Don’t Beware Clooney’s “Ides of March”

The Ides of March (2011) is a savvy political drama with some razor sharp performances. George Clooney (who also directed) stars as Mike Morris, the Governor of Pennsylvania, who’s competing against Arkansas Senator Ted Pullman for the Democratic Presidential nomination. His campaign managers, Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling), seem to be making all the right moves. Morris appears to be a candidate with good sense and integrity. Both campaigns are trying to get the endorsement of North Carolina Senator Franklin Thompson, who controls 356 convention delegates, which could help secure the nomination.

Pullman’s campaign manager, Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti), calls Meyers and asks him to come to a private meeting. Against his better judgment, Meyers attends. What follows is a series of political games, deceit and schemes; that simple meeting sets a series of events in motion that can’t be stopped. As the story moves forward, we get a behind the scenes look at the wheeling & dealing that goes on behind the scenes of the campaign. As he begins an affair with an intern, Meyers learns there is more to the candidate he admires than he first thought.

Gosling is very good as Meyers, the idealistic young man who believes in the system (and his candidate), but may lose that belief by the end of the story. Giamatti and Hoffman are excellent as the opposing campaign managers, who are like two prizefighters circling the ring, or maybe two con men looking to see who’s best at the game. Clooney is very effective as Morris, using his star power & charisma to great advantage in the role. The fine supporting cast includes Jeffrey Wright as Senator Thompson, Marisa Tomei as a reporter covering the campaign, and Evan Rachel Wood as the intern with whom Meyers has an affair.

The well-written screenplay, based on the play Farragut North by Beau Willimon, is by Grant Heslov, Willimon & director-star Clooney. This is a smart, expertly directed political film. It holds up a mirror to the process we use to elect our officials, and the people we choose to run for office. The reflection we see may be a little cloudy, but it makes for an interesting, informative drama. The Ides of March is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

Drive: A Stylish, Pulsating Thriller Races To The Finish Line

Drive (2011) is an action film that re-energizes its’ genre, and at the same time pays homage to its roots. Ryan Gosling stars as a movie stunt driver, who does side work as a wheelman for small-time heists. He has very specific rules about what he will and won’t do when he operates as a getaway driver. He lives a quiet life, mostly keeping to himself, and working as a mechanic with his mentor, Shannon (played by Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad), who also arranges his jobs. Things start to change when he meets Irene (Carey Mulligan), a neighbor who’s raising her young son while her husband is in prison. The two form a bond, and we start to see the human being beneath the hard shell the Driver has built around himself. Their scenes together are some of the best in the film.

Irene’s husband is released from prison early, and returns home. When the Driver (he’s never named in the film) attempts to help him execute a small heist to pay off some crooks he got involved with in prison, things spiral out of control. From then on, it’s a race against time as the villains are out to get the Driver, and are hunting down Irene & her son. The Driver must step outside the confines of his normal existence, and try to help them survive the threat his actions helped create. He's a man who has scruples, despite the nature of his work.

The style of the film recalls movies like Point Blank (1967), Bullitt (1968) and To Live & Die in L.A. (1985). The Tarantino-esque violence creates a contrast with the cool, neo-noir look of the film. This is a world that can erupt into brutality at any time, where even making the right choice has consequences. Gosling’s character recalls such iconic antiheroes as Steve McQueen’s Bullitt and Clint Eastwood’s The Man With No Name; loners with their own moral code who say little, but allow their actions to speak for themselves. The film is based on the novella by James Sallis; the taut, effective screenplay is by Hossein Amini. Director Nicolas Winding Refn combines elements of samurai movies, film noir, and classic action films with a truly modern sensibility. The stunning cinematography is by Newton Thomas Sigel, who also worked on The Usual Suspects (1995) and the first two X-Men films.

