Rian Johnson: A Director, a writer and his movies you should watch

In this space not too long ago, I made it a point to ask – practically beg – you not to watch two movies by one self-indulgent director named Lars von Trier. Neither his Melancholia nor his Antichrist are worth your valuable time.

Now, allow me to highly recommend a terrific young director who has directed and written three feature films: Brick (2005), The Brothers Bloom (2008), and Looper (2012).

Rian Johnson is a young man who hails from California and first came to my attention a while back when his debut feature film, “Brick,” was praised constantly by my favorite film criticism podcast, Filmspotting. Matt and Adam loved the movie so much that they actually created an annual honor called “The Golden Brick” that they award to some film of that year that was terrific but for whatever reason was not seen widely enough or not praised nearly enough.

So, I rented “Brick” and was mesmerized. It is a classic film noir set in a modern California high school with students playing all of the requisite roles. There’s a murdered girl. There’s a haunted hero. There’s the classic “Big Guy.” There’s the requisite “tough.” The dialog. The look. The feel. The entire movie pays homage to classic film noirs like The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Double Indemnity (1944). Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the hero but the true scene stealer is Lukas Haas as The Pin. And, for goodness sakes, Richard Roundtree is in the movie. You don’t get much more badass than that. This film is available on Netflix Instant and I suggest you watch it immediately.

Johnson’s next feature film was The Brothers Bloom, which stars Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel Weisz. I’m not going to say a whole lot about this film because, honestly, it was not my favorite. It felt scattered. I didn’t think the directing was as sharp.

So. . .when Johnson’s next feature film was released in 2012, I was a bit apprehensive. Was Brick a grand fluke? I let my nervousness get the better of me and I didn’t go see it. Instead I waited. And waited. Now Looper (2012) is available on movie channels and for rent. You must see it. Now.

Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt, Looper is a great thriller with a science fiction bent that includes time travel. Now, I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to say, “Oh, man, time travel. That stuff always hurts my head.” And, generally speaking, I tend to agree. Some movies have used the time travel element well (The Terminator (1984)) and others not so well (just about all of the other Terminators). But here’s the deal. . .the brilliance of this film is how easily Johnson explains the use of time travel in this instance. You get it. You understand it. It becomes a key, but understandable, part of the plot.

And – BONUS!! -- the acting is great. Gordon-Levitt, Willis and Blunt all bring their “A” games. The secondary characters are all well done and play key roles. I will say that it will take a few minutes for you to get used to Gordon-Levitt’s prosthetic make-up. He is Willis’ younger self, and his mannerisms and look need to somewhat mirror Willis’ look and mannerisms. But you get past it. Trust me.

I’m not going to say a whole lot about the film because I want you to experience it “cold.”

One thing you need to know: It’s violent. Bloody violent. So be prepared.

So there you have it. Go watch Looper and Brick. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Quick Moview Reviews: Precious, The Brothers Bloom, Joyeux Noel

Precious (2009)

Bottomline: Mediocre movie punctuated by terrific scenes and phenomenal performances.

Pros: Mo'Nique. Mo'Nique. Mo'Nique. The entire cast is superb and delivers incredible performances.

Cons: It's too long and begins to fall under the weight of a plodding pace.

Where Can I See It? It is in theaters.

Bottomline: Before I write anything else about this movie, let me just go ahead and confirm what you've heard about one thing: Mo'Nique delivers an amazing performance. I don't know a lot about her personal story but she dug down deep in her soul for this performance and she absolutely lays herself bare on screen. Now, let me dispel something else you may have heard: This is not the world's greatest movie. This is a classic case of the acting being much stronger than the overall movie. Someone (Director Lee Daniels? Producer Tyler Perry? Producer Oprah Winfrey?) fell in love with every single scene they shot. What this movie needed was an editor who could masterfully tighten the film, improve the pace and strengthen the overall movie.

The Brothers Bloom (2008)

Bottomline: An interestingly quirkly but ultimately disappointing con movie.

Pros: Rachel Weisz. Cinematography. Rinko Kikuchi.

Cons: The story starts off strong enough but then gets tangled up in its own desire to fool the viewer.

Where Can I See It? It is available for rent on DVD.

What's a Better Movie to See? For a con movie, you really can't beat The Sting (1973) or, more recently, The Usual Suspects (1995).

Bottomline: I loved -- LOVED -- Director Rian Johnson's first movie, Brick (2005), and I would recommend you pick that one up on DVD instead of renting this one. The sad thing is that this movie should be great. The line-up includes Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz, Robbie Coltrane, and Rinko Kikuchi. The problem is the story gets too complicated too quickly and you just want it to be over. Ruffalo mugs his way throughout the movie. Brody spends the entire movie looking like he has gas. Highlights are Rachel Weisz as the quirky Penelope Stamp. And I really liked Kikuchi as Bang Bang. Kikuchi was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in her role in Babel (2006).

Joyeux Noel (2005)

Bottomline: Surprisingly excellent French film that is perfectly appropriate for the holidays.

Pros: Excellent screenplay based on a true story. Natalie Dessay. Rolano Villazon. Concise directing.

Cons: Director crosses the line from time to time taking the movie into unbelievable territory.

Where Can I See It? It is available for rent on DVD.

CAVEATS: It is a French movie with sub-titles. While it is a feel good holiday movie, it is a war movie and does have disturbing war scenes involving violence and death.

Bottomline: This movie was recommended to me by a friend of mine who knew I had a soft spot for good movies and good holiday movies. This one fits both criteria and is well worth your time. It's based on the true story of soldiers in the trenches during World War I laying down their arms and celebrating Christmas Eve as one. The acting is solid. The direction is spot on. But what brings them out of their trenches on that Christmas Eve in 1914 is music. And that's another reason why I like this movie -- it features the singing prowess of two of today's best operatic voices: Natalie Dessay and Rolano Villazon. So if you get tired of watching the same old same old this holiday season, take a chance and pick up Joyeux Noel. Be sure to watch the interview with the director in the special features section of the DVD.