Xenoid

In an effort to bring light to what I feel is an one of the more underrated films from Spike Lee, director of Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, and other fine pieces of work. Adapted from the novel by the author, David Benioff translated this character study. A drug dealer changes his life in 24 hours, realizing his past mistakes, seeking a self-redemption.

Montgomery Brogan (Edward Norton), an Irish kid from Bay Ridge went to an academy on scholarship, where he began dealing pot to kids in the high school. A dream to live well, and own courtside seats at Madison Square Garden pushed Monty deeper into his criminal dealings. Caught in act by the DEA, Monty is sentenced to seven years.

The film opens with Monty saving an injured, burned dog. Here in his last 24 hours, we learn that saving that dog is one of the only truly good things that Monty did in his spiral downward. In the present day, Monty takes a walk through those people important to him, his Father (Brian Cox), his girlfriend Naturalle (Rosario Dawson), and friends, English Teacher Jacob Elinsky (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and hot shot Wall-Street player Frank Slattery (Barry Pepper).

True in Spike Lee's style, there's a big story underneath the skin of this film. His theme in Do the Right Thing, was race relations between the left over Italians in a now predominately black community. 25th Hour is Lee's ode to the city, post-9/11. It is such a subtle tribute, that it is not in your face, but you can see, the people have changed because of the tragedy. In a memorable scene, the camera cranes slightly above Hoffman and Pepper, revealing the clean-up of Ground Zero below, and the icing on the cake, the magnificent score by Terence Blanchard.

The film is polished, and to paraphrase a quote Spike Lee used himself in an interview for his upcoming Inside Man, Kurosawa, at 85, said there was still a lot he needed to learn about making films. Spike Lee, like all other great directors, is always growing.

This new offering in adult comedy is a decent show, provided you enjoy Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. Some people love the Holiday season, some may love the crisp air of Fall, John Beckwith (Owen Wilson) and Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughn) love wedding season. They do their research into upcoming weddings, come up with their game plan and backstory for each, and show up.

With so many strangers showing up to a wedding, these two zany gentleman can show up, and no ones the wiser. After a great (lengthy) montage into crashing, we move into the real story, the crash of all crashes. Crashing the wedding of the daughter of Secretary Cleary (Christopher Walken), someone John Beckwith has admired for quite a long time.

They arrive at the wedding, two venture capitalists, the son of an Aunt, and they begin working their charm. Their goal, to have a great time, party, and sleep with women. Beckwith upon sight of one of the bridesmaids Claire Cleary (Rachel McAdams), falls for her beauty instantly. Which I guarantee so will you the audience.

Invited for a weekend at the Cleary household, hilarity ensues, especially between Jeremy and his clingy bridesmaid, Gloria (Isla Fisher). In the second half of the movie, the story shifts, Vaughn becoming more the supporting role, and Wilson's love story taking center stage.

Performances here are decent for this type of comedy. There is great chemistry between these two actors, Vaughn playing the sleazier of two roles, and Wilson the straight (yet not completely straight) man falling head over heels in love. There are people who aren't huge fans of these two actors, but if you are, look for a fun time.

Black Narcissus, is one of over fifteen collaborations between Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger. At the end of this film I had the exact same thought I did when I first introduced myself to Powell with Peeping Tom here is a man who was ahead of his time.

In the opening of Black Narcissus, Sister Clodagh is given the task of establishing a school, hospital, and school for women in the Himalayas. A stern, yet young woman, she is told by the Reverend Sister of her Covenant that she "does not believe she will succeed." It's much like being given a scholarship to go to Harvard, and while having your hand shook having some "hoity-toity" trustee tell you, "Son, we're giving you this money, but nobody believes in you." Clearly Sister Clodagh sets out with the other Sisters assigned to her with the goal to prove that she can do her job.

They are invited to take space in a castle by the General of the "primitive" community, who pays the villagers to go to the school and hospital. Mr. Dean (David Farrar), the only Englishman is a bit of a brute, but plays a strong role in the changes that occur in the Sisters. Their mission of sorts is surrounded by a group of people they barely understand, and the culture, and limitless views cause each of the Sisters to see and think of things they never thought they would. Dreams and desires in them that they let go long ago when they joined their order.

Herein lies what was so ahead of its time in Black Narcissus, a so called sanctity of religious order. You have devotees, these poor nun's questioning their devotion. Black Narcissus is an amazing execution of this battle. The other star of this amazing film is Powell & Pressburgers glorious use of Technicolor. The acting and color combined with the spectacular music and art direction complete this masterpiece of film-making.