Reservoir Dogs

Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Crime, Drama, 100 minutes
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Starring Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen, Samuel L. Jackson and Lawrence Tierney

Director Quentin Tarantino is one of the most passionate filmmakers I have ever seen. If you listen to him talk about his films, he can barely contain his enthusiasm. He reportedly dropped out of high school despite having an IQ of 160 because he wanted to pursue his passion. I can certainly identify with that.

Reservoir Dogs was Tarantino's first full-length feature and it contains most of the elements we have come to expect. Although his style is all over it, it feels a little rough around the edges. That doesn't stop it from being a superb film, but it's interesting to see how he perfected his craft in later efforts.

If you have ever seen a Tarantino film, you'll know that his dialogue is distinctive. In fact, I don't think anyone writes better dialogue. The story opens with a  restaurant scene in which a gang of thieves, led by Joe Cabot (Tierney), discusses the meaning of Madonna's Like a Virgin. The scene develops with Mr. Pink (Buscemi) explaining why he rarely tips. It's clever, funny and logical, and it says a lot about the character.

This approach is present in all of Tarantino's films and it's so refreshing. Why would thieves, police or German colonels only talk about their job? It just doesn't ring true. Tarantino's characters become more real because they talk about anything that comes to mind.

Reservoir Dogs is essentially a heist movie, but we never actually see the robbery take place. We see some of the planning and surveillance as the gang plans the robbery, and we see some of them fleeing the scene after it takes place. The bulk of the story takes place in a warehouse where the surviving gang members agree to meet, and it could be happening in real time.

Mr. White (Keitel) arrives first with Mr. Orange (Roth) and Mr. Pink. Orange was shot in the belly after the robbery and White and Pink are discussing what to do. Pink has a theory that someone ratted them out and that the police were at the scene much too soon. We gradually learn that Mr. Blonde (Madsen) started shooting everyone in sight during the robbery and his actions caused the police to intervene.

Tarantino loves to pause the story to explain the origin or background of his characters, and he uses that technique in Reservoir Dogs. We find out who Mr. Blonde is and why he is part of the gang. Another scene shows how Mr. Pink escaped the crime scene, although the account may not be accurate as it's from his viewpoint. The most interesting flashback reveals the identity and motivations of the rat and how he memorized an anecdote to make his character seem more authentic to the other members of the gang.

My favorite characters are Mr. White and Mr. Pink. I could watch Buscemi in anything and his character is similar to the one he played in Fargo. His final actions fit his character perfectly. Keitel's character is the most complex. Although he's a criminal, he has his own sense of honor. He clearly cares whether Mr. Orange lives or dies, while the other gang members seem indifferent. His choices are somewhat brave under the circumstances.

There is a lot of violence in the film, but the camera pans away from the action during the most violent scene. Like Hitchcock, Tarantino allows us to imagine the events rather than see them. The color red is removed from almost every scene, although Mr. White is seen wearing a red shirt at one point. This makes the scenes involving blood stand out even more. The gang wears black suits, white shirts and black ties. It's almost like a uniform.

I avoided seeing Reservoir Dogs for several years because I don't like pointless violence, but I'm glad I eventually decided to watch it. You have to realize that Tarantino's films are dark comedies and that humor is present in almost every conversation or situation. It's intelligent humor, but it's there. As a result, I'm able to watch the violent scenes knowing that they are tongue-in-cheek for the most part. I'm tempted to say that Tarantino films belong to a genre all of their own. The only other films that have a similar feel are some of the Coens' work, such as Fargo, and Martin McDonagh's In Bruges.

Reservoir Dogs is a fascinating and original look at events after a robbery. You can see many of Tarantino's trademarks such as the use of music, dialogue, camera shots from inside a trunk, flashbacks to expand characters and a Mexican standoff. I highly recommend Tarantino's unique style.

Overall score 4.5/5

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Mother and Child: Great drama - boring title.

Mother and Child (drama)

Directed by Rodrigo Garcia

Starring Annette Bening, Naomi Watts, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson

Sony Pictures | 2009 | 127 min | Rated R | Released Dec 14, 2010

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Subtitles:

English, English SDH

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4.5/5

In the special features, director Rodrigo Garcia describes Mother and Child as “a drama for grown-ups” and he’s exactly right. The film is aimed at people who enjoy emotional drama, and examining the connections between people. While I was watching, I found myself comparing the structure of the story to 21 Grams and Babel, only to find that the director of those films, Alejandro González Iñárritu, was listed as an executive producer.

