Sci-Fried

It is quite possible that my movie freaked mind might be on the verge of overload, but hear me out for a second. I have just come from watching the sci-fi techno thrillers Surrogates and Pandorum. While obvious comparisons will be made to much better films such as Minority Report and Alien, when you combine specific elements of the two, then the plot transforms into a film you might never have thought of.

Surrogates: Fourteen years in the future mankind has gotten so lazy that life consists of chilling at home in your bathrobe, looking like you have the flu, and getting robots you control with your mind to live your life for you. Bruce Willis stars as detective Tom Greer. He is called in to investigate a case involving a device that can murder people while they are jacked into their other-selves. When his surrogate is destroyed by a group of religious protesters ( "Robo Pig" ha-ha) Tom is forced to solve the case using flesh and bone. He just has to relearn how to walk down the street first.

The actors playing the robots look so glossed over and synthetic that it makes them look less human than human. The color palate of this film is another major distraction. Shocking pink and neon blue are everywhere, and do not mesh well in this situation. There is plenty of action and while some of it looks fake it keeps the film moving. Yet I have to ask: If these surrogates can run so fast and jump enormous heights, why are they still driving cars?

Surrogates does have a few good ideas, and it actually ends on a comprising high note. In the end though this really just isn't all that compelling, and it has been done better before (think Virtuosity in reverse). The only way I could truly recommend this movie is by telling you to send your personal robot out to watch it for you. C-

Pandorum: Several hundred years in the future the earth has become overpopulated. A "space-ark" has been launched in the hopes of starting life on a new planet. After an undetermined amount of hyper sleep, crew members Ben Foster and Dennis Quaid awake to find some of the passengers have mutated into savage man-eating monsters. We also learn that pandorum is a kind of prolonged space madness, suggesting that all this craziness might just be happening in their minds.

The film begins promisingly as the audience and crew (who conveniently have memory loss) try to piece together what has gone wrong. As the film progresses we meet other survivors as they flee and fight the creatures whose screeches are painfully and annoyingly loud. The absurdity level just continues to grow as the film goes on. It also manages to rip off images and ideas from just about every other science fiction/horror film ever made.

If you have seen Event Horizon and The Descent, then this film is totally skippable. Come to think of it even if you haven't seen them I still strongly suggest skipping it, and rent the two films I've just mentioned instead. While watching this film I was almost sure I was coming down with a slight case of pandorum myself. It's dark, ugly, long, and is just about enough to drive you mad. D+

Now, what one movie involves mankind becoming entirely too reliant on machines while at the same time floating out in the nothingness of space on a giant "ark" because they have already ruined their previous home? I guess all that is missing are a couple of robots looking for love.

'Whip It' Good

Premise: Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page) spends her small Texas town days unwillingly competing in beauty pageants and waiting tables at the local Tasty Freeze. She is also hating every minute of it. While visiting Austin, Bliss picks up a flyer promoting a local roller derby match. Before long she is lying about her age and joining up with the Hurl Scouts (great name and outfits by the way), without the knowledge or consent of her parents of course.

Whip It, the directorial debut of Drew Barrymore, can quite possibly best be described as October Sky that substitutes rocket launching with roller derby. A kid goes against the wishes of her parents in search of an alternative form of happiness. Once the deception angle is revealed there is an argument resulting in a temporary separation, until the unsung parent steps between their spouse and child and convinces the two to compromise. This film's unoriginality is one of its very few drawbacks, but there is still plenty to admire about this one.

The entire cast is surprisingly well put together. Page is very good as the glum teen looking for a life change, and finds it in alter ego Babe Rutheless. However this ought to be the last time she plays a seventeen year old considering she has been doing it for about five years. Marcia Gay Harden and Daniel Stern are a great match as parents in conflict (she is the defiant one, he is the pushover). The team consists of fine actresses with even finer stage names such as Kristen Wiig (Maggie Mayhem) the supportive motherly figure, Zoe Bell (Bloody Holly) from Grindhouse is the fast & fancy skater, and even Barrymore herself wisely takes a much smaller role as ditzy Smashly Simpson. A girl that's been hit hard maybe one too many times, but hits back even harder. Even the team's main rival Iron Maven (Juliette Lewis) managed to impress me by doing the one thing right that every smug villain should do. She has created a character that you love to hate.

