The Bling Ring + Friday Top Five

Ah, the disappointment! If I had made a list earlier this year of the top five movies I was most anticipating this year, The Bling Ring would have been on it (along with The Wolf of Wall Street, Fruitvale Station, The Spectacular Now and The Way Way Back). While the story seems very Lifetime movie worthy (based on the true story of a bunch of L.A. kids who decide to rob the houses of celebrities whose style they admire), with Sofia Coppola behind the camera, it had to be so much more than what it seemed. But I was wrong. The Bling Ring is exactly what it seems. There's no deeper meaning here. Sure, Coppola makes a few very interesting directing choices but for the most part, this is style over substance 101. Plus, for a Coppola movie, this has a very bad script. How many times can you watch a bunch of pretty teenagers break into a house (very easily, I might add) and say things like "Sick" "Hot" and "Oh My God!" The continuous montage of repeating images gets old very quickly. There is a saving grace here though. And that is the performances of Leslie Mann, and especially, ESPECIALLY, Emma Watson, who knocks it out of the damn park. I've never been impressed with her acting before (although I did manage to miss out on that whole Harry Potter craze), but she is so ridiculously good and, also, hilarious in this movie. She's not the star like the media will make you believe. She is supporting, but she steals the entire movie away from everyone else. The movie is almost worth seeing for her performance alone. But everything else is a disappiontment.

Grade: C+

The girls in The Bling Ring behave quite badly: breaking into celeb houses, stealing cars, money, shoes and clothes, snorting obsessive amounts of cocaine. However, if you want five better movies with bad girls, here they are, in this weeks Friday Top Five:

05. Dazed and Confused (Richard Linklater, 1993)
Quite possibly the epitome of mean girls, especially if you are a high school freshman, Parker Posey's Darla is a class A bitch. She gets her kick torturing younger girls and saying things like "Wipe that face off your head, bitch." Ah, high school!

04. Mean Girls (Mark Waters, 2004)
Led by a pre-fame Rachel McAdams, the girls in Mean Girls are the meanest of mean girls. They back stab, they gossip, they make burn books about your flaws, the even turn nice girl Cady (Lindsay Lohan before she went cray) into the queen B of mean girls. Plus, they have pretty terrible parent supervision (see: Amy Poehler).

03. Thelma & Louise (Ridley Scott, 1991)
Maybe Thelma and Louise were just misunderstood. They had a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and you can argue that everything they did was out of love and female friendship and that they are strong, independent women and we should actually be looking up to them. I would agree. But, they sure do lead the police on a cross country crime spree that culminates with that pitch perfect ending.

02. Kill Bill: Volume 1 and 2 (Quentin Tarantino, 2003, 2004)
Uma Thurman's The Bride is just a all around general bad ass. However, she spends the first movie fighting off bad girls Lucy Lui (and, my personal fave Tarantino character, Go-Go), and then she spends the second movie having a knock down, drag out, trailer park brawl with Daryl Hannah, which is glorious and amazing in every sense of the word.

01. Heathers (Michael Lehmann, 1988)
The epitome of mean girl high school movies, the Heathers are the absolute worst of the worst when it comes to mean girls. But good girl turned homicical maniac (homicide, suicide, what's the difference??) Veronica (80s goddess Winona Ryder) doesn't get off the hook here either. Once she hooks up with J.D. (Christian Slater), her life gets terribly complicated.

Django Unchained

A few months ago, when I wrote about Wes Anderson's wonderful Moonrise Kingdom, I said the best thing about Anderson as a filmmaker was the fact that you immediately knew when you were watching one of his films. That can't be said about many directors. However, it does hold true for Quentin Tarantino, at least to a certain extent. Tarantino probably has more copy cats than any other filmmaker. He has influenced a generation of filmmaker's who want to copy his style. Just a month or so ago, I saw a movie called Killing Them Softly, which I loved, which I called Tarantino-esque. I raved coming out of the theater, calling it one of the best of the year. Then I decided I should wait to see Django until I made the bold statement that Andrew Dominik managed to make a better Tarantino movie than Tarantino. And I'm glad I waited, because Django Unchained is, to put it bluntly, awesome.

