A Perfect Candidate (1996)

Sisters [size=2]Directed by: Brian DePalma [/size] This was another one of those films of DePalma's that is 1/3rd Hitchcock homage, 1/3rd Hitchcock satire, and 1/3 Hitchcock ripoff. It's similar to 'Obsession' in that way. Anyhow, overall, it's stylish, has a great score by Bernard Herrman, and is fun to watch. I do enjoy the vast majority of DePalma's films, but I don't know quite what to make of them when thinking of them critically. They halfway seem like total shlock and halfway movie masterpiece. Go figure. All I can say was that, in spite of some moments feeling very contrived, in spite of (because of?) the fact that it's so heavily influenced by Hitchcock in one way or another, and inspite of the fact that it's tone can't quite settle in right, I enjoyed this film for it's style, solid performances and good cinematography. I liked it sigificantly less then Blow Out, but slightly more then Dressed to Kill. It might be worth a second watch. The Lowdown: A flawed by stylish and watchable DePalma film. It's Hitchcockian style/influence is it's biggest selling point and it's biggest problem. Grade: B- Crimes and Misdemenors [size=2]Directed by: Woody Allen [/size] This was perhaps Allen's most intellegent film, at least the one that has the most intellegent things to say about something that isn't love. This film talks about love, adultry, and the like, but it's more about moral choices, moral questions, and guilt. It's not one that really connected with me personally, like Manhatten did, or that really split my sides, like Sleeper did, but it's still funny and interesting. I wish it had been a bit funnier though, and it did drag in a couple of spots. It'll probably be worth another viewing at some point, but as for now, it was a solid Allen film, but doesn't rank among my favorites. The Lowdown: While arguably his most intellegent film, it didn't bring as many laughs as it might have, but it's still a fun, interesting and intellegent film. Grade: B+ A Perfect Candidate [size=2] Directed by: R.J. Cutler, David Van Taylor [/size] This is a very interesting film. It's actually quite surprising that it was made at all. I've worked, and probably will continue to work in politics, and it's really quite amazing that the filmmakers were allowed to get all the stragegy meetings, all the personal breakdowns, all the shady history and antics, and, at least in this case, the presentation of a choce that could easily be seen as the ultimate 'two evils' choice. Ask most Republicans who's big into political history, and he'll tell you that the one black eye on their 94 landslide, was the loss of Oliver North to Chuck Robb in the Virginia Senate race. Ask most Democrats and they will tell you it was their one silver lining in the blackest of clouds. I say most, not to equivicate that not all R's or D's think alike, such such nuances are obvious, but because these two men were very divisive in their own parties, and within the general public as well. Oliver North was a former advisor to Ronald Regan who admittedly lied to congress about Iran/Contra, and did time in prison for it. Chuck Robb was a former Governor and incumbent Senator who's voting record was not well liked by his state, and was almost certainly a frequent adulterer and womanizer and very likely a cocaine user who lied about it frequently. Talk about a bad choice! It just gets worse. Between some extremely harsh campaigning, two independent candidates, one with a history from each party dissatisfied with the party choice, backroom deals, etc. It just keeps getting worse. Anyhow, this film has 0 narrative, 0 text commentary, and is 100% footage of what is happening during this campaign, mostly behind the scenes. At least on North's side, they are given incredible access. They are given less acces to Robb's side, but are still given some access that reporters at the time didn't have. All I can really say about this film was that it presented a difficult and, when you get down to it, tragically funny choice. I would have liked a bit more somehow, but perhaps the images speak for themselves enough. Current muckrakers like Michael Moore might want to take note, sometimes it's best not to distort and force your view down someones throat. This film is certainly one of a kind, and most likely will be for a long time. The Lowdown: A facinating minimalist documentary that speaks for it's self. Some footage you arn't likely to see again in any context. Grade: B