Circle of Trust #3: I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale (2009)

If this is your first foray into this series, the gist of it is these are my reviews of the films distributed through Oscilloscope Laboratories and which I receive by being a member of the Circle of Trust. Here is a link to my first review to see what they're all about. This time I'm taking a look at I Knew It Was You: Rediscovering John Cazale.

I first heard about I Knew It Was You shortly before its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival last year and have been looking forward to seeing it ever since. I've really enjoyed Cazale's work ever since the first time I saw The Godfather. By the the time I saw The Godfather Part 2, Dog Day Afternoon, The Deer Hunter, and The Conversation he had become one of my favorite actors. Due to the extremely niche market of the film, I knew I was in for a long wait for the film to make its way to me. Thanks to the awesome people at Oscilloscope that wait has ended and come tomorrow (11/9/10) this film while be available for purchase, but as a Circle of Trust member my wait ended last week.

I Knew It Was You tells the about the career of cult-favorite actor John Cazale, better known to the world as Fredo Corleone from The Godfather, through interviews with the phenomenal talent he worked with, the modern actors he has inspired, and the loved ones he spent his time with. Shedding the normal bio-documentary take of telling one's life story, this film shows the effect John had on everything he touched and is as personal and sweet as he himself is usually described. This fitting tribute to Mr. Cazale continues on into the bonus features on this DVD.

Starting us off is an audio commentary for the film done by the director Richard Shepard. If you have any question about the film, its pretty much answered in here from why he started the project to why someone isn't interviewed in the film. Next, is two extended interviews of which excerpts were shown in the film. The first is with Al Pacino, in which he tells few more personal stories, and the second is with Israel Horowitz, a playwright who often cast John which contains the full eulogy he wrote for him. Last and probably most hilarious are two shorts John worked on in the sixties, The American Way (which he acted in) and The Box (which he shot), both I had never seen before and plan to revisit often.

Another solid pick up from Oscilloscope, I give this film (and DVD) 4 out of 5 stars. Some might justify it as only a rental, complaining of its length (another issue addressed in the audio commentary) but its a must own for any John Cazale fan. As previously mentioned, it officially goes on sale tomorrow. Below are a few links to make sure you don't miss out on it.

The synopsis of I Knew It Was You on Oscilloscope's site (You should also be able to purchase it from here soon)

Add I Knew It Was You to your Netflix Queue

Win a copy of this DVD from the A.V. Club

Circle of Trust #1: La Loi (The Law) 1959

This is the first entry for what is going to be a regular series on my blog, almost monthly, and one I am really excited about. As I have mentioned quite a few times before I am in love with the film distribution company Oscilloscope Laboratories. Every one of their films that I have seen is awesome and based on their upcoming releases I don't see that changing in the near future. Along with selling their DVDs through their online shop they also offer membership to a DVD club of sorts where they send you their releases automatically.

Called the Circle of Trust, membership nets you Oscilloscope's next 10 DVD releases about a week before they go on sale for the price of $150. Now I know that sounds like a lot, but for the value your getting it is really quite a deal. Each DVD comes out to fifteen bucks (had to break out the old calculator on that), is loaded with special features, and comes in a beautiful case (the cover art for The Law is featured below.) The next thing that jumps to mind is "but I don't know what movies I will be getting for that money", a somewhat true statement. Oscilloscope updates with news about their latest acquisitions as soon as there are acquired so you can sort of guess what movies you will be getting from them. Additionally, in my opinion, if I was having anyone pick out DVDs for me besides myself I would want it to be them. They have yet to distribute a terrible film from so I know they won't end up making me watch one, something I can't even say for the closest of friends. As an added little perk, members can also purchase a copy of each older Oscilloscope release at half price from shop, something I plan on taking advantage of quite a bit. Now, on to my review of the first DVD I received as a member, Jules Dassin's The Law.


The Law is a tale of lust, love, justice, and control all happening in a small Italian fishing village named Porto Manacore. With multiple story-lines and an amazing ensemble cast, The Law focuses primarily on two individuals. The first is Mariette (played by the gorgeous Gina Lollobrigida, seen above), a young female house keeper looking for love and freedom, and the other is Matteo Brigante (played by Yves Montand), a gang leader gaining power and status in the town so he can totally control it once the current Don passes. Part Italian neorealism and part soap opera, the film presents of an interesting blend of romanticism and politics that few films nowadays seem to attain.