The film follows three story arcs and ultimately brings them together.

The most interesting character is Karen (Bening) who had a baby girl when she was 14 and gave her up for adoption. We see how she cares for her own mother and puts her life on hold because of her. But on some level, she wonders what happened to her own child. She mentions in the opening minutes of the film that her daughter’s 37th birthday is coming up.

We then see Elizabeth (Watts) applying for a job as a lawyer. She mentions that she was adopted and that her mother had her when she was 14. Her potential employer, Paul (Jackson), is impressed by her honesty and credentials and she gets the job.

A third woman, Lucy (Washington), is unable to have children of her own and is desperate to adopt. We see her and her husband interviewed by a nun to see whether they are a suitable couple.

The story shows how Karen and Elizabeth have been affected by never knowing each other:

Karen devotes her life to looking after her mother and working as a geriatric nurse. She has never been married. Her maid has a little girl and Karen resents having her show up at her house. It seems that she has distanced herself from children and resents people who have children in their lives. Her own loss was an event that she has never recovered from. She’s abrupt and sometimes rude to people and ensures that she never gets close enough to men to develop any romantic feelings. Everything she does is designed to protect herself from any potential pain in the future.

Elizabeth is fiercely independent. She seduces Paul and is the dominant partner when they have sex. She’s also happy to pursue married men and makes a move on one of her neighbors. As we learn more about her, it becomes clear how she’s been affected by never knowing her mother. I won’t reveal those details because it would ruin the story. She regularly moves around from one place to another and seems unwilling to be tied down. Although she has a lot of ambitious goals, they have to be achieved on her terms. She’s not a very nice person, but maybe it’s not completely her fault.

Lucy is willing to do almost anything to become a parent. She meets a young girl who wants to audition her to decide whether she’s a suitable foster parent for the child she plans to give up for adoption. Some of the questions disturb her, but she answers them honestly. Her husband doesn’t appear to be as enthusiastic about the process, but Lucy persists.

That’s the setup. I can’t give away anything else without ruining some of the surprises. All three women experience events which change them. Karen undergoes the biggest change and grows as a person throughout the story. 

I made a point of seeing the 10 Best Picture nominations last year and enjoyed them all, but I would rank Mother and Child above five of them. The acting is strong across the board and I’m a little surprised that Bening wasn’t nominated for this role rather than for her role in The Kids Are All Right. Mother and Child wouldn’t work without her performance. We see her accepting her situation, reacting when an event changes it, and ultimately transforming herself into a different person. She shows a vast range of emotions and, although I greatly admire American Beauty, this might be her strongest performance to date.

Watts, Washington, Jackson and Jimmy Smits also turn in good performances and I believed in everything they did. Those that I haven’t mentioned were great too.

I didn’t hear a word about the film during its limited theatrical run. The marketing just didn’t exist as far as I saw. I understand the reasoning and know that the audience for an emotional drama is small and growing smaller every year, but it pains me to see films like Mother and Child ignored. Will they eventually cease to be made so that we can have more sequels? Probably so. But I’ll try to do my part and highlight those worthy of attention.

Video Quality 4.5/5

Mother and Child was shot digitally, but it doesn’t detract from the overall look. Detail is strong and I didn’t detect any flaws. There are a few releases with better picture quality, but this is right up there and you won’t have any complaints.

Audio Quality 4/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track does exactly what it is supposed to do. It’s a quiet story, driven by dialogue, but everything sounds clear. The ambient sounds add to the experience, but don’t expect your speakers to receive much of a workout. It’s just not that kind of movie.

Special Features 2.5/5

All of the additional content is presented in full HD.

Deleted Scenes (3:43) – Three short scenes that didn’t make it into the film.

Creating the Family Tree (13:39) – Director Rodrigo Garcia talks with some of the cast and crew and explains how the film came to be made.

Universally Connected (15:37) – An extension of the previous feature, but going into greater depth.

Trailer (2:10)

Previews

BD-Live

Mother and Child was one of the best dramas released in 2010. Anchored by a stellar performance from Bening, none of the acting disappoints. The title sounds boring and hardly anyone bothered seeing it, but fans of emotional drama shouldn’t miss this one. There are quite a few surprises and deeper connections between some of the characters that I didn't mention for fear of spoiling the film. If action is your thing, give this a miss.

