Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds (2009)

After countless months of hype, Quentin Tarantino's latest film, Inglourious Basterds has finally been released. Much was made of his promise at last year's Cannes that Inglourious Basterds would be finished in time for this year's edition of the illustrious film festival. Many film critics and insiders scoffed at Tarantino's bold claim, as a movie this epic would surely suffer from the rushed production schedule. Aside from the rather unfortunate Death Proof, Tarantino's record has been flawless. With his most ambitious film yet being rushed through production, can it stay that way? The short answer is yes. Absolutely. Unquestionably.

Set during World War II, Inglourious Basterds tells several seemingly unrelated stories, which in true Tarantino fashion, eventually intertwine and build towards a truly explosive climax. One story, which has been promoted heavily in the trailers, follows the aforementioned basterds, a group of Jewish-American soldiers dropped behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied France to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing as many Nazis as possible. They are led by Lt. Aldo Raine, portrayed with a wonderfully bizarre hillbilly accent by Brad Pitt. From the trailers and TV spots, one might presume that the film is all about their gruesome exploits as they stomp around the French countryside, wreaking havoc on any Nazis that cross their path. While the film does have its share of horrific violence, nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to the majority of Inglourious Basterds. In fact, the basterds only occupy perhaps a third of the film's running time, the remainder of which is dominated by two opposing figures. Destined to be remembered as one of the great screen villains is Nazi Col. Hans Landa, nicknamed "The Jew Hunter" for his uncanny ability to sniff out hiding Jews throughout France. Landa is played by veteran Austrian actor Christoph Waltz and his performance is riveting. Then there is Shosanna, a young French-Jewish woman who, having escaped Landa's clutches, opens a cinema in Paris, where she soon begins to plot her revenge. Played by the relatively unknown French actress Melanie Laurent, Shosanna forms the heart of the film and it is she whom the audience can most identify with over the course of the film. As the individual plot lines all begin to converge, we are treated to one of the single most satisfying endings in recent film history, with the basterds, Shosanna, Col. Landa, and the Third Reich's high command all getting in on the action.

I've touched briefly on some of the performances in Inglourious Basterds, but the uniformly excellent acting throughout the film really warrants its very own discussion. Much has been made of Christoph Waltz's performance as Col. Hans Landa and each bit of praise is well-deserved for what is undoubtedly one of the great villainous turns in recent memory. Waltz creates a rich character who is far from the usual Nazi caricature. He is funny, charming, and polite one minute and cruel and frightening the next, and Waltz's innumerable facial expressions in particular help to create his charming monster of a character. Waltz was awarded the best actor prize at Cannes and I fully expect an Oscar nomination and possibly a win for his role as the gleefully brilliant "Jew Hunter". Similarly, Melanie Laurent's turn as Shosanna is another fantastic performance by a relatively unknown performer. Laurent at once captures the vulnerability, determination, and tragic existence of Shosanna and I can only hope that American audiences will see more of both of these very capable actors in the near future. Tarantino's insistence on casting a Frenchwoman to play a Frenchwoman, an Austrian to play a German (close enough) and so on, was a very welcome change after so many mediocre and unconvincing attempts by Americans at playing foreign-speaking roles (Tom Cruise as a Nazi anyone?).