If you have no clue what roller derby is or how it works then fear not. There actually exists a half-assed attempt to explain how the point system works. Although I'm still not too clear on where the rules of physical contact lie. The scenes of the the sport in play are some of the most memorable moments of the film. They have a high energy and intensity level that keeps the movie rather fun.

I have been to a roller derby match or two in my life and the thing that stayed with me the most is the reputation that it carries. These girls like to get down and dirty. Their uniform manages to mingle school girl uniforms, fishnets, knee pads and just about everyone has multiple tattoos and/or piercings. It doesn't really seem to matter who wins or looses, and trying to figure out the logic of the game really is pointless. It simply exists as a way for bad girls to dress provocatively, roller skate around a track, and beat the hell out of each other.

On the surface Whip It wants you to believe that it's about tough chicks ready to scrap. In all honesty it is actually a sweet, simple, and really a harmless little charmer. You will easily figure out where this movie is going long before it gets there. It is still worth seeing for its wonderful performances, its fast moving matches, and for its patches of humor and heart. It may not re-invent the wheel, but it makes good use of four of them on the bottom of a shoe. B

Note: In this age of film piracy I had assumed that the Sneak Preview (a one time screening of a film a week or two before its theatrical release) was all but extinct. Part of the thrill of going to these is the notion that you will see something before it is unleashed upon the masses. The Ring, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and even one of John's favorites Almost Famous were all sneak previews I attended in the past. I am glad to see that studios seem willing to bring this back. I hope that Whip It is the first of many more in the immediate future. The sneak preview is this Saturday night September 26th. The movie opens wide on October 2nd.

Healthy, Wealthy, & Wise

Sure, going to bed and getting up early may make you all of these things, but so can watching these various forms of entertainment now on DVD, in theaters, and on television.

Healthy: Henry Poole Is Here (DVD). Hardly anyone in this sweet yet sad little drama is a picture of health. Certain characters are mute, have bad eyesight, and are even on the verge of death. All of these problems begin to change however when a bleeding Christ-like stain emerges on the side of depressed Henry Poole's (Luke Wilson) house. He just wants to be left alone, but a crisis faith and hope will not be so easily dismissed. Miracle or mistake? The film wisely let's you decide. The ending might cheat a little, but did it exactly the way I wanted it to. If your level of faith is not quite 100% this might be the the film to nurse it back to health. But if this film does not quite have you running to your nearest church, it might at the very least restore your faith in films about faith. B+

Wealthy: The Informant! (Theaters). The first half of Steven Soderbergh's corporate tattle tale plays like a kinder, gentler version of The Insider. Mark Whitacare (Matt Damon) puts his career on the line in order to expose his greedy corporation's price fixing schemes. The second half is more like the vastly underrated Shattered Glass. Another film involving a seemingly good guy getting caught in a lie that continues to grow, only to reveal him as the villain he always was. The music cues (serious business suits and cops marching down hallways to Sesame Street-like songs), and the interruption/narration of random thoughts of Damon's character during scenes that you know are important to the story are often quite humorous. The Informant! might just inform you on how to swindle millions from your company, but you'll have to be a top-notch liar if you want to keep it. B

Wise: Community (TV). The Soup's Joel McHale stars as lawyer Jeff Winger. He is forced to attend community college when the bar discovers his education is not up to par. In the pilot episode Jeff tries to bribe the Dean (an old friend/client of his) into giving him the answers to all of the semester's tests, with less than successful results. Jeff also lies to an attractive fellow student named Britta (Gillian Jacobs) by telling her he is a certified Spanish tutor, and convinces her with hilariously inaccurate translations. This leads to him running a motley crew study group of students including Chevy Chase. The show is very witty, funny, and fast. The jokes fly at you at rapid speed. With everyone going crazy for the lackluster Glee, they might miss out on a true winner here. This is a new show that you would be smart not to miss. B+

