Halloween Ends

Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Andi Matichak, Rohan Campbell, Will Patton, Kyle Richards, James Jude Courtney, Nick Castle, Jesse C. Boyd, Joanne Baron, Rick Moose, Michael O' Leary, Keraun Harris, Jaxon Goldberg
Running Time: 111 min.
Rating: R  

 **The Following Review Contains Major Plot Spoilers For 'Halloween Ends' **

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)

For decades, each new Halloween film has generally followed the same template as those that preceded it. What this entails is some variation on the plot of Michael Myers coming home to unleash violence and terror on Haddonfield. That's not to say it hasn't been fun, but Halloween Ends, the third and final chapter of David Gordon Green's reinterpretation of the franchise does something only Halloween III: Season of the Witch and Rob Zombie's Halloween II have attempted. It actually breaks from the formula in a major way, going nearly an hour without showing The Shape at all, telling a self-contained story in which other characters are are given room to breathe and develop, building for the moment he does eventually show up.

In lifting the narrative weight that's dragged down previous installments, we're permitted to hang in Haddonfield and watch people interact without constantly counting down the minutes until you know who shows up. With last year's Halloween Kills pushing the envelope as far as possible in terms of Myers surviving, Green goes in the entirely opposite direction, delivering on the quieter, more character focused aspect many expected him to bring in 2018. While that was a well made quasi-sequel doubling as a soft remake, it did earn some comparisons to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, reminding us of the stringent requirements that often accompany a major IP like this.

This is the real reboot, employing a much maligned tactic that made horror fans' blood boil the few times we've seen it in Friday The 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street sequels. Even Halloween has dabbled in it before (who can forget the cult of Thorn?) But it's actually done well here, playing out in a fresh, exciting way that makes it feel like uncharted territory. As a sidelined Myers is finally given the "time out" he's needed after years of misuse and overexposure, a compelling new character infected with similar urges rises up to take his place. Even while not physically present, Myers' impact and legacy is felt, as the script digs further into Haddonfield's ongoing fear and paranoia while touching on issues related to "cancel culture." So if the big draw was intended to be Laurie facing Michael for the last time, it speaks volumes that it's taken this long to mention that.       

It's Halloween night 2019 and Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell) is babysitting a young boy named Jeremy (Jaxon Goldenberg), who pulls a prank that ends in a horrifying accident, with the boy dead and Corey accused but eventually acquitted for unintentionally killing him. Three years later, he's a public pariah working at his stepfather's salvage yard while Laurie Strode's (Jamie Lee Curtis) writing her memoir while living with granddaughter Allyson (Andy Matichak) in a new house, both still reeling from Michael Myers' (James Jude Courtney) last rampage. 

When Corey ends up cutting himself in a confrontation with some high school bullies, Laurie takes him to the hospital where he connects with Allyson, who's working as a nurse. They grow closer and begin dating, but something's off, and Laurie's initial support for their relationship gives way to skepticism. Still being taunted and blamed for Myers' reign of terror, she notices a change coming over the increasingly unpredictable Corey. Now with Allyson slipping away and the community rallying against her grandmother, Michael lurks in the sewers and shadows, making a new friend who plans on following his blueprint for destruction.

Starting the film with a tragic event that vaguely recalls the original Myers murder is shocking, immediately setting this apart from other sequels and opening the floodgates for a number of questions. Who is Corey Cunningham? Why are we watching him? While it's apparent early that the absent Michael isn't directly a part of Corey's personal trauma, he's still very much a part of Laurie and Allyson's, while continuing to hold Haddonfield's residents in paralyzing fear. And explored more concisely here than in the previous film, that fear only begets additional fear and violence. As for the opening sequence, it stands out not just for what happens, but the grisly, darkly comedic tone with which it unfolds. 

With a few notable exceptions, Green generally holds back on the winks, nods and Easter eggs that permeated his first two films, but he gets a good one out of the way early with the Halloween III style title credits, a first of many clever departures and a nod to the only movie containing less Michael. Surprises continue when we still don't go into any Myers follow-up, instead tracking Corey as he faces the harsh hostility and abuse from frothing townsfolk, most of whom have now gone full scumbag after the lack of resolution and justice from four years ago.

When Corey first comes face-to-face with a concerned, empathetic Laurie, the dots begin connecting, even if what comes next remains fairly unpredictable, a rare feat for this franchise. If everyone except Officer Hawkins (Will Patton) hates and blames Laurie, Haddonfield finds it even easier to despise someone they consider a "child killer." And the best thing about Rohan Campbell's performance is that along with the goofy charm, he conveys an awkward instability right from his initial appearance that remains consistent throughout, only adding layers of complexity to what later occurs. 

Green, Danny McBride, Paul Brad Logan and Chris Bernier's script actually takes its time putting Corey through the wringer before meeting his match in Allyson, who's a far cry from the underdeveloped, supporting character Andy Matichak previously made the most of. Now she's essentially a full-blown lead in the vein of Curtis in the original, but under completely different circumstances. Wrestling with the pain and judgment that's accompanied their respective tragedies, Allyson and Corey attract immediately, but believably, as the writers spend nearly an hour fleshing out this relationship, knowing just how much more it will mean when it implodes. 

On paper, none of this should work, but there's just something so rewarding about a smartly conceived Halloween movie that actually develops its characters while simultaneously letting us observe the toxic behavior that's infested this community. Is it entirely due to Myers? The true nature of evil is a scintillating question the franchise has frequently hung its hat on without ever exploring too deeply. This is the closest it's come, asking whether the propensity for Corey to follow in Michael's footsteps was always there or this was a monster was created by the citizens of Haddonfield.

The film goes from strangely good to great during an incredibly shot party sequence at Lindsey Wallace's (Kyle Richards) bar when Allyson helps Corey put his guard and inhibitions down, only to experience more abuse and humiliation for it. Through Myers he'll get his revenge, but that party marks the last time Corey's literal and metaphorical mask comes off. And it's notable that instead of going for the easy shout-out with a clown mask, Green opts for the creepy scarecrow, which undeniably works just as well, if not better.

Damaged after losing both parents, it makes sense Allyson's empathy for Corey only increases the further he sinks into Myers' abyss. Knowing what it's like to be on the outside looking in, her tension with Laurie grows as Corey's rage intensifies. It's an intriguing dynamic for Curtis this time around, leading to Laurie's memorable verbal confrontation with him in the "new Myers house," the site of Corey's life-altering trauma. The "psycho" meets the "freak show" as Laurie lays down the law, serving as a warm-up for when she gets her badass on again later. But until then it's Corey in the driver's seat, going on a streak of revenge kills that are more creatively suspenseful than gory, with the crazy death of that radio DJ being an exception that harkens back to the over-the-top glory days of the franchise. 

Other than a new but sparser than usual John Carpenter musical score, his fingerprints aren't exactly all over the picture this time, though the overall influence is still definitely there. The plot is very singularly focused with far fewer characters than the more overstuffed Halloween Kills so you're either on board with Green's very specific vision or not. Horror fans who aren't will probably be ripping out their hair in frustration, but this narrower focus allows so much development for Corey and Allyson, introducing a sorely needed human element that's gone missing in these movies for years.

