You’ve probably seen my midseason prospect rankings update by now, but if not … there it is.
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I’m a few weeks behind on this, but I watched the dark comedy In Bruges
Farrell plays Ray, a young hit man who bungled his most recent job by accidentally killing a child who was hidden behind the man he was paid to assassinate. His boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes), has sent him to Bruges along with the more experienced Ken to await instructions on their next job … which turns out to be for Ken to kill Ray over the death of the child. Ken wrestles with his conscience over the assignment now that he’s gotten to know Ray. Ray, meanwhile, is completely despondent over his mistake (but not over the death of the target) and contemplates suicide in between attempts to seduce the drug-dealing Chloe, an incompetent effort that leads to a confrontation with an American couple in a restaurant that, of course, ends up interfering with everyone’s plans. It is a screwball comedy at heart, except that in this one half the characters end up maimed or dead.
The strength of In Bruges is subtle, living in the layer beneath the obvious plot about contract killings and before the carnage at the end of the film. Ray isn’t cut out emotionally for his line of work, between his remorse and his short temper – and he absolutely hates Bruges, or as he calls it, “fookin’ Broozh.” Ken, meanwhile, wants to play the tourist, turning the trip (which was sold to them as an escape from the authorities) into a relaxing sojourn. Harry is a little bit of a stock character – the ruthless gangster/loving family man character has been around long enough that he’s totally expected – although his interactions with Ken when the latter refuses the assignment provide some of the film’s best dialogue.
When the shooting starts in earnest at the film’s end, though, we’re given a ten-minute stretch of action film where the plot is resolved through violence and a few funny coincidences, as well as a concluding meditation on the point of the violence that felt a little tacked-on. Within the span of those ten minutes, we go from that dark comedy to a chase-and-shoot (although, again, they do mix in a hilarious scene where Harry and Ray are standing off with a very angry and even more pregnant hotelier in between that) to light philosophy. Would the film have been better with a less violent climax? Or simply a more comic one? Shouldn’t the philosophizing have permeated more of the film (or did it, and I just missed it)? Most importantly, does it make any sense to say you enjoyed the first 90% of a film but not the ending when the ending was, in terms of plot, properly executed?
As for what’s next … I’ve got a long list of films to catch up on, but I’m open to suggestions. I’m particularly light on anything in the last five years – that is, since my daughter was born.
I’ve made a top 10 list of films per year for the last 5 years or so. Here’s my #1 for the last 3:
2010: Black Swan
2009: A Serious Man
2008: 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (Romanian film)
obviously, I’d definitely recommend those.
Check out The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada. I think you’d like it.
Loved In Bruge but agree that violence, particularly in last 1/3 was completely unnecessary.I saw the new Brad Pitt/ Terrence Mallick film ‘The tree of life’ last night. Critics thought it was beguiling I thought it was nonsense. Would be interested on your view.
I have enjoyed In Bruges with successive viewings, but I did come into the film as a fan of the director, both from his short (Six Shooter) and his plays (The Pillow Man, etc), both of which tend to deal with violence and philosophy, and often in that order.
As for recommendations, I cannot more heartily recommend Tell No One, a French thriller of the Hitchcock variety (orig. title is Ne Le Dis A Personne). It has a few flaws (notably, the central mystery of the film is explained at gunpoint), but strong performances, narrative greed, and general spice made it one of my favorite films in the past five years.
Other quick recommendations:
In the Loop (British politico-comedy, with outstanding swearing),
The White Ribbon (German movie from Haneke with enough politico-historical and philosophical implications that my wife and I spent most of the night after talking about it),
Police Adjective (another crime and morals movie),
4 Months 3 Weeks 2 Days (taut movie about trying to pursue an abortion in communist Romania),
Man on Wire (doc about a tightrope walker who spanned the World Trade Center before it first opened).
Priceless (fun Audrey Tautou comedy about a girl who dates rich men but falls for a poor one)
The Lives of Others (broadly, about the fall of communist East Germany)
Volver (beautiful colors, outstanding female leads, uneven but outstanding story–and the same largely goes for Broken Embraces, also by Almodovar).
Aiden – I really love your 08 and 09, but I hated Black Swan. Of course, I seem to be alone in that regard.
2 I recommend
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Transsiberian
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
I second “In the Loop.” One of the funniest movies I’ve seen in years, and the main British official definitely takes the swearing and the insults to a new level.
2005 – Millions, Batman Begins
2006 – Pan’s Labrynth, Children of Men,
2007 – Once, Into the Wild, No Country For Old Men
2008 – The Dark Night, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire
2009 – The Hurt Locker, inglorious Basterds, Up in the Air, Avatar
I’d recommend The Invention of Lying. Some very funny if subtle parts and an interesting plot.
I agree with Inglorious Basterds; some people hate Tarantino’s extended, heavy on the dialogue, geek out on movies, style, but he really can make a good film. I could watch the theater scene with Melanie Laurent and David Bowie singing in the background on loop and never tire of it.
Let the Right One In is a FANTASTIC Swedish vampire film from before Twilight gave vampire movies a bad wrap. I hate to even let on that it is a vampire movie because it’s unlike any other in the genre. To go into this movie thinking ‘vampire flick,’ is to do Let the Right One in a disservice; it just needs to be watched.
