Thoughts On Capra

Well I hoped you enjoyed my month devoted to Frank Capra, even though I didn't go quite in depth with him as I wanted to due to the month's busy holiday schedule.

On a personal note, Frank Capra was probably the first director I became interested in at a young age. I became a fan of "It's a Wonderful Life" early on, and that film opened the door to his other classics like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington", "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town", "It Happened One Night", "Meet John Doe" and countless others. My appreciation for this great director still grows to this very day. This month I've been able to view his "Lady for a Day" for the first time ever, and I'm hoping for releases of his earlier work such as "The Bitter Tea of General Yen", and "Miracle Woman" both starring his favorite actress Barbara Stanwyck some time soon.

What I was hoping to get across this month was Frank Capra was a much more complex director than he was often given credit for. He is the man who pretty much turned the feel good movie into an art form, but he also understood that in order for you to feel good, you first had to feel bad, which is why his heroes go through much hardship before they are redeemed. It's very rare for a Capra type film to work these days, you might hear a movie described as Capraesque which usually defines it as a sentimental fable with a hopeful message, but it's very hard for those to actually come off as sincere. I would say the closest modern film to really capture the essence of Capraesque would be Spielberg's "The Terminal", but that film seemed to pass people by.

Here's hoping Capra films do have some place in the world today, and also a younger generation will experience them as I did while growing up. I would always say for people who are interested in classic movies, Frank Capra would be the guy to start. Thanks for reading, Happy New Year, and stay tuned for a new director to be revealed in January.

Meet John Doe: Radical Sentimentality

Frank Capra is the kind of director who I think is often misunderstood. His films are sometimes misrepresented as too sweet, and sentimental with no real hard edge to it. One reviewer described his films as "Film Blanc" the opposite to film noir, which pretty much is defined as no darkness and only light, anyone who thinks Frank Capra didn't have a dark side obviously has never really looked at his films. While I think it's true Frank Capra had an optimistic point of view to the world, it can be argued he was very cynical about it as well.

Capra's under appreciated "Meet John Doe" may very well be his most cynical film he ever made, as well as his most political. For anyone who might be confused about Capra's ideals, "Meet John Doe" makes them bluntly clear.

One thing you could say about Capra is the man was not subtle about the point he wanted to get across. The opening shot of "Meet John Doe" shows a man demolishing a "Free Press" sign outside a newspaper building. We find out this certain newspaper has been bought by a big oil tycoon named D.B. Norton (Edward Arnold). The first thing we see happen in the building is the sight of employees getting sacked rather coldly. One such person is columnist Ann Mitchell (Barbara Stanwyck) who won't take her getting fired lying down. She decides to write a phony letter to the editor that will cause a media sensation. The letter is from an anonymous John Doe who writes that he is so fed up with the state of the society and how people are treated that as a form of protest he will commit suicide by jumping off a government building on Christmas Eve.

As Ann predicted, the letter causes an uproar with people becoming obsessed with who the mysterious John Doe really is. After Ann confesses to her boss that the letter was a fake, she convinces him that they can string along the story longer to get a bigger circulation, all they have to do is find someone to pose as John Doe. Enter the perfect man for the job, an ex-baseball player named John Willoughby (Gary Cooper) who is down on his luck looking for money to get an operation on his arm so he could play ball again. In the beginning it's a win win situation for all involved, Ann gets to keep her job, John gets his arm fixed, and the paper gets its circulation.

Things start to get complicated when John is asked to make a radio speech which completely turns the tables on the whole ball game. After the inspiring speech, John becomes a folk hero to millions. Soon "John Doe Clubs" start sprouting around the country based on the ideas and principles John stands for. It isn't soon after this frenzy, that D.B. Norton decides to use the John Doe movement for his own political gain.

What gets me about this movie, and what makes it topical for its time and for today is how radical a message Capra seems to be saying. The whole message in the John Doe movement can be interpreted as people rising up against political parties and corporate organizations and taking control of their own happiness. Capra adds doses of the golden rule such as "love thy neighbor" and "The Meek shall inherit the Earth" I think to make his message seem a little less harsh, but if you look at what he's really saying, it's a very anti-government stance. There are other targets Capra goes after such as the media and how they seem to be only interested more in a story that sells papers and less about the facts, and then there is the most damning scene when John Doe is revealed as a fraud and the hypocrisy shown by the John Doe club members. What started out as an idealistic pursuit becomes its own victim of mob mentality.

Like most of Capra's great works, there must be darkness before there can be light, and the film is concluded somewhat controversially in that fashion. John in a way goes through his own Crucifixion only to be reborn again in the people's minds. It is said Capra never could figure out how to end the film, and to some it doesn't seem to work, but for me I think it does, since it leaves on an optimistic note, which is the only way Capra could end a film, and also states clearly probably better than any of his other films what exactly his beliefs are. Perhaps the message is hard to swallow in this day and age, but at least Capra doesn't make it easy to come to this conclusion. Everyone in this film from the heroes and villains are asked to believe in something, and Capra makes them all very human in that respect. Perhaps we don't have to believe that a John Doe movement is possible, but what makes this film work is Capra wanting us to believe it could.

SEE SWEENEY TODD AND YOU WILL DIE!!! Seriously he kills people with his razor blades.

I was not sure what to expect when I went into "Sweeney Todd", I knew it was a musical, and I knew it was bloody, but I have never seen the Broadway show before and knew nothing of the story only it had something to do with a barber who kills people, and a woman who takes the bodies and makes meat pies out of them. Sounded like the usual Tim Burton darkly comic romp we're all used to, only this time it's put to music, but what I got was something else entirely...put to music.

I've always been impressed with the visual style of a Tim Burton film, I don't think there is one that I dislike, they are all imaginative eye candy, but what makes "Sweeney Todd" different from the others, is the utter dark undertones. This is Tim Burton all grown up no longer making fairy tales about men with scissors for hands, or funny ghosts who haunt your house, this is perhaps his most challenging and complex film.

For those who don't know the story, Sweeney Todd is a barber who was wrongly imprisoned by an evil judge who was in love with his wife. Sweeney's real name is Benjamin Barker, who takes his alias at the beginning of the film as we see him return to London after escaping from prison. He comes home to find out his wife has taken poison, and his daughter is now a prisoner of the very judge who sentenced him to jail.

Sweeney seeks out his old barber shop which is nestled above a meat pie shop run by Mrs. Lovett, who is known for having the worst meat pies in London. It's Lovett who tells him the fates of his wife and daughter, and the two form an alliance and Sweeney makes plans for his revenge on the judge and the other people responsible for his imprisonment.