As thrilling as it is seeing a Halloween entry not only survive, but outright thrive without Myers, we know at some point he'll become more involved, regardless of his physical deterioration. Played again by James Jude Courtney, Michael first appears a shell of his former self, old, injured and worn out enough that he needs help shaking off the rust. There's this weird tranference going on with Michael and Corey that the writers are smart enough not to overexplain since it's pretty clear why the latter is particularly susceptible. 

Myers has always registered best when treated like Jaws, with his absence making the suspense and terror slowly simmer. Much of that has been abandoned by lackluster entries, but this does it right, with Michael getting a second wind thanks to his alliance with Corey. Working together and murdering in tandem in ways that vaguely recalls Scream, but with more fleshed out psychological motivations, Corey will find out that no one stays friends with Michael for long. 

If the film has a flaw, it's that it cuts bait on Corey a little too early, or even at all, since it's hard to imagine better groundwork ever being laid for Myers' logical successor, especially given how this ends for the Shape. Campbell and Matichak are so good it legitimately feels like a loss that they're not continuing in these roles, but with this being Blumhouse's last entry and closure being paramount, we're left wondering what could have been. And that's okay.  

The trilogy-ending Strode vs. Myers fight is basically a contractual obligation at this point. It's the finale fans want and their kitchen brawl more than gets the job done, as does the solemn Haddonfield funeral procession and subsequent public shredding. But none of that will be what's most remembered. It's everything else that breaks the mold, especially the depiction of a relationship between two believably written new characters we actually care about, anchored by a pair of performances that might only be topped by Curtis' in the original. 

You can't claim Green's effort just blends in with the rest or doesn't earn its divisive reaction by making bold choices. For all the reshoots, delays and bad early buzz, at the end of the day he stitched together a really special final chapter that acknowledges the past and uses it to create something different. Consider it a litmus test, separating fans who follow the series for Michael from those who watch for what he represents, as if Carpenter's intention of an anthology centered around the holiday has finally been fulfilled. But like Season of the Witch, the only problem is the word "Halloween" in its title, along with all the baggage and expectations that brings.You can only imagine this growing in stature once we inevitably groan at the next reboot's promise to go "back to basics," without truly grasping what that means. There's nothing basic about Halloween Ends, and it's all the better for it.           

Halloween Kills

Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, James Jude Courtney, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Anthony Michael Hall, Dylan Arnold, Thomas Mann, Charles Cyphers, Kyle Richards, Nancy Stephens, Omar Dorsey, Jim Cummings, Scott MacArthur, Michael McDonald
Running Time: 105 min.
Rating: R 

**The Following 'Halloween Kills' Review Contains Some Plot Spoilers**

★★★ (out of ★★★★) 

Even by Halloween franchise standards, David Gordon Green's sequel to his well-received 2018 reboot is insane in ways both thrilling and infuriating. If his initial installment took great pains to move as far away from the series' mythology as possible, retconning everything that came after John Carpenter's 1978 original, Halloween Kills does a complete 180, agressively engaging in call backs and fan service to the point that it nearly feels like a horror convention reunion. It even features one of sorts, as a major plot point revolves around the gathering of legacy survivors and flashbacks that frame past events in a new context. It's also overflowing with about as many characters as a horror film can contain, opening up its world while shifting some focus away from the three main heroines.

With Blumhouse delivering something that feels more akin to a Friday The 13th installment, complete with a Rob Zombie-like zest for brutality and gore, the envelope's pushed in terms of how much enjoyment that can be creatively derived from within the confines of this property, or even the genre itself. We've been kidding ourselves for a while now with Halloween as it's continued to ride the goodwill of a 40-year-old classic, all while fans cling to potentially getting a new film worthy of sharing its title with the groundbreaking original. 

2018 gave us the return of Jamie Lee Curtis to her most famous role and a respectable writing and directing team at the helm promising a return to basics. Bolstered by Carpenter's credit as a producer, that film may have been a minor triumph, but a certain ceiling and stigma have remained from the sequel silliness endured by fans through the years. As messy as it is, Halloween Kills doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is, never dragging despite a number of elements that could have been excised without consequence. But no matter where this lands in the rankings, it still strangely fits in with the rest, while also managing to stand on its own as a major outlier.  

Immediately following the events that occurred on Halloween night, 2018, a seriously injured Laurie Strode (Curtis), her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and grandaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) rush to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital as the Strode residence burns to the ground with Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney) still trapped in the basement. When the firefighters arrive, they're systematically picked off one-by-one by the The Shape, who survived the blaze and now has his sights set on terrorizing Haddonfield before going "home" once again. Meanwhile, Allyson's ex-boyfriend Cameron (Dylan Arnold) discovers deputy Frank Hawkins (Will Patton) bleeding and clinging to life after having been stabbed and run over by Dr. Sartain. He'll soon be joining Laurie in the ICU, even as he's still haunted by the results of an encounter he had with Michael on Halloween night 1978 that led to a fellow officer's death. 

At a local bar, another Michael survivor, Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall) has gathered with friends Marion Chambers (Nancy Stephens), Lindsey Wallace (Kyle Richards) and Cameron's dad, Lonnie Elam (Robert Longstreet) to mark the 40th anniversary of Michael's imprisonment. Unbeknownst to them, he's already returned to Haddonfield and is still on the loose, continuing his murderous rampage. After hearing the news, a determined Tommy begins organizing a mob of other furious Haddonfield townsfolk intent on capturing and killing Michael, whose body count is sure to increase as he lurks in the shadows, stalking his next victims.

Green doesn't exactly pick up where he left off, opting instead for flashbacks to previously unseen events involving a young officer Hawkins (Thomas Mann) the night of Laurie's ordeal in '78, as well as a backstory of a young, bullied Lonnie (Tristian Eggerling) and his close encounter with Michael (Airon Armstrong). This is a hard, sharp turn considering the 2018 reboot was built on the promise of a fresh start, free from the baggage that followed the original. For an opening, it's fine, aesthetically recreating the atmosphere of the late 70's Haddonfield well enough with a believable performance from Mann, but when Green breaks into the already loaded present-day action to revisit this throughout, it does become a bit much.

While those scenes work, they certainly don't simplify things, and there may be a 50/50 split among fans about being visually treated to a new scene at the Myers house that would have only otherwise existed in our imaginations. The Star Wars-like digitized audio sampling of Donald Pleasence's voice as Dr. Loomis (played by Tom Jones Jr. in the flashback), comes off far better than it should, only leaving the question of whether any of this is entirely neccessary. Still, it gives the picture an unusually old school start that segues into the franchise's classic pumpkin title sequence, complete with John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies' hypnotizing score, arguably the most valuable element in both Green films.   

