Get Smart.

Classic television fans rejoice, here is probably the best example of the recent Hollywood flirtation with remaking old TV shows. Licking the heels of recent revisits of Starsky and Hutch, The Dukes of Hazzard, Bewitched, Miami Vice, Lost in Space, and many others, Get Smart successfully breathes new life into the 40 year old franchise with remarkable style, wit, technical excellence, and above all, spot-on casting.

And you have to start there, with the actors that recaptured the magic of these classic Mel Brooks creations. Steve Carell is pitch perfect as a bumbling, oblivious, bookish Maxwell Smart that still manages to complete his mission in spite of himself. But the writers and Carell find new depth in the decidedly shallow character from the show and make him into a competently intelligent, if anal-retentive analyst type that’s been thrown into field work when he really wasn’t ready for it. He knows how all the gadgets operate, he understands the basic idea of spywork and occasionally even knows what hunches to follow, although his coordiation and physical prowess are grossly mismatched for his assignment. Anne Hathaway is beautiful, sophisticated, and charismatic as Agent 99, a perfect modernization of the original Barbara Feldon performance. Alan Arkin really nails The Chief too, but again creates a more nuanced character than the perpetually irritated Chief that Ed Platt played in the original series. Here Arkin plays The Chief as more of a nostalgic, fatherly figure that tries to find reasons to trust Smart instead of rolling his eyes at every antic. David Koechner is very funny as Larabee and Patrick Warburton (David Puddy from “Seinfeld”) is about as perfect an actor as you can find for the stone-faced Hymie the android agent. We even get great, small performances by James Caan as the President and Bill Murray as a pigeonholed agent that is assigned surveillance duty in a tree hollow. The only performances I didn’t quite agree with were Terence Stamp as Siegfried and Ken Davitian as Shtarker, who play their characters a little too seriously and a little too straight in my opinion.

But playing it straight is the name of the game when it comes to the screenplay, and it’s a good choice, I think. The campiness of the original show is lifted, and in its place a halfway plausible plotline involving the production of nuclear (or “nuckular” as President Caan “Bush”es) weapons in a soviet bakery, which provides for a very funny yellowcake uranium / yellow birthday cake sight gag. The story spoofs a typical Bond plot and takes 86 and 99 on a globe-trotting escapade from one hairy situation to the next, including spygame touchstones like the infiltration of a black-tie ballroom dance, navigating the invisible laserbeam field, espionage at a seedy Russian watering hole through a very funny extended urinal joke, the obligatory ejection from a plane without a parachute, a hilariously convoluted highway chase, and the attempted bombing of a Presidential function in Los Angeles with a preposterous detonation trigger that requires Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” to be played to completion by the orchestra.

The humor effectively punctuates the action, with lots of great revisits of the classic Smart lines like “Missed it by that much!”, “Ah, the old (….) trick”, and of course, “Sorry about that, Chief.” The writers ingeniously find believable ways to get Smart and 99 into one goofy but harrowing situation after another, and the result is a sublimely comedic romp through the spygame genre that tips its hat to its conventions as much as it skewers them.

Special effects, stuntwork, gunplay, and camerawork are all in great form, and give the film a classy, Grade-A feel. The classic soundtrack is revisted and updated, along with tight incidental music that simultaneously heightens the tension while winking its eye at how ridiculous those incidents are. You really walk away from the film believing that the crew gave the film an honest effort and respected the material probably more than it deserves. The film looks and sounds about as good as you’d expect a straight entry in the Bond series to look, and I think it works well to drive home the premise that Smart is really a bumbling but endearing character that’s caught in a situation that’s more dangerous and serious than he probably realizes.

So overall, it’s a remarkable achievement that grows the franchise beyond its original incarnation. In just about every aspect, it’s made better, smarter, more stylish, more nuanced, and funnier. Yet it’s accessible to new fans; the only thing they’re going to miss out on are the little in-jokes and one-liner references to the original show. Considering how great the original series was, it’s quite an accomplishment.

The Dark Knight.

