"Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" Review

"The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans." Wow. If you think the title is unorthodox, just wait until you watch the film.

Terence McDonagh (Nicholas Cage) is a detective in post-Katrina New Orleans. After a cripplingly painful back injury, an addiction to pain killers tips the already shady McDonagh over the precipice of debauchery. Soon he is waist deep in addiction and blackmail, simultaneously struggling to keep a handle on his sanity and solve the brutal murder of a Senegalese family. As the investigation continues, McDonagh's dependence escalates, and the story veers further and further from the expected.

German New-Waver Werner Herzog is at the helm, and although the subject matter seems a bit outside his usual territory, he imbues the film with all art-house weirdness fans have come to expect.

The film plays dress-up in the clothes of a sleazy detective-on-the-edge story, but at its heart, Bad Lieutenant is about debasement and chaos eating at the heart of the Big Easy, and at the heart of the titular detective.

I make it a general rule to avoid Nicholas Cage like the plague. However, unhinged detective Terence McDonagh is the perfect outlet for Cage's unabashed insanity. Cage's bug-eyed, hunch-backed absurdity seems to have a finally found a home in Herzog's New Orleans.

With a poorly cut suit and a .357 magnum tucked behind his belt, McDonagh is a protagonist Herzog can be proud of, channeling the driven madness of Herzog's long-time go-to lead, Klaus Kinski. It's undeniably fascinating to watch Cage's flailing descent into his madness, and despite the apparent amorality of many of his actions, McDonogh somehow manages to remain strangely sympathetic.

Solid performances are turned in by the supporting cast, which includes Eva Mendes and the lovably dumpy Val Kilmer.

While all the features are in place, "Bad Lieutenant" is far from Herzog's best. The story is scattered, and Herzog's attempts at visual poetry seem all too often contrived. The breakdancing spirit of a dying criminal is certainly a striking image, but in the context of the work it comes off as sloppy and unusually self-indulgent. It's unclear whether Herzog has become deluded by his own mythic reputation, or he's simply struggling to find his voice in more mainstream work.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is seedy and convoluted, but it boasts some great performances and some mesmerizing Herzogian strangeness. Herzog aficionados and character buffs will find a lot to think about, but casual viewers should beware: this port of call is not for the faint of heart.

Grade C+

"The Fantastic Mr. Fox" review

Let me get this out of the way. "Fantastic Mr. Fox" is one of the best animated films I've ever seen.It does what all films seek to do, by creating a unique and appealing world, and populating that world with a wealth of, for lack of a better term, fantastic characters.

The film is based on a book by Roald Dahl, whose works include "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "The BFG," and "The Witches." The major plot points of the film are roughly corollary to those of the novel, but the film is a Wes Anderson joint, through and through. Mr. Fox (George Clooney) is a reformed bird thief turned newspaper man, who despite a devotion to his wife and son, yearns for the excitement of his glory days. When the fox family moves into their new home (tree) near three prominent farms, Fox decides to embark upon one last heist.The Fox family dynamic is altered by the arrival of Mrs. Fox's nephew Kristofferson (Eric Anderson) who lodges in the Fox home while his father battles "double-pneumonia." Fox's twleve-fox-year-old son Ash (Jason Schwartzman) is jealous of Kristofferson's talents and stature, and his father's blatant admiration thereof. As Fox squares off against the three sinister farmers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean, and tries to hide his illicit activities from his suspicious wife, (Meryl Streep) Ash struggles to outshine Kristofferson and makes his father proud.

The plot is whimsical and exciting, but as in all of Anderson's work, what really shines are the characters. Each is beautifully animated and brought to life by wonderful voice work by a cast including Bill Murray, Adrian Brody, Owen Wilson, Willem Dafoe, and Michael Gambon.

The dialogue is hip and crisp without being gimmicky, and the timing of the interactions is pitch-perfect. There are some poignant moments, as well as some that made me laugh aloud.You'll find yourself quoting this movie for days. It's rife with brilliant and bizarre one-liners.

Even if you've never seen any of Anderson's work, including "The Royal Tenenbaums," and "Rushmore," you'll immediately identify his offbeat aesthetic. Fantastic Mr. Fox is made using stop motion animation, but Anderson's lovable visual trademarks are all here - deliberate and methodical cinematography, vintage style, vibrant color, and prominent on-screen typography. The construction of the characters and sets is charming and novel, and every frame features a stimulating palette of color and texture.

Rounding out the experience is a raucously excellent soundtrack, featuring The Rolling Stones, The Wellington, and Burl Ives. There's even an original tune by the on-screen avatar of Jarvis Cocker. The mix of off-kilter animation and washy 60s rock is a pure delight.

I don't have much in terms of summation here, guys. Every element of the "Fantastic Mr. Fox" is fantastic, and the final product is nearly without flaw. It's poignant, funny, and a joy to behold. Simply put, it's one of Anderson's best. See this movie, folks. You won't regret it.

Grade A