Fracture (2007)

 ☆ ☆ ☆

Fracture (2007) – G. Hoblit

Anthony Hopkins works a lot but his projects seem to be all over the place.  In this one, he’s back to evil-genius mode, not quite Hannibal Lecter but smart enough to outwit the legal system after killing his wife and clearly enjoying tormenting public prosecutor Ryan Gosling with taunts and head games. The internet recommended this as a twisty legal thriller (one that I had somehow missed) but as directed by Gregory Hoblit (who got his start with Hill Street Blues), it feels rather passé or cliché.  This might be due to the music (too familiar) or cinematography (too slick) or sets (too boring, despite what is supposed to be amazing architecture or engineering delights).  There might actually be a clever script under there but that too feels very pat by the end. Critic Jonathan Rosenbaum (of the Chicago Reader, back in the day) saw this as an interesting duel between Hopkins’ classical acting style and Gosling’s method approach. Perhaps.  Gosling is supposed to be cocky then contrite but I’m not sure he pulls it off.  Hopkins is a little more subdued than I would have expected for this part.  So there – average at best.

 

The Counterfeiters (2007)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

The Counterfeiters (2007) -- S. Ruzowitzky 

Accidentally rented this a second time and found it just as enjoyable as the first time (four years ago), despite the fact that it takes place in a Nazi concentration camp (and all the grimness that implies). Telling the story of a group of Jewish prisoners hand-selected for their printing skills in order to counterfeit the pound and the dollar, the film moves briskly with fine character turns and just enough suspense. The special features on the DVD reveal this to be based on a true story, from a book by Adolf Burger, one of the prisoners who subverted the Nazi plans, a book written to counter the holocaust deniers of recent times. Shame on them. (2009 review)

Hot Fuzz (2007)

☆ ☆ ☆

Hot Fuzz (2007) -- E. Wright

From the team that brought us "Shaun of the Dead" and, like that film, this is both a spoof and a rather straight-faced take on the genre. Enjoyably British, but man the MTV style editing and bombastic score (save those Kinks songs) is Hollywood in overdrive. Is that part of the joke or a way of attracting the action audience? Not as good as it should have been (much like Shaun of the Dead). (2008 review)

Elite Squad (2007)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Elite Squad (2007) --  J. Padilha

Brazilian action film with that gritty hand-held camera feel, very rough around the edges.  We follow members of the BOPE (Elite Squad), a special section of the police who deal with the hardest problems, particularly drug dealers in the slums.  The film makes Rio look like a hell hole.  Most of the cops are corrupt but those in the BOPE are supposed to be morally purer, more dedicated to eliminating crime and less willing to take bribes or require security money from the poor.  However, this doesn’t mean that they don’t indiscriminately assassinate and torture those who they see breaking the law – they do.  It is hard to tell whether our narrator (there is a constant voiceover presence here by Wagner Moura) is reliable or not.  He seems to be on the side of good, but the movie shows how he selects two recruits for BOPE (Caio Junqueira and André Ramiro) and then fashions them into tough guys who don’t hold back when there is an opportunity to bring some brutality to the bad guys.  Rich progressive kids working for NGOs ultimately get short shrift from them.  Moreover, our narrator knows he can finally retire when one of his protegees offs a baddie without trial.  The problem for me is that it is hard to tell where the filmmakers stand on this (the screenplay is apparently by some ex-BOPE squad members).  Do they really advocate killing those dealing in pot?  The amoral nature of the action reminds me of other violent films (where the violence itself seems to be what is meant to attract the audience) such as The Raid: Redemption (2011).  Still, this could be the actual reality in Rio/Brazil – and if so, that’s pretty scary. 

The King of Kong (2007)

☆ ☆ ☆

The King of Kong (2007) – S. Gordon

It must be fun, although painstaking, to make documentaries.  The film would almost have to come together in the editing room, from hundreds of hours of footage.  But there’s so much crap out there and seemingly more docos than fiction films on Netflix, so it can’t be easy to do it right or to make a buck. You have to have the right idea.  Seth Gordon started out to make a film about competitive videogaming on classic games (donkey kong, centipede, defender, etc.) but stumbled into a rivalry between world champion mullethead Billy Mitchell and suburban Seattle dad Steve Wiebe to have their name in the Guinness Book as Donkey Kong master.  Each contender is dutifully given some backstory and characterized (as almost good vs. evil) and the film builds tension along the way to their showdown.  It is highly amusing – but is it real? Apparently, some lines were crossed to tell a good story.  This may be what Werner Herzog does but his attempts to get at the real reality seem less concerned with narrative structure and emotional manipulation and more interested in capturing perfect zen moments that create strange thoughts in your brain.  As it should be.