'The Killer' A Review

The Killer is a thriller about the titular hitman played by Michael Fassbender. The film opens on a mysterious killer in Paris on a stake out. With meditative voice over the Killer goes through his mantra(repeated throughout) and his morning physical routine. The hit goes wrong and he is forced to do something he does not do- improvise.

Fassbender, in what is outside of a couple scenes a solo performance in a solo film, is exquisite. He does what he does best- play the emotionally challenged, fully competent, stoic. The precision, the methodicalness, the voice over, it all serves to portray this extremely questionable character in an incredibly satisfying way. It reflects the production around him, all very clean, sharp, controlled, aiming for perfection. Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Kerry O'Malley, Tilda Swinton are all great but basically only have a scene each and serve really only as obstacles for the Killer to contend. In that way the film is beautifully symbiotic, watching we are the character, what we see and hear is what he sees and hears, the information focused on is only what he focuses on, his thoughts are spoken via voice over so they are our thoughts. There is no extra fat, it is all lean, all essential.

Does the film have anything to say? Not much. Or at least its themes(control, power) are more broad and nebulous. There is a focus, almost an ecstatic pleasure, in process and character rather than story. This is an excellent, gripping, meticulously constructed, adult thriller. That's it. The plot is probably its weakest element and almost irrelevant. It is a tour de force for Fassbender(who hasn't had a particularly good role since 2015's Macbeth) and a perfect marriage to director David Fincher's penchant for obsessive, exacting production.

In a world of the John Wick and Extraction franchises, which could(at least on paper) be lumped in with this, the lack of interest in action here(although the brief sequences of such are immaculately staged) is beyond refreshing. Some may find this film too cold, too clinical, but it could not be more effective getting you into the mind and spirit of this character and in that it is exceptionally satisfying.

Delicious in its clarity, a transcendent turn by Fassbender, and Fincher at the height of his craft.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to Netflix.

Don't Miss It.

Simple. Not Easy.

We are conditioned
with ambition
money, power, position
these are things
we are taught
to pursue
and on attaining
will be satiated

The Great American Fiction

I recognized the persuasion

in the declaration

so I got small

went inward

but like wealth

contentment is no easy

aspiration

Simple, not easy

is the mode of operation

trite abstractions

honesty, humility, service

the guide 

for daily interactions

unattainable is perfection

but in the pursuit lies satisfaction

'The Saint Of Second Chances' A Review

The Saint of Second Chances is a documentary about Mike Veeck minor league baseball owner and promotor and son of Bill Veeck major league baseball owner and promotor. Through archival footage, re-enactments, and talking head interviews the career of Mike and the legacy of his father are laid out with laid back humor and heart.

As far as its construction the movie is not particularly unique, it has the same components we've seen repeatedly from the genre(that has seen quite a boom during the streaming era due to its low production cost) and its put together in a familiar way. But the story itself is unconventional, compelling, fun, and spotlights a man who has a pretty quintessential underdog story. A story of failure and redemption and brings new energy and interest to America's favorite pastime(as Mike himself did).

A breezy, entertaining, occasionally insightful doc about a man who deserves to have his story told, deserves a chance in the broader spotlight.

Currently streaming on Netflix.

Rent It.

'The Pigeon Tunnel' A Review

The Pigeon Tunnel is a documentary about the life and career of author John le Carré aka David Cornwell through an interview with the subject, reenactments, and clips from various adaptations of his work.

The film has the same sleekness and edge that director Errol Morris has developed over the years but as far as the content it is solidly in the middle of the pack as far as his work goes. Cornwell is an interesting guy but he was famous and relevant 50 years ago, which is not a dig, but within the film there is an assumption that we the viewer not only know who he is but are aware of specifics about his life. So the result is a lack of context for some of the routes the questioning and the film go down. Cornwell provides some interesting insights but the net effect is relatively thin. Not to put to fine a point on it but there were moments where the viewer is left wondering, unless they are a big Cornwell fan, who cares?

Not as directly unsatisfying or irresponsible as some of Morris's other recent features like American Dharma and The Unknown Known more akin to his more modest work, eccentric examinations of interesting characters, like Tabloid but lacking the punch or interest of his seminal The Fog Of War or the more recent docuseries Wormwood.

Morris is one of our greatest living documentarians and any new work of his is worthy of a watch but hopefully he has at least one more great work in him because this ain't it.

Currently streaming on Apple+.

Stream It.

Unbelief

A common trope
in horror stories
a common barrier

is the characters inability

to accept the supernatural

or the monstrous

or simple danger

denial is frequently

the prominent villain

and most horror stories

like many genre yarns

function as allegory

so what does this oversight

have to teach us

our disbelief

in the boogeyman

does not mean

he is not hiding in the closet

our unwillingness

to acknowledge our problems

our refusal to process them

does not mean they are not there

that they are not lurking, feeding

waiting to be confronted

Belief

What if
in Hook
Robin Williams wasn't actually Peter Pan
what if 

he was just a normal corporate guy
like he first appears
what if
once he gets to Neverland
it is simply the power of his belief
that facilitates 

his transformation
his decision

-Yes. I am Peter Pan.-
the catalyst for his becoming

'The Creator' A Review

The Creator is a science fiction movie set in the near future about the rise of AI that follows Joshua(John David Washington) a former covert military operative who has since become disenchanted but is pulled back in and maybe learns to feel again after befriending child AI Alphie(Madeleine Yuna Voyles).

Washington seems a bit adrift in this role, he has talent no question, but he doesn't have the unshakable presence and contagious magnetism of his father who could bring mediocre movies like Virtuosity up in quality simply be being in them. Washington is bogged down by the derivative, convoluted, borderline incoherent plotting and the thinly drawn character he's asked to play. He has good moments but overall he is lost. Voyles is great but underutilized. The rest of the cast truly have very little to do.

The movie looks incredible, it sounds incredible, the world building is very good but when it comes to ground level narrative and character it almost completely collapses. Blade Runner, Terminator, AI, The Fifth Element, even Elysium the list this movie pulls from goes on and on. And the problem is that it shows. There's too much going on, the pace is to fast, there's too much irrelevant plot that distracts and detracts from what the movie clearly wants to be about which is Joshua and Alphie's relationship and connection.

Outside of a purely sensory experience The Creator has little to offer. Its a shame because there is absolutely a great movie in there.

Currently in theaters, coming soon to VOD.

Stream It.