Irrational Man

Every time I go and see a Woody Allen movie, I go in with a preconceived notion based on past experience what that film is going to be, but he always throws me for a loop. The movies of his that really stick out to me are the ones where he makes a sharp right hand turn not long into the movie, for example time travel in Midnight In Paris. Because of this, that is why Irrational Man sticks out for me.

Abe Lucas (Joaquin Phoenix) is a philosophy professor who has lost all will to live. He is alcoholic and teaches his classes only halfheartedly. He develops a relationship with fellow teacher Rita (Parker Posey) and a friendship with student Jill (Emma Stone). Because of a reputation that precedes him everyone believes that he and Jill are having an affair, including Jill, despite his active efforts against one. One day while eating at a diner with Jill, they both eavesdrop into a conversation being had about a crooked judge and a child custody case. It is in that moment that Abe is lifted from his bad mindset when he decides to kill the judge.

With this movie, Allen is setting out to make his own adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock's thriller Rope, a movie where two university students attempt to pull off the perfect crime and in a way it works quite well. It definitely has resemblance to an Allen film, but at the same time it is fun and refreshing. Yes, the main character is self absorbed and neurotic, but he is also self aware about the situation he is in, often spouting forth philosophy tenants to match his feelings.

Allen also throws in some big moments that make you jump in delight or fear at what is going on. I like the films when he does this because it really throws me off guard. The last film of his I saw was Blue Jasmine and that was a rather tame self-reflective piece. When he shakes his own formula, it is really quite enjoyable for the audience.

Emma Stone is quite obviously becoming Allen's new muse and I think is doing a good job at inspiring him to tread new ground. Her character couldn't be further from that in Magic in the Moonlight, here she is just playing an archetypical college girl, Emma Stone if you will. Joaquin is fantastic and funny as Abe Lucas and it is amazing to see the transformation his character goes through. It is also amazing to see his dedication to gaining the weight for this role.

Irrational Man is such a refreshing new Woody Allen movie that would be perfect for any jaded fans of his like I was, it is filled with fun moments and funnier performances.

Inherent Vice

Reading Thomas Pynchon's 2009 novel before seeing this film really gave me a better understanding of the forces that are in play in the story. That doesn't mean that Paul Thomas Anderson's latest undertaking is at all confusing, rather it is a much more streamlined comprehensible adaptation of the novel that cuts through a lot of confusing tangents that are cut straight from a drugged up hippie's head.

Doc Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) is a private investigator operating out of Gordita Beach in LA. One night, his ex-girlfriend Shasta (Katherine Waterston) appears out of nowhere to tell him of a plot to kidnap her current boyfriend, millionaire real estate developer Mickey Wolfmann (Eric Roberts). Doc is soon drawn into a complex web of conspiracies that involve a supposedly dead saxophone player Coy Harlingen (Owen Wilson), a rough police lieutenant Bigfoot Bjornsen (Josh Brolin) and the mysterious Golden Fang.

Paul Thomas Anderson is really a master with his camera work and all his usuals come into play. He is not one to shy away from long shots, but the one in this one is different. Normally his long takes rely on big choreographed movements as the camera flows from room to room and follows various characters. In Inherent Vice, he instead has a quite static long take that includes an eight minute monologue from Katherine Waterston that ends a little abruptly. There is one scene that stood out for me in particular that was a dialogue between Doc and a client that is done entirely in low angle close-ups with no establishing shot.

This film is littered with some great comedic moments, whether this be Doc's propensity to throw himself around like a rag doll or the fact that Denis (pronounced Dee-nis) can't drive. Being set in the early 70s, there are a lot of jokes about hippie culture and paranoia. Martin Short's dentist character Dr Rudy Blatnoyd is great fun for this, as he openly condemns hippies whilst partaking in illicit substances at the same time and getting everybody paranoid in the process.