In addition to its engaging story and brilliant acting, the film's technical aspects aren't to shabby either. From a great out doors long-shot early in them film (introducing us to many of the minor players) to the intense, close-up bar scene when the gentlemen play the drinking game The Law (providing insight into the community and from which the title comes) no shot seems to be without powerful meaning from behind the camera as well as in front of it. The spectacular backdrop of the southern Italian coast didn't hurt either, as it adds to how epic the film feels and looks.

In true Oscilloscope fashion the DVD comes with some great extras. Two critical essays on the DVD cover, an alternate ending, two television clips discussing the film and the book it was based of off, and a great little documentary about The Law as it is played today in southern Italy. While I didn't listen to the commentary track from film critic David Fear I look forward to checking that out next time I decided to take a trip back to Porto Manacore.

I am giving this film (and DVD) 4 out of 5 stars, as I really enjoyed it and I think it has something for everyone if your willing to look for it. Released on DVD yesterday, it is available for purchase from the previously linked Oscilloscope shop and for instant viewing through Netflix.

In Theaters: Buried (2010)

Attended a preview screening of this little gem last week, starring Ryan Reynolds and directed by Rodrigo Cortes. Reynolds plays Paul Conroy, an American truck driver working on in Iraq who wakes up inside a coffin. Realizing his situation and armed with only a cell phone and lighter, Paul races against the his depleting oxygen supply to get out or get himself rescued.

So let's get this out of the way first, yes the entire film takes place in the coffin. While most directors would avoid that idea like the plague for fear of boring viewers to death, Cortes embraces and uses it to create one of the most intense films I have seen in a while. Utilizing some spectacular cinematography from Eduard Grau and very little off screen sources of lighting (from what I could tell), Cortes keeps the audience invested in this thriller all the way through to end. Of course all that would be for naught with out a great performance from Reynolds.

Buried is probably my favorite Reynolds acting gig to date (would have to watch The Nines again to be sure.) Showcasing a range of emotions from fear and anger to compassion and love, Reynolds performance elevates this role that would have crushed a less talented actor. Staying true to his usual style, he even manages to cause a few laughs from an audience that is watching him suffocate to death. Really can't say enough about how much I enjoyed him in this film and look forward to seeing more of this caliber from in the future (crossing fingers for Green Lantern.)

Needless to sat at this point but I really enjoyed the hell out of this film, even if I was a little tentative about it at first. Giving it 4 out of 5 stars in my book, well really 4 out of 5 in my internet blog but you get the idea. I highly recommend you see this film in the theater if you get the chance, as it only adds to the ambiance of it. Pretty sure it is in select theaters now but widening out to more markets come October so look for it soon.

In Theaters: Devil (2010)

"I was living in a devil town,
didn't know it was a devil town.
Oh Lord, it really brings me down about the devil town."
-Daniel Johnston

Got around to seeing Devil Monday after finally emerging from the basement I spent all weekend in playing Halo: Reach. It wasn't a film I was dying to see but the trailer and hearing the director & producer duo of the film (John and Drew Dowdle respectively) talk about it at Chicago Comic Con was enough to get me to see it in theaters, and I am glad I did.

The general premise of the film is that five people become trapped in an elevator and one of them may or may not be the title character. Not an overly complicated idea but greatly done in this film as a thriller/mystery with a dash of police procedural. It would fall flat on its face though with out the excellent cast. Headlined by Chris Messina and Logan Marshall-Green, this ensemble of recognizable performers, but non-house hold names really hold their own. Although with any film, movie magic played quite a large role as well.

Watching a film take place in primarily a small elevator would become boring and tiresome fast if not for the creative and interesting techniques the film utilizes. Ranging from multiple point of view shots, getting inside each character, to total black outs of the screen, bringing about the fear of the unknown, the viewer is constantly wondering who is perpetrating these events and why. These combined with the excellent sound mixing sustain the thrilling atmosphere all the way to credits.

I really enjoyed the film, enough so to give it a 4 out of 5 stars and as long as your next expecting the greatest film of all time I think you'll enjoy it as well. To those out there who have been staying away from it after not enjoying Shyamalan's last few films (The Last Air Bender, The Happening, The Village), keep in mind he only wrote the story and produced, so he didn't control anywhere near as much in this film and its more reminiscent of his earlier better films (The Sixth Sense, Signs, Lady in the Water.)

