Review Roundup: The Wrestler(2008), The Wings of the Dove(1997), Quills(2000), and Memento(2000)

The Wrestler (2008): Darren Aronofsky seems to be at his best when venturing into cinematic territory that isn't always easy to watch. His 2000 effort, Requiem for a Dream, was a stylish yet gritty look at the rise and fall of four drug addicts, with an increasingly depressing and uncomfortable final act. By contrast, his 2006 fantasy odyssey The Fountain (with Hugh Jackman and his wife, Rachel Weisz), though exquisitely beautiful, didn't quite pack the punch it was aiming for. Both films featured fantastic camera work and brilliant scores from long-time Aronofsky collaborator Clint Mansell. Now along comes The Wrestler, Aronofsky's return to grittiness, and an exploration of, well...wrestling. Bolstered by Mickey Rourke's triumphant performance, The Wrestler elevates itself above its occaisionally misguided screenplay, which at times has its priorities out of order. Thankfully, in those moments when it succeeds, The Wrestler soars thanks to Rourke, Marisa Tomei, and Evan Rachel Wood as Rourke's daughter, who gives a career best performance. Above all it's a film full of resurrections: Aronofsky returning to what he does best, Marisa Tomei coming out of hibernation to act again, Evan Rachel Wood proving that she isn't just a pretty face, and most obviously, the almost Christ-like resurrection of Mickey Rourke. Definately worth a watch, even if it's not quite as good as it's been hyped up to be.

Grade: B+

Number of 2008 Films Seen: 55


The Wings of the Dove(1997): Period pieces concerning the upper class have an unfortunate tendency to be sluggish, overwrought, and more that a little pretentious. This is why The Wings of the Dove is such a breath of fresh air. Briskly paced, well acted, and with an intriguing twist on upper class romantic manipulations, it's a rare film that could have actually benefitted from being a little longer. Set in London in 1910, Kate (Helena Bonham Carter) has recently been rescued from poverty by her wealthy aunt (Charlotte Rampling). Though she wants to marry struggling writer Merton (Linus Roache), her aunt says that if she does, she will denied any sort of inheritance when her aunt passes. A few weeks later, an American millionaire named Milli (Allison Elliot) arrives and seems to be a bit smitten with Merton. Soon afterwards, Kate finds out that Milli is in ill health, and has no surviving family members to leave her vast fortune to; Kate spots an opportunity, and tries to force Merton and Milli together, hoping that Milli fancies Merton enough to leave him her wealth, so that Kate and Merton might live together in luxury after Milli dies. There's more intrigue and wickedness in this 1 hr 45 min film than in almost the entire Merchant and Ivory canon, and The Wings of the Dove is all the better for it. Bonham Carter is at her best here; she begins as a standard "trapped" woman who later becomes as much of a romantic aranger as her aunt. Her expressions and diction show her turning from genuine compassion to shadowy scheming on a dime, and it's mesmerizing. Roache is very effective as Linus, and Elliot has the right wide-eyed kindness and innocence to make Milli sympathetic, as opposed to an annoying wall flower. Artistically and technically, the score and cinematography stand out, with vibrant string arragements and graceful camera work that helps everything move along. The movie could still benefit from some more scenes exploring the Kate-Merton-Milli relationship, but overall, The Wings of the Dove is an effective little period piece that dares to not inflate itself with self importance.

Grade: B+/A-


Quills(2000): Remember that creepy, sexually perverted yet oddly artistically talented kid in high school? The one who no one talked to because he was just too...."out there"? Now imagine if that kid had grown up in the Napoleon era and was an imprisoned aristocrat. That is basically what Geoffrey Rush's portrayal of the Marquis de Sade can best be summed up as. As the morally depraved, sex-obssessed writer trapped in an insane asylum, Rush delivers a performance that actually tops his Oscar-winning turn in Shine(1996). His craggy face combined with his unsettling voice, and twisted smile turn the Marquis into a surprisingly rounded character, instead of a one-note looney that he could have easily become. Tracing the Marquis' time in asylum, the story follows the Marquis' desperate attempts to continue publishing his explicit writings with the help of a staff member at the asylum (Kate Winslet). Mean while, the asylum's founder, a young and well intentioned priest (Joaquin Phoenix) is trying to help the Marquis by encouraging him to exorcise his demons on paper (though of course, he doesn't want them distributed to the public). Then along comes Dr. Royer-Collard (Michael Caine, playing the censor crazed doctor to perfection), intent on silencing the Marquis once and for all. Like The Wings of the Dove, Quills is succeeds not only through its performances, but also through its pacing, which maintains a constant level of interest. The four main performances are all fantastic, as is the cinematography, production design, and Steven Warbeck's often unnerving score. At times it can be hard to watch, but how else could one make a movie about the Marquis de Sade after all?

Grade: A


Memento(2000): If you ever wanted proof as to why Christopher Nolan is such a brilliant fit for the Batman franchise, look no further than Memento. If you think that the film's opening spoils everything (the story is mostly told backwards), you're dead wrong. You have no idea what Memento has in store for you. Though the first 20 minutes are somewhat plain, once the narrative structure find its footing, Memento becomes increasingly intriguing, concluding with several mind bending twists. In addition to the phenomenal script, Guy Pearce, Carrie Anne Moss, and Joe Pantoliano all turn in strong work, playing characters who are all colored in numerous shades of gray. Telling a story backwards can had to be a nightmarish task, especially considering the story's Macguffin (Pearce's character has short term memory loss), yet Nolan and crew pull it off beautifully. If you're looking for a great thriller, this is definately worth checking out; just make sure you're fully alert. If you aren't you'll end up more confused than Peace's detective.

Grade: A-