The surprising this for me in this film was how an idea about making meat pies out of dead bodies does not become such a campy film, I was shocked at how macabre it plays out. It was a bit unsettling, like I said I knew nothing of the actual story but I felt Tim Burton was pulling the wool from under our eyes. The music by Steven Sondheim also helps the film's ambitions, the songs can turn from funny, and darkly clever, to melancholy, and lovely.

Burton seems to bask in the music as he creates some great visuals particularly when Mrs. Lovett is singing "By the Sea" where she imagines her and Sweeney getting married and living their life by the sea. There is also a great duet sung by Sweeney and the Judge, and it's a great scene where Sweeney has the unaware judge right where he wants him, and Burton uses this time to have some fun with the audience.

The cast turn out very impressive performances, no more so than Burton's constant leading man Johnny Depp as Sweeney. Depp is the type of actor who always challenges himself, and as Sweeney, he achieves a very uncompromising anti-hero who is consumed by his own vengeance, which becomes his undoing and his greatest tragedy. Helena Bonham Carter seems to be having fun as Mrs. Lovett, she is very much the most spirited which I guess isn't saying much in this grim tale.

The gore and blood in the film is highly stylized which may turn some people off, but if you're game, it greatly adds to the film.

The ending is probably the most darkest deeply felt one in the who Burton canon and that's saying a lot. I felt this was a great achievement for all involved but Burton in particular, this is a stepping stone in the director's career.

4 stars out of 4

Laugh Hard

"Walk Hard" is just a silly movie, it is one of the silliest movies I've ever seen. Not once does it ask us to take it seriously, from the moment we see John C. Reilly play fictional singer Dewey Cox at 14, the tone of the movie is pretty well set up for us. "Walk Hard" is a nice send up of the musical biopic which has become a sort of sub-genre in that past years with "Walk the Line" and "Ray". The film follows Dewey Cox from his humble beginnings on the family farm where he accidentally chops his brother in half in a machete fight. His father will forever haunt him with the words "The wrong kid died".

As Dewey gets older, he goes through the usual rock star streamline, at 15 he quits school to marry his 12 year old girlfriend, he makes a hit record that sends him on the road, he gets addicted to every kind of drug there is (courtesy of his drummer played by Tim Meadows), and has a bunch of illegitimate children. The best part of the movie was when we see Dewey in the sixties where he makes protest songs about midgets, (a la Bob Dylan), becomes a schizophrenic recluse who's trying to make a musical masterpiece (Brian Wilson), and in the movie's single most hilarious scene goes to India and meets the Beatles.

So what are my thoughts about "Walk Hard"? After giving us films like "Superbad", and "Knocked Up" which are both funny, but have deeper messages about adolescence, and relationships, it seems Judd Apatow just wants to be silly with this film. There is no hidden message in this movie, it is here for ridiculous purposes. Whether it's the running gag of Tim Meadows not offering Dewey drugs only to get him hooked, or the hilarious facial expressions Paul Rudd does as John Lennon, this film is having fun all the time.

I laughed till I cried in some parts, but there were also some jokes that didn't work, the fact that they are trying every trick in the book to make us laugh is very endearing. It's a reminder that sometimes all a comedy wants to do is make us laugh.

3 stars out of 4

It's a Wonderful Life: Merry Christmas

I was going to sit here and write about "It's a Wonderful Life", maybe explain its significance in the great Capra canon, review its legacy from its humble beginnings as a modest success to the pop culture status it has achieved through numerous television showings which has turned it into the most beloved Christmas movie of all time. But instead, something happened last night to inspire to take a different angle.

Everyone who knows me knows that the worst kept secret I have is "It's a Wonderful Life" is my absolute favorite movie. I watch it many times during the Christmas season, I love the story, I love Jimmy Stewart's performance, I also love Henry Travers as Clarence the greatest Angel ever depicted on film, I love the great character actor Thomas Mitchell as George's absent minded Uncle Billy, and I think Donna Reed's Mary made probably the pitch perfect honeymoon for George he could ever ask for.

But last night was a special treat for me. My dad and I were alone at home since we already had Christmas on Saturday with family. I bought him a chess set for Christmas and asked if he wanted to have a game. So we did, but he also knew that "It's a Wonderful Life" was playing on television, so he suggested we play in the living room so we could watch the movie at the same time. It was nice having that moment with my dad, I wasn't paying attention much to the movie, I would look up at times when my favorite scenes were on. One poignant moment for me in the movie has always been when George and his father are having a heart to heart talk at the dinner table. It's the kind of conversation I suppose many sons have with their father at some point in their lives, and it seemed all the more poignant watching this scene with my dad knowing full well this could've been us a few years ago.

I never mentioned this before but part of the reason this film is special to me is how much of my dad is in George Bailey. I don't think he has ever contemplated suicide, but I've seen him with a lot of frustrations with his job knowing it's probably not what he had planned for himself when he was younger. He's told me he always wanted to be a train engineer, even when my brother and I were kids, he always bought us a train set for Christmas, but he would end up playing with it more than we did. He's got a train set of his own now along with train whistle and engineer hat, he's like a big kid around it, and it's nice to see how happy a simple thing like that makes him, it's like me after I watched a really, really good movie.

I've watched "It's a Wonderful Life" many times before, but I love it more when I get to watch it with someone else, particularly when it's with someone like my dad while playing chess. It was a nice quiet Christmas Eve, and I think it gave me something the holidays are suppose to give: Peace.

Jeremy's Top Three Worst films of 2007

Tis the Season for Lists. That's right I think the thing movie lovers love more than movies themselves are lists of movies. And of course this is the time of year all critics dish out their best and worst films of the year. Since I still haven't seen a lot of the great movies that have come out in limited release like "I'm Not There", or "There Will Be Blood" or "Atonement" yadayadayada, you have to wait awhile to see my top ten best of list. However I will state right now that if you haven't seen "Once" yet or "No Country for Old Men" go see them this second. But for now you people just have to settle for my worst of list of 2007. I'm glad I don't go out of my way to see bad movies, but every now and then when I go I get bitterly disappointed. Here were three reasons why staying home would've been the better option.

1. Feast of Love: I am putting this at the top of my list because unlike the other movies that will follow, this film had real potential to be a good movie. All the right elements were there, a good cast, a good writer/director, good source material, but it all fell flat and became a big let down. Each person involved with this movie deserves better, and so do we.

2. I Know Pronounce you Chuck and Larry: Adam Sandler continues his winning/losing streak. Losing in the sense that he hasn't made a good movie since "Punch Drunk Love", winning in the sense that people pay huge amounts of cash to see him do his thing in theatres. I'm sorry to say I was one of those people, but I went in protest.

3. Shrek the Third: In a year that gave us "The Simpsons Movie" which was a clever cinematic adaption of an animated sitcom, "Shrek the Third" does the opposite and gives us a sitcom disguised as a clever animated movie. All the fairy tale pop culture references ran their course in the first two films, and there isn't much energy left in this tired tale of the once jolly green ogre, a big disappointment.

