Sleight of Film

Today’s quick review: A Shot in the Dark. Peter Sellers returns as Inspector Jacques Clouseau, a bumbling French detective who overestimates his own abilities. This time he is assigned to a murder investigation at the home of the wealthy Benjamin Ballon (George Sanders). The case revolves around Maria Gambrelli (Elke Sommer), a maid who was found holding the gun that killed the victim, Ballon’s chauffeur and Maria’s lover. Though all the evidence points to Miss Gambrelli, Clouseau maintains that she is innocent and merely covering for the true murderer. As Clouseau continues his bungling investigation, the bodies pile up, sending his superior, Chief Inspector Dreyfuss (Herbert Lom), to the verge of a nervous fit.

A Shot in the Dark is a classic detective comedy and the sequel to The Pink Panther. In a convoluted murder case with no firm leads, Inspector Clouseau relies on his gut, which is sure of Gambrelli’s innocence, and the facts, which say otherwise. Much of the humor comes from Clouseau himself. Even the act of getting out of car door becomes an exercise in slapstick, and Clouseau’s mishaps, mispronunciations, and leaps of illogic give A Shot in the Dark a pervasive sort of low-key comedy that contrasts with the nominally serious nature of the investigation. Despite the presence of overt slapstick and deliberate gags, the comedy of A Shot in the Dark manages to be subtle, especially by modern standards. Individual gags may miss their mark, but sooner or later, one will catch the viewer just right, making A Shot in the Dark hilarious in aggregate. Peter Sellers is a comedic genius, and his character Inspector Clouseau is a living example of what can go wrong in everyday actions.

Clouseau’s search for clues takes him to a series of nice restaurants, a nudist colony, and even prison, but few of his leads turn out to be productive. Unlike The Pink Panther, the answer to the case only becomes clear at the end, although by that point it is almost secondary to the mess caused by Clouseau. The plot is as opaque as that of The Pink Panther, but for reasons of mystery rather than competing agendas. As a result, more of the weight rests on Clouseau himself, rather than a myriad of supporting characters. David Niven’s acting talent and the marvelous character of Sir Charles are sorely missed, but the charming Elke Sommer, Clouseau’s sparring partner Kato (Burt Kwouk), and the high-strung Herbert Lom step in to fill the void.

Fans of classic comedy, Peter Sellers, or the original Pink Panther should give A Shot in the Dark a try. Its brand of comedy requires an investment in attetnion, but the payoff is a masterful film with timeless jokes. Fans of mysteries should not expect too much from the movie, as its mysteries are structured along comedic rather than dramatic lines. Likewise, those who prefer the more surreal or outrageous comedies of later decades may be disappointed by a mere bumbling detective in a half-sane world. But those who can follow a plot, understand an unspoken joke, and laugh at slapstick and mistaken conclusions will enjoy A Shot in the Dark.

7.6 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for great humor worthy of succeeding The Pink Panther.

Today’s quick review: The Adventures of Tintin. Tintin (Jamie Bell), an intrepid, boyish reporter, finds himself in the middle of an adventure when he stumbles across a model ship in a market: The Unicorn, a 17th-century man-of-war that was sunk in the West Indies. The model contains a secret message left by Sir Francis Haddock, the captain of The Unicorn and its sole survivor. But Tintin is not the only one after the secret of The Unicorn. He is pursued by a villainous man named Sakharine (Daniel Craig) who wants Tintin’s model and the message it contains. Aided by Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis), the last remaining descendant of Sir Francis Haddock; Thomson and Thompson (Nick Frost and Simon Pegg), a pair of bumbling Interpol agents; and his faithful dog Snowy, Tintin races to stay one step ahead of Sakharine and decipher the clue left by Sir Francis.