Overall score 4.5/5 

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My Top 20 Dramas: Part 4, #1-5

My Top 20 Dramas (final part)

5. American Beauty (1999)

Directed by Sam Mendes

Starring Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening and Thora Birch

American Beauty is the story of how Lester Burnham (Spacey) rebels against his boring lifestyle and acts to change it. He’s unhappy with his wife, Carolyn (Bening), while his daughter, Jane (Birch), barely acknowledges his existence. Mendes explores the difference between the image we present to other people and what actually goes on behind the scenes. There’s plenty of dark humor and this might just be Spacey’s best role. All three people make big changes and develop as characters throughout the film. It expresses feelings that a lot of people feel, but never do anything about.

My full review can be found here.

4. The Green Mile (1999)

Directed by Frank Darabont

Starring Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan and David Morse

The best Stephen King adaptations are directed by Frank Darabont. The Green Mile is set in a prison in the 1930s and all of the inmates are waiting to be executed in the electric chair. It’s not a traditional prison story as all of the prisoners have their own cell and don’t come into contact with each other. The warders, led by Paul Edgcomb, have their world turned upside down when John Coffey (Duncan) arrives on the scene. Edgcomb, now an old man, narrates the story and everything we see happened when he was a young man. Coffey is a giant of a man, but is exceptionally quiet and gentle. I won’t reveal how he shakes things up because it would ruin the surprise. It’s a wonderful drama and Darabont takes his time telling the story. Don’t be put off by the 189-minute running time because you’ll probably be sorry that it’s over when it ends. It also has the best performance by a mouse in the history of motion pictures.


Click here for my full review.

3. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis

Reservoir Dogs was a promising debut and Pulp Fiction sees Tarantino take a step forward. His screenplay deservedly won the Oscar and it’s full of the realistic dialogue that’s found in all of his films. Vincent Vega (Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Jackson) play two killers. The most interesting thing about them is their conversations and outlook on life. Bruce Willis is also in the mix, playing a boxer who is paid to fix a fight and goes on the run after failing to keep his promise. The film is full of interesting characters. Christopher Walken appears in just one scene, but you’ll never forget it. Uma Thurman hinted at the potential she would eventually realize in the Kill Bill movies. The non-linear plot is a sequence of bizarre events rather than a coherent story, but I wouldn’t change a thing. It’s hard to pick a favourite Tarantino movie, but this currently has the edge.

2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Directed by Frank Darabont

Starring Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbins and Bob Gunton

Shawshank is another Stephen King story adapted by Frank Darabont and it’s also set in a prison. Andy Dufresne (Robbins) plays a man convicted of murdering his wife. Red (Freeman) befriends him and helps him adjust to prison life. The film has been criticized by some for manipulating our feelings, but don’t all movies aim do that? The pacing is slow, allowing us to feel the passage of time as Dufresne serves his long sentence. My favourite scene happens while several inmates are tarring a roof, but the film is full of memorable scenes. I doubt that Robbins or Freeman have ever delivered better performances. As with most Stephen King stories, there’s a real sense of justice by the conclusion. I’m not sure how many times I have seen Shawshank, but I know I’ll keep watching it on a regular basis.

1. Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Directed by David Lynch

Starring Naomi Watts. Laura Harring and Justin Theroux

David Lynch isn’t the easiest filmmaker to like. He doesn’t like explaining the meaning of anything and insists that you draw your own conclusions. Mulholland Dr. is particularly baffling on the first viewing. It’s unclear what’s happening and the whole film is turned on its head in the last 45 minutes. It makes the viewer question the validity of everything that has happened up to that point. Betty (Watts) plays a bright-eyed aspiring actress who befriends Rita (Harring); a woman suffering from amnesia following a car accident. Part of the story plays like a Nancy Drew mystery as the two try to find Rita’s true identity. In fact, the whole film is about identity. There’s an air of mystery throughout and numerous scenes filled with dark humor. It’s also actually quite frightening in places if you allow yourself to be drawn in. If it works for you, you’ll find yourself reading about the film and watching it again within a couple of days. If it fails, you’ll regret ever seeing it. I watched it two days running and have seen it many times since. This is the film that changed the way I think about cinema.

My full review can be found here.

 

See #16-20 on my list here.

See #11-15 on my list here.

See #6-10 on my list here.

I Hope that you enjoyed reading about my Top 20 dramas. Feel free to comment and add your own list.

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My Top 20 Dramas: Part 3, #6-10

My Top 20 Dramas (continued)

Most of my favorite movies are dramas. It’s largely because important stories told in a serious way tend to be dramas. Acting is generally better and the story means something.

