Drive is, in its way, a ‘chillwave’ movie, and not only because much of its soundtrack, as composed in a masterful score by Cliff Martinez, heavily draws on the chill/cold wave genre. Reminiscent, intentionally, of an idea of 1980’s films, as disparate as Bladerunner or Thief, director Nicolas Winding Refn’s third terrific film in three years (after Bronson and Valhalla Rising) is a further examination of the darkness of the male id, and the violence that can erupt from within, while the surface remains almost eerily placid. It’s hard to think of a better actor to portray this sort of character than Ryan Gosling, who has become the blank face of male anxiety over the last few years in a number of great roles. But don’t think that Drive is some sort of morbid archaeological dig into the ineffectual male; this isn’t some dreary indie movie heralding layabout schlubs. Drive, at its very black heart, is a superb addition to the best of the modern film noir tradition, and, in my eyes, pretty easily the best film of 2011.

Gosling plays an unnamed mechanic/stunt car driver who, when we are introduced to him, is at work on his second job, working as a driver-for-hire for criminals. He isn’t a criminal himself; his job is solely using his skills behind the wheel to drive the getaway car for a commission. He works, in all his jobs, for Shannon (Bryan Cranston), a striving garage owner with his own ties to the local mob, which is headed up by the mismatched partners Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks) and Nino (Ron Perlman). ‘Driver’, as we must refer to Gosling’s character, has no apparent aspirations in any of the jobs he works in. He seems, simply, to exist. His facade, however, begins to crack a bit when he meets his new next-door neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan), a sweet young mother with a son at her hip and a husband, Standard (Oscar Isaac) in prison. Driver takes a shine to both Irene and her son, Benicio, and gradually ingratiates himself into their lives. The attraction between he and Irene is immediate, but, like all of Driver’s emotions, must remain buried beneath the surface, even as they share innumerable quiet glances in each other’s direction.

Just as Driver begins to feel as though he may have found himself a life to call his own, it’s all shaken by the news that Standard is being released from prison. Standard doesn’t trust Driver, but does not act upon it, hoping to start a new life for his family. Old debts are called in, however, and after Driver finds Standard beaten up in the hallway, and learns of the threat being put to Irene and Benicio, he offers to help Standard with the job he’s been given, a holdup of a local pawnshop. A third partner, Blanche (Christina Hendricks) is assigned to them, and, at first, the robbery seems to go off without a hitch… until it doesn’t. As in the best crime noir, things must fall apart, there must be double-crosses, misunderstandings, and, inevitably, revenge. Driver, looking to protect his new ‘family’, takes after the men who would threaten them, one after the other with scenes of sudden and shocking violence which not only cracks a few skulls, but Driver’s seemingly docile facade.

The story is simple, and engrossing. What sets Drive apart from so many other films of its ilk are the style of the film, with its overwhelming dose of neon-tinted dread, and the cast, all of whom are tremendous. Gosling, as seems to go without saying anymore, is the highlight, his usual chilly stoicism the perfect fit for Driver’s almost cyborg-like qualities. Mulligan, while not being given much to do beyond ‘object of affection’, is sweetly effective as the resigned Irene, and the ever-reliable Cranston is excellent as the beaten-down, chain-smoking loser Shannon. Both Ron Perlman and Oscar Isaac are very good in their limited roles, but the true revelation is Albert Brooks as local mobster Bernie Rose. Brooks, while a truly gifted comedian for over 40 years, has always maintained a reservoir of reserved hostility underneath the laughs, but here he is allowed to show all of his cards in a performance of exuberant menace, the perfect example of a vulgar man who will do anything for money, whether it be as a film producer or a local mob boss. Brooks never hits a false note, or tries too hard to ‘play the villain’. Bernie isn’t always a bad man, but he is more than willing to do bad things to keep himself above the fray.

While Drive wears its influences on its sleeve, the important thing to remember is that These Are Good Influences; the collective pedigree of cast, director, cinematic borrowings, references and allusions are all derived from an understanding of what makes cinema great. This film may not be for everyone, as it is often very violent, has long stretches of nearly no dialogue, and is so heavy with dread and menace that the only brief snatches of light which are allowed to break through are extinguished so quickly you may not even remember them. That’s what the best film noir does. It pulls up the pavement, not to reveal the beach underneath, but to show that it’s just more dirt. – [DVD] [Blu-Ray]

It’s difficult to create an effective, respectful, and entertaining treatment of the cancer topic. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, in one of his best roles ever, plays Adam, a 27-year-old clean-living Public Radio producer who, as the movie opens, is living with a beautiful and narcissistic, crummy artist played perfectly by Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of Ron Howard). Adam’s best friend is Kyle, casted very appropriately with Seth Rogen. I say appropriately because 50/50 is inspired by the true story of Will Reiser, who worked with Rogen on Da Ali G Show and got his cancer diagnosis at age 27. Seth’s character is loosely based on his role as Will’s best friend in real life.