The Adventures of Tintin is an action adventure film based on the beloved Tintin comics by Herge. The adaptation features breathtaking CGI animation, outstanding prodution quality, and all the action and adventure one could hope for. Tintin himself drives the plot through his fearless investigative spirit, ably captured by Jamie Bell. No question can remain unanswered for long once Tintin is on the case, and his resourcefulness sees him out of the dangerous scrapes he finds himself in. Snowy is his constant companion, an intelligent dog who aids Tintin in his investigations. Andy Serkis plays the comical Captain Haddock, a blustering, jovial man who spends most of his time tipsy. The main cast is rounded out by Daniel Craig as Sakharine, a gentlemanly villain whose schemes provide urgency and danger for Tintin’s adventure.

The movie’s animation is a marvel of technology. Every detail is rendered with the kind of fidelity that only the largest productions can afford, and even the most difficult problems of lighting, water effects, reflections, and particles are handled with ease. At the same time, The Adventures of Tintin preserves its cartoonish origins with clean character designs, exaggerated facial features, and energetic action. The combination of hyperrealism with cartoon elements can be difficult to get used to, but the reward is animation that exhibits the best of both worlds, all the gorgeous detail that modern CGI is capable of combined with the color and energy of traditional animation.

The pedigree of the film’s production is impressive as well: Steven Spielberg as director, Peter Jackson as producer, a score by John Williams, and a screenplay by Steven Moffat and Edgar Wright. Spielberg takes full advantage of the freedom afforded him by a virtual camera, using sweeping shots, inventive transitions, and stunts that would be impossible in a live action film. The action sequences are elaborate, fast-paced, and entertaining, and they are linked by charming bits of comedy and adventure. The tone is one of bright-eyed adventure, the story one of mystery and travel, and all the peril of the genre comes across without destroying the movie’s innocence.

Fans of adventure, comedy, and visual spectacle will love The Adventures of Tintin. It captures the adventure genre with a quality and a spirit that few movies can hope to match. The film does have its limitations, however, depending on your cinematic tastes. The Adventures of Tintin subscribes to an unabashedly optimistic view of the world, where bravery is rewarded, setbacks are temporary, and peril is not something to be feared but to be embraced. There is no subversion here, only innocent comedy and excitement. For similar reasons, the plot is somewhat simplistic, though its individual stages are fast-moving and mysterious. The extent to which you can dive into the film’s world will govern how much you enjoy it. Anyone with an intact inner child is encouraged to give The Adventures of Tintin a try.

7.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.5 for gorgeous graphics, a vivid imagination, and a keen sense of adventure.

Today’s quick review: Hellboy. When a Nazi plot to unleash Hell on Earth is foiled, something is left behind: a demon known as Hellboy (Ron Perlman). The child grows into a man under the guidance of his adoptive father, Professor Broom of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (John Hurt), and spends his days hunting down monsters for the U.S. government. Together with Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), a telepathic fishman; Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), a pyrokinetic with control issues; John Myers (Rupert Evans), a rookie B.P.R.D. agent; and Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor), the B.P.R.D.’s antagonistic director, Hellboy investigates an unkillable beast that leads him to Grigori Rasputin (Karel Roden), architect of the Nazis’ plot decades ago.

Hellboy is an action horror film directed by Guillermo Del Toro and based on the Dark Horse comics by Mike Mignola. Hellboy fits nicely into the genre of urban fantasy/action horror characterized by Underworld or Van Helsing: an action protagonist dropped into a world of monsters, magic, and heavy ordnance. Hellboy the character is a cigar-chomping, revolver-toting, trenchcoat-wearing demon who fights monsters using specialty ammunition and the enormous stone hand he was born with. The combat in Hellboy is a matter of endurance. Most problems can be solved with sufficient application of violence, but the monsters are nearly as difficult to kill as Hellboy, even when using large ammunition and any nearby hazards.

The emotional crux of the movie is that Hellboy was born a demon but raised as a man. His appearance—red skin, tail, filed-off horns, stone arm—renders him unable to lead a normal life, but under the guidance of his father, he fights to protect the human world anyway. His emotional immaturity also keeps him from a successful relationship with Liz, who suffers from uncontrollable pyrokinetic fits and has her own issues to work through. These themes lend the movie a darker tone to complement the monster-fighting combat. The result is a dark world that is brightened by the heroes’ willingness and capacity to do good, usually through good, old-fashioned action.

