Reviews

What's remarkable about "Luther" is how series creator Neil Cross takes a rag-tag bag of clichés--brilliant but damaged rogue cop, long-suffering boss, genius killer, etc.--and makes it all seem so fresh. Of course, having the fantastic Idris Elba helps immeasurably. He doesn't just act the part of Luther; he is Luther, fully inhabiting the role and moving like a force of nature through every scene. This is one of those rare times where you see an actor's innate intelligence and physicality used perfectly. (Watching Luther decompensate, as he does at various times over the story arc, is really something to see.) Elba is matched every step of the way by Ruth Wilson, playing a sort of female Hannibal Lector--brilliant, amoral, remorseless, scary, and, I daresay, sexy. She and Elba make quite a pair, and their interplay is priceless.

Finally, it's worth noting that this series, while ostensibly a cop show, has its own look and feel. It plays more like a beautifully filmed, weird morality play. (Cross makes the point that Luther believes in only two things, life and love, though the viewer will quickly see that, despite his damaged psyche and emotional baggage, he also ultimately believes in himself.) Some may think that it's just insane, far-fetched, and way over the top. (which it sometimes is if you look closely and cynically). But I think that it exudes a unique vibe. Take a look at the impressionistic opening credits with Massive Attack on the soundtrack, and you'll know right up front that this is something special.

There are few perfect things in life, but this is one of them--a busted Showtime Network TV pilot so misguided, stupid, and terrible, that it is perfect, perfectly wrong in every way. TV director Paris Barclay ("The West Wing") and James DeMonaco (scripter of the boring remake of the classic "Assault on Precinct 13") take you inside (you can almost imagine that typed in upper case in the script) the Hate Crimes Unit of the NYPD, one of those TV police departments that employs every stereotype you can imagine--the newbie gay guy, the bigoted cracker, the angry Latina, the sad-sack Asian-American, the elegant African-American... Oh yes, as the Chief, Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden shows up looking like she's impatiently waiting for the results of some medical test--or for her paycheck to clear. And back home, she has the stereotypical high-school-age son hooked on drugs.

The pilot is perfectly structured with an idiot main plot on top of an idiot B plot. In the main plot, the Unit investigates the slaying of gays who have had their spinal cords scooped out with a broken whiskey bottle or something. Yep, that's right. Spines ripped out. Zejelko Ivanek, recognizable from "Homicide: Life on the Street" and countless other shows, even shows up as a pathologist to prattle on about how much force it takes to pull out a spine. Yep, that's right. It's a lot of force. In the B plot, two detectives investigate dog-feces swastikas on the sidewalk in front of a synagogue. Yep, that right. Dog-feces swastikas.

Every character here takes it in turn to stand around, grinding the meager action to a halt, with either silly voiceovers of his or her thoughts ("thoughtovers"?) or long-winded, badly written polemics on prejudice,intolerance, or how bad cheese curls are for you. Yep, that's right. Evil cheese curls.

Eventually this travesty, filmed in a murky and blurry pseudo-"CSI" style with Toronto masquerading once again as New York, comes to an end. And the viewer is left to ponder just how this thing looked good enough on paper to get the green light for a filmed pilot, but more importantly, how one hour of TV can perfectly manage to offend every race, creed, ethnicity, and orientation that it depicts, without exception, without failure. You'll hate "Hate" as a pilot but love it as entertainment. Some things are so perfectly awful, that they are just that.

Luc Besson, who must be the busiest man in the industry, seems to have singlehandedly put France on the map as purveyor of well-made action films. And that's not surprising since his team understands that a gazillion bucks, CGI, and wire work aren't always needed to make an entertaining film. This one is no exception: straightforward and to the point, with an economy of direction and truly excellent, old school stuntwork. I think that it's superior to the bigger budget stuff coming out of the Besson factory. In the end, it's a fast and furious entertainment with charismatic leads and is sure to tickle the hearts--and action bones--of jaded action film fans.