The idea of a horror sequel, or even specifically a Halloween, picking up minutes after the previous one concludes is tremendously smart because it keeps the narrative momentum going. That concept is somewhat blunted here, with not only the insertion of an opening flashback, but even a scene from 1981's Halloween II, which shouldn't technically exist if we're holding Green to his word about this trilogy. With Laurie bedridden at Haddonfield Memorial Hospital for much of the first hour, it's natural to assume we're being set up for another round of Laurie vs. Michael in the same vein and setting that closed the original sequel. Luckily, this doesn't happen, maybe partly because the script can only squeeze in so many callbacks, topping out long before that. Most of them involve the group of survivors led by a revenge-consumed Tommy. Their storyline is undoubtedly engrossing, even as it does temporarily push the three generations of Strode women to the sidelines at the hospital, grappling with the realization that they didn't finish off Michael after all.

The Boogeyman is definitely in top form, with James Jude Courtney again an imposing presence in kill scenes that carry more emotional weight than usual due his eventual victims getting more screen time and personality this go around. Green also lingers on the deaths in ways he didn't in his previous outing, both in registering their reaction to impending doom and as the life escapes their eyes in the final moments. It isn't gratuitous as much as disturbing, with the slaying of a bickering elderly couple (played by Diva Tyler and Lenny Clarke) standing out as especially bone-chilling and uncomfortable.

Costumed doctor and nurse couple Vanessa (Carmela McNeal) and Marcus (Michael Smallwood) return in larger supporting roles, providing surprisingly fun comic relief, as do new, noteworthy characters Big John (Scott MacArthur) and Little John (MADtv's great Michael McDonald) a same-sex couple currently occupying the Myers residence. Transitions between this kind of comedy and the slayings aren't as jarring or clumsily handled as they've been in previous outings, rarely resulting in the usual tonal whiplash associated with the series. There's also a great deal of suspense generated from a forest scene involving Kyle Richards' Lindsey, who, aside from Anthony Michael Hall, leaves the most lasting impression of the legacy cast.

Hall presents a jarring Tommy Doyle, who proves to be a far cry from Paul Rudd's version in Halloween 6. It turns out that kid Laurie babysat grew up to be a one-man vigilante machine with a shaved head and brutish obsession with revenge, while still remaining a decent enough guy to root for. Michael's return changes everything for him as he rallies the Haddonfield mob in what ends up being the most controversial aspect of an an already polarizing film. Green doesn't quite connect the dots with whatever socio-political statement he's trying to make about mob mentality, but when the angry residents descend upon the hospital with blood lust in their eyes, what unfolds is comparable to a car crash you can't turn away from, or more accurately, a modern day take on The Twilight Zone episode, "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street." 

The hospital riot provides Judy Greer with one of her two big showcase sequences, perhaps to make up for playing a somewhat smaller role opposite Curtis last time. If Andi Matichak stepped up to emerge as one of the stronger components of H18 as Allyson, now it's Greer's turn. Matichak impresses again, especially toward the final act, but it'll be Karen's literal face-to-face with a maskless Myers that's talked about. Recognizing the value that still remains in keeping Michael's features a mystery, Green is careful to show just enough, but not too much as to demystify him. Someone had to go, and it wasn't going to be Laurie, with key lynchpin Curtis still due for her final showdown with Michael. Matichak's Allyson is the next generation, so process of elimination leaves us with the only major death possible, done in a way that cleverly calls back to the '78 original, all while ensuring there's still hell to pay in Halloween Ends.    

More than most, this effort represents the idea that we've all reached a point where it's just not important whether some masterpiece Halloween movie ever comes down the pike again. And that might not be such a bad thing. So while it's possible a much better film could have emerged without the extra post-production time afforded to overthink certain decisions, that's not likely knowing the franchise's track record. Instead, we're left to be entertained by an installment that's sure to be argued about and rewatched for some time to come. And the first since Zombie's underrated 2009 Halloween II to take some real risks, both for better and worse. It's not hard to imagine this getting a similar reappraisal down the line, as its flaws possibly iron out with future viewings.  

Green getting a jump on some of these characters and ideas in 2018 probably would have led to a smoother, less busy result, but the craziness is a big part of its charm. That can't always be said for a lot of these. Some of the worst entries manage to be dull and poorly made, two categories under which Halloween Kills definitely wouldn't fall. While frequently overindulging, at least Green isn't phoning it in, clearly laying the groundwork for what's next. Everything points toward a more streamlined finale that's sure to focus almost entirely on Laurie and Michael. But this sure took us on a wild ride to get there.    

Halloween (2018)

Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, James Jude Courtney, Will Patton, Virginia Gardner, Haluk Bilginer, Toby Huss, Jefferson Hall, Rhian Rees, Dylan Arnold, Miles Robbins, Drew Scheid, Jibrail Nantambu
Running Time: 106 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Of all the horror sequels, prequels and reboots, none have beaten into the ground quite like Halloween. Michael Myers' origin story has been told and retold so many times that you have to wonder how even the hardest of hardcore fans haven't reached the point of complete exhaustion. How many times can The Shape escape from the mental hospital and wreck havoc on Haddonfield? Or come back "home" to the Strode house? Even with this newest Blumhouse-produced incarnation of the property directed by David Gordon Green and co-writtten by Danny McBride arriving in time for the original's 40th anniversary and being co-produced and endorsed by John Carpenter himself, its biggest hand was already been played. Jamie Lee Curtis reprised her legendary role of Laurie Strode in 1998's underwhelming Halloween: H20 with mixed results, mostly due to the lack of any long-term vision for the character.

Now accompanying Curtis' return is a pesky continuity problem that Green and McBride believe they can solve. Just retcon the whole thing. Or at least every film that followed the 1978 original, which remains highly regarded enough to make this experiment worth a try. Gone are all the returns of Myers, who we now learn has been confined to a mental hospital for the past four decades following his October 31st killing spree. Wiped away with it are any revelations that came in subsequent installments, including the big one that Laurie is Michael's sister.

While all of this sounds fine and good on paper and it's tough to argue few better options exist, it sure is asking a lot from fans. Or is it? Aside from the Myers-less, but underrated Halloween III: Season of the Witch and Rob Zombie's polarizing Halloween II, none of the previous entries have ever truly attempted something different. By committing to this crazy idea, Green's film forces the series to go a little out of its comfort zone, resulting in one of the more skillfully made outings since Carpenter's classic. Given the talent involved, that isn't much of a surprise. even if it comes at a cost. Whatever disappointment comes from the realization that it still, for better or worse, feels like a Halloween movie, stopping short of transcending the genre to become something more. You could argue that would always be too tall an order, but this sequel does feel as steeped in the year it was made as the original likely did in 1978.

With the "#MeToo" movement permeating through its female-driven empowerment narrative, it does away with away attempts to "understand" Michael Myers, even going so far as to mock the current criminal psychology boom surrounding serial killers. A welcome return to Carpenter's initial idea of the faceless, random form of evil known as the "Boogeyman," this had to be one of the toughest installments to plan. The results aren't always entirely successful, but Green deserve credit for not only pulling this off, but crafting a worthy successor that's as thrilling to discuss and dissect as it is to watch.