With Shosanna's storyline serving as the heart of the film and the most gravely serious, and while Col. Landa provides his fair share of chuckles, the funniest role in the film is played by our very own American movie star, Brad Pitt. With Lt. Aldo Raine (an obvious nod to actor Aldo Ray), a.k.a. Aldo the Apache, Pitt has a ball, spouting hilarious one-liners in his indescribable hillbilly accent. He manages to be both funny and threatening and although he provides the lion's share of the film's comedy (which is surprisingly plentiful), he is also a bloodthirsty cold-hearted bastard. Or is it basterd? Pitt long ago came to be one of my favorites due to his versatility and taste in projects and Aldo the Apache is another feather in the actor's quite full cap. The rest of the basterds are little more than periphery supporting characters, save for Sergeants Donnie Donowitz and Hugo Stiglitz, riotously played by Eli Roth and Til Schweiger, respectively. I was quite dubious of Roth as an actor prior to his role as "The Bear Jew", but he really knocks it out of the park. It's plain to see that Roth is having a blast as he bashes and shoots every Nazi in sight. As for Sgt. Hugo Stiglitz, Schweiger provides some of the biggest laughs in the film while also portraying the most intimidating and serious of the basterds. Both characters could easily warrant their own films, as could Pitt's Aldo Raine and Michael Fassbender's suave Archie Hicox, who completely owns what is perhaps the film's best scene. As a matter of fact, one could make an argument for nearly every character in the film having their own movie, so richly written and portrayed are the characters of Inglourious Basterds. It is a testament to Tarantino's utterly spellbinding writing and the amazing cast that my only real complaint is wanting more time with the many characters that fill the movie's two and a half hour run time. This is easily the best ensemble performance of the year, a feat I highly doubt will be surpassed in the months to come.

Even with all of the amazing performances, Quentin Tarantino is the true star of Inglourious Basterds. This is a sprawling, epic period-piece, a genre that no one would associate with Tarantino, the master of hit men and diner discussions. Not any more. Tarantino effortlessly juggles the several different story lines, delivered in chapter form reminiscent of Pulp Fiction, while also jumping from English to French to German and back more times than one can count. His trademark dialogue is more restrained than ever before, with not a single word wasted, and the result is a wonderfully tight screenplay that goes places no one would ever expect. True to form, much of Inglourious Basterds is taken up by conversations, with the mayhem and murder relegated to a supporting role in favor of Tarantino's pitch-perfect dialogue. Of special note is a twenty-minute tavern scene which begins as a simple conversation and evolves into much, much more. As with every Tarantino film, Inglourious Basterds is nearly perfect in a technical sense. The cinematography is beautiful, with many shots recalling Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns of the past. Speaking of Leone, legendary composer Ennio Morricone even supplied the score for the film, and although it isn't original due to the time constraints involved, the music fits the film perfectly, providing a haunting and beautiful accompaniment to the actions on-screen.

Although it is a WWII epic, Inglourious Basterds also serves as Tarantino's love letter to the world of cinema. The unforgettable climax takes place in a theatre and Tarantino manages to weave several film discussions into the screenplay, as well as an ingenious reference to King Kong. Indeed, one of the most pivotal moments of the entire film is caused by the effect that movies can have on us, but to say anymore regarding that scene would be criminal. Inglourious Basterds has a little bit of everything and one would be best served to see it with no expectations. This is not a personal men-on-a-mission action film, nor is it a standard World War II epic. Instead Tarantino has created his very own monster of a war movie, a film bearing his unique stamp. A film that no other director would ever be crazy enough to try and duplicate. While Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction spawned a slew of countless imitations, I doubt that will be the case this time around. Just as with those films, Tarantino has managed to create something wholly original, all while borrowing from the best of past genre classics. The only difference is that this is a World War II movie, and it is only Tarantino's unique artistic vision and nearly unmatched directorial skill that allows him to so greatly succeed with such a bizarre mishmash of concepts and ideas. Inglourious Basterds is a towering achievement that stands beside Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown as the best work Quentin Tarantino has ever done. A nearly perfect film and easily the most fun I've had at the cinema this year. Bravo Mr. Tarantino. 5 out of 5 stars.

Neill Blomkamp's District 9 (2009)

Science fiction tends to come in two distinct flavors -- the quiet, speculative, often mind-bending variety, such as 2001, Moon, and even Alien, and the much louder, effects-filled epics replete with the necessary levels of lasers and carnage. If you are wondering which category District 9 falls into, let me just say that there are a lot of lasers, and a lot, I mean a lot, of carnage. The film's excellent marketing campaign managed to keep people in the dark regarding the true nature of the plot of District 9 and I will attempt to do this same during the course of this review. This is a film that should be seen with as little prior knowledge as possible, as the impact of certain events is an experience one won't want to be cheated out of beforehand.