Watch Hellboy if you’re in the mood to see Ron Perlman in red makeup and a trenchcoat pummeling monsters to death with a giant stone arm. The setting and characters are fully realized, at least by genre standards. The plot serves its purpose, the magic is interesting, and the action is fun to watch. Hellboy is not a spectacular movie, but it is a solid one, with an enjoyable protagonist and a good mix of practical and CGI effects. Those who find the concept of a demon in a trenchcoat absurd should steer clear of Hellboy. Those who dislike horror should use their best judgment: the monsters are freakish and there are moments of brooding anticipation, but the tone is oriented towards action rather than fear.

6.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it 7.5 for a fully realized world, plenty of action, and a great protagonist; for quality alone it is closer to a 7.0, but likability gives it the bump.

Today’s quick review: Righteous Kill. A New York cop (Robert De Niro) takes the law into his own hands and begins to murder criminals who escape justice in court. He and his partner (Al Pacino) are assigned to investigate the killings, which are tied together by a series of poems left at the crime scenes and stolen guns used for the murders. As the investigation proceeds, it draws the attention of two more detectives (John Leguizamo and Donnie Wahlberg) who latch onto the theory that the killer is a cop. As the noose begins to tighten, the killer’s behavior gets more erratic as his crime spree draws to its inevitable conclusion.

Righteous Kill is a crime drama that features two acting legends: Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Despite an interesting premise and two major stars, Righteous Kill fails to distinguish itself. The highlights of the film are the friendship between De Niro and Pacino, Pacino’s character, and a suspenseful finish. The two partners have a powerful friendship that is underused by the plot. De Niro’s character has temper problems that make him hard to like, although this effect is a deliberate part of his character. Pacino manages to be more charismatic, landing a few jokes and serving as his partner’s voice of reason.

The pacing is quick enough, but the plot lacks a clear direction. The investigative aspects of the film fall flat: the only clue is who might have had information on the victims, and even when the conclusion has been reached that the killer is a cop, the rest of the plot happens on its own, without the need for any further detective work. The cat-and-mouse game that is baked into the premise never gets the chance to shine. The film makes up for this choice with drama elsewhere: the finale is interesting and justifies the film’s areas of emphasis. But even with the end of the story in mind, the missed potential is palpable.

Righteous Kill is a decent crime drama that fails as the thriller it could have been. De Niro and Pacino give reasonable performances and play off each other well, but they are not used to their full potential. The plot has good ideas but meanders, and while the premise could have resulted in a classic, the resulting film is merely passable. Watch it when you’re in the mood for a crime flick with a couple of interesting moments and two strong leads. Skip it if you are expecting a masterpiece.

6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for being a serviceable crime drama but little more.

Today’s quick review: Suicide Squad. In the wake of Superman’s appearance on Earth, government operative Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) sets about assembling a team of super-powered criminals to tackle any threats too dangerous for ordinary soldiers to handle. The team includes Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), the Joker’s (Jared Leto) psychotic girlfriend; Deadshot (Will Smith), a hitman with perfect aim; El Diablo (Jay Hernandez), a penitent pyrokinetic; Enchantress (Cara Delevingne), an ancient witch; and a host of other baddies. They are led by Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), a special forces operative with iron will and the key to the explosive devices planted inside the team’s heads. Together they infiltrate the remains of Midway City to recover a person of interest after the appearance of a supernatural being that overpowers the troops sent to subdue it.

Suicide Squad is a twisted take on the superhero genre featuring a large cast, a punchy soundtrack, and loads of style. Unusually for a superhero movie, the cast is almost entirely villainous. The Squad themselves are all dangerous killers, but even Amanda Waller comes off as sinister. Despite the potential moral ambiguity of the premise, the plot is set up so that the audience is free to cheer for the “heroes” for most of the film. The villain is a special effects bonanza, and the Squad themselves see plenty of action on their way through the city. A couple of twists keep the overall direction of the plot in question, and while the film could have been longer, it covers most of the ground you would expect.