REVIEWFLIX: The Exploding Girl (2010)

(Usual deal, reviewing a film I recently watched and the title links to it on netflix if you want to add it to your queue. Leading off with the DVD art instead of a poster this time because I love the look of it so much.)


Not sure how many of you have heard of this film, but I have been looking forward to seeing it for quite a while. First heard about it via a feature article in Filmmaker back in late 2009/early 2010 and really enjoyed the director's (Bradley Rust Gray) commentary on film-making, collaboration, and inspiration. That said, first thing I did after work Tuesday (day of its DVD release) was load it up on the Netflix Instant and enjoyed every minute of it.

The film centers on Ivy, played amazingly by Zoe Kazan, as she comes back home for spring break and deals with the transition from teen/child to being an adult. Dealing with everything from relationships to illness to friendships on a mature level, Ivy goes through a transition that we rarely see featured in a serious/dramatic film and that some us are not to far removed from. ;) While this simple story and brilliant performance were enough to satisfy me, the camera work brought the film to a higher level of greatness.

Shot with a long of long lenses and shots the film brings us in to Ivy's life without letting us in all the way, following in line with the film and how Zoe keeps people at a distance. These couple with suffocating close ups when she is alone in her room on the phone or waiting for it to ring, capturing her frustration precisely and keeping the viewer invested in her relationships. While all these things were great about the film the one shot you just barley see, as the camera respects her privacy, and have been expecting most of the film is one of the most memorable. Relating to the viewer that while we know her and are invested in her life, we don't really "know" her and aren't automatically privy to extreme situations.

A solid film that is going to stay with me for quite a while, I am giving it 4 out of 5 stars. I know its probably not for everyone but if anything in my review sparked your interest I highly recommend you check it out. Another solid film distributed by Oscilloscope Laboratories, and you have to love how all of their films are available on Netflix instant the day they are released.

REVIEWFLIX: 11 Minutes Ago (2007)

Once again found my self paroozing through the Netflix Instant options on my xbox 360 (this blog is wishfully sponsored by both) and came across this little indie gem. Saw the interesting poster, read the words time travel, and I dove right in.

This film follows the time traveling exploits of Pack, a man from 48 years in the future sent back to get a clean air sample, the catch being he can only remain in the past for 11 minutes and he keeps coming back to one particular night. To add to the confusion, his travels aren't occurring in sequential order but rather a purposeful one. Pulling time travel out of the sci-fi and more into the world of drama is handled expertly by Bob Gebert; who directed, wrote, produced, and co-starred in this film. Shot on a small budget, and amazingly in one day, this film embodies the aspect of indie films I love the most, making an awesome film with little means and a lot of determination.

Not to be just a one trick pony though the story and cinematography are likewise great. The story is beautifully cater to the shooting in one day or possibly the other way around depending on your point of view. Cinematography must have been a nightmare to coordinate but it came out great with each scene or time-tumble keeping the film moving and never losing step. Acting and great music choice also add to the allure of the film with out trying to stand out but sidle into your memory.

Overall giving this one a 4 out of 5, one hell of film. Looks like it is only on Netflix Instant for now (link in the title) since there is no official dvd, hopefully soon their will be. Watch the film, tell people about, and if you have access to a time machine go back in time and make me watch this film sooner.

REVIEWFLIX: The House of the Devil (2009)

(The latest film I checked out from Netflix, title links to it on there and this one is available for instant gratification.)

Was a little bored on Sunday night so I browsed the netflix instant queue (a process that takes a minimum of 15 minutes since I have to look at everything there and what is new) and found this little gem. It is one that had been sitting in the regular queue for a while so I kept putting it off but finally sat down and watched it after its move to the instant. WARNING: Reading the rest of this review, you will be willingly subjecting yourself to me gushing with delight over this horror film.

The plot is pretty basic as are a lot of horror films. A teenage girl is hired as a babysitter and the circumstances as well as the house she is in gets weirder and weirder. The true brilliance of the film lies in the homage it pays to the horror films of the 70s and 80s. Beginning with credits styled in the fashion of the time, freeze frames with colorful letters, the film takes you back to a simpler time, when a horror film stood for something ;) Props, costumes, buildings, hairstyles, and even food look spectacular in this period piece. Supplemented by the great compositions, song choices, and 16 mm film the movie leaves very little evidence of it being made in 2009. Not only does this film look the part, but it nails the feeling as well.

