Promises I Keep: Review of The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

New Cult Classic

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

Director: Tommy Lee Jones 

By Alex Watson

 

Westerns are a form of film making which is very infrequent these days, but whenever one of them roles around, we are given a glorious reminder of just show stunning and thrilling they can be! In 2006 Tommy Lee Jones wowed Cannes and gave us the first classic Western of the 21st century with his movie The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, a gripping tale of a man fulfilling a long held pledge to an old friend!

When ranch hand Melquiades Estrada (Julio Cedillo) is accidentally shot dead by Border Patrol agent Mike Norton (Barry Pepper), the local authorities turn a blind eye to events and give him a paupers funeral. Disgusted by their disregard for events, Estrada’s friend Pete Perkins (Tommy Lee Jones) digs his friend up and vows to fulfil his promise of burying his body on Mexican soil. But in order to redeem his enemy, Perkins forcibly drags Norton along his mission as the pair set out to lay Estrada’s soul to rest!

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is one of the most intriguing and beautifully shot movies of years gone by and in the hands of first time director Jones, we are given a fascinating story of conquest, love and more importantly redemption! The script by veteran Mexican screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga is a real slow burner but the film greatly benefits from this and gives a real ambiance to the proceeding events.

As we witness the apathetic attitude of the seedy local sheriff (Dwight Yoakam) who merely wishes to put the body in the ground and be done with it, we yearn for Pete to set things right. But the biggest catalyst of all is Norton- a man brutal in his job and at home to his wife (January Jones) and he takes great pleasure in hurting the ‘wetbacks’ he had to deal with daily! When Pete drags him from his home by gun point, the movie kicks into life and the winds of change coming over.

The scenes of the two men trekking cross country to Mexico are the most  alluring of The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada and as they near the destination they come across many unique and heartbreaking scenario’s such as a lonely and isolated blind man who listening to a Spanish radio station (who can’t understand Spanish!) and an encounter with a poisonous snake brings Norton into contact with a former victim he abused! Together these scenes an eclectic mix of humour, anguish and determination of the human spirit!

But it’s Norton trying to achieve restitution for his acts that holds the movie together! From the very get go, it is made apparent that this a man who according to his wife is ‘way beyond redemption’ who doesn’t treat people with anything approaching respect. But as he is dragged across the Mexican countryside, his guilty conscience begins to set in and inside we can tell Norton is battling to save his soul before it is too late! But fittingly we are given an ending which has a twist on that at first leaves us baffled, but also leaves a final interaction between the two men which is beautifully uplifting.

Tommy Lee Jones along with his star direction, gives by far the film strongest performance as grizzled and committed rancher Pete Perkins and provides the emotional engagement that his movie needs. Barry Pepper also impressive as the mean spirited Norton and for thus gives a turn that us both vigorous and deeply humane, and he excels in the films  later stages.

It was a bold move for Tommy Lee Jones to take on a such a heavily affecting film, but it was a gamble worth taking as The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is one of the most picturesque and immensely moving pictures that you will witness. Be prepared to sit thoughtfully as the end credits roll and consider some hard life choices!

Man in the Mask: Review of The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger

Director: Gore Verbinski

By Alex Watson

“HI-YO SILVER….AWAY!!!” You, me and everyone we know has been hearing this cry since the dawn of time and now finally The Lone Ranger has made its way across to the big screen after a glorious period on radio in 1933 to its small screen beginnings from 1949 to 1957 with Clayton Moore starring as the masked avenger! But its trip to the cinemas has been no easy journey and during production in August 2011- filming ground to a halt over budget concerns! But director Gore Verbinski has been able to bring the journey full circle-but delays of this kind are always a worrying sign, can the charm of Johnny Depp’s Tonto save this movie?

In 1933 San Francisco, aged Comanche tribesman Tonto (Johnny Depp) relives his tale of the Wild West to a young boy. Back in 1869 lawyer John Reid (Armie Hammer) returns home to become his towns new District Attorney- but soon things take a bad turn when John watches his brother Dan (James Badge Dale) being murdered by notorious outlaw Bruce Cavendish (William Fichtner) during an ambush of Texas Rangers and is left the sole survivor! Revived by Tonto- Reid decides to don a mask and avenge his brother’s death by becoming The Lone Ranger.

So far The Lone Ranger has opened to a poor box office and less than favourable reviews, for the most part this is a very fun movie and director Gore Verbinski makes great use of the buddy comedy aspect of the story between John and Tonto. The main problem however, lies in the over bloated script which makes the story far more drawn out than it needs to and isn’t helped by some flat sides stories involving corruption by railroad contractors who are building the Transcontinental Railroad led by devious Latham Cole (Tom Wilkinson) which gives a rather hoaxy feel to the story. Although this is an entertaining ride, there is a rather average and slightly stale feel to this all and it doesn’t look like $250 million dollars well spent!

This film begins well enough with a reasonable exciting opening act John returns home with a college law degree and an eye still on his onetime sweet heart Rebecca (Ruth Wilson) who is now married to his brother- but when the brothers Reid make an ill fated trip into the desert, they are gunned down by Butch and left for dead! But as he awakes in the midst of being buried by Tonto, a new vigilant is born as he learns to ‘never take off the mask’. But asides from this opening segment and a fun finale as our two heroes outsmart their enemies but using not one but two different trains, the middle section of the movie just sags as truths are reveal and predictable twists come forward.