The mix of cinematic style, haunting music (score by Cliff Martinez, and some well chosen songs, including "A Real Hero" by College, featuring Electric Youth) and excellent performances unite to create an action movie with an existentialist feel. There are quiet moments of real emotion and character amid the car chases and violent action. A perfect example is the understated scene where Standard, Irene's husband, talks about how the couple met. The entire cast is fantastic, with Ron Perlman (Sons Of Anarchy) & Albert Brooks, in a far cry from his usually comedic roles, in good form as the villains. Gosling is excellent as The Driver, and Mulligan is luminous as Irene. This is an action movie with a very human story at its center. Drive is one of the best movies of 2011. Highly recommended.

Covers Gallery III

A third collection of covers, remakes & assorted re-inventions. Feel free to post comments or your own suggestions below.

1. The First Cut Is The Deepest by Rod Stewart from A Night on the Town. Rod covers the Cat Stevens classic; one of the best tracks from this era (1976) of his career.

2. Jimmy Loves Maryann by Josie Cotton. Cotton puts a New Wave, modern rock spin on the Looking Glass hit from the 70s, on her album From The Hip.

3. Positively 4^th Street by Simply Red from Home. Excellent cover of the Bob Dylan tune, with wonderful vocals by lead singer Mick Hucknall.

4. Refugee by Melissa Etheridge from Greatest Hits: The Road Less Traveled. Slowed down, emotion-packed version of the Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers classic, well-performed by rocker Etheridge.

5. This Land Is Your Land  by Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings from Naturally. The Woody Guthrie anthem gets a little soul, courtesy of Brooklyn’s own queen (and kings) of funk. This version was used in the opening credits of the film Up In The Air.

6. A Hard Day’s Night by Ella Fitzgerald. The one and only Ella swings The Beatles. A live cut featured on Ella in Hamburg.

7. Hard To Handle by The Black Crowes. Chris Robinson and his band mates rock the groove on this Otis Redding song; from their debut album, Shake Your Moneymaker.

8. Raspberry Beret by Hindu Love Gods. The late, great Warren Zevon and R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, Bill Berry & Peter Buck rock out on this version of the Prince tune, from Hindu Love Gods.

8. Billie Jean by Chris Cornell from Carry On. Another re-invention of a Michael Jackson classic, this time by the former Soundgarden frontman.

9. Istanbul by They Might Be Giants from Flood. TMBG energetically re-do The Four Lads tune from the 50’s.

10. You Can’t Hurry Love by Phil Collins from Hello, I Must be Going. Before recording an entire album’s worth of Motown covers in 2010, Collins released this cover of The Supremes hit back in 1982.

11. Smells Like Teen Spirit by Tori Amos from Little Earthquakes. Tori takes Nirvana’s grunge anthem and performs it in her own unique style.

12. Time After Time by Eva Cassidy from Time After Time. The late singer’s beautiful version of the Cyndi Lauper song was released in 2000.

13. Life on Mars? by Seu Jorge from The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou soundtrack. Brazilian singer Jorge performs the David Bowie song (as well as several other Bowie classics) for Wes Anderson’s 2004 film. Jorge also played the role of Pelé dos Santos in the film.

The Force Is With Charles Ross

How many of us get to do work we really love, and have fun doing it? Charles Ross does. He's the creator of the show One Man Star Wars Trilogy, which he performed Friday night at Fairfield University's Regina Quick Center. It's a funny, inspired 75 minute ride through the original films (Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi) with Ross performing all the roles, doing sound effects, and even both sides of the battle scenes. He has an endless supply of energy, running around the stage, changing voices & characters at the drop of a hat, doing sections of the musical score, and occasionally interjecting some additional comments and humor into the proceedings. And he does it all without any sets, costumes, props or co-stars.

It's clearly a labor of love for Ross, a Canadian born actor who's been touring with the show for 10 years. Ross drove from Canada to California to visit George Lucas, and get his permission to do the show. After an off the cuff performance of the trash compactor scene from Star Wars, Lucas gave his blessing. Ross has done the show on four continents, and in 180 cities, including Dubai. If you grew up watching the original trilogy, or became a fan over the years due to the countless re-releases of the films on video or in theaters, you'll really enjoy his affectionate (and hilarious) take on the saga.