The 40 years since towering, emotionless killer Michael Myers terrorized Haddonfield on Halloween night haven't been kind to Laurie Strode (Curtis). Psychologically traumatized by his attack, the now sixty-something survivalist is twice divorced and estranged from her adult daughter, Karen (Judy Greer) who was removed from Laurie's care years ago when the state determined her overprotective, vigilante parenting methods crossed a line. Living in an isolated compound decked out with heavy artillery and security, she drinks a lot and obsessively prepares for Michael's potential return, waiting for the moment she can finally get her revenge.

Laurie's only lifeline is Karen's teen daughter Allyson (Andi Matichak), who, despite her mom's desire to shut the door in any relationship with Laurie, feels a connection to her grandmother. But the past returns in a big way when true-crime podcasters, Aaron Korey (Jefferson Hall) and Dana Haines (Rhian Rees) arrive at Warren County Smith's Grove's Sanitarium to visit Michael before he's transferred to a new facility while under the care of his long-time psychiatrist, Dr. Ranbir Sartain (Haluk Bilginer). Seeing dollar signs in both exploiting and humanizing Michael, they plan to stage a reunion between him and Laurie under the guise of giving her "closure."  Laurie wants none of it, but may not have a choice when his transport bus crashes and he comes home. This time she's ready, but all three generations of Strode women will have to band together in order to defeat the embodiment of pure evil.

Aside from the spectacular opening title sequence that pays direct homage to the '78 original, but with a clever twist, the first half-hour of Green's picture is its weakest. This isn't to say it fails or even takes too long to get going, but rather that our entry point hinges on three unlikable characters we don't know and aren't particularly invested in. So even while the idea of introducing true-crime podcasters trying to drum up publicity and sympathy for Myers' cause is a timely one, something still feels off about the execution. Early on, we sniff out their only purpose in the story: Allowing Michael to reclaim his mask.

Similar claims can be leveled at the character of Dr. Sartain, who could easily be labeled as a poor man's Dr. Loomis until the full complexity of his motivations come into play. And even then, the unflattering comparisons to Loomis (whom he "studied" under) are inescapable. But at least leading off with the Sanitarium spares us enduring yet another "It's Halloween in Haddonfield. Will he show up?" opening. It also provides us the most visually arresting image of the entire film,a wide shot of the hospital's courtyard with patients lined up on what looks like a giant chess board, with a maskless Myers' back turned to his nervously approaching visitors. It works on many levels, including the obvious one, that these three are really only pawns in his game, one in which he'll soon be claiming new victims. 

Myers has had a lot of returns home to Haddonfield throughout the illustrious history of this franchise, but Green makes a number of different choices that stand out, resulting in the one of the stronger stretches of both physical and psychological suspense we've seen since the series' inception. While the killing starts early, Green recognizes, with one or two big exceptions, the need to not show us everything, leaving at least a little to the imagination. It's pretty much the opposite of Rob Zombie's gorefest, which worked to a certain point for the type of movie he made, for all the good and terrible that entails. But Green's more of a chameleon who can slip in and out of different styles and is capable of hiding a few tricks up his sleeve. The film's middle portion is a showcase for that, as he not only manages to hide some of the more tired genre tropes with visually interesting choices, but also slides in a few winks and nods for fans that make sense for this story without excluding more casual viewers.

The screenplay succeeds in getting back in touch with Michael as this random, undiscriminating killer, which seems to have fallen by the wayside in recent installments. It feels like Halloween night with the streets lined with kids everywhere as Myers just aimlessly walks on the streets and sidewalks and through the crowds scoping out houses. While more establishing shots of Haddonfield would have helped in establishing a greater sense of time and location (something the original had in spades), the newest generation of supporting characters are given suprisingly adequate development, unburdened with carrying the entire film on their shoulders like so many other unsuccessful entries horror entries. This time, most of the heavy-lifting is done by Curtis, who we know can handle it, and does.

Treating the assault she suffered 40 years ago at the hands of The Shape with the gravity and seriousness it deserves, Curtis is afforded the opportunity to add a dimension of reality to the character she originated that some of the goofier sequels prevented. H20 attempted this approach, but it's refined here. The hunted becomes the hunter, as years of buried trauma create this alcoholic, PTSD-suffering survivalist whose obsession with revenge ruins whatever relationship she could have with her own daughter.

Judy Greer's Karen has gone in the opposite direction, believing her mom to be a drunken kook, compartmentalizing her own childhood and choosing to instead see the world as all sunshine and rainbows. We know what will eventually occur to destroy that illusion, but it's hard not thinking this continues the streak of movies underutilizing Greer, with a role that exists primarily as a bridge for Laurie passing the torch to granddaughter Alysson. Still, it was smart making Curtis again the franchise's centerpiece and having her family's legacy be the orbit around which the story revolves. Nor does it hurt that the film inadvertantly walked into a cultural moment involving attack victims and survivors.        

In her first big screen role, Andi Matichak isn't yet called upon to be the "new Laurie" as Scout Taylor-Compton was in Zombie's reimagining, but acquits herself well as the smart, head-strong Allyson. She's caught in the middle of the family feud between her mom and grandmother and a sub-plot involving boyfriend Cameron (Dylan Arnold) that seems to come and go, despite his faint ties to the original film. Of course, she'll eventually come face-to-face with Michael and while Matichak's role isn't huge, she definitely leaves her mark, instilling some optimism in those wondering if she's capable of taking the wheel of the inevitable sequel(s). But it's the interactions with her friends that provide more of the film's meta social commentary, including a take on why anyone should still care about Michael Myers' crimes in a day and age where mass killings seem to occur every other minute.

Despite her biggest jump scare being spoiled by the trailer, Virginia Gardner also manages to leave a lasting impression as babysitter Vicky, briefly bringing charisma and personality to the most thankless of horror movie characters. Her verbal interplay with young Julian (Jibrail Nantambu), whom she watches, is such a highlight you wish there was more. But we're quickly brought back down to Earth and reminded that, yes, we're still just going through the motions of a requisite Halloween entry where characters exist solely to bolster the kill count or advance plot. Adult characters are even more disposable, treated as an afterthought with little or no development at all.Will Patton's Sheriff Hawkins has a very tangetial connection to the '78 killings that seems tossed in, while the great Toby Huss does what he can with the limited role of Karen's husband and Allyson's father, Ray.

Between nameless cops and bystanders, podcasters and a Dr. Loomis stand-in, there are a lot of superfulous characters whose chief narrative purpose is to get Michael to Laurie's safe house for the eventual showdown. But even with more plot than seemingly necessary, we're treated to some real flashes of brilliance along the way, including a suspenseful kill sequence involving motion sensors that's heightened by John Carpenter, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies' new score. Remaining faithful to the original while adding guitar flourishes that bring it into the modern era, this is the best Halloween's ever sounded. Directors scoring their own films was pretty rare in '78 so having Carpenter return to the studio alongside his two collaborators, not only feels and sounds like the right choice, but utilizes him for more than just his usual story or producing credit. And his work couldn't have turned out better, offering a welcome twist on one of cinema's most famous musical compositions.

Other call-backs are less obvious, like P.J. Soles' cameo as a teacher or the original Michael, Nick Castle, making an extremely brief apperance behind a mask now being occupied by actor/stuntman James Jude Courtney, who does Myers' justice in both movement and mannerisms. Every new film seems to spark a discussion about the mask, and this one looks good enough, appropriately reflecting the decades of age and wear you'd likely anticipate. If there's any problem with it it's that it bares almost too close a resemblance to Zombie's grungy version.

