[Rec] 2 (Spain; Jaume Balaguero & Paco Plaza, 2009)

   Opening with its predecessor's closing shot, [Rec] 2 feels as if you'd hit pause on the first one and came back later to finish it, the latter being but an episode of the whole story behind this zombie lunacy. Switching perspectives to the technological eyes of S.W.A.T team members entering the building to take charge of the situation, we quickly learn that the mission is not what it seems when the mission leader turns out to be a priest sent to find an antidote by the Vatican to cover-up their involvement in the matter. Locking us inside the dreaded building barely 4 minutes into the movie, [Rec] 2 assumes the viewer has seen the first one as it doesn't waste time with exposition, taking us back into the penthouse to learn more about the background of the situation. In addition to being faster, gorier and more populated than the initial film, the sequel takes the initial concept of hand-held amateur footage to new heights, using the equipment of the agents to explain the use of a screen-within-screen aesthetic that also serves as transitions between the points of view of the soldiers, adding more tension and range to the surrounding terror. However, the mystery angle that was an important factor of the first picture is almost completely lost as the film spends most of its time explaining the roots of this infestation, shedding much light on what went unanswered earlier. As effective to induce fright, [Rec] 2 is as good, if not better, than its source.

Perrier's Bounty (Ireland/UK; Ian Fitzgibbon, 2009)

  I sought this film after seeing its title on a list of the year's ten best picture. I don't remember who made the list but I feel sorry that they didnt' get to see better pictures that year. Not that this one is bad, except you'd have to have seen only a handful of pictures if you would chose to include it in the annual top-ten. Inferior yet somewhat comparable to In Bruges (Martin McDonagh, 2008), Bounty is a crime comedy dealing with dramatic subject matter whose loose script fails to bring balance to the equation; in other words, you get more laughs than emotions. The story of a slacker Dubliner (Cillian Murphy) on the run with his father (Jim Broadbent) and best friend (Jodie Whittaker) because the latter killed a henchman that was about to break his legs in the name of an unpaid loan is arguably uninspired, the weight of the picture meant to rest on the performances of its impresssive cast. In addition to those already mentioned, the casting of Liam Cunningham and Brandan Gleeson as the titular Perrier greatly adds to the film's appreciation, Gleeson's friendly yet threatening portrayal not getting enough screen time, in my opinion. Murphy and Broadbent were also convincing as the quarelling father-and-son team, Broadbent's tough-guy flakiness responsible for much of the film's best moments. However, the film does contain an element that often frustrates me in movies: the voice-over. I find it justifiable when its presence offers introspective insights into various characters, as it does in The Thin Red Line (1998) or other Terrence Malick films, or when it serves to explain contextual information crucial to the film's understanding, such as in Rounders (John Dahl, 1998). In Bounty, however, the voice-over, although thankfully kept to a minimum, brings nothing to light that can't be picked up by either the visuals or the dialogue. Furthermore, the film keeps the source of the omniscient voice (Gabriel Byrne) secret until the end, the discovery of which is rather disappointing.

Tears for Sale (Serbia; Uros Stojanovic, 2008)

   This magical breath of fresh air is a beautiful dark comedy that explores obsession and possessiveness when confronted with deprivation and illusion, not to mention imminent death if unfortunate enough to draw the short stick (you'll see). Establishing a fairy-tale vibe from the beginning, Tears immerses the viewer in an imaginary Serbia in which men have become a rare sight due to the many wars that have taken their lives. Small villages strictly inhabited by women cherish the last of their men, no matter how old and sick they may be. When Ognjenka (Sonja Kolacaric) accidentally kills her town's last male entity, she keeps herself and her sister Boginja (Katarina Radivojevic) from being burnt at the stake by promising to bring back another man for the village. The film follows the sisters' journey through a man-deprived Serbia as their illusions are destroyed, innocence shattered and their lives are changed forever. More enlivening than the previous Serbian films I have seen, the dark nature of the depraved villagers is balanced-out by the wacky and absurd portrayal of the men found along the way, the masculine obsession made laughable by the limited selection available. Incidentally, a world where entire villages throw themselves at your feet simply because you are a man is more scary than it sounds. Filmed in a dream-like sepia aesthetic, the film aptly conveys the birth of desire through absence, the women wanting what is not available, most of them not knowing what to do if they were with one anyway. Original, creative and delightfully twisted, Tears for Sale uniquely re-writes the battle of the sexes with outrageous success.