Suspense and pacing are perfect, getting the viewer to jump at every phone or doorbell ringing. Not to be totally predictable though, the film throws an early surprise or two in there to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat. Lighting was excellent, something a lot of current horror films seem to neglect entirely. Acting isn't the greatest but isn't the worst either, just adding more to the film's devilish charm.

Ti West wearing the director, writer, and editor's hats delivers a fully realized vision of an 80s horror film to a modern audience. 5 out 5 stars for me although if you don't enjoy horror films you probably won't like this one either. I recommend everyone old enough check it out anyway though, it is worth the price of admission to take a hop back in time to the early 80s.

In Theaters: The Last Airbender

(Spoiler Warning: This review may contain minor spoilers so be warned just in case you still want to go see it after reading it.)



"I close with the hope that the title proves prophetic." - Roger Ebert (Probably a little weak on my part to quote a reviewer's review of this film in my review but it was to good to pass up.)

M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender opened up this weekend and I made the unfortunate mistake of going to see it. Avatar: The Last Airbender is the popular anime from which the film was adapted. A good friend of mine is a huge fan of the anime (supposedly there is a debate on whether its an anime or a cartoon but I digress) it is based on and has tried to get me to watch it numerous times. Since it recently was added to the Netfilx Instant I have started watching it and while it is geared towards a younger audience it is still enjoyable. Unfortunately for those fans who want to see more anime made into live action films the same can not be said for the film. While I had read some of the reviews that bashed the film, I kept assuring myself it couldn't be that bad and the images of the original trailer were only contributed to that thought.

Spoiler: None of this trailer is in the actual film. (So just watch this and save yourself ten bucks.)

To start off with the majority of the acting and casting is terrible (with the partial exception of Dev Patel and Shaun Toub as Prince Zuko and Uncle Iroh respectively.) Its hard to believe the director who got such a great performance out of Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense could do nothing for the main child performances in this film, whether it be helping the actors with their craft or getting them replaced. One of the three main characters has a blank stare on his face for a good eighty to ninety percent of his screen time, pulling quite a similar stare from anyone watching the film. Moving on to the hot issue of the race of characters, which is another disaster all in its own. In the anime all characters were of Asian culture influences and looked the part, while the film starkly divides races making the Indians=Bad Guy, Caucasian=Main Character Good Guy, and Asian and African=Everyone Else. Don't really want to go into the whole topic here but if you would like to know more about this blog is an interesting read.

But this is a summer blockbuster right? So cast and acting doesn't really matter as long as it has awesome effects and cinematography, right? Well in that case it is still 0-2, the effects of this film are just as bad. While having the four main elements at his disposal (Earth, Air, Fire, Water) Shyamalan and his effects team manage to show us no new or memorable uses of them instead electing for 32 part step sequences that enable the characters to move a pebble or puddle ten feet. Granted the effects the anime could be considered hard to translate into live action but this film almost looks like they took screen grabs into the generic Paint program. Staying on the course of train wreck in progress, the cinematography was horrendous. I didn't realize it was possible to mess up a shot reverse shot dialogue (Character A talking to off screen Character then cut to Character B talking to off screen Character A) but one of the few parts of actual story falls victim to it in this film. Add to it the useless panning shots and oddly framed characters shots and you have yourself a how not to shoot movies video.

Rounding out the film we have story, editing, and script or terrible, more terrible, and most terrible. Condesing the narrative of the anime down to a managable film prooves to difficult for Shyamlan (yeah, he wrote it as well as directed and produced) turning into a cutting frezey leaving only the barest of plot lines. The editing and continuity leaves the film with no coherrent pacing causing the viewer to wonder if days, months, or years passed in between scenes. Lastly the dialouge is stripped of any emotion down to the one word responses, cliche sayings, and empty expository monolouges.

Working on a five star system (excluding zero) I have to give it one out of five although that almost seems too generous. If you haven't seen the anime go watch that instead and if you have skip the film since it will just dissappoint you. Leave your thoughts below in the comments, I am off to get the taste of this film out of my mind.

REVIEWFLIX - Mystery Team (2009)

(My latest film from netflix, title links to it there if you are interested in adding it to your queue.)

"I'm getting too old for this s***!" - Sergeant Roger Murtaugh

This is the first feature film from Derrick Comedy, who acquired their fame from various internet videos, like this one:

And just like this short, laughs erupt in the first moments of Mystery Team and do not stop.