Two things of note about this raggedy, mostly-Canadian sci-fi series called "Starhunter": First, this series must have set some kind of record for production companies, the credits for which play out for something nearing five minutes: Danforth Studios/Le Sabre/Alliance-Atlantis/TMN/Super Channel in association with Space and bunch of others... It's actually quite amusing when you see this show to think that a dozen production companies each chipped in what looks like about $(CDN)1,000 for any one threadbare episode.

Second, Tanya Allen as Percy is absolutely wonderful and makes the show eminently watchable. On paper, her part looks like the clichéd "space brat," right down to the gum-cracking, but Ms. Allen (also excellent in the Canadian classic "The Newsroom") invests the role with so much wit and so many sharp character bits that she becomes the best companion Doctor Who never had. Here for once is a character you can truly believe is that young, cute, and smart. And that studied kind of nonchalance that she effects is as adorable as it is endearing. She blows everyone else off the screen by just standing or slouching around that it makes you long for her to turn up starring in her own Percy series of space adventures. She's that good!

In the 1970's and early 1980's we had mad-slasher films, and for lack of a better term, slasher-beast films, such as "Arthropophagus" and "Humongous." This film could easily have been made back then, except that it's very well made, looking much better than the films that it replicates. Director Smith, obviously a horror fan, gives his film the most primitive of plots--woman stuck in underground tunnels with beast--but imbues things with enough jump shocks and gross-outs to satisfy even this jaded horror fan. Of special note is the truly exceptional sound design and score. This film is much scarier simply because so much care was taken in mixing the tracks for maximum nerve-jangling effect. All-in-all, not a world-beater by anybody's definition, but a cool, fun little film.

This is the classic existential thriller from the 1980's, brilliant in every way. Rutger Hauer plays a character personifying pure evil. This is a difficult task, prone to over-the-top theatrics, but not once does Rutger fail. He's one of the greatest movie villains ever. Just listen to his wonderful monologue about cigarettes in the opening minutes, and you will know what I mean. Mark Isham's score is perfect, John Seale's cinematography places you in a hell-on-earth, thanks to screenwriter Eric Red's spectacular vision, and Robert Harmon's beautiful economy-of-direction ratchets up the suspense to an unbearable level. What an extraordinary film this is!

"High Tension" is clearly intended as a cheery throwback to those halcyon days circa 1980 when you could see "Driller Killer," "Maniac," and "Nightmare" back-to-back in a center city grindhouse where the house lights never went up, only one seat in the place didn't reek of urine and sweat, and the poor teenage usher and concession stand worker huddled together in the lobby under a bare light bulb to avoid being knifed to death by some crazed street person. Of course, this film, while being just about the most violent film in recent memory, is French, somewhat arty, and extremely well made, certainly at odds with the subject matter of its homage. If a straight-ahead slasher film throwback with no self-reflective winking to the audience is your thing, then this will be your thing too. Otherwise, it just is what it is: well-made exploitation fare, right down to the silly, slap-your-head-and-say-"doh" final twist, just like back in the day.

OK, she's got those great big, brown expressive eyes, the huge cache of symmetrical auburn tresses, that exotic profile, and the kickin' figure. (Did I mention that she's of Albanian ancestry?) She's Eliza Dushku, and c'mon now, admit it--you'd willing spend five weeks locked in a room, forced to survive on gas station vending machine crackers just to spend five minutes with the only true goddess on this earth this side of Jennifer Connelly. So even if "Wrong Turn" is just another routine, competently made homage to a much, much better 1970's horror film, your life will not be complete unless you've seen it. Go now and give meaning to your sad existence...

"Adderly" is not of the caliber of "Twin Peaks" or "24," but it is a sharply written, clever little show that will appeal to anyone stuck in a menial job. Winston Reckert plays off his aging-pretty-boy-looks well, and Dixie Settle is a nice romantic foil. All in all, this is memorable Canadian series.

OK, what's to say about this underappreciated masterpiece of a sitcom that hasn't already been said? Ed O'Neill IS Al Bundy in a way that most of us aren't even ourselves in our own lives. The series wore out its welcome long before its end, but its prime years were incredible. I enjoy my life so much more knowing that I could be Al Bundy, but I'm not!

