I saw four different movies this weekend.
Eastern Promises
An indie film disguised as a mainstream release. Eastern Promises is much more about its characters than the plot they go through. We see the different mobsters grind against each other, pushing and giving till almost the limit, and then coolly backstabbing each other rather than bursting into open violence. Viggo Mortensen was fantastic, and disappears into his character, adding another brilliant role to his resume. I've come more and more to believe that the true mark of a great actor is if you can look at several different roles they've played and find it hard to believe that was the same person behind them all. (Christian Bale being the best example I've seen of this recently.) Mortensen does just that here, and judging from this choice, I'm very excited to see where his career goes. Vincent Cassel is brilliant and insane as always, though on that last point, he seems to play the same character as in Brotherhood of The Wolf and the two Ocean's films. I definitely give him the benefit of the doubt, and think he's just been typecast in America. Making a mental note to look into his French films...
The Darjeeling Limited
Stuart put it best, this is a Wes Anderson film, you know what you're going to get. Quirky, flawed, human characters, an oddly magical setting (in this case the titular train), deadpan humor, and lessons learned all around by the end. As far as where I'd rank this in Anderson's four films, I'd have to place it either second or third, as it's been a while since I've seen Rushmore. My all time favorite is The Life Aquatic.
Lust, Caution
Ang Lee has honed his skills to a fine point here. I admit I haven't seen Brokeback Mountain. I'm not put off by the subject matter, but I was put off by the controversy built up around a fictitious story. If it was anywhere near as masterful as Lust, Caution however, it certainly deserved the Oscars it won. Lust, Caution is the sad, twisted story of a young girl who pins her fate on an adolescent crush, and is dragged further and further into a world of deceit until it becomes the only life she has. I'm reminded of a Jacqueline Carey quote about a razor thin line between love and hate, and it comes to mind here. The passion that Wong Chia Chi and Yee share, though a lie, becomes the only truth she knows, and her hate turns to love though she cannot believe it herself. The film quietly smolders throughout, drawing you into its secluded corners and closed bedrooms, and the lies upon lies upon lies. Tony Leung plays the most magnificent bastard I've seen on film in a long time, and makes you loathe Yee, then come to pity him. Tang Wei is perfect as Wong, and never betrays a flaw in her portrayal. Whether this is beginner's luck or the signs of such a talented actress that she reminds me of Brigitte Lin, remains to be seen.
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
What I went into thinking would be a Western turned out to be a very solemn, intense portrayal of the disillusionment of growing into manhood and the face of fame. The film begins a bit slowly, with a narration that I felt was not needed or at least too obtrusive, but then settles into a quiet, brooding, vivid character piece, couched in a rich setting. Brad Pitt gives a broad, powerful performance that slowly unfurls as both Robert Ford and the audience come to know his character. He proves that he still has all the talent that he's tucked away in recent years, and don't be surprised if the whispers of Oscar around this performance really do come true. Casey Affleck proves himself as well. I've never seen him in anything besides the Ocean films, and this performance shows that he has a long, robust career ahead of him. The camera work in this film is superb, portraying the thoughts of the characters on screen, and making beautiful use of the understated vistas throughout.