Mystery Team focuses on the coming of age of three kid detectives who maybe be a little old to be kids and a little young to be serious detectives. Long gone are the days when they were respected for solving the case of the missing lunch money and in a few short weeks they will be finishing high school. Right on the cusp of adult hood they are hired for the biggest case yet, an actual murder!

This independent comedy delivers on all fronts. Donald Glover, DC Pierson, and Dominic Dierkes all turn in great performances with Donald stealing just a bit more of the lime light. Other members of Derrick Comedy also appear in smaller roles with Bobby Moynihan being my personal favorite as a grocery store clerk. Technical aspects were also pretty outstanding for a smaller film.

Donald Glover pulls double duties as he also composed the impressive score for the film. It delivers the right amount of childlike-mystery nostalgia and compliments the humor nicely. The camera is wielded brilliantly, particularly in the baseball field scene. Instead of relying on just the comedy to hold the viewer in their seat, we are treated to some expert shots utilizing both spacing and movement.

While I know some are really hesitant to give indy comedies a chance and would much rather see the latest film being compared to The Hangover, but I implore you to give this one a chance. Another 4 stars out of 5 in my book, and hopefully yours as well when you watch it. If you decided not to watch it, well we could always hang out. Maybe you would like to play some Gamecube and enjoy a refreshing natty lite?

REVIEWFLIX - The Box (2009)

(Note: Reviewflix posts are going to be my attempts at reviewing my recent viewing exploits from netflix, whether they be viewed instantly through my 360 or delivered to my door. For those of you with a netlfix account the title of this post also links to this films entry on there. Also, this just in I sold out to netflix, now on with the review.)

“What’s in the box?” - Detective David Mills

When I first read the premise of “The Box” and saw the trailer for it I thought there goes another film I won’t check out in theaters but will someday check out in the comfort of my own home. Fast forward a short seven months later and here we are me just having completed the film and kicking myself for not having seen it in the theater. I let things like Cameron Diaz starring and the sub-par trailer push the film to the back burner while conveniently forgetting the items of note that should have forced me to see it day one, namely Richard Kelly writing and directing as well as it being based on a short story by Richard Matheson. (Kelly wrote and directed two other films I really enjoyed “Donnie Darko” and “Southland Tales” while Matheson wrote the novel version of “I Am Legend” and some other cool short stories.) But enough about when and why I checked out the film lets get to the heart of the matter.

The Box has a relatively simple premise. There is a husband and wife who are presented with a unique box containing a button. Should they push the button, someone they don’t know will die and they will receive 1 million dollars; Should they not push the button, nothing will happen. There you go, a premise almost as simple as pushing a button. (I somewhat specialize in lame jokes.) While it might not initially sound like the most thrilling film, consider for a moment two things, Reasons and Consequences. Why am I being given this choice? Who are the people making this offer? Will I be the same person whether I push the button, and am somewhat responsible for someone’s death, or don’t push the button, and now have the knowledge that this choice is available to other people? Ponder these questions while viewing and I think you might just be glued to your seat like I was. I don’t want to go much more into the story suffice to say that it is an enjoyable psychological thriller in the truest sense, which almost always means the less you know about it going in the better.

The technical aspects of the films also do not disappoint. The camera draws the eye right where it needs to be and leaves you distant and wondering at all the appropriate moments. Pacing is near perfect with not lingering to long any one scene with out a purpose behind it, and while the almost two hour length of the film sounds like to much for the story it ends up being just right. The effects may not be the greatest but are believable and suffice for the film. All of which are becoming staples in Kelly’s works, leaving me anxiously awaiting his next work. There were some flaws to the film however.

Most of the actors in this film were great in their roles, the only problem was that the two main actors were not. James Marsden as the Husband was just ok. Some of his emotional scenes were a bit weaker than I would have liked but he still held his, Cameron Diaz on the other hand did not. My pre-conceptions could be leaking in here but I haven’t thought Cameron Diaz was really good in any role since “The Mask”. Her emotions seemed so forced and her look and attempted accent really seemed to clash with other aspects of the film but even this could not lower the film to much.

If you get the chance I highly recommend checking out The Box, it might just surprise you. So add it your netflix queue, borrow it from that friend who has a ton of movies, or keep and eye out for it in the bargain bin. Overall I give it 4 out of 5 stars (going with the netflix system, since I am most used to it). Agree/Disagree? Leave a comment below with your thoughts. Constructive criticism on the blog in general is also welcomed and encouraged.