Miller's Crossing

In a world that can seem quite overwhelming at times, it’s nice to discover a film that brings me back to what I love about movies.  Life is filled with concerns; finding a job, raising children, money, abortion clinics, ISIS, The Twilight Zone episode in which Donald Trump is leading in the polls…  Then you top it all off by watching the second season of True Detective, and the foundations of society are shaken, how can so much talent and potential be wasted?  Thankfully the Coen brothers made a little movie called Miller’s Crossing.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to suggest that one film can solve all the problems listed above, but it sure does make me feel better.  Somehow, Miller’s Crossing had eluded me for the past 25 years.  It’s understandable that I didn’t see it back in 1990 since I was only 12 at the time.  I saw The Hudsucker Proxy back in high school, and have been a Coen brothers fan ever since.  The Big Lebowski, Fargo, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and Raising Arizona show a diversity and range in filmmaking that epitomize what is great about American movies.  Then to top it all off, the brothers made a great film, No Country for Old Men, a film of depth and purpose that achieves what few other films have: a perfect ending. 

So I watched Miller’s Crossing yesterday and it reminded me that America is a great place.  It is a land of opportunity, a place that rewards hard work and recognizes true talent.  Sure, it’s also a place where chauvinistic slime balls can run for president, but that’s beside the point.  Miller’s Crossing is unlike any gangster movie that came before, and I can’t imagine another like it.  Here is a film that is rich with characters, filled with sharp dialogue, and unblinking in its depiction of gangster violence.  For those reasons it should be compared to White Heat, The Untouchables, and The Godfather.  Yet, it stands apart because at its heart Miller’s Crossing is simply about the internal struggles of a single man.  It is encouraging to see a man who traverses life with unwavering conviction; he faces challenges and partakes of pleasure with equal measure.  Now sure he’s a gangster, so his “moral code” is self-defined; what I admire is the fullness of his commitment.  As I examine the concerns in my life, I wish that I had such commitment to my beliefs.  Or maybe I just wish that I could be a gangster.  Come to think of it, I believe that my brother Jon already said these same things about The Godfather.  And going back even further, I think Mark Twain may have touched upon these ideas…  What do they say about great minds?  

Inside Out

Inside Out is an expertly crafted movie, one that really tugs at your heartstrings; but I didn’t really like it.  The director Pete Docter also directed Monsters, Inc which is one of my favorite Pixar films.  Many comparisons could be made between these two movies, but Inside Out lacks one key element that made Monster, Inc so wonderful; joy.  Now sure, Inside Out features a character named Joy who is supposed to represent joy, but ultimately she’s conceited and irritating.  Likewise, Sadness comes across as indifferent and slothful more than sad. 

That being said, Docter and his team of animators did an excellent job conveying the intricacies of young girl’s psyche.  Visual representation of the mind and scenes in the outside world are cleverly edited together very effectively.   Technically and artistically the film may be perfect, but that doesn’t mean that it’s an enjoyable experience.  Monsters, Inc also exemplified creativity and skill, but most importantly it was entertaining.  The characters were funny, likable, and sympathetic.  I am fully aware that this review reveals a double standard that I exercise; I would never have criticized Schindler’s List for not being entertaining.  Perhaps I am being critical because I believe that this film has been misrepresented; it lacks the joy which each proceeding Pixar film has contained.