Jen's Bod is Freaky and Odd

Since 2007 two of the biggest female names in hollywood have been Megan Fox and Diablo Cody. The former started her career as the attention getting hottie from the cars-to-bots movies. The latter was a stripper turned academy award winning writer for her debut screenplay involving teen pregnancy and pop culture references. When I heard these two would be joining famous forces for the succubus in high school horror comedy Jennifer's Body I thought: Perfect, with a single film we will discover if the former can truly act and if the latter can truly write.

While no awards will be handed out for this film, I must say I was rather impressed with how it turned out. The story feels like it was partially taken from Daniel Waters masterfully written Heathers with the Bonnie and Clyde angle dropped, and a female flesh eater slid into their place. Notice how some scenes match up: seduction and death in the woods behind the school, the veiled sorrow followed by heartless mockery by students after losing fellow classmates, and the way the two lead best friends secretly hate each other.

The dialogue on the other hand is pure Cody. Like Juno, her characters speak so fast and sharp it's like they have their own language. The combination of Cody's words and Fox's delivery actually works more often than not. Her opinions on PMS, Rocky Horror, and the manipulation of men are quite humorous.

The plot is bizarre and all over the place involving: a burned down bar, a Satan worshiping rock band looking to sacrifice a virgin in the hopes of boosting their record sales, and of course the wronged man-eater herself. The film is never scary, but a pretty smile can be creepy when the teeth and lips creating it are dripping with blood. No wonder they show it three different times.

Now I've got to mention this because I'm sure it is a point of interest. Much to the dismay of Ms. Fox fans hoping to see some celebrity skin I hate to tell you that there is none. More to the point there is not a single shred of nudity in the entire film. However, there is a pretty racy make out session between Fox and Amanda Seyfried that even rivals the now notorious female spit swap in Cruel Intentions. Bonus points for JB seeing as how Fox does the scene in a pair of panties and a retro Evil Dead T-shirt (a nice touch).

That really is the whole movie. The illusion of sex and violence (more happens off screen than on) with performances and writing that are hardly fantastic, but are better than they have any right to be. I recommend Jennifer's Body for fans of dark high school horror guilty pleasure comedies on the level of something like Idle Hands. Fox and Cody have successfully managed to deliver a film with bite that could have been better if it bit a little harder. B

HBO... More Like WTF

Well my free trial run of HBO will draw to a close rather shortly, and I must say I don't think I will miss it all that much when it's gone. Just for fun I thought I would share some thoughts on a few films I took advantage of, and note some odd broadcasting decisions that this famous pay cable channel had to offer.

• HD looks great, but no widescreen format still!
• Had HBO for a year when I was about twelve years old. They used to show Don't Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead, and Mom and Dad Save the World every single day. In nearly fifteen years nothing has changed. If you thought they were bad then you should see em now. Ouch!
• Why does HBO Latino exist? Does the SAP (second audio program) function not work?
• Hung and Eastbound and Down are great, but I really miss Tales from the Crypt.

Still, it wasn't all bad. Here are a few films I managed to get in thanks to the free sample:

• The Eiger Sanction: A forgotten Clint Eastwood mountain climbing spy thriller. The first half is all training to climb, and then the second half is the climb itself. Notice how many people die by the hands of nature as opposed to each other. Not bad.
• Three Days of the Condor: Aside from the whole amnesia thing, The Bourne Identity owes everything it was to this CIA classic. Robert Redford plays a man who knew too much. He must flee and find out why his own agency wants him dead. The final scene packs an especially large punch considering it foreshadows pretty much everything that is wrong with the world today. Excellent.
• The Good Shepherd: An epic, birth of the CIA story that is slow in patches, but is not nearly as boring as I was lead to believe. Matt Damon is a emotionless man totally devoted to the country. The supporting cast is quite impressive as well as they make trust a hard thing to come by. Better than expected.
• Body of Lies: DiCaprio, Crowe, and Scott have all done better, but this one at the very least plays like an action packed Syriana. The relationship between the two is pretty rocky and makes for intriguing and even humorous arguments. More alert, violent, and interest holding then I would have given it credit for. Better than expected.
• Smokey and the Bandit: This is one of those movies that makes me ask: What the hell is wrong with people? People indefensibly love it. Why? It's not funny, it's not smart, the car chases are boring, the characters are annoying and cliche. I don't get it. Vanishing Point and Two Lane Blacktop have far less plot, but are so much more satisfying. Overrated and Terrible.

Like I said, HBO is fine if you don't have to pay for it. I will miss IFC (Independent Film Channel) more. They have much more unique and enjoyable films. Now if you will excuse me RocknRolla is on and I am going to watch it regardless that it will be for the fifth time this week.

Movies I'm Embarrassed I Have NEVER Seen

Hey Guys! Been a long time. Thought I'd pop in and write this quick blog based on John's suggestion. I've been thinking about it for awhile, and there are plenty of films I'm embarrassed I haven't seen. (As well as thousands I'm embarrassed I have seen.)

The list would have to begin with Gone With the Wind. To be fair, I've probably seen MOST of it. I've seen all the good parts, I'm sure, but I've never sat through the whole thing, despite having numerous opportunities.

Another classic I've only seen portions of is Ben-Hur. Yes, I've seen the chariot race, but that's about it. Charlton Heston, the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the '50's.

Add Spartacus to that list. I see a pattern developing here. All these three and a half hour epics. I'll watch them all eventually - I have access to the first two on DVD, right in the next room.

I've never seen Doctor Zhivago, either. Another long one.

So how about a film of normal length? One I could watch over an extended lunch one day. How about Paths of Glory? What, do I have a problem with Kirk Douglas or something? He's a solid actor. In his prime, I'd be scared to say anything bad about him for fear he would ram his fist through my stomach. And it's not even an hour and a half long! And it's Kubrick! That's it - I'm watching it right now!

9: A Damn Fine Stitch in Time

Sometimes the bizarre can be quite beautiful. Shane Acker's post-apocalyptic rag doll fable 9 more than meets that need. Instead of a standard review I thought a list of reasons (nine of them to be exact) might be more fitting to explain to you why this little gem deserves an audience.

9. The Gimmick. Whoever decided to release this film on 9/9/09 should be given a raise. Look how well the remake of The Omen did simply because it was released on 6/6/06. It also happens to land on my birthday, making it a fine cinematic gift.

8. How often does an animated film come around that didn't first have children in mind? 9 is what a Pixar movie would look like if kids influence was taken out of the equation. It jumps without a net hoping it will find an audience. I respect the risk.

7. The running time is 79 minutes. It is over before it has a chance to get boring. You may think that does not entitle this film to full price admission. Fair enough. It might not be worth a whole Hamilton or even 9 bucks come to think of it, but your time will not be wasted.

6. Nostalgia factor. In more ways than one. If (like me) you miss the darker fare of animator Don Bluth (The Secret of Nimh, Titan AE) you will have found a new successor. Plus as one of the few people who loved and respected the craft of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (retro technology) I was glad to see 9 take another stab at that.

5. The brains and names behind it. This is Shane Acker's feature film, but be sure to check out the same subject and title short film he made a few years back. You will see why a feature film was made. Plus Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov add their influence as producers and you can see how the film benefits with the inclusion of their style and ideas.

4. The Cast. Voices include: Elijah Wood, John C. Riley, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, and Crispin Glover. I really think this one speaks for itself.

