REVIEW: In the Valley of Elah (2007)

In the Valley of Elah {dir. Paul Haggis, 2007}

(*/****)

According to the age old bible story, David entered the Valley of Elah carrying a slingshot. However in the movie "In the Valley of Elah", director Paul Haggis (he of "Crash" fame or infamy, depending on your opinion) wields a heavy sledge-hammer, which he is content to bash over the audience's head whenever he wants to make a point. "Crash" inspired much hatred for its supposed cheap emotional stunts and unlikely coincidences, along with its rigid moralizing. However, I felt that in that film Haggis manged to pull of an emotionally tumultuous and powerful film. Here he has given us a movie that tells us what we already know, and does in ways that will most insult our intelligence.

Saved only by Jones's rich and deeply felt performance, this is one laughably directed picture. It purports to be both a murder mystery/ thriller and a commentary regarding our troubles in times of war. Yet as a mystery it bores and is poorly focused; and as a statement on the effect war has on the participants it seems to not even be attempting to shed any new light on the situation. Haggis the screenwriter, it seems, has lost his capacity to bring an interesting narrative, and Haggis the director has completely lost any semblance of subtlety, along with the inability to balance the message with the story Here he has the skeleton of what could have been a powerful and moving family drama, and he instead opts for simple obvious metaphors and a final shot the left me rolling my eyes. Yet through all this muck and mire, Tommy Lee Jones remains not only a solid presence, but seemingly the only person who knew how to handle the story. It is a performance so good that its is almost worth sitting through a movie this wretched. After his film "The Three Burials of Melquilades Estrada", we know Jones is quite the exemplary filmmaker, perhaps he would have been able to re- work the script to get a good, or at least respectable final product. As it stands, In the Valley of Elah is quite the opposite, a self- righteous and frustrating.

A Quick Word on Two Animated Masterpieces...

Spirited Away {dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 2002}
****/****

This is the first Miyazaki , and suffice to say the man made one hell of a first impression! The story is equal parts Wonderland and Oz, also incorporating numerous tropes of classic fantasy. Yet the story and the entire film feel unusual in their completeness, in their immersive quality and breathtaking majesty. Visually, this is one of the finest films of the decade. A great move rich with characters, ideas and most importantly life. Each frame of this picture jumps off the screen and inhabits the viewer's subconscious, imprinting images that will last for a lifetime. It contains rich characters, an enchanting and slightly off center world, along with a thankful lack of moralizing. Like the best childhood parables, Spirited Away has the capacity to frighten, enchant, and most importantly entertain audiences from any culture in any language.


Up {dir. Pete Docter, 2009}
****/****

Pixar's Up is the best film of the year so far, by far. In telling a simple adventure story, they cover ground that they had yet to cover before. Both the humor and heartbreak of the film seem completely more mature than any of Pixar's previous works. The film is perfectly paced and structured in a very careful way to allow each moment to have a satisfying and slightly surprising. Pixar continues to amaze not only with their technical bravado, but with their thematic courage. Up is definitely in the uppermost echelon of their work, a hilarious, and in turns heartbreaking, work of great magnitude and power. Visually the film is rich and thrilling and emotionally it is satisfying. I cannot wait to see it again!