"In The Loop" review

A wearying war of words

When this film debuted, the quality of the script was universally lauded as being flush with vicious yet hilarious dialogue.  Well written scripts are rare, and no amount of money or acting talent can compensate for a badly composed screenplay.  “In The Loop” is a British production, and purported to be a welcome deviation from the typically shallow crap Hollywood often excretes.  However, the unrelenting emotional and psychological warfare proves to be an enervating experience.

War is brewing in the Middle East, and the American and British governments are at their own sword points about how to proceed.  The focal point of their anger quickly becomes Simon Foster, the British Minister for International Affairs.  Simon is played by Tom Hollander, in a complete reversal of the role for which most Americans will recognize him: the sneering British officer Lord Cutler Beckett from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise.  As Simon Foster, Hollander is a well-meaning but befuddled boob whose unapproved media remarks repeatedly land him in trouble.  Though Simon's boss cruelly criticizes him while scrambling with the damage control, Simon continues to commit the unforgivable political crime of being honest.

Aside from Simon, there are a few other characters that wish to do good, but they understand the limits of their ability to achieve real change.  Simon is the only one who doesn't get it.  While everyone around him is solely focused on advancing their own position of power, Simon remains altruistic. However, the constant threat of scandal, dismissal and death by media suicide looms over every character, and this dread atmosphere quickly becomes tiresome.  I didn't like anyone, not even Simon.  In an environment replete with such duplicity, I wanted to see one good person struggling against the miasma of narcissism, but Simon was just too dumb to support.

Perhaps the point of the film is that one person cannot make a difference, but that is a depressing perspective given how self-serving modern politics appear.  While the vast majority of people in office are likely motivated solely by their own desires, it is an ugly truth in which I would prefer not to have my nose rubbed, regardless of how ruthlessly funny the conversations may be.  It is easy to be cynical about the value of human life, yet I believe that individuals can positively influence the world.  “In The Loop” does not have this small measure of hope, and it suffers from this myopic view.

"Box of Moonlight" review

A big treasure in a tiny package

With the rise of the Independent film movement in the 1990’s many talented young filmmakers were able to share their unique vision with a larger audience, thanks in part to the increasing number of film festivals and the participation of name actors.  “Box of Moonlight”, written and directed by Tom DiCillo, is a perfect example.  This quirky dramedy stars John Turturro, who was becoming well known through his memorable roles in early Cohen brothers’ films.  “Box of Moonlight” also boasts early performances by Katherine Keener and Sam Rockwell, both of whom have gone on to develop lasting acting careers.

John Turturro plays Al Fountain, an electrical engineer on a field assignment that is suddenly shut down.  When Al calls home to tell to his wife and son, his calm façade belies the fact that Al is on the cusp of a mid-life crisis.  During a meal at a local diner, Al starts to see things moving backwards, and the gray strands he discovers in his hair do little to lessen his growing anxiety.  Instead of heading home, Al suddenly decides to search for a fondly remembered childhood play resort called Splatchee Lake.  When his car breaks down, Al meets a buckskin-garbed local appropriately named Bucky. Played by Sam Rockwell, Bucky is the epitome of perpetual adolescence.  He has abandoned society in order to live off the grid in a patchwork trailer, stealing electricity and making a meager living stealing and reselling lawn ornaments.

Al and Bucky strike up an unlikely friendship, and their adventures together provide the catalyst for Al to begin to finally open up emotionally.  When Al and Bucky go swimming at a partially flooded quarry, they meet two local girls.  Although Al remains faithful to his wife, his passion is reawakened by this harmless flirtation.  Al rediscovers his sense of play and the freedom it brings.  He begins to take pleasure in small things again and recognize their value.  Yet even though Al has long been feeling overburdened with so many mature responsibilities, he never forgets that he has a family.

“Box of Moonlight” is a charming and bittersweet examination of the difficulty in striking a balance between the necessity of meeting adult obligations and realizing that sometimes you just want to be silly, spontaneous, and illogical.  Al realizes that he has been working too hard, and hasn’t stopped to acknowledge and enjoy the fruit of his accomplishments.  Al also recognizes that he hasn’t taken enough time to be with his family, and when he finally returns home, the restrained yet tender scene with he has with his young son provides a spark of hope for a happier future.

"The Ninth Gate" review

The Devil, probably.