Simply put, The Dark Knight is as realistic a vision of a comic book as I’ve ever seen. It contains scenes and developments are at times a little far-fetched, but as much as it is possible to believe in a comic book story set in real life, this would be it.

The breakthrough in this film is Heath Ledger’s Joker, so let’s just start there. Never before have I seen a performance of a comic book character that was as nuanced, studied, detailed, spontaneous, natural, and disturbing. It’s astounding how Ledger can evoke such quirkiness and invention in the character while maintaining a consistent delivery of madness. He’s constantly fidgeting around or finding something goofy to do with his face or his voice, yet there’s a poetry to his vocal delivery that’s amusing and frightening simultaneously. The writers also gave more than an honest effort into crafting motivation and characterization for the Joker, turning him into an agent of chaos and a true “wild card” in every sense. He has a tortured past that may either be true or simply an obscene farce on which to blame his insanity. He has no grand vision or scheme, he simply wants to throw a monkey wrench in the works and see what happens. Everything is an interesting game or a cruel joke to him. He’s perpetually coming up with little morality tests and devious puzzles for his victims to hash out, and there’s no great outcome to them beyond the ensuing chaos and mayhem; he’s an anarchist and terrorist in the truest sense of the word. He has a great scene with Batman, seated across an interrogation table in the police station where he rationalizes his behavior, and it’s an unblinking, honest, realistic look into the mind of a madman who’s insanity is so complete, it is an end unto itself. Yet Ledger’s Joker is not simply insane, he’s also a keen observer of human behavior, and perhaps understands the evil nature of man better than do his opponents on the other side of the law. To call the Joker’s character in this film a work of art is a gross understatement, and Ledger is deserving of a posthumous Oscar for this revelation of a performance.

There are lots of great performances in the film, but the other one of note is Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne. He hits every note perfectly as the solitary hero, masking his identity as Batman with another mask of a pompus, patronizing, arrogant billionaire playboy that makes a grand entrance at every turn and indulges himself selfishly in privileged behavior. Yet behind his mask as the billionare asshole and the mask as the mysterious, solitary crimefighter, the true Bruce Wayne is a lonely soul with no one but Alfred to talk to. His obsession with Rachel Dawes that he clings to like a crutch is another interesting dimension to his character. His struggle with the morality of not doing the just thing, but doing what needs to be done and having to live with the consequences, makes him a troubled, sometimes reluctant hero; heavy is the head that wears the cowl. During the course of the film, he comes face to face with the realization that his actions in Gotham have created a new kind of villain, one that simply delights in being evil and chaotic. In the same interrogation room scene, The Joker mutters pedantically to Batman, “You complete me”, and while it sounds lame on paper, in the appropriate context it has an air of eery logic. However, if there’s a weak part to his performance, I think it’s Batman’s voice. He seems a little too growl-y and forced at times, and the effect gets a little tiring at times.

As I mentioned earlier, there are great performances surrounding the two leads. Michael Caine is a patient, nurturing, but clever Alfred Pennyworth, the best we’ve had yet. Aaron Eckhart is ambitious, charming, and geniune as Harvey Dent, a richly detailed character who will one day become Harvey Two Face. Gary Oldman’s Commissioner Gordon is a quiet, brilliant performance that does not upstage but sneaks its way into your conscience as the film progresses and has a powerful scene near the end of the film when his family hangs in the balance of cruelty and chance. Maggie Gyllenhal is a good replacement for Katie Holmes as a more average, plainly attractive love interest between Dent and Wayne who doesn’t draw attention to herself. Morgan Freeman is dependable yet unobtrusive as Lucius Fox, a great choice there.