It's a unique, funny, and amazing experience. You truly have to appreciate his inventiveness, energy and sense of humor. The show is part genius, part spoof & part fanboy appreciation, but it all comes from Ross's love of these movies. The audience at the Quick Center was roaring with laughter & applauding constantly, and so was I. By the way, Ross also does a One Man Lord of the Rings show, which he'll be performing Off Broadway later this month. Charles Ross took his love of the Star Wars saga, and turned into a successful, enjoyable theatre piece. If you're a Star Wars fan, I recommend checking out One Man Star Wars Trilogy.

Here's a link to a brief clip where Ross explains the genesis of the show, and does a performance of the trash compactor scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw7uEVhakck

“Pickin’ Up The Pieces” Of A Funky Debut Album

I’m an avowed fan of retro soul. There are many artists, including Raphael Saadiq, Mayer Hawthorne, Anthony Hamilton, Angie Stone, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings and of course, the late Amy Winehouse, who have recorded some excellent music influenced by the sounds of the 60s & 70s. Fitz & The Tantrums are an LA based soul band who fit right into the genre, but take it to new heights. Their 2010 release, Pickin’ Up The Pieces, mixes the sound of the classic Motown & Stax era with a touch of indie pop. It’s a funky, soulful delight from start to finish.

Lead singer Michael Fitzpatrick, who also plays keyboards, formed the group in 2008, shortly after a breakup. He decided to channel the emotions he was feeling into music, so he began writing & gathering the band together. The album was recorded in his living room, giving the record a gritty, homemade feeling. The funky, driving “MoneyGrabber” is probably familiar to music fans, having been featured in several TV shows & movies. But the entire album is filled with gems, like the keyboard driven opener “Breakin' The Chains of Love,” and the excellent title track, with Fitzpatrick & the amazing Noelle Scaggs (who also plays percussion) trading vocals.

In addition to the cool grooves, there really is an eclectic vibe to the music. Some of the songs even drop a little bit of an 80s New Wave sound into the mix. What’s really interesting is that there’s no lead guitar here, with the saxophone at the forefront on many of the arrangements. Aside from Fitzpatrick & Scaggs, the band also features Joseph Karnes on bass, James King on saxophone, flute, trumpet, and harmonica, Jeremy Ruzumna on keyboards and John Wicks on drums & percussion. Chris Seefried, who also co-wrote a couple of the songs with Fitzpatrick, produced the album.

Pickin’ Up The Pieces is a great debut from this excellent band. If you’re a fan of classic soul with a little bit of a modern twist, you can’t go wrong with Fitz & The Tantrums. And if you like their music, you can check out their EP Songs For A Break Up, Vol 1 (2009), which features two songs not included on the album. The group also contributed a cover of the classic “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)”  to the soundtrack of the 2011 remake of Arthur. 


Here's a link to a performance of "Breakin' The Chains Of Love"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cVRkeFYXWA

The IMF Jumps Back into Action in "Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol"

I went to see Mission:Impossible: Ghost Protocol with some reservations regarding the film. The Mission: Impossible movie franchise has been one of Tom Cruises’ most successful projects, but I didn’t think the series truly earned its stripes until Mission: Impossible III. The first film in the series, 1996’s Mission Impossible was a decent action movie, but suffered from a third act twist that did a major disservice to one of the TV series’ most popular characters. Mission: Impossible II (2000), directed by John Woo, seemed more like one of his ultra-stylized Hong Kong thrillers, such as The Killer, than a Mission: Impossible movie. Once again, there were great stunts & action sequences, but both films seemed to have little in common with the original series.

When J.J. Abrams (Lost, Alias) directed Mission: Impossible III (2006), he delivered the goods with a solid spy thriller that took its inspiration from the TV series, and featured more of a team-based adventure, with Cruise’s Ethan Hunt & his IMF crew facing off against a villain played by Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman. Fast forward to 2011; Abrams takes the producers’ chair and turns the directing reins over to Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles). No more reservations here: Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol is a thrilling, well-produced action movie, one of the best of the series.