It's a testament to just how much this franchise has been through that even on the heels of a financially and creatively fulfilling sequel like this, it's still somewhat difficult to get excited for more. Jamie Lee Curtis returned as Laurie and faced off with Michael. Now what? The sequels following H20 all dealt with this conundrum and we've even seen the problem manifest itself in a non-horror capacity in the newest Star Wars series. It's tough finding that balance between the old and the new. Pleasing original fans while still attracting newer ones. No matter how many times you emphasize a fresh start they'll always be that temptation to lean back into the past, "come home" so to speak. It's a tricky balance that will only get trickier with each succeeding installment.

Halloween 2018 comes from a strange place in wanting to completely abandon and even occasionally send-up the films that came before, while remaining slavishly devoted to them at the same time, even going as far as to pay homage to certain scenes, story points and characters. In so far as translating those admittedly mixed signals in the screen, Green does as good a job as any current director could. Considering a trip back to Crystal Lake or even Elm Street would seem to hold more appeal and possibilities than yet another entry into this series, it all worked out. By reminding us of everything we've loved and loathed about the series, it pushes us forward us into the next chapter. And whatever that is, there's little doubt Michael Myers' legacy will remain at the center of it.

Your Highness

Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Danny McBride, James Franco, Natalie Portman, Zooey Deschanel, Toby Jones, Justin Theroux, Damian Lewis, Rasmus Hardiker
Running Time: 102 min.
Rating: Unrated

★★ (out of ★★★★) 

Your Highness is a colossal misfire made with somewhat admirable intentions. How disappointing it is would largely depend on your perspective going in. Looking at the cast and director it's difficult to imagine this failing but given this approach to the material I'm starting to wonder how it could have worked with ANY cast or director. It at least appears David Gordon Green set out to make a medieval impossible quest action adventure stoner comedy and that seven words are needed to describe the genre to which it belongs was probably the first sign of trouble. The real problem is the comedy. If this had just been a throwback fantasy along the lines of Willow or even The Princess Bride it would have worked and for a while it looks like that's the vibe Green's going for. Unfortunately, that's trumped by his insistence that juvenile sex jokes and profanity you'd overhear in a grade school cafeteria are hilarious because they're taking place within a medieval context. They're not, and it detracts from what little does work, resulting in a mostly unfunny mess. And that you can actually tell talented people were involved in the making of it just oddly makes it worse.

Thadeous (Danny McBride) and Fabious (James Franco) are sons of King Tallious, with Fabious having proven himself the more valiant and successful, earning his title as the rightful heir to the throne. Thadeous, on the other hand, is a lazy screw-up who spends most of his days womanizing, drinking and getting high as he watches in envy his brother claim all the glory. Fabious returns from his latest successful quest with the beautiful Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel), whom he rescued from the clutches of the evil Leezar (Justin Theroux) and plans to marry. Crashing the wedding, Leezar steals he back planning to impregnate her with a dragon so he can finally take over the kingdom. With the help of his brother Fabious mounts a quest to get her back and take possession of a magic compass that will lead them to the fabled Sword of Unicorn, the only weapon capable slaying Leezar. Along the way they encounter Isabel (Natalie Portman), a warrior princess also seeking revenge against the wizard for her own reasons, but they'll have no choice but to trust her if they want any chance at successfully completing this quest.  

This should have just been a straightforward fantasy with some light comedy. Hardly any of the crude jokes supply laughs and seem to come at the worst moments, completely taking you out of a story, which in truth, had some potential. The special effects are surprising impressive, some action sequences are good, Steve Jablonsky's score is perfect and it's hard to find fault in the plot which pays homage to the type of fantasy quest movies you'd see in the 1980's. Had Green copied that approach, he wouldn't have had anything terribly original, but at least it would have been welcome entertainment in a forgotten, under-appreciated genre . Throw on top of that a few actors any director would dream to have at their disposal and it becomes even more puzzling he squanders it all for the sake of having them curse and make lewd sex and masturbation jokes that aren't only unfunny and ruin the well choreographed action sequences, but about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the head. Pineapple Express and it definitely isn't Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which seems to have had some kind of twisted influence on this project, though I'm still trying to figure out exactly how since it lacks even a fraction of that film's clever, subversive humor. Everything is broad and juvenile.

Some of the actors fare better than others, but they're all victims of material that does them few favors. James Franco looks like he'd rather be hosting the Oscars and given what he has to work with here I can't say I blame him. Danny McBride does exactly what's asked of him and what few do better in acting like a boarish, profanity spewing loser and while I can't say the performance is at all to blame for any the film's faults, I still wish he had a better outlet for his comedic talent than this. It's almost hard to believe Natalie Portman and Zooey Deschanel's paths have never crossed on screen until now and it should feel like a big deal. Instead, Zooey's an afterthought, looking bored and lifeless, not aided by the fact her character's barely given a line of dialogue. Portman makes much more of an impression and it wouldn't be off base to say she gives the film's most entertaining performance, as faint as that praise seems. At least she gets a few laughs and is right at home as a kick-ass warrior princess but unfortunately she doesn't show up until nearly an hour in and at times the wait feels excruciating.

The scariest thought rushing through my head while watching Your Highness was that there would have been a time where I would have laughed uncontrollably and forgiven all its flaws. While that time has clearly passed it would still be unfair of me to criticize anyone else who found enjoyment in it since there's a great deal of potential in the idea, even if Green abandons it in favor of aiming dirty jokes at an audience too young to see it anyway. But I don't think he "sold out," A film this bad could only be made by someone who believed completely in what they were doing. It just came out all wrong. A better idea might be to get the entire cast back together in a couple of years and re-shoot this as the epic dramatic fantasy it's crying out to be. It's nearly a guarantee that version would come out better, or at least supply more laughs.

Snow Angels

Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Angarano, Olivia Thirlby, Amy Sedaris, Nicky Katt, Griffin Dunne
Running Time: 107 min.
Rating: R

*** (out of ****)

Was it unfair of me, given the director and subject matter, to go into Snow Angels expecting it to be nothing short of a masterpiece? Maybe, but when you have a filmmaker like David Gordon Green tackling suburban dysfunction and moral depravity, expectations of greatness are bound to accompany it. Don’t get me wrong, this is a good film, but I just anticipated a little more. It’s frustrating because so much of the film is beautiful and glimpses of what could have been are visible at every turn, yet after it concludes there isn’t a lot to extract or think about.

The story Green tells is basic and that may have been the problem. He’s a filmmaker who operates with a minimalist approach that deals primarily in capturing feelings and moods. It works for films like George Washington and All The Real Girls (and believe it or not Pineapple Express). This is the first time he’s adapting a novel (in this case Stewart O’Nan’s) to the screen and it’s easy to see how maybe the obligation of faithfulness to the source material could have limited him some.