The story follows Dr. King Shultz (Christoph Waltz, so damn good) in the 1850s, a dentist turned bounty hunter. He needs to find the Brittle Brothers, three dangerous slave overseers who have a bounty on their head. The problem? He has no idea what they look like. That's how he gets to know slave Django (Jamie Foxx, never better). Dr. Shultz and Django strike up an agreement - Django will point out the Brittle Brothers to Dr. Shultz, he will kill them and then give Django some of the bounty money and set him free. Well, Django takes sort of naturally to killing white folks for money, so they eventually decide to form a partnership which eventually evolves into Dr. Schultz helping Django free his slave wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from dangerous plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio, who blows the roof off this damn movie). And since this is a Tarantino movie, there is as much talking as there is blood shed, and I wouldn't have it any way. When you write dialogue as well as Tarantino (and, really, I don't think anyone alive writes better dialogue), words and monologues can become so exciting, nearly as exciting as shoot outs and mandingo fighting. I'm the rare Tarantino fan who thinks Kill Bill Volume 2 is better than Kill Bill Volume 1. Sure, the first volume has all the crazy fight scenes, but the second volume has that verbal showdown between the Bride and Bill that is just as, if not more, exciting to me.

Tarantino is one of the very few people in all of movie making that has event movies. It feels like if you know there is a Tarantino movie playing at a movie theater, you are going to go and see it, no matter what. He is so stylized, so fresh, so damn good, that each of his movies seems better than the last. I am not going to sit here and say, "Django is the best Tarantino movie ever," because we both know that's not true. But you know you are a good filmmaker when every movie you release is immediately thought of as your best one. Tarantino has created a body of work enviable by most directors.

That's not to see Django is flawless, because it isn't. For starters, after three or four movies in a row (the Kill Bills, Death Proof, Inglourious Basterds) with kick ass, well written, bad ass women, it's sort of disappointing to see Broomhilda. I'm not sure if Kerry Washington just isn't right for the movie, or if the role is just under written. The other major problem is the length of the movie. While the movie didn't feel overly long to me, there were places where they could have edited it down to make it feel faster. My final problem with the film is this - While Tarantino is one of the greatest directors of his generation, his flaw as a filmmaker is not realizing what a terrible actor he is. He keeps casting himself in his movies and, as much as I love him, he's not a good actor! I know he's probably living out some boyhood fantasy, but can't he be satisfied with being a brilliant, influential director?? Those were my three biggest problems with the movie, and other than that, I sort of loved it.

The movie was perfect Tarantino - talky and bloody and funny and dark. The performances were great all around - with DiCaprio, for me, taking top honors. I'm surprised he isn't winning more award season traffic because his performance is so good here, it's worthy. You can tell he's having the time of his life playing this terrible, terrible man. But the performances by the other three main actors - Foxx, Waltz, and Samuel L. Jackson as the most awful character in the history of black cinema, are all equally as impressive. This is two Tarantino movies in a row where Waltz just kills it. He should probably just work exclusively with Tarantino for the rest of his career. I've never been the biggest Jamie Foxx fan, but this role seems tailor made for him. I've read that he wasn't Tarantino's first choice, but I'm sure glad he ultimately got the role. It fit him like a glove.

Ultimately, while this isn't Tarantino's best film, it definitely is one of the best films of the year. As a friend of mine told me, "Run, don't walk, to the nearest theater!"

Grade: B+

Grindhouse

Grindhouse is a throw back to seventies exploitation films with a back to back premise and as much violence and gore as you can stomach. These two films, Robert Rodriguez' Planet Terror and Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof, together give you 3 hours of action packed fun. The two directors have updated the sleazy grindhouse movie experience and bring it to a new generation. Rodriguez and Tarantino are easily the two hardest working and most innovative directors in Hollywood. They compliment each other well and you can tell they are having the time of their lives making these films (which shines through in most films they make).