Anjelica Huston is Diane, Adam’s mother, and it is truly a joy to watch her. I haven’t enjoyed her shtick this much since she played Vincent Gallo’s mom in Buffalo 66. Actually, she and Rogen are responsible for a majority of the laugh-out-loud humor that pervades the movie. This is why I’m kind of liking Seth (at least in this role) now. I’m not a fan of raunchy humor, so I didn’t like his movies like Knocked Up and Superbad. I know lots of viewers love this type of comedy and, by the way, you’ll get a little of that in 50/50, but it’s not over the top. Tasteful raunch. Anyway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt was not in Superbad but instead, he chose projects as various as Mysterious Skin, 500 Days of Summer, and Inception. I also have to mention Anna Kendrick, who plays Katherine, the psychologist. Anna was nominated for an Oscar for Up in the Air, and she’s even better in 50/50. I won’t reveal any more of the plotline here because you should have the pleasure of enjoying each element of the story as it unfolds. I’ll just say that for anyone looking for an excellent comedy that has depth, great acting and smart dialogue, this is it. – [DVD]

Comedy/Drama

Rated R

DVD Release Date: 1/24/12

Clooney has come a long way since my crush on him was first initiated, on the TV series Roseanne. He appeared in a long list of various and sundry television shows and bad movies before his portrayal of Dr. Doug Ross on E.R. made him a household name. In the late-1990s, he began a more permanent transition to the silver screen. At the Telluride Film Festival last September, Clooney admitted that a big budget doesn’t guarantee a good movie. He self-effacingly joked about his box office bombs Batman and Robin (1997) and The Peacemaker (1997), and his realization that he could generate more passion for smaller projects with better scripts. His choices have grown more substantive in recent years. His work often addresses political or ethical conflicts as in Three Kings (1999), Syriana (2005), Good Night and Good Luck (2005), Michael Clayton (2007) and Up in the Air (2009). The Ides of March continues this topic of exploration. The $12 million budget was raised piecemeal as Clooney pitched the movie over and over to foreign executives “like a door to door salesman” because Hollywood studios wouldn’t back the controversial material. As a director, Clooney believes that the purpose of film is to reflect what goes on in our culture and to raise questions. When discussing movies that influenced him, he announced that in his opinion, the best era of filmmaking occurred between 1964 and 1976. He named Network (1976) as his all-time favorite movie. In addition to his keen awareness of film history, Clooney understands the importance of the camera as a character. His skills have been recognized. He received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Director for Ides. Stay tuned for the DVD release of The Descendants, for which Clooney won the Golden Globe for Best Actor. In the meantime, you can revisit his comedic stint in the Coen Brothers‘ cult classic O’ Brother Where Art Thou? (2000).

But enough about George. The Ides of March also stars one of my other favorite actors, Ryan Gosling, who has an impressive range of characters that continues to expand. In the last year, we’ve seen him portray a working-class husband in Blue Valentine (2010), an alleged wife murderer in All Good Things (2010), a ladies’ man in Crazy Stupid Love (2011), and a quiet stunt/getaway driver in the much acclaimed Drive (coming out 1/31/12 on DVD). My personal favorite, however, is the socially awkward but totally endearing Lars in Lars and the Real Girl (2007). Other performances worth checking out include Gosling as: a high school teacher with a drug habit in Half Nelson (2006), a Jewish neo-Nazi in The Believer (2001) and a high school sociopath in Murder By Numbers (2002).

In The Ides of March, Gosling plays an up-and-coming staffer to a Democratic presidential candidate (Clooney). During the course of the campaign trail, he loses his idealistic innocence and learns to play the dirty game of politics. The impressive supporting cast includes Philip Seymour Hoffman (Best Actor winner for Capote, 2005) and Paul Giamatti (nominated for Best Supporting Actor in Cinderella Man, 2005) as rival campaign managers, Marisa Tomei (Best Supporting Actress winner for My Cousin Vinny, 1993) as a New York Times journalist, and Evan Rachel Wood (who also stars in the recently released series Mildred Pierce) as the flirtatious and wise-beyond-her-years intern.