The first act of District 9 is comprised entirely of pseudo-documentary footage as we are introduced to an alternate reality where, in the late 1970s, a huge hulking and decrepit alien ship appeared hovering over Johannesburg, South Africa. The aliens, all two million of them, are promptly deposited in "District 9", a huge, guarded slum where they live in squalor. Tension is high among the human population, and most humans employ the derogatory term "prawn" when speaking of the aliens. The parallels to apartheid are quite obvious, yet the sheer originality of Blomkamp's vision produces a rather poignant look at the racism and discrimination that still dominates many areas of the globe. A private security firm, MNU, which specializes in weapons research, is brought in to manage "District 9". It's not hard to see why MNU would be interested, as the alien species possesses the most advanced weaponry on the planet. Once the stage has been properly set, we are introduced to Wikus van der Merwe (played by newcomer Sharlto Copley), an MNU field operative assigned with the task of the heading an operation to relocate the nearly 2 million aliens to a new "District 10" camp located 200 miles from Johannesburg. To say any more would be to spoil the many twists and turns of Blomkamp's screenplay. I was thrilled at the direction the film eventually takes -- the less one knows, the better.

Along with the great premise, there are two main reasons why District 9 succeeds so well, and yes, the film as a whole is a rousing success, and certainly the best science fiction film since Children of Men. The first, and in my mind, most important, is the central performance by Sharlto Copley. It's a great performance until you realize that Copley has never acted before ... ever. What was at first a great performance is all of a sudden a sensational turn, the excellence of which holds the film together throughout. The character of Wikus van der Merwe is no hero, but instead a very flawed individual who continually operates only in his self-interest, and yet the audience is still able to identify with, and root for Wikus despite his obvious character defects. This is a testament to the power of Copley's performance and it really does hold the entire film together.

The most discussed aspect of District 9 will no doubt be the action and special effects. I honestly have no clue how Neill Blomkamp and Peter Jackson were able to make this film for the reported $30 million as it honestly looks as though it cost four times that amount. Michael Bay, take note. The alien effects are totally believable and as they are immediately thrust in front of the audience, they soon come to be just another part of the background. The audience accepts the aliens as aliens, when in fact we know they are just CGI. They aren't even there to begin with. However, the excellent creature design and spot-on CGI allows the audience to suspend their disbelief and really immerse themselves in the events and actions that follow. And when the action finally does start, it does not disappoint. The alien technology gives Blomkamp license to create some awe-inspiring action sequences, complete with armored mechs and exploding bodies. Yes, this is definitely not a film for the kiddies. The second half of the film definitely has a much different tone than the first, as guns and explosions take precedent over back story and character development. Whether one view this as a positive or a negative is entirely up to the viewer. Personally, I didn't have a problem with the eruption of violence and gore, but I'm sure some will wish the film had a less violent and conventional conclusion.

Neill Blomkamp has made a rather remarkable film in District 9. With Sharlto Copley delivering one of the year's stand-out performances, a bevy of excellent and believable special effects, and an original and well-executed premise, I have no problem calling District 9 one of the best films of the year. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker (2009)

This is a movie that will blow you away. Yes, that was an awful pun, but it's also true. The Hurt Locker is a masterpiece and one of the greatest war films ever made. As bold as it initially may seem, I have no problem making that statement. This film will go down in history with Platoon, Apocalypse Now, The Thin Red Line, and a few others as absolute classics of the genre. Kathryn Bigelow has long been an accomplished and respected action director, the rare woman in a genre dominated by men, and she has proven again and again that she can deliver as much or more than the rest of Hollywood. Now with The Hurt Locker, Bigelow has raised the bar considerably.