For all that Suicide Squad delivers on action and special effects, the heart of the movie is its characters. Although the supporting characters get short shrift, all the characters that Suicide Squad focuses on are great. Margot Robbie delivers an excellent performance as Harley Quinn, balancing perky antiheroism with signs of psychosis and genuine if twisted affection for the Joker. Will Smith walks a similarly delicate line between sympathetic and detestable. Deadshot is comfortable with his life as an assassin, but not with excess killing or the disapproval of his daughter. Joel Kinnaman gives Rick Flag just the right amount of bravado to tame the Squad without coming across as blustering. Jared Leto’s Joker fits right into the universe, an erratic nutcase whose dark charisma puts Harley under his spell.

Fans of the superhero genre or stylized action movies should check Suicide Squad out. Not every shot it takes lands, but nearly all of them are aimed in the right direction. Slight miscalculations in character arcs and certain moments keep it from being a masterpiece, but as a rule, everything it gambles on pays off. Suicide Squad is an entertaining if dark action movie that establishes a new and interesting section of the latest incarnation of the DC Universe. Skip it if you hate villainous protagonists, action-heavy superhero plots, or movies with twisted tones. Watch it if you’re into energetic, colorful, and risky action flicks.

6.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for stylishly delivering on a difficult premise.

Today’s quick review: Hot Shots!. Charlie Sheen stars as Topper Harley, the Navy’s best fighter pilot, whose reckless flying caused him to be kicked out of the service. Now the Navy wants Topper back to lead a mission planned by the absent-minded Admiral Benson (Lloyd Bridges) and being sabotaged from within by Lieutenant Commander Block (Kevin Dunn). The team includes Jim “Wash Out” Pfaffenbach (Jon Cryer), a pilot with abysmal vision; Pete “Dead Meat” Thompson (William O’Leary), a friendly pilot who seems to lead a charmed life; and Kent Gregory (Cary Elwes), an arrogant pilot who thinks Topper is dangerous to himself and others. To complicate matters, Topper falls in love with Ramada (Valeria Golino), a Navy psychiatrist with a knack for horseback riding. It’s up to Topper to overcome sabotage, disharmony, and his own free spirit to save the mission.

Hot Shots! is a hilarious parody of Top Gun from the creators of Airplane!. The style of humor is persistently and unabashedly silly, from a leaf blower on a battleship to a helium-filled peace pipe. Sight gags, slapstick, and faux drama abound. Charlie Sheen manages to deliver his ridiculous lines with all the gravity of a serious action star. He’s matched by Valeria Golino, who applies the same straight-faced delivery to petty drama, absurd tangents, and skewed romantic banter. Lloyd Bridges plays the clownish role of Admiral Benson with clueless cheer that brings an overtly comedic character to a cast trying their best to sell gag lines as serious. The prolific humor is complemented by a surprisingly strong soundtrack, with a catchy main theme and a couple of love songs to give Hot Shots! the feigned gravitas it desires.

Hot Shots! is a great watch for anyone with a silly sense of humor. The gags are non-stop and inventive, the dramatic acting makes the jokes all the funnier, and the soundtrack gives the film just enough kick to ape a more serious take on the concept. Skip Hot Shots! if you dislike sight gags, slapstick, or general silliness. Hot Shots! is an excellent entry in a particular, Airplane!-esque style of comedy. You’ll enjoy it if you like the genre.

6.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for an endless, entertaining stream of silly humor.

Today’s quick review: A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. Pseudolus (Zero Mostel), a lying Roman slave, seeks to buy his freedom. When his master (Michael Hordern) and mistress (Patricia Jessel) leave for the day, leaving their favored slave Hysterium (Jack Gilford) in charge, he finally gets his chance. Their clueless son Hero (Michael Crawford) is hopelessly in love with Philia (Annette Andre), a courtesan owned by Marcus Lycus (Phil Silvers), the slave trader next door. Pseudolus promises to get Hero his sweetheart in exchange for Pseudolus’s freedom. But the slave’s lies get him into trouble when a Roman captain named Miles Gloriosus (Leon Greene) comes to claim Philia. Now Pseudolus must foil Hysterium, Licus, and Gloriosus to get Hero the girl, earn his freedom, and esape with his neck.