The titular reference to Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar reveals the film’s conceptual theme. Loyalty is hard to find in a world where every move is a strategy to advance one’s own career or obtain votes, where “back-stabbing” and betrayal are common. Who can you really trust if every word is scripted and promises are extended without any intention of being kept? These topics are especially pertinent as we hunker down for the next election.

The capably-acted film turns out to be more of a thriller than a drama, but the suspense is less about who will win the primary than if anyone in politics can escape the game with his or her integrity intact. Some interesting cinematic moments include an homage to the poignant “rainy window” scene from In Cold Blood (1967).

If you can’t get enough of the this season’s presidential candidates on the news, perhaps you may be inspired to rent some other films featuring fictional politicians: The Contender (2000) starring Joan Allen, The Candidate (1972) starring Robert Redford, Bob Roberts (1992) starring Tim Robbins, Bulworth (1998) starring Warren Beatty, or Dave (1993) starring Kevin Kline. And there’s always The West Wing, with Martin Sheen. Or the based-on-a-true-story options: John Travolta as Bill Clinton in Primary Colors (1998) and W (2008) with Josh Brolin as George Bush. If you are feeling a little adventurous, I would recommend Death of a President (2006). We also have plenty of political documentaries. All available right here at The Video Station. Upholding your constitutional right to rent movies of your choice since 1982. Don’t forget to vote for your Oscar picks! Ballots coming soon… – [DVD]

Drama

Rated R

Toast

Set in Britain in the 60’s, the story starts with young Nigel (Oscar Kennedy), a seemingly unobtrusive boy, who wants lots of fancy food, but his Mum (Victoria Hamilton) can’t cook anything that isn’t in a can, except of course for toast. When his mother dies of a lung disease, Nigel is left alone with his curmudgeonly father (Ken Stott). They try to struggle on, but aren’t doing very well on their own. Enter Mrs. Potter (Helena Bonham Carter), the new cleaning lady, whom Nigel suspects of having eyes for his father. Not helping matters is the fact that Mrs. Potter is a glorious cook, causing more ruffled feathers with Nigel. The third act of the film jumps ahead to when Nigel is 17, and now played by Freddie Highmore. He’s taking home economics, and learning to cook, challenging Mrs. Potter for the role of meal preparer, leading to a tense tug of war for his father’s affections.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a Benny Hill sketch, Toast has a lot of serious drama. Oscar Kennedy, who can go from sullen to surly in nothing flat, makes you feel the loss of his Mum in a way I wasn’t expecting. Ken Stott’s distant and disapproving father was so real, I would never want to meet the man for fear that he would be mad at me. Helena Bonham Carter is good as usual, and it’s nice to see her not playing a witch, or a monkey, or a bobble-headed queen. The only thing that really disappointed me was the under-use of Freddie Highmore. He really is only in the last third of the film, and his section makes me want this to be a 4 hour epic.

Toast is a well acted, well executed drama. Highly recommended for fans of the British section, and anyone who likes a good story. – [DVD] [Blu-Ray]

Is there a more under appreciated actor these days than Brad Pitt? An actor who, when he first debuted, was known more for his looks than his abilities, Pitt over the years has shown himself to be a versatile, and extremely savvy, presence on the screen who rarely makes a misstep in either choosing or performing a role. He has deftly become ‘his own boss’, as a successful producer, and seems to be entirely comfortable with his level of fame. Here, in the role of Oakland A’s General Manager Billy Beane, the focus of Moneyball the book and the movie, he charmingly eases his way through what is, in all honesty, a paper-thin plot and, by the dint of his affable presence (he has become what people used to imagine what Robert Redford was), easily guides us through 2 hours plus of sports wonk talk. It’s almost entirely a one-man show, as his co-star, the Tourette’s afflicted shape-shifter Jonah Hill, registers as almost a non-presence in the role of Peter Brand, a composite sketch of Beane’s assorted Ivy League number crunchers who aided him in the early days of his job. The part is devoid of much to do beyond nod at Pitt, which seems to play best to Hill’s limited abilities.