First we are presented with a mock trailer for a movie called Machete which stars Danny Trejo. This was supposed to be one of the four fake trailers but rumor has it they are actually making it into a movie. Maybe they'll do the same with Thanksgiving. Planet Terror opens with Rose McGowan doing a sexy dance set to the wonderful theme music written by Rodriguez. Planet Terror is a gross out zombie flick that has appropriate amounts of gore and guts. If you like Rodriguez, then you'll love this movie. It's typical Rodriguez: explosions and sex, tons of humor and men (and women) jumping over things while shooting two guns at bad guys. This movie is pure fun, fun, fun. No one does action quite like Rodriguez. Much ado has been made about Rose McGowan's go-go dancer character and her machine gun leg. My one tiny little problem with the movie is that what you see in the previews of the machine gun is pretty much all there is of the machine gun leg. But that doesn't even matter because she's not the coolest character in the movie. That prize goes to Freddy Rodriguez and his wonderful El Wray, a guy who never misses with a gun and who kills people with ease and style. Marley Shelton also adds to the fun as a slightly crazy and kooky doctor who is terrified of her doctor husband (Josh Brolin) and for good reason. Oh! And don't miss Robert Rodriguez' son who has a small part and ends up getting his head blown off. Best. Dad. Ever.

Planet Terror is typical Rodriguez and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that at all. The thing Grindhouse proved to me (and I have been debating this with myself for months) is that Rodriguez is the better director in this match up. Planet Terror is endlessly entertaining. You'll spend the hour and a half running time laughing hysterically, being grossed out and engrossed in the constant action and hijinx. While Planet Terror is typical Rodriguez, Death Proof is typical Tarantino. And again, there's nothing wrong with that... except for the fact that it follows Planet Terror. After you've sat through all the fun and action of Planet Terror (and three more faux trailers including one for Thanksgiving which would be the coolest movie ever if Eli Roth actually made it), you go into Death Proof which is typical Tarantino: lots of talking followed by some action, followed by more talking, followed by the coolest car chase scene ever. There's nothing wrong with the fact that it's a typical talky Tarantino flick except that it all seems sort of dull after Planet Terror. Still, the dialogue is rich and wonderful (as you would expect from Tarantino) and most of the girls he employs kick ass (Vanessa Ferlito, Rose McGowan again, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Bell and Tracie Thoms are stand outs). Of course there's Kurt Russell as the crazy Stuntman Mike. He's wonderful and easily the best part about the film (although Freddy Rodriguez' character in Planet Terror is still cooler). Death Proof is a little on the dull side... until the last 20 minutes or so. The finale brings it all home. I don't want to spoil anything but it involves Zoe Bell (who did Uma Thurman's stunt work in the Kill Bill movies) being crazy awesome and a huge elaborate car chase scene that is unlike anything you've seen in recent movie history. It even trumps some of the greatest car chases in movie history (and, being that I go to the movies with my Dad a lot and I grew up liking boy movies, I've seen my fair share of car chases).

Both movies are well executed, well scored, well written and well delivered. The extra fake trailers add to the ambience and the wonderful camoes are icing on the cake. Grindhouse is surely the most fun experience you'll have at the movies all year long.

Planet Terror - A
Death Proof - B
Grindhouse - A-

10 Best Rodriguez/Tarantino Movies

In anticipation of Friday's release of the Robert Rodriguez / Quentin Tarantino double feature Grindhouse, here is my personal list of the top 10 films by the directors. While Tarantino is infinitely more popular, keep in mind that I personally prefer Rodriguez in all of his infinite coolness.

10. The Faculty (1998) - This film could easily have been a typical high school slasher flick. It could have been... except Robert Rodriguez is endlessly entertaining and consistently makes entertaining films. Instead of his ususal formula of large guns and spectacular stunt choreography, Rodriguez makes a classy ensemble picture with awesome special effects. Like all of his films, The Faculty never loses its sense of humor and pulls off its own absurdity with artful visualization and a tight, driving pace.

09. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) - One thing is for sure: Quentin Tarantino loves movies. This movie showcases his love for the 70s over-dramatized Kung-Fu movie era and the story of revenge with rich dialogue. Tarantino may be (very) extreme but in the loveliest way (and he isn't the one who wrote a character with a machine gun for Grindhouse). People expect Tarantino to present a mind-blowing, adrenaline-pumping film and that's what he always, always delivers.

08. Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) - Complex script? Sure. But who cares? There are action sequences in this film that will blow your mind. As the third part of Rodriguez' Mexico trilogy, it's not stale or tired in the list. Rodriguez has impeccable style. It's just not a Robert Rodriguez movie until someone jumps off a Church balcony shooting two guns! Plus, with the Johnny Depp character, you could see what was to come with the machine gun leg character. His character had no eyes for the last act, for god's sake. Brilliant!

