Burnt After Reading

Several individuals counseled me to avoid the Coen Brothers’ film Burn After Reading on account of poor reviews but I found that these opinions strengthened my resolve. After viewing the black comedy, I did not find myself to be disappointed, nor did the rest of the audience at the Varsity Cinemas. The film lacks the drama and tension of “No Country for Old Men” but provides numerous laughs, thanks to an absurd screenplay and ridiculous performances.

Borrowing (or perhaps “adapting) shocking scenes from Pulp Fiction and Fargo, Burn After Reading is fairly violent. I found J.K. Simmons deadpan character to be a substantial improvement over his portrayal or Emil Skoda and Juno’s dad. It allowed viewers to take a step-back and laugh at events that would otherwise be tragic. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and John Malkovich excellently fill the roles of a sleazebag, idiot, and bitter alcoholic respectively.

I was perturbed by the lack of political satire. I feel that the Washington D.C. setting was not fully utilized. On one hand, I would like to see the Coens tackled a presidential election but on the other hand, they probably wouldn’t be as bizarre as the real election has proven to be, along with the reactions of the American public and world media. Burn After Reading won't win an Academy Award, but it falls somewhere between Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski on the Coen Scale.

The Dark Knight and The Graduate

Over the weekend I watched two films, The Dark Knight in IMAX and The Graduate on DVD. Directors Christopher Nolan and Mike Nichols created two excellent films but only one of the two is truly an all-time great (despite what IMDB’s All-Time Ratings indicate at the moment).

On the six-storey IMAX screen, The Dark Knight is spectacular. Panoramic shots are crystal clear and one can appreciate the scale of Gotham City. The monologues and dialogues are even more intense; the size of the presentation does great justice to the performances of Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, and Aaron Eckhart.

But the screen and sound system also prove how overpowering the action sequences are. The chase scene lacks special continuity (more obvious after a second viewing) and many of the brawls blend together and fade away. The “Magical Pencil Trick” is the most subtle, violent, and memorable scene, and nothing was crashed or detonated. Older films show how tension can be created - often more effectively - with a light touch. Nolan knows this, as it is the detailed characters that make audiences care about the film, until they are blown away by the next explosion.

Many of the camera angles employed in The Dark Knight were pioneered by earlier films like The Graduate. Even forty years later, the camera work in that film is still exquisite. Shots like those around the swimming pool, the municipal bus, and airport remain captivating after multiple viewings. The performances are very realistic, especially Dustin Hoffman’s disenfranchised title role. Benjamin’s Braddock’s Aston Martin scenes are quieter and all-around better than the massive chase and crash in The Dark Knight.

Although, Nolan did make a very exciting picture using a lot of techniques inspired by Nichols -- and a 180 million dollar budget. The Dark Night is a tad overrated and despite many staunch supporters, is far less enjoyable than the subtle Graduate.