Dishonorable mention should go to "The Kingdom" which even though had some merits didn't really do anything new or spectacular in what was more or less a police procedural with too much shaky camera work disguised as a political thriller exploiting rather than educating.

Jeremy's Top Christmas movies and Specials

Tis the season! Sorry I've been away for awhile, I've been neglecting my beloved blog and you beloved blog readers, but like many of you, I've been getting ready for the Christmas season, which means shopping, hanging up trees, what not, and despite my best efforts I do have to work for a living. I've also been neglecting my month of Frank Capra which I will no doubt make up in the days to come. But now I just wanted to reflect upon this time of season and make a list!!! That's right lists are fun and in the spirit of the holidays I am counting down my favorite Christmas movies and specials. Some films don't take place in Christmas but I don't think it matters as long as it's a feel good movie that shows the best of what Christmas is about. Ready? Let's go.

Films

It's a Wonderful Life: Directed by Frank Capra and starring Jimmy Stewart, this is hands down my favorite movie of all time. That's right in case you were wondering what my favorite movie was this is it. I'll be writing about this film more in the days leading up to Christmas as part of my month of Capra. The film has been described as the ultimate feel good movie, but like Capra does so often before the feel goodness, there has to come a lot of darkness, and that's what many people tend to forget about this film since it is so beloved. The first 2 thirds have many happy moments but it's mostly showing a man's struggle through life as he has to come to terms with broken dreams, and responsibilities he never wanted. It takes an angel to show him how good his life really is by showing him what a wreck the world would be if he wasn't in it. Makes you think don't it?

A Christmas Carol (Alistair Sim version) I love everything by Charles Dickens and his books have inspired a lot of great films, but with this version of his most loved story, I really feel they got the spirit of Dickens' world right. Alistair Sim is and will always the be the greatest Scrooge, I think it's one of the great performances, he can be mean, funny, touching, and warm. Like "It's a Wonderful Life", this story is full of great joy but also much darkness, it's a ghost story above all, and can even get a little scary. The scene where we see Jacob Marley in chains walking among the other lost souls was always a bit unsettling for me as a kid.

The Terminal: This doesn't take place at Christmas time, but there's snow in it, and it's about helping others and good will toward men. For some reason many critics didn't like this film when it was first released, but I think it's one of Steven Spielberg's sweetest films, and one of Tom Hanks' best performances. The story is of a man who must stay in an airport terminal after his country is suddenly under a coup. He makes friends with the workers at the terminal and strikes up a romance with stewardess Catherine Zeta-Jones. Spielberg found a way of bringing a completely un cynical Capraesque fairy tale in a post 9/11 world, and I think that's nice. See this one if you haven't yet.

Meet John Doe: Capra's fable about a homeless man used as a media tool for political gain is as relevant today as it was then. Gary Cooper stars as a former baseball player used to pose as a desperate man who threatens to kill himself on Christmas eve for all the ill wills of society. He soon becomes a hero for millions, and it's not too soon until he starts believing in the cause, but powerful men are brought in to crush it. Barbara Stanwyck is a stand out as usual, but it's Capra's sincere plight of the everyman and love thy neighbour sensibility that makes this a worthy Christmas film.

The Shop Around the Corner: One of the most delightful romantic comedies ever made about two people who work at the same store but can't stand each other, only to discover that they are secret pen pals. Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan made four films together, but this seems to be the one most people remember. This takes place at Christmas so that's why I'm counting it as one. This was remade with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan as "You've Got Mail", but I'll take this Ernst Lubitcsh film over that Starbucks commercial any day.

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town: That's right another Capra film. This one doesn't take place at Christmas, but the whole idea of a man who inherits 20 million dollars only to give it away to people who really need it is really an inspirational message everyone should be reminded of at the holidays. This is one of my personal favorite films, with Gary Cooper once again as the lead and Jean Arthur as his love interest, it's just one of those films that aren't made anymore. By the way skip the appalling Adam Sandler remake at all costs.

Once: This is newly added to my list. No again this is not a Christmas movie, but if there is one movie I would want to share with my family and friends during the holidays it would be this one. I again will declare that I think "Once" is and will later be declared as one of the greatest love stories ever made, it'll put a song in your heart and make make your heart jump. And lets not forget the wonderful gift given from the guy to the girl at the end of the film. Damn right this is a Christmas movie.

Holiday Inn: The Bing Crosby Fred Astaire musical about two guys who pretty much are competing for the same girl. So the plot is pretty much non-existent, but it's a great place to see Bing crooning "White Christmas" for the first time on screen, and Fred doing a great dance number on the fourth of July. You can just skip the embarrassingly racist scene with Bing singing in black face.

Christmas Specials

The Simpsons: Marge Be Not Proud: This is not the famous first ever Simpsons episode where Homer dresses up as Santa and takes Bart to a dog track, this was in the seventh season and is one of my favorite Christmas episodes of any show ever. This is where Bart is caught shop lifting which makes Marge see him in a different light. I'm not afraid to say this is one of my favorite Simpson episodes, it's great to see a Bart/Marge episode, and shows that even though "The Simpsons" are known for their biting satire and cynicism, they can also be sentimental when they want to be.

A Charlie Brown Christmas: This is a brave Christmas special simply because Charles Schultz was not afraid to spout out the religious aspect of Christmas through Linus' speech at the end. Whether you believe in it or not, it's something most Christmas specials avoid in this day and age, but the touching moment comes when Charlie Brown and friends gather around a dying Christmas tree and decorate it. In the era of Christmas commericalism which has dominated the season before this special first aired I think this moment is the reason this show has lasted.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas: I love Boris Karloff as the narrator/Grinch, and I love everything Chuck Jones does. I just love it when this is on. It's funny, witty, and heartwarming all in 22 minutes. I even got to be a "Who" once in a Christmas pageant, so that's another reason to love it.

That's it happy holidays!!!

Spirit of the West

After I saw "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" , I wanted to see every movie Terrence Malick ever did. Terrence Malick was not involved in the making of this film, but before seeing it I heard that he was a major influence. Let me tell you I rushed out and bought Malick's "Days of Heaven" right after. For those of you who haven't seen "Jesse James", a beautiful, dreamlike, poetic film yet, I would tell you to rush over to the nearest big screen that's showing it and watch it for yourself. This is the kind of film that is fully appreciated on the big screen, because I think you might lose the scope of it on your television.