This time around, Ethan’s in a Moscow prison and is broken out by the IMF (why he was there is explained as the story unfolds). He’s recruited to help identify a nuclear terrorist code-named Cobalt. But an operation to infiltrate the Kremlin’s archives goes wrong, and a terrible explosion is blamed on the team. The President disavows the entire IMF; Ethan & the crew must stop Cobalt, and clear their names. As rogue agents, they’re operating outside normal channels, and will have no help accomplishing their mission.

The film jumps from one thrilling action set piece & location to another, as the crew tries to stay one step ahead of Cobalt and stop his plan to initiate a nuclear war. There are some amazing stunts, including Cruise's climb on Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, widely seen in the film's trailer & advertising. Bird, directing his first live-action film, successfully applies the hyperkinetic energy of his animated movies to the M:I franchise. The plot has some good twists and turns, and some members of the team seem to have a hidden agenda as the adventure unfolds.

The cast features Paula Patton, Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg (returning from the third film as tech expert Benji Dunn) as Hunt’s crew, and Michael Nyqvist (well known from the Swedish film adaptations of the "Dragon Tattoo" novels) as Cobalt. There are also a couple of neat cameos toward the film’s conclusion. Most film series are slowing down by their fourth entry, but this one seems to be revving up. The film is currently in theaters, and a fifth film is reportedly in the planning stages. Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol is one of the best action films of 2011.

A Double Shot Of Gosling

Ryan Gosling is one of the most exciting actors working in movies today. He always gives interesting performances, alternating work in independent films like Half Nelson (2006) and Lars & The Real Girl (2007) with more mainstream fare like The Notebook (2004) and The Ides of March (2011).  I recently got to view two of his more recent efforts, Blue Valentine (2010) & Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011). Gosling was nominated for back-to-back Golden Globes for his work in these films, and they are both worth watching.

In Crazy, Stupid, Love, Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) is shocked when he is told by his wife Emily (well played by Julianne Moore) that she has cheated on him, and wants a divorce. He moves out, and starts frequenting a local bar, where he meets Jacob Palmer (Gosling), a womanizer who regularly picks up women for one-night stands, and forms no emotional attachments. Jacob becomes a mentor to Cal, teaching him how to dazzle & seduce women.  But Cal realizes he still loves his wife, and Jacob meets a woman named Hannah, who appears to be immune to his charm. Both men begin to question their dealings with women, and the impact of love in their lives.

We also watch Emily as she dates the guy she cheated with, and Cal & Emily’s young son Robbie, who has a crush of his own. Like most romantic comedies, the stories begin to intertwine as the film runs its course, with some predictable results. But this movie is sweet & funny, with characters you can relate to at its core. It has some bittersweet moments, and is a well-written reflection on love, longing & 1st crushes. The performances are all good, and Gosling is very effective as a ladies’ man who yearns for something more. Crazy, Stupid, Love is one of the better films of its genre in recent years.

Blue Valentine is an entirely different kind of movie. A searing, emotional drama about a troubled marriage, it was highly acclaimed upon its release in 2010, and Gosling’s co-star Michelle Williams was nominated for an Oscar as Best Actress. The story follows Dean (Gosling) and Cindy (Williams), a couple whose relationship is crumbling. The film moves back & forth in time between their courtship, marriage and the end of their time together. It's a sensitive, sometimes dark, but very honest portrait of the emotions these two people feel during the course of their lives together.

Director & co-writer Derek Cianfrance encouraged his leads to improvise the dialogue in some scenes, and it gives the film a very realistic feel. The film is shot in a gritty, low-key style and Cianfrance also makes excellent use of music (much of the score is by the indie band Grizzly Bear, but a key scene makes perfect use of an obscure 70s soul song by Penny & The Quarters) Both leads are amazing, and give outstanding performances. You really feel for (and with) these characters; Gosling & Williams truly embody these wounded souls yearning for love & a better life. This effective drama is a must see. Ryan Gosling really is an actor to watch; he just keeps getting better in each role. The 2011 crime thriller Drive received a lot of critical accolades last fall, and that film will be released on video January 30. I missed it in theaters, but look forward to checking it out at home.

Both Crazy, Stupid, Love & Blue Valentine are currently available on Blu-ray & DVD.