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The Two Faces of January (2014)
The Two Faces of January: a return to Hitchcock.
'The Two Faces of January' is Written and directed by Hossein Amini and based on the Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name. What 'Drive' scribe Hossein Amini gives us with his directorial début is a suspenseful trill ride very much in the vein of Hitchcock films including a 60's setting and European locations much like 'To Catch A Thief.' Starring the incredibly talented and underrated Viggo Mortenson, up and comer Oscar Isaac and the lovely Kirsten Dunst; this is a film to check out.
A couple of scam artists (Mortenson and Dunst) are in Greece on a romantic getaway. While visiting the Parthenon they become acquainted with a tour guide (Isaac) who also dabbles in the art of scamming. Unfortunately the couple accidentally kills a private detective who is trying to extort them and must get new identities and go on the run. They are able to do so with the aide of the tour guide but this is a world where there a consequences for every action and paranoia around each corner.
Much like many of the films of Alfred Hitchcock 'The Two Faces of January' features characters that are very flawed and not always likable. Mortenson's character is scamming investors, Dunst is enjoying the wealth from said scams while also using her sexuality to get help from Oscar Isaac's character who is stealing money from his customers...and yet somehow even with their despicable character traits you can't help but feel for each of these characters and hope that they succeed. There's also a sense of Greek myth and tragedy in the film and why not, it is set in Greece!
Hossein Amini takes various influences from Hitchcock films with a Bernard Herrmann like score by Alberto Inglesias and several scenes that would very much fit in a film by the master of suspense. The film also has gorgeous cinematography by Marcel Zyskind who also takes several notes from Hitchcock films and the fact that this film was shot digitally and I thought it was film is quite remarkable (I usually have no trouble telling film and digital apart) but the Arri Alexa has really been bridging the gap recently. With great art direction and costume design not only is it a tightly plotted suspense thriller but also a visually stunning film.
Hossein Amini has crafted a great film with tonnes of excitement and suspense but most importantly consequences, characters and 'set up' which a lot of films (especially blockbusters) haven't been doing lately or if they have they haven't been doing it well... From it's 60's setting to it's Bernard Herrmann like score and ethically ambiguous characters, Hossein Amini's directorial début is a film I believe Alfred Hitchcock himself would be pretty damn proud of.
Valhalla Rising (2009)
A visceral and hallucinatory trip filled with intention, meditation and also pretension.
The first time I watched Valhalla Rising I had rather mixed feelings about it, on one side it was fantastically crafted and every single frame was chosen with intention, on the other side I was tired, rather detached from it and had no patience for it's languid pacing...my second time around I was in the right space of mind and now I think it's quite fantastic! This is a film that is in no way meant for everyone; it is brutal, experimental and at times hallucinatory with meditations on faith, religion, nature and and an underlying inevitability regarding the ramifications of violence. Nicholas Winding Refn is a fascinating director with an auteur's vision that can be both a benefit and flaw. Here he explores the dark madness of human nature in a visceral manner with a lack dialogue and plot but with a focus on meditation which achieves what it intends to but will not connect with or engage viewers looking for accessible entertainment. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, the score incredibly haunting and the editing hallucinatory. Mads Mikkelsen's performance is revelatory and the kid is quite good too; the rest of the cast is solid. The script is bare-boned but full of metaphor and subtext that produces haunting imagery and compositions that you will remember. Now, it must sound like I think this movie is a masterpiece but...I don't. It is a well crafted movie but far from perfecting, failing to connect at times and not entirely being coherent. But, I now understand it, have huge respect for it and think it is a really good movie that I still believe I have to watch again before I can fully grasp a consensus. For now it is eight stars but with another sitting I believe I could give it more.
Labor Day (2013)
Forget the silly plot and get swept away by an emotional experience.
Labor Day is a fantastic emotional experience with great direction from Reitman who manages to lift a melodramatic source into a film of beauty. Easily Reitman's most mature work (though not his best) unfortunately people will be too turned off by the plot that they won't give the movie the chance it deserves. Fantastic performances from Brolin and Winslet and newcomer Gattlin Griffith. Great score and gorgeous cinematography; this film is beautifully crafted. Easily one of my favorites of 2013 and one I hope people embrace even with some of the silliness of the plot. Great film. It also makes me really hungry for some chili and peach pie!