What Green and his cinematographer Tim Orr can accomplish visually are limitless but there’s only so much that can be done with the story. It really needs to crackle with force and energy and Green’s laid back “slice-of-life” approach may not be the best match for material this weighty. The actors really had to be up for the task and most of them are, with one notable exception. Unfortunately, she plays the most important role in the film and the entire emotional impact of the story rests on her shoulders. This performance isn’t distractingly awful or anything, but in a way it’s worse in that it’s just plain bland.

Movies that cover similar territory like The Ice Storm, American Beauty and Little Children depend on us not necessarily sympathizing with deeply flawed characters but understanding them. If we can’t see at least a little of us in them it doesn’t work. Snow Angels works about halfway in that regard as I could get a handle on the motivations of most of the characters, except for the most important one. I actually kind of despised her and considering the film's bleak, tragic events that’s a serious problem. And because everything else is handled so well by Green the actress has to take the lion’s share of the blame for the false notes that are hit. She’s just wrong for the role and if another actress had played it the film would have likely been improved ten-fold. There are also other smaller issues at work, but that's the major one .

During the film's opening minutes a teacher’s impassioned pep talk during a high school marching band practice is interrupted by the sound of two gunshots in the cold, snowy air. We flash back to weeks earlier and are given glimpses into this small Pennsylvania town and the events that led up to that moment. All of them seem somehow connected to trombone player Arthur (Michael Angarano), whose parents are separating as he embarks on a relationship with the new girl at school, Lila (Juno’s Olivia Thirlby). On weekends he works at the local Chinese restaurant with waitress Annie (Kate Beckinsale), who babysat him in his youth.

Annie’s currently separated from her alcoholic, suicidal husband Glenn (Sam Rockwell). He’s recently found Jesus (and a new job) but it’s done little to curb his violent outbursts as the two spouses argue constantly over their young daughter. Annie seeks solace by having an affair with slimeball Nate (Nicky Katt), the husband of her co-worker and best friend Barb (Amy Sedaris in a rare dramatic turn). All these characters lives are about to be seriously altered by the tragic events that will unfold, or so we’re led to believe. It isn’t trying to be a mystery so much as deeply involved character study, but the film curiously only scratches the surface of what it could.

No filmmaker is more in tune with the rhythms of everyday life than Green and that’s where most of this movie’s power comes from, even when the story doesn’t seem particularly inspired. The developing romantic bond between classmates Arthur and Lila is one of the more authentic depictions of a teen relationship on film you’ll see. Nothing about it is forced and every moment Angarano (best known for playing the younger version of William Miller in Almost Famous) and Thirlbly share onscreen together is really something special. I kept waiting for them to become more than just periphery characters standing on the sidelines as the adults wreck their lives, but that never came to pass.

Arthur’s crush on Annie also didn’t go where I expected. Problematically, it didn’t go anywhere at all. The details of Arthur’s parents’ fractured relationship is as well observed as their younger counterparts, but with far less screen time. It seemed the whole film is meant to have the characters represent various stages of a relationship, from puppy love (Arthur/Lila) to complete destruction (Glenn/Annie). That's great, but you can get that insight in a therapist’s office or psychology class.

The central story is Annie’s fractured relationship with the screw-up Glenn, which is where most of the film's problems lay. First of which is a performance from Beckinsale that can best be described as “blah.” I’ve never seen a movie of hers where she registered onscreen at all or conveyed any presence so it’s odd Green would think she’s capable of lifting material this heavy. Nothing on her résumé suggested she could. It’s kind of hard to believe a filmmaker as gifted as Green didn’t have more talented actresses knocking his door down to get this part. As I watched I couldn’t help but think what Nicole Kidman or Kate Winslet (who played a similar character in Little Children) could have done with it.

Beckinsale must play an irresponsible mother cheating with her best friend’s husband. And she plays it just like that and nothing more, sleepwalking her way through the whole thing. It isn’t a bad performance, just merely serviceable and for this type of a film you need a lot more than that. As a result, Annie comes off as an uncaring bitch and when the cataclysmic event occurs about an hour in and she’s blamed for it I couldn’t disagree. It is mostly her fault. The sad part is I don’t think Green’s screenplay intended it to come off that way.

Rockwell’s layered portrayal of a man driven to the brink is much more rewarding. He plays him as a decent guy trying desperately to do good for his daughter but continuously messing up at every turn because he just can’t get a hold of his demons. We can actually see and understand how things get to the point they do with him and that’s no small feat. Here’s hoping that Beckinsale comes off so bad because Rockwell is that great. What’s worse though is that this represents her best work, which means if Green can’t coax a great performance out of her then no filmmaker can.

There’s a lot going on but the separate characters’ lives rarely intersect and the story never really comes together as a cohesive whole, which you could argue fits the realistic minimalism Green pictures usually bask in. But that doesn’t mean it helps the film. That style is fine for a meditative tone poem like All The Real Girls that explores the heartbreak of relationships but this sets itself up to be more than that and doesn’t completely deliver. It actually could even be described as almost too restrained. The result is a depressing viewing experience that’s intelligently written, beautifully shot and features a couple of very good performances. And that’s pretty much it. More gasoline needed to be added to the narrative fire.

There’s been some debate as to when the film’s events actually take place. The novel was set in the 1970’s, but contrary to Netflix’s erroneous packaging information Green did adapt the film to present day. That you really can’t tell the time period is a high compliment that represents one of his many great attributes: they exist in a timeless vacuum that doesn’t age. His control of mood and atmosphere is such that it may be intriguing to see him attempt a horror film. This could almost be considered one. Unfairly or not, some directors are just held to a higher standard than others because we expect so much. David Gordon Green tops that list. While Snow Angels is his first film with some holes in it, one of his merely good pictures will always be ten times more interesting than most filmmakers’ finest.

Pineapple Express

Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride, Amber Heard, Gary Cole, Rosie Perez
Running Time: 110 min.
Rating: R

**** (out of ****)

Remember that scene in Dumb and Dumber when Harry found out Lloyd traded their sheepdog van for a little scooter and tells him just when he thought he couldn’t be stupider, he goes off and does that….and completely redeems himself. That would sum up my feelings for Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen right now. When Pineapple Express ended and that awesome Huey Lewis title song was blasting over the credits I was trying to figure out why I loved the film so much. Then it hit me. It was the first Apatow-produced comedy where I finally didn’t have to think why I enjoyed it. Even though the story it tells would seem to be at first glance very comfortable in the Apatow universe it lacks the lofty ambitions and inflated sense of self-importance that were holding all of his movies back. Freed from those shackles we’re finally allowed to let go and have fun, ironically resulting in the most substantial film his name has been attached to.

