Quadrilogy

I saw several films recently and it is interesting to compare and contrast. In order of viewing, I saw Innocent Voices, Volver, Little Miss Sunshine and A Scanner Darkly. I don't think any of them could be considered mainstream viewing. Two are in spanish and two are American 'indie' films.

Innocent Voices is the only one which remains with me. It is set in ElSalvador and an 11 year old boy is the 'man of the house' and trying to avoid conscription by both the government and rebel forces. Apart from a single moment of what seems like convenient timing the story is shocking, grim and haunting, and is apparently a true tale. If you can go see it.

Volver is a film by Almodovar. At first it appears a mother has died and is haunting her children and her granddaughter. Alas this would actually have been a better and more interesting premise. Penelope Cruz stars and is getting many plaudits, but I found her wooden and a vacuumn in the center of the film that the rest of the cast do well to ignore. Otherwise there is no real sense of resolution.

Little Miss Sunshine is billed as having a standing ovation at Sundance and is a comedy. It's funny, but it isn't a comedy. Most of the laughs are in the last half hour, unless you've not seen the trailer. However, it is a fabulous study of a family in crisis and the finale is unexpected, apt and superb.

Finally, A Scanner Darkly. If you've seen Arnie in Total Recall go and watch that again. This is dull, goes over the same ground and is less a waste of your money and time. Ohh it's rotoscoped. Why? It adds nothing to the film but nausea. Really it is five hours of Robert Downey Junior doing a turn as a druggy.