I haven’t done one of these posts in a while, mostly because I’ve enjoyed writing from a more personal perspective. Mister Lonely, however, is worth a post.
Remember the film Kids? It was written by Harmony Korine, who was 19 years old at the time. Since “Kids,” Korine has continued working in the industry, making multiple films with Chloë Sevigny, as well as directing music videos and even co-writing a Björk track on the 2001 album Vespertine.
Mister Lonely tells the story of a Michael Jackson impersonator, played by Diego Luna, whose dancing is almost perfectly Jacksonian. I don’t care to give away the story, but let’s just say it involves Samantha Morton as a Marilyn Monroe and it takes place on a commune, of sorts, in Scotland. Though apparently some scenes were filmed in Panama.
The film is undeniably beautiful, filled with strange, surreal images and sounds. Its pace is slow-moving and sometimes entirely incomprehensible. The costumes are perfectly executed, as is the acting.
In 2008, Korine said,
When I’m directing films, I mostly try to create an environment on set that mimics what’s in my mind, as to the tone and feel of things. I try to create a place where you feel that anything’s possible. Everyone’s in character all the time to a degree, everyone’s in costume all the time. You want to create an environment where these characters really exist, and then it’s about me finding it. A lot of times, I’ll give six or seven different scripts out with alternate endings, with different character lines, with different pieces of dialogue. A lot of times, the actors think they’re working on different films.
The unpolished, nonlinear tendency of Korine’s work is exemplified with Mister Lonely, and you find yourself thinking of more artistic movies, the ones that are almost absent of the actual storytelling process.
Plus, Werner Herzog is in it.
This may not be a movie that you remember for years to come. You may not give it five Netflix stars. But it’ll make an impression. It will take you out of your day-to-day normalcy and drop you into another world, one that you would never expect to actually exist.
Recount directed by Jay Roach — Remember the long past 2000 election in which we waited weeks to hear a verdict? This HBO film tells the story of what went on behind the scenes, while I was busy being a depressed freshman in college who hardly noticed that there was an election crisis on our hands. If, like me, you have vague memories of what transpired during those two months, this film is a must-see. The cast includes Kevin Spacey, Laura Dern, John Hurt, and Denis Leary, among others, and Jay Roach was also behind popular projects like “Borat”, “Meet the Parents,” “Austin Powers” and more.
In addition to telling the story of this historical election, the film raises the controversial issue of election fraud, one which, coincidentally, as been discussed at length over the course of the past eight years and, more recently, in a Rolling Stone article titled “Block the Vote.” In 2002, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) was passed in order to remedy the errors of the 2000 election. The goals of HAVA are, according to Wikipedia,
• replace punch card voting systems;
• create the Election Assistance Commission to assist in the administration of Federal elections; and
• establish minimum election administration standards.
When nearly two million ballots were discarded in 2000 (because they registered more than one vote, or no vote at all, when passed through the ballot reader), HAVA was created to give the American public peace of mind. However, as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Greg Palast have determined in their article,
…thanks to new provisions of the Help America Vote Act, the number of discounted votes could surge even higher…HAVA was corrupted by the involvement of Republican superlobbyist Jack Abramoff, who worked to cram the bill with favors for his clients…In practice, many of the “reforms” created by HAVA have actually made it harder for citizens to cast a ballot and have their vote counted. In case after case, Republican election officials at the local and state level have used the rules to give GOP candidates an edge on Election Day by creating new barriers to registration, purging legitimate names from voter rolls, challenging voters at the polls and discarding valid ballots.
“Recount” provides a look at the inescapable reality buried deep within our government and, unfortunately, the possibility that corruption and fraud are systemic truths. Perhaps, on certain occasions, your vote doesn’t count, despite the election rhetoric we have all grown accustomed to. Perhaps, no matter who wins today’s historical presidential race, the United States will face four years with a leader not chosen by the people, but by the system itself.
Redbelt directed by David Mamet – Chiwetel Ejiofor steals every frame of this film as Mike Terry, a jujitsu teacher struggling to pay the bills and maintain his sense of honor. When an unexpected event takes place within his own studio (involving Emily Mortimor), Terry is forced to make a difficult decision — enter a fighting tournament with the hopes of winning a sizable prize or give up his life of jujitsu instruction (I’m simplifying).
You’re probably familiar with Ejiofor, whether or not you realize it — he’s been in a series of memorable movies, none of which display his acting talent like Redbelt: Amistad, Love Actually, She Hate Me, Children of Men, American Gangster, Serenity. I remember seeing his face, but could never have placed him. Redbelt, however, deserves recognition mainly for Ejiofor’s performance. The character of Mike Terry represents the struggle of humankind, a decision which every adult faces — get a job and make a living or pursue a passion and, quite probably, struggle.