Joaquin Phoenix is super fun as Doc. He seems to be channeling the character from the book with a dash of The Dude thrown for good measure. His love for Shasta knows no bounds, despite it being a very destructive relationship. Johanna Newsom plays his spirit guide Sortilège, although it's not quite clear if she exists in the physical world. Josh Brolin gives incredible depth to Bigfoot, a scary pancake loving giant. Owen Wilson acts as the whole lynchpin to the story and has an immense presence, despite appearing in a handful of scenes. Katherine Waterston is just amazing as Shasta and you will grow to love her as Doc does. I think everyone will agree that the movie does need more Benecio Del Toro, playing Doc's attorney Sauncho Smilax, Esq., and a crazy Eric Roberts whose couple of mumbled lines are just hilarious.

This hippy comedy/mystery is masterfully shot and acted. Anderson has been faithful to the source material and made what I like to call a pure adaptation; capturing the essence of the source without using everything that is there. Some great acting all round, particularly from Phoenix and Brolin. Beware the Golden Fang.

Director Appreciation: Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson is truly a modern auteur in every sense of the word. In his career spanning nearly two decades has consistently made films that are both critically acclaimed and crowd pleasers. His penchant for long sweeping narratives with lots of characters is one of his films defining traits, along with vibrant visuals and the odd long take, that usually follows one or more characters through an amazing set piece.

Like Wes Anderson, P.T.A. is known for his collaborations with many actors on his films, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Luis Guzmán, William H. Macy and, most recently, Joaquin Phoenix. He has also directed actors to give some truly career defining performances, most notably Daniel Day-Lewis (it's a performance that really sticks out in a career of amazing ones) and Adam Sandler (who surprised everyone).

Anderson's main themes used throughout his films are dysfunctional families, alienation and loneliness. Most of his characters are flawed and seek to redeem themselves from these flaws through their interaction with others.

Boogie Nights (1997)
"I'm a star. I am a big, bright, shining star."


Anderson has spoken openly about the amount of porn he watched in his teenage years to inspire the making of this film. It chronicles the meteoric rise of young porn star Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg), as he rises to fame in the adult film world, mentored by producer Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds).
























As much as this is a film about the Golden Era of Pornography in the late 1970s, it can also be viewed as modern tragedy with an almost dynastic feel to it, as Dirk is taken in by an unlikely family that rises and falls. Toward the end of the film there are some really scary scenes where the characters reach desperate times and do whatever they can to stay in the lives they have created for themselves and realise life is harder than they wanted it to be.

The film sports some amazing performances, including that of its star Mark Wahlberg. Although he'd been in movies before this one, it's his performance as Dirk that really shows that he had some great skills when it came to being a serious actor. John C. Reilly gives one of my favourite performances of his as fellow actor Reed Rothchild and Phil Hoffman is just hilarious as Scotty, a sound guy who falls in love with Dirk. That's not to mention other great performances offered up by Julianne Moore, Heather Graham and Don Cheadle.

Punch Drunk Love (2002)
"I have a love in my life and that makes me stronger than anything you can imagine."



















Barry Egan (Sandler) is a timid, shy and single man who owns a warehouse that markets novelty items. He has seven sisters who all abuse him emotionally to the point of lashing out. One day he meets Lena (Emily Watson), whom he falls in love with immediately. Barry is also being extorted by a phone sex operator, whose boss is the explosive Dean Trumbell (Phil Hoffman again).

The world that Anderson has created with this film is extremely developed. Barry wears a blue suit for the whole movie and it is hinted that this is the first time that he has worn the suit, leading you to think what he usually wears that makes this such a surprise for the other characters. The film also has an exceptionally intriguing subplot in which Barry discovers that he can get around a loophole in a coupon deal for cheap air miles by buying extremely large quantities of chocolate pudding, leading to a superb little dance in a supermarket aisle and me thinking if he isn't slightly autistic.

The film has a surreal quality to it, with vibrant colours distorting the frame constantly, as well as lens flares that would make J.J. Abrams blush. Most of the music adds to the feeling; the main music is played on a harmonium, which gives the film a calming quality. The calmness is intercut with high intensity sounds that are repeated (I wouldn't necessarily call it music) at times when the characters are under pressure.