On paper the story looks familiar and the script doesn’t cover ground that’s completely unlike most Apatow projects so you have to believe the true difference maker here was the director, David Gordon Green. The acclaimed independent filmmaker best known for small-scale poetic dramas like George Washington, Undertow, All The Real Girls and the recent Snow Angels (which I’ve yet to see) was the oddest of directorial choices for this. More shocking than the fact that he was asked was that he took it, answering the question of what would happen if a gifted filmmaker of the highest rank were handed a dopey stoner comedy. In this case the results are astonishing, as he does the unthinkable in actually elevating the material to his level, providing an almost surreal viewing experience for those familiar or even unfamiliar with his other work.
Make no mistake about it. This isn’t a Judd Apatow comedy. It's actually very much a David Gordon Green film. And that’s why it works so well. He eliminates all the negative and self-indulgent qualities that have ran through most of Apatow’s previous output and focuses on what matters most: the laughs. Gone is the unnecessary exploration of characters’ feelings, an over-reliance on too realistic situations lacking humor, and messy, overlong third acts. Yes, I’m looking at you Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Knocked Up. Nothing about this feels the slightest bit like an Apatow movie and it’s the best thing that could have happened. For once, he picked the right guy who was able to do with this kind of comedy what none of his other directors-for-hire could: Stick a perfect landing. Every joke hits. Every performance works. The tone is dead-on and consistent. It also features the best action scenes of the year and a supporting turn from an actor worthy of having his name read alongside Heath Ledger’s when the five supporting actor nominees are announced next week. In a year full of big disappointments, Pineapple Express is exactly the right movie at the right time, raising the bar for its genre.

After a black-and-white prologue explaining the myth behind a rare strain of cannabis known as “Pineapple Express,” we’re introduced to 25-year-old process server Dale Denton (Rogen), a lazy slacker who when not “working” spends his days scoring weed from his dealer, Saul (James Franco) and visiting barely legal girlfriend, Angie (Amber Heard) at her high school. When Dale attempts to deliver a summons to a drug lord named Ted Jones (Gary Cole), he inadvertently witnesses Jones and a corrupt female police officer (Rosie Perez) murder an Asian gang member in cold blood. He clumsily flees the scene but not before leaving a damning piece of physical evidence: a roach containing the legendary “Pineapple Express.” Jones immediately identifies it and sends his two henchmen (Craig Robinson and Kevin Corrigan) to threaten Saul’s dealer Red (Danny McBride) into giving up the identity of the buyers. The chase is on and what unfolds is a nearly perfect action comedy that at times had me laughing so hard I was in physical pain.

The thing about stoner movies (at least the really good ones) is that their success depends on the degree in which the experience is effectively conveyed through the hazy worldview of its baked protagonists. Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle was able to do it, while at the same time, being a surprisingly deeper than expected buddy picture. This does all that, and then more. When stoned (so I’ve heard), everything takes on a greater importance and little everyday details are exaggerated to hilarious effect. That’s why in hindsight, Green, though untested in these waters, was actually the perfect director for this kind of material. He understands those little life details and it’s in those details where the best comedy comes from. This film is loaded with them. Take for instance a scene where Dale shows up at Angie’s high school in a suit to meet her. It doesn’t come off creepy as it would in the hands of another director, but funny. Green keeps a firm, tight grip over tone, something all Apatow movies have seemed to struggle with (some more than others). Or when he arrives for dinner with her parents (Ed Begley Jr. and Nora Dunn in hilarious cameos) and they’re not only not the slightest bit thrown by him or his situation, but insinuate themselves into it without missing a beat. Then they escalate it.

The entire plot reverses, subverts or distorts expectations at every turn and even if you didn’t know beforehand Green was the director you’d be able to tell. Relying on his usual cinematographer, Tim Orr, this movie by far boasts the highest production values of any Apatow entry. I couldn’t believe how good the movie looks for a comedy. It’s actually (insert gasp) a well-made motion picture that’s tightly edited and doesn’t needlessly fill time to sell unrated DVD’s. When it shifts into 80’s action territory it does so without missing a beat and succeeds where this summer’s Tropic Thunder couldn’t in milking graphic gore for comedy.
Besides earning laughs instead of winces, Green proves that if he ever wanted to he could quit directing human dramas right now and move on to big budget action vehicles. Michael Bay would have to watch his back because this film’s thrilling action send-up finale could easily compete with the best action sequences of the past few years. How often can you praise the technical aspects of a comedy? It also felt so nice to not be looking at my watch wondering why it isn’t over yet. An Apatow movie that isn't too long! Finally!

If there’s a reoccurring theme that’s prevalent (sometimes too much so) in the movies either written, directed or produced by Apatow it’s of man-children being forced to grow up and take responsibility. Except this time it’s a little different. Whereas all those other films felt the unnecessary need to tell us they were about that this one just IS ABOUT IT. For a change, Apatow wasn’t on the couch with me as I watched, shaking me and telling me what to feel. Even with the 40-Year-Old Virgin and Superbad (my two favorites) I still felt the strings being pulled just a little bit. Not here. Much of that credit goes to Green, but the rest of it goes to Rogen and Franco.

Just look at Franco during this film. Look at his eyes. He’s gone. He must have gotten completely fried in the trailer before stepping onto the set. For insurance purposes though I’ll assume he didn’t, which means his Saul is the most indelible cinematic stoner since Sean Penn’s Spicolli in Fast Times At Ridgemont High. Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Cruise’s supporting turns in Tropic Thunder were hilarious but that’s the extent of it. I never got the impression that there were three-dimensional people under those disguises. That’s what separates Franco’s performance from theirs and why he deserves the Oscar slot one (or both) may get. There’s an underlying sweetness and humanity to the character that’s rare to this kind of comedy and not many actors could have subtly projected it while still surrendering to the absurd zaniness around them.

As for Rogen, I was surprised just how refreshingly laid-back and charming he was as the lead. His ability to carry a film up until now was questionable but he proves the doubters wrong here with his most assured performance. Most would have expected each actor to be playing the role the other is but once again a clever reversal of those preconceived expectations yields shockingly effective results. This is the first time Rogen and Franco have shared the screen since they co-starred in Apatow’s dearly missed cult TV series Freaks and Geeks and also the only time since where what made each stand out on it is translated in its entirety to the big screen. The talented McBride perfectly completes the trifecta as the conniving, but ultimately very likable Red, stealing every scene he’s in, specifically the most important ones.
I watch comedies to laugh, not be burdened by characters’ life problems. How is it that Green, who up until now specialized in films dealing entirely with serious life problems, is the only director who gets it? It’s probably because he understands human relationships and knew enough not to force the issue and let Rogen and Franco do their thing, trusting the cards to fall into place. They did. I cared about these guys and by the end (if not before that) their friendship means something and finally the high water mark these Apatow comedies have been reaching for is met. This is the one I’ve been waiting for from him, he just needed to find the right filmmaker to execute it. Green seamlessly makes the transition to the mainstream leaving no independently honed skill behind. It's the antithesis of “selling out.”

When the film concludes, Pulp Fiction-style, in a diner over breakfast with the perpetually stoned characters discussing the insane events that transpired in the film you realize just how smart Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s script really was. How it subverted expectations and how the characters are, in a way, us. They tell the story how we would and realize how fun it is that they were involved in it. The myth told at the beginning is officially replaced by theirs. It’s the first movie for stoners as envisioned by stoners, yet you don’t have be one to enjoy it (though I’m betting it couldn’t hurt). Rich enough in details, it should hold up very well in subsequent viewings and amass a cult following, as if it hasn’t already. As days have passed I still can’t stop quoting it and laughing at certain scenes. Pineapple Express is the rare comedy you can love and it will love you back.