The Hurt Locker follows the daily grind of a three-man bomb-disposal team in Iraq sometime in 2004. Jeremy Renner, in a star-making performance if there ever was one, stars as Staff Sergeant William James, a brilliant but reckless bomb disposal technician whose convention-defying tactics are a constant source of exasperation for Sergeant JT Sanborn, played by the excellent Anthony Mackie, and Specialist Owen Eldridge, portrayed with a great mix of bravado and vulnerability by Brian Geraghty. Astute film goers may recognize Renner, and perhaps even Mackie, but make no mistake, these are three relatively unknown leads and the film's rough realistic approach benefits greatly from the lack of star power. I have long been a fan of Jeremy Renner, particularly his work in The Assassination of Jesse James and 28 Weeks Later, and in some ways he builds on his persona from the latter film while also introducing a great deal of humanity to the role. This is a man who is so good at what he does, so confident in his skills in these terrifying life-threatening situations, that he doesn't bother to think of his teammates at all, instead focusing everything he has on the explosive task at hand. As you may imagine, this doesn't go over too well with his new teammates, and the constant battles between Renner and Mackie are just as intense as any explosion or gunfight. Speaking of Anthony Mackie, he delivers a performance to match that of Renner, crafting an extremely believable portrait of a man living and working on the edge, and fighting every day to get himself and his team through to the end of the day. Both performances are truly remarkable and completely deserving of Oscar nominations, although I fear they may be lost in the shuffle when awards season rolls around. There is also a trio of excellent cameos by Guy Pierce, Ralph Fiennes, and David Morse, with each actor creating a lasting impression in his brief amount of screen time.

Unlike many of the more famous war films, The Hurt Locker is a relatively small picture. There are no operatic sweeping shots of epic battles. In fact, there really aren't any epic battles at all. Bigelow is more concerned with the stories of the men on the ground and the toll such a job takes on the men who put their lives in danger on a daily basis. As such, Bigelow smartly focuses on the way the three primary characters feel and interact with each other, both on and off the battlefield. This is the heart of the story, as the film would collapse under its own weight with a trio of less capable leads. Each morning when the team goes out on another bomb call, we are shown the amount of days left in the current deployment. This serves as a sort of deadly and exhausting reminder that, even with the successful diffusion of another bomb, there are still plenty of days and chances left to die in the desert sun.

The bomb disposal scenes themselves are astoundingly tense. The film is filled with several unbelievable set-pieces which find James, Sanborn, and Eldridge in the middle of a barren Iraqi street, the two men nervously scanning the many windows and alleyways as James attempts to disarm enough explosives to level a city block. The variety and execution of these scenes is nothing short of a triumph and, with the exception of one amazing slow motion shot, the film is a toned-down affair compared to some of Bigelow's past work (Point Break -- I'm looking at you). This down-and-dirty, realistic approach extends to the film's camera work, which captures the look and feel almost of a documentary, as the sandy brown streets and hot sun-bleached sky make you feel like you are right there, risking your life alongside James and Sanborn.

It should also be noted that, although The Hurt Locker is an Iraq War film, it never once politicizes the war. Instead, Bigelow opts to keep her opinion of the war to herself, instead simply showing the men (there are barely any women among the cast) on both sides doing what they need to do and what they believe is right. The film never renders an opinion, never unnecessarily vilifies the insurgents, and never devolves into flag-waving glorification. The Hurt Locker simply shows the sweat, blood, and tears that every man experiences on the battlefield. Kathryn Bigelow, with considerable help from the amazing cast, has crafted an action-filled war film that is in essence a character study. There are no deep questions to ponder, no political agenda to decipher, there is just a simple story of three men, living and working together, all while trying to stay alive to work another day. Bigelow's more than capable direction, perhaps the two best performances of the year, and some of the most riveting action scenes ever filmed all add up to make The Hurt Locker the best film of 2009 so far. This is a perfect movie. 5 out of 5 stars.