It’s incredibly difficult to rank films. Much depends on mood or which ones you have seen recently. The order constantly changes and new titles are added as I see titles for the first time.

With that in mind, here’s #6-10 in my favorite genre:

10. Jackie Brown (1997)

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Starring Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster and Robert De Niro

Based on an Elmore Leonard novel, Jackie Brown still feels like a Tarantino movie. At 154 minutes it never feels long. Tarantino takes the time he needs to properly introduce the characters and we know them well by the end of the movie. It’s essentially a heist movie with a little romance thrown in. It’s shunned by some because it appears to feature older actors and may be intended for a different demographic than his first two movies. I love every minute and enjoy seeing everything unfold. Jackson is always good when he works with Tarantino, but Forster and Grier have never been better. If you have avoided this due to bad reviews and like Tarantino’s style, check it out. Chances are you’ll end up appreciating it.

9. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Starring Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz and Mélanie Laurent

This time Tarantino gives us his version of a war movie, but it’s not like any war movie you’ve ever seen. The opening 20-minute scene is about as tense as it gets and is reminiscent of Hitchcock. The film is driven by dialogue in four different languages, so subtitles are used frequently. Waltz won an Oscar as Hans Landa, the Jew Hunter. The film is typical Tarantino fare with plenty of dark humor, violence, references to film, chapters and outrageous scenes. As always, the music fits the action perfectly. The screenplay was Oscar-worthy and the acting strong throughout. The 153 minutes race by and Tarantino casually changes history with his version of events. It’s a lot of fun.

8. The Double Life of Veronique (1991)

Directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski

Starring Irène Jacob and Philippe Volter

This film won’t appeal to everyone. It’s subtitled and tells the story of two women; one French and the other Polish. They look alike and have similar interests. Kieslowski’s story has several different layers of meaning and it’s something for viewers who like to reflect on what they have seen. It’s not a traditional narrative and there’s no obvious plot. This is not a Hollywood production. We never learn why the two women look identical or why they seem to share some of their feelings and experiences. That’s for us to decide and everyone will have a different answer. Irène Jacob, who later starred in Three Colors Red, is stunning in the role and plays it with a lot of emotion. The film is also about relationships and music. In fact, it explores several kinds of love. It’s shot beautifully and watching it is like entering into a fantasy world. If you like to think and find your own meaning, this might appeal to you. If you don’t like subtitles or prefer things to be neatly explained, skip it.

7. No Country for Old Men (2007)

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

Starring Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Tommy Lee Jones

Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) finds a suitcase full of money while he’s out hunting and decides to take it and go on the run. It’s a weird choice considering he could have left the country and never be seen again, but all of his other actions make sense. We see how he hides, fearing that he’ll be pursued. His caution is justified when Anton Chigurh discovers his identity and tries to recover what he claims is his money. The story is told from the viewpoint of the local sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Jones) and the resolution isn’t an obvious one. Chigurh is an interesting character and is afraid of nothing. There’s always tension whenever he’s on screen. The Coens picked up Oscars for Best Directing, Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay, while Bardem won Best Supporting Actor. It’s a unique film.

6. Fargo (1996)

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

Starring Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi and William H. Macy

It’s tough choosing between Fargo and No Country for Old Men, but there’s so much to love about Fargo. The acting is excellent and the characters memorable. It’s full of dark humor and witty dialogue, and the story moves along at a brisk pace. The setting suits the mood of the film and Roger Deakins captured the desolation of Minnesota perfectly. I have a lot to say about the film, so feel free to check out my recent review if you want to know more.

Here’s the full review.

See #16-20 on my list here.

See #11-15 on my list here.

See #1-5 on my list here.

I’ll reveal the final five films tomorrow.

Feel free to let me know what you think about my selections, and what would make your Top 20.

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The Incredibles: Another Pixar title gets the HD treatment

The Incredibles (animation, action, adventure)

Directed by Brad Bird

Starring the voices of Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson and Jason Lee

Disney / Buena Vista | 2004 | 115 min | Rated PG | Released Apr 12, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 ES Matrix

French, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 EX

English: Dolby Digital 2.0

Subtitles:

English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

Four-disc set (2 BDs, 2 DVDs)

DVD copy

Digital copy

The Film 4/5

Pixar has given us lovable monsters, fish, ants, rats, toys, cars, a service robot and a floating house. None of those subjects sounded particularly interesting to me, but I ended up loving every film. It’s hard to select a favorite because every one has merit, but I would pick Ratatouille if forced to choose. That was written and directed by Brad Bird who also wrote and directed The Incredibles.