The basic story is right there in the very long and somewhat ironic title of the film. It centers on the last year of Jesse James' life when he befriends the man who will ultimately kill him, Robert Ford. James is played by Brad Pitt, while Ford is played by Casey Affleck, they are two men who seem to be joined together by fate. Ford introduces himself first to Jesse's brother Frank (Sam Shepherd) who is a little creeped out by him, but Jesse takes a shine to the young wannabe gunfighter and gets him to ride along on a train robbery. Afterwards the group disbands but Jesse gets Robert to stay with him for awhile. All is good until Jesse soon feels a little unsettled by Robert's idolizing of him and sends him away.

As time goes by we see Robert's affection dim a bit and later turn to hatred. We see Jesse not as the Robin Hood of the west like he's depicted in folk legends, but as a sometimes sadistic killer who becomes paranoid of the people around him. But there is a certain melancholy in Jesse where he feels almost sick with himself and his rotten deeds, and he becomes one who welcomes his own death. Robert Ford is eerily obsessive. He starts out admiring Jesse James but then realizing the only way to become him is to kill him.

There is that great line at the end of John Ford's great western "The Man who Shot Liberty Valance, "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend". The denouement of "Jesse James" is showing Robert Ford printing his own legend, but tragically for him, it wasn't up to snuff compared to Jesse James.

This film works like a dream, we see soft focuses of Jesse and sometimes he is in the shadows as if his iconic image is always present when he's around. I have always liked Brad Pitt, but I never thought any thing he's done has been spectacular, but I really think his performance here is the best I've seen him in. He seems to really tap in to Jesse's manic depressive and world weary state very well, I actually think he's on par with Affleck who is getting all the award buzz. Affleck wears the face of little weasel very well, but he makes Robert Ford more complex, we actually do feel sorry for him at the end of the film, as he turns into a man who doesn't regret what he did, but someone who expected to be treated differently than he was.

The story of these two men is fascinating, it's presented to us as if we are in a dream world of the old west, the images are startling such as the surreal train robbery at the beginning with Jesse's gang all in full head masks, and the train looking as if it's coming through another dimension. Another scene where Jesse accounts his murdering of a gang member he suspects double crossed him is like out of his own imagination. The sound, and the lighting, and majesty of this film brings together a unique experience, this is one my favorites of the year.

4 stars out of 4

Compass Doesn't Stay on Course

"The Golden Compass" has a lot going for it, despite following a lot of the fantasy formulas, it has a very unique and magical world that follows its own rules and separates itself from being a "Lord of the Rings" carbon copy. It also has an intelligent point of view which despite the fact of garnering some unnecessary controversy from the catholic church makes sense, and also makes this world a little bit more complex than most fantasy stories.

The story follows a young girl named Lyra who lives in a world different from ours. In Lyra's world, people don't have souls living in their bodies, but instead have them represented in animal form called daemons. For children, daemons can change shape at will but when they reach their adulthood, they stay as one form. Daemons along with some mysterious dust (Which I don't really understand the significance of yet) are at the center of the adventure Lyra will find herself in.

Lyra's world is dominated by a society known as the magisterium who is sort of a big brother watching over the world and is weary of any heretics who might threaten their existence. One such heretic is Lyra's Uncle (Daniel Craig) who is a scholar and believes this dust holds the key to alternate universes, which is something the magisterium does not believe in. Lyra's Uncle travels to the North in search of this dust, but Lyra is close behind when she learns that one of her friends has been kidnapped and is believed to be held there.

She is brought there by the icy Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) who is actually working for the Magisterium and has her own plans for the girl. Lyra soon escapes to find her friend and on the way she runs into many magical characters who help her along the way. They include a witch (Eva Green), some pirate like/gypsy characters known as Gyptians, but most memorably an armoured polar bear and an aeronaut pilot played by Sam Elliot. We find out that Lyra's friend along with other kidnapped children are being used for experiments by the magisterium to take away their free will to make them less of a threat, and free will itself seems to be the main focus of this film and the reason for it's controversy.

There were parts of this film I enjoyed immensely, mostly the message of free will which I don't think is particularly a bad thing or should be perceived as anti-religious. But what I liked most in the film is the film's young star Dakota Blue Richards who plays Lyra. She gives a great performance and wins you over with her intuitiveness, and charm, she's a smart cookie and also a brave one and Richards embodies her perfectly.

But what slows this film down is the complexity of the story. I was intrigued by this world but I don't think we were introduced to it properly, we are all of a sudden thrust into it and I felt like I was playing catch up to understand all that was happening. Many characters are introduced to us but as I said earlier, other than the polar bear and Sam Elliot, they don't make a very memorable impression.

There are some great individual scenes like a giant polar bear fight which may sound silly when I say it but is actually very exciting and violent, but it just adds up to a bit of a muddled mess. Also I think they should've taken their time with the story, it's on an epic scale but it just seems to zip past all the spectacle.

"The Golden Compass" is a very complex story, and I was a bit overwhelmed by its explanation, it took me so long to sit down and enjoy the darn thing, but I guess now that we have all the rules settled and the characters in place, it should make for some enjoyable sequels to come. Even though "The Golden Compass" didn't quite do it for me, I'll be watching this series with some interest.

2.5 stars out of 4

Lost Horizon (Frank Capra, 1937)

As the first part of my month of Frank Capra I've decided to include this scene from one of my personal favorite films "Lost Horizon". It shows that Capra didn't just focus on wholesome good hearted stories, but he could also be haunting, shocking, and mysterious when he wanted to be.

December Spotlight: FRANK CAPRA

That's right ladies and gentlemen, since it's the most sentimental time of the season, who better to focus on than the king of the feel good movie and one of my personal favorites, Frank Capra. This month I'll focus on a number of Capra's films and also ask the question if we have a Frank Capra today. Again I'll ask all of you if you have any input on this great director or you just want to add your two cents on one of his films or him in general then email me or leave a comment. It's gonna be a great month, I can feel it!!!

A Sentimental Journey

"August Rush" is the second movie I've seen in a row that is unabashedly free of cynicism and full of music that leaves you feeling happy when you leave the theatre. After this film and "Enchanted" you just have to try to wipe the smile off my face.

"August Rush" may not be for everybody, it's almost shamelessly sentimental but since I'm a sucker for sentimentality I was indeed sucked in. It also helps that the story itself is a somewhat variation on Dickens' "Oliver Twist". The beginning starts off with Evan, a young boy who is living in an orphanage. Evan is thought of as a freak by most of the other boys mostly because he has this undying hope that some day he'll find his actual parents, he has no idea what they look like or if their alive, but with the power of music he thinks it will lead him to them. That's right I said the power of music, just go with it. We find out Evan is a musical prodigy and can find music or rhythm in anything from the wind or a subway train. We then flashback to his parents and when they first met and fell in love, they are played by Keri Russel as Lyla a concert violinist who is controlled by her over bearing father, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Louis an Irish rock singer. Lyla and Louis seem to be connected with their music and one night they find each other and conceive little Evan, but as it happens fate breaks them apart as Lyla's father takes her away. When Lyla is in an accident she is left to believe Evan died during birth, when in fact her father secretly sends him off to an orphanage with her never knowing.