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum is a musical comedy set in ancient Rome. It features an elaborate plot of mistaken identity, conflicting interests, and deceit that parodies love, licentiousness, and ancient Roman life. Pseudolus, Hero, and Hysterium quickly find themselves tangled in a web of lies as Pseudolus schemes to get Philia away from Lycus. The situation is thrown further into disarray by a series of mistakes, coincidences, and hare-brained schemes whose results are pure comedy.

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum also carries a bite. An upbeat tone conceals the hard and often brutal nature of Roman life, while the cast is as flawed as can be while remaining sympathetic. Every character is either deceitful, vain, lusty, greedy, domineering, or hopelessly naive. The peril that falls upon them is part justice for their actions, part cruel twist of fate. But in true comedic fashion, levity and good fortune quickly banish such concerns, at least until the next catastrophe strikes. The result is a musical comedy in the classic mold, a complicated romp where base characters find salvation through cunning and luck.

Watch A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum if you are fond of musicals or the kinds of elaborate comedy that ensue when half a dozen characters are up to no good. The film delivers energetic characters, snappy dialogue, charming music, and plenty of subtle gags for scholars of ancient Rome. Though tame by modern standards, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum can be raunchy in places, so use your best discretion. Those who aren’t keen on musicals or complex plots should avoid the movie. But for an evening of merriment, give A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum a try.

7.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for good music, a comically intricate plot, and great gags.

Today’s quick review: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey, Jr.) and his partner John Watson (Jude Law) are on the trail of a criminal mastermind. A series of seemingly unconnected accidents, crimes, and geopolitical events paint a picture that only Holmes can see. After months of investigation he believes he has found the culprit: Professor James Moriarty (Jared Harris). But uncovering Moriarty’s plans and stopping them are two different challenges. Holmes and Watson follow their investigation across Europe in a race to thwart Moriarty before his plan comes to fruition.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is the sequel to the 2009 Sherlock Holmes movie starring Robert Downey, Jr. Guy Ritchie returns as director, bringing his punchy style and wry sense of humor with him. The tone and characters are largely unchanged from the first movie. Watson once again plays foil to the erratic Holmes, complementing the detective’s peculiar approach to life with a desire for normalcy. Their partnership is strained by Watson’s impending marriage, and the prospect that Holmes might lose his constant companion to domestic life makes him petulant. Holmes takes on a more desperate tone as his investigation into Moriarty turns dangerous. The threat this time is not just that he will take a bullet or let a criminal get away, but that he will be outwitted entirely.

Unlike the previous movie, the plot of A Game of Shadows is structured in stages. Where Sherlock Holmes rests on one large mystery and saves its resolution for the end, A Game of Shadows introduces and resolves a series of smaller mysteries along the way. In practical terms, this means that the audience has enough information to follow the mysteries and make guesses at the cost of the weighty climax that the first film had. Otherwise, A Game of Shadows is quite similar to its predecessor in terms of tone and quality. It lacks some of the originality of seeing this take on the character for the first time, but the execution is just as strong, the difference in plot structure keeps the series from becoming formulaic, and a few new twists on the conceits of the first film make A Game of Shadows a competent sequel.

Watch Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows if you enjoyed the first entry in the series, or if you enjoy quirky humor, mystery, and Victorian action. Holmes’ visualizations are as interesting as ever, Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law make a great team, and Guy Ritchie once again makes good use of his expanded budget. Skip it if you prefer more conventional adaptations of the character or you dislike Robert Downey, Jr.’s brand of humor.

7.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 as well for being a fun, inventive adaptation of a classic character and for being a sequel that’s on par with the original.