07. Pulp Fiction (1994) - I won't argue that Pulp Fiction is brilliant and probably Tarantino's best project. Still, it's not my favorite and so don't argue with me about it's ranking seventh. I always got the feeling that Tarantino put into this film whatever struck his fancy at the time. It's not a totally cohesive film but it's still wonderfully textured enough that it doesn't really matter. This film is so intricately structured, with so many astonishing details. It really has all the characteristics we associate with great movies: fine writing, first rate acting, unforgettable characters, one of the most well-constructed narratives in years. Wonderful movie, for sure. Just not my favorite.

06. Desperado (1995) - The second part of Rodriguez' Mexico trilogy, it was the first with a budget to speak of and Rodriguez used it to build a wonderful roller coaster of a film. He takes all the best elements of El Mariachi and expands them to new levels. He is simply a genius behind the camera - giving the audience the right amount of action, drama, and comedy. He gives us a deeply rooted character hell bent on destroying a drug lord, but lets imagination run wild with cartoonish action sequences. The scenes of men flying through the air after being shot are somewhat comical, yet completely Rodriguez. Time and time and time again he successfully creates a world that is uniquely and entirely his own.

05. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) - It will probably always be a debate about which volume of Kill Bill is better. Let's end it right here: David Carradine doesn't even appear in Volume 1. This is a departure from Volume 1 based solely on tone and style. He pulls back and lets the plot breathe, rather than filling every second with a homage-cum-parody that maybe a dozen lucky fans will even get. Throughout Volume 2, the emphasis is on storytelling and Tarantino is one hell of a storyteller when he wants to be. Volume 1 is great for what it is but its flash and action are no match for the depth and nuance of Volume 2.

04. Sin City (2005) - Some people give Rodriguez a hard time for his taking such total control of his films. I heard someone reference his editing and cinematography of Once Upon a Time in Mexico to a hack job. Whatever, man. This movie has seamless editing, cinematography and directing from Rodriguez. This is what you associate with Rodriguez: smart, stylish, sexy and sick. It's violent and funny... sometimes at the same time. This is the kind of visually stunning storytelling that filmmakers will strive to duplicate for years to come.

03. El Mariachi (1992) - Robert Rodriguez made this movie, his debut, for $7,000. And it's one of the most enjoyable action movies of the last few decades. Time and time again, Rodriguez proves that creativity and imagination beat million dollar budgets every time. He takes every resource he can and rebuilds the classic concept of mistaken identity. With the fast-framed photography and interesting choice of camera angles, he takes a straightforward story and builds a legend.

02. Reservoir Dogs (1992) - I don't even know where to start. It's Tarantino's first and his best. Even in his first film, this is a stylish film full of cool dialogue, cinematography, editing and music. The whole story comes together perfectly. The plot is excellently written and told. I seriously couldn't think of better casting in a movie ever. (Mr. Blonde is the most believable total psycho in recent film). All of his visceral film-making ingredients are here - suit and tie baddies argue regulary in expletive-laden conversations with sudden outbursts of violence in between. Even in the resulting bloody mess of gunshot wounds and mutilation, they still have to keep talking. It's pretty much - talk, shoot, talk, kill, talk, shoot. This kind of existence becomes an art form in Tarantino's hands.

01. From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) - Quentin Tarantino writes the script (and acts but we just won't talk about that) and Robert Rodriguez directs the movie... sounds pretty perfect to me! Foul-mouthed, hot tempered criminals and sexy strippers in a phenomenally seedy and sleazy bar (called The Titty Twister, of course) full of vampires. The excesses of this movie are probably too much for conservative folk, this is action-packed and spectacularly gory the way you would expect a Tarantino or Rodriguez movie to be. It's like being in an intense and gruesome haunted house ride. What sets Rodriguez apart from every other filmmaker (Tarantino included) is that his films always look like he's having a great time. His lack of pretensions and his dedication to film seems to transmit the fun he has making movies to the audience. The other thing about Rodriguez is that he is always just plain cool. Everything he does is cool. He even makes the undead look cool. From Dusk Till Dawn is one big bloody action extravaganza.