Man follows the travails of Larry Gopnik, an unassuming man who can’t seem to catch a break. Larry’s fatal flaw is that he tries to do the right thing, a trait that those around him are quick to exploit. His good intentions only earn him more suffering, while his attempts to push back against his tormentors are hamstrung by his passive, self-effacing nature.

A Serious Man gets most of its drama and humor out of pushing Larry to his limits. The many threads of Larry’s life are all united by his suffering and his unsuccessful attempts to find solace. At its best, the movie is a wry look at the unfairness of life and the futility of playing by the rules. However, A Serious Man embraces this theme to the exclusion of all else. The story is a gradual slide from bad to worse with precious few reprieves.

How much you get out of A Serious Man will depend heavily on taste. Those who can commiserate with Larry, laugh at the ironies of his life, and embrace the absurdity of it all will feel right at home. Those looking for a plot-driven story, a straightforward comedy, or a triumphant protagonist will be disappointed. A Serious Man tries for a particular tone and achieves it, but it will hold very little appeal for the wrong viewer.

For an even bleaker Coen Brothers drama about the life of a passive, ordinary man, try The Man Who Wasn’t There. For a crime comedy with a similarly put-upon but less scrupulous protagonist, try The Informant!. For a comedy about a similarly dysfunctional family with more heart, try Little Miss Sunshine.

7.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for an effective but off-putting vision of helplessness.

Today’s quick review: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. In the Old West, a singing outlaw (Tim Blake Nelson) meets his match; a robber (James Franco) faces an eccentric bank teller (Stephen Root); a traveling showman (Liam Neeson) manages a crippled orator (Harry Melling); a prospector (Tom Waits) strikes gold; a young woman (Zoe Kazan) and her foolish brother (Jefferson Mays) head for Oregon; and the passengers in a stage coach discuss philosophy.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a Western anthology from the Coen Brothers. The film consists of six vignettes about life in the Old West, ranging in tone from black comedy to bleak drama. Each one presents a twisted take on the Western genre and its people, including prospectors, pioneers, and a few varieties of outlaw. However, the film’s eclectic tone, bleak philosophy, and disjointed vignettes keep it from hitting its stride.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs has a hard time balancing its tone. The anthology starts on a note of sociopathic, almost cartoonish violence with the titular segment. From there it dips into the absurd, the macabre, the mundane, and the tragic in turn. A sort of nihilism pervades the film. The base, foolish side of human nature is on full display, and the stories rarely end well for their characters. There’s no sense of normalcy to fall back on.

The deliberate, meandering style of the Coen Brothers works against them here. The anthology format means that there’s little time to draw the viewer in and even less to explore the stories’ ideas. Each story is built around a punchline, moral, or reversal. At best, the story leading up to the punchline is enough to set it up and give it impact. But more often than not, the stories are too thin to make the payoff worthwhile.

The movie does have its moments. Highlights include Tim Blake Nelson’s singing voice, the unconventional tactics of Stephen Root’s bank teller, and the dry, nuanced relationship that arises between a shy pioneer (Zoe Kazan) and the leader of her caravan (Bill Heck). There’s a wide variety of visuals on display, and the direction does a good job of guiding the viewer’s focus. But the emptiness and futility of the stories are hard to overcome.

Fans of the Coen Brothers may want to give The Ballad of Buster Scruggs a shot. The stories capture the breadth of the Brothers’ style and will appeal to those who share their taste for the bleak and the ironic. But the rich characters and sense of serendipity that normally attenuate the darker side of their work are all but missing. What’s left is a medley of ideas and situations that hold individual interest but lack the scaffolding to support them.

For a Coen Brothers comedy with a more optimistic tone, try O Brother, Where Art Thou?. For a more stirring Western, try Tombstone. For a Western that makes better use of its violence, try Django Unchained. For a deeper tale of human folly, try The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

7.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for a fine cast and good craftsmanship hurt by tonal issues and stories that are hard to invest in.

Today’s quick review: Hail, Caesar!. Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) works for Capitol Pictures, a major Hollywood studio. His job is to make sure shooting runs smoothly, which includes everything from working out filming logistics to wrangling wayward celebrities to running cover with the press. The chaos of his job hits a new peak when Baird Whitlock (George Clooney), the star of the studio’s latest epic, is kidnapped by a group of Communists.

Hail, Caesar! is a comedy from the Coen Brothers that peeks behind the curtain of 1950s Hollywood. Hail, Caesar! features an impressive ensemble cast, a wry sense of humor, and a creative assortment of characters and situations. But in spite of some promising ideas and strong individual scenes, the movie struggles to come together as a whole. Hail, Caesar! captures the barely restrained chaos of show business but does so at the cost of its own cohesion.