Today’s quick review: The Good, The Bad, The Weird. Yoon Tae-goo (Kang-ho Song), an off-kilter train robber, finds more than just money when he sticks up a train: he stumbles across a map believed to lead to the hidden treasure of the Qing dynasty. But others are after Yoon Tae-goo and the map: Park Chang-yi (Byung-hun Lee), a cold-blooded killer, and his gang; a gang of local bandits; and Park Do-won (Woo-song Jung), a crack-shot bounty hunter out for the reward on Yoon Tae-goo’s head. The train robber leads them on a wild, four-way chase across the wild lands of Manchuria as he struggles to hang onto the map, find the treasure, and keep his skin.

The Good, The Bad, The Weird is a Korean Western set in the Japan-occupied Manchuria of the 1940’s. Using a treasure map as a plot device, it weaves a gun-toting, action-packed tale about the race for treasure. The chief draw of the movie is its action. The movie opens with the same train getting robbed by Yoon Tae-goo and then Park Chang-Yi, a situation that is further complicated by the appearance of Park Do-won and observation from afar by another gang of bandits. The other action sequences have a similar sense of mayhem, including a sprawling shootout throughout a market and a protracted and chaotic horse chase. The bullets are fast and plentiful. While most of the action is standard fare for the genre, there’s lots of it, and a few of the stunts are quite creative.

The other main draw is its stylization. The train sequence begins with a soaring camera shot that cirlces the exterior of the train, zooms into it, then follows Yoon Tae-goo down the length of it before cutting into the film’s first shoot-out, one near-continuous shot backed by an eager trumpet melody. Other inspired shots are peppered throughout the movie, interesting bits of cinematography that spice up a standard Western foundation. The soundtrack carries a surprising amount of weight; trumpet, electric guitar, and a driving beat blend traditional Western music with modern innovations and give the action scenes a sense of excitement.

Beyond that, The Good, The Bad, The Weird is a fairly typical Western. Neither the plot nor the characters are outstanding, but they have their charm. Missing historical background makes aspects of the story a bit harder to parse for a Western audience, but the interplay of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean grows clear enough by the movie’s end, at least for the purpsoes of its plot. Extra action, a strong soundtrack, stylish cinematography, motorcycles and artillery, and the scattered comedy that follows Yoon Tae-goo around are what sets The Good, The Bad, The Weird apart from other Westerns. Fans of Westerns, action, and creative direction should consider The Good, The Bad, The Weird for a light, action-filled watch. Those looking for a meaningful plot or realistic characters should look elsewhere.

7.3 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it 7.0 for being a decent Western augmented with unusual amounts of action and style.

Today’s quick review: The Pajama Game. Sid Sorokin (John Raitt) is the new superintendent of the Sleeptite Pajama Factory. His appointment comes at a tense time in the company’s history, months into negotiations over a seven-and-a-half-cent raise for the workers. But when Babe Williams (Doris Day), the hard-nosed head of the Grievance Committee, catches his eye, it begins a courtship that spans the management-labor divide. As the negotiations heat up, Sid’s and Babe’s burgeoning relationship put to the test as the duties of employment clash with the duties of the heart.

The Pajama Game is an upbeat romantic musical set against the backdrop of a labor dispute in a pajama factory. John Raitt and Doris Day have an adversarial chemistry that’s brought out by their headstrong characters. Sid pushes for a date, only to be met with Babe’s skepticism that a relationship between them could work out. Sid persists and is eventually successful, but every step of the way is a playful fight that gives the movie’s romance a feisty character. The plot is typical for a musical, just a simple story padded out to movie length by its songs.

The soundtrack of The Pajama Game is well-written and full of life, ranging from defiant proclamations of love to labor anthems extolling the virtues of seven-and-a-half cents. Every number has charm and cheer, and many are accompanied by raucous dancing. Musical fans should give The Pajama Game a watch for its light, romantic plot and its great soundtrack. While the movie won’t sway any musical haters, it’s a delightful, straightforward entry in the genre.

6.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for a catchy soundtrack and sentimental value.