"Duet," a unique little sitcom dealing with the ups-and-downs of love and courtship on a date-by-date basis, benefited from some sharp writing and likable leads, especially Ms. Keller, who never achieved success commensurate with her talent. I wholeheartedly agree that someone, anyone, should rerun this or put it out on a DVD. (The less said about the spin-off "Open House," the better.) It would take a hard heart indeed not to be captivated by this buried treasure.

Even with an hour hacked out by the studio, this film has it all: the last of the great Wilder/Diamond collaborations, terrific acting, beautiful location filming, and one of the most haunting movie soundtracks ever, featuring Miklos Rozsa's Violin Concerto. Not merely a nudge-nudge-wink-wink pastiche, this melancholy film pays homage to the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle source material while taking it to even greater emotional depths. And if that rip-out-your-heart-and-tramp-on-it ending doesn't get to you, nothing ever will. This is one of the great forgotten films of the 1970's, a perfect mixture of mood, character, and wit. The DVD, replicating the old laser disc's extras, is an absolute joy for any serious cineaste.

Not much need be added to the raves here: Avati's film is an absolute masterpiece of style, mood, and the kind of dread that will keep you awake at night. With this and "Zeder," it's fun to sit back and enjoy being manipulated by a true world-class filmmaker. Yes, this is a slow-moving film for the impatient. But if your jaw doesn't drop on the floor at least once in the last fifteen minutes, and you don't look over your shoulder the next time you are out alone after dark, well then, there's no hope for you! Make sure no one spoils this one for you--it's that special.

Warren Oates, playing a seedy lounge lizard pianist, takes up a Mexican land baron's reward offer to retrieve the head of the man who raped the baron's daughter and discovers that existentialism, redemption--and grave robbing--are part of the process. This truly amazing film, with an incredible performance by Oates, was completely trashed in its day, misunderstood by simple-minded fools. But 30 years later, I think that time has proven that it's a masterpiece, a rare glimpse of hell on earth from one of the greatest directors in the history of world cinema. You may be appalled, but you can't look away from Sam's vision-a stunning film.

"Targets," the superb first film by director Peter Bogdanovich, is as timely today as it was 35 years ago, maybe even more so. Lost to time because of the tragic events of 1968, this spare meditation on violence will mesmerize and challenge you, whatever your views are on guns. And in building to its unforgettable, moving conclusion, it contains probably the best use of parallel plots that coalesce that you'll ever see. It's been almost four decades, and "Targets" is still forgotten to all but serious film buffs, but it remains one of the great buried treasures of 1960's cinema.

Most folks have already enthusiastically praised "Witchfinder General" as a masterpiece, so I have little to add in agreement. It truly is a great film because it is about important ideas--a deep, dark, existential look into the worst of the human condition. John Coquillon's cinematography is about as good as it gets, and Michael Reeves's direction is superb. But what really sets this apart is Vincent Price's performance. It is easy to overplay villainy, lapsing into parody, but Price is so calm and unaffected here that he is the very essence of pure evil incarnate, an evil corruptly justified by misguided ideals. This is a powerful film, not only relevant as a historical depiction, but also as a morality play for events in the world today. It may be cliche to say, but you'll think about "Witchfinder General" for as long as you think about movies.

Most casual film viewers will find Monte Hellman's "The Shooting" to be slow, boring, and pretentious. But serious fans of cinema will be amazed at how terrific this existential morality play really is. Hellman's version of the old West is at once depressing and beautiful, and the rickety production values on display actually enhance the atmosphere. And of course, who can forget that inscrutable ending with echoes to the Zapruder film? This is fascinating stuff for the patient, thoughtful film student.

Monte Hellman's "Ride in the Whirlwind," while not quite as good as his masterpiece, "The Shooting," is still an endlessly fascinating meditation on the old West. Hellman's Westerns are almost antithetical Westerns since they stress allegory and atmosphere over character and plotting. Not for every taste, this film has a lot to admire, not the least of which is Jack Nicholson's fine script and performance.