These characters inhabit a story that’s very much a modern tragedy. There’s a fair amount of busyness to the plot with threads involving money distribution to organized crime and an overly ambitious criminal accountant from China as well as Dent’s and Gordon’s crusade to end it, but it really is background noise to the real plot that’s more concerned with the morality of Batman. The film explores in extraordinary depth the plight of a vigilante hero in a city that cannot be adequately policed by lawful means. Through the Joker’s treacherous dealings, Batman’s very existence causes death and anguish every day, yet if Batman turns himself in, things will be even worse off. Chaos even cruelly intrudes into Wayne’s personal life,and Alfred wisely counsels “You spat in the face of every criminal in Gotham City. What did you expect to happen?” At the end of the film, a difficult choice is made and a sickening realization is reached, and plot wraps up elegantly with Batman fleeing into the night. It is for all intents and purposes a microcosm of the tragedy of Batman and a city in the throes of corruption.

The excellence in casting, acting, and writing is complemented by a high-class production that’s light on CGI and heavy on real, old-fashioned stuntwork. We get a white-knuckle car chase that lasts just the right length of time, stunning pyrotechnics, vertigo-inducing leaps and bat gliding, satisfying fist fights, and wild gunplay. The soundtrack is brooding, dark, and beautiful. My only complaint is the cinematography gets a little showy at times. There’s lots of dizzying 360-degree Brian DePalma type shots that seem superfluous, and it tends to dwell on the cityscape shots a bit too long.

But all in all, it’s a great film and handily the best comic book movie yet. With a thoughtful and reverential plot, brilliant casting, relevatory performances, and top-notch technical greatness, it rises above the source material to the level of high art and master craft. I highly recommend it.

Indy 4.

Indy’s back, and he’s mostly in great form. My biggest complaint about the film is, while it’s basically more of the same as are all of the Indy movies, the fact that they waited this long to make part 4 made me want this to be a big blowout comeback movie, and it really isn’t.

One of the things that I respected the most about the movie is production design that gives this the look and feel of the previous three so that it stands shoulder-to-shoulder. Aside from the stepped up special effects, this movie looks like something that came out of the 80’s (or maybe more appropriately, from the pages of Amazing Stories). Everything from the color choices to the lighting to the over-the-top punching sound effects to the camera angles to the ubiquitous red line connecting the dots on the map really drives it home as a worthy addition to the series and a kindred film production in almost every regard.

The set designs this time around were particularly engrossing… There’s lots of crawling through cobweb-encrusted passages, hidden levers, lightning strikes illuminating a midnight raid of a gravesite, torches that cast a wild glow in the eyes of the adventurers as they uncover the treasure, and of course chambers filled with dusty artifacts. As usual, it’s just more of the same but little motifs like these are the nuts and bolts of what make up the consistent greatness of the Indiana Jones series.

Another motif that returns in great form is the action sequences, which are just one darn thing after another. Aside from a poor misstep early in the film involving a nuclear test site and a trip in a refridgerator, the action sequences are real dazzlers. We get a tip of the fedora to Last Crusade with a visceral motorcycle chase scene where Indy is the reluctant passenger this time around, and dizzying car chases along a precarious cliff in the jungle that includes an unbelievable swordfight atop moving cars as well as a laughable vine swinging sequence through the jungle that feels like it was lifted right out of an adventure comic book from the 50’s. Along the way is the dry sand pit trap, man-eating fireants, lots of burly Russians that never seem to fall, and too many narrow escapes to count.

But what really drives the movie home is the man, Harrison Ford. When we finally get to see him in the Fedora, leather jacket, bullwhip at the side, artifact bag slung over his shoulder, and week-old scruff, it’s the first great taste of what we’ve been missing these past 20 years, and it’s oh so good. The dry one-liners are back in great form, the stunts are as good as they’ve ever been, and the no-nonsense performance by Ford again turns the character into the film’s fulcrum for the action instead of the sole focus. We also get some great performances by Shia LeBeouf as the plucky sidekick and Kate Blanchett as the Russian femme fatale with an over-the-top accent and sword as her preferred weapon. Karen Allen makes a return as Marion Ravenwood in a very serviceable but ultimately uninteresting performance. Even John Hurt is along for the ride as the wise old professor that’s been brainwashed by supernatural forces and delivers a good performance with what limited material he’s given.

