In The Loop

Film: In the Loop (2009)
Dir: Armando Iannucci
Rating: ****1/2 out of 5 stars



You'd be hard-pressed to find a funnier film than In the Loop this year. This spot-on political comedy is full of hilarious characters, biting commentary, and endless quotables. It is a full-length spin-off of the acclaimed BBC television show "The Thick of It."

Loop follows the inner workings of British and American politicians as they scramble to promote and/or avert an impending war in the Middle East. It accurately - and hilariously - portrays the lengths to which these people will go to push their respective agendas. We see how both sides are not above manipulatation, lies, and spinning the facts.

The entire cast is wonderful, British and American alike. Tom Hollander plays Simon Foster, a British cabinet minister who becomes an unwitting political pawn when he uses a poor choice of words in regards to the war. Hollander is adorably funny, as a politician with good intentions but virtually no public speaking skills. He is hounded by the prime minister's cruel aide Malcolm Tucker - played to absolute perfection by Peter Capaldi. Reprising his role from the show, he absolutely steals the film with his vulgarity. Not a man you'd want to meet in real life. Ever. But god is he funny!

Among the better knowns: James Gandolfini as a pacifistic U.S. general; David Rasche as a war-hungry politician; and Steve Coogan as a pissed off British constituent. I also enjoyed Chris Addison, Anna Chlumsky, and Zach Woods as cut-throat government interns. I could go on and on, as I really love everyone in this movie.

In the Loop definitely has a dark side, as particularly evident in its anti-climactic ending. But the satire always hits the mark, and I promise you will hurt from laughter - if only because of Malcolm Tucker (who will go down as one of the greatest comedy characters ever, guaranteed).

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Bronson

Film: Bronson (2009)
Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn
Rating: ****1/2 out of 5 stars

If you don't recognize the name Nicolas Winding Refn, you better sign into Netflix right now and add some of his movies to your queue. Especially the Pusher trilogy. Go ahead, I'll wait.....

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Okay? Good. Refn's latest film Bronson is based on real-life criminal Charles Bronson (born Michael Gordon Peterson), who became known as the "most violent prisoner in Britain." The film is a slightly fictionalized account of his life in and out of the slammer. It is narrated by the titular character, whose sanity is questionable. The result is a brutal but darkly funny prison drama.

Peterson was raised by a respectable family with a pretty normal childhood. He decided at a young age that he needed to make a name for himself, and since he couldn't act or sing, he turned to crime. He became notorious for attacking prison guards and taking hostages, and consequently spending most of his days in solitary confinement. He is passed from prison to asylum to prison again, making him also one of Britain's most expensive inmates - a title he relishes. Even when he is released and takes up a career in bare-knuckle boxing (where he gets the nickname Charles Bronson), he still is drawn back to prison and his violent reputation.

Tom Hardy is a freaking BEAST in this movie. I still can't believe I'm watching the same guy who played Handsome Bob in Rocknrolla. It blows my mind. His transformation is easily as impressive as Eric Bana's in Chopper. And both characters are delightfully crazy, violent, and hysterical. Hardy is perfect in this film, and nobody could have played the role better.

Refn's filmmaking style is engaging as always, with bits of self-referentialism that provide the film with humor and intrigue. The script is great too, broaching the subject of violence being inherent - think A Clockwork Orange. In fact, Bronson has a lot of Kubrick influence, including unique depictions of violence, eccentric characters, and prevalent use of classical music. Charles is as much Alex DeLarge as he is Mark Read.

This is a brilliant little movie that should not be missed. Refn is killing me making me wait for his next entry, Valhalla Rising. If you don't share that sentiment, you are missing out.

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Who Can Kill A Child?

Film: Who Can Kill A Child? -aka- Quién puede matar a un niño? (1976)
Dir: Narciso Ibáñez Serrador
Rating: **** out of 5 stars



The idea of children as villains is hardly new to me, after films like Children of the Corn, Village of the Damned, The Omen, Eden Lake, and a certain French film that I won't name to spare the twist. But Who Can Kill A Child? has got to be one of the best ones I've ever seen. It moves a little slow and is sprinkled with 70s cheese, but at its core it is twisted and unique.

English couple Tom and Evelyn take a vacation to a remote Spanish island in search of peace and quiet. When they arrive, the town seems deserted and only children are seen. While looking for assistance, they witness a little girl beat an old man to death. Before long, they realize something is very wrong with this island and its young inhabitants. They try to flee, but the kids won't let them. If they are to survive, Tom and Evelyn must do the unthinkable - well, you know.

The concept is a great one and full of moral conflict. I imagine it was pretty ground-breaking at the time, too. Especially since these children are not aliens, or monsters, or possessed - they are simply evil little fuckers. They seem to kill without reason or remorse. They kill their own parents, who were powerless to stop them because, afterall, who can kill a child? Let alone your own child? Personally, I think I'd have no problem mowing a kid down if he was trying to kill me. But I can certainly appreciate the ethical conflict, especially for Evelyn, who not only has two children back home but is carrying a baby inside her.

Some scenes in this are downright shocking - even 30 years later - but it did not feel cheap or sensationalized. I LOVE the piñata scene and the tiny, adorable child with a handgun, smiling as he points it at Evelyn's head. This is sick shit but it feels totally real and totally relevant. It makes you question your own morals.

I feared the ending would let me down, but it delivers. It manages to be fucked-up without being a total downer (I'm looking at you, Eden Lake!). The only downside to Who Can Kill a Child? is its slow pacing, especially the beginning. There is at least 30-40 minutes before anything tense happens. And the opening credits are a bit unnecessary, showing 8 minutes of real war footage, particularly dead children. I see where the filmmakers were going with it, but it was overkill (no pun intended).

The whole movie reminded me a lot of the original Wicker Man, both thematically and visually. Both are must-sees, especially if you like a film that is scary and unsettling but also well-told and emotionally satisfying.

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