I’m not a fan of superhero movies in general. They tend to focus on the special powers of the superhero and tell us very little else. The characters are usually little more than sketches. That said, each one is highly anticipated and almost guarantees success at the box office. It’s the most popular genre. Christopher Nolan elevated the genre to a new level with Batman Begins and the hugely popular Dark Knight. They remain my favorite superhero movies by far, but why do I believe that?

Nolan gives his characters depth and we understand why they do what they do. He also makes it seem possible that they can do what they do. Quite simply, I believe that such characters could exist. 

The Incredibles uses a similar technique and puts the characters in today’s world. What happens to superheroes that grow old and fat? What do they do when they aren’t foiling crimes? What if they try to help someone who doesn’t want to be helped? Do superheroes marry and start a family? If they did, would their children also have special powers?

All of these things are addressed and more.

We learn some of the character’s motivations at the beginning of the movie when they are interviewed on TV. Each superhero is introduced. We meet Mr. Incredible (strength), Elastigirl (flexibility) and Frozone (freezes things). There’s also a boy who calls himself Incrediboy and wants to be Mr. Incredibles’ sidekick, but he’s rejected and not allowed to become part of the team.

After a series of incidents end in people suing the superheroes, the government forces them to retire, relocate and live as normal people. Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl marry and have three children. Violet can become invisible and make force shields, while her brother, Dash, runs at an incredible speed. Baby Jack-Jack is still developing his powers.

They are known as the Parr family and try to remain inconspicuous. Mr. Incredible and Frozone pine for the old days and secretly fight crime by lying to their wives and claiming to go bowling. They are being monitored and Mr. Incredible is given a solo mission by an unknown agency. He succeeds, but almost dies in the process. We learn that Incrediboy has never recovered from the rejection 15 years earlier and that he’s been scheming to get his revenge under his new name, Syndrome.

The movie is full of invention. Although many of the characters seem to have been inspired by the Fantastic Four, they use their powers in unpredictable ways. The family members are particularly good at combining their skills and there’s a lot of humor in the film. Some of it is quite subtle and best appreciated by adults, but there’s plenty for the kids too. It’s an action-packed story filled with explosions and battles. Syndrome’s hideout looks like something out of a James Bond movie, as do many of the gadgets.

The conclusion is satisfying and paves the way for a sequel should Pixar ever decide to make one. This is a movie that has the potential to appeal to viewers of any age and it’s a lot of fun. If I learned one thing it’s that wearing a cape can be a dangerous business.

Video Quality 5/5

Disney consistently produces wonderful transfers. Some of the classic titles were made 70 years ago and look better than ever. Pixar hasn’t been around that long and the animation looks modern and three-dimensional. Every Pixar movie to date has been just about perfect and The Incredibles is no different.

Audio Quality 5/5

The Incredibles is a good choice to show off your home theater system. As well as a stunning transfer, the sound quality will satisfy any movie enthusiast. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 ES mix is capable of shaking the room at times, but doesn’t disappoint with the finer details. Dialogue and ambient sounds are all crystal clear.

Special Features 5/5

There are over eight hours of special features spread across two Blu-ray discs:

Audio commentary with director Brad Bird and producer John Walker.

Audio commentary with the animators.  

Bounding (short film, 4:40)

Jack-Jack Attack (short film, 4:42)

Jack-Jack Attack Exploded (the short with a commentary track, 4:43)

The Incredibles Revisited (22:06)

Paths to Pixar: Story Artists (5:53)

Studio Stories: Gary’s Birthday (1:24)

Ending with a Bang: Making the End Credits (1:35)

The New Nomanisan: A Top Secret Redevelopment Plan (3:30)

Deleted Scenes in HD (35 minutes)

Incredibles Teaser (2 minutes)

Classic Content: A 27-minute making of feature and around 70 minutes looking at the design of the movie.

Art Gallery

Trailers for The Lion King and Cars 2

Free movie ticket for Cars 2 (enter your DMR code and print the ticket – expires Aug. 7)

Disney titles look wonderful on Blu-ray. The studio pulls out all the stops once again to deliver a package that any fan of the movie will be delighted with. Perfect video and audio, a good story, eight hours of extras, a DVD copy, a digital copy and a free movie ticket. Now all we need is Finding Nemo. 

Add this to your collection if you haven’t already done so.

Overall score 4.5/5

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