3. Tackles tough issues. It does everything that big summer movies like Terminator: Salvation and The Matrix Revolutions tried and failed to do. Not only does it depict an idea of machines turning on mankind, but also is ballsy enough to add the idea of inserting souls into the equation, and then makes it work on top of it.

2. The Bleakness. Mankind is destroyed, the world is a depressing and empty place, there are mechanical monsters at every turn, there is soul stealing, and (Spoiler Alert) more than half of the characters end up dead. Like I said not for kids.

1. The Look, Style, & Animation. You can tell that a lot of care and imagination went into the presentation. This move just looks so great. Lots of gritty brown, grey, and shocking neon green. The rag doll look is really awesome as well. They are patched together, some have shutter-projection eyes that play old news reel footage (or hypnotize), and each has an individual personality.

9 is a film that should not be missed due to it's uniqueness, and yet unfortunately I fear that is exactly why it will most likely be overlooked... at least for now. I feel a cult classic in the making that will be further appreciated down the road about a decade later, or perhaps only 9 years. A-

The Onion on Quentin Tarantino

From The Onion: "Next Tarantino Movie an Homage to Beloved Tarantino Movies of Director's Youth." Some excerpts:

. . . [D]irector Quentin Tarantino announced that his next project, Jack Rabbit Slim, will go into production this fall, and will be an homage to his favorite director and screenwriter of all time: Quentin Tarantino.

. . . In one sequence Tarantino called "distinctly Tarantino-esque," Slim delivers an unexpectedly poetic monologue on cheeseburgers while dancing to an Ennio Morricone instrumental with a drug-addled Uma Thurman. And in the film's stunning climax, Slim remembers his training with a martial arts expert in China and then exacts revenge on the film's antagonists: a Nazi colonel, a Hollywood stuntman, and a Los Angeles syndicate of 88 yakuza warriors.

You win this round, Onion.

Three Notes: Vampires, Directors, and Michael Jackson

1. MILD SPOILERS AHEAD. I saw Thirst (aka Bakjwi) a couple weeks ago, but held off writing a review since both Allen and Bree are bigger Chan-wook Park (Oldboy) fans than I am. In this one, the Korean master of the revenge genre takes on the oh-so-popular vampire genre.

Sang-hyun, a young priest, donates himself to medical research of a fatal disease in Africa and gets a blood transfusion that had some vampire blood in it. He's the only one to survive out of all the volunteers, and, covered in bandages to hide his blistered skin (from the disease), he becomes a religious cult figure who is thought to be a healer. But he has a secret: he needs human blood to prevent the disease from killing him. Then, at a visit to his sick childhood pal, Kang-woo, Sang-hyun meets Kang-woo's wife, an innocent-looking but disaffected girl named Tae-Joo (Ok-vin Kim), who had been orphaned and forced to marry Kang-woo (who was basically her adoptive brother). Sang-hyun inevitably falls for her and during his seduction of her, she finds out he's a vampire. Meanwhile, poor Sang-hyun, who just wants to be a nice guy, finds out Tae-Joo is actually bat-shit crazy. Madness ensues.

The first half of this movie is highly entertaining, but there is a point when Sang-hyun does something irredeemable, and then the movie gets kind of stupid for awhile (The "I hope this ends soon" kind of stupid) ; then it gets good again, when Sang-hyun does something he should have done earlier in the movie. Basically, the movie is a half-hour too long, but that half-hour isn't the last half-hour. Still worth a see, especially if you think vampire-sex is hot.

2. Entertainment Weekly, which is quickly becoming dumber and dumber, has ranked its top 25 active film directors.

QUESTIONABLE INCLUSIONS: Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Elf); Danny Boyle (Slumdog, Trainspotting); Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream; Wrestler) -- these guys each have made ONLY two good movies; Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen); Peter Jackson (Rings, um...King Kong) - I like them both, but Snyder's the Michael Bay of comic books and Jackson is the Michael Bay of nerd-fiction; Judd Apatow (Virgin, Knocked-Up) - Really? Really? Even after Funny People?