The only negative points I can count are the nuclear test site scene that really falls flat and seems out of place, and a bit of a letdown at the very end. The grand revealing of the mystery isn’t very satisfying, especially after the rollercoaster ride that led up to it.

Overall, it’s definitely worthy of the legacy. It’s one of the weaker films but in my opinion they are all so close in quality that I can’t call it disappointing. It’s big cheesy fun just like you were hoping for.

Argentinian steaks.

Argentinian beef is some good shit, gaddamn… If you’re in South Beach any time soon, you owe it to yourself to try Rancho Argentino on Washington Ave. Say hi to Salvo if he’s there, he’s an awesome waiter.

Miami isn't a bad place to visit.

I’m in South Beach for a conference on Millikin’s dime. It’s not a bad place to visit, I recommend it if you get the chance. The weather is fantastic for the middle of February.. it was around 4 degrees when we left on Sunday and it’s in the low 70’s now with a slight breeze.

The streets go on forever, lined with beach fashion stores, little knick-knack shops, body piercing places, and tiny restaurants. Most of the shops seems to be mostly deserted with a couple proprietors leaning back in chairs hugging the back wall. There are lots of little pizza places with formica tables and roundbar chairs, a surprising number of chinese and italian places, some sushi bars, three Irish Pubs so far with that same edgy/bulbous font on the signs that you see at every Irish pub, and an Argentinian goucho steakhouse that I’ll probably checking out tomorrow. People seem to stay out all night and nothing closes much before 11 at night.

All the hotels have that white stone block art deco look with 50’s font styling on the signs and palm trees swaying out front. Kinda makes me think of Grim Fandango for some reason.

Cloverfield.

My headache is almost subsided, and I’m left with a greater appreciation for Cloverfield than I had while I was watching it. The reports are true, if you try to concentrate too hard on the screen you’ll end up with a headache in the least, and possibly motion sickness if you’re weak stomached. The camerawork is dizzying, disorienting, and hectic. Of course it makes sense in context, but it does make for a hard film to watch. If you can hack it for the 85 minutes though, I highly recommend seeing it on the big screen; this is a unique film experience.

The biggest impression I came away from the film with is the amount of sheer technical skill and craft with which the film was put together. Everything looks and sounds so real, from the unearthly roars in the distance to the deafening thuds of the monster’s footsteps, to the crack of military rifle fire and pounding of tank blasts, to the sight of the Statue of Liberty head bowling down the street. To say it’s a visceral experience is to not give the effects justice. A disaster has never been filmed so chaotically or effectively.

Of course the story takes a back seat to the mayhem, but we are treated to some very convincing acting and characterization. The film begins with a going away party for one of the principles, where the camera makes its way around the room to tape the various friends giving their farewells. It’s a pretty ingenious setup that has amazing sponteneity and authenticism that really draws you in. A fake home movie is hard to pull off without making it seem, well, fake… but the director really accomplishes it here. I’m reminded of the short cinematic masterstroke in Death Sentence, released earlier this year, that had similar home movie footage montaged over the credits. When the chaos ensues during the party, we tag along with a small group of friends on a fairly linear adventure that takes us through a bewildering flight to safety, sickening discovery that someone is still left behind, a harrowing attack in the subway tunnels by some of the most disturbing creatures I’ve seen in the movies, and an extremely ill-advised rescue in a toppled building. The list of principle characters is kept short but sharply drawn and acted, the dialog sparse but totally authentic, and the plot simple but engaging.

There’s an awful lot happening onscreen all the time, and you could easily watch the movie repeatedly and pick up new little nuances each time, but all the plot points really necessary are showed or implied obviously enough. You’re not going to gain any profound realizations or insight by watching this movie, it is an experience I liken more to a rollercoaster ride or a fireworks display. The biggest appreciation I have for Cloverfield is it really is something new that hasn’t been tried before (The Blair Witch Project is sort of along the same lines but the sheer scale and production values of this movie daunt anything that even remotely compares to it) and it succeeds in what it sets out to do: to make a convincing spectator-level monster movie. For those reasons alone it’s an experience that lives up to the hype and should not be missed.