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Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Downtime, vacation, no cable = Catching up on Movies
Public Enemies
Ever since I saw the trailer for this, I’ve been interested. Add Depp, Mann, and Bale to the mix and I’m piqued. The trailer also had this period piece done to the backdrop of modern music. The mood was different.
Watching the movie presented a different tone from the trailer. Not sure what I was thinking – how can organized crime be considered lightly or particularly in chic style and not be farcical? The movie was not farcical. It was deliberate and a bit stoic – although that’s not necessarily bad. Whatever it was, coming in with expectations of one sort of mood definitely skewed the experience especially early on.
The cast did a wonderful job of portraying intensity in subtlety and occasional ferocity. I appreciated the normalcy that the look of the movie presented. It wasn’t dark or typical of 30’s gangster set like it could’ve been crafted on movie set or in CGI. It was, in fact, filmed in the Midwest where the story was set. It was in the Midwest where John Dillinger and his criminal associates established themselves.
Depp plays John Dillinger a bank robber gangster that gained notoriety with his exploits. Bale plays Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent that led the investigation and hunt of Dillinger. The movie easily could’ve have focused on the man vs man conflict since both actors are quite capable of handling the duties. The movie could’ve done a lot of things. As I’ve read from reviews, this movies was based on a non-fictional account of that era of gangster crime and it makes sense that there are numerous subplots that are interpreted.
Since I normally attach most to character development, I didn’t think the movie picked up until the middle when the charm of John Dillinger stood out and his notoriety made sense. Earlier in the film, it was established that Dillinger thrived in the safety that he created by hiding in plain sight; hiding with the people. He could only do that if they wanted to protect him and the shine of his appeal emerged, at least to me, only at this midpoint.
After that, the movie picked up. I appreciated understatements that make statements. As stated by critics, Johnny Depp’s rendering of a notorious gangster as a normal man – a romantic and loyal man – without the sharply and overplayed tongue was very appreciated.
Overall, I thought the movie had hits and misses. I liked the performances, the story, the type of storytelling, and other items. I also hoped for more standout dialogue and earlier connection to the character (and between the characters). It’s been fun to think about the movie afterwards.
[SPOILER ALERT: If you don’t know John Dillinger’s story or haven’t watched the movie and want to: don’t read this part.]
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It’s well noted that Dillinger was killed after watching the Clark Gable gangster movie “Manhattan Melodrama”. I just did research on it and this is what I found. Gable’s character, Blackie, was a highly principled and loyal man. Yes, he was a criminal and committed terrible acts, but the nobility of his character was pitted in his loyalty to his childhood friend, Jim, who was the district attorney. Dillinger, in Public Enemies, was depicted as such.
Earlier in the movie, Babyface Nelson, a Dillinger associate who was a loose canon and is more of the typical gangster movie ilk, died a very violent and bigger death. Interesting that, before he died in a car chase and gunfight, Nelson was doing his “James Cagney” impersonation at a bar. James Cagney was known for playing such roles.
Coincidental? Surely not. I like it. I like the subtleties.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Walletcry/Brainsmile: Comics - Incognito by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
Aside from Joss Whedon and John Cassaday’s run on Astonishing X-men, I don’t usually write ABOUT a specific comic book run. I’ve written about comics a lot, but not about specific series and their greatness or weakness. This go around, I have something to write about.
A few weeks ago, I picked up the “Incognito” special print that combined issues one and two. Incognito, the project from the creators of “Criminal” – Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, is just fantastic. I’ve picked up books that were fun reads, excellent reads, epic reads, but never felt particularly inspired to let go and utterly enjoy it.
I’m nearing the end of issue 4 and feel remorse like I haven’t with the prior issues. Why? The reprint was bought weeks back and I didn’t know what I was getting into. Once getting into it, though, I knew that I wanted to pick up issue 3 – and I knew it would be in the store. I bought issue 4 at the same time. So, while reading issue 3, I knew the end meant an immediate jump into issue 4. But now? Issue 5 releases on July 15th. I’ll be done with issue 4 by the end of the night. Two weeks. I have to wait two weeks to continue the story.
The story is about a reformed, by force for the most part, of a former superpowered bad guy named Zack Overkill. He now has a desk job while his powers are suppressed by government (SOS specific) drugs. He has basically been relocated like Witness Protection – but in this sense, he’s simultaneously being kept secret from his former bad guy bosses and also being held down so not to cause anymore trouble.
Imagine super powers with the wonderful void of integrity being wiped away for the life of a mundane desk monkey. That is wear Zack Overkill’s life is at the beginning of Incognito. That’s what he is – incognito. A super villain – incognito – but not only by virtue of an alter ego but due to the conflicting systems of the government led super friends and the splinter cell baddie group led by the Black Death. He’s caught in the middle because he really has no sides.
At some point, he learns of a way to suppress the suppressive gub’ment cheese to regenerate his powers. Then, as the only way to use the powers and stay under the government’s radar, he fights common thuggery. He doesn’t like the victims. He doesn’t empathize with the common criminals. He’s just a loner asshole that happens to be doing the superhero thing because it’s the only way he can be himself. Talk about incognito.
Eventually, the web he’s woven gets more complicated and he gets into further trouble with numerous amounts of people. And the fun never ends. Ed Brubaker writes an unflinching anti-hero and a story that’s full of mood and dark humor. Sean Phillips illustrates the mood and the pace magnificently. The colors, the shades, the progression of panels – all work and excel!
$3.50’s steep for a funny book, but Incognito is worth it. Since it’s on Marvel’s ICON imprint, there are no ads so it the story just flows. Besides, 51 cents for a gem is a steal compared to paying for the regular fare at $2.99 and reading another mini-story of a “6-issue arc”. Incognito works both as a serial and a monthly romp. Each issue has story worthy of a singular publish but also seamlessly moves the larger plot forward.
Go for it. Wait for those other stories for the trades. Don’t let me hog all this fun.