Judd Apatow's Funny People (2009)

Chances are if you've watched a comedy from the past five years, Judd Apatow had a hand in it. The man has been everywhere. Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Superbad, Step Brothers, Pineapple Express ... the list goes on and on. What many people don't realize however, is that Funny People is only Apatow's third time sitting in the director's chair. In 2005, he released The 40 Year Old Virgin. 2007 gave us Knocked up. Now, two years later, Apatow has unleashed his most mature and intelligent film yet, filled with genuine drama to go with the dozens of dick jokes. Funny People tells the story of George Simmons (Adam Sandler like you've never seen him before), a hugely successful comedian who parlayed his fame into a career of crappy dumb comedies and a mansion on the water in Malibu. The ever-present Seth Rogen plays the much less successful Ira, a struggling stand-up comedian who worships Simmons and is thrilled when he gets the chance to be his personal assistant. George has been diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia and the prognosis is not good. With Ira in tow, he hits the stand-up circuit again, with an eye on recapturing his old flame, the proverbial one-that-got-away, played by the wonderful Leslie Mann. What follows is the story of two men's often difficult relationship with each other and one's man's quest to resurrect the dead relationship of his past.

Sound like a comedy yet? And while Apatow's script deals with some very serious issues, some of which are unexplored territory in the comedy genre, his preternatural ability to strike the perfect balance between plot and comedy ensures that Funny People never turns into a corny rom-com. These are very real, very flawed people, and many of the funniest bits come from the several stand-up scenes scattered throughout the film. Apatow has stated that he always tries to begin with a good story first and add the comedy second. With Funny People, Apatow has created a near-perfect marriage of drama and comedy as he sets a very serious story in the world of comedians and comics. Now that's not to say that one should go into the theater expecting a high-brow comedy like Fargo or The Royal Tenenbaums. This is a movie starring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen, after all. Funny People is filled to the brim with cursing and bathroom humor, just as all of Apatow's films are, and while it may not be quite as hilarious as The 40 Year Old Virgin or Knocked Up, Funny People definitely represents the maturation, and thus-far culmination, of Apatow's considerable talents as a filmmaker.

Along with another excellent script from Apatow, the real story of Funny People is the staggeringly good cast, with seemingly everyone in Hollywood stopping by for a scene or two. Adam Sandler is absolutely excellent as the depressed and lonely George. From that description you might think that Sandler plays him as a one-note character, content to paint his downcast attitude in broad, easy strokes. Instead, this is perhaps the best performance of Sandler's career, and certainly the most effective. Sandler doesn't try and mine the character for pity and sympathy, instead crafting a believable portrait of a self-centered, rather unpleasant millionaire comedian who the audience still manages to identify and empathize with. Rogen, I must say, is still playing a variation of his typical everyman protagonist role, but for some reason, I find his work in this film to be a step up from his roles in the past. There is just more depth here, and like Sandler, Rogen is able to craft a flawed and believable character that audiences won't feel like they've seen a thousand times before. Rogen has been playing these characters for a while now, and the role suits him well. Both Sandler and Rogen are hysterically funny at times, with some of the films' best moments coming during Rogen's stand-up scenes. Jason Schwartzman and Jonah Hill also do great work as Ira's more succesful roommates and Eric Bana shows off his long dormant comedy skills as the wandering husband of Leslie Mann's character. Mann is just great in the role, and Apatow films her in a way only a loving husband could, with every shot lovingly lingering on his admittedly beautiful wife. Apatow's two adorable daughters also return from Knocked Up, and their chemistry with Mann is an obvious and welcome addition. The film is also littered with celebrity cameos with everyone from Norm MacDonald to Ray Romano to a very funny Eminem making an appearance. The comedy zones of Hollywood are fully explored over the course of Funny People's running time, and the audience is better off for it.

With Funny People, Judd Apatow has crafted his warmest and most intelligent film yet, filled with great performances from a fine cast, a heartfelt story you actually care about, and more penis jokes than you can shake a ... stick at. With each of his three films, Apatow has demonstrated a more refined and mature approach and Funny People is the crowning achievement of his career. With Funny People he has shown himself to be a true filmmaker. 4.5 out of 5 stars.