Hail, Caesar! boasts an ensemble cast that gives it plenty of acting talent. The cast includes George Clooney as a kidnapped actor, Scarlett Johansson as a pregnant starlet, Ralph Fiennes as a prissy director, Channing Tatum as a musical lead, and Tilda Swinton as a pair of twin reporters. But the bedrock of the film is Josh Brolin’s performance as Eddie Mannix, a quick-thinking, smooth-talking fixer who has the rare trait of being mostly honest.

Unfortunately, Hail, Caesar! does not have much for its cast to do. The plot is too decentralized for any one character to get much screen time, so the cavalcade of stars feels more like a flurry of extended cameos. Nearly all of the performances are vivid, making the individual scenes quite solid. But the movie lacks a clear through line to tie them all together. A handful of late-game connections aren’t enough to wrap the story into a cohesive whole.

Without a sense of purpose, even the movie’s best-executed scenes fall flat. Hail, Caesar! has the makings of a fascinating story in the travails of Eddie Mannix and the farcical kidnapping of Baird Whitlock. But rather than focus on this one plot thread, it spreads its attention between many, with the result that none of them have room to grow. Hail, Caesar! is a fine movie, but its piecemeal nature keeps it from ever finding its rhythm.

Try Hail, Caesar! if you’re a fan of the Coen Brothers or you’re in the mood for a subtle, tongue-in-cheek comedy backed by a talented cast. Look elsewhere if you want a more focused story, more overt comedy, or simply the Coen Brothers at their best. For more robust comedy in the same vein, try O Brother, Where Art Thou? or The Grand Budapest Hotel. For a musical love letter to Hollywood, try La La Land.

6.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for a strong cast and a story that spreads itself too thin.

Today’s quick review: Life Is Beautiful. In Italy in 1939, Guido (Roberto Benigni), a cheerful Jewish man, falls in love with Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), a schoolteacher whom he charms with his sense of humor. The couple soon get married and have a son, Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini). But as Italy descends further into fascism, life grows difficult for Guido and his family, and he must use all of his cunning to protect them from the horrors of the Holocaust.

Life Is Beautiful is a comedic Italian drama set during World War II that chronicles the transformation of Italy from a relatively free, pleasant country into an oppressive, genocidal police state. The movie contrasts Guido’s kindly spirit and unflagging optimism with the increasingly inhumane society he lives in. Delightful comedy, gut-wrenching drama, superb acting, and a unique mixture of hope and despair make Life Is Beautiful a powerful watch.

Life Is Beautiful has a knack for comedy rivaled by few movies. Guido makes for a near-perfect comedic protagonist: an upbeat trickster whose wit and charm carry him through the peculiar situations that make up his daily life. His courtship of Dora is a storybook romance that’s innocent, carefree, and laced with serendipity. The opening of the film is an idyllic love story that’s buoyed by clever comedy and eminently likable characters.

The romance and light comedy of the early film make its later shift to drama all the more potent. Life Is Beautiful has as firm a grip on its drama as it does on its comedy. It knows how to feed hope to its audience then take it away. The jokes and serendipity of the early film are turned on their head as the story takes a darker turn. In spite of its sugary coating, Life Is Beautiful is a frank and compelling look at the Holocaust and its victims.

Yet for all its bleakness, the movie never loses the twinkle in its eye. No matter how dark the world around them gets, Guido, Dora, and Giosue remain beacons of light, unfailing in their goodness and their devotion to one another. No matter how tragic the story gets, there is still a lifeline of hope and humor for the audience to cling to. The result is a finely crafted, deeply moving film that spans the breadth of the emotional spectrum.

Life Is Beautiful is an excellent choice for fans of stirring drama, innocent comedy, and fine cinema in general. Its heavy story makes it a taxing watch, in spite of its breezy beginning. But those willing to see the story through to its conclusion will be rewarded with an experience that’s alternately delightful, haunting, and beautiful. Steer clear if you’re looking for a straight drama or unadulterated comedy.

For a more overtly horrific portrait of the Holocaust, try Schindler’s List. For a tragic tale of family and survival, try Grave of the Fireflies. For another moving and well-crafted Italian drama, try Cinema Paradiso.

8.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.5 to 9.0 for skilled acting, endearing comedy, and a touching dramatic story.

