Movie Review: American Hustle

Here Comes the Sun(glasses). Image via TotalFilm

From the very beginning, "American Hustle" announces that it is only sort of based on true events.

Fitting, as this is an historical event so complex and bizarre that the whole truth simply could not do it justice. This is where movie truth steps in and offers a helping hand.

"American Hustle" constantly blurs the line between real and fake. In fact, the film opens with Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) giving himself the most passionate combover you'll ever see. Irv's life philosophy is to fake it until you make it. He kind of has to, as this is part of his job: Irv is a con man, and a very good one at that.

The Reel Deal Goes To Cannes Update #5: Screenin' in the Rain

Some people say that Cannes is like the Florida of France. While I haven't found a shuffleboard court or an old Catskills comedian yet, i'm starting to think it is because of the unpredictable weather. The bright and sunny morning quickly morphed into, hyperbolically speaking, a mini Monsoon. It has been this way for the past few days, and it seems to be showing no signs of slowing down.

This means that it is perfect weather for a movie.

Unfortunately, the day got off to a bad start, as I was swiftly rejected from a screening of "Safety Not Guarenteed," despite having a ticket. This movie was a market screening, which is meant for buyers (usually from foreign markets) first, and patrons second. Guess I will have to deal with seeing it in the States when it opens later this summer.

Last night, however, was marked with a fantastic screening of the director's cut of Sergio Leone's gangster epic "Once Upon a Time in America." Unfortunately, I missed the screening in which Robert de Niro and Ennio Morricone introduced the film. But if attending film festivals has taught me anything, it is that life will be full of rejections and expectations not fulfilled, so it is best to relish what lies in front of us. And how beautiful this film looked on the big screen. This version contained a newly restored print, which looked as magnificent as ever.

Movie Review: Machete

One of the most controversial social issues of the day deserves to be Mexploited. Well, I guess there was no one else who could complete this task better than Robert Rodriguez, with the opening of his highly awaited "Machete."

"Machete" first existed as the trailer that opened up 2007's "Grindhouse." It was a satirical, B-movie idea so perfect for a trailer, and even more promising for a full length feature. This can be seen pretty much as a passion project for Rodriguez. It combines everything he's loved throughout his career: westerns, Mexicans, samurais, and Danny Trejo.

The titular Machete, played by Trejo, was once Mexico's hardest yet most honest federal agent. After losing his wife to drug lord Torrez (Steven Seagal), Machete flees to America and works as a day laborer.

One day, Machete is chosen by a mysterious man named Booth (Jeff Fahey) to kill the xenophobic Texas state Senator McLaughlin, who's attempting to launch a campaign to keep all Mexicans out of America.

After a setup and a few more unfortunate events, Machete joins forces with an underground network and a cop (Jessica Alba) for a very bloody culture war.

"Machete" is one of those movies that's made for the kind of people who like to do nothing but watch movies. Look closely and you'll spot the occasional Mexican standoff, or blood spurting out only like it would've in "Shogun Assassin." The score defies genre, as it switches between horror and action at times.

Mostly though, "Machete" is Rodriguez's second movie that embodies the grindhouse feeling. The grainy, cut up frames add a strange authentic value to every shot of the film. "Machete" is grindhouse in both look and feeling. It is constantly over-the-top and ridiculous on purpose. "Machete" is also the kind of movie that truly revels in shock value. Pretty much anything is turned into a weapon in this movie. That doesn't exclude someone's intestines. I won't say more than that though. Good shock value should stay shocking through surprise.

I think Rodriguez should continue making films that aim low. Why? Because that's the kind of filmmaker he is. He famously made his feature debut, "El Mariachi" with just $7,000. He has a unique talent of making trashy seem classy.

While he is certainly one of those filmmakers who draws so heavily on his influences, his substance still can't match his style. The storyline of "Machete" lacked some of the fluidity of those of his best features, including "Planet Terror" and "Sin City." "Machete" has three different bad guys, yet it is continually confusing who is truly the worst and who is really in charge. Rodriguez may be paying tribute to shoddy storytelling, but some of the plot holes here simply can't be excused by that notion.

Something I wasn't expecting from "Machete" was how heavy of a satire it was going to be. It likely wasn't meant to be that way when the story was first thought up but once the immigration debate reignited, I guess it was impossible to ignore. The satire is relevant and most effective when it isn't so overt. The political ads randomly placed throughout the film might be off pace, but they're certainly hilarious. Though I wish the movie could've balanced trashiness with smart satire about race and social issues like last year's "Black Dynamite" did. Both films were tributes to exploitation films of the past.

I will try not to spend too much time criticizing. After all, "Machete" does contain the first instance of Robert De Niro actually acting in years. Trejo is also about as entertaining an action star as Sylvester Stallone and Bruce Willis in their prime. At 66-years-old, some of the stunts he can pull off were truly impressive.

Also, when "Machete" isn't trying so hard to have an actual plot, it has moments of genuine entertainment and hilarity. I just think it should've put less time into being relevant and more time into being a B-movie.

If anyone is to see "Machete," it must be said that it is definitely one worth seeing in theaters with the biggest audience possible. Like the true grindhouse experience, "Machete" is more entertaining when seeing how the audience feels and reacts to everything going on on the screen. If everyone laughs at Cheech Marin as a gun wielding priest or Machete texting someone "You've just f**ked with the wrong Mexican," than you'll know you've picked the right showing.