From The Vault: All The Real Girls

Director: David Gordon Green
Starring: Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Shea Whigham, Patricia Clarkson, Danny McBride
Running Time: 108 min.
Rating: R
Release Date: 2003

***1/2 (out of ****)

I’ve come to the realization that the more movies I watch the tougher it becomes to stay objective. I think that’s because after a while you get so familiar with certain actors, actresses and directors that you can’t help but play favorites. You become such a fan that you look at them more as investments and when they make choices you don’t agree with there’s almost the tendency to almost take it personally.

Zooey Deschanel is an actress who’s always the best thing in whatever she’s in yet most of the material she’s been given throughout her career is below her and she’s forced to elevate it, rather than it elevating her. That one huge breakthrough role has eluded her. The one that would get everyone to look at her as a full-fledged lady rather than the quirky best friend. If you think about it it’s a crime most moviegoers don’t even know who she is, and those who do think of her only in that way.

Imagine my surprise then when I heard from more than a few people that her big role came and went and I, along with most of the country, missed it. It was a very low budget indie released in 2003 called All The Real Girls directed by this guy named David Gordon Green. I told myself I had to watch it, but years passed and now Green is only known to me as the director of this summer’s Apatow/Rogen stoner comedy Pineapple Express (which I’ve yet to see).

To educate myself on Green I had a few choices. I could have easily started with his debut film, the critically acclaimed George Washington or even 2004’s Undertow but hearing what I did about Deschanel’s performance I knew his sophomore effort was the logical first step. And now after FINALLY watching All The Real Girls it’s difficult for me to comprehend just based on the commercials and trailers for Pineapple Express how the same man could have possibly directed those two pictures.
For the most part I got what I expected out of this just not at all in the way I anticipated. Green was obviously less interested in making a film than reflecting a mood and this is a viewing experience that requires a lot of patience. If you have it, you’ll be rewarded by the end. In telling what should be a fairly conventional love story Green lays all his cards out on the table slowly. So slowly and methodically that it makes The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (which the co-stars of this coincidentally appeared in) play like a fast-paced Michael Bay film in comparison.

It’s one of the best examples of Roger Ebert’s famous theory that it's not important what a movie’s about, but HOW it’s about it. It takes a relatively simple scenario (guy wants best friend’s sister) and turns it into an almost cataclysmic event that carries life-altering implications for the parties involved. But what it’s really about is that guy justifiably questioning whether he really deserves her love, and in doing so proving that he does. Then real life intrudes. The film’s tagline, “Love is a puzzle. These are the pieces” couldn’t be more accurate.

The guy is Paul (Paul Schneider), a womanizer in his early twenties who lives in a small, rural North Carolina town and fixes cars for his uncle. His mother, Elvira (Patricia Clarkson) works as a clown at a local children’s hospital, an irony that isn’t lost amidst the bleak setting of the film. When his best friend Tip’s (Shea Whigham) younger teenage sister Noel (Deschanel) returns home from boarding school they secretly begin dating behind Tip’s back. There are certain unspoken rules among guy friends that you just don’t dare break. This one is so big just the possibility couldn’t even be brought up at risk of ruining the friendship.

I saw something similar to this happen in high school and I had no idea how the two guys could even co-exist in the same room together, much less remain friends (and this from someone without a sister). To their credit, they did. In Paul’s case, this leap he takes is a far cry from any relationship he’s been in before, if you want to call those relationships. While Noel has remained a virgin he’s bedded nearly every girl in town, and believes (maybe naively) that she can transform him into a better person. He proceeds with caution not wanting to mess up the only great thing that has ever entered his life.

We think the big payoff and fireworks will come when Tip finds out about what’s been going on, but that’s just the starting point. Something bigger happens that causes us to consider that maybe it’s actually Paul who needs to be protected. What happens should be uneventful and just a blip on the radar on our way to a happy ending, but that’s what separates Green from a lesser filmmaker. This is real life and his script refuses to compromise. Sometimes you just can’t get your act together and no matter how much you tell yourself love will save the day the ball is in your court. And you can drop it. A scene occurs late that should be the highlight of these characters lives. Instead, it’s been sabotaged by their fear and self-destructive behavior.

Green conceived the story for All The Real Girls in college with best friend Schneider, whom he always envisioned starring. Another friend and former classmate, Danny McBride has a small role in the film as the wisecracking Bust-Ass and has since gone on to mainstream success in Tropic Thunder and the aforementioned Pineapple Express. Supposedly, Green and Schneider’s goal was to make a love story that felt real and absent of any manipulation. Not only was that accomplished but it feels as close to a poem as a film can get in both its dialogue and visuals.

The characters have this stilted, unfinished way of speech that has led many to accuse Green of depicting them as mentally challenged. They’re not (although one is). They’re just simple people from a small rural town and we’re not used to seeing that population of America portrayed accurately on film, which makes it jarring. Its obvious much of the dialogue is improvised, which just enhances the realism. And you've got to respect any script that contains the line: "Last night I had a dream that you grew a garden on the trampoline and I was so happy that I invented peanut butter!"

How Tim Orr’s cinematography failed to get an Oscar nomination will have to remain a mystery as I’d have trouble naming ten films I’ve seen over the past few years that use light and color as well as this one. He’s shot every one of Green’s films but just based on his work here I’d peg him as the heir apparent to Roger Deakins. The film dwells in the simple beauty of the everyday.

This has been widely regarded as Zooey Descanel’s best performance and it isn’t hard to see why. The quirkiness we love is still there, but it seems channeled in a different, darker, way this time and the part allows her to dig places she hasn’t before. It’s the most exposed she’s been emotionally. Is it her best work? So far, probably, but I still have this sneaking suspicion at such a young age she has something even better in her and will give many more performances that surpass it. Paul Schneider often gets the short end of the stick when the movie’s discussed because Zooey’s so strong but he has no problems keeping up and at times is as good as she is. He isn’t completely believable as a serial womanizer but it fits since his character doesn’t want to believe he is one either.

It’s amazing with the amount of movies I watch that the ones that always seem to hit me hardest explore real people struggling with real problems. The well will never run dry as far as the different types of stories that can be told and Green is yet another fresh voice in that genre. This is independent cinema in its truest, most basic form and lacking any pretensions.
It seems strange that a movie featuring what’s arguably Zooey Deschanel’s best performance to date would somehow fall short of a 4 star rating. As much as I respect this film it’s a difficult one for me to wrap my arms around and fully embrace precisely because it’s so painfully real. Its reality lends itself to inaccessibility for those who go to movies to escape the real world rather than wallow in how unfair it may be. Much like its characters, the film narrowly escapes perfection.

It’s interesting that when David Gordon Green flirted with the mainstream with a stoner comedy you didn’t hear the usual cries of “SELL-OUT.” I think that says a lot. It could mean audiences didn’t feel Green would make a step like that unless he really wanted to and his intentions were genuine. After All The Real Girls there’s no doubt this is a writer/director who bleeds sincerity. And in doing that he’s already earned something from audiences that most filmmakers have to work their entire career for: Trust.