Today’s quick review: Schindler’s List. In Nazi-occupied Krakow, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) has a plan to make his fortune: hire cheap Jewish labor to manufacture enamelware for the war effort. With the help of his manager Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley) and Nazi officer Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes), Schindler’s businss is a success. But as Nazi persecution intensifies, Schindler has a change of heart and uses his wealth to save as many Jews as he can.

Schindler’s List is a biographical drama from director Steven Spielberg. Schindler’s List is a harrowing glimpse at the Holocaust through the eyes of Oskar Schindler, a self-centered entrepreneur who eventually takes a stand against the genocide occurring around him. The movie is a finely-crafted portrait of one of history’s darkest chapters. Its stellar acting and direction and skillful treatment of its subject matter make it a modern classic.

Schindler’s List is a justifiedly heavy watch. The horrors of the Holocaust are on full display, from ghettos and persecution to the blithe murder of Jews in the street to the sheer inhumanity of the concentration camps. The movie does not shy away from its subject matter in the slightest, instead presenting each new horror with the same steady nerves and somber tone as the last one. The sheer quantity of human misery portrayed is overwhelming.

The details are part of what makes Schindler’s List so effective. The film pays close attention to the logistics of the Holocaust and what the Jews did to survive. The result is a gut-wrenching catalog of cruelty, ingenuity, and, on rare occasions, human decency. There is no shield of fiction for the audience to hide behind. The events depicted are true; what story logic applies is only included for the sake of cohesion, never to soften a blow.

Schindler’s List finds an able protagonist in Schindler himself. Liam Neeson stars as a greedy, egotistical entrepreneur who uses his charisma to land contracts with the Nazis. For all his faults, Oskar Schindler is a fundamentally decent man, a quality that distances him from his Nazi associates and ultimately pushes him to help the Jews escape them. His transformation from self-interested businessman to hero is one of the high points of the film.

The cast is also noteworthy. Liam Neeson is an excellent pick for the role, capturing both Schindler’s personable charm and his buried goodness. Ben Kingsley delivers an understated performance as Itzhak Stern, Schindler’s manager and the man who sets him on the path of mercy. Ralph Fiennes rounds out the lead trio as Amon Goeth, the sadistic Nazi officer in charge of the Plaszow concentration camp and the embodiment of the Nazis’ callous evil.

Schindler’s List is a must-see for fans of dramatic cinema and a heavy but rewarding pick for those willing to invest the time and emotional energy. For its scope, subject matter, and raw craftsmanship, Schindler’s List earns its place among the best dramas of all time. For another masterful tragedy with a smaller, more personal story, try Grave of the Fireflies. For a less overwhelming, more hopeful tale of perseverance, try The Shawshank Redemption.

8.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 8.5 to 9.0 for superb craftsmanship and a moving story.

Today’s quick review: The Nines. After a bad breakup and a worse breakdown, TV star Gary (Ryan Reynolds) is placed under house arrest, with only his publicist Margaret (Melissa McCarthy) and his neighbor Sarah (Hope Davis) to keep him company. As Gary’s sojourn wears on, he begins to experience bizarre visions that make him doubt his sanity. Gary presses Margaret and Sarah for answers, only to uncover a shocking truth about his reality.

The Nines is a surreal comedy mystery about a man on the verge of a revelation. The movie switches back and forth between the mundane humor of Gary’s life and his mounting worry over the strange things happening to him. The Nines uses these clues as a springboard to launch into a larger mystery involving Gary and two alternate versions of himself who lead very different lives. However, mixed execution leaves the film with untapped potential.

In spite of an intriguing premise, The Nines never quite hits its stride. The comedy scores a few laughs, thanks mainly to the pairing of Ryan Reynolds and Melissa McCarthy, but it never shines. The mystery invites the viewer to search for clues alongside Gary, with tantalizing hooks and a couple of chilling moments thrown in for good measure. But the answers are merely adequate and the film’s world and characters aren’t rich enough to invest in.

Watch The Nines if you’re interested in an unusual story that peels back the layers of reality. The Nines doesn’t have the finesse, the sense of pacing, or the insight needed to make the most of its premise, but it does make a credible attempt with the tools at its disposal. Those who like movies that go beyond a single story will get something from the film. Those looking for a straight comedy or thriller may want to skip it.

For a cleverer, more skillfully executed collision of realities, try Adaptation, Stranger Than Fiction, The Truman Show, or Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. For a surreal fantasy romance with similar themes and a broader plot, try The Fountain. For a sci-fi mystery that dabbles in a similar space, try Dark City. For a film with mixed execution that delves into its lead’s psychology in similar ways, try Revolver or The Singing Detective.