The Mechanic (USA; Simon West, 2011)

 

   I felt like watching a no-brainer and that's exactly what I got. Not to say that it wasn't an enjoyable ride, only that it was a predictable and familiar one. A remake of the 1972 Charlers Bronson film of the same name, The Mechanic follows professional hitman Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) as he tryies to get over his guilt at having killed his boss and mentor (Donald Sutherland) by teaching his trade to the latter's son (Ben Foster), the practice of which puts him at odds with his other boss (Tony Goldwyn). A perfect vehicle for Statham's strong, soft and silent persona, Mechanic is ideal for a rainy afternoon, delivering exactly what it promises in the trailer. While the action does take its time to get into gear, the film benefits from wisecracking humor and another convincing performance by Foster, in my opinion one of best young actors working today.

Reminiscent of the 90's action film (of which West directed many), Mechanic will probably not leave the viewer with a long-lasting impression, but it won't be a disappointing one either. 

The American Trap (Canada; Charles Binamé, 2008)

 

  This film is notewothy if only for being a bilangual Canadian film that is not about hockey. Speaking in both English and French, Remy Girard stars as real-life Montreal hoodlum Lucien Rivard, a figure known to have had ties with New Orleans gangster Carlos Marcello. His dealings with the CIA and anti-Castro militias are re-created as the picture brings us back to the Cold War era, exploring Rivard's involvement in JFK's assassination and its aftermath. While the implications sometimes seem far-fetched, Trap still works as a conjurer of times past, adding many 'what-ifs' to a subject that already has plenty. Having recently re-screened Oliver Stone's JFK (1991) and being a long-time fan of James Ellroy's incomparable novel 'American Tabloid', it's interesting to look at both the discrepancies and similarities that exist between each point-of-view, this time bringing the conspiracy closer to home in dealing with Montreal-born Rivard. Beyond historical credibility, Trap is simply gorgeous to look at, special touches like the recreation of some of the McClellan Committee hearings and footage from the Zapruder film keeping the viewer actively involved and wondering about the validity of the allegations presented. As I never tire of this particular piece of American history, I found it a great treat to think about the Canadian implications of it, all of which is made more fun with the bilangual performances of Girard and Colm Feore, two of Canada's best actors.

[Rec] (Spain; Jaume Balaguero & Paco Plaza, 2007)

  Incessantly freaky, [Rec] is one of those films that is refreshingly simple both in concept and practice, making it one of the better examples of the reality-concerned, mockumentary-style horror films such as Cloverfield (Matt Reeves, 2008) and Diary of the Dead (George A. Romero, 2007). In fact, its unique premise was almost literally re-appropriated by Hollywood for the weaker Quarantine (J.E. Dowdle) barely a year later, unable to come up with their own idea to cash-in on the reality-terror craze. Seen through the shaky, hand-held lens of Pablo, cameraman for the late-night TV show "While you Sleep", the film follows Angela (Manuela Velasco), the program's host, as she is doing a report about the night in the life of a fireman. Following them on a call to an appartment building in which an old woman is supposedly locked in a tenement, Angela gets the scoop of a lifetime; if she survives her own story that is. When the old woman in question attacks one of the assisting cops, their quest for assistance is stopped-short when the building's exits are found to have been barricaded from the outside by the authorities, everybody being locked inside. When the injured turn out to be not as lifeless as initially perceived, Angela and Pablo attempt to stay alive long enough to shed some light on this outrageous turn of events. Dealing with themes of autoritarian abuse, freedom of information and mass hysteria, this frenzy-fest is there to scare. The fact that we are frustrated and made uncomforble by the camera work greatly aids the frightening effect, the fast and glimpe-like views that we get of the threatful elements creating more questions than they answer. Mysterious until the very end, [Rec] has no illusions of grandeur as it sets out to scare the wits out of its audience, its straightforward entertainment value making it grand nonetheless.  

Joint Security Area (South Korea; Chan-wook Park, 2000)

   It seems that Park hasn't always held a pessimistic view of the world. Before his signature 'Revenge' trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, 2002; Oldboy, 2003; Lady Vengeance, 2005), he tackled his country's North/South issue with brains, heartbreak and humor, exploring the essence of animosity by questioning the reasons people become enemies; or are labeled as such from the start, free will having nothing to do with the matter. When two North Korean soldiers are killed and one wounded inside their own lines, South Korean soldier Soo-hyeok is pinned for the infraction; he was seen crossing back over from the North side on the night of the murders nursing a bullet hole in his arm. His account of the night in question, however, is different from that of the North Korean survivor (Kang-ho Song), each side accusing the other of instigating the situation. When a Switzerland-born Korean Neutral Countries Officer (Yeong-ae Lee) gets sent to her father's native land to investigate, she attempts to learn what really went down. Told through sporadic flashbacks, this seemingly simple film induces laughs and tears as it portrays war in an habitual and life-defining way, yet whose roots are often trivial and ambiguous; sometimes even forgotten. In the vein of war pictures like Grand Illusion (Jean Renoir, 1937) and A Midnight Clear (Keith Gordon, 1992), JSA looks at soldiers in identity crises, re-evaluating who they thought they were and by extension doing the same for their country.