This film will be discussed, dissected, and debated forever. It exists in a parallel universe that you will never want to spend much time in. It transcends any type of normal film criticism because it is one of those rare films that a viewing of it isn't about whether it is a relatively "good" or "bad" film. It is an experience: shocking, disturbing, depressing, perhaps enlightening, but above all, unforgettable. I don't know what hell is like, but I'm pretty sure that parts of this film are as close as I want to get to it.

I sincerely believe that repeated viewings of David Lynch's "Eraserhead" will cause permanent brain damage. It's one of the few movies I've ever seen that should be accompanied by serious warnings. I may have a few mental health issues here and there, but Mr. Lynch, while obviously a genius, is also deeply disturbed, so deeply disturbed, that I could spend every waking moment the rest of my life trying to come up with images like Lynch's and not even approach five seconds of this film. If you are strong of heart, see it once and then stop. Please, I'm begging you!

The thing that strikes me the most about Geroge A. Romero's apocalyptic thrillers is that they are so darned believable. Think about it. If the dead somehow became reanimated, wouldn't the resulting mayhem be "Dawn of the Dead"? And if people went mad because of some government biological weapon gone astray, wouldn't it be just like in "The Crazies"? This is a terrific Romero film, right up there with "Dawn of the Dead," "Night of the Living Dead," and "Martin."

With this retelling of "Carmilla," Hammer had its last masterpiece. Just about everything in this film is pitch-perfect. It's exciting, colorful, beautifully paced, and really quite erotic, even three decades later. In a lot of ways, it's a transitional horror film--bridging the past Hammer gothics with the more mature thrillers of this generation. Every serious student of cinema, even those who don't like horror films, needs to take a look at least a few Hammer Films. For the shortest possible "must see" list, I'd recommend "Horror of Dracula," "The Devil Rides Out," "Quatermass and the Pit," and this lovely film.

Of all the many films in the longstanding Hammer Frankenstein series, after "The Curse of Frankenstein," I like this one the best. It has a classic, almost mythic, structure of the lover who sacrifices himself to preserve the virtue of his beloved and a good deal of existential discussion about human nature. But beyond the heavy academics of its plot, Peter Cushing is truly great here. He's completely sympathetic, intelligent, and witty as a man struggling outside society's version of morality. Some people criticize Terence Fisher as a director who--apart from "Dracula" and "The Devil Rides Out"--had a static and slow-paced directorial style. They're completely wrong. Fisher was a master of the medium, a genius of composition whose films demonstrate so much intelligence. I miss the 1960's, Fisher, and Hammer Films.

If you really think about it, "ATHF" subscribes to the classic sitcom format, just like "Seinfeld." There's the brains of the outfit, Frylock (Jerry), the selfish jerk, Master Shake (George), and the eccentric goofball, Meatwad (Kramer). But what sets this show up there in the pantheon of great cartoons is the one-of-a-kind, surreal, stream-of-consciousness dialogue. Take a look at the "Dumber Dolls" episode with the incomparable David Cross as the most depressed talking doll ever. And his counterpart, Jiggle Billy, a dancing hillbilly doll has a musket, moonshine, and nightvision goggles. There's the classic comedy writing technique of the "three's"--with night vision goggles! That makes me chuckle just writing it. Or the hilariously obscure pop culture references, e.g., "Tangerine Dream" and the Atari 2600... The smarter you are, the funnier this show is.

Anyway, there's the theory behind it, but trust me, you don't have to analyze it to get it. This is a spectacularly flat-out, fall-down, laugh-out-loud funny show. It's simply amazing.

This is an inspired show, written with loving care by guys who must obviously be stark raving lunatics, as well as dyed-in-the-wool cartoon buffs. Where else can you see Fred Flintstone as Tony Soprano or Shaggy and Scooby getting busted for drugs? What I think makes it truly hilarious are all the small, inside touches. (In the episode where Boo Boo Bear is the Unabomber, look for the "Fatal Attraction" reference.) The legal procedure and courtroom scenes are fairly realistic too, and Gary Cole's voice work (probably a winking take-off on his prosecutor in the movie "The Gift") as Harvey is spot-on, adding to the fun. It's a terrific show.