The Proposition

"'Is that what we are? Misanthropes.'
'Lord no. We're a family.'"

4 Stars

First things first. I was already a player for this movie. Ausi western, okay. But then in the beginning credits I see that the music is by Nick Cave, of Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds. Awesome. Then I see that the screenplay is by Nick as well! Extra awesome!
Who knew?
After watching the behind the scenes feature, turns out the director, John Hillcoat, is a close friend of Nick. After a camping trip in the Australian dessert (I know right?) John knew he had to make a movie, any movie using this beautiful land.
He first asked Cave to score the music, then asked him to write a screenplay. He says he's always loved Cave's storytelling in his music and knew he could do it for film, and wow, he was right.

Set in the late nineteenth century on rural Australian land, two brothers are captured and questioned on the whereabouts of their eldest brother, Arthur Burns. After a brutal attack of the Hopkins farm, and rape of the pregnant Mrs. Hopkins by Arthur and his gang, the town needs justice. If they can't have Arthur they will have his younger brother Mark instead. The proposition being, middle brother Charlie must find his brother Arthur in nine days, or his younger brother will hang in his place.

Throughout the film I just felt Charlies weight of having to choose one brother's life over the other. What a terrible problem to solve. What he did was right, blood or not.

I really liked the pace of this movie. It had a good rhythm like a metronome. Cave said he'd hoped the film "would generate periods of intense violence followed by periods of intense sadness and loneliness." Perfectly put.

Also a great cast. Guy Pearce, Emily Watson, John Hurt who is one of the greatest character actors around. And Danny Houston son of John and half brother to Anjelica.
I've seen him in so many roles and I really like him, he's a great actor.

This movie has gore and grit, and one of my favorite elements to a good period piece,
bad teeth!!
When I'm watching a real gritty movie and I see the actors with these bright flossed and polished teeth, it pulls me right out of the film.
Thanks for the detail.

13 Tzameti

"We don't force anyone into this shit."

5 Stars

I hate this phrase but I'm gonna say it...
a must see movie.
You just have too! I said "Oh my god" out loud so many times while covering my nose and mouth with my hands.
I just rented it on recommendation, and knew nothing about it. Which if you plan on watching it is best. I watched the preview on the disc just to see what's doin', and the preview alone was enough to literally make my skin hot, cause I was so nervous.
SO GOOD.

The beginning is kinda slow, very french cinema. A young guy begins work on the roof of an odd couple's house. He overhears the husband speak of coming into big money by means of doing a "job" for a day. After receiving his "job summons" in the mail he is dead, and the info lands in the hands of the young roofer. There is no indication of what the job is, but with his family in dire need of money, he follows the instructions. Unknowingly he is now a volunteer in the most ruthless underground game, that wagers the highest stakes a man can make.

When this game starts to unfold, I was panicked!! I kept thinking "No way.
They can't be... Oh shit, I think they are." The story telling is great because it really put me in his perspective. I was looking around each room to see where I was, and I was so curious as to who the rest of these men were, and why are they here. And how the hell did I get here?!

Filmming it in black and white was perfectly cold. It took all the warmth out, and made the matter that more bone chilling. I found that the scariest parts were not at the game so much but the quiet times between the games. That's when a man's mind can race, and to see how each one has their own way of coping is so heartbreaking. Simply heartbreaking.

I've always been intrigued by secret societies and the like.
I've always wanted to be a part of one.
I know they're out there. I don't know if they're as drastic as this, but it just fascinates me the question of what makes a person feel like they have to go to these measures?
Is sex not enough, are drugs not enough, is fighting not enough?
After this film I am filled with questions concerning the secret desires of man.
The desires we will never utter, but have all thought.

I wonder...

Lies and Alibis

"The only absolute, air tight alibi...
is death."

4 Stars

Elliot runs a business that covers people while they cheat, by rerouting phone calls, faking meetings and making sure their ignorant spouse never finds out.

Elliot is played by Steve Coogan whom I can never look at the same after knowing he was banging Courtney Love for a long time, and is said to be the one who introduced the recently suicidal Owen Wilson to heroin. But, in all fairness..., he really is charming.

He hires as new gal Lola played by Rabecca Romijn to take on some of his accounts.
Her new hubby Jerry O'Connell is in this too, but no scenes together. Now, being a huge Howard Stern fan, I know that Rabecca is/was a huge friend of the show. She may not be the best actress, but I wish her the best and this role was just right for her. They showed just enough of her, and she didn't have to do any embarrassing drama scenes. Another thing, this girl is huge! She towers over Coogan, and I'm really glad to see the wardrobe department didn't skip on putting her in heels. Paint it red, right?

A new client accidentally kills the chick he's having an affair with, and soon Elliot makes the choice to break his own ethic code and becomes an alibi to a crime.
Meanwhile a group of hit men are out to kill his former boss Jack to the tune of 5 mil (very a la Smokin' Aces, but I loved that movie too). One hit man "The Mormon" wants to use Elliot's alibi skills to help cover his tracks while he hunts Jack down, and the boyfriend of the dead girl wants revenge.
I may sound cheese, and it probably is, but it was fun.

There are a ton of people in this movie too! Selma Blair, James Marsden. James Brolin who plays a rich man who bangs young girls but doesn't divorce his wife cause she's the rich one. How much research do you think went into that role? Henry Rollins, I love seeing him work. Sam Elliot, he can do no wrong in my book, and he worked that hair!
It was also cool to see Debi Mazar play a straight role as a cop. Since she's so unique looking I think casting puts her in more character like roles. And John Leguizamo?!
I really think he's a sucky actor, but thank god the was only in this for a minute.
Anymore than that I think my eyes would be soar from rolling them for an hour and a half.

Also a pawnshop scene!! Though a quick one, it was funny.
"I need a piece."

"A piece of what?"

"A piece! A- A gun!"

"Why didn't you say so? Here you go Snoop Dog."
I'm so glad we don't sell guns anymore.

So the movie builds up to this great climax of everyone looking to Elliot to smooth over their problems.
Solve a murder, find Jack, keep thugs from going to jail, and some how there's a shit load of cash involved.
But I don't care, it was so much fun!
I would totally recommend this movie for just some mindless, witty, good times.