When the film begins in 2002, we learn, with Beane, that due to financial limitations, and the free-spending ways of the New York Yankees, that Oakland is about to lose its MVP slugger (and current Rockie) Jason Giambi, along with other players. Oakland, historically, has had, and lost, some of the greatest players of the last 40 years, often to larger markets it cannot compete with. So, knowing he needs to fill some sizable holes, Beane decides that, if the team cannot match the huge contracts afforded by other teams, then it must discover a different path to player development. This includes scouring the waiver wire and free agent pool for players with specific skills that may be overlooked, either for defensive value, or the low-average ‘Three True Outcome’ hitter (walks, homers, strikeouts) with a high on-base percentage. Abandoning the notion of overpaying for ‘names’, Beane, to the chagrin of many of his scouts, coaches and manager (a curmudgeonly Philip Seymour Hoffman as Art Howe) used to ‘the old ways’, attempts a crusade which had already been started, outside the coaching box, by influential baseball analyst Bill James via his ‘Abstract’ books in the 1980’s (which I bought every year, enjoyed immensely, and only vaguely understood). It was to throw away the old statistical signifiers of homeruns and RBI, and look deeper at where a player’s real value lies, even if it’s not first apparent on the playing field.

The film takes us from spring training of that season, through the ups and downs of the early months where Beane clashes with players and coaches, and further along when the A’s began to lake the AL by storm, winning a record 20 games in a row and the division title. It also offers a light dusting of Beane’s personal life, interactions with his divorced wife (Robin Wright, in a part so small she was likely paid in game tokens) and beloved daughter, a girl presented as being so precocious she scarcely registers as human. Director Bennett Miller and the two screenwriters, Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, make the material all as breezy as possible, while never altering the actual outcome of the season for dramatic purposes, or giving his daughter a fatal bout of whooping cough for Pitt to emote over. What theatrics arrive is true to anyone who’s ever played on a team, or read a box score.

My reservations with the film are in regards solely to what was necessarily left out of the story. The A’s are presented, in spring training, as a kind of real-life Bad News Bears, a group of stumblebums and halfwits who are doomed to fail, with the owners eventually being forced to sell the team to Chico’s Bail Bonds. In truth, Oakland had one of the best young pitching staffs in the game, with a future Cy Young winner in the rotation, and some terrific young hitters in Miguel Tejada (a future MVP), Eric Chavez and Jermaine Dye. A few of these players’ names are mentioned, briefly, but the film makes it seem as though it was journeymen like Scott Hatteberg or David Justice (a once-great hitter himself) who willed the team to win. That ain’t exactly true, but there is a narrative that must be delivered.

But that’s neither here nor there. While Beane was almost assuredly not the first to use a different set of statistical valuations (old-timers like Casey Stengel and Earl Weaver were long known to keep a different set of books as regards to players), in the modern era, with a little help from Michael Lewis, he has become the John Galt of baseball’s ‘Atlas Shrugged’, albeit in reverse. Ayn Rand was, almost assuredly, a Yankees fan. – [DVD] [Blu-Ray]

Biography/Drama/Sport

Rated PG-13

DVD Release Date: 1/10/12

Patient zero is Gwyneth Paltrow, who, soon after returning home from Japan to her husband (Matt Damon) and kids, collapses and dies, as do people in London and Hong Kong. From there Center for Disease Control officials (Laurence Fishburne, Kate Winslet) and a World Health Organization epidemiologist (Marion Cotillard) try to get a handle on the lethal and fast-spreading virus.

Some may appreciate Soderbergh’s clinical approach to the material versus getting another find-a-cure thrill ride a la Outbreak. I agree it helps make the breakdown of society that occurs feel a little more realistic, and thus more frightening. We learn a few statistics, like how many times a day we touch our faces, and Scott Burns‘ script makes light of things you might never have thought of, like the government running out of body bags and how long it would take to create and distribute a vaccine.

But it all but deprives the film of a soul. We never really come to care about anyone, aside from Damon, who registers the strongest as a man trying to protect his daughter, and provides the film its only true emotionally resonant moment near the end. Cotillard’s subplot not only wastes her talent but gets wrapped up flatly. The only character here who even kind of pops is Jude Law’s bugger of a British blogger who’s out to exploit the epidemic.

I do have to give Soderbergh credit for the technical side of things. His camerawork is crisp, his editing smooth and he moves things along at a brisk pace. (It’s interesting to note how vibrant the colors are in the security camera footage of Paltrow versus the washed out palette of the rest of the film.) As well I liked how he ended things by showing us exactly what led to the epidemic. Yet I imagine what most people will take away from the film is the sight of Paltrow getting her head sawed open. – [DVD]

Horror/Thriller

Rated PG-13

DVD Release Date: 1/3/12

The setting is Paris, and the cinematography is a beautiful complement to the storyline. And speaking of the storyline…

Owen Wilson plays Gil, a successful Hollywood screenwriter who wants to be a “real” writer, and feels unsure about his talent. He is in Paris with his fiancée, Inez, (Rachel McAdams, both beautiful and comedic) and Inez’s politically conservative parents. Gil romanticizes the idea of actually living in Paris. He also romanticizes the past and shares with all of us the feeling that the present, by its very nature, is a little dissatisfying. In this story, Gil is given the opportunity to do some “time travel” and come to terms with that yearning to find a “Golden Age” that is always in the past, and that holds some magnetic appeal.