Roman Polanksi; just the name is a conversation killer.  The facts that may or may not be true regarding the incident which occurred almost four decades ago has tainted Polanski’s reputation ever since.  Still, he is a superlative director and his films will always be praised, even if he personally is not.  When “The Ninth Gate” was released, Johnny Depp’s rise to super-stardom was just a few years away with the first entry in the “Pirates of The Caribbean” franchise.  At to this point, Depp had still been doing more low-budget, indie films and quirky comedies.  Despite his current status as one of the major actors in the world, I believe that the reason “The Ninth Gate” is rarely mentioned in articles or discussions about Depp’s career is due to the enduring infamy of Polanski’s name.

That perpetual aura of mystery and potential evil enshrouding Polanski is also felt in every film he makes.  I have always been impressed by Polanski’s ability to create a subtle but powerful feeling of fear, even during scenes that take place amid normal surroundings in broad daylight.  Every dark corner or shadowy nook seems to hide a lurking threat, and “The Ninth Gate” is no exception.  The film is an adaptation of a book called “The Club Dumas”, yet only tells one of several stories.  Polanski has demonstrated a long-standing interest in the occult, so it is no surprise to learn that the story Polanski has chosen concerns the search for a book which was purportedly written by the Devil himself.

Johnny Depp plays Dean Corso, a successful albeit very amoral book dealer in New York, who is hired to authenticate a copy of “The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows.”  This notorious tome is owned by a wealthy publisher named Boris Balkan.  Balkan is played by Frank Langella, who evokes much of the debonair flair that made his 1979 performance of Dracula so celebrated.  As Corso begins his quest to research Balkan’s copy of the infamous book, he begins to feel that something sinister is following him and watching his every move.

The sense of mounting dread in “The Ninth Gate” rises as inexorably as a night tide.  As Corso’s journey unfolds, two people continually appear and dog his footsteps.  One is a young black man with a close-cropped, bleached blonde afro, the other is a strikingly beautiful young woman with mismatched socks.  While these character's motivations are different, the fate of everyone is bound to the book which Corso carries with him.  In comparing his copy of "The Nine Gates" to the other remaining volumes, Corso suspects that a long-forgotten secret is about to be re-discovered, and the key may lie in the engravings in each book.  People around Corso begin to die, and his icy composure slowly gives way to panic as he senses that a great evil is waiting to be unleashed.

When Corso is assaulted in a robbery attempt, the blonde girl with the mismatched socks appears and saves his life.  She becomes Corso’s protector, and ensures that his research can continue.  Her evasive answers to Corso’s questions keep him and the audience in the dark about her true motives.  Though there is little action, what happens is almost always shocking and provocative for what it suggests about the true nature of the characters.  Is the supernatural real, or is it just a creation of our imagination?  “The Ninth Gate” gives tantalizing suggestions, but thankfully never goes completely overboard in its visual depictions.  Like “The Exorcist”, this film doesn’t paint in broad strokes.  We only see things which could actually occur, no bogeyman or spirit erupts in all its CGI glory to spoil the sophisticated suspense.

The musical score for “The Ninth Gate” is one of my all time favorites.  It is such a perfect compliment and enhancement to the visual aspect of the film.  Composed by Wojciech Kilar, the combination of classical strings with jaunty harpsichord ditties is whimsical and darkly titillating.  There is also the haunting performance of South Korean soprano Sumi Jo, whose soaring vocalizations lend a gorgeously funereal flavor to the foreboding mood.  When her wordless solos are combined with Kilar’s score, the mixture is one of transcendent doom.  Just as Corso cannot stop his search for the truth despite the increasing danger, we cannot stop listening to the music and watching the film.  Although it promises to lead us somewhere terrifying, we have already been seduced by the spell of the unknown that may lie in wait just beyond our limited vision.

If you are the kind of viewer who prefers a clear-cut ending in order to be satisfied, you may not enjoy this film.  A great part of the appeal of “The Ninth Gate” is that it only shows enough to suggest what may be happening.  We do see things that could be supernatural, but it could also be that we are seeing these things through the eyes of the main character.  “The Ninth Gate” challenges us to doubt everything we see and think about the world around us.  Is there, in fact, a spiritual veil over our eyes that we can remove if we so desire?  Is knowledge worth gaining for its own sake despite the risk of fiery damnation, or is ignorance a better choice if it makes feel us safe and surrounded by the warm light of day?  “The Ninth Gate” does not answer these questions, but it does suggest that there are many doors to perception that may be opened, but depending on your choices you may not be prepared for the fate that awaits you.