Every so often Adam Sandler offers up a performance that proves he can beyond shabbadoo and it takes a director like Anderson or Judd Apatow with Funny People (2009) to bring it out of him. Barry is a nervous, compulsive character and Sandler handles him well. Phil Hoffman's Dean Trumbell is an amazing powder-keg of a man and although Hoffman is only on screen for a total of five minutes, he leaves a lasting impression.

There Will Be Blood (2007)
"There's a whole ocean of oil under our feet! No one can get at it except for me!"

For most audiences, the idea of a movie about oil drilling, especially in the early 1900s, would sound incredibly boring. But when a director such as Anderson combines forces with an actor like Daniel Day-Lewis, one of the greatest actors alive, it makes for an extremely captivating movie.

Daniel Plainview (Day-Lewis) is an oil baron who has oil drilling operations all around the state of California. His attention is brought to a possible oil claim in the small settlement of Little Boston, where he buys a ranch from the Sunday family, where he believes the oil is. He soon comes to confront Eli Sunday, one of the sons and pastor of the community's parish.

This is Anderson's best film. It looks at both dysfunctional families and greed. As the film progresses, Daniel does more and more heinous things to increase his wealth, whilst becoming more and more distant from his adopted son, H.W. Day-Lewis gives his only Oscar-worthy performance in this movie, he is absolutely terrifying to watch. Paul Dano gives an equally good performance as the pious Eli Sunday.

The Master (2012)
"If you figure out a way to live without serving a master, any master, then let us know, will you? For you'd be the first person in the history of the world."

Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) is an alcoholic WWII veteran who is struggling to find purpose after the war. He crosses paths with Lancaster Dodd (Phil Hoffman), the charismatic leader of a philosophical movement known as "The Cause." Freddie soon gets caught up in this movement and sees a great man in Dodd.

The parallels between this movie and the origin of the Church of Scientology are present and in a way too big to ignore, but Anderson is making a much broader statement about the nature of man. The fact that Freddie needs a master like he is some sort of animal shows that man would be aimless without a person in an authority position. When Freddie leaves the embrace of the group, he has no idea what to do with himself.

Although Joaquin Phoenix is the lead actor in the film, Hoffman steals all the scenes he is in. Dodd is an intensely complex character who only wants what is best for his family and his followers, but you can really see that he feeds off the power he gets from being in front of a crowd.

Her

I find Spike Jonze to be an amazing conundrum. He can go from directing Academy award winning films (Adaptation) to hanging out with the guys from Jackass (in the movies, he is the old naked lady), which he is one of the creators. Despite the fact that he confuses me, his work has never failed to entertain me. Her is another example of this.

Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) works as a surrogate letter writer, who is picking up his life after splitting from his wife Catherine (Rooney Mara). He decides to purchase a new operating system (a personal assistant in the form of an artificial intelligence). Once he starts it up, it takes on the persona of Samantha (the voice of Scarlett Johansson). Samantha and Theodore begin a relationship, that he is reluctant to tell his friends about, especially his best friend Amy (Amy Adams).

The film takes a very interesting look at the state of modern relationships. Theodore goes on dates with girls and realises that he doesn't want anything serious and is just after sex. Most guys these days are after just that. Once he begins his relationship with Samantha, things become increasingly complicated.

The other theme that is touched on is the idea of the singularity. The singularity is the point in time in which artificial intelligence surpasses that of human intelligence. But rather than portray it as a scary concept like in Terminator, it is seen as a rather peaceful passing.

Indeed, the near future that is shown is not a flashy future with obvious technology changes, but is subtle and efficient. The most glaringly obvious change is the fashion, with ridiculously high-waisted pants and high collared shirts.

Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore convincingly enough that you believe his relationship with Samantha is real. Also, Scarlett Johansson is amazing as Samantha, playing her with a subtlety that doesn't draw attention to her performance. Amy Adams is fantastic as Theodore's closest friend.

Verdict: Jonze crafts an amazing story about love in a future that is believable.