The best moments of this film take place at the end, which I will refrain from spoiling. 
Let me just say, if the Karate Kid ever inspired a tear to fall from your eye, then Redbelt is not only worth a view, but even two or three. The philosophy behind jujitsu is given proper attention, as a running theme throughout Terry’s personal struggles. It’s not to say the film doesn’t have its loose ends. Mamet’s story includes many strings which I expected to tie together throughout the climax. It was mildly disappointing to find the Tim Allen story line left out in the cold, with no true ending. Peter Travers, of Rolling Stone, put it perfectly in his review:
At the center of this quiet storm of a movie, beautifully shot by There Will Be Blood Oscar winner Robert Elswit, Ejiofor confirms his status as one of the best actors anywhere. Born in London to Nigerian parents, Ejiofor can do film drama (Dirty Pretty Things) and comedy (Kinky Boots) and win raves onstage (as Othello). The resonant stillness he brings to Redbelt pulls you in. Even allowing for a few slips in pacing and judgment, Mamet is on his game, and that is a sight to see. No con.
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
–George Bernard Shaw
Did you know that Ralph Nader is behind such significant acts like the 
1970 Clean Air Act, the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, among many others? In addition to these monumental movements, Nader also helped establish PIRG (Public Interest Research Groups) and Public Citizen, the most well known of his efforts which aims to engage in consumer advocacy, government accountability, clean democracy and ethical government, access to the courts, global trade, and regulatory and science policy.
An Unreasonable Man is quite possibly the best documentary I have ever seen. First and foremost, you hardly realize that you’re watching a documentary! The story is compelling and surprising — I had little knowledge of Nader’s extensive background in political activism. I had heard the stories, like many others, but never the real facts. The documentary, in addition to providing a basis by which one can better understand the man behind the movement, also effortlessly convinces you that he is, indeed, the most forward thinking “politician” out there.
When Nader was a child, his father would give his three children an assignment at the breakfast table — Each morning, he chose a topic that would later be the dinner discussion. The kids arrived at the dinner table prepared to literally debate politics, even at a young age. This obviously instilled a very serious sense of awareness and responsibility in Nader and his siblings.
Since the 1950s, Nader has maintained an incomparable presence in the political realm, beginning with his automobile-safety activism. In fact, he is responsible for the things we now take for granted: seat belts, air bags, built-in safety precautions in our cars. Upon 
the success of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Nader began to tackle issues across the board: the Federal Trade Commission (with the help of Nader’s Raiders), the National Air Pollution Control Administration, the Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, in addition to many others.
I encourage any person who is interested in rights, of any kind (civil, environmental, etc.) to view this film. It will give you a look at who this man is, not who the media has made him out to be. It will, quite possibly, lead you to question the current state of our government, the limits imposed by a two-party system, and the truth behind the politicians we all support.
Stop-Loss directed by Kimberly Peirce — Peirce makes a blunt departure from the dramatic effect of her previous project, “Boys Don’t Cry,” with this film about a group of United States soldiers returning from a tour in Iraq. In general, “Stop-Loss” is a mediocre attempt to address a grave issue. However, Ryan Phillippe’s performance is startling and the subject matter is one that deserves attention.
The term “stop-loss” refers to a military policy by which a service member’s active duty can be involuntarily extended. According to a recent Los Angeles Times article,
The number of soldiers held in the Army under the stop-loss program reached a high in March 2005 of 15,758. That number steadily declined through May 2007, when it hit 8,540. But since then, the number of soldiers subjected to stop-loss orders began to increase again, reaching 12,235 in March 2008.
In Peirce’ story, Phillippe’s character has returned to his Texas home expecting to retire from active duty. His paperwork is ready, he has handed in his army-issued gear, and in the final step, he discovers that he has been stop-lossed. The film follows this character, in addition to his soldier-friends, as they re-enter into a “normal” sense of society — haunted by alcohol, nightmares, and vision-like day-dreams, they have become violent, poisoned versions of who they used to be, before Iraq.
The film reminds us that we are, in a sense, repeating history. It reminds us that young men are returning from Iraq as truly changed individuals who can no longer exist in the lives they once had. It reminds us that many of these soldiers are literally forced to return, over and over again. It reminds us that we have now occupied Iraq for five years with questionable progress.
“Stop-Loss” is not Academy material, but it makes an inescapable, timely impact.
Check out End Stop Loss Now for more information on anti-stop-loss movements, and Iraq Veterans Against the War for information on soldiers who are opposed to the Iraq occupation.