BIG OMISSIONS: Hello? Woody Allen! Let's just talk comedy -- Favreau and Apatow are better than the Wood-man? As GOB would say, C'mon!; You could easily have swapped Terry Gilliam for Del Toro -- they make the same kinds of films, and Gilliam does it better; some others who could replace some of these guys: David Lynch, Sidney Lumet, Peter Weir, David Cronenberg, Stephen Frears, Mike Leigh, John McTiernan (I mean, if you're gonna include Favreau).

3. In honor of MJ, they're going to start playing Captain EO again at Disneyland. If you're like me, you saw this when you were little, but remember nothing of it today. It was in 3D, back when that was still a novelty. George Lucas produced it and F.F. Coppola directed it. If you're in LA, check it out for nostalgia value.

'Labor' Pains

Labor day is a total farce to me. What a weak excuse for a holiday: one last hurrah that marks the end of summer. Thanks to film studios decision to release a handful of tepid flicks over this lame weekend ensures that this summer in particular is bound to end on a bad note.

Extract: Mike Judge has created a flavorless and unfunny comedy that is so sloppy I had a hard time defining what it is actually about. It's not a dry and intelligent parody of the workplace the way Office Space was. Instead, most of it revolves around the sexually repressed hero wanting to have an affair with a beautiful con artist. In an effort to dodge guilt he first hires a gigolo posing as a pool cleaner to sleep with his wife, (a lack of) hilarity ensues. It also contains what might be the biggest waste of a great cast in recent memory: Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Ben Affleck, and J.K. Simmons all fail to impress. Based solely on his work I feel the only thing Judge has to say about humanity is that we are all either stupid (Beavis and Butt-Head, Idiocracy) or annoying (Milton). All right man, we get it! Try something different. C-

Gamer: Call it simply The Running Man (futuristic televised game of death) on what might be one of the biggest cinematic sugar highs possible. Former stuntmen turned tag team writer directors Neveldine/Taylor (Crank, Pathology) clearly ride their motorcycles without a helmet. They are quickly becoming kings of guilty pleasure cinema. I am almost ashamed to admit how much fun I have watching their films, yet at the same time I can literally feel precious brain cells dying. This bizarre film really is nothing more than a series of violent shootouts, seizure inducing chases through nightclubs, and a way for respectable TV actors Michael C. Hall (Dexter) & Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) to completely slum it. Fans of cocaine and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare will think this is the greatest film ever, everyone else should stay away. C+

All About Steve: No chance in hell I would actually watch this. I am merely using it as a further example of how much this cinematic holiday weekend sucks. If you are in the mood to laugh just head to Rotten Tomatoes and read a few quips. The fact that critics absolutely hate it restores my faith in humanity. The fact that it will most likely be #1 this weekend causes me to loose faith in humanity all over again.

Note: Wanna hear something funny? I have to work on Labor Day. No wonder I loathe it so.

Divine Madness

Discount night at Delmar Video inspired me to give three films involving: a loony tightrope walker, a mad magician, and a couple of insane socialites a shot. For only three dollars you would be kinda crazy to miss out on these.

Man on Wire: This documentary is about Philippe Petit, a professional daredevil, who in 1974 illegally walked a tightrope several times across the top of the world trade center. Friends and collaborators recollect on the fear and rush of what they were participating in as they look back on how insane and wonderful the stunt actually was. This is not an earth shattering topic for a documentary, but Petit makes for an interesting subject. This guy is so full of life and excitement. When he is asked why he did it, you find out he has no real reason. This guy just wanted to walk the line. B

