Sometimes filmmakers seem to have the most fun when they turn the camera on their craft and themselves. Among titles that come to mind are Singin' in the Rain and Sunset Boulevard. Written and directed by Martin McDonagh, Seven Psychopaths falls in line with that theory. The talented writer-director of the quirky In Bruges from a few years back seems to be using Seven Psychopaths as a cathartic experience to work through a bout of writer’s block.
Ben Affleck’s newest film as a director, Argo, is a textbook example of how to make a first-class Hollywood movie from an actual event, and keep it moving, interesting, suspenseful, and sometimes funny.
Futuristic sci-fi time travel movies have been around for a long time, but generally rely on fancy, and expensive, special effects. It’s nice that Looper is relatively low budget… a reported 30 million… for a film like this. There are no spinning gadgets or spectacular tunnels of light. In fact, Looper is primarily character driven, with an intriguing story featuring some terrific performances.
French actress Julie Delpy first came to prominence in the US as co-star of Richard Linklater’s pair of romantic dramas Before Sunset and Before Sunrise. In these art house hits, Delpy stars with Ethan Hawke about a couple who connect one night in France in the first film, separate, and reconnect in the second.
