CACHÉ.  That flick's just a whole existential can of worms all in itself. Everyone talks about that last shot, and I doubt many people in theaters even caught it. Good conversation-starter, though.
CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST.  Oh. My. God. It's a really terrible film, especially the first half hour or so. Most pornography of the era (1980) would be considered technically superior to this, which is apt, seeing as how it stars the main guy from Debbie Does Dallas. It's definitely the most graphic fiction I've ever seen on screen, and extremely realistic (the animal mutilation scenes are actually real, and nearly unwatchable), so if you're into shock value and have a strong stomach, this is for you. I do like the overall message (who are the true savages?), and there are lots of memorable scenes. But I can see why it was banned in most of the world. Don't get me wrong, I'm not in favor of censorship, I say let the market decide, but I understand the outrage.
CASHBACK.  An artist suffering insomnia over his latest break-up takes a night job in a supermarket, discovers he can stop time and wander within this frozen world, so he uses it to disrobe nubile female customers and sketch them, while finding a rebound love. A stylish British indie with a dreamy visual style, cool score, and a supporting cast of hooligans, it's lots of fun but ultimately kind of superficial. The director expanded this into a feature based on his Academy Award-nominated short film.
CHAOS THEORY. Ryan Reynolds's acting salvages what's a fairly pedestrian concept involving an organized, systematic man whose world unravels, sending him into a pattern of self-destructive behavior when he learns some difficult truths about himself and his family. Thankfully it's not predictable, however, they didn't dive deep enough and it's too short, so some of the characters' actions don't seem properly motivated, and come off as melodrama.
CHARLIE BARTLETT. They should've gone for a PG-13, because their entire target audience was missed. Not that it isn't enjoyable to watch, but this film just doesn't know what it wants to be, and Thumbsucker covered similar ground with far more conviction. This one is too broad, too cutesy, and too distanced from the best of its themes, as if the filmmakers themselves suffered from their teen subjects' same ailments. The main character only has two expressions. Can we please put a moratorium on the toilet-point-of-view-as-head-gets-dunked-into-camera shot? Oh, and let's also nix that one where the main character walks down a school hallway while everyone takes notice as they pass. Sorry, dawg, but most high-school kids are too absorbed in their own locker-lives to raise an eyebrow as you promenade behind a steadicam.
CHARLIE'S ANGELS. This is the kind of filmmaking that makes me want to take a hostage, preferably an industry one. All eye candy and no nutrients. It seemed their primary goal was ensuring the trio of actresses had fun on set, and that certainly comes across – it's all girl-power costume changes and choreography and camera winking in supersaturated colors. Miss Barrymore is indeed wicked cute, too. But once wirework trickled down into this kind of film, I knew that technique was over for me. Bill Murray's misery mirrored my own on opposite sides of the screen. I do get a perverse joy anytime I see Crispin Hellion Glover in a commercial role, though.
CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR. Phil Hoffman rocks, as always, and even Hanks plays a character of vice. It’s a fascinating look at how shit gets done through the Washington channels to the international community. But also revealing when you consider the Afghani “freedom fighters” we once armed to help us stop the spread of Soviet communism are the same people we now call terrorists. The film feels a bit truncated, as once the helicopters are purchased, it’s game over.
CHASING AMY. An all-time favorite indie. Made for $250,000 on Super-16mm. Kevin Smith's hyperliterate wit is everywhere, yet it's tempered with some truly emotionally-raw moments while offering insights into M/F, F/F, and M/M relationships (sorry, trannies and undecideds). Ben Affleck and Jason Lee have never been better on screen, and their characters' lifelong friendship is touching, tested, and drink-spittingly hilarious. Dwight Ewell is a scene stealer as the limp-wristed black comic-book creator ("a minority of a minority of a minority") who will achieve sales by any means necessary. One particular scene paying homage to Jaws is classic. Any man who's ever fantasized about lesbians should watch this. With his girlfriend.
CHILDREN OF MEN.  I love what George Lucas refers to as “the used future,” where the high-tech gear is nicked up and grungy, and it makes this tale very realistic. All of the futuristic elements take a back seat to the characters, much like they did in Gattaca, one of my favorite films, though they look nothing alike. One memorable chase scene is shown from our point-of-view inside the car as the gang surrounds us. You really feel like you’re there, documentary-style. And ultimately a very humanist message.
CHOKE. Everyone knows movies are never as good as the books they're based on. Meanwhile, most of the public is content to read either formulaic, pulpy trash or whatever Oprah prescribes that month. Choke gets a huge head start because I love Chuck Palahniuk's book of the same name, and it's extremely faithful to the source material. But the filmmaking is rough, and the acting hit or miss. Still, for a $3 million budget with Sam Rockwell, well done. The marketing was very clever, too: its targeted ads were everywhere in the margins of my social networking life (where Palahniuk is always listed as a favorite author). It's certainly no Fight Club, but there's enough transgression (sex addiction, choking scams, and a Christ complex) in its colonial re-enactment community to please many of its fans.
CLERKS II. They flawlessly recaptured the irreverent spirit of the original, but what's so surprising is how much heart this flick has. Dante and Randall have gone nowhere in their lives of convenience, and now they must face all those missed opportunities while slinging "bovine-sized" value meals and still waxing philosophic about movies, racism, and taboo sex acts. Rosario Dawson is perfect as a "guy's girl," and I dare you not to fall in love with her. Oh, and my name's in the credits. Though yours probably is, too.
CLOVERFIELD. I liked this a lot. As a video dork I had a hard time suspending my disbelief cuz I was thinking technique all the time, but that's just me. Like the 5.1 sound from a camcorder, or the night vision or spotlight that are not features of that camera (though they never specified model in the film itself), cuz it's the same one I use. Most expensive Panasonic commercial ever. If only they'd gotten a mention.
THE COOLER. One of my favorite films, with a bloozy, downtown vibe and a clever visual style rich with symbolism. Old-school Vegas muscle meets new-money Epcot Vegas, and Bill Macy's human kryptonite maintains the house advantage. Being the sworn final "loser" role that he would play, ironic that the film's about Lady Luck helping turn a loser's leaf. Alec Baldwin just owns his complex role as the "heavy" casino owner, and Mario Bello exudes the easy sexuality she's known for.
CSA: THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA. A mockumentary about what life might be like if the South had won the Civil War (t'was picked up by Spike Lee and Weinstein). Great concept, spotty execution. It was an odd feeling, cuz I was counting and I've worked with at least 25 of those same actors.
CRANK. Whoever pitched this idea should be shot: action hero has to maintain his adrenaline throughout the length of the movie or he dies (think Speed meets Spun meets Run Lola Run). But ... I would be lying if I didn't say it was a hella fun ride. Hella fun. Some really unique shots (that's what happens when you let two camera operators direct). A grown man tearing up the streets with his ass hanging out of his hospital gown the whole time. The most ridiculous sex scene outside of a Takeshi Miike film. Ultimately it's way too self-aware and tongue-in-cheek to be taken seriously (kinda like the horror-comedy subgenre), but it's a guilty pleasure I can't wait to watch again.
CRAZY LOVE. True-story doc about a stalker who goes to insane lengths to get his girl. No narration, just one interview after another in chrono order, and the way they reveal information makes for a twisted, entertaining tale. It's the kind of thing I'd rather catch on TV, though.
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