Ben-162 Reviews

American Beauty (1999)

What happened? We used to be pals...

[10/10 · 1 March 2000]

If there was any doubt that Kevin Spacey is the finest character actor of his generation, then American Beauty is the film that dispels it. My fear is that he will not be rewarded with an Oscar, a movie that so viciously attacks family and everything that America holds dear is unlikely to hold favour with the academy. Spacey's performance is yet another in a canon of "career-bests" and for the first time, as well as displaying his wonderful dramatic skills, his performance shows his capability for impeccable comic timing, for while the film is dark and brutal, the tremendous dialogue bristles with humour. Spacey's performance while exquisite, is not the best or most suprising aspect of this movie. Annette Bening, my experience of whom being limited to the rather dissapointing Mars Attacks, shows herself to be an actress of considerable range and talent - but in danger because of this of becoming steriotyped into neurotic, career minded characters. American Beauty will never be completely forgotten because it has the ability, as do all good films, to leave something that will linger forever. The 'plastic bag' scene is one of these moments - being funny, then ridiculous, then poignant and deeply affecting. Thats the moment the critics will remember. What will stick with the rest of us are the scenes where the dialogue crackles with wit and panache, scenes which come along all the time. Revelations (like kids that can act ) add to the feeling of intense satisfaction that a film can come so close to the beauty it describes. The irony lies in the title. The beauty it promises is delivered, but is at the same time exactly what the film is attacking, tearing apart what lies at the centre of America. It dessecates what lies on the surface of perfection, and in delving deeper, into the "deep filling" of the American Pie it uncovers the reality, one that is both reaffirming and brutally cynical.

Gandhi (1982)

A brilliant portrait of a remarkable man.

[29 January 2000]

Gandhi, because of it subject matter, and the large production values, became considered as one of the major British films (most successful for awards, anyway) of the decade. Its subject is of an Indian spiritual leader, almost forgotten by modern Western youth culture, who not only preached a more sophisticated and forceful vision of the pacifist ethic than ever 'flowered' in the 60s, but used to help liberate his country and change its political history. This is the sweep, the epic sweep, of Gandhi - and it delivers. Featuring some inspired, if historically inaccurate (such as the refugees flowing past one another), images Attenborough strikes a chord which, in many British people at least, offers a poiniant and startling contrast to the glory days of Empire. Featuring the whos who of British acting, the cast is uniformly terrific - with Kingsley's most powerful performance of his impressive career. It does however strike me as ironic that the greatest freedom fighter against British colonialism and imperialism is played by a British actor - hardly a fitting epitaph to a man who made it his life's work to reduce British influence in his life and country. Apart from this (personal) niggle, Gandhi is a truly epic and breathtaking film of the best kind - a film who's altruistic motives and lingering images are not lessened by the blatant self congratulation of the Oscars.

The Big Lebowski (1998)

I was talking about my rug...

[10/10 · 26 January 2000]

I'm going to be daring. I shall court with controversy. I have a terrible feeling that I will not escape with my artistic integrity (such as it is) intact. The Big Lebowski is the Coens finest achievement. There. I've said it - and will now wait for the inevitable aftermath. But Why?

The Lebowski is, and always will be, a sublimely irrelivent film of the most absurd and brilliant kind. It allows a perfectly cast Bridges, with a similarly brilliant Goodman, to expose the characters in full. The Dude, one of the most enduring and sypathetic characters in film history, becomes involved with a series of events that lead him to the dark under world (strangly enough, for a guy who just wants his rug) of the porn industry. This quest for the rug is aided and (mostly) abeited by Walter in a series of intermingled story lines that are started, concluded, but mostly just forgotten about by the Dude in the Coen's superlative writing.

The Dudes goals, as with the films pretentions, are modest enough: All the Dude ever wanted was his rug back, and the Coens simply show that life, is life - involving both "strikes and gutters."

A special mention has to be made for John Tuttorro, the explosive Jesus (with a record) who, in a few minutes of screen time makes an impression comparable to Brando in Apocalypse Now(almost). Combined with the brilliant music, beautiful cinematography and the Weirdest acid flashbacks you've ever seen, this films a winner. Did I mention it really tied the room together?

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Prepare to be disturbed

[10/10 · 1 January 2000]

The Blair Witch is one of those rare occurances in cinema which manage to be much more than the sum of its parts. A low budget film, shot by the actors on less-than-a-shoe-string managed to be one (after The Phantom Menace) of the most talked about films of the year. This film is not flawless, however. The arguments, although adding to the believability of the characters, do tend to grate after the first hour. The loosing of the map incident seemed a very unlikely occurence considering the circumstances. The main flaw however has to be the fact that filming is not a natural human response to extreme psycological trauma, and, although the film would be lacking somewhat if during moments of terror the camera was shut off, it would make more sense. The ending it a major example of this which verges on the unbeleivable, even if one beleives that it is a way for the characters to psycologically distance themselves from their reality.

However, on the whole, the good points outweigh the bad. The level of emmersion is unsurpassed - there has seldom been a film that (figurativly speaking, of course) skewers you, puts you in its mouth, chews thoughtfully and finally spits you out as well as this one - leaving you only with haunting images that stay with you for weeks, and the silent promise not to go camping again. It deftly sidesteps the ironical slasher movie formula, and delivers its message not through flashy script or "cheap" shock tactics, but by getting inside your head and whispering; and by giving you icons and symbols (such as the wood itself - which it taken as a symbol life, and then stripped of it (like the children themselves) - no birds sing, no leaves grow.

The Blair Witch is a fantastic movie, but, the fact that it is more disturbing than scary, means that the audience has to be able to let the Blair Witch work its voodoo without putting the brain onto automatic and expecting to be entertained; you are, unfortunatly (although it is a rarity in modern Cinema) required to watch it on a deeper level.

Johns (1996)

An Enjoyable Yarn

[24 November 1999]

For a film with such a controversial subject, Silver handles it with supreme maturity. Although twinges of sentimentality do exist (the brilliantly played 'angel') this adds to, rather than subtracts from, the powerful nature of the drama. And it is powerful. The characters, although some only ever reach the cardboard, two dimensional stage, are enjoyably refreshing - both Arquette and Haas give very good performances. My only real criticsm is the tension of the pick ups is overplayed - too many are either dangerous or violent (although I am unable to comment on the normal state of people in pick-up districts) and as such, by the end of the film a feeling of over tension seems to have been reached.

Apart from this, a well rounded and genuinely enjoyable film. Recommended.

Stand by Me (1986)

A low budget Gem

[24 November 1999]

How can a film that so perfectly transcends time and place be described? A film, that without budget, cast or a particualy engaging premice allows the audience a very tangable and personal rememberance. A film that allows the audience to be there - in the true sense of the word. It is the level of engagement that this film brings that makes it truly special - we really do care about the characters, and every childhood setback or adventure has more power than an entire alien invasion, or the earths destruction or even the story of another young boy on a planet far, far away.

Stand By Me is one of those rare, low budget gems - low pretentions with high results - and becomes one of the most poinant and moving films in years.