During the course of this “time travel”, we get to meet Salvador Dali (we haven’t seen you this good since The Pianist, Adrien Brody), Ernest Hemingway (madly in love with Corey Stoll in this role), F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Gertrude Stein (Kathy Bates nails it), Pablo Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec, T.S. Eliot, Luis Buñuel, and on and on. The supporting cast, A to Z, are all great.

J.C. Chandor’s remarkable directorial debut, Margin Call, doesn’t try to explain the science of why economic calamities befall us (after all, it’s a science subject to much clever reinvention), but it does a splendid job of showing us the psychology. Most of the film takes place in the first 24 hours of the 2008 Financial Crisis, at a fictional firm reminiscent of Bear Stearns. It begins with the unceremonious firing of the majority of the risk management department, and specifically its head, played by Stanley Tucci. Before leaving, Tucci hands a flash drive to his protege, Zachary Quinto (Spock 2.0) and urges him to “be careful” with its contents. Quinto quickly connects the dots on the drive and realizes the firm is on the verge of disaster. The hours stretch into the next day as his bosses (Demi Moore, Simon Baker, Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, and Jeremy Irons) descend–at times quite literally–on the office to debate the next move.

What makes Margin Call so compelling–apart from its excellent performances–is its refusal to be a simple polemic about the corruption and evils of wealth. Its villains and heroes alike are human beings, some of whom may lack wisdom but few of whom lack intelligence. Even when the greediest and narrowest points of view are expressed, Chandor puts real verbal weight behind their arguments. It’s all a game of persuasion, loyalty and survival, in which the guys who actually know the numbers are continually asked to dumb them down for the decision-makers (and for most of us, naturally). The screenplay (by Chandor himself) is replete with insights immediate, historical and mathematical, but never incomprehensible. It may be one of the best films about Wall Street ever made. – [DVD] [Blu-Ray]

Drama/Thriller

Rated R

DVD Release Date: 12/20/11

Tom Hardy

Warrior is the proof in the pudding. I don’t even know what that means, really, but it’s totally true.

The story of two estranged brothers who are pitted against each other in a UFC style cage-match, Warrior could have easily starred Jean-Claude Van Damme and Wesley Snipes and gone directly to video. Thankfully it didn’t, and we got a well made drama with some really good fight scenes.

Tommy Conlon (Hardy) and his brother Brendan (Joel Edgerton, whom you might remember from the fantastic Aussie gangster flick, Animal Kingdom) haven’t seen one another since their mother left their abusive alcoholic father (Nick Nolte, who could get a nomination), Tommy going with his mother, Brendan choosing to stay put. Some years later, Tommy comes back from the war ready to beat many people up, so he starts MMA fighting in Pittsburgh. Over in Philadelphia, Brendan starts fighting to earn some extra cash, before the bank forecloses on his home. All of this is happening right around the time a billionaire hedge-fund manager is starting a 5 million dollar tournament called Sparta. With both brothers’ eyes on the prize, who will win it all?

Drama happens, violence ensues.

When you write it out, it really does seem like a JCVD movie. But it’s much better, I promise.

Highly recommended for fans of underdog sports movies, people who liked Redbelt, and anyone who owns a Tapout Shirt. - [DVD]

Action/Drama/Sport

Rated PG-13

DVD Release Date: 12/20/11

As you may remember from the classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (or, if you don’t, the film helpfully provides flashbacks), Butch, Sundance, and Etta Place all escaped to Bolivia, albeit with much mystery as to their respective ends. Blackthorn posits that Butch spent the following twenty years in Bolivia, until he was inexorably pulled back to the U.S. in 1928. Most of the film follows his eventful journey back, with stumbles over lost savings (from train robberies, obviously), a new partner/nemesis, and an ex-Pinkerton man, played by an always welcome Stephen Rea.

The drama is mildly diverting, but again, the thrill is in watching the criminally underappreciated Sam Shepard take on this iconic role (even though he may not physically resemble Newman, is there another actor with the necessary gravity and charisma?). Don’t forget, this is also the playwright who represented the American military machine with a giant rattlesnake on stage! – [DVD]

Western

Rated R

DVD Release Date: 12/20/11