6.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for decent comedy, a mysterious premise, and shaky follow-through.

Today’s quick review: The Hateful Eight. Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), a bounty hunter on his way to Red Rock, Wyoming, hitches a ride with John Ruth (Kurt Russell), a fellow hunter taking his bounty (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to be hanged. After picking up a Confederate sheriff (Walton Goggins), the travelers hole up in a lodge with four other strangers (Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Bruce Dern) to wait out a blizzard.

The Hateful Eight is a Western crime drama from writer and director Quentin Tarantino. The Hateful Eight features a large and talented cast, a simple premise, and a complicated plot that dives deeply into the circumstances that have brought the eight travelers together. The movie is a deliberate watch that takes its time setting up its plot hooks and suspicions. The payoff is an engrossing mystery punctuated by Tarantino’s trademark violence.

The Hateful Eight is the epitome of a slow burn. The film runs nearly three hours, and it splits its time evenly between setup and a tightly controlled escalation to the finish. The slow story works only because its particulars are so intriguing. The characters are colorful and full of surprises, while the film’s subtle plot hooks and thoughtful direction make its scenes interesting to watch even when very little seems to be going on.

The Hateful Eight is missing many of Tarantino’s stylistic quirks. The dishonorable characters, the dark tone, and the degree of violence all match his modus operandi, but he seems content to let the story speak for itself, with only the odd stylistic flourish. Fans of Tarantino’s perky, ironic style will find The Hateful Eight to be more sober than usual but no less skillful. The violence is likewise extreme but saved for when it’s needed.

Watch The Hateful Eight when you are in the mood for a dark, gory mystery with plenty of secrets to hide. The combination of well-drawn characters, a confined setting, and tight direction makes the movie a tense, satisfying watch from start to finish. Those who are at all sensitive to language or violence, those hoping for an action movie, and those who prefer stories with heroes will want to steer well clear.

For another Quentin Tarantino movie in the same vein, try Reservoir Dogs, Inglourious Basterds, or Django Unchained. For a lengthy Western with less violence, a more balanced tone, and excellent acting and direction, try The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. For a crime thriller with a confined setting and dark secrets, try Bad Times at the El Royale.

7.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for skillful storytelling that never takes its eye off the ball.

Today’s quick review: Se7en. With just seven days to go until retirement, Detective William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) is partnered with David Mills (Brad Pitt), a recent transfer eager to cut his teeth on a high-profile case. David gets his chance when the two detectives are assigned to a series of grisly murders patterned after the Seven Deadly Sins. As the victims mount, Somerset and Mills must unravel the killer’s bizarre clues to solve the case.

Se7en is a dark crime thriller from director David Fincher. Se7en takes place in a bleak, crime-ridden city that becomes home to a deranged serial killer bent on punishing sin. The movie pairs a crafty but world-weary homicide detective with a young, keen partner who has yet to see the worst the job can dish out. Skillful acting, a winding mystery, iconic plot twists, and top-notch craftsmanship make Se7en a gripping and disturbing watch.

Se7en has a simple premise but takes it farther and executes it with more skill than nearly any other crime thriller. Its graphic content and dark tone set it apart from the safer entries into the genre, while its nuanced characters and complex mystery make it more than just a vehicle for gore and cynicism. Se7en has all the pieces it needs to assemble a fascinating puzzle, all backed by rock-solid writing, acting, and direction.

Se7en is not for the faint of heart. Its gruesome imagery begins in the opening credits and remains a constant until the final scene. The murders are deliberately shocking, and the tension ratchets up as Somerset and Mills draw closer to the killer. With that said, Se7en is not a full-blown horror movie. It has only one or two scares, and its gore, tension, and bleak tone are all in service of the story, not pursued for their own sake.

Se7en is well worth a watch for anyone who can stomach its violence. The movie excels at exactly what it should: atmosphere, mystery, and anticipation, with enough variety in its story beats to keep the plot interesting. Its only major weakness is its dedication to its vision: Se7en is an unflinchingly dark movie that will not be to every viewer’s tastes. Those who are intrigued should give it a shot; those who are put off should steer well clear.

For a gripping crime drama from the same director, try Zodiac. For a less violent but similarly well-crafted crime movie, try L.A. Confidential. For a superhero movie with a similar plot and atmosphere, try The Dark Knight trilogy. For a moody mystery that’s even more mind-bending, try Shutter Island. For a crime thriller with a similar premise and a less elaborate story, try The Bone Collector.

8.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for strong acting and directing and a tightly assembled plot; your score will vary considerably with taste.