However the partnership of John and Tonto is where The Lone Ranger has the most fun, as they constantly bicker with one another and the Comanche continually feeds his the dead crow which is sat permanently on his head- although Tonto is bizarre with his broken English and strange customs, he is a very wise and aware warrior who is the only man who can shape his ‘kemosabe’ from being a by the book lawman, to being able to dispense justice with a bullet! Bizarrely for an action film the sidekick feels like the real star of the movie.

Johnny Depp looks the part of Tonto in this movie and this another role which will fill his fan base with joy and he is given free rein to be quirky and mysterious. But although Depp is solid as always, this doesn’t feel like he is pushing himself and while this might provide customer parties with a new favourite outfit it won’t be remember as one of his great performances. Armie Hammer as the hero tries his hardest to stand out but doesn’t quite nail the part and next to Depp he looks like he is all at sea and doesn’t feel like the man the anchor such a big bucks film.

As the villain the ever reliable William Fichtner is memorably nasty and the grimy and scarred Cavendish and he makes for a great enemy for the two and his continuous exasperation at them not staying dead provides some fine funny moments. Also it is wonderful to see Ruth Wilson being given her shot at Hollywood as the sister in law/ love interest of John and after he brilliant turn as Alice Morgan in BBC show Luther she has earned her chance!

Sadly The Lone Ranger will not be one of this year’s greatest summer blockbusters, but nevertheless it is still fun and fans of Depp should probably still check this out, it is a shame that this hasn’t quite met the expectations but money doesn’t always guarantee success in this field! One day hopefully we will cry out “HI-YO Silver!” in triumph, but until then Kemosabe, we shall have to wait!

Song of the South: Review of Django Unchained

Django Unchained

Director: Quentin Tarantino

By Alex Watson

As a director Quentin Tarantino may not be to everyone’s taste but his cult status in the film making world is un-deniable and whenever one of his films hits cinema’s the world sits up and pays attention. His casual mix of humour with extreme violence is a trademark that is instantly recognisable and love or hate has brought us some very memorable moments over the last 20 years. With his new effort Django Unchained, QT brings us into Deep South and shows one man’s struggle to break free, but will his usual style suit this tale or will this prove a step too far?

Set in 1858, bounty hunter Dr King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) rescues slave Django (Jamie Foxx) from a group of slave traders in order to assist him in tracking down three outlaw brothers. After they carry out their arrangement, the two agree to become partners and soon make a lucrative earning in the killing business. But Django’s wife Hildy (Kerry Washington) still ways heavily on his mind and together the two vow to rescue her from the clutches of plantation owner Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).

Django Unchained will fit very well into the Tarantino Empire and fans will be delighted to know that his distinctive style is all present and correct and the results are deliriously entertaining! The story of a slave vowing to revenge at the world fits QT like a glove and from the very beginning there is an air of menacing relish about it and it shows in the dialogue, such as when Django shoots one of his former tormentors, as the man falls, Django silkily says “I like the way you die boy!” Tarantino’s dialogue has many zingers included and as usual there will a ton of quotable lines that will follow after!

The bonding between Schultz and Django provide the movie’s main interest, as the aforementioned Doctor swaggers into the story and almost smugly introduces himself before blowing holes in two men to save Django, we know that he is something truly unusual! As the relationship between them develops, Schultz sees a real hero in Django and strives to help on his mission. In the presence of Schultz, Django will find a newer and more dangerous side which will aid him well at the movies conclusion.

But it’s Calvin Candie that gives the movie its most excellent creation and his presence is forever felt on screen. Here we have a spoiled man-child with far too much power on his hands who is forever complimented by those around him because they know that lurking beneath the pleasant and smiling facade hides a monstrous creature that is prone violent outbursts which will have horrific consequences!

Although the long running time does weigh on the film slightly, the action involved certainly doesn’t and it makes way for possibly the most OTT shoot out finale of the year and has as the buckets of claret cover the walls there is an almost cartoonish type feel, many may feel that the ending of Inglorious Basterds set the bar in terms of Tarantino violence, but this ending here has raised it even higher!

Jamie Foxx looks the part of Django and carries if off with equal force and his whispering voice adds an extra threat, especially in the moment after he spells his name and mentions “The D is silent!” Foxx has proven to be a great choice he gives his best performance since his Oscar winning turn in Ray. But Django Unchained belongs to Christoph Waltz’s charismatic performance as King Schultz which proves just as wordy as his turn as Hans Lander in Inglorious Basterds and once again Waltz succeeds in stealing the film. Seems QT has found a new muse for him films and I imagine everyone is very excited!

Leonardo DiCaprio makes the perfect villain and his magnificent and almost childish turn as Calvin may seem clichéd but I can guarantee it will be one DiCaprio must remembered performances and shows what a skilful villain he could make in future. Samuel L Jackson provides some the movies main laughs as house slave Stephen who is comically appalled by the idea of Django staying in “The big white house” when arrives at the Candieland plantation and together with DiCaprio the two make a great pairing as they bicker constantly with one another.

In Django Unchained it seems that all Tarantino’s fan will go away happy, though some critics might snipe at the overuse of violence and the film perhaps being a little too long, its entertainment factor cannot be denied and will contain some of this year’s most exciting and hilarious scenes and some truly excellent performances. This film will no doubt gain the same cult appeal as all his previous efforts and on this occasion- it is well deserved!