Evan must now follow the music which leads him to New York and in the hands of a Fagin-like character by the name of The Wizard (Robin Williams). The Wizard takes in lost boys who are also talented musicians and get them to busk around the city while collecting their money. The Wizard notices Evan's talent and realizes he'll get richer than ever before with him. He changes Evan's name to August Rush and tries to manage his career, all the while Lyla learns Evan is alive and goes out in search for him, with Louis also trying to find Lyla after being separated. Evan, Louis, and Lyla all seem to be connected through their music which ultimately will bring us to a heartfelt finale with a Symphony in Central Park.

I could've just said this film is corny, it's sugar sweet that will hurt your teeth and avoid this one at all cost, but I don't really want to say that because that is exactly what this movie's ambitions are. It's suppose to tug at your heart and release the inner cry baby in you, plus it's told as a fairy tale and a fantasy. Plus the film is full of so likable people, the reason we want to see Evan, Lyla, and Louis reunite is because we like them so much. There's also a social service worker played by Terrence Howard who also cares for Evan and tries to help Lyla find him.

This is not a musical, but the music really does play a big part in the story, it's a connection between the three central characters as if it's almost playing the role of fate and you can accept that or not, I choose to accept it.

The film is very manipulative movie, but who cares, I sure didn't, by the end I didn't mind the music was overly dramatic and the conclusion was predictable and sappy, my heart was melted and if yours doesn't then that's just too darn bad.

"August Rush" can also join the ranks of "Once", "Enchanted", "Across the Universe", "Hairspray", and "La Vie En Rose" as musicals or musical themed films that came out this year, all of which are some of the best films I've seen all year, it's nice to see music filling the theatre in such unique and creative ways, and we still have "I'm Not There", and "Sweeny Todd" to look forward to.

3 stars out of 4

Final Thoughts on Yasujiro Ozu

So my friends, December is upon us and with that I will say adieu to my November Spotlight on Yasujiro Ozu. I do hope you've enjoyed my aspects on this great director and perhaps I've inspired a few of you to go and get yourselves a copy of "Tokyo Story", "Late Spring" etc... If you don't want to pay the money just come to my house I'll lend them to you. I can't tell you enough on what this man's films have done to me as a movie fan and as a human being in general. Incidentally a little personal tid bit in my connection with Ozu, I did not find out until just recently but he and I also share the same birthday, we were both born on December 12th, which is also the day of Ozu's death. I know it doesn't mean anything but I was so happy to learn someone I admire so much shares my birthday, hurray for that.

In the meantime thank you and stay tuned for my December Director Spotlight. Who is it you ask? You'll just have to wait until tomorrow when he is revealed.

I Love Amy Adams, and You Should Too!!!

"Enchanted" may be the title of a movie, but it could also be used to describe Amy Adams the star of said movie and the main reason you should see said movie.

Adams plays Giselle, an animated Princess from the magical land of Andalasia who is about to get married to her Prince Edward when she is tricked by an old hag of a women and sent through a portal which brings her literally into the real world of New York. Giselle herself becomes human but still carries her fairy tale sensibility wherever she goes. She searches all over Manhattan trying to find her castle and her Prince, but she is soon found by a cynical divorce attorney named Robert (Patrick Dempsey) and his daughter who take her in. Meanwhile Giselle's Prince (James Marsden in a great clueless performance) finds the portal to New York and intends to rescue her, along with Pip a talking squirrel (although in the real world, squirrels can't talk which causes some problems), and his servant Nathaniel (Timothy Spall who I just saw in "The Last Hangman"). Nathaniel however is secretly working for the evil Queen (Susan Sarandon) the person responsible for sending Giselle through the portal in the first place.

The fairy tale story is sort of an homage of various Disney Princess stories like "Snow White", and "Sleeping Beauty", with a little bit of "Cinderella" thrown in at the end for good measure. Meanwhile Giselle is learning about the real world through Robert, while Robert is learning the world isn't such a bad place after all from Giselle.

You already know where "Enchanted" is headed the moment Adams steps out of the portal, however I must admit there are a few surprises and clever moments I didn't see coming or didn't expect done so well. Mostly the musical numbers were all inspired , particularly the ditty Adams sings when she is cleaning up Robert's apartment with the help of some of her animal friends, which aren't all the cute and cuddly in their real forms. Then there is another show stopper in the middle of Central Park that almost had me clapping in the theatre.

This film isn't just making fun of Disney films like the "Shrek" movies do, but they are also paying homage to them by showing us just what makes them so special in the first place. There isn't a hint of cynicism in this film and that's because we believe in Adams' character so much, she's the one that makes the film work. I would also credit Marsden's Prince Edward who also never loses that sense that he came from an animated world.

I do wish the film makers made up a more creative foil for Giselle rather than Dempsey's straight laced cynical business man type that we've seen so many times before, and the climax with the CGI dragon is just really ridiculous and sloppy, but all and all I was won over by the charm of Amy Adams and the musical numbers, both of which hearken back to Disney's glory days. And Hurray for 2-D animation!!

3 stars out of 4

Beware the Dragon Lady!!!!

"Beowulf" is an odd little extravaganza of a movie. It is a guilty pleasure, it's blunt about its sexual politics and violent nature, it's also very amusing, but though it might pass as entertainment, I hardly found anything memorable about it. "Beowulf" is the newest film to use the innovative computer animation technology, which is what director Robert Zemeckis used before with his "Polar Express", and also with last years "Monster House" which he produced. For the most part, I like this technology but to a point. I thought it worked well with a film like "Polar Express" which added to the dark and mysterious elements, but perhaps the numerous action scenes in "Beowulf" hinder the technology a bit which make the film look more like a high tech video game. No doubt this film will interest people who spend their time playing "World of War craft".

The story is of course based on the epic poem which since I have not read can only assume follows that plot faithfully. Beowulf comes to a kingdom in order to slay the local monster Grendel. Grendel attacks the people in a merciless manner cutting off their limbs and tearing them apart ( I think it's important to note that had this not been classified as an animated movie, this would no doubt be an R-rated film). But as the story goes on, we find the real monster isn't Grendel, but it's in fact Grendel's mother a dragon who has that canny ability to turn into Angelina Jolie. This is lucky for all the males watching the movie, but bad for Beowulf. Grendel's mother seduces Beowulf with promises of power, wealth, sex with her which he guesses is too hard to pass up, but of course all this could not end well.