And the best for last: Oldboy, the Korean revenge thriller. It’s the second of Chan-wook Park’s Revenge Trilogy (second in release date only, there isn’t a wrong order to watch them). Lady Vengeance and Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance are good, too, but if you’re going to watch just one, it has to be Oldboy.
Did you see Inception? That seems like it would be right up your ally.
*alley
P.S. Oldboy and Let the Right One In are both currently available for Instant Watch on a major internet movie provider…
Michael Clayton may be my favorite movie of the last five years. It was marketed as a legal thriller, but is actually about a man of a certain age coming to terms with his life choices — sort of UP IN THE AIR filmed through the lens of the 70s paranoia thrillers. Absolutely fantastic acting from top to bottom and an incredibly witty script with tons of pathos.
But the best filmed entertainment of the last five years has been on TV — THE WIRE, BREAKING BAD, MAD MEN, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS etc.
I liked but did not love In Bruges, and thought that the only thing that really made this film stand out was Farrell’s fantastic (?) performance. Seriously, who knew the guy had those kind of chops.
For recommendations, I have a few, with the note that were all major studio pictures that I just felt didn’t get the attention they deserved. I’ve never had much insight or interest in foreign of indy films.
-I second the person above who said Children of Men. Very well-done movie.
-V for Vendetta
-If you saw the original or aren’t a fan of Westerns, this may not be your favorite, but I thought 3:10 to Yuma, despite being a re-make, was fantastic and criminally ignored by the masses.
Charlie Wilson’s War. Watch the movie, then read the book. I came away from consuming it in that order thinking that the movie should have been a nine part miniseries. Politics you didn’t learn about in school, a war you didn’t learn in school, fantastic characters, and it is a true story.
Have you seen “once?” its a gem. its an understated film that could’ve verged into dripping sentimentality but it steers clear of all that and is just simply superb.
Inglorious Basterds improves every time out … the violence is significant, but Tarantino knows how to control his effects. But magnificent stretches of pure moviemaking – not always advancing the plot but interesting on their own. The Christophe Waltz performance is flat marvelous, and Brad Pitt (yes, Brad Pitt) is outstanding.
I’d also second “Once” … a movie devoid of cliches
Saw Once a few years ago and loved it.
Inglorious Basterds is on its way already from Netflix. Was looking at Man on Wire and Inception for two upcoming trips, so those appear to be solid choices. I think Secret of Kells is also en route from Netflix.
Agree on Inception, Up in the Air, Black Swan and The Hurt Locker. All four are among my favorite films of the past few years.
Invention of Lying – funny and more profound than it seems. Certainly good.
Pan’s Labyrinth – just a towering achievement. Visually breathtaking, scary as hell, beautiful ending … and one of the greatest movie villains ever.
Munich – nobody will confuse it with uplifting, but thrilling (as thrillers have to be) and one of the better, more nuanced takes on the Israel-Palestine thing.
No Country for Old Men – a mastery of tone … classic Coen brothers
Synecdoche, NY – I have no idea how to describe this – the feel of a novel that is impenetrable.
Inception – less profound than it seems. But a superior thriller nonetheless – and constantly keeping us guessing.
I agree with Obo up there. Some of the most enjoyable cinema around nowadays is coming out of South Korea. “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” and “I Saw the Devil” are both highly entertaining genre flicks from Jee-woon Kim. So is “The Man from Nowhere” by Jeong-beom Lee.
There’s a movie from about 8 years ago called Stander. It stars Thomas Jane as cop turned bank robber in 1970’s South Africa. It’s a fantastic movie. Give it a shot
There Will Be Blood. Daniel Day-Lewis is brilliant, the movie is visually stunning, and Jonny Greenwood’s score is probably the best film score in ages. Don’t watch it on an ipad though.
Adventureland, District 9, Gone Baby Gone, The Wrestler, Fantastic Mr. Fox. These are just a handful of ones that I really liked.
A lot of good ones previously mentioned. Lives of Others, Inglorious Bastards, Serious Man, Oldboy, Pan’s standout on a quick glance.
Rango just came out on DVD. That is worth a watch.
They’re silly, but what about one of the Stephen Chow movies (Kung Fu Hustle, or Shaolin Soccer)?
Man on Wire is probably my favorite documentary since Hoop Dreams. It’s one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen…
Just rented Man on Wire for my next flight.
I liked Kung Fu Hustle for sheer silliness, but it didn’t really stick with me either. I’m looking more for films that I’ll remember or ponder for a while.
Just rented Man on Wire for my next flight.
I liked Kung Fu Hustle for sheer silliness, but it didn’t really stick with me either.
“The Lives of Others” is one of my favorites. Really well done and I highly recommend it.
Keith — I recall you being a fan of heist movies based on previous blog entries. On that note, would also have to second/third/whatever previous posts above. Inception is outstanding, highly recommend it. Also really enjoyed your recent top 50 list on the four letters (why do people take such personal offense to your prospect rankings????).
The Lives of Others, as others pointed out, is a wonderful film.
Some others from the last five years (or so) that come to mind:
Black Book
Gone Baby Gone
Half Nelson
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
The Prestige
The Proposition
Cache
Martin McDonagh who wrote and directed In Bruges also wrote the plays The Lieutenant of Innishmore (an exploding cat) and A Behanding in Spokane (said behanding), both of which have ludicrous violence in them to punctuate the rest of the plays. It’s really just his style as a writer. And it can be effective if done right, but it seems that this is up for debate in the case of In Bruges (which I personally love)