All reviews written by Jason Smith, '07, unless otherwise noted.

Fall 2005 Films:

The Assassination of Richard Nixon (2004)

In 1974, Sam Byck, a struggling, socially inept, middle-class man, became fed up with his own problems and those he saw in the world around him. He formulated a plan to assassinate President Richard Nixon, blaming him for all his troubles. Obviously, his plan (detailed on tapes mailed to, of all people, Leonard Bernstein) failed, but 2004’s The Assassination of Richard Nixon is more concerned with the character of Sam Byck than with his desperate and far-fetched schemes.

 Byck (spelled Bicke in the film) is portrayed by Sean Penn, fresh off of winning an Oscar for Mystic River. He is every bit as impressive in this film, not apologizing for Byck, but refusing to demonize him either. Rather, he shows us a pathetic shell of a man who, having lost his wife (Naomi Watts, 21 Grams), his job, and his dignity, goes to desperate extremes to achieve his own “American dream.” Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda) also stars in the film, which marks the debut of director Niels Mueller. The Assassination of Richard Nixon is an unflinching, sharply observed study of a man on the brink of losing it all.

Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai (1999)

Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai is the 1999 film by cult director (and Kenyon favorite) Jim Jarmusch. Forest Whitaker (Panic Room) stars as an African-American man in New York who lives by the samurai code and is known simply as Ghost Dog. When his life is saved by a member of the mafia (John Tormey), he dedicates himself to serving this man, as the code dictates, and becomes an assassin for the mob. When he himself becomes a target, Ghost Dog fights the mob while trying to remain true to his code.

Whitaker anchors the film with a sad, soulful performance. He’s not inhuman, and seems to recognize the inhumanity of what he does, and yet he feels compelled to continue. Jarmusch (Down by Law, this year’s Broken Flowers) writes and directs with his unique combination of irony, offbeat humor, and pathos. The premise is certainly odd, but Jarmusch, Whitaker, and the rest of the cast manage to pull it off. The result is a film that is distinctly modern, without being disdainful of this ancient code of honor and loyalty.

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)

A film about the early years of Communist revolutionary Che Guevara would seem almost certain to be a biased, political polemic that reduces complex issues to black-and-white simplicity. Surprisingly, and thankfully, this is not the case with Walter Salles’ The Motorcycle Diaries. The film, instead, takes a more introspective approach to the material, preferring to suggest how a trip across South America with good friend Alberto Granado may have played a formative role in who Che would later become, without judging that person one way or another.

Acclaimed Mexican actor Gael García Bernal (Y Tu Mamá También) stars as the young revolutionary and delivers a typically wonderful performance. He continues to prove himself one of the most talented young actors working today. The film is also beautifully shot, and the picture-perfect views of scenic South American locales make it a pleasure to look at. More importantly, however, The Motorcycle Diaries is an intelligent film that is more character study than political diatribe. It certainly addresses the issues that Che Guevara was passionate about, but in a calmer way that people of any political persuasion can respect.

The Machinist (2004)

The term “psychological thriller” has been rather overused in recent years, but it applies to 2004’s The Machinist in every sense. Christian Bale (American Psycho, Batman Begins) plays the Trevor Reznik, a desperate, lonely man who may be losing his mind (if he hasn’t already). Trevor claims not to have slept for over a year, and judging from his emaciated appearance, you’re inclined to believe him. Bale lost over 60 pounds to play to role, though his careful, emotional performance is much more than just surface tricks. It’s very difficult to actually convey insanity in a character, but Bale pulls it off wonderfully while still allowing us to care for Trevor.

The story involves an accident at work that Trevor may be responsible for causing, and a co-worker who nobody can seem to remember except for Trevor. His only two friends are a hooker and the waitress who works the graveyard shift at the diner he frequents. The plot is more complex than that, but to say more would spoil many of its intricacies.

Director Brad Anderson and cinematographer Xavi Gimenez, along with Bale, do a great job of sustaining a mood of barely controlled madness throughout the film. The Machinist is a film that demands your attention in order to make sense of it, but those who do will be rewarded with one of the smartest (and weirdest) thrillers since Memento.

A Dirty Shame is the latest film from self-styled “master of bad taste,” John Waters. Broadly speaking (because to speak specifically would probably prevent this from being published), the plot involves a repressed housewife (Tracey Ullman) who develops an insatiable sexual appetite after a freak head injury, much to the surprise of her husband (Chris Isaak). When he is unable to satisfy her, she turns to an auto-mechanic (Johnny Knoxville) and his diverse gang of sexual fetishists (the film has been described as “encyclopedic” in this regard).

Obviously, this film will be offensive to a number of people. The film has an NC-17 rating that it wears like a badge of honor. However, Waters does treat his characters with a degree of respect, and approaches the material with an almost childlike naiveté that somehow almost makes it okay.

Most importantly, the film is extremely funny, in a very immature sort of way. But that’s what Waters was going for, so it’s hard to fault him for it. If you enjoy a little bit of crude, offensive humor from time to time (and most of us do, whether we admit or not), well, let’s just say this puts American Pie to shame. For all its infantile behavior, A Dirty Shame is actually, in its own way, a hilariously good time.