The Great Buck Howard: I found this quirky comedy about an illusionist (John Malkovich) with delusions of grandeur to be rather sweet and likable (notice how he shakes hands with everyone). Howard's most notable claim to fame was performing on the Tonight Show 61 times (Carson not Leno). His set involves tricks like getting a random audience member to hide his fee for the evening, and then tracking it down using only the power of his mind. Colin Hanks turns in good work here as Buck's new assistant. They travel to small, half-filled venues, in no name towns as they both find a sense of happiness in their work. Emily Blunt, Ricky Jay, and Steve Zahn also make memorable appearances. This little charmer made me feel pretty good without resorting to tricks, or revealing any of Howard's. B+

Grey Gardens (2009): I've never seen the 1975 cult documentary this telefilm was the basis for, but rest assured I am now on a mission to track it down. Little of this film is actually about the documentary itself (although some re-created scenes pop up here and there). This film is more about the back story and behind-the-scenes saga of Edith Bouvier Beale, both of them. 'Little' Eddie (Drew Barrymore) and 'Big' Eddie (Jessica Lang) are a daughter and mother team that slowly loose everything. lovers, support, income, and ultimately their minds. For years the two live in squalor in the trash-filled, dilapidated mansion of a home they call Grey Gardens. Lang is very good here, but this movie belongs to Barrymore. This might be her best work to date. You feel so bad for her as a woman who had the dream of making it big that turned into a nightmare. A-

Assorted Links: Some Culture, a List, and a Smurf

- How do South Africans react to District 9?

- The Observer's best British films of the past 25 years.

- First look at a CGI Smurf. Sigh.

Charley Varrick: Robbed

I don't think I can make myself any clearer by saying that Walter Matthau was a grade-A, certified, Bad-ass. This actor was always a little bit of a slob and always looked about a decade older than his actual age, but he was a force to be reckoned with. Never more so than in the overlooked/forgotten gem Charley Varrick (1973).

While browsing this blog I came across the lists of best heist films, and was less than surprised to see that this caper was nowhere to be found (like I said it is pretty obscure). The Getaway (1972) on the other hand was a bit of a surprise. I guess this film really does earn the title "Last of the Independents."

Matthau plays the title character that along with three other thieves (one of them his wife as the getaway driver) hold up a bank in the films opening. They make off with far more than they had anticipated, over half a million more. Sounds great right? Wrong. Only Charley realizes that they have just inadvertently ripped-off the mob. The mob doesn't arrest, forgive, or forget. They hunt. They send their number one tracker Molly (Joe Don Baker) a very cool and ruthless pit-bull that will stop at nothing to retrieve the money and extinguish the crooks.

The film is actually a pretty standard heist/chase thriller with one major difference: The hero is a frigging genius. It is so refreshing to root for a hero that uses his brain before resulting to violence. He knows not to spend any of the money, knows the best places to hide/keep a low profile, and just wait till you see what he does with dental records.

I am actually a bit stunned that this film didn't star Clint Eastwood considering it was the brainchild of director and collaborator Don Siegel (Dirty Harry, Escape from Alcatraz). The role feels tailor made for him, but I loved that Matthau makes it his own. My best guess is that Eastwood was preoccupied at the time with Thunderbolt and Lightfoot. Another quite excellent and often overlooked heist thriller.

I just bought this on DVD the other day after searching for it for some time. I had seen it back in high school on my father's recommendation when he told me how much of a fan Mr. Tarantino must have been of Mr. Matthau's heist thrillers. It's common knowledge now that the color named criminals idea of Reservoir Dogs came from The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. But it is lesser known that the line "Go to work on you with a pair of pliers and a blow torch" was lifted from this film.

I highly recommend this little heist thriller, because it is sharp, simple, and unjustly unsung. If that isn't reason enough, than see it for Matthau. Not only does he steal the loot, but the entire film as well. A

Assorted Links, er Lists

- Quentin Tarantino's 20 favorite movies since he started making movies. Some surprises: Anything Else?

- Saw the Avatar trailer. Wasn't too impressed. I don't think Cameron made it across the uncanny valley.

- Wired Magazine lists its favorite Sci-Fi films of all time.