Can enough good things be said about Brian De Palma? Probably. But not by me. The man is a master stylist, easily one of the best in cinematic history. Dressed to Kill is one of his late-70's, early-80's Hitchcock revisions and goddamn if it isn't one of his best movies. Much has been written about De Palma's love/emulation of Hitchock - positively and negatively - but in Dressed to Kill it might just be the film's biggest boon.
You've seen Dressed to Kill before back when it was called Psycho. Even if you haven't watched either of those movies, you'll probably enter Dressed to Kill with a good idea how the plot will unfold. But this is where De Palma's skill is required. De Palma makes the unfolding action feel fresh and surprising, despite following nearly every beat of Psycho. His camera cleverly dances around the killer's face and sexuality, and he allows the pulp potential - not mention comedic potential - of Psycho's iconic storyline to flourish majestically.
But it ain't just pulp. There's a lot more here. If there is one aspect of Dressed to Kill that can be considered superior to Psycho - different ballparks, I know - it's that De Palma truly examines the psychosexual implications of the subject matter. All the main characters are thoroughly trapped by their sexuality. Kate Miller (Angie Dickinson) by her sexual frustration. The killer by his/her inability to receive a sex change. Liz Blake (a sultry Nancy Allen) is a high-priced hooker who witnesses Miller's death and quickly becomes the target of the murderer; in the end, it's her peddling sex that dissolves the plot's mysteries.
All in all, an extremely satisfying De Palma effort. A must-see for his fans and perhaps a mind-changer for his detractors. This is a kick ass double bill with Body Double.
Avatar (2009; written & directed by James Cameron)
Oh the hype! Oh the controversy! Will the discussion surrounding Cameron's latest, Monstro-budget blockbuster ever die down? First, he nearly bankrupts himself to make the damn thing. Then he nearly bankrupts the studio. Then he makes some bold claims about the state of Hollywood cinema after Avatar's release. Then he steals the title from poor ol' M. Night Shyamalan's movie. Then the teaser hits, and fans are aghast at the pretty colors and cartoony look; this shit is gonna revolutionize the way we watch movies? Personally, the look of the trailers never really bothered me - Cameron's a writer/actioner foremost. If I felt any disappointment leaving Avatar it is probably due to overexcitement.
It must be said right off the bat: Cameron was not exaggerating about the technicality of his movie. It certainly will revolutionize cinema - blockbusters, anyway - and it is the new high water mark for CGI. Pandora is alive. It has a pulsing, believable ecosystem. Colorful creatures, plants, trees, floating mountains - they all feel real and right in front of you (I actually unconsciously reached for the screen at one point - no joke). Not just that, but Cameron attempts to explain the ecosystem scientifically - clumsily, yes, but it is a rarity for a Hollywood filmmaker to actually give a shit about the science behind his story. Cameron explores this extraterrestrial world with the fascination of any of the Planet Earth episodes. He understands that a movie world's believability should never be hampered by anything as ridiculous as physical existence.
The Na'vi, the tall, blue cat-like things which drew the harshest criticism after the teaser hit, are unbelievably realistic. The skin appears sinewy and soft, the facial features wonderfully expressionistic and individual. I had no trouble telling who was who between members of the tribe. Thinking back to this year's earlier Transformers 2, another technical marvel, in which I could hardly tell the difference between any two CGI creations, Avatar's success seems all the more pleasing.
But alas, I have issues with Cameron's baby. The script is weak. The love story, while well paced and believable, is handled with the same cornball preciousness as Titanic's. The story itself, while certainly backseat to the visual creation, reeks of hamfisted afterthought. The dialogue is some of the most stilted Cameron has ever written; not that subtlety is his greatest strength, but I don't remember anything in The Abyss called "unobtainium". It has a subtle-as-gang-rape social message: pro-indigenous, pro-green, anti-capitalism, and anti-war -- and it is as passionately felt as anything Cameron has ever written, so it is difficult to fault him for it.
Taken for its strengths, it is absolutely everything Cameron said it would be - and maybe more. If you're willing to ignore the pretty obvious weaknesses then ready yourself for a blast of a time - just expect to groan once or twice at some of the dialogue. Avatar is a blockbuster for our time.
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