"Beowulf" tells us nothing new about men's greedy nature when it comes to power and women, but I guess the story itself is one of the oldest to tell us this so I won't blame the movie. The film is very tongue and cheek and even pokes fun at Beowulf's tendencies to exaggerate his exploits, which had me laughing more than I thought I would in this film. It was good to see a film of this nature not take itself too seriously and decide to have fun. It doesn't try to be smarter than it is and for that it does work as a guilty pleasure. However by the end the action seemed to take too much of a video game approach and I lost what little feeling I had for the characters. I was reminded of the climactic ending of "Transformers" where that just turned into a bunch of CGI robots fighting it out. It's true the new technology is able to do what real life performers can't, but the line was crossed where it interfered with the human element thus losing my interest. If I wanted a role playing video game I'll play "World of War craft", but I don't really want to play that game and maybe that's another reason "Beowulf" didn't work for me.

On a final note, I realize kids today probably are used to seeing R-rated movies anyway but do we have to make it so easy for them by making this film PG-13? This maybe a win less debate but really, this isn't a kid's movie and shouldn't be marketed as one.

2 and a half stars out of 4

Ozu's Muse :Setsuko Hara

Like many directors Yasujiro Ozu had the habit of using many of his same actors. Probably his most frequent actor is Chishi Ryu who's roles would range from the biggest part to the smallest. However I wanted to focus more on one of Ozu's most frequent leading ladies, and that was the luminous Setsuko Hara.

There isn't much written about Hara, as far as I know she is still alive and living privately in Japan. She retired from acting in 1963 not soon after Ozu's death. There has been some speculation as to her relationship with Ozu and whether or not they carried on an affair, but I do not want to pry. Because of Hara's sudden retirement and disappearance from the public eye, she has been called "Japan's Garbo". She was a big star in Japan upon her retirement and unpset many fans and industry people alike when she left. She had said that she never liked acting and only did it to support her family, and once she could support them, she felt it was no longer necessary for her to keep doing it. In addition to the numerous classic Ozu films she appeared in, she also starred along side Toshiro Mifune in Kurosawa's "The Idiot".

I have not seen much of Hara's work other than her Ozu films, but I must say her performances in those films have me mesmerized. I have a reputation of easily falling in love with actresses that I like, and I don't think Hara is any exception. There is something about her that appeals to me. I first saw her in "Tokyo Story", where she plays the the former daughter in law to the elderly couple. In the film she is the only one who is decent to them even when their own children aren't. She always carries a certain sadness in her eyes in that movie, but she's hardly ever seen without a smile in her face. She has a heartbreaking scene near the end of the film as she is talking to the old man played by Chishu Ryu, where she tells about how guilty she feels for not thinking about her dead husband more than she should. All through the film she was not aloud to show her true feelings, and in this scene you can see it all come pouring out.

I think my favorite performance by her is in "Late Spring" where she is playing the daughter of an old widower (Ryu again). She is being pressured into finding a husband before she gets too old, but she is perfectly happy living with her father, however he does not want her to grow old alone. The relationship between father and daughter is very touching, it's a love story between them and not the man she must marry. The relationship is not shown in an obscene way but one very natural and beautiful. He has lost his wife, she has lost her mother, all they have is each other.

Hara did a remake of "Late Spring" years later with Ozu entitled "Late Autumn", this time Hara is the mother who marries off her daughter. This can be considered a remake, but in some ways I always thought of it more as a sequel. Hara could very well be the same character a few years older, but either way in both films, she always has this wise beyond her years look in her face, and a sad knowing of the inevitable.

Setsuko Hara captured me as an actress with grace and class, she had a very girl next door quality to her, but what catches me every time I see her is her sadness. In every Ozu film she's in, she always seems to be on the verge of tears but instead shows us a brave smile, and by doing that she lets her strength shine through.

Look What's Coming

There is so much you can say about The Coen Brothers' masterpiece "No Country for Old Men". It was so nice to see such a rich, multi-layered, lyrical film that masquerades as a run of the mill suspense yarn. Of course you can say that about any number of the Coens' films, but I think they have never been so blunt on the nature of violence like they have in this picture.

The story is based on the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, and follows the plot pretty faithfully but with a few of the Coen's own interpretations thrown into the mix. When Llewelyn Moss (2007's busiest man in Hollywood Josh Brolin) is out hunting, he stumbles upon a bloody aftermath. Dead bodies are scattered around a Texas valley with a truck full of drugs. When Llewelyn investigates further he finds a case full of money that is now left unclaimed. When Llewelyn decides to take the money, we find it leads to even more trouble. Enter Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) a hired killer with no conscience who would kill someone at the flip of a coin. His sadistic weapon of choice is a cattle gun which is handy when shooting off locks to a door as well as people in the head. Anton has been brought in the capture Lewelyn and get the money, but pretty soon he becomes a loose canon not caring who gets in his way. Another major character is the local Sheriff Ed Tom (Tommy Lee Jones) who's trying to catch up with Llewelyn and trying to make sense of this violent world he now finds him in.

All the usual genre stuff of money and drugs really don't matter much in this film. Much like the Coen's other masterpiece "Fargo", we never get a clear answer as to what happens to the money and by the end of the movie it doesn't really matter. What this film does, I think very successfully is comment on how violence is ongoing, and once it starts it's unstoppable. I have been squeamish in the past about violence in movies, especially ones who claim to be commenting on it but mostly exploiting it for mindless reasons. "No Country for Old Men" gets it right all the way through, in fact as the film's violence becomes more and more senseless, the less of it we see. The two most significant deaths in the film happen off camera and only one of those shows us the aftermath. This makes the deaths even more disturbing and sticks with you.

But what also makes this into a great movie is the Coens' immeasurable craft. These guys may very well be the best filmmakers alive today. The use of how they build suspense and atmosphere is brilliant. There is hardly a note of music through the whole film, but the images are so powerful you don't even notice it. The addition of lighting and sound effects make up some of the best most suspenseful moments in film history. One such scene includes the unscrewing of a light bulb and the sound of a telephone ringing and that is all I'm going to say.

As for the performances, let's just say I don't think they could be better. Bardem is already getting some Oscar buzz as Chigurh and he makes this character frightening each time he's on screen, I almost closed my eyes more than once when he appeared. Brolin has a great everyman quality in the part of Llewelyn and for once, he's not playing a bad guy, but he is someone who is in over his head. Then there is Tommy Lee Jones, some one who already gave a great performance with "In the Valley of Elah", but with Sheriff Tom, Jones has found a kindred spirit, and his performance is really the heart and soul of what this film is about, his final speech in the film leaves you with the kind of disillusionment his character feels.

I can go on and on about this film, it is definitely a great one. I think I'll write more about it later, but until then I'll just leave my four star rating and tell you to go see this movie.

4 stars out of 4

Roger Ebert's Top Ten of 2006

After taking part of the year off due to illness, Roger Ebert has been making up for lost time by reviewing films from last year that he missed. He must've finished though because I'm glad to see that he has his annual top ten list from last year finally available. You can all check out http://rogerebert.com to see his list. There are even a few there I haven't seen yet like "Bubble", and "Perfume". Quickly now to the video store!!!!

Can't Get Enought of Bobby and The Beatles

Two of the greatest artists of all time are getting a resurgence of sorts (As if they needed one) this year on both the big screen and on DVD. If you haven't gone to see Julie Taymor's visually impressive Beatles musical "Across the Universe" which has polarized its audience, I very much recommend it, but if you want the Beatles themselves then you can go to the DVD store and pick up their classic film "Help". Directed by Richard Lester, it's the band's follow up to "A Hard Days Night", and even though I wouldn't say this film is up to par with their earlier one, it's still full of great humour and great music.

Also Todd Haynes experimental biopic "I'm Not There" is yet to open wide so I haven't been able to see it, but it's been getting some great critical response, and if you're aching to see Dylan on film then a new DVD which chronicles his performances at the Newport Folk Festival has just been released. Entitled "The Other Side of the Mirror", this was the famous folk festival where Dylan went electric.

The release of of "Across the Universe" and "I'm Not There", plus these DVDs just goes to show, that good music never fades away.

Tokyo Story: The Simple Tragedy

During the month of November, I am focusing on film maker Yasujiro Ozu. I thought it now time to say a few words about his masterpiece (and one of my absolute favorite films) "Tokyo Story".

I've seen "Tokyo Story" at least four times now, I've even read the screenplay, and still I am in awe of it. Every shot of this film is truth in it's purest form. It does everything the opposite of what you expect. The story centres on an elderly couple who make a trip to Tokyo to visit their children. Since Tokyo is such a far distance, the couple realize that this may be their last chance to see all of them together.

When they arrive, their children are not very hospitable, they seem more put out by their parent's visit than anything else. Nothing is ever said directly on this topic but is instead covered up mostly by polite conversation. The one person who does welcome the couple's visit is their former daughter-in-law Noriko. Noriko lives alone and unmarried since her husband (their son) was killed in the war. The children then find it convenient for them to dump their parents on Noriko who then takes them sight seeing and to visit her apartment.

When the children finally are out of ideas of what to do with them, they decide to spend the money to send them to a bathhouse, but the parents are not happy there since it is full of young people who are up late at night. Their visit is then cut short.

As I said before when I first saw this film I didn't enjoy it as much, I think because I was expecting something else, something a little more conventional. I wasn't used to the performing style of the actors, I found when some of them had to cry after the death of a certain character, it looked forced and not at all realistic. But now that I know a little bit more about Ozu's intent and after viewing many other films by him I think I know the reason for my initial reaction to the film. At no point was I asked to be a participant in the action, this is more of an observation of a family coming apart, but that doesn't mean you are not supposed to feel anything for them, it just means you're kept at a distance. I would almost describe it as looking through a window into someone else's life, we can see what's happening but the glass is keeping us out.

Ozu keeps us at a distance purposefully, and because of that we are able to see the whole picture. The thing I like about Ozu's films the most is how he is able to make us identify with each character, there is no black and white bad guy in his films. We feel for the elderly couple's situation, but on another level we don't blame the children for their decisions, they are all human in Ozu's eyes. The one person who speaks for both generations is Noriko. Near the end of the film, the one person who gave the couple any compassion can't help but feel that some day she will turn selfish, and unkind herself.

As I was reading the screenplay to "Tokyo Story", the introduction by Donald Richie he states that "Ozu restricted himself to elegiac theme: the dissolution of the Japanese family." This is why most of his films are considered to be very similar, he wasn't repeating himself, it was just that the theme remained consistent. The tragedy of "Tokyo Story" is a simple one and that from the beginning of the film we know the happiness this family had has changed through the distance between them, and by the end when another change occurs, their is an even bigger gap separating them. But being the philosophical film maker he is, Ozu looks upon this change as inevitable as the passage of time. Nothing can be changed, it is the way of things, and the fact that we look upon it with sadness is a beautiful thing, and reminds us that we are human.

Two Sides to Every Story

Ever since Edward G. Robinson cried those immortal words "Is this the end of Rico", American movies have been in love with the gangster. But in a genre that has now given us films like "The Godfather", "Goodfellas", and shows like "The Sopranos", how much is there left to tell us. I think "American Gangster" tries to tread new territory but it turns into the same old story we are used to.

Denzel Washington stars as real life gangster Frank Lucas, a man who controlled the criminal underworld of Harlem all through the Vietnam war. His main source of income was from smuggling drugs out of Vietnam and onto the streets of Harlem, how he does that is ingenious and is no wonder he wasn't caught sooner. But the man on Lucas' tail is a tough honest cop named Richie Roberts (Russel Crowe). Richie may be a good cop but we find out he's a screw up with everything else. Throughout the film Richie is shown as someone who can't hold a relationship together, he's constantly having casual sex all the while trying to battle his ex-wife over custody of their son. He is alienated by fellow policemen for not accepting bribes, and is criticized for hanging out with old school friends who have become criminals. What redeems Richie is he's honest.

Meanwhile Frank is a cold-blooded murderer, but he's a man who loves his family, particularly his mother and wife. He's a man who has it all together and has no problem with what he's doing. We see a stark contrast between the two men as Frank is shown having thanksgiving dinner with his family in his large mansion, while Richie is alone in his apartment having a turkey and potato chip sandwich, obviously in this world it doesn't pay to be honest, but it does to be a criminal.

These two characters are very compelling, in fact I think they are too compelling, sometimes I wish they had their own separate movies so we could learn more about them. Richie seems to be the most interesting character simply because he seems to be the one trapped the most by his own flaws. Lucas just seems to be living the "Scarface" high life until (as gangster convention has taught us) his kingdom comes to an end.

Even though I thought Richie's story was more interesting, I felt that this really should've been Frank's show all the way. The life of a black gangster's rise to power is rarely seen in films and it could've stood on its own as a great movie, but some energy is missing in these scenes, I felt I didn't really understand what makes Frank's world different from that of Tony Montana's, but perhaps the point is there isn't much of a difference.

The film itself is very entertaining with two of our greatest leading men showing you why they are so great. We also get great support from Cuba Gooding Jr. as one of Frank's rivals, Josh Brolin as a corrupt cop, and Ruby Dee as Frank's mother. Director Ridley Scott keeps the story going for the most part and gives us a lot of exciting scenes that make us look up and pay attention. Perhaps the one scene that gave me a glimmer of hope that this movie was to be great was when Frank is seen sitting in a cafe with his brothers, then suddenly he sees a man who owes him money on the street. Frank comes out of the cafe and shoots the man point blank in the head in front of dozens of witnesses, and calmly sits back down to eat. It's probably the best example of Frank's power in the city, and I only wish there was more of that.

In the end "American Gangster" never ceases to entertain, but it's really telling us nothing we didn't know before.

3 stars out of 4

What Ozu means to me

There have been a few artists who have had a profound effect on me, profound in the sense that their ideas or their words have helped mold me into the human being I am today. A few of those names include Charles Dickens, Bob Dylan, William Shakespeare, and Groucho Marx. Being a film buff I'm sure I could add many film makers to this list, but Yasujiro Ozu is the one who has impacted me the greatest.

It was about two years ago when I first heard Ozu's name, before then the only other man I associated Japanese cinema with was Kurosawa. I was shuffling through Roger Ebert's Great Movies list as I do on occasion, and on this particular day I came upon the title "Tokyo Story". As I was reading the review, the plot intrigued me (it was later that I found out that plot in an Ozu film is virtually non-existent). It was the story of an elderly couple who travel to Tokyo to visit their children for what will probably be the last time. The idea of it struck me as so simple yet so ingenious. I set out to find "Tokyo Story" and find it I did.

At first viewing I didn't know what to think, it was definitely a movie I was not used to, it was almost as if the whole style put me off guard. I was waiting for a big emotional payoff at the end of the film and it never happened. But the film kept nagging me, I knew there was something more to it, so it wasn't soon later that I watched it again, and then again. What I picked up more and more were the subtle nuances in the film, I payed more attention to the dialogue and started to think about what was not being said rather than what was. I started asking questions about certain shots Ozu made. As many Ozu admirers know, his camera mostly remained stationary and his favorite placement was always three feet off the floor which was the average height of a person sitting on a tatami mat. It was this style I fell in love with, what a beautiful and unique way to shoot a film, this way made it easy to observe the characters without being distracted. We are kept at a distance, always looking in, never interfering with the action going on. When I noticed the moments Ozu did move his camera it was usually to stay with a character, like if they were walking down a street or riding their bicycle down the road, it seemed he was doing it out of necessity so the characters don't go out of frame. However by "Tokyo Twilight", his tracking shots became non-existent.

It became clear to me that the characters were the most important in his films which is probably why I've grown to love them so much. His characters all seem so real, they are never glamorized for the sake of plot or theme, they are motivated by their reality. When I first saw his masterpiece "Tokyo Twilight", I was amazed at how realistic his characters were to me, they were so real that I thought Ozu was taking people out of my own life and putting them in his film, but this couldn't have been since it was made over fifty years ago. I don't remember ever being caught up with every major character in a film and sympathizing or at least empathizing with their situation.

Since first viewing "Tokyo Story" which seemed like another lifetime ago, I have watched nine other Ozu films, all of the ones that are available (I think) in North America (with the exception of "Good Morning), I have read Donald Richie's book "Ozu" which discusses in great detail, the film maker's process from writing the script to the editing of the film. Perhaps it's a bit obsessive of me, but it's all very fascinating. I suppose I could compare it to falling in love for the first time, or falling in love all over again. His style sticks with you, and if you care to get into it, it's a very satisfying feeling one gets after watching his films. Each and every one of them have become personal favorites of mine, and if I'm ever feeling low, I sometimes get the impulse to watch one of his films. They put me at ease, I think it's because his films remind me what it's like being human, and I suddenly don't feel alone in the world, and when you can feel that way every time, that's when you know you're in the hands of a master.

Baby Blues

If you look back at our recent film history, you'll find some of the best crime dramas out there have been set in Boston. Two films that automatically spring to mind are Scorcese's "The Departed" and Eastwood's "Mystic River. There is something very special and seedy in the mean streets of Boston, but I think "Gone Baby Gone", Ben Affleck's directorial debut is the most authentic in showing us just what those streets are like.

"Gone Baby Gone" is based on the book by Dennis Lehane, the same man who penned "Mystic River", it involves a kidnapping case of a young girl. The police are now in the third day of investigation without much to go on. The girl's Aunt (Amy Madigan) decides to find some outside help. Enter our complex hero Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck in who is superb) a young private investigator who has connections with the criminal elite in Boston. Patrick along with his significant other (Michelle Monaghan) are brought in to help with the situation. The police chief in charge (Morgan Freeman) is apprehensive about the whole thing, but thanks to Patrick's inside contacts, he's able to get information quicker than the cops. But Patrick has to report back to the police with whatever he finds. The leading investigators are played by Ed Harris and John Ashton. Through the investigation we learn that the girl's mother (Amy Ryan) was not a saint. She was a drug runner for one of the local dealers. When we find out the mother stole from this dealer, he becomes the main suspect.

To give away more about the plot would be a sin, for as with all good crime stories all is not what is seems to be. The film reminded me a lot of "Mystic River" no doubt since they are both Lehane's stories. The theme of child abuse runs deep, and a question is raised near the end of the film that you will no doubt ponder after the credits role by. I couldn't help but think that this movie was good mainly because of the source material.

I don't want to cut Affleck the director short, he also co-wrote the screenplay and reminds us that yes Matt Damon wasn't the only one who wrote "Good Will Hunting". I think the dialogue is the best contribution Ben gives to the film. It's tough and authentic, particularly in an early scene with Casey and Michelle in a bar interviewing witnesses. It stands alone as one of the best acting and dialogue scenes I've seen all year and reminded me of the tough talk between De Niro or Keitel in "Mean Streets". That scene alone is worth the price of admission.

The performances here are all stellar. This is definitely turning into the year of Casey Affleck as he makes his young detective into a tough, honorable, and charming hero. After learning that Dennis Lehane has made a series of books with Patrick Kenzie, I hope Affleck returns in a number of sequels. Other stars like Monaghan, Freeman, and Harris do solid jobs as usual and it was great to see Amy Madigan kicking around as the only family member who seems to really care about the missing child.

But the scene stealer here is Amy Ryan as the completely unsympathetic mother. As soon as we think we can get in her side, Ryan pulls the wool from our eyes to show us she's putting on an act.

All that being said, a slight thing was nagging me that stopped me from really liking this film. Despite the perfections of the dialogue and the performances, Affleck's direction seemed a bit self conscious. There are many scenes that seemed to drag and I wanted Affleck to show us rather than tell us. The narration done by Patrick seemed out of place and was unnecessary. I couldn't help but think that Affleck put it there because he was more confident with the dialogue than with the direction. But a lot of it I think is Affleck trying to find his voice, with as many bad scenes there are just as many good ones, and there are even a couple of spectacular ones, so I am recommending this film, it's a good starting block for someone who I think